Activation system for activating ground granulated blast furnace slag, comprising an alkali metal salt and calcium and / or magnesium carbonate, and a binder comprising the same for preparing a mortar or concrete composition

Abstract

The present invention relates to an activating composition, particularly for concrete or industrial mortar containing hydraulic binders and / or pozzolanic materials, comprising A) at least 40% by weight, preferably at least 50% by weight, of calcium carbonate and / or magnesium carbonate particles having a d80 of 15 μm or less and a d50 of 4 μm or less, and B) at least 1.5% by weight and at most 60% by weight of at least one alkali metal salt. The present invention also relates to a binder composition comprising the activating composition and component C consisting of at least one hydraulic binder. The present invention is further directed to a dry concrete or industrial mortar composition comprising at least one aggregate and the binder composition. Additionally, the present invention relates to a method for preparing a wet concrete or mortar composition and the hardened concrete or industrial mortar composition obtained therefrom.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The technical field of the invention relates to hydraulic mineral binders comprising at least one slag, such as ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS or slag), for use in compositions capable of setting and hardening, such as mortar or concrete compositions.

[0002] More particularly, the present invention relates to a binder for the building industry and a composition capable of setting and hardening, comprising at least one slag as hydraulic binder and at least one activation system.

[0003] The invention also relates to methods for the preparation of these slag-based binders, and of these dry or wet compositions capable of setting and hardening. Building applications made with the setting and hardening products obtained from these compositions are also within the field of this invention. [Background technology]

[0004] The production of Portland cement has a strong negative impact on the environment due to the large amount of carbon dioxide emissions. Cement production essentially produces CO2 by the decarbonation of limestone during the firing of the raw materials at very high temperatures (1450 °C) in kilns (Equation (1)).

[0005] CaCO3(s)→CaO(s)+CO2(g) (Equation (1)) In addition, carbon dioxide is released as a result of the combustion of fossil fuels required to heat the cement kilns. Adding in the additional emissions from grinding, we get almost one tonne of CO2 per tonne of Portland cement. Overall, the cement industry is responsible for about 7-9% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions.

[0006] Furthermore, handling of Portland cement can pose health challenges (e.g., allergies), especially due to its high alkalinity (pH greater than 13). In addition, harmful elements such as hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) can be released during mixing, which is also unhealthy for workers when it comes into contact with the skin. Cement powders usually contain Cr(VI) reducers (e.g., ferrous sulfate), but their effectiveness is time-limited. It is expected that construction workers, especially those in the third world, often do not check the deadlines for such treatments.

[0007] Current research into new binders aims to replace cement in various applications with binders that have a lower environmental impact. One route is by using resources, such as by-products from other industries (a waste product in one industry, but a major resource in others), without expensive processing. This is the case with blast furnace slag, a by-product of the steel industry. By grinding this product into a fine powder (GGBS), a cementitious material can be obtained that can be used in partial replacement of cement by adding some chemical activators, or it can be used alone.

[0008] It is important to note that the use of GGBS is not only environmentally friendly, but also leads to several improved properties when used in formulating mortars and concretes, such as high resistance to sulfate attack, low permeability, good resistance in chemically aggressive environments, low heat of hydration (required in heavy structures), generally good durability, possibility of immobilizing heavy metals or radionuclides, etc.

[0009] It should be emphasized that GGBS is a hydraulic binder (in contrast to, for example, fly ash or silica fume, which are potential hydraulic binders). This means that GGBS reacts solely with water. The addition of a chemical activator (and / or heating) is advantageous to speed up this reaction and improve early strength. In general, the role of the activator is to increase the pH to an appropriate level to increase the nucleophilic attack of the glass network by hydroxyl ions.

[0010] The activator accelerates the setting and / or curing and / or hardening of the binder, mortar / concrete composition. To activate GGBS, activation systems have been developed. For example, International Patent Application WO2017 / 198930 discloses a binder comprising GGBS and an accelerator. The accelerator comprises a calcium sulfate source and a nucleating agent in particulate form.

[0011] Although this accelerator makes it possible to obtain construction materials containing at least 80% by weight of GGBS, there is still a need to develop activation systems for materials containing GGBS, in particular to obtain hardened concretes or industrial mortars which have better mechanical properties, especially at an early stage, than hardened concretes and industrial mortars which contain only ordinary Portland cement as binder, and at low temperatures. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] In this regard, the present invention seeks to address at least one of the above problems and / or needs by fulfilling at least one of the following objectives: -O1- To provide a slag-based binder or a mortar or concrete composition comprising said slag-based binder, which is an attractive substitute for Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) based compositions.

