Study on the Preparation and Compressive Strength of Boron Mud-Based Basic Magnesium Sulfate Cement

Abstract

The direct discharge of boron mud poses significant environmental hazards to soil and groundwater. Despite extensive research efforts, the reprocessing of boron mud has not yielded significant advancements. Recently, the development of magnesium cement has spurred interest in the reutilization of boron mud. However, the direct treatment of boron mud remains challenging, necessitating pre-treatment in most studies to achieve substantial results. Consequently, research on the direct incorporation of untreated boron mud is scarce. This study explores the feasibility of using uncalcined boron mud as a base material in basic magnesium sulfate cement (BMSC), composed of lightly calcined magnesia and magnesium sulfate heptahydrate. The effects of varying boron mud content on the compressive strength of the BMSC system were investigated. The results indicate that the 5·1·7 phase is the primary strength phase of BMSC. When the boron mud content is 30%, the uncalcined boron mud has a minimal impact on the formation of the 5·1·7 phase. Additionally, the 28 days compressive strength of BMSC-B30 showed a slight difference compared to the control group BMSC-C, registering at 66.7 MPa. TG-DSC analysis revealed that the presence of a small amount of boron mud inhibits the micro-expansion trend of the BMSC structure. Furthermore, XRD and SEM analyses confirmed that the addition of uncalcined boron mud does not significantly alter the phase structure of the 5·1·7 phase in BMSC. This study provides a foundational basis for the long-term development of direct boron mud treatment.