{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T00:37:04Z","timestamp":1789432624790,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787702400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["U24A2048"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["U24A2048"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["52508298"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["52508298"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["U24A2048"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["U24A2048"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01h0zpd94","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["52508298"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["52508298"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01h0zpd94","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100007620","name":"Education Department of Liaoning Province","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["JYTQN2023399"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["JYTQN2023399"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100007620","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100007620","name":"Education Department of Liaoning Province","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["LJ212510153040"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LJ212510153040"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100007620","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["JYTQN2023399"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["JYTQN2023399"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/0022v2454","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["LJ212510153040"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LJ212510153040"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/0022v2454","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Materials"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Alkali-activated binders (AABs) represent eco-friendly alternatives to ordinary Portland cement. Nevertheless, the synergistic influences of calcium dosage and aluminosilicate stoichiometry on phase assemblage, gel nanostructure, and mechanical properties have not been fully elucidated. Herein, AAB samples with graded CaO contents were fabricated, and the co-regulatory mechanisms of CaO dosage and Si\/Al molar ratio on compressive strength and microstructural evolution were systematically explored through compressive strength tests, XRD, TG-DTG, FTIR, and SEM-EDS. In addition, pure reference C-S-H and N-A-S-H gels were synthesized by using the sol\u2013gel method for comparison with AAB pastes. The results reveal that CaO dosage acts as the primary parameter dictating gel phase transition and strength level, categorizing the prepared AABs into three distinct zones: low-calcium region (CaO &lt; 10 wt.%), medium-calcium region (10\u201320 wt.%), and high-calcium region (CaO &gt; 20 wt.%). Combined grey relational and partial correlation analyses clarify the collinearity-induced false correlations and reveal the stage-dependent independent effects of oxide molar ratios on AABs\u2019 compressive strength. Low-calcium AAB matrices are dominated by N-A-S-H gel networks coexisting with abundant low-strength zeolite crystals, which deteriorate thermal stability and retard strength gain. Increasing CaO content triggers a progressive phase transformation from N-A-S-H gel to high-strength C-(A)-S-H gel. Abundant Ca-rich chabazite and C-S-H gel form in high-calcium systems, which fill internal pores and microcracks and greatly enhance matrix densification and thermal resistance. This work clarifies the multiscale regulatory mechanism of calcium species over gel polycondensation, crystalline phase development, and mechanical performance of AABs, offering fundamental theoretical guidance for the customized design and property optimization of high-strength alkali-activated binders.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ma19173623","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T10:59:23Z","timestamp":1787741963000},"page":"3623","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Evolution of Hydration Gel Phases and Microstructure in Alkali-Activated Binders with Varied Calcium Contents"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-1341-6781","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Qiang","family":"Zhang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China"},{"name":"School of Civil Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Qing","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2051-7547","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zhaoyang","family":"Ding","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tianru","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mingyu","family":"Zhao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2016.05.082","article-title":"Is magnesia cement low carbon? 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