The Influence of Ageing on the Performance of Taphole Clay and the Study of Rapid-setting Mechanism

This study investigated the influence of curing time on the mechanical properties of rapid-setting blasting mud materials, analyzed the variation pattern of mechanical strength during the increase of curing time, and employed techniques such as XRD and SEM-EDS to study the impact of curing time on the crystalline phase transformation, microstructure, and element distribution of blasting mud materials. The results revealed that with the increase of curing time, all mechanical strengths of the blasting mud materials increased significantly, with a faster growth rate within the first 6 hours and stabilization around 24 hours. The main hydration products of the blasting mud materials are calcium carbonate and ettringite, whose contents increase with curing time, promoting the hydration process and enhancing mechanical strength. The internal structure of the material becomes denser with increasing curing time, resulting in decreased porosity, specific surface area, and total pore volume, and the formation of a dense spatial structure, which explains the trend of strength change. This study is of great significance for selecting optimal plugging materials and curing times for mines in China to achieve efficient blasting operations.