A total solution for the utilisation of BFS can be achieved and the resulting valuable products CaMgAl-LDHs and MCM-41 are promising sorbents for CO₂ capture.

A porous geopolymer with adsorption and photocatalytic degradation functions was successfully developed by utilizing Ti-bearing blast furnace slag (TBBFS) as the raw material. The prepared porous geopolymers were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectrometer, and Fourier transform infrared spectrum. Selective crystallization, water quenching, and natural cooling methods were employed to investigate the influences of these modifications on the applicability of TBBFS as a precursor for geopolymer synthesis. Water-quenched slag with amorphous content was prone to alkali dissolution, and the resulting geopolymer exhibited the highest adsorption capacity (97.18 mg/g) for methylene blue (MB) removal. Selective crystallization at 1400 °C generated a hybrid microstructure consisting of a non-cementitious CaTiO₃ crystallization phase and a cementitious amorphous fraction. The retention of CaTiO₃ in the final geopolymer enables a bifunctionality in adsorption–photodegradation. Particularly, the adsorption and photodegradation processes under various conditions were investigated. The superior removal efficiency for MB could be attributed to the synergistic effects between the geopolymer matrix and CaTiO₃, leading to an enhancement in the formation of hydroxyl radicals. The conversion of TBBFS into porous geopolymer offers an efficient and straightforward solution for slag utilization and dye removal.

Diopside-based glass-ceramics are successfully produced by recycling blast furnace slag and fluorite tailing with the addition of supplementary elements such as TiO₂, Fe₂O₃ and Cr₂O₃ as nucleation agents, using a conventional melting method. The effects of various nucleating agents on the phase components and structure of the prepared glass-ceramics were evaluated by a differential scanning calorimeter, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope–energy disperse spectrometer methods to determine the optimal dosage of nucleating agents. The results show that, in the preparation of diopside-based glass-ceramics, the suitable percentages of blast furnace and fluorite tailing are 55% and 45%, and the recommended composite nucleating agents consist of 1.5% Cr₂O₃, 2% TiO₂ and 3% Fe₂O₃. Heat treatment was conducted at a nucleation temperature of 720 °C and a crystallization temperature of 920 °C, and the nucleation and crystallization durations were 1.0 h and 1.5 h, respectively. Under the abovementioned parameters, the obtained diopside-based glass-ceramics displayed a Vickers hardness of 7.12 GPa, density of 2.95 g·cm⁻³, water absorption of 0.02%, acid resistance of 0.23% and alkali resistance of 0.02%.

MgO addition plays an essential role in the blast furnace smelting process, including softening-melting characteristics and metallurgical properties of slag. In the present study, the effect of MgO distribution on the softening-melting characteristics and slag system of vanadium-titanium magnetite burden were explored by simulating BF conditions. The results show that the MgO flux addition significantly affects the crystallization temperature of slag-phase, the precipitated phase components, and slag viscosity. This indicates that appropriate MgO addition can improve the metallurgical properties of blast furnace slag effectively, thereby improving the softening-melting-dripping performance of the mixed burden. The V-Ti pellets with a MgO content higher than 2.40 wt% exhibit optimum metallurgical properties. With a constant MgO content in mixed burden, the softening-melting properties of composite burden could be improved effectively as the MgO partitioning scheme includes 1.90 wt% MgO in sinter and 3.02 wt% MgO in pellet.