[0013] -O2- To provide an environmentally friendly slag-based binder or a mortar or concrete composition containing said slag-based binder. -O3- To provide a slag-based binder or a mortar or concrete composition comprising said slag-based binder, which is more acceptable in terms of health and safety issues than OPC-based compositions.

[0014] To provide a slag-based binder or a mortar or concrete composition containing said slag-based binder, which produces dry mortar, dry and semi-dry precast concrete, and wet mortar and concrete mixes having suitable capabilities to be produced by several methods such as vibratory compaction, spraying, troweling, casting, etc.

[0015] -O5- To provide a slag-based binder or a mortar or concrete composition containing said slag-based binder, which gives rise to a wet mix having suitable rheological properties, i.e. stable rheology (good workability) during the normal setting times (e.g. several minutes to several hours) required by the user of the wet mix.

[0016] -O6- To provide a slag-based binder or a mortar or concrete composition containing said slag-based binder, which gives rise to a hardened material having the required mechanical properties, in particular an acceptable early strength (e.g. 24 hours).

[0017] -O7- To provide a slag-based binder or a mortar or concrete composition containing said slag-based binder, which results in a hardened material having the required durability.

[0018] -O8- To provide a mortar or concrete composition containing a slag-based binder or said GGBS-based binder, which gives a hardened material having a normally required setting time (e.g., from a few minutes to a few hours).

[0019] -O9- Objective -O1- to -O9-, to provide a simple and inexpensive method for preparing a slag-based binder or a mortar or concrete composition containing said slag-based binder which satisfies at least one of the above.

[0020] The present invention provides a simple and inexpensive method for preparing a slag-based binder in wet form or a mortar or concrete composition containing said slag-based binder. -O11- To provide a hardened product for the construction industry, comprising slag as at least a part of the binder.

[0021] Advantages of the Invention One advantage of the present invention is that it improves construction materials, especially dry mortar or concrete compositions, comprising GGBS resulting in hardened materials having the required mechanical properties, especially acceptable early strength (e.g., 24 hours) and also long term performance.

[0022] Another advantage is that in one embodiment of the invention it is possible to use the binder composition according to the invention at low temperatures, i.e. around 5°C. An additional advantage is the generality of the activating composition which can be included in a wide variety of concretes or industrial mortars requiring a wide variety of water amounts, in particular the activating composition according to the invention can be part of a composition having a high water content. [Means for solving the problem]

[0023] The present invention relates in particular to an activation for concrete or industrial mortars containing hydraulic binders and / or pozzolanic materials, A. at least 40% by weight, preferably at least 50% by weight, of calcium carbonate and / or magnesium carbonate particles having a d80 of 15 μm or less and a d50 of 4 μm or less, and B. at least 1.5% by weight and at most 60% by weight of at least one alkali metal salt Including, relating to activation.

[0024] The invention also relates to a binder composition comprising an activating composition according to claim 1 or 2 and a component C consisting of at least one hydraulic binder. Without being bound by any theory, it is believed that the content and particle size of calcium carbonate and / or magnesium carbonate contained in the activating composition according to the invention may fill the voids of the mortar / concrete to which it is intended to be added, contributing to the water retention of the product. These two phenomena, together with the alkaline activation due to the presence of alkali metal salts, may improve the initial hydration of the hydraulic binder and improve the mechanical strength of the resulting concrete or industrial mortar due to a better distribution of the hydrated phases.

[0025] The present invention is further directed to a dry concrete or industrial mortar composition comprising at least one aggregate and the binder composition described above. The present invention is further directed to a dry concrete or industrial mortar composition comprising the binder composition described above and other ingredients such as admixtures.

[0026] Additionally, the present invention relates to a method for preparing the wet concrete or mortar composition and to the hardened concrete or industrial mortar composition obtained therefrom.

[0027] definition In accordance with the terminology herein, the following non-limiting definitions should be considered.

[0028] - "Slag" means the lithic by-product separated from metal during the refining or smelting of ores. - "GGBS" or "GGBFS": Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag, which is synonymous with blast furnace slag, granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS), ground granulated blast furnace slag, and fine blast furnace slag aggregate.

[0029] - "cement" is understood to mean a powdered substance prepared for use in making mortar or concrete. It is a mineral binder and may not contain any organic compounds. It refers to any ordinary cement, including slag Portland blends and alkali-activated base cements.

