Hot and Strong: How Lithium Slag Boosts Recycled Concrete

A world where waste materials are transformed into something strong and useful. That's exactly what happened when researchers decided to tackle two problems at once: the massive piles of lithium slag (LS) and the need to improve recycled concrete's strength after it's been exposed to high temperatures. They came up with an idea called lithium slag recycled aggregate concrete (LSRAC). First, let's talk about lithium slag. It's a byproduct of lithium extraction, and there's a lot of it. Instead of letting it pile up, researchers decided to put it to good use. They mixed it with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) and heated it up to see how it would perform. The experiment was simple but effective. They replaced some of the cement with lithium slag at different rates (10%, 20%, and 30%) and heated the concrete to 200°C, 400°C, and 600°C. Then, they tested the strength of the concrete. The results were impressive. The concrete made with lithium slag (LSRAC) lost less strength than the regular recycled concrete (RAC) when heated to the same temperature. In fact, the LSRAC with 20% lithium slag showed a significant boost in compressive and splitting strength, increasing by 33. 9% and 36. 5% respectively. Even the flexural strength saw a 24. 1% increase with just 10% lithium slag. So, what does this mean? Well, it means that LSRAC can handle high temperatures better than regular recycled concrete. This is great news for structures like pavement bases and public facilities, which might be exposed to high temperatures. The researchers even created equations to predict how well LSRAC would hold up after being heated. These equations matched the test results, proving that LSRAC is a reliable choice for high-temperature environments. But the benefits don't stop at strength. Using lithium slag in concrete is also an eco-friendly way to deal with waste. It's a win-win situation: we get stronger concrete and reduce waste at the same time. This could be a game-changer for sustainable development and post-disaster reconstruction. However, it's important to note that while the results are promising, more research is needed. The tests were conducted in a controlled environment, and real-world conditions might be different. But for now, it's clear that lithium slag has the potential to make recycled concrete stronger and more durable.