Phosphogypsum and Borogypsum as Additives for Sustainable and High-Performance 3D-Printable Concrete

3D-printable concretes often require high binder content. This study evaluates the use of industrial gypsum by-products, phosphogypsum (PG) and borogypsum (BG), as partial cement replacements to enhance sustainability without compromising printability. PG and BG were incorporated at 2.5-10 wt% to replace the gypsum fraction in cement-based mortars containing fly ash (FA) or ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), with and without fibers. The fresh properties (spread flow diameter, open time, air content, density, and pH) and compressive strength were measured. At 28 days, the highest strength was achieved with a 7.5% PG addition to the GGBS system (~51 MPa), which exceeded the strength of the GGBS control C1 (~47.6 MPa). In the FA system, 2.5% PG reached 42.5 MPa, comparable to the FA control C2 (41.2 MPa). BG caused pronounced strength penalties at ≥7.5% across both binder systems, indicating a practical BG ceiling of ≤5%. Open time increased from ~0.75 h in the controls to ~2-2.5 h in BG-FA mixes with fibers, whereas PG mixes generally maintained a stable, printable window close to control levels. Overall, adding 5-7.5% PG, particularly in the presence of GGBS, improved mechanical performance without compromising workability. However, BG should be limited to ≤5% unless extended open time is the primary objective. These findings provide quantitative guidance on selecting PG/BG dosages and FA/GGBS systems to balance strength and printability in cement-based, 3D-printable concretes.

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Publication Details

Journal
Polymers
Published
2025-09-19
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17182530
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Innovations in Concrete and Construction Materials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
2.01
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article

Phosphogypsum and Borogypsum as Additives for Sustainable and High-Performance 3D-Printable Concrete

Yeşim Tarhan, Berrin Atalay
2 citations
Polymers
Innovations in Concrete and Construction Materials
2.01
article

Phosphogypsum and Borogypsum as Additives for Sustainable and High-Performance 3D-Printable Concrete

Yeşim Tarhan, Berrin Atalay
article en
2 citations

Abstract

3D-printable concretes often require high binder content. This study evaluates the use of industrial gypsum by-products, phosphogypsum (PG) and borogypsum (BG), as partial cement replacements to enhance sustainability without compromising printability. PG and BG were incorporated at 2.5-10 wt% to replace the gypsum fraction in cement-based mortars containing fly ash (FA) or ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), with and without fibers. The fresh properties (spread flow diameter, open time, air content, density, and pH) and compressive strength were measured. At 28 days, the highest strength was achieved with a 7.5% PG addition to the GGBS system (~51 MPa), which exceeded the strength of the GGBS control C1 (~47.6 MPa). In the FA system, 2.5% PG reached 42.5 MPa, comparable to the FA control C2 (41.2 MPa). BG caused pronounced strength penalties at ≥7.5% across both binder systems, indicating a practical BG ceiling of ≤5%. Open time increased from ~0.75 h in the controls to ~2-2.5 h in BG-FA mixes with fibers, whereas PG mixes generally maintained a stable, printable window close to control levels. Overall, adding 5-7.5% PG, particularly in the presence of GGBS, improved mechanical performance without compromising workability. However, BG should be limited to ≤5% unless extended open time is the primary objective. These findings provide quantitative guidance on selecting PG/BG dosages and FA/GGBS systems to balance strength and printability in cement-based, 3D-printable concretes.

PolymersVol. 17(18)
Ardahan University (TR)
Openalex Percentile: Top 12%
Innovations in Concrete and Construction Materials
2.01
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