Utilization and Characterization of Steelmaking Slags
Summary
Steelmaking slags are complex oxide-rich by-products generated during basic oxygen and electric arc furnace processes. Their varied mineralogy—encompassing calcium silicates, free lime, periclase and spinel phases—offers both challenges and opportunities for high-value reuse. Characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy provide detailed insight into phase assemblages, particle morphology and surface textures, which in turn govern reactivity, leaching behaviour and mechanical performance. Utilization pathways span construction materials (cementitious binders, roadbase aggregates), soil amendments for acidity control, and emerging catalytic or carbon-capture applications. Against a backdrop of mounting steel production and sustainability mandates, research efforts increasingly focus on rapid phase analysis, tailored cooling or additive strategies to stabilise hazardous components, and integration into circular-economy frameworks that transform slag streams into engineered resources.
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Utilization and Characterization of Steelmaking Slags publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in utilization and characterization of steelmaking slags across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Slag: Non-metallic by-product composed of metal oxides and silicates formed during steelmaking.
Basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag: Slag produced in the basic oxygen steelmaking process, characterised by high calcium silicate content.
Phase quantification: Determination of the relative abundance of crystalline phases within a heterogeneous material.
Circular economy: Economic model promoting resource efficiency through reuse, recycling and closed-loop systems.
X-ray diffraction (XRD): Analytical technique for identifying crystalline phases by measuring the diffraction patterns of X-rays interacting with a sample.
References
- A Bogue approach applied to basic oxygen furnace slag. Cement and Concrete Research (2024).
- Reuse and Recycling of By-Products in the Steel Sector: Recent Achievements Paving the Way to Circular Economy and Industrial Symbiosis in Europe. Metals (2020).
- Chemical, Mineralogical, and Morphological Properties of Steel Slag. Advances in Civil Engineering (2011).
- Sustainable Utilization of Steel Slag from Traditional Industry and Agriculture to Catalysis. Sustainability (2020).
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