Recycling and comprehensive utilization of yellow phosphorus slag in building materials: A review

Yellow phosphorus slag (YPS) is a solid waste generated in the smelting of phosphorus ore, and its stockpiling pollutes the environment. YPS can be used as a possible raw material of cement, concrete and supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) and so on. YPS as building materials is the best way to achieve large-scale resource recycling of YPS, which can improve the utilization rate of YPS. It can produce economic and environmental benefits, which are conducive to sustainable development. This paper summarizes the research of YPS in building materials and discusses the effect of YPS in terms of mechanical properties, setting time, hydration kinetics, microstructure, workability, and durability. The main disadvantages of YPS in building materials are low early strength and long setting time, which can be improved by mechanical, chemical, thermal and composite activation. Some results of YPS in building materials have been found, but there are challenges in future research. Based on the existing problems of YPS in building materials, some suggestions are provided, and the research direction for further improving the recycling efficiency and cleaner production of YPS is given.