Influence of Mechanochemical Effects on the Strength Activity of Micro-Powder Derived from Multi-Source Solid Waste

Influence of Mechanochemical Effects on the Strength Activity of Micro-Powder Derived from Multi-Source Solid Waste | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Influence of Mechanochemical Effects on the Strength Activity of Micro-Powder Derived from Multi-Source Solid Waste Liu Jifeng, Lu Jian, Lin Xin, Qiu Chunlong, Lin Shengyuan This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6513161/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Driven by China emission peak and carbon neutrality goals, the efficient utilization of industrial solid wastes to develop low-carbon cementitious materials has become a critical research focus. This study investigates the activity enhancement mechanisms and synergistic effects of ultrafine powders derived from multi-source solid wastes (steel slag, slag, and lead-zinc tailings) in western and central Fujian Province through mechanochemical technology. Experiments compared the specific surface area, 7-day and 28-day strength activity indices of single and mixed materials under varying grinding durations, while revealing their hydration synergistic mechanisms. Results indicate that among single materials, slag exhibited optimal activity, achieving a specific surface area of 3.18 m²/g after 60 min of grinding, with 7-day and 28-day strength activity indices of 121.32% and 113.78%, respectively. The activities of steel slag and tailings were significantly lower than those of slag, but extending grinding time increased early activity to 40%. For mixed materials, slag-dominated systems demonstrated superior performance: the 28-day activity reached 89.87% after two-stage grinding (slag + steel slag), while three-stage grinding (slag-tailings-steel slag) achieved a remarkable 28-day activity index of 144.02%, attributed to the pore-filling effect of slag and chemical synergy between components. SEM and XRF analyses revealed that the dense structure and optimized particle gradation of mixed powders were key to activity enhancement, with mechanochemistry-induced amorphization, lattice distortion, and surface energy elevation further promoting hydration. The study confirms that graded grinding sequences and proportioning of multi-source solid wastes significantly influence activity, and prioritizing slag grinding maximizes its pozzolanic effect. These findings provide theoretical and technical pathways for efficient industrial solid waste recycling, facilitating the low-carbon transition in the building materials industry. Physical sciences/Engineering Physical sciences/Materials science Mechanochemical effects Industrial solid wastes Multi-source synergy Strength activity index Carbon peak Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 0 Introduction "Carbon peaking and carbon neutrality" represent an inevitable pathway for China's green development. Policy documents such as the Action Plan for Carbon Peaking Before 2030 issued by the State Council of China and the Implementation Plan for Carbon Peaking in the Building Materials Industry jointly released by multiple ministries explicitly emphasize the need to advance carbon peaking in the building materials sector, encouraging enterprises to accelerate solid waste utilization and develop novel low-carbon cementitious materials [Zhang,et al., 2019 , 2020 ]. Metal tailings in west-central Fujian Province are highly concentrated, and Fujian Sansteel Group, located in this region, generates millions of tons of solid waste annually, including slag and steel slag, in cities such as Sanming, Quanzhou, and Luoyuan. Persistent challenges such as high output, massive stockpiling, low utilization rates, and disposal difficulties for metal tailings and steel slag remain unresolved, with stockpiling occupying land and causing environmental pollution. Against the backdrop of the central government’s prioritization of carbon peaking and Fujian Province’s inclusion of green economy as one of the "four engines" for high-quality development [Zhang,et al., 2020 ], there is an urgent demand for efficient, synergistic, and safe treatment solutions for industrial solid wastes like steel slag, slag, and metal tailings widely distributed in west-central Fujian. Mechanochemistry, which utilizes mechanical energy input to induce crystal structure reorganization, increased surface active sites, and chemical bond breakage/reconstruction, serves as a core technology for enhancing the resource efficiency of industrial solid wastes. Its mechanisms can be categorized as follows: (1) Physical modification: Particle refinement and pore structure optimization improve the cementitious activity of steel slag, slag, and lead-zinc tailings (Chen et al., 2024 ; Wu et al., 2024 ); (2) Chemical activation: Generation of amorphous phases (e.g., increasing glass phase content in slag from 50–80%) and mineral phase transformation, such as the conversion of heavy metal sulfides to oxides in lead-zinc tailings and the transition of C₂S (dicalcium silicate) to β-C₂S during steel slag ball milling, reducing free CaO content to below 1.5% (Zhang et al., 2002; Li et al., 2022 ), significantly enhancing volume stability; (3) Energy storage: Lattice distortion-induced internal energy accumulation (activation energy reduced by 30%-50%) provides driving force for subsequent reactions (Kumar et al., 2021 ). Studies have shown that slag, steel slag, and metal tailings exhibit compositional complementarity, and their combined use outperforms individual applications, garnering increasing attention in recent years. Liu Q., et.al. ( 2019 ) systematically analyzed the pathways for preparing green building materials such as geopolymers and ceramic foams from lead-zinc tailings. Wen JB., et.al.(2008) investigated the activation effect of mechanochemical methods on steel slag, where high-energy grinding modifies its crystal structure to enhance both amorphous degree and reactivity. Gao, S.,et.al.(2002) employed high-energy ball milling technology to conduct mechanochemical activation on three types of slag, examining variations in particle size, density, and compressive strength. The optimal ball milling duration is identified as 2–4 hours. Chen MM., et al. (2014) prepared Portland cement clinker by substituting iron powder and clay with steel slag and lead-zinc tailings, respectively. Li GY. et al. ( 2019 ) demonstrated that replacing cement with steel slag at ≤ 20% or co-blending steel slag and slag at ≤ 30% did not significantly compromise concrete strength. Huang H., et al. ( 2021 ) formulated a composite admixture by combining coarse steel slag, fine slag, and commercial Portland cement, achieving 7-day and 28-day compressive strength activity indices of 94% and 101%, respectively. Li BX., et al. ( 2013 ,2014) tested the effects of multi-stage grinding durations, material ratios, and grinding aids on the particle size distribution and paste strength of iron tailings-slag composite powders. An SH., et al. ( 2023 ) found that co-blended slag and iron tailing powders exhibited synergistic effects during hydration, notably improving pore structure in hardened specimens and regulating the proportions of AFt crystalline products and C-(A)-S-H gels, thereby enhancing volume stability. Previous research has seldom addressed the influence of mechanochemistry on the strength activity of ultrafine powders derived from multi-source solid wastes such as slag-steel slag-lead-zinc tailings. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of mechanochemical treatment on the fineness and strength activity indices of these multi-source solid waste ultrafine powders, further elucidating the underlying mechanisms. 1 Raw Material Preparation The lead-zinc tailing micropowder used in the experiments was produced by Fujian Youtairen Environmental Technology Co., Ltd., while the slag and steel slag were finely ground products from Sansteel Minguang Group Co., Ltd. The apparent morphology, SEM microstructure, and XRF compositional analysis results of the lead-zinc tailings, slag, and steel slag are shown in Figures 1–3 and Table 1. The specific surface areas of the lead-zinc tailing micropowder, slag, and steel slag were 450 m²/kg, 520 m²/kg, and 410 m²/kg, respectively. As illustrated in Figures 1–3:The lead-zinc tailing micropowder exhibits relatively uniform particle sizes, with near-spherical shapes and large interparticle pores. The steel slag micropowder displays irregular particle sizes and shapes, accompanied by significant interparticle voids. The slag micropowder features irregular particle sizes and shapes but demonstrates tighter particle packing with smaller interparticle pores. As shown in Table 1, the lead-zinc tailings, slag, and steel slag share similar compositional profiles. The lead-zinc tailings primarily consist of CaO, Fe₂O₃, SiO₂, MgO, MnO, and Al₂O₃. The slag is dominated by CaO, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and MgO, while the steel slag contains SiO₂, Fe₂O₃, CaO, Al₂O₃, and MnO. The variations in component content among these materials provide the potential for synergistic hydration effects between lead-zinc tailings, slag, and steel slag (Zhang, et al., 2023; Liu, et al., 2023) . Table.1 Raw material XRF test results Lead zinc tailings Slag Steel slag Element Result Element Result Element Result CaO 41.890 % CaO 41.843 % SiO 2 42.371 % Fe 2 O 3 20.659 % SiO 2 32.929 % Fe 2 O 3 24.528 % SiO 2 20.468 % Al 2 O 3 14.115 % CaO 17.062 % MgO 6.200 % MgO 7.427 % Al 2 O 3 6.310 % MnO 3.939 % SO 3 1.723 % MnO 4.083 % Al 2 O 3 3.510 % TiO 2 0.591 % SO 3 3.922 % P 2 O 5 1.250 % K 2 O 0.524 % K 2 O 0.983 % TiO 2 0.910 % Fe 2 O 3 0.377 % ZnO 0.445 % Cr 2 O 3 0.430 % MnO 0.353 % PbO 0.164 % SO 3 0.280 % SrO 0.071 % SnO 2 0.049 % V 2 O 5 0.257 % ZrO 2 0.034 % Cr 2 O 3 0.034 % K 2 O 0.098 % Y 2 O 3 0.009 % V 2 O 5 0.030 % SrO 0.036 % Rb 2 O 0.003 % SrO 0.014 % ZrO 2 0.036 % ZrO 2 0.006 % ZnO 0.026 % NbO 0.012 % 2 Experimental Design and Procedure The study focused on two aspects: (1) the influence of mechanochemical treatment duration on the fineness, 7-day, and 28-day strength activity indices of single-component industrial solid wastes; (2) the effects of mechanochemistry on the fineness and strength activity indices of multi-source solid waste mixtures during graded co-grinding. The experimental design is detailed in Table 2, and the key instruments are listed in Table 3. Specific Surface Area Testing via BET Multi-Point Method.The procedure included the following steps: (1) Sample Preparation:Grinding and Sieving: Samples (e.g., mineral powder, catalysts) were ground to a particle size <20 μm and sieved for uniformity. (2) Drying: Samples were oven-dried to remove moisture and volatile impurities. At least 100 mg of sample was sealed in a sample tube for testing.Degassing: Samples were vacuum-degassed to eliminate adsorbed gases, with temperatures kept below the thermal stability limit. (3) Instrument Calibration and Setup: Calibrated using high-purity nitrogen (N₂).Test mode selected based on pore size range (micropores: 0.5–2 nm). (4) Adsorption Testing: Nitrogen adsorption isotherms were measured at constant low temperature by adjusting relative pressure (p/p₀). Pressure and adsorbed gas volume were recorded using pressure sensors and thermometers. (5) Data Analysis: Nitrogen adsorption-desorption curves were plotted with relative pressure (p/p₀) as the x-axis and adsorption volume as the y-axis. BET equation was applied via linear regression to calculate monolayer adsorption capacity and specific surface area. Mix Design and Testing Protocol: Control Group (No. 0): 450 g cement, 1350 g ISO standard sand, and 225 g water. Test Groups: 30% cement replacement by ground micropowders. For multi-source solid waste blends, components were mixed at 1:1 or 1:1:1 mass ratios, with standard sand and water identical to the control. Specimen Preparation and Curing:Mortar mixing and compressive strength testing followed Chinese National Standard GB/T17671.Three 40 mm × 40 mm × 160 mm prismatic specimens per group were molded, cured at 20 ± 1°C and >90% relative humidity for 24 h, then demolded.Demolded specimens were horizontally submerged in water (20 ± 1°C, spacing ≥5 mm, water level ≥5 mm above specimens). Water was replenished periodically without full replacement. Compressive strengths of control (R₇, R₂₈) and test samples (R₀₇, R₀₂₈) were measured at 7 and 28 days.Strength activity indices (A₇, A₂₈) were calculated using Equations (1) and (2): where:A7−7-day activity index, %; R7−7-day compressive strength of control sample (MPa); R07−7-day compressive strength of test sample (MPa). A28−28-day activity index, %; R28−28-day compressive strength of control sample (MPa); R028−28-day compressive strength of test sample (MPa). Table.2 Experimental Design and Key Results No. Material Grinding Time (min) Specific Surface Area (m²/g) 7d Compressive (MPa) 7d Activity (%) 28d Compressive (MPa) 28d Activity (%) 0 450g cement，1350g ISO sand，225g water 19.00 22.87 1 Steel slag 15 3.2299 5.95 31.32% 10.10 44.17% 2 Steel slag 30 3.9903 6.60 34.74% 9.93 43.44% 3 Steel slag 45 4.8596 6.16 32.42% 10.66 46.62% 4 Steel slag 60 5.4378 7.60 40.00% 9.05 39.58% 5 Slag 15 1.9821 19.05 100.26% 20.82 91.03% 6 Slag 30 2.4287 22.55 118.68% 25.68 112.32% 7 Slag 45 2.6260 22.67 119.30% 23.87 104.37% 8 Slag 60 3.1764 23.05 121.32% 26.02 113.78% 9 Tailings 15 1.2248 7.20 37.89% 8.43 36.88% 10 Tailings 30 1.5924 7.52 39.56% 8.52 37.24% 11 Tailings 45 2.9736 5.32 27.98% 10.90 47.67% 12 Tailings 60 4.0531 7.85 41.32% 9.63 42.13% 13 300g steel slag grinding 30min，addition 300g tailings co-grinding another 30min 2.0949 8.37 44.04% 9.85 43.08% 14 300g steel slag grinding 30min，addition 300g slag co-grinding another 30min 2.1325 16.43 86.49% 13.98 61.15% 15 300g tailings grinding 30min，addition 300g steel slag co-grinding another 30min 1.8480 7.55 39.74% 10.97 47.96% 16 