[0030] - "Binder" refers to "hydraulic binders", which means any material that hardens simply by adding water, such as GGBS and cement. - "Supplementary cementitious material" refers to a material that contributes to the strength of the binder due to its potential hydraulic or pozzolanic activity. As used herein, this term refers to fly ash, activated clay, silica fume, basic oxygen furnace slag, natural pozzolanic materials, rice husk ash, activated recycled concrete fine aggregate, or mixtures thereof.

[0031] - "Mortar" refers to a material composed of binders, aggregates such as sand, and other ingredients such as admixtures. - "Concrete" refers to a material composed of binders, aggregates such as sand and gravel, and other ingredients such as admixtures.

[0032] - "d50" denotes the median size of the granulometric distribution of material particles (usually in micrometers for cementation materials). It means that 50% of the particles have a size below the indicated number and 50% of the particles have a size above the given number. The measurement of d50 is carried out by laser diffraction analysis, also known as laser diffraction spectroscopy, using a laser diffraction analyzer, for example the "Mastersizer 2000" sold by the company MALVERN, using the humid way method.

[0033] - "d80" gives information about the granulometric distribution of material particles (usually in micrometers for cementation materials). It means that 80% of the particles have a diameter below the indicated number and 20% of the particles have a diameter above the given number. The measurement of d80 is carried out by laser diffraction analysis, also known as laser diffraction spectroscopy, using a laser diffraction analyzer, for example the "Mastersizer 2000" sold by the company MALVERN, using the wet method. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] 1 is a bar graph comparing the compressive strength of different industrial mortars according to the present invention and other than the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a bar graph comparing the compressive strength of different industrial mortars according to the present invention and other than the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 is a bar graph comparing the compressive strength of different industrial mortars according to the present invention and other than the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] activation composition To achieve the objective of accelerating the reaction rate of the hardening reaction of GGBS, especially in the early stages, to provide concrete or industrial mortars that exhibit suitable compressive strengths at an early stage (24 hours) depending on the final application, similar to or better than the compressive strengths at an early stage (7 days) and late stage (28 days) of industrial mortars or concretes with binders made only with Portland cement. The activating composition of the present invention developed by the inventors, especially for concrete or industrial mortars containing hydraulic binders and / or pozzolanic materials, comprises: A. at least 40% by weight, preferably at least 50% by weight, of calcium carbonate and / or magnesium carbonate particles having a d80 of 15 μm or less and a d50 of 4 μm or less, and B. at least 1.5% by weight and at most 60% by weight of at least one alkali metal salt include.

[0036] In certain embodiments, the activating composition of the present invention does not include a source of calcium sulfate.

[0037] A. Calcium / Magnesium Carbonate According to the invention, the activating composition comprises at least 40% by weight of calcium carbonate and / or magnesium carbonate. In a preferred embodiment, the activating composition comprises at least 50% by weight of calcium carbonate and / or magnesium carbonate.

[0038] According to the present invention, the calcium carbonate and / or magnesium carbonate particles have a d80 of less than or equal to 15 μm, preferably less than or equal to 10 μm, and a d50 of less than or equal to 4 μm.

[0039] B. Alkali metal salts Depending on the concrete or industrial mortar composition into which the activating composition of the present invention is ultimately intended to be incorporated, the amount of said alkali metal salt in said activating composition is adjusted.

[0040] Thus, in one embodiment, for example in a brick mortar, the activating composition preferably comprises from 1.5% to 15% by weight of said alkali metal salt, more preferably from 3% to 10% by weight, even more preferably from 4% to 5% by weight.

[0041] In another embodiment, for example in a tile adhesive, the activating composition preferably comprises from 25% to 60% by weight of said alkali metal salt, more preferably from 35% to 55% by weight, even more preferably from 40% to 50% by weight.

[0042] The alkali metal salt is advantageously selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), potassium sulfate, (K2SO4), potassium chloride (KCl), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), and potassium carbonate (K2CO3), and mixtures thereof.

[0043] binder composition The present invention also relates to a binder composition comprising said activating composition and component C consisting of at least one hydraulic binder.

[0044] In one embodiment, component C consists solely of blast furnace fine powder. Ground granulated blast furnace (GGBS) is a vitreous granular material obtained by quenching molten slag from a blast furnace in water and then pulverizing the quenched product to improve the reactivity of GGBS. GGBS is an amorphous aluminosilicate glass composed essentially of SiO2, CaO, MgO, and Al2O3. Several glass network modifying cations are present: Ca, Na, Mn, etc.

