Insight into the Micro Evolution of Backfill Paste Prepared with Modified Gangue as Supplementary Cementitious Material: Dissolution and Hydration Mechanisms

Gangue-based backfill cementitious materials (BCM) are widely applied due to their low CO(2) footprint, while the application is restricted by gangue’s low reactivity. In this study, dry chemical modification was developed to modify the gangue, and multiple characterized approaches were used to characterize the dissolution property, mineral composition, and particle size distribution of modified gangue (MCG), as well as the compressive strength and microstructure of BCM. The findings show that the residue weight of MCG stabilized at 2 wt.% of formic acid, and the modification reduces the kaolinite and calcite, resulting in smaller particles. Additionally, the three days compressive strength of the BCM made with MCG was improved from 0.3 MPa to 0.6 MPa. Attributed to the increased reactivity of MCG, it was found that the dissolution weight increased by 2.13%. This study offers a novel method for activating gangue and a new kind of MCG-prepared BCM, which makes a significant contribution towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.