300g tailings grinding 30min，addition 300g slag co-grinding another 30min 1.2169 13.60 71.58% 13.48 58.97% 17 300g slag grinding 30min，addition 300g tailings co-grinding another 30min 1.3907 14.58 76.75% 17.15 75.00% 18 300g slag grinding 30min，addition 300g steel slag co-grinding another 30min 2.1388 13.12 69.04% 20.55 89.87% 19 300g steel slag 15min，addtiong 300g tailings co-grinding 15min，then addtion 300g slag co-grinding another 15min 1.9149 12.18 64.12% 13.82 60.42% 20 300g steel slag 15min，addtiong 300g slag co-grinding 15min，then addtion 300g tailings co-grinding another 15min 2.2054 14.02 73.77% 17.38 76.02% 21 300g slag 15min，addtiong 300g steel slag co-grinding 15min，then addtion 300g tailings co-grinding another 15min 1.9173 10.46 55.05% 18.03 78.86% 22 300g slag 15min，addtiong 300g tailings co-grinding 15min，then addtion 300g steel slag co-grinding another 15min 1.3537 10.00 52.63% 32.93 144.02% 23 300g tailings 15min，addtiong 300g slag co-grinding 15min，then addtion 300g steel slag co-grinding another 15min 4.5171 8.97 47.19% 19.37 84.71% 24 300g tailings 15min，addtiong 300g steel slag co-grinding 15min，then addtion 300g slag co-grinding another 15min 3.5256 10.53 55.44% 18.27 79.88% Table 3 Key Experimental Equipment Equipment Model Manufacturer Vertical Planetary Ball Mill SM-500 Shanghai Lichen Bangxi Instrument Technology Co., Ltd. Specific Surface Area Analyzer SBT-127 Wuxi Jianyi Instrument Machinery Co., Ltd. Cement Mortar Vibration Table ZT-96 Wuxi Jianding Construction Instrument Factory Cement Mortar Mixer JJ-5 Wuxi Dianshi Intelligent Industrial Technology Co., Ltd. Cement Curing Chamber SJY-32B Beijing Yaohua Luye Instrument Co., Ltd. Electromechanical Compression Tester YAW-300C Wuxi Zhongke Building Materials Instrument Co., Ltd. 3 Analysis of Experimental Results The effects of mechanochemistry on lead-zinc tailings, steel slag, slag, and their blends are summarized in Table 2 and Figures 4–7. Key conclusions are as follows: 3.1 Relationship Between Grinding Time and Specific Surface Area The correlation between mechanochemical treatment and the specific surface area of steel slag is illustrated in Figure 6 and Table 4. The specific surface area of steel slag micropowder increased linearly with grinding time, but the growth rate gradually slowed (23% reduction at 60 min). This may be attributed to rapid particle fragmentation during the initial grinding stage (15→45 min), while further refinement near the particle size limit in later stages (45→60 min) required additional energy input, reducing efficiency. Table 4 Grinding Time vs. Specific Surface Area for Steel Slag Grinding Time (min) Specific Surface Area (m²/g) Growth Rate (m²/g/min) 15 3.23 - 30 3.99 ‌0.051‌ (15→30min) 45 4.86 ‌0.058‌ (30→45min) 60 5.44 ‌0.039‌ (45→60min) For slag (Figure 6 and Table 5), the growth rate exhibited periodic fluctuations: a 57% decline at 30→45 min, followed by recovery at 45→60 min due to equipment adjustments or optimized particle gradation. Intermittent grinding with parameter adjustments is recommended for industrial applications. Table 5 Grinding Time vs. Specific Surface Area for Slag Grinding Time (min) Specific Surface Area (m²/g) Growth Rate (m²/g/min) 15 1.98 - 30 2.43 ‌0.030‌ (15→30min) 45 2.63 ‌0.013‌ (30→45min) 60 3.18 ‌0.037‌ (45→60min) Lead-zinc tailings (Figure 6 and Table 6) showed a 268% surge in growth rate at 30→45 min, indicating easier fragmentation of layered structures at medium fineness. The subsequent decline at 45→60 min likely resulted from the depletion of brittle components and residual ductile particles resisting further refinement (Saedi A., et al., 2023). Table 6 Grinding Time vs. Specific Surface Area for Lead-Zinc Tailings Grinding Time (min) Specific Surface Area (m²/g) Growth Rate (m²/g/min) 15 1.22 - 30 1.59 ‌0.025‌ (15→30min) 45 2.97 ‌0.092‌ (30→45min) 60 4.05 ‌0.072‌ (45→60min) For mixed materials (Figure 4 and Table 7), co-grinding yielded lower specific surface areas than single-component grinding due to buffering effects between materials of differing hardness. The steel slag-slag combination (No. 14) showed higher efficiency, likely due to similar hardness enabling synergistic fragmentation. Table 7 Specific Surface Area of Two-Stage Co-Ground Mixtures Material Combination Total Grinding Time (min) Specific Surface Area (m²/g) vs. Single Material Steel slag + tailings (No.13) 60 2.09 38% (vs. steel slag) Steel slag + slag (No.14) 60 2.13 67% (vs. slag) Slag + tailings (No.17) 60 1.39 44% (vs. slag) Three-stage grinding (Figure 4 and Table 8) revealed that grinding sequence critically influenced specific surface area. Pre-grinding tailings (No.23) achieved 4.52 m²/g, exceeding the 45-min single-material value (2.97 m²/g), likely due to high surface energy particles promoting subsequent slag/steel slag adsorption and fragmentation. Table 8 Specific Surface Area of Three-Stage Co-Ground Mixtures Material Combination & Sequence Total Grinding Time (min) Specific Surface Area (m²/g) vs. Single Material (45 min) Steel slag→tailings→slag (No.19) 45 1.91 39% (vs. slag) Slag→tailings→steel slag (No.22) 45 1.35 51% (vs. tailings) Tailings→slag→steel slag (No.23) 45 4.52 152% (vs. tailings) 3.2 Relationship Between Grinding Time and Strength Activity Index The relationship between grinding time and strength activity index for single materials is shown in Table 9, while that for composite materials is presented in Table 10. The following conclusions can be drawn from Figures 5, 7, and Tables 2 and 9: Steel Slag (Nos. 1-4):The 7-day activity showed a fluctuating upward trend with increasing grinding time (15 min: 31.32% → 60 min: 40%), but decreased at 45 min (32.42%).The 28-day activity exhibited no clear pattern (15 min: 44.17% → 60 min: 39.58%), potentially due to particle gradation deterioration caused by over-grinding.Notably, the 60-min grinding achieved the highest 7-day activity (40%) but the lowest 28-day activity (39.58%), necessitating a balance between early-age and long-term strength requirements (Li XF., et al.,2021). Slag (Nos. 5-8):The 7-day activity increased significantly with prolonged grinding (15 min: 100.26% → 60 min: 121.32%).The 28-day activity generally rose (15 min: 91.03% → 60 min: 113.78%), but dropped at 45 min (104.37%), likely attributed to the slowed growth rate of specific surface area.Slag demonstrated sensitivity to grinding time, with specific surface area (1.98 → 3.17 m²/g) positively correlating with activity indices, suggesting extended grinding improves reactivity. Lead-Zinc Tailings (Nos. 9-12):The 7-day activity fluctuated markedly (15 min: 37.89% → 60 min: 41.32%), plunging to 27.98% at 45 min.The 28-day activity peaked at 45 min (47.67%) but declined to 42.13% at 60 min.This indicates a potential optimal grinding time (45 min) for enhancing later-age strength in lead-zinc tailings, albeit at the cost of reduced early-age performance (7-day activity drop). For hybrid materials (Nos. 13–24), s shown in Figures 5, 7 and Tables 2, 10,the activity of steel slag + tailings/slag co-grinding combinations is generally lower than that of pure slag (e.g., 7-day activity of Sample 14: 86.49% vs. slag alone: 121.32%). However, the slag + tailings combination (Sample 22) achieved a 28-day activity of 144.02%, indicating a synergistic effect, likely due to slag filling tailings’ pores and enhancing density. This demonstrates that hybrid grinding activity is significantly influenced by material combinations and grinding sequences, necessitating optimization of ratios and processes. Slag generally exhibits higher 7-day and 28-day strength activity indices compared to steel slag and tailings. For example, At 15 min grinding, 7-day activity of slag is 100.26%, 7-day activity of steel slag is 31.32%, and 7-day activity of tailings is 37.89%. This highlights slag’s superior reactivity and greater contribution to strength enhancement. For hybrid grinding systems, mixtures containing slag typically outperform those with tailings. For instance, 7-day activity of 300g steel slag (30min) + 300g slag (30min) is 86.49%, 7-day activity of 300g steel slag (30min) + 300g tailings (30min) is 44.04%. This suggests slag effectively boosts activity in hybrid systems, likely due to its pozzolanic effect synergizing with the alkaline environment of steel slag/tailings to accelerate hydration. Grinding sequence critically impacts activity. Grinding slag first, then blending with steel slag (Sample 18: 28-day activity = 89.87%) outperforms the reverse order (Sample 14: 61.15%), attributed to optimized particle gradation and interfacial reaction efficiency. Three-material hybrid systems (e.g., Samples 22, 24), 28-day activities generally exceed single-material systems, demonstrating enhanced reactivity through multi-component complementary effects. However, slag + tailings mixtures (Sample 17: 75.00%) underperform compared to pure slag, likely due to tailings diluting slag’s effective active components. Table 9 Strength Activity Indices of Single Materials Material Grinding Time (min) 7-day Activity Range (%) 28-day Activity Range (%) Optimal Grinding Time (7-day) Optimal Grinding Time (28-day) Trend Analysis Steel slag 15–60 31.32–40.00 39.58–46.62 60 min 45 min 7-day ↑ with time; 28-day peaks at 45 min Slag 15–60 100.26–121.32 91.03–113.78 60 min 60 min Both indices ↑ with time Tailings 15–60 27.98–41.32 36.88–47.67 60 min 45 min 7-day fluctuates; 28-day peaks at 45 min Table 10 Strength Activity Indices of Mixed Materials Combination Type 7-day Activity (%) 28-day Activity (%) Key Findings Steel slag + tailings 39.74–44.04 43.08–47.96 Activity steel slag alone Steel slag + slag 69.04–86.49 61.15–89.87 Grinding sequence impacts 28-day performance Tailings + slag 71.58–76.75 58.97–75.00 High 7-day but lower 28-day vs. slag alone Three-component blends 47.19–73.77 60.42–144.02 Synergy or gradation optimization enhances 28-day activity 3.3 Relationship Between Specific Surface Area and Strength Activity Index The relationships between specific surface area and activity index of individual materials are summarized in Tables 11-13. Table 11 Steel Slag: Specific Surface Area vs. Activity Specific Surface Area (m²/g) 7-day Activity (%) 28-day Activity (%) Key Pattern 3.23 → 5.44 31.32 → 40.00 44.17 → 39.58 Early-stage positive and late-stage negative correlation‌: ‌7d activity‌ increases with rising specific surface area (R²≈0.85), attributed to finer particles accelerating hydration kinetics‌. ‌28d activity‌ declines when specific surface area exceeds 4.86 m²/g (46.62%→39.58%), likely due to ultrafine particle agglomeration increasing porosity. Table 12 Slag: Specific Surface Area vs. Activity Specific Surface Area (m²/g) 7-day Activity (%) 28-day Activity (%) Key Pattern 1.98 → 3.18 100.26 → 121.32 91.03 → 113.78 Strong positive correlation ‌ ‌7d activity‌ exhibits a linear relationship with specific surface area (R²=0.98), with a 1 m²/g increase in fineness corresponding to ~13% activity enhancement‌. ‌28d activity‌ generally follows this trend but shows a slight decline at 45 min (104.37%), likely due to hydration product inhomogeneity caused by excessive particle refinement‌. Table 13 Tailings: Specific Surface Area vs. Activity Specific Surface Area (m²/g) 7-day Activity (%) 28-day Activity (%) Key Pattern 1.22 → 4.05 37.89 → 41.32 36.88 → 47.67 Contradictory relationship‌: ‌7d activity‌ sharply decreases to 27.98% at 2.97 m²/g specific surface area, likely due to moisture absorption by fine particles inhibiting early hydration‌. ‌28d activity‌ peaks at 47.67% under moderate specific surface area (2.97 m²/g), demonstrating delayed hydration dependence on optimal fineness‌. ‌Table 11‌ shows that prolonged grinding time of steel slag (15→60 min) increases specific surface area from 3.23 to 5.44 m²/g, with 7d activity rising from 31.32% to 40.00% due to finer particles accelerating early hydration reactions‌14. When specific surface area exceeds 4.86 m²/g (grinding time >45 min), 28d activity drops sharply from 46.62% to 39.58%. This is attributed to agglomeration of ultrafine particles via van der Waals forces, forming internal pores and reducing compactness‌34. ‌Table 12‌ indicates that increasing slag's specific surface area from 1.98 to 3.18 m²/g enhances 7d activity by 21% (100.26%→121.32%) and 28d activity by 25% (91.03%→113.78%), aligning with the principle that finer particles improve cementitious activity‌15. The 28d activity decreases to 104.37% at 2.63 m²/g, possibly due to uneven distribution of hydration products and localized stress concentration from excessive fineness‌45. ‌Table 13‌ reveals that lead-zinc tailings exhibit nonlinear fineness-activity dependence. At 2.97 m²/g, 7d activity plummets to 27.98% because fine particles absorb water to form surface films that hinder cement contact‌34. 28d activity peaks at 47.67% with 2.97 m²/g, as medium fineness balances reaction rate and gradation while reducing porosity.