[0045] The GGBS is preferably manufactured according to the European standard [NF EN 15167-1]. Thus, the binder composition according to this embodiment of the invention advantageously comprises 60% to 99% by weight of granulated blast furnace powder, advantageously 70% to 97% by weight.

[0046] The binder composition according to this embodiment of the invention preferably comprises from 1% to 40% by weight, more preferably from 3% to 30% by weight, of the activating composition described above, and in addition, the binder composition according to this embodiment of the invention preferably comprises from greater than 0.5% to 10% by weight, preferably from 0.7% to 7% by weight, of an alkali metal salt.

[0047] In another embodiment, component C consists of a mixture of granulated blast furnace powder and at least another hydraulic binder, preferably selected from the group consisting of hydraulic binders according to standard EN 197-1 and cements based on alumina or calcium aluminate.

[0048] In particular, by cement we refer to any ordinary cement, e.g. Portland cement clinker, which is a hydraulic binder composed of calcium silicates (3CaO·SiO2) and (2CaO·SiO2), as well as Al2O3, Fe2O3, and other oxides, as described in European Standard EN197.1.

[0049] Hydraulic binders according to the invention also include white and grey cements, cementitious agglomerates and hydraulic lime according to standard EN 197-1. According to the present invention, binders based on calcium sulfoaluminate clinker may also be used, as described in EP-A-1306356 "Clinker sulfoalumineux sans fer et sans chaux free, son procedure for preparation and its utilization in white cements" and "Calcium sulfoaluminates cements-low energy cements, special cements", JH Sharp et al., Advances in Cement Research, 1999, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 3-13.

[0050] Calcium aluminate cements and sulfo-ferroaluminate cements according to EN 14647, as described in Advances in Cement Research, 1999, Vol. 11, No. 1, January, pp. 15-21, may also be used.

[0051] According to the invention, other cements known to be used in harsh conditions may also be used, such as supersulfated cements (SSC) as described in EN 15743, as well as cements according to NF P 15-317 "Ciments pour travaux a la mer" (PM) and NF P 15-319 "Ciments pour travaux en eaux a haute teneur en sulfates" (ES).

[0052] According to the invention, the binder composition may advantageously comprise one or more auxiliary cementitious materials selected from the group consisting of fly ash, metakaolin, activated clay, silica fume, basic oxygen furnace slag, natural pozzolanic materials, rice husk ash, activated recycled concrete fine aggregate, or mixtures thereof. Auxiliary cementitious materials refer to materials that contribute to the strength of the binder due to their potential hydraulic or pozzolanic activity.

[0053] Thus, in the binder composition according to this embodiment of the invention, component C advantageously comprises at least 30% by weight, more advantageously 40% to 90% by weight, and even more advantageously 50% to 80% by weight of ground granulated blast furnace slag.

[0054] In addition, the binder composition according to this embodiment of the invention comprises component C advantageously in the range of 50% to 99% by weight, advantageously in the range of 60% to 97% by weight. The binder composition according to this embodiment of the invention advantageously comprises from 1.5% to 35% by weight of the activating composition described above, more advantageously from 2% to 28%.

[0055] Furthermore, the bond composition according to this embodiment of the invention advantageously comprises from greater than 0.5% to 5% by weight of an alkali metal salt, advantageously from 0.7% to 3.5% by weight.

[0056] Optional Other Ingredients The binder composition is advantageously enriched with one or several other ingredients, preferably selected from the following list of constituents, in particular functional additives.

[0057] ·Water retention agent Water retention agents have the property of retaining the mixing water before setting. The water is thus trapped in the wet mix paste, improving its binding. To some extent, less water is absorbed by the support.

[0058] The water retention agent is preferably selected from the group comprising modified cellulose, modified guar, modified cellulose ethers and / or guar ethers, and mixtures thereof, more preferably from the group consisting of methylcellulose, methylhydroxypropylcellulose, methylhydroxyethyl-cellulose, and mixtures thereof.

[0059] Rheological agents Possible rheological agents (also called "thickening agents") are preferably selected from the group comprising, more preferably consisting of, clays, starch ethers, cellulose ethers and / or gums (e.g. welan, guar, xanthan, succinoglycan), modified polysaccharides (preferably among modified starch ethers), polyvinyl alcohols, polyacrylamides, clays, sepiolite, bentonite, and mixtures thereof, more preferably selected from the group of clays, bentonite, montmorillonite.

