{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,23]],"date-time":"2026-10-23T21:09:24Z","timestamp":1792789764605,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,28]],"date-time":"2025-03-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1743120000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,28]],"date-time":"2025-03-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1743120000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia","award":["FRGS\/1\/2022\/TK01\/UTAR\/02\/2"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FRGS\/1\/2022\/TK01\/UTAR\/02\/2"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05mcs2t73","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Materials"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study explores the influence of Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) slag particle size and replacement percentage on the engineering performance of concrete, providing valuable insights into its optimal utilization for sustainable construction. By analyzing particle size ranges\u2014R1 (0.8\u20132.36 mm), R2 (2.36\u20134.75 mm), and R3 (4.75\u20137.0 mm)\u2014this research highlights their distinct contributions to compressive strength and carbonation potential. Medium-sized particles (R2) emerged as the most suitable due to consistent compressive strength across different replacement percentages, high calcium content, and superior carbonation efficiency, leading to the highest calcium carbonate formation and CO2 uptake. The novelty of this work lies in integrating advanced analytical techniques, including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), to elucidate the microstructural mechanisms driving these performance enhancements. The findings establish a quantifiable relationship between EAF slag\u2019s high calcium and magnesium oxide content and its role in mechanical improvements and carbon dioxide sequestration via mineral carbonation reactions, with R2 achieving the highest CO2 uptake. This comprehensive approach addresses the apparent contradiction between early-stage and long-term performance, emphasizing R2\u2019s suitability, with 45% of the replacement of fine aggregate as the optimal choice for sustainable high-performance concrete with superior strength stability and carbonation efficiency.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ma18071528","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,28]],"date-time":"2025-03-28T13:36:49Z","timestamp":1743169009000},"page":"1528","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Revolutionizing Concrete: Performance Enhancement and Elemental Insights with Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Slag Replacement"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Jing Cheng Jason","family":"Ting","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, Sungai Long Campus, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Foo Wei","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, Sungai Long Campus, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7043-649X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kim Ho","family":"Yeap","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, Sungai Long Campus, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ren Jie","family":"Chin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, Sungai Long Campus, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5491-9512","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ming Kun","family":"Yew","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, Sungai Long Campus, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2266-2112","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chun Chieh","family":"Yip","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, Sungai Long Campus, Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106630","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gexplo.2020.106630","article-title":"Legacy iron and steel wastes in the UK: Extent, resource potential, and management futures","volume":"219","author":"Riley","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. 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