Assessment of steelmaking slags subjected to accelerated carbonation

Research on the carbonation of three slag types from the steelmaking industry is reported in this paper with a two-fold intention of achieving carbon dioxide sequestration and producing a useful material for the construction sector. The as-received slag underwent a quasi-industrial carbonation process in a small reactor, to verify the feasibility and the efficiency of the process. The results revealed that some of the slags were susceptible to easy and efficient carbonation, while others presented poor and inefficient carbonation processes. Both the as-received and the carbonated slags underwent chemical, thermo-gravimetric and X-ray diffraction tests for their characterization, and SEM-EDAX observations, with a view to ascertaining the utility of the final product. Finally, the leaching products of both the as received and the carbonated slags were analyzed to assess their levels of environmental impact.