[0060] Water-reducing polymer The water-reducing polymers, also referred to as superplasticizers, are selected from the group consisting of lignosulfonate polymers, melamine sulfonate polymers, naphthalene sulfonate polymers, polycarboxylic acid ether polymers, polyoxyethylene phosphonates, vinyl copolymers, and mixtures thereof.

[0061] Defoamers / defoamers Possible antifoaming agents are preferably selected from the group comprising, more preferably consisting of, polyether polyols and mixtures thereof.

[0062] Biocides Possible biocides are preferably selected from the group including, more preferably consisting of, mineral oxides such as zinc oxide and mixtures thereof.

[0063] Pigments Possible pigments are preferably selected from the group including, more preferably consisting of, TiO2, iron oxides, and mixtures thereof.

[0064] Flame retardants Possible flame retardants (or flame retardants) making it possible to increase the fire resistance of the composition and / or reduce the flame propagation speed are preferably selected from the group comprising, and more preferably consisting of:

[0065] Air entraining agent The air entraining agent (surfactant) is advantageously selected from the group including, more preferably consisting of, natural resins, sulfated or sulfonated compounds, synthetic detergents, organic fatty acids, and mixtures thereof, preferably from the group including, more preferably consisting of, lignosulfonates, basic soaps of fatty acids, and mixtures thereof, more preferably from the group including, more preferably consisting of, olefin sulfonates, sodium lauryl sulfate, and mixtures thereof.

[0066] Retardant The retarding agent is advantageously selected from the group comprising, and more preferably consisting of, tartaric acid and its salts (sodium or potassium salts), citric acid and its salts (sodium (trisodium citrate)), and mixtures thereof.

[0067] In addition, other ingredients include Plasticizers ·fiber ·Dispersion powder Wetting agent Polymer resin Complexing agents Polyol-based drying shrinkage reducing agent It is also possible to use the following.

[0068] The total content of these optional other components in the binder composition is preferably comprised between 0.001% by weight and 10% by weight of the total weight of the binder composition.

[0069] Dry concrete or industrial mortar compositions The present invention also relates to dry concrete or industrial mortar compositions, in particular tile adhesives, coatings, brick mortars, repair mortars, primers, technical mortars and floor covering mortars, comprising at least one aggregate fraction (sand and / or gravel) and the binder composition described above. The dry concrete or industrial mortar composition may finally contain other admixtures and additives.

[0070] According to the present invention, a "dry" concrete or industrial mortar composition refers to a composition that is in the form of a powder and is ready to be mixed with water. In other words, the dry concrete or industrial mortar composition of the present invention may contain some moisture, but essentially contains solid components that are intended to be mixed with water before application.

[0071] In a preferred embodiment, the activating composition represents from 0.1% to 5% by weight, preferably from 0.25 to 3.5% by weight, of the total dry composition, including binders, fillers, sand, gravel, and other ingredients.

[0072] This embodiment is advantageous since it makes it possible to reach early strength of concrete and industrial mortars comprising the activated composition according to the invention even at temperatures as low as about 5°C. In other words, the dry concrete or industrial mortar composition comprises the binder composition according to the invention as defined herein and at least one aggregate, in particular sand and / or gravel, and / or fillers of various particle size distribution.

[0073] Aggregates include a large class of particulate materials used in construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag (non-granular), recycled concrete, and geosynthetic aggregates, which act as reinforcing agents to add strength to the overall composite material.

[0074] The dry concrete or industrial mortar composition may also contain fillers such as those based on quartz, limestone, clay, and mixtures thereof, as well as lightweight fillers such as perlite, diatomaceous earth, expanded mica (vermiculite), and expanded sand, and mixtures thereof.

[0075] Advantageously, the dry concrete or industrial mortar composition may also contain, apart from the aggregate, one or several components, in particular functional admixtures, additives and fibres, which may be the same as the other optional components defined above in the detailed description of the binder composition.

[0076] The total content of these optional other components in the dry concrete or industrial mortar composition is preferably comprised between 0.1% and 10% by weight of the total weight of the binder composition.

[0077] Wet concrete or industrial mortar compositions The present invention also relates to wet concrete or industrial mortar compositions, in particular tile adhesives, coatings, assembly mortars, repair mortars, primers, technical mortars and floor covering mortars, comprising at least one aggregate and the binder composition described above.

[0078] In a particular embodiment, the wet mortar compositions are so-called "ready to use" mortars. "Ready to use" mortars are used to assemble bricks or blocks at the building site. They are obtained by mixing all the components of the composition (binders, aggregates and other ingredients) directly with water in a mixing plant. They contain set retarders, allowing transportation and postponed use up to several days, while maintaining their rheological and hardening properties.

