Evaluation of polycarboxylate ether-based grinding aids on clinker grinding performance: the influence of pH

This study introduces an innovative approach by synthesizing PCE-based grinding aids (GAs) at three different pH levels (4, 7, and 9) to investigate how pH-induced structural variations impact grinding performance and cement quality. The GAs were applied at dosages of 0.025%, 0.05%, and 0.1% (by total weight of clinker and gypsum). Milling performance and final product properties were assessed, while thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) evaluated the thermal stability of the synthesized GAs. Additionally, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted to quantify the adsorption energies of the GAs on C-A and C-S clinker phases. Results showed that the low-pH PCE-based GA significantly enhanced grinding efficiency, achieving up to 17% improvement over the control, and delivered superior cement performance. This research provides new insights into the pH-dependent behavior of PCE-based GAs and offers a novel strategy for optimizing molecular design to achieve high-efficiency, performance-driven cement production.