ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal

Water dynamics in blended-slag cements made from industrial waste

Abstract: Blended cements incorporating industrial by-products like fly ash, a residue from coal combustion, offer more sustainable alternatives to conventional Portland cement. The hydration (or setting) of fly ash-blended cements leads to the formation of primary binding phase calcium-aluminium-silicate-hydrate (C-A-S-H). Despite significant research efforts over the past decades, the nanocrystalline structurally disordered nature of C-A-S-H continues to hinder detailed characterization, particularly with respect to the distribution and behavior of water within its diverse pore structures. In this work, we aim to explore the vibrational dynamics of water confined in distinct pore domains of C-A-S-H formed in fly ash-containing cements, utilizing precisely equilibrated samples with defined moisture levels. This investigation will extend our earlier findings on Portland cement systems, where we identified characteristic spectral signatures corresponding to interlayer, interfacial, and capillary water. Gaining insight into the organization of water within C-A-S-H is critical for advancing our understanding of hydration processes, setting mechanisms, and long-term durability phenomena such as dissolution-reprecipitation and carbonation, all of which have direct implications for the mechanical integrity and service life of fly ash-based cementitious materials.

Principal Investigator: Dr Zhanar Zhakiyeva
Experimenter: Ms Saule Mergenbayeva
Experimenter: Dr Alejandro Fernandez Martinez
Experimenter: Dr Alexander Van Driessche
Local Contact: Dr Svemir Rudic

DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610148

ISIS Experiment Number: RB2610148

Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

Data format: RAW/Nexus
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Data Citation

The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher], [doi]

For Example:
Dr Zhanar Zhakiyeva et al; (2026): Water dynamics in blended-slag cements made from industrial waste, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610148

Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.