[0079] Method for preparing a wet concrete or mortar composition The present invention also relates to a method for preparing the above-mentioned wet concrete or industrial mortar composition, comprising a step of mixing at least one aggregate and a binder composition with water, wherein the binder composition is prepared in situ before or during the mixing step.

[0080] In other words, the wet concrete or industrial mortar composition can be prepared by two different methods. In the first method, an activating composition and then a binder composition are prepared, or alternatively the binder composition is directly prepared by mixing components A, B and C. A dry concrete or industrial mortar composition is then finally obtained by mixing at least one aggregate with the binder composition. The dry concrete or mortar composition is then mixed with water.

[0081] In the second method, the wet concrete or industrial mortar compositions are prepared by directly mixing the components of each composition in water, without previously preparing said compositions separately.

[0082] According to the present disclosure, the term "mixing" must be understood as any form of mixing. In a preferred embodiment, a portion of the binder and at least a portion of the water are mixed together prior to mixing with the aggregate.

[0083] In a preferred embodiment, the process is carried out with a ratio of water to binder composition comprised between 0.2 and 2, advantageously between 0.3 and 1.8.

[0084] Hardened concrete or industrial mortar compositions The present invention also relates to a hardened concrete or industrial mortar composition obtained from the above concrete or industrial mortar composition. EXAMPLES

[0085] Example 1: Tile adhesive A dry tile adhesive composition (CE1) containing ordinary Portland cement (OPC) as the binder, and a dry tile adhesive composition (E1) containing a mixture of Portland cement and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) as the binder were prepared, the contents of each dry tile adhesive composition being given in Table 1 below.

[0086] [Table 1]

[0087] Each dry tile adhesive composition was mixed with the amount of water in Table 1 to give the same initial mortar viscosity (measured by Brookfield apparatus) of 530 Pa·s ± 10. Both amounts of water correspond to a weight ratio of water to binder (i.e. OPC and finally GGBS) of 0.7 to obtain a wet tile adhesive composition. The tile adhesive formulations were characterized according to standard EN12004- "Adhesives for ceramic tiles" and the results are given in Table 2 below.

[0088] [Table 2]

[0089] From Table 2 it can be seen that the tile adhesive of the present invention (E1) has a higher resistance than the tile adhesive CE1, except after 1 day. In addition, the tile adhesive of the present invention (E1) has a higher resistance than the standard required for C2E tile adhesives.

[0090] Example 2: Brick mortar A dry brick mortar composition (CE2) containing ordinary Portland cement (OPC) as a binder and a dry brick mortar composition (E2) containing a mixture of Portland cement and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) as a binder were prepared. The contents of each dry brick mortar composition are listed in Table 3 below.

[0091] [Table 3]

[0092] Thus, the brick mortar according to the invention (E2) contains 15.33% by weight of the binder composition according to the invention, which itself contains 20.42% by weight of the activating composition according to the invention.

[0093] As a result, each dry brick mortar contains 12.2% by weight of hydraulic binder (OPC only (CE2) or OPC and GGBS (E2)). Each dry brick mortar composition was mixed with 14 wt. % water, corresponding to a water to binder (i.e., OPC and finally GGBS) weight ratio of 1.1, to obtain wet brick mortar compositions. The compressive strength was measured after different times and the measurements are listed in Figure 1.

[0094] From FIG. 1 it can be seen that the compressive strength of the brick mortar E2 according to the invention is higher than the compressed mortar CE2 after 1 day, 7 days and 28 days.

[0095] Example 3: Undercoat A dry basecoat composition (CE3) containing ordinary Portland cement (OPC) as the binder, and two dry basecoat compositions (E3 and E4) containing a mixture of Portland cement and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) as the binder were prepared. The contents of each dry basecoat composition are listed in Table 4 below.

[0096] [Table 4]

[0097] Thus, the basecoat compositions of both examples E3 and E4 according to the invention contain 15.3314 wt. % of the binder composition according to the invention, which itself contains 22.14 wt. % of the activator composition according to the invention.

[0098] As a result, each dry basecoat contains 10.9% by weight of hydraulic binder (OPC only (CE3) or OPC and GGBS (E3 and E4)). Each dry basecoat composition was mixed with water in an amount of 20 wt%, corresponding to a weight ratio of water to binders (i.e., OPC and finally GGBS) of 1.8, to obtain wet basecoat compositions. The compressive strength was measured after different times and the measurements are listed in Figure 2.

