Publications

Book chapters

Baki, V. A., Ke, X.*, Chapter 21 Sustainable cementitious binders containing high-volume red mud, in Towards Carbon-Neutral Construction: High-Volume Mineral Admixtures in Cementitious Binders. Woodhead Publishing. 2024 ISBN: 9780443134999. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-13498-2.00022-5

Criado M., Ke X., Provis J.L., Bernal S.A. Part 2 – Chapter 8: Alternative inorganic binders based on alkali-activated metallurgical slags, in Sustainable & Non-Conventional Construction Materials Using Inorganic Bonded Fiber Composites, Eds. H. Savastano Jr., J. Fiorelli, S. F. dos Santos, Woodhead Elsevier, Cambridge UK, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102001-2.00008-5

Intelligent design of sustainable materials

Ke, X*. and Duan, Y. (2021) Coupling machine learning with thermodynamic modelling to develop a composition-property model for alkali-activated materials. Composites, Part B. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2021.108801

Ke, X*. and Duan, Y. (2020) A Bayesian machine learning approach for inverse prediction of high-performance concrete ingredients with targeted performance. Constr. Build. Mater., 270, 121424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121424

Low-carbon materials technology for construction

Mechanochemical processes

Marsh, A.T.M., Krishnan, S., Rahmon, S., Bernal, S. A., Ke, X*. (2026) Relationships between milling input energy and chemical reactivity for mechano-chemical activation of clays. RSC Mechanochemistry, https://doi.org/10.1039/D5MR00088B

Baki, V. A., Skevi, L., Ke, X.* (2025) The effects of NaOH addition on the mechanochemical pre-treatment of wollastonite and their performances as carbonated mineral product. J. Environ. Chem. Eng. 13(3): 116902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2025.116902

Baki, V. A., Ke, X.*, Heath, A., Calabria-Holley, J., Terzi, C. (2024) The effects of mechanochemical and thermal treatments on improving the pozzolanic reactivity of clay, marl and obsidian. Mater. Struct., 57(1): 9. doi: 10.1617/s11527-023-02280-z

Katish, M., Ke, X., Renforth, P., (2024) Comparative life cycle assessments of laboratory and pilot-scale mechanochemical processes for producing carbonated mineral products as cement substitutes. Cleaner Environ. Syst. 100237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100237

Ke, X.*, Baki, V. A., Skevi, L., (2023) Mechanochemical activation for improving the direct mineral carbonation efficiency and capacity of a timber biomass ash. J. CO₂ Util., 68, 102367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcou.2022.102367

Baki, V. A., Ke, X.*, Heath, A., Calabria-Holley, J., Terzi, C., Sirin, M. (2022) The impact of mechanochemical activation on the physicochemical properties and pozzolanic reactivity of kaolinite, muscovite and montmorillonite. Cem. Concr. Res., 162, 106962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2022.106962

Skevi, L., Baki, V. A., Feng, Y., Valderrabano, M., Ke, X.*, et al. (2022) Carbonated biomass bottom ash as supplementary cementitious material: the effect of mechanochemical pre-treatment. Materials, 2022. 15(23): p. 8357. doi:10.3390/ma15238357

Low-carbon cement chemistry

Na, Y. K., Choi, H., Lim, K., Ryu, G., Ke, X., Gholampour, A., Yoo, D., (2026) Influence of organic light-emitting diode waste as a cementitious substitute on the microstructural and mechanical properties of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete. Developments in the Built Environment, 25: 100887. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dibe.2026.100887

Hao, Q., Liu, S., Liu, Z., Takasu, K., Paine, K., Ke, X., Suyam, H., (2025) Factors Influencing the Performance of Biomass Fly Ash-Based Geopolymers. Constr. Build. Mater., 489: 142415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.142415

Tong, L., Xiong, Q. X., Ke, X., Alderete, N., De Belie, N., Liu, Q. (2025) Advanced modelling of moisture transport process in unsaturated cementitious materials considering multi-modal pore size distributions. Cem. Concr. Res., 198: 107973. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2025.107973

Gluth, G.J.G., Ke, X., Vollpracht, A., Weiler, L., Bernal, S.A., Cyr, M. et al., (2022) Carbonation rate of alkali-activated concretes and high-volume SCM concretes: a literature data analysis of RILEM TC 281-CCC. Mater. Struct., 55, 225. https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-022-02041-4

Ke, X.*, Baki, V. A., Large, A. I., Held, G., Li, J. (2022) Atomic-scale characterisation of sodium aluminosilicate hydrates (N-A-S-H) and Mg-substituted N(-M)-A-S-H using XANES. Appl. Geochem., 147: p. 105515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2022.105515

Walkley, B., Ke, X., Provis, J.L., Bernal, S.A. (2021) Activator anion influences the nanostructure of alkali-activated slag cements, J. Phys. Chem. C, doi:10.1021/acs.jpcc.1c07328.

Walkley, B., Ke, X., Hussein, O., Provis, J.L. (2021) Thermodynamic properties of sodium aluminosilicate hydrate (N-A-S-H). Dalton Trans., 50, 13968-13984. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1DT02202D

Ke, X.*, Bernal, S.A., Provis, J.L., Lothenbach, B. (2020) Thermodynamic modelling of the phase evolution in alkali-activated slag exposed to carbon dioxide. Cem. Concr. Res., 136, 106158, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2020.106158

Ke, X., Bernal, S.A.; Provis, J.L., (2019) Layered double hydroxides modify the reaction of sodium silicate-activated slag cements. Green Materials, 7(2), 52-60. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgrma.18.00024

Ke X., Criado M., Provis J.L., Bernal S.A., (2018) Slag-based cements that resist damage by atmospheric carbonation. ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 6, 5067-5075. doi: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.7b04730

Criado, M., Walkley, B., Ke, X., Provis, J. L., & Bernal, S. A., (2018) Slag and Activator Chemistry Control the Reaction Kinetics of Sodium Metasilicate-Activated Slag Cements. Sustainability, 10(12), 4709. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10124709

Bernal, S.A., Juenger, M.C.G., Ke, X., Matthes, W, Lothenbach, B., De Belie, N., Provis, J.