‌ The relationships between specific surface area and activity index of blended materials are summarized in Tables 14 and 15, revealing: (1) ‌High activity in slag-dominated systems with low specific surface area‌ (e.g., Sample 22), where reduced surface area correlates with enhanced reactivity due to optimized particle packing and reduced interfacial defects‌. (2) ‌Particle gradation optimization‌: Slag (1.35 m²/g) fills tailing pores, improving compactness and achieving 28d activity of 144.02% through reduced porosity and enhanced structural continuity. (3) ‌Chemical activation mechanism‌: Reaction between CaO in slag and SiO₂ in tailings generates C-S-H gel, strengthening microstructure and reducing dependence on high specific surface area. (4) ‌Grinding sequence effects‌ (e.g., Sample 23): Prioritized grinding of tailings to 4.52 m²/g creates high-surface-energy particles, but limited activity improvement (84.71%) due to inherently weak cementitious properties of tailings‌. (5) ‌Inhibitory effects in slag-steel slag combinations‌ (e.g., Sample 14): Hardness mismatch (steel slag: Mohs 6-7 vs. slag: 5-6) causes buffering during co-grinding, lowering specific surface area (2.13 m²/g). Concurrently, free CaO in steel slag suppresses slag hydration, resulting in 28d activity of only 61.15%‌. Table 14 Two-Stage Mixtures: Surface Area vs. Activity Combination Specific Surface Area (m²/g) 7-day Activity (%) 28-day Activity (%) Key Insight Steel slag + slag (No.14) 2.13 86.49 61.15 ‌ Low Specific Surface Area with High Reactivity ‌: The specific surface area is only 67% of slag ground for 60 minutes, yet the 7d activity reaches 86.49%, indicating that the reactivity of slag-dominated composite systems does not solely depend on fineness‌ Slag + tailings (No.22) 1.35 52.63 144.02 ‌ Exceptional 28d Activity ‌: With a specific surface area of just 1.35 m²/g, the 28d activity attains 144.02%, attributed to slag filling tailing pores to form a dense microstructure, reducing reliance on high surface area‌ Table 15 Three-Stage Mixtures: Surface Area vs. Activity Combination Specific Surface Area (m²/g) 7-day Activity (%) 28-day Activity (%) Key Insight Tailings→slag→steel slag (No.23) 4.52 47.19 84.71 ‌High Specific Surface Area with Low Reactivity‌: A specific surface area of 4.52 m²/g (higher than the 4.05 m²/g of single tailings ground for 60 minutes) correlates with lower activity compared to slag-based systems, demonstrating that elevated surface area in tailings contributes minimally to reactivity‌ 4 Analysis and Discussion Due to significant differences in particle morphology, size, and spacing among steel slag, slag, and lead-zinc tailings micropowders, the mixed system exhibits a denser microstructure, more uniform particle size distribution, and tighter interparticle packing (Fig.8) compared to single-component micropowders. This enhanced structural integration promotes synergistic effects during hydration processes. The multi-source solid waste ultrafine powder admixture and cement jointly form a quaternary system (steel slag-slag-lead-zinc tailings-cement). The chemical composition and hydration mechanisms of each component are outlined below: The composition of steel slag are predominantly SiO₂, Fe₂O₃, CaO, and Al₂O₃, with trace MgO and MnO. ‌Mineral Phases‌: Dicalcium silicate (C₂S), tricalcium silicate (C₃S), RO phase (iron oxides), and minor free CaO (f-CaO). ‌Hydration‌: C₂S/C₃S: Slow hydration generates C-S-H gel and Ca(OH)₂ but with lower reactivity than cement clinker. RO phase: Inert filler; fine grinding enhances microcrystalline nucleation to accelerate hydration. f-CaO: Causes volumetric expansion; requires strict content control (Deniz A., et al., 2022). The composition of slag are high-calcium aluminosilicate glass (CaO-SiO₂-Al₂O₃) with minor MgO and sulfides. ‌Hydration‌: Glassy structure depolymerizes under alkaline conditions (pH >12), releasing reactive SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ for secondary hydration: Ca(OH)₂ + SiO₂ + H₂O → C-S-H gel. Sulfides (e.g., CaS): Generate ettringite (AFt), improving early strength‌. The composition of lead-zinc tailings mainly are CaO, Fe₂O₃, SiO₂, and Al₂O₃. ‌Hydration‌:C₂S/C₃S: Slow hydration produces C-S-H gel and Ca(OH)₂, with lower activity than cement clinker‌. Inert components (e.g., quartz): Act as micro-aggregates to fill pores and enhance compactness‌. ‌Cement clinker dominant reaction‌: rapid hydration of C₃S/C₂S generates C-S-H gel and Ca(OH)₂, providing early strength. The quaternary system exhibits synergistic effects in three dimensions (Fig.9): ‌(1) Chemical Synergy‌ ‌Alkaline Activation‌: Ca(OH)₂ from cement hydration creates an alkaline environment, promoting depolymerization of slag and steel slag glass phases.‌Secondary Hydration‌: Active SiO₂/Al₂O₃ from slag reacts with Ca(OH)₂ to form C-S-H/AFm phases, reducing porosity.‌Long-Term Strength‌: C₂S in steel slag gradually hydrates to supplement C-S-H gel, enhancing later strength‌.‌Heavy Metal Stabilization‌: Pb²⁺/Zn²⁺ from tailings integrate into C-S-H interlayers via ion exchange, forming stable complexes (e.g., Ca-Pb-Si-O)‌. ‌(2) Physical Synergy‌ ‌Micro-Aggregate Filling‌: Inert particles from tailings and steel slag reduce permeability by filling pores.‌Nucleation Effect‌: RO phase (steel slag) and unreacted microcrystalline particles (slag) act as nucleation sites for C-S-H gel, accelerating hydration. ‌(3) Temporal-Spatial Synergy‌ ‌Early Stage‌: Cement clinker dominates hydration for initial strength, while slag mitigates heavy metal inhibition.‌Later Stage‌: Secondary hydration of steel slag and slag continuously generates C-S-H, compensating for strength stagnation during cement hydration slowdown. 5 Conclusions and Recommendations Through the experimental testing and analysis above, the following conclusions can be drawn: Single-Material Performance. For steel slag, slag, and lead-zinc tailings, the specific surface area generally increases with extended grinding duration, indicating that finer grinding enhances material reactivity.‌7-Day Compressive Strength‌: 23.05 MPa (grinding for 60 min) with activity of 121.32%. ‌28-Day Compressive Strength‌: 26.02 MPa with activity of 113.78%. Slag exhibits superior early and long-term strength development due to its chemical composition and hydration-friendly mineral structure. ‌Steel slag and tailings show lower activity (~30–40% for 7- and 28-day tests). Steel slag activity reaches 40.00% at 60-min grinding, suggesting prolonged grinding improves reactivity‌25. Mixed-Material Performance. ‌Combination Effects‌: ‌Slag + Steel Slag (300g each, 30-min grinding)‌, 28-day compressive strength: 20.55 MPa (activity: 89.87%). ‌Tailings + Steel Slag (300g each, 30-min grinding), 28-day compressive strength: 10.97 MPa (activity: 47.96%). Mixed slag-steel slag systems demonstrate synergistic advantages. ‌Multi-Stage Mixing‌: ‌Slag (15 min) + Tailings (15 min) + Steel Slag (15 min), 28-day compressive strength: 32.93 MPa (activity: 144.02%). Enhanced late-stage performance arises from synergistic interactions during multi-stage mixing‌36. Recommendations for optimization: (1)‌Grinding Parameters‌: Identify optimal grinding duration, speed, and media to balance specific surface area with strength and activity. ‌Systematic Mixing Studies‌: Explore diverse mixing ratios and sequences to maximize material synergy and overall performance. Declarations Data availability： All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article. Acknowledgments： The authors extend their gratitude to the experts who offered great help. We are grateful to all the reviewers for their valuable comments. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Fuzhou-Xiamen-Quanzhou National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone Collaborative Innovation Platform for Low-Carbon and High-Value Comprehensive Utilization of Metal Tailings with grant number 3502ZCQXT2022004. Author Contributions: Conceptualization, Liu Jifeng and Lu Jian.; methodology, Lu Jian and Lin Xin; software, Qiu Chunlong; validation, Lin Shengyuan; formal analysis, Liu Jifeng; investigation, Liu Jifeng;resources,Lu Jian; data curation Lin Xin; writing—original draft preparation, Liu Jifeng; writing—review and editing, Lu Jian; supervision, Liu Jifeng; project administration, Liu Jifeng; All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Funding: This research was funded by the Fuzhou-Xiamen-Quanzhou National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone Collaborative Innovation Platform for Low-Carbon and High-Value Comprehensive Utilization of Metal Tailings with grant number 3502ZCQXT2022004. Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.‌ References Zhang HZ., Liu JF., Lian YZ. Influencing Factor Analysis on Properties of Pulping Waste Liquor and Tailing Powder Geopolymer, Journal of Sanming University, 2019,36(06):85-93. (in Chinese) Zhang HZ., Liu JF., Yang Y., et.al. Load Capacity and Displacement of Recycled Concrete and Self-Insulation Block Masonry Wall, Materials, 2020.13, 863:1-17. Chen LZ., Xue LY., Yang B., et al. Study on the Preparation of Ultra-fine Cement from Slag Powder with Different Grinding Methods and Specific Surface Areas Cement, 2024, (1): 22-25.(in Chinese) Wu, X., Xu, X., Li, S., et.al. Experimental Study on the Preparation of Cementitious Materials Through the Activation of Lead—Zinc Tailings. Minerals 2024, 14, 1215. Zhang, Y., Dong, M., Zhang, W., et.al. Preparation of Mineral Admixture from Iron Tailings with Steel Slag-Desulfurization Ash and Its Application to Concrete. Materials 2022, 15, 5162. Li, J.; Wang, C.; Ni, W.; Zhu, S.; Mao, S.; Jiang, F.; Zeng, H.; Sun, X.; Huang, B.; Hitch, M. Orthogonal Test Design for the Optimization of Preparation of Steel Slag-Based Carbonated Building Materials with Ultramafic Tailings as Fine Aggregates. Minerals 2022, 12, 246. Kumar A., et al. (2021). Incinerated Sewage Sludge Bottom Ash- Chemical processing, Leaching patterns and Toxicity testing Journal of Hazardous Materials 402: 123350. Liu Q., Li, Y., Zhao, GD.The Latest Research Progress of Green Building Materials in Lead and Zinc Tailings. 3rd International Workshop on Renewable Energy and Development (IWRED), 2019. Wen JB., Lu L. Study of Mechanochemistry Activate the Steel Slag.,Guisuanyan Tongbao.2008,Vol.25(No.4)：136. Gao, S., Wu, Q., & Zhang, S. (2002). Study on Activation of Slag by Mechanochemical Method, Journal of Nanjing University of Technology, 24(6), 61-65. Zhang, S.; Wu, B.; Ren, Y.; Wu, Z.; Li, Q.; Li, K.; Zhang, M.; Yu, J.; Liu, J.; Ni, W. The Preparation Process and Hydration Mechanism of Steel Slag-Based Ultra-Fine Tailing Cementitious Filler. Gels 2023, 9, 82. Liu, X.; Liu, E. The Synergistic Mechanism and Stability Evaluation of Phosphogypsum and Recycled Fine Powder-Based Multi-Source Solid Waste Geopolymer. Polymers 2023, 15, 2696 Li BX., Chen MY., Wang W., et.al. Effect of Grinding Method on Performance of Iron Tailings-slag Based Cementitious Material. Bulletin of the Chinese Ceramic Society, 2013, 32 (08): 1463-1467.(in Chinese) Saedi A., Jamshidi ZA., Mohseni, M., et.al. Mechanical Activation of Lead-zinc Mine Tailings as a Substitution for Cement in Concrete Construction, Construction & Building Materials.2023,Vol.364(Suppl C)：129973 Li XF., Doh SI., Feng WY., et al. The Mechanical Properties of Concrete Incorporating Steel Slag as Supplementary Cementitious Material, Key engineering materials，2021，879:81- 90. Deniz A., Serkan T., Hasan E.. Utilization of Tailings in Concrete Products: A Review, Construction and Building Materials 360 (2022) 129574. Chen MM., Duan JC., Feng CH. Study on Portland Cement Clinker Preparation Using Steel Slag and Lead-zinc Tailings. Cement Engineering,2014, (03): 19-21.(in Chinese) Li GY., Chen ZZ., Zhang LL. Research and Analysis of Mechanical Properties of Concrete with Steel Slag and Slag Composite Admixture, Journal of Jiamusi University (Natural Science Edition), 2019, 37 (01): 16-18+62.(in Chinese) Huang H., Wang L., Chen PX., et.al. Research on Preparation of Highly Active Composite Admixtures Using Steel Slag and Slag, Guangdong Architecture Civil Engineering, 2021, 28 (09): 88-92.(in Chinese) Li BX., Chen MY., Wang W., et.al. Iron Tailings-Slag Based Cementitious Materials Prepared by Cascade Grinding, Journal of Building Materials,2014, 17 (02): 206-211.(in Chinese) An SH., Liu JH., Zhang YY., et.al. Synergistic Hydration Mechanism of Slag Powder and Ultrafine Iron Tailings Power in Non-clinker Consolidated Body, 2023, 37 (22): 117-126.(in Chinese) Zheng WC., Zhao L., Zhang H., et.al. Aativation Mechanisms of Silica Fume and Blast Furnace Slag on Steel Slag Hydrated Gelling Systems, Iron and Steel, 2002,57(5):146-155. (in Chinese) Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6513161","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":465750035,"identity":"cd0849c5-576c-4d8b-a45f-4cfc8ec1ca41","order_by":0,"name":"Liu Jifeng","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA60lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCSB6YMDAzMZ8AMirkJDjJ0pLAkgLWwKQd8bCWLKBKC0gBkgLY1tF4gZCWsylGxhvJBQcZudjYz728Os8CcYNDMwPH93Ao8VyzgFmiwSDw0CHsaUby26TYDZnYDM2zsGjxeBGApsEWIt8j5m05DYJNssGHjZp4rSw8X+TlpwjwWNwgHgtPGySHxskJAhqsZyRAPJLOsgvZtIMxyQMJJsJ+MVcIoHxxoc/1snybczPJH/U1NX3szc/fIzXYQz8H0B0Mohg5gGTeJRDtECAHYhg/EFA9SgYBaNgFIxMAACf/z+oXfOeOAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Architectural Engineering Institute of Sanming University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Liu","middleName":"","lastName":"Jifeng","suffix":""},{"id":465750036,"identity":"c851520d-f550-4461-8623-4af422457a4c","order_by":1,"name":"Lu Jian","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Fujian Province Huarong Construction Group Co., Ltd","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Lu","middleName":"","lastName":"Jian","suffix":""},{"id":465750037,"identity":"15d5dfe8-e96d-4158-8afa-8c57d7f5a97f","order_by":2,"name":"Lin Xin","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Strait Construction Group Co., Ltd","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Lin","middleName":"","lastName":"Xin","suffix":""},{"id":465750038,"identity":"2831a456-fbef-4a1e-a2fc-8db413f0ff54","order_by":3,"name":"Qiu Chunlong","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Fujian Deyao Construction Co., Ltd","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Qiu","middleName":"","lastName":"Chunlong","suffix":""},{"id":465750039,"identity":"5f6bdf31-9449-4471-87cc-85b09aa4bb41","order_by":4,"name":"Lin Shengyuan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Huahui Construction Group Co., Ltd","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Lin","middleName":"","lastName":"Shengyuan","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-04-23 13:38:13","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6513161/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6513161/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":84063666,"identity":"2553659f-d439-45c5-a079-afcf6cbf0c99","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-06 