[0099] From figure 2 it can be seen that the compressive strength of the primers E3 and 34 according to the invention is lower than that of the primer CE3 after one day. However, the compressive strength of the primers E3 and E4 is sufficient for primer applications.

[0100] However, after 7 and 28 days, the compressive strength of the primers E3 and E4 according to the invention is higher than that of the primer CE3.

[0101] Example 4: Low temperature curing A dry mortar composition (CE4) containing ordinary Portland cement (OPC) as the binder, and two dry mortar compositions (CE5 and E5) containing a mixture of Portland cement and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) as the binder were prepared. The contents of each dry mortar composition are listed in Table 5 below.

[0102] [Table 5]

[0103] Thus, the mortar according to the invention (E5) contains 30% by weight of the binder composition according to the invention, which itself contains 16.66% by weight of the activating composition according to the invention. As a result, each dry mortar contains 25% by weight of hydraulic binder (OPC only (CE4) or OPC and GGBS (CE5 and E5)).

[0104] Each dry mortar composition was mixed with water in a water to binder (i.e., OPC and finally GGBS) weight ratio of 0.5 to obtain wet mortar compositions that were cured at a temperature of 5° C. The compressive strength was measured after different times and the measurements are listed in Figure 3.

[0105] From FIG. 3 it can be seen that the compressive strength of mortar E5 according to the invention is equal to that of mortar CE4 (100% OPC) after 1 day and higher than that of mortar CE5 (GGBS+OPC without activating composition according to the invention) after 1 and 7 days. Specific embodiments of the present invention are as follows. [Aspect 1] Activation compositions, in particular for concrete or industrial mortars containing hydraulic binders and / or pozzolanic materials, comprising: A. at least 40% by weight, preferably at least 50% by weight, of calcium carbonate and / or magnesium carbonate particles having a d80 of 15 μm or less and a d50 of 4 μm or less, and B. at least 1.5% by weight and at most 60% by weight of at least one alkali metal salt 13. An activating composition comprising: [Aspect 2] 2. The activating composition according to aspect 1, comprising 1.5% to 15% by weight of said alkali metal salt, more preferably 3% to 10% by weight, and even more preferably 4% to 5% by weight. [Aspect 3] The activating composition according to aspect 1, comprising preferably 25% to 60% by weight of said alkali metal salt, more preferably 35% to 55% by weight, and even more preferably 40% to 50% by weight. [Aspect 4] The alkali metal salt is sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium sulfate (Na 2 SO 4 ), potassium sulfate, (K 2 SO 4 ), potassium chloride (KCl), sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ), and potassium carbonate (K 2 CO 3 4. The activating composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the activating composition is selected from the group consisting of: [Aspect 5] A binder composition comprising the activated composition according to any one of aspects 1 to 4 and component C consisting of at least one hydraulic binder. [Aspect 6] 6. The binder composition of embodiment 5, wherein component C consists solely of granulated blast furnace powder. [Aspect 7] 6. The binder composition according to embodiment 5, wherein component C consists of a mixture of granulated blast-furnace fines and at least another hydraulic binder, the at least another hydraulic binder being preferably selected from the group consisting of hydraulic binders according to standard EN 197-1, and cements based on alumina or calcium aluminate, and mixtures thereof. [Aspect 8] 7. The binder composition according to embodiment 6, comprising 60% to 99% by weight, advantageously 70% to 97% by weight, of blast furnace fine powder. [Aspect 9] 9. The binder composition according to embodiment 6 or 8, comprising 1 wt. % to 40 wt. %, more advantageously 3 wt. % to 30 wt. %, of the activating composition according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4. [Aspect 10] 10. The binder composition of any one of embodiments 6, 8, and 9, comprising more than 0.5 wt.% to 10 wt.%, advantageously 0.7 wt.% to 7 wt.% of an alkali metal salt. [Aspect 11] 8. The binder composition according to embodiment 7, wherein component C comprises at least 30% by weight, advantageously 40% to 90% by weight, and more advantageously 50% to 80% by weight of ground granulated blast furnace slag. [Aspect 12] 12. The binder composition according to embodiment 7 or 11, comprising 50% to 99% by weight, advantageously 60% to 97% by weight, of component C. [Aspect 13] 13. The binder composition of any one of embodiments 7, 11, and 12, comprising 1.5% to 35% by weight, more preferably 2% to 28% of the activating composition of any one of embodiments 1 to 4. [Aspect 14] 14. The binder composition according to any one of aspects 7 and 11 to 13, comprising from more than 0.5% to 5% by weight of an alkali metal salt, advantageously from 0.7% to 3.5% by weight. [Aspect 15] A dry concrete or industrial mortar composition, in particular a tile adhesive, coating, assembly mortar, repair mortar, primer, technical mortar, and floor covering mortar, comprising at least one aggregate and a binder composition according to any one of embodiments 5 to 14. [Aspect 16] 15. A wet concrete or industrial mortar composition, in particular a tile adhesive, coating, assembly mortar, repair mortar, primer, technical mortar, and floor covering mortar, comprising at least one aggregate, a binder composition according to any one of embodiments 5 to 14, and water. [Aspect 17] A method for preparing the wet concrete or industrial mortar composition according to aspect 16, comprising a step of mixing at least one aggregate and a binder composition according to any one of aspects 5 to 14 with water, said binder composition being prepared prior to or in situ during said mixing step from at least some of the various components of said binder composition obtained separately and / or in the form of a premix. [Aspect 18] The method according to embodiment 17, wherein the ratio of water to binder composition is comprised between 0.2 and 2, advantageously between 0.3 and 1.8. [Aspect 19] 17. A hardened concrete or industrial mortar composition obtained from the wet concrete or industrial mortar composition according to embodiment 16.

