Ahmed Mahmoud Alsherpiny

Mr. Ahmed Mahmoud Alsherpiny

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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

1Year (2026-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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3 June 2026 in Sustainability
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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Seleem S.E AhmadSeleem S.E Ahmad
Seleem S.E Ahmad
AAAhmed Mahmoud Alsherpiny
Ahmed Mahmoud Alsherpiny
AEAhmed A. Elshami
Ahmed A. Elshami
AAAttitou Aboubakr
Attitou Aboubakr
RERasha A. El-Sadany
Rasha A. El-Sadany
MEMohamed Ahmed Refat El-Mahdy
Mohamed Ahmed Refat El-Mahdy
This work investigates Ferro-Rock concrete as a carbon-negative alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC), which accounts for 5–9% of global CO2 emissions, and evaluates its viability as a sustainable construction material. Ferro-Rock is an iron-based binder comprising recycled iron powder, fly ash, metakaolin, limestone powder, and oxalic acid. This is enhanced by a carbonation reaction in which iron particles react with CO2 and water to form iron (II) carbonate (FeCO3), the main binding phase, thereby locking in atmospheric CO2. The experimental program was divided into two groups. Group 1 studied 100% Ferro-Rock binders with different types of aggregate, specimen sizes, and CO2 curing periods (0–6 days) with a new locally manufactured stainless steel curing chamber that provided a controlled CO2 environment of 99.9% and 1.2–1.5 bar gauge pressure. Group 2 investigated Ferro-Rock as a partial cement replacement at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% levels of substitution with 5% increments. The 7 and 28 days of compressive, flexural and indirect tensile strengths were determined. The results showed the Ferro-Rock with 100% iron ductile waste aggregates (Mix F4) achieved a 28-day compressive strength of 5.5 MPa, 37.5% higher than the standard Ferro-Rock reference mix. The optimum replacement range of Group 2 was 5–10% with an increase in compressive strength by 5–10%, flexural strength by 11%, and indirect tensile strength by 16% over the OPC control. When replacement exceeded 25%, the bonding was weakened, and all strength measures decreased significantly, reaching a 46% reduction in compressive strength at 50% substitution. Scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS) microstructural analysis verified the gradual formation of the iron carbonate crystalline phase and provided mechanistic insights into the observed strength trends. Fully cured Ferro-Rock specimens sequestered as much as 11% CO2 by weight, with a verifiably carbon-negative profile that no OPC-based system can match.