ASHUTOSH KUMAR MISHRA AND SHAILENDRA YADAV
Abstract
In the present study, the corrosion behaviour of cement prepared using AFR-09 (Alternative Fuel Resource-09), formulated from coal dust, rice husk, bagasse, casuarina leaves, coir pith, and groundnut shell, was evaluated under different aggressive environments. Cement clinker was produced by replacing conventional coal with AFR-09 briquettes at substitution levels of 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%, followed by preparation of cement paste specimens. The specimens were exposed to 5% H?SO?, 3% HCl, 3.5% NaCl, and deionized water for 90 days, and their corrosion performance was assessed using gravimetric weight loss measurements. The results revealed that corrosion-induced deterioration increased progressively with increasing AFR-09 substitution. Sulfuric acid produced the most severe degradation, followed by hydrochloric acid and sodium chloride solutions, while deionized water caused negligible deterioration. The specimen containing 30% AFR-09 exhibited the highest weight losses of 9.76 g, 8.63 g, and 0.71 g in sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and sodium chloride media, respectively. The increased deterioration was attributed to greater pore connectivity, higher permeability, formation of microcracks, and reduced chemical stability of hydration products, which facilitated the ingress of sulfate and chloride ions. Although higher AFR substitution reduced corrosion resistance under highly aggressive environments, the study demonstrates the technical feasibility of employing bio-waste-derived alternative fuels in clinker production to reduce fossil fuel consumption, agricultural waste disposal, and carbon emissions.