Claims

1. An activating composition for concrete or industrial mortar containing ground granulated blast furnace slag, comprising: A. at least 40% by weight of calcium carbonate and / or magnesium carbonate particles having a d80 of 15 μm or less and a d50 of 4 μm or less; and B. at least 1.5% and at most 60% by weight of at least one alkali metal salt An activating composition comprising:

2. 2. The activating composition of claim 1 comprising from 1.5% to 15% by weight of said alkali metal salt.

3. 2. The activating composition of claim 1 comprising 25% to 60% by weight of said alkali metal salt.

4. The alkali metal salt is sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium sulfate (Na ２ SO ４ ), potassium sulfate, (K ２ SO ４ ), potassium chloride (KCl), sodium carbonate (Na ２ CO ３ ), and potassium carbonate (K ２ CO ３ 4. The activating composition of claim 1, wherein the activating composition is selected from the group consisting of , and mixtures thereof.

5. A binder composition comprising the activating composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and component C consisting of at least one hydraulic binder.

6. 6. The binder composition of claim 5, wherein component C consists solely of blast furnace fine powder.

7. 6. The binder composition according to claim 5, wherein component C consists of a mixture of granulated blast-furnace fines and at least another hydraulic binder, the at least another hydraulic binder being selected from the group consisting of hydraulic binders according to standard EN 197-1 and cements based on alumina or calcium aluminate, and mixtures thereof.

8. The binder composition of claim 6, comprising 60% to 99% by weight of blast furnace fine powder.

9. A binder composition according to claim 6 or 8, comprising 1% to 40% by weight of an activating composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

10. The binder composition of any one of claims 6, 8 and 9, comprising greater than 0.5% to 10% by weight of an alkali metal salt.

11. 8. The binder composition of claim 7, wherein component C comprises at least 30% by weight of ground granulated blast furnace slag.

12. The binder composition according to claim 7 or 11, comprising 50% to 99% by weight of component C.

13. 13. The binder composition of any one of claims 7, 11 and 12, comprising 1.5% to 35% by weight of the activating composition of any one of claims 1 to 4.

14. 14. The binder composition of any one of claims 7 and 11 to 13, comprising from greater than 0.5% to 5% by weight of an alkali metal salt.

15. A dry concrete or industrial mortar composition comprising at least one aggregate selected from the group consisting of tile adhesives, coatings, assembly mortars, repair mortars, primers, technical mortars and floor covering mortars, and the binder composition according to any one of claims 5 to 14.

16. A wet concrete or industrial mortar composition comprising at least one aggregate selected from the group consisting of tile adhesives, coatings, assembly mortars, repair mortars, primers, technical mortars and floor covering mortars, a binder composition according to any one of claims 5 to 14 and water.

17. A method for preparing a wet concrete or industrial mortar composition according to claim 16, comprising a step of mixing at least one aggregate and a binder composition according to any one of claims 5 to 14 with water, said binder composition being prepared before or in situ during said mixing step from at least some of its various components obtained separately and / or in the form of a premix.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the ratio of water to binder composition is comprised between 0.2 and 2.

19. 17. A hardened concrete or industrial mortar composition obtained from the wet concrete or industrial mortar composition of claim 16.

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