10:43:12","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":596444,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eLead-zinc tailing micropowder and its SEM image (×1000)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6513161/v1/3ee7aa39f259bd96cc2fc597.png"},{"id":84063673,"identity":"7a4adfce-f349-4908-85fd-2cffaf4b97db","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-06 10:43:12","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":689706,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSteel slag micropowder and its SEM image (×1000)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6513161/v1/b34ce12df275b9a55f4f3f02.png"},{"id":84064059,"identity":"4f5a090a-77c3-4809-a187-92c1645540f4","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-06 10:51:12","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":635591,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSlag micropowder and its SEM image (×1000)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6513161/v1/710ef686ac6cba4891d72581.png"},{"id":84065695,"identity":"69df44a4-25a1-4418-9741-5d3b15321bde","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-06 11:07:12","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":37427,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSpecific surface area of tested samples\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6513161/v1/6d6ffc9f4142e8661f43b723.png"},{"id":84063669,"identity":"1f09559b-bbc1-4bc6-9cdb-74a9db33a218","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-06 10:43:12","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":40728,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e7d \u0026amp; 28d Strength activity index of tested samples\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6513161/v1/a8e3f89422d52bb99cfc47ea.png"},{"id":84063675,"identity":"ac238fe8-22ce-43fa-9733-134ab717365b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-06 10:43:12","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":59499,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eRelationship of grinding time and specific surface area(No.1-No.12)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6513161/v1/43c419575d78ef9d11abee33.png"},{"id":84064063,"identity":"b024478c-3ab4-4f60-a9f9-701fab8b4e0c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-06 10:51:12","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":83027,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eRelationship of grinding time and strength activity index(No.1-No.12)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6513161/v1/6855c4c243e147ae02d29a41.png"},{"id":84064062,"identity":"8fd44380-3965-49f0-86da-aab1cb73b75d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-06 10:51:12","extension":"png","order_by":8,"title":"Figure 8","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":344490,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSEM image of steel slag-slag \u0026amp; lead-zinc tailings micro powder mixture（×1000）\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"8.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6513161/v1/e03b9dd5fb5fabf5f8d95207.png"},{"id":84063680,"identity":"a29e3c47-377f-4fb0-aa10-475cbbe4b87e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-06 10:43:12","extension":"png","order_by":9,"title":"Figure 9","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":318892,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSynergistic hydration process of steel slag-slag-lead zinc tailings-cement system (Modified from Zheng, et.al., 2022)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"9.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6513161/v1/91478b4ed8d8c69a4ba4d4f8.png"},{"id":89363203,"identity":"1ba35856-c379-46a3-9d3c-58f08f6416e9","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-19 08:47:21","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":4398559,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6513161/v1/1e8610b0-ebef-443b-a44a-290e08379a62.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Influence of Mechanochemical Effects on the Strength Activity of Micro-Powder Derived from Multi-Source Solid Waste","fulltext":[{"header":"0 Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003e\"Carbon peaking and carbon neutrality\" represent an inevitable pathway for China's green development. Policy documents such as the Action Plan for Carbon Peaking Before 2030 issued by the State Council of China and the Implementation Plan for Carbon Peaking in the Building Materials Industry jointly released by multiple ministries explicitly emphasize the need to advance carbon peaking in the building materials sector, encouraging enterprises to accelerate solid waste utilization and develop novel low-carbon cementitious materials [Zhang,et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e,\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e]. Metal tailings in west-central Fujian Province are highly concentrated, and Fujian Sansteel Group, located in this region, generates millions of tons of solid waste annually, including slag and steel slag, in cities such as Sanming, Quanzhou, and Luoyuan. Persistent challenges such as high output, massive stockpiling, low utilization rates, and disposal difficulties for metal tailings and steel slag remain unresolved, with stockpiling occupying land and causing environmental pollution. Against the backdrop of the central government\u0026rsquo;s prioritization of carbon peaking and Fujian Province\u0026rsquo;s inclusion of green economy as one of the \"four engines\" for high-quality development [Zhang,et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e], there is an urgent demand for efficient, synergistic, and safe treatment solutions for industrial solid wastes like steel slag, slag, and metal tailings widely distributed in west-central Fujian.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMechanochemistry, which utilizes mechanical energy input to induce crystal structure reorganization, increased surface active sites, and chemical bond breakage/reconstruction, serves as a core technology for enhancing the resource efficiency of industrial solid wastes. Its mechanisms can be categorized as follows: (1) Physical modification: Particle refinement and pore structure optimization improve the cementitious activity of steel slag, slag, and lead-zinc tailings (Chen et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Wu et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e); (2) Chemical activation: Generation of amorphous phases (e.g., increasing glass phase content in slag from 50\u0026ndash;80%) and mineral phase transformation, such as the conversion of heavy metal sulfides to oxides in lead-zinc tailings and the transition of C₂S (dicalcium silicate) to β-C₂S during steel slag ball milling, reducing free CaO content to below 1.5% (Zhang et al., 2002; Li et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e), significantly enhancing volume stability; (3) Energy storage: Lattice distortion-induced internal energy accumulation (activation energy reduced by 30%-50%) provides driving force for subsequent reactions (Kumar et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eStudies have shown that slag, steel slag, and metal tailings exhibit compositional complementarity, and their combined use outperforms individual applications, garnering increasing attention in recent years. Liu Q., et.al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) systematically analyzed the pathways for preparing green building materials such as geopolymers and ceramic foams from lead-zinc tailings. Wen JB., et.al.(2008) investigated the activation effect of mechanochemical methods on steel slag, where high-energy grinding modifies its crystal structure to enhance both amorphous degree and reactivity. Gao, S.,et.al.(2002) employed high-energy ball milling technology to conduct mechanochemical activation on three types of slag, examining variations in particle size, density, and compressive strength. The optimal ball milling duration is identified as 2\u0026ndash;4 hours. Chen MM., et al. (2014) prepared Portland cement clinker by substituting iron powder and clay with steel slag and lead-zinc tailings, respectively. Li GY. et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) demonstrated that replacing cement with steel slag at \u0026le;\u0026thinsp;20% or co-blending steel slag and slag at \u0026le;\u0026thinsp;30% did not significantly compromise concrete strength. Huang H., et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) formulated a composite admixture by combining coarse steel slag, fine slag, and commercial Portland cement, achieving 7-day and 28-day compressive strength activity indices of 94% and 101%, respectively. Li BX., et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e,2014) tested the effects of multi-stage grinding durations, material ratios, and grinding aids on the particle size distribution and paste strength of iron tailings-slag composite powders. An SH., et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) found that co-blended slag and iron tailing powders exhibited synergistic effects during hydration, notably improving pore structure in hardened specimens and regulating the proportions of AFt crystalline products and C-(A)-S-H gels, thereby enhancing volume stability.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePrevious research has seldom addressed the influence of mechanochemistry on the strength activity of ultrafine powders derived from multi-source solid wastes such as slag-steel slag-lead-zinc tailings. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of mechanochemical treatment on the fineness and strength activity indices of these multi-source solid waste ultrafine powders, further elucidating the underlying mechanisms.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"1 Raw Material Preparation","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe lead-zinc tailing micropowder used in the experiments was produced by Fujian Youtairen Environmental Technology Co., Ltd., while the slag and steel slag were finely ground products from Sansteel Minguang Group Co., Ltd. The apparent morphology, SEM microstructure, and XRF compositional analysis results of the lead-zinc tailings, slag, and steel slag are shown in Figures 1\u0026ndash;3 and Table 1. The specific surface areas of the lead-zinc tailing micropowder, slag, and steel slag were 450 m\u0026sup2;/kg, 520 m\u0026sup2;/kg, and 410 m\u0026sup2;/kg, respectively.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs illustrated in Figures 1\u0026ndash;3:The lead-zinc tailing micropowder exhibits relatively uniform particle sizes, with near-spherical shapes and large interparticle pores. The steel slag micropowder displays irregular particle sizes and shapes, accompanied by significant interparticle voids. The slag micropowder features irregular particle sizes and shapes but demonstrates tighter particle packing with smaller interparticle pores.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Table 1, the lead-zinc tailings, slag, and steel slag share similar compositional profiles. The lead-zinc tailings primarily consist of CaO, Fe₂O₃, SiO₂, MgO, MnO, and Al₂O₃. The slag is dominated by CaO, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and MgO, while the steel slag contains SiO₂, Fe₂O₃, CaO, Al₂O₃, and MnO. The variations in component content among these materials provide the potential for synergistic hydration effects between lead-zinc tailings, slag, and steel slag (Zhang, et al., 2023; Liu, et al., 2023) .\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable.1 Raw material XRF test results\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"\"\u003e\n \u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"3\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLead zinc tailings\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"3\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSlag\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"3\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSteel slag\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eElement\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eResult\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eElement\u003c/p\u003e\n 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\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"2 Experimental Design and Procedure","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe study focused on two aspects: (1) the influence of mechanochemical treatment duration on the fineness, 7-day, and 28-day strength activity indices of single-component industrial solid wastes; (2) the effects of mechanochemistry on the fineness and strength activity indices of multi-source solid waste mixtures during graded co-grinding. The experimental design is detailed in Table 2, and the key instruments are listed in Table 3.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpecific Surface Area Testing via BET Multi-Point Method.The procedure included the following steps: (1) Sample Preparation:Grinding and Sieving: Samples (e.g., mineral powder, catalysts) were ground to a particle size \u0026lt;20 \u0026mu;m and sieved for uniformity. (2) Drying: Samples were oven-dried to remove moisture and volatile impurities. At least 100 mg of sample was sealed in a sample tube for testing.Degassing: Samples were vacuum-degassed to eliminate adsorbed gases, with temperatures kept below the thermal stability limit. (3) Instrument Calibration and Setup: Calibrated using high-purity nitrogen (N₂).Test mode selected based on pore size range (micropores: 0.5\u0026ndash;2 nm). (4) Adsorption Testing: Nitrogen adsorption isotherms were measured at constant low temperature by adjusting relative pressure (p/p₀). Pressure and adsorbed gas volume were recorded using pressure sensors and thermometers. (5) Data Analysis: Nitrogen adsorption-desorption curves were plotted with relative pressure (p/p₀) as the x-axis and adsorption volume as the y-axis. BET equation was applied via linear regression to calculate monolayer adsorption capacity and specific surface area.