An innovative process for preparing silicon carbide (SiC) from acid leaching residue of ferronickel slag through a carbon–thermal reduction process was proposed in this study. The results indicate that the acid leaching residue is an ideal silicon source for SiC preparation according to its high amorphous silica content of 84.20% and fine particle size of d₅₀ = 29.16 μm. Compared with carbon black, activated carbon, and graphite, coke is the more appropriate carbon source for SiC preparation. A micron-size SiC powder with grade of 88.90% and an average particle size (d₅₀) of 44.68 μm can be obtained under the following conditions: the mass ratio of coke to leaching residue as 1.2:1, in an air atmosphere, reducing at 1600 °C for 3 h, following by decarbonizing at 700 °C for 4 h. The XRD, SEM and FTIR analyses show that the prepared powder is 3C-SiC and belongs to the β-SiC crystal type. Based on thermodynamic analysis and micromorphology observation, it can be concluded that with amorphous silica as the silicon source, the carbon–thermal synthesis of SiC powder follows both the solid–solid reaction mechanism and the gas–solid mechanism. The SiC created through solid–solid reaction is primarily nucleated in situ on amorphous SiO₂, with a size close to that of the original acid-leaching slag, while the SiC generated according to the gas–solid mechanism mainly nucleates heterogeneously on the surface of carbon particles, resulting in a smaller particle size and mostly adhering to the surface of solid–solid nucleated SiC particles. This study provides a feasible method for the effective utilization of amorphous silica, which is also significant for the efficient consumption of the vast acid leaching residue.

The use of electric furnace ferronickel slag (FNS) as a supplementary cementitious material is the current focus of research. This study investigates the effect of mechanical grinding and chemical additives on the activity excition of FNS, as well as the associated synergistic mechanisms. This study shows that the addition of triethanolamine (TEA) increases the fine-grained content in FNS powder, which facilitates the depolymerization of FNS and the early hydration of aluminum tricalcium. Furthermore, the addition of Ca(OH)₂ raises the alkalinity of the cementitious system, which promotes the availability of Ca²⁺ ions and accelerates the hydration process, resulting in the generation of additional hydration products. The enhancement of late hydration of C₃S by TEA and its combination with the secondary hydration of Ca²⁺ at high alkalinity are the pivotal factors to improve the strength of cementitious composite. A mixture of FNS and 0.03% TEA is subjected to grinding for 90 min, using the obtained micropowder which replaces 20% of the cement, and subsequently, after being excited with 3% Ca(OH)₂, the FNS micropowder reaches the quality standards of S95 slag powder. It is worth remarking that the micropowder prepared by mixing FNS with 3% Ca(OH)₂ and 0.03% TEA and grinding it for 81 min also meets the S95 standard for slag powder. The larger dosage of FNS in cement is supported by the observed synergy between TEA and Ca(OH)₂. This research will provide valuable insights for the expanded application of FNS in construction materials.