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMix Design and Testing Protocol: Control Group (No. 0): 450 g cement, 1350 g ISO standard sand, and 225 g water. Test Groups: 30% cement replacement by ground micropowders. For multi-source solid waste blends, components were mixed at 1:1 or 1:1:1 mass ratios, with standard sand and water identical to the control.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpecimen Preparation and Curing:Mortar mixing and compressive strength testing followed Chinese National Standard GB/T17671.Three 40 mm \u0026times; 40 mm \u0026times; 160 mm prismatic specimens per group were molded, cured at 20 \u0026plusmn; 1\u0026deg;C and \u0026gt;90% relative humidity for 24 h, then demolded.Demolded specimens were horizontally submerged in water (20 \u0026plusmn; 1\u0026deg;C, spacing \u0026ge;5 mm, water level \u0026ge;5 mm above specimens). Water was replenished periodically without full replacement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompressive strengths of control (R₇, R₂₈) and test samples (R₀₇, R₀₂₈) were measured at 7 and 28 days.Strength activity indices (A₇, A₂₈) were calculated using Equations (1) and (2):\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg 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\" height=\"221\" width=\"537\"\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ewhere:A7\u0026minus;7-day\u0026nbsp;activity\u0026nbsp;index,\u0026nbsp;%;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eR7\u0026minus;7-day\u0026nbsp;compressive\u0026nbsp;strength\u0026nbsp;of\u0026nbsp;control\u0026nbsp;sample\u0026nbsp;(MPa);\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eR07\u0026minus;7-day\u0026nbsp;compressive\u0026nbsp;strength\u0026nbsp;of\u0026nbsp;test\u0026nbsp;sample\u0026nbsp;(MPa).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA28\u0026minus;28-day\u0026nbsp;activity\u0026nbsp;index,\u0026nbsp;%;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eR28\u0026minus;28-day\u0026nbsp;compressive\u0026nbsp;strength\u0026nbsp;of\u0026nbsp;control\u0026nbsp;sample\u0026nbsp;(MPa);\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eR028\u0026minus;28-day\u0026nbsp;compressive\u0026nbsp;strength\u0026nbsp;of\u0026nbsp;test\u0026nbsp;sample\u0026nbsp;(MPa).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable.2 \u0026nbsp;Experimental Design and Key Results\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMaterial\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGrinding Time (min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSpecific Surface Area (m\u0026sup2;/g)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7d Compressive (MPa)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7d Activity (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28d Compressive (MPa)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28d Activity (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"3\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e450g cement，1350g ISO sand，225g water\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e19.00\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e22.87\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSteel slag\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.2299\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.95\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e31.32%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.10\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e44.17%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSteel slag\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.9903\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6.60\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e34.74%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.93\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e43.44%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSteel slag\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.8596\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6.16\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e32.42%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.66\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e46.62%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSteel slag\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.4378\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.60\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e40.00%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.05\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e39.58%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSlag\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.9821\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e19.05\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e100.26%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20.82\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e91.03%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSlag\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.4287\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e22.55\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e118.68%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25.68\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e112.32%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSlag\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.6260\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e22.67\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e119.30%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23.87\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e104.37%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSlag\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.1764\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23.05\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e121.32%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e26.02\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e113.78%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTailings\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.2248\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.20\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e37.89%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.43\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e36.88%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTailings\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.5924\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.52\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e39.56%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.52\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e37.24%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTailings\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.9736\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.32\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e27.98%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.90\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e47.67%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTailings\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.0531\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.85\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e41.32%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.63\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e42.13%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e300g steel slag grinding 30min，addition 300g tailings co-grinding another 30min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.0949\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.37\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e44.04%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.85\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e43.08%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e300g steel slag grinding 30min，addition 300g slag co-grinding another 30min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.1325\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e16.43\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e86.49%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.98\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e61.15%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e300g tailings grinding 30min，addition 300g steel slag co-grinding another 30min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.8480\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.55\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e39.74%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.97\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e47.96%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e16\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e300g tailings grinding 30min，addition 300g slag co-grinding another 30min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.2169\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.60\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e71.58%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.48\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58.97%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e300g slag grinding 30min，addition 300g tailings co-grinding another 30min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.3907\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14.58\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e76.75%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17.15\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e75.00%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e300g slag grinding 30min，addition 300g steel slag co-grinding another 30min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.1388\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.12\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e69.04%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20.55\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e89.87%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e300g steel slag 15min，addtiong 300g tailings co-grinding 15min，then addtion 300g slag co-grinding another 15min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.9149\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.18\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e64.12%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.82\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60.42%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e300g steel slag 15min，addtiong 300g slag co-grinding 15min，then addtion 300g tailings co-grinding another 15min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.2054\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14.02\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e73.77%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17.38\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e76.02%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e21\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e300g slag 15min，addtiong 300g steel slag co-grinding 15min，then addtion 300g tailings co-grinding another 15min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.9173\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.46\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e55.05%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18.03\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e78.86%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e22\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e300g slag 15min，addtiong 300g tailings co-grinding 15min，then addtion 300g steel slag co-grinding another 15min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.3537\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.00\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e52.63%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e32.93\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e144.02%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e300g tailings 15min，addtiong 300g slag co-grinding 15min，then addtion 300g steel slag co-grinding another 15min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.5171\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.97\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e47.19%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e19.37\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e84.71%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e24\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e300g tailings 15min，addtiong 300g steel slag co-grinding 15min，then addtion 300g slag co-grinding another 15min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.5256\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.53\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e55.44%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18.27\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e79.88%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 3 Key Experimental Equipment\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"\"\u003e\n \u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 157px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEquipment\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 101px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eModel\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 215px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eManufacturer\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 157px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVertical Planetary Ball Mill\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 101px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSM-500\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 215px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eShanghai Lichen Bangxi Instrument Technology Co., Ltd.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 157px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSpecific Surface Area Analyzer\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 101px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSBT-127\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 215px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWuxi Jianyi Instrument Machinery Co., Ltd.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 157px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCement Mortar Vibration Table\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 101px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eZT-96\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 215px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWuxi Jianding Construction Instrument Factory\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 157px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCement Mortar Mixer\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 101px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eJJ-5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 215px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWuxi Dianshi Intelligent Industrial Technology Co., Ltd.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 157px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCement Curing Chamber\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 101px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSJY-32B\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 215px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBeijing Yaohua Luye Instrument Co., Ltd.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 157px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eElectromechanical Compression Tester\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 101px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eYAW-300C\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 215px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWuxi Zhongke Building Materials Instrument Co., Ltd.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3 Analysis of Experimental Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe effects of mechanochemistry on lead-zinc tailings, steel slag, slag, and their blends are summarized in Table 2 and Figures 4\u0026ndash;7. Key conclusions are as follows:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3.1\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelationship Between Grinding Time and Specific Surface Area\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe correlation between mechanochemical treatment and the specific surface area of steel slag is illustrated in Figure 6 and Table 4. The specific surface area of steel slag micropowder increased linearly with grinding time, but the growth rate gradually slowed (23% reduction at 60 min). This may be attributed to rapid particle fragmentation during the initial grinding stage (15\u0026rarr;45 min), while further refinement near the particle size limit in later stages (45\u0026rarr;60 min) required additional energy input, reducing efficiency.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 4 Grinding Time vs. Specific Surface Area for Steel Slag\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"\"\u003e\n \u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGrinding Time (min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSpecific Surface Area (m\u0026sup2;/g)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGrowth Rate (m\u0026sup2;/g/min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.23\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.99\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;0.051\u0026zwnj; (15\u0026rarr;30min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.86\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;0.058\u0026zwnj; (30\u0026rarr;45min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.44\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;0.039\u0026zwnj; (45\u0026rarr;60min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor slag (Figure 6 and Table 5), the growth rate exhibited periodic fluctuations: a 57% decline at 30\u0026rarr;45 min, followed by recovery at 45\u0026rarr;60 min due to equipment adjustments or optimized particle gradation. Intermittent grinding with parameter adjustments is recommended for industrial applications.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 5 Grinding Time vs. Specific Surface Area for Slag\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"\"\u003e\n \u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGrinding Time (min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSpecific Surface Area (m\u0026sup2;/g)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGrowth Rate (m\u0026sup2;/g/min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.98\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.43\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;0.030\u0026zwnj; (15\u0026rarr;30min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.63\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;0.013\u0026zwnj; (30\u0026rarr;45min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.18\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;0.037\u0026zwnj; (45\u0026rarr;60min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLead-zinc tailings (Figure 6 and Table 6) showed a 268% surge in growth rate at 30\u0026rarr;45 min, indicating easier fragmentation of layered structures at medium fineness. The subsequent decline at 45\u0026rarr;60 min likely resulted from the depletion of brittle components and residual ductile particles resisting further refinement (Saedi A., et al., 2023).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 6 Grinding Time vs. Specific Surface Area for Lead-Zinc Tailings\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"\"\u003e\n \u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGrinding Time (min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSpecific Surface Area (m\u0026sup2;/g)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGrowth Rate (m\u0026sup2;/g/min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.22\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.59\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;0.025\u0026zwnj; (15\u0026rarr;30min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.97\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;0.092\u0026zwnj; (30\u0026rarr;45min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.05\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;0.072\u0026zwnj; (45\u0026rarr;60min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor mixed materials (Figure 4 and Table 7), co-grinding yielded lower specific surface areas than single-component grinding due to buffering effects between materials of differing hardness. The steel slag-slag combination (No. 14) showed higher efficiency, likely due to similar hardness enabling synergistic fragmentation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 7 Specific Surface Area of Two-Stage Co-Ground Mixtures\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"\"\u003e\n \u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMaterial Combination\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal Grinding Time (min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSpecific Surface Area (m\u0026sup2;/g)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003evs. Single Material\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSteel slag + tailings (No.13)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.09\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e38% (vs. steel slag)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSteel slag + slag (No.14)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.13\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e67% (vs. slag)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSlag + tailings (No.17)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.39\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e44% (vs. slag)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree-stage grinding (Figure 4 and Table 8) revealed that grinding sequence critically influenced specific surface area. Pre-grinding tailings (No.23) achieved 4.52 m\u0026sup2;/g, exceeding the 45-min single-material value (2.97 m\u0026sup2;/g), likely due to high surface energy particles promoting subsequent slag/steel slag adsorption and fragmentation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 8 Specific Surface Area of Three-Stage Co-Ground Mixtures\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"\"\u003e\n \u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMaterial Combination \u0026amp; Sequence\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal Grinding Time (min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSpecific Surface Area (m\u0026sup2;/g)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003evs. Single Material (45 min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSteel slag\u0026rarr;tailings\u0026rarr;slag (No.19)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.91\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e39% (vs. slag)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSlag\u0026rarr;tailings\u0026rarr;steel slag (No.22)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.35\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e51% (vs. tailings)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTailings\u0026rarr;slag\u0026rarr;steel slag (No.23)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.52\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e152% (vs. tailings)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3.2\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelationship Between Grinding Time and Strength Activity Index\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe relationship between grinding time and strength activity index for single materials is shown in Table 9, while that for composite materials is presented in Table 10. The following conclusions can be drawn from Figures 5, 7, and Tables 2 and 9:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSteel Slag (Nos. 1-4):The\u0026nbsp;7-day activity\u0026nbsp;showed a fluctuating upward trend with increasing grinding time (15 min: 31.32% \u0026rarr; 60 min: 40%), but decreased at 45 min (32.42%).The\u0026nbsp;28-day activity\u0026nbsp;exhibited no clear pattern (15 min: 44.17% \u0026rarr; 60 min: 39.58%), potentially due to particle gradation deterioration caused by over-grinding.Notably, the 60-min grinding achieved the highest 7-day activity (40%) but the lowest 28-day activity (39.58%), necessitating a balance between early-age and long-term strength requirements (Li XF., et al.,2021).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSlag (Nos. 5-8):The\u0026nbsp;7-day activity\u0026nbsp;increased significantly with prolonged grinding (15 min: 100.26% \u0026rarr; 60 min: 121.32%).The\u0026nbsp;28-day activity\u0026nbsp;generally rose (15 min: 91.03% \u0026rarr; 60 min: 113.78%), but dropped at 45 min (104.37%), likely attributed to the slowed growth rate of specific surface area.Slag demonstrated sensitivity to grinding time, with specific surface area (1.98 \u0026rarr; 3.17 m\u0026sup2;/g) positively correlating with activity indices, suggesting extended grinding improves reactivity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLead-Zinc Tailings (Nos. 9-12):The\u0026nbsp;7-day activity\u0026nbsp;fluctuated markedly (15 min: 37.89% \u0026rarr; 60 min: 41.32%), plunging to 27.98% at 45 min.The\u0026nbsp;28-day activity\u0026nbsp;peaked at 45 min (47.67%) but declined to 42.13% at 60 min.This indicates a potential optimal grinding time (45 min) for enhancing later-age strength in lead-zinc tailings, albeit at the cost of reduced early-age performance (7-day activity drop).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor hybrid materials (Nos. 13\u0026ndash;24), s shown in Figures 5, 7 and Tables 2, 10,the activity of\u0026nbsp;steel slag + tailings/slag co-grinding combinations\u0026nbsp;is generally lower than that of pure slag (e.g., 7-day activity of Sample 14: 86.49% vs. slag alone: 121.32%). However, the\u0026nbsp;slag + tailings combination\u0026nbsp;(Sample 22) achieved a 28-day activity of 144.02%, indicating a synergistic effect, likely due to slag filling tailings\u0026rsquo; pores and enhancing density. This demonstrates that hybrid grinding activity is significantly influenced by material combinations and grinding sequences, necessitating optimization of ratios and processes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSlag\u0026nbsp;generally exhibits higher 7-day and 28-day strength activity indices compared to steel slag and tailings. For example, At 15 min grinding, 7-day activity of slag is 100.26%, 7-day activity of steel slag is 31.32%, and 7-day activity of tailings is 37.89%. This highlights slag\u0026rsquo;s superior reactivity and greater contribution to strength enhancement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor hybrid grinding systems, mixtures containing slag typically outperform those with tailings. For instance, 7-day activity of 300g steel slag (30min) + 300g slag (30min) is 86.49%, 7-day activity of 300g steel slag (30min) + 300g tailings (30min) is\u0026nbsp;44.04%. This suggests slag effectively boosts activity in hybrid systems, likely due to its\u0026nbsp;pozzolanic effect\u0026nbsp;synergizing with the alkaline environment of steel slag/tailings to accelerate hydration.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrinding sequence critically impacts activity. Grinding slag first, then blending with steel slag (Sample 18: 28-day activity =\u0026nbsp;89.87%) outperforms the reverse order (Sample 14: 61.15%), attributed to optimized particle gradation and interfacial reaction efficiency.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree-material hybrid systems\u0026nbsp;(e.g., Samples 22, 24), 28-day activities generally exceed single-material systems, demonstrating enhanced reactivity through\u0026nbsp;multi-component complementary effects. However,\u0026nbsp;slag + tailings mixtures\u0026nbsp;(Sample 17: 75.00%) underperform compared to pure slag, likely due to tailings diluting slag\u0026rsquo;s effective active components.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 9 Strength Activity Indices of Single Materials\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"\"\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMaterial\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGrinding Time (min)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7-day Activity Range (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28-day Activity Range (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOptimal Grinding Time (7-day)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOptimal Grinding Time (28-day)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTrend Analysis\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSteel slag\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15\u0026ndash;60\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e31.32\u0026ndash;40.00\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e39.58\u0026ndash;46.62\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60 min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45 min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7-day \u0026uarr; with time; 28-day peaks at 45 min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSlag\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15\u0026ndash;60\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e100.26\u0026ndash;121.32\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e91.03\u0026ndash;113.78\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60 min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60 min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBoth indices \u0026uarr; with time\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTailings\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15\u0026ndash;60\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e27.98\u0026ndash;41.32\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e36.88\u0026ndash;47.67\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60 min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45 min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7-day fluctuates; 28-day peaks at 45 min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 10 Strength Activity Indices of Mixed Materials\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCombination Type\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7-day Activity (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28-day Activity (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eKey Findings\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSteel slag + tailings\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e39.74\u0026ndash;44.04\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e43.08\u0026ndash;47.96\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eActivity \u0026lt; slag alone but \u0026gt; steel slag alone\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSteel slag + slag\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e69.04\u0026ndash;86.49\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e61.15\u0026ndash;89.87\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGrinding sequence impacts 28-day performance\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTailings + slag\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e71.58\u0026ndash;76.75\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58.97\u0026ndash;75.00\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigh 7-day but lower 28-day vs. slag alone\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThree-component blends\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e47.19\u0026ndash;73.77\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60.42\u0026ndash;144.02\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSynergy or gradation optimization enhances 28-day activity\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3.3\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelationship Between Specific Surface Area and Strength Activity Index\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe relationships between specific surface area and activity index of individual materials are summarized in Tables 11-13.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 11 Steel Slag: Specific Surface Area vs. Activity\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSpecific Surface Area (m\u0026sup2;/g)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7-day Activity (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28-day Activity (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eKey Pattern\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.23 \u0026rarr; 5.44\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e31.32 \u0026rarr; 40.00\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e44.17 \u0026rarr; 39.58\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEarly-stage positive and late-stage negative correlation\u0026zwnj;:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003col start=\"21\"\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\u0026zwnj;7d activity\u0026zwnj; increases with rising specific surface area (R\u0026sup2;\u0026asymp;0.85), attributed to finer particles accelerating hydration kinetics\u0026zwnj;.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\u0026zwnj;28d activity\u0026zwnj; declines when specific surface area exceeds 4.86 m\u0026sup2;/g (46.62%\u0026rarr;39.58%), likely due to ultrafine particle agglomeration increasing porosity.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003c/ol\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 12 Slag: Specific Surface Area vs. Activity\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSpecific Surface Area (m\u0026sup2;/g)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7-day Activity (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28-day Activity (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eKey Pattern\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.98 \u0026rarr; 3.18\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e100.26 \u0026rarr; 121.32\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e91.03 \u0026rarr; 113.78\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrong positive correlation\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026zwnj;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003col start=\"21\"\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\u0026zwnj;7d activity\u0026zwnj; exhibits a linear relationship with specific surface area (R\u0026sup2;=0.98), with a 1 m\u0026sup2;/g increase in fineness corresponding to ~13% activity enhancement\u0026zwnj;.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\u0026zwnj;28d activity\u0026zwnj; generally follows this trend but shows a slight decline at 45 min (104.37%), likely due to hydration product inhomogeneity caused by excessive particle refinement\u0026zwnj;.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003c/ol\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 13 Tailings: Specific Surface Area vs. Activity\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 73px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSpecific Surface Area (m\u0026sup2;/g)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 67px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7-day Activity (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 67px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28-day Activity (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 360px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eKey Pattern\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 73px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.22 \u0026rarr; 4.05\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 67px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e37.89 \u0026rarr; 41.32\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 67px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e36.88 \u0026rarr; 47.67\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 360px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContradictory relationship\u0026zwnj;:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003col start=\"21\"\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\u0026zwnj;7d activity\u0026zwnj; sharply decreases to 27.98% at 2.97 m\u0026sup2;/g specific surface area, likely due to moisture absorption by fine particles inhibiting early hydration\u0026zwnj;.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\u0026zwnj;28d activity\u0026zwnj; peaks at 47.67% under moderate specific surface area (2.97 m\u0026sup2;/g), demonstrating delayed hydration dependence on optimal fineness\u0026zwnj;.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003c/ol\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;Table 11\u0026zwnj; shows that prolonged grinding time of steel slag (15\u0026rarr;60 min) increases specific surface area from 3.23 to 5.44 m\u0026sup2;/g, with 7d activity rising from 31.32% to 40.00% due to finer particles accelerating early hydration reactions\u0026zwnj;14.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen specific surface area exceeds 4.86 m\u0026sup2;/g (grinding time \u0026gt;45 min), 28d activity drops sharply from 46.62% to 39.58%. This is attributed to agglomeration of ultrafine particles via van der Waals forces, forming internal pores and reducing compactness\u0026zwnj;34.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;Table 12\u0026zwnj; indicates that increasing slag\u0026apos;s specific surface area from 1.98 to 3.18 m\u0026sup2;/g enhances 7d activity by 21% (100.26%\u0026rarr;121.32%) and 28d activity by 25% (91.03%\u0026rarr;113.78%), aligning with the principle that finer particles improve cementitious activity\u0026zwnj;15.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 28d activity decreases to 104.37% at 2.63 m\u0026sup2;/g, possibly due to uneven distribution of hydration products and localized stress concentration from excessive fineness\u0026zwnj;45.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;Table 13\u0026zwnj; reveals that lead-zinc tailings exhibit nonlinear fineness-activity dependence. At 2.97 m\u0026sup2;/g, 7d activity plummets to 27.98% because fine particles absorb water to form surface films that hinder cement contact\u0026zwnj;34.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e28d activity peaks at 47.67% with 2.97 m\u0026sup2;/g, as medium fineness balances reaction rate and gradation while reducing porosity.\u0026zwnj;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe relationships between specific surface area and activity index of blended materials are summarized in Tables 14 and 15, revealing: (1) \u0026zwnj;High activity in slag-dominated systems with low specific surface area\u0026zwnj; (e.g., Sample 22), where reduced surface area correlates with enhanced reactivity due to optimized particle packing and reduced interfacial defects\u0026zwnj;. (2) \u0026zwnj;Particle gradation optimization\u0026zwnj;: Slag (1.35 m\u0026sup2;/g) fills tailing pores, improving compactness and achieving 28d activity of 144.02% through reduced porosity and enhanced structural continuity. (3) \u0026zwnj;Chemical activation mechanism\u0026zwnj;: Reaction between CaO in slag and SiO₂ in tailings generates C-S-H gel, strengthening microstructure and reducing dependence on high specific surface area. (4) \u0026zwnj;Grinding sequence effects\u0026zwnj; (e.g., Sample 23): Prioritized grinding of tailings to 4.52 m\u0026sup2;/g creates high-surface-energy particles, but limited activity improvement (84.71%) due to inherently weak cementitious properties of tailings\u0026zwnj;. (5) \u0026zwnj;Inhibitory effects in slag-steel slag combinations\u0026zwnj; (e.g., Sample 14): Hardness mismatch (steel slag: Mohs 6-7 vs. slag: 5-6) causes buffering during co-grinding, lowering specific surface area (2.13 m\u0026sup2;/g). Concurrently, free CaO in steel slag suppresses slag hydration, resulting in 28d activity of only 61.15%\u0026zwnj;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 14 Two-Stage Mixtures: Surface Area vs. Activity\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"\" class=\"fr-table-selection-hover\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCombination\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSpecific Surface Area (m\u0026sup2;/g)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7-day Activity (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28-day Activity (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eKey Insight\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSteel slag + slag (No.14)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.13\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e86.49\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e61.15\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;\u003cstrong\u003eLow Specific Surface Area with High Reactivity\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026zwnj;: The specific surface area is only 67% of slag ground for 60 minutes, yet the 7d activity reaches 86.49%, indicating that the reactivity of slag-dominated composite systems does not solely depend on fineness\u0026zwnj;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSlag + tailings (No.22)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.35\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e52.63\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e144.02\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;\u003cstrong\u003eExceptional 28d Activity\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026zwnj;: With a specific surface area of just 1.35 m\u0026sup2;/g, the 28d activity attains 144.02%, attributed to slag filling tailing pores to form a dense microstructure, reducing reliance on high surface area\u0026zwnj;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 15 \u0026nbsp;Three-Stage Mixtures: Surface Area vs. Activity\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"center\"\u003e\n \u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 93px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCombination\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 74px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSpecific Surface Area (m\u0026sup2;/g)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 55px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7-day Activity (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 62px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28-day Activity (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 278px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eKey Insight\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 93px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTailings\u0026rarr;slag\u0026rarr;steel slag (No.23)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 74px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.52\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 55px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e47.19\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 62px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e84.71\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 278px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026zwnj;High Specific Surface Area with Low Reactivity\u0026zwnj;:\u003c/strong\u003e A specific surface area of 4.52 m\u0026sup2;/g (higher than the 4.05 m\u0026sup2;/g of single tailings ground for 60 minutes) correlates with lower activity compared to slag-based systems, demonstrating that elevated surface area in tailings contributes minimally to reactivity\u0026zwnj;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4 Analysis and Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eDue to significant differences in particle morphology, size, and spacing among steel slag, slag, and lead-zinc tailings micropowders, the mixed system exhibits a denser microstructure, more uniform particle size distribution, and tighter interparticle packing (Fig.8) compared to single-component micropowders. This enhanced structural integration promotes synergistic effects during hydration processes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe multi-source solid waste ultrafine powder admixture and cement jointly form a quaternary system (steel slag-slag-lead-zinc tailings-cement). The chemical composition and hydration mechanisms of each component are outlined below:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition of steel slag are predominantly SiO₂, Fe₂O₃, CaO, and Al₂O₃, with trace MgO and MnO. \u0026zwnj;Mineral Phases\u0026zwnj;: Dicalcium silicate (C₂S), tricalcium silicate (C₃S), RO phase (iron oxides), and minor free CaO (f-CaO). \u0026zwnj;Hydration\u0026zwnj;: C₂S/C₃S: Slow hydration generates C-S-H gel and Ca(OH)₂ but with lower reactivity than cement clinker. RO phase: Inert filler; fine grinding enhances microcrystalline nucleation to accelerate hydration. f-CaO: Causes volumetric expansion; requires strict content control (Deniz A., et al., 2022).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition of slag are high-calcium aluminosilicate glass (CaO-SiO₂-Al₂O₃) with minor MgO and sulfides. \u0026zwnj;Hydration\u0026zwnj;: Glassy structure depolymerizes under alkaline conditions (pH \u0026gt;12), releasing reactive SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ for secondary hydration:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCa(OH)₂ + SiO₂ + H₂O \u0026rarr; C-S-H gel.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSulfides (e.g., CaS): Generate ettringite (AFt), improving early strength\u0026zwnj;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition of lead-zinc tailings mainly are CaO, Fe₂O₃, SiO₂, and Al₂O₃. \u0026zwnj;Hydration\u0026zwnj;:C₂S/C₃S: Slow hydration produces C-S-H gel and Ca(OH)₂, with lower activity than cement clinker\u0026zwnj;. Inert components (e.g., quartz): Act as micro-aggregates to fill pores and enhance compactness\u0026zwnj;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;Cement clinker dominant reaction\u0026zwnj;: rapid hydration of C₃S/C₂S generates C-S-H gel and Ca(OH)₂, providing early strength.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe quaternary system exhibits synergistic effects in three dimensions (Fig.9):\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;(1) Chemical Synergy\u0026zwnj;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;Alkaline Activation\u0026zwnj;: Ca(OH)₂ from cement hydration creates an alkaline environment, promoting depolymerization of slag and steel slag glass phases.\u0026zwnj;Secondary Hydration\u0026zwnj;: Active SiO₂/Al₂O₃ from slag reacts with Ca(OH)₂ to form C-S-H/AFm phases, reducing porosity.\u0026zwnj;Long-Term Strength\u0026zwnj;: C₂S in steel slag gradually hydrates to supplement C-S-H gel, enhancing later strength\u0026zwnj;.\u0026zwnj;Heavy Metal Stabilization\u0026zwnj;: Pb\u0026sup2;⁺/Zn\u0026sup2;⁺ from tailings integrate into C-S-H interlayers via ion exchange, forming stable complexes (e.g., Ca-Pb-Si-O)\u0026zwnj;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;(2) Physical Synergy\u0026zwnj;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;Micro-Aggregate Filling\u0026zwnj;: Inert particles from tailings and steel slag reduce permeability by filling pores.\u0026zwnj;Nucleation Effect\u0026zwnj;: RO phase (steel slag) and unreacted microcrystalline particles (slag) act as nucleation sites for C-S-H gel, accelerating hydration.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;(3) Temporal-Spatial Synergy\u0026zwnj;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;Early Stage\u0026zwnj;: Cement clinker dominates hydration for initial strength, while slag mitigates heavy metal inhibition.\u0026zwnj;Later Stage\u0026zwnj;: Secondary hydration of steel slag and slag continuously generates C-S-H, compensating for strength stagnation during cement hydration slowdown.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"5 Conclusions and Recommendations","content":"\u003cp\u003eThrough the experimental testing and analysis above, the following conclusions can be drawn:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSingle-Material Performance. For steel slag, slag, and lead-zinc tailings, the specific surface area generally increases with extended grinding duration, indicating that finer grinding enhances material reactivity.\u0026zwnj;7-Day Compressive Strength\u0026zwnj;: 23.05 MPa (grinding for 60 min) with activity of 121.32%. \u0026zwnj;28-Day Compressive Strength\u0026zwnj;: 26.02 MPa with activity of 113.78%. Slag exhibits superior early and long-term strength development due to its chemical composition and hydration-friendly mineral structure. \u0026zwnj;Steel slag and tailings show lower activity (~30\u0026ndash;40% for 7- and 28-day tests). Steel slag activity reaches 40.00% at 60-min grinding, suggesting prolonged grinding improves reactivity\u0026zwnj;25.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMixed-Material Performance. \u0026zwnj;Combination Effects\u0026zwnj;: \u0026zwnj;Slag + Steel Slag (300g each, 30-min grinding)\u0026zwnj;, 28-day compressive strength: 20.55 MPa (activity: 89.87%). \u0026zwnj;Tailings + Steel Slag (300g each, 30-min grinding), 28-day compressive strength: 10.97 MPa (activity: 47.96%). Mixed slag-steel slag systems demonstrate synergistic advantages. \u0026zwnj;Multi-Stage Mixing\u0026zwnj;: \u0026zwnj;Slag (15 min) + Tailings (15 min) + Steel Slag (15 min), 28-day compressive strength: 32.93 MPa (activity: 144.02%). Enhanced late-stage performance arises from synergistic interactions during multi-stage mixing\u0026zwnj;36.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecommendations for optimization: (1)\u0026zwnj;Grinding Parameters\u0026zwnj;: Identify optimal grinding duration, speed, and media to balance specific surface area with strength and activity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026zwnj;Systematic Mixing Studies\u0026zwnj;: Explore diverse mixing ratios and sequences to maximize material synergy and overall performance.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData availability：\u003c/strong\u003eAll data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgments：\u003c/strong\u003eThe authors extend their gratitude to the experts who offered great help. We are grateful to all the reviewers for their valuable comments. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Fuzhou-Xiamen-Quanzhou National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone Collaborative Innovation Platform for Low-Carbon and High-Value Comprehensive Utilization of Metal Tailings with grant number 3502ZCQXT2022004.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Contributions:\u003c/strong\u003e Conceptualization, Liu Jifeng and Lu Jian.; methodology, Lu Jian and Lin Xin; software, Qiu Chunlong; validation, Lin Shengyuan; formal analysis, Liu Jifeng; investigation, Liu Jifeng;resources,Lu Jian; data curation Lin Xin; writing\u0026mdash;original draft preparation, Liu Jifeng; writing\u0026mdash;review and editing, Lu Jian; \u0026nbsp;supervision, Liu Jifeng; project administration, \u0026nbsp;Liu Jifeng; All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThis research was funded by the Fuzhou-Xiamen-Quanzhou National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone Collaborative Innovation Platform for Low-Carbon and High-Value Comprehensive Utilization of Metal Tailings with grant number 3502ZCQXT2022004.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflicts of Interest:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThe authors declare no conflict of interest.\u0026zwnj;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eZhang HZ., Liu JF., Lian YZ. 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(in Chinese)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Mechanochemical effects, Industrial solid wastes, Multi-source synergy, Strength activity index, Carbon peak","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6513161/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6513161/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eDriven by China emission peak and carbon neutrality goals, the efficient utilization of industrial solid wastes to develop low-carbon cementitious materials has become a critical research focus. This study investigates the activity enhancement mechanisms and synergistic effects of ultrafine powders derived from multi-source solid wastes (steel slag, slag, and lead-zinc tailings) in western and central Fujian Province through mechanochemical technology. Experiments compared the specific surface area, 7-day and 28-day strength activity indices of single and mixed materials under varying grinding durations, while revealing their hydration synergistic mechanisms. Results indicate that among single materials, slag exhibited optimal activity, achieving a specific surface area of 3.18 m²/g after 60 min of grinding, with 7-day and 28-day strength activity indices of 121.32% and 113.78%, respectively. The activities of steel slag and tailings were significantly lower than those of slag, but extending grinding time increased early activity to 40%. For mixed materials, slag-dominated systems demonstrated superior performance: the 28-day activity reached 89.87% after two-stage grinding (slag + steel slag), while three-stage grinding (slag-tailings-steel slag) achieved a remarkable 28-day activity index of 144.02%, attributed to the pore-filling effect of slag and chemical synergy between components. SEM and XRF analyses revealed that the dense structure and optimized particle gradation of mixed powders were key to activity enhancement, with mechanochemistry-induced amorphization, lattice distortion, and surface energy elevation further promoting hydration. The study confirms that graded grinding sequences and proportioning of multi-source solid wastes significantly influence activity, and prioritizing slag grinding maximizes its pozzolanic effect. These findings provide theoretical and technical pathways for efficient industrial solid waste recycling, facilitating the low-carbon transition in the building materials industry.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Influence of Mechanochemical Effects on the Strength Activity of Micro-Powder Derived from Multi-Source Solid Waste","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-06-06 10:43:07","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6513161/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"7fb2ca25-56bd-41bc-91c0-8f810e2ff0ac","owner":[],"postedDate":"June 6th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":49442871,"name":"Physical sciences/Engineering"},{"id":49442872,"name":"Physical sciences/Materials science"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-08-19T08:39:12+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-06-06 10:43:07","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6513161","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6513161","identity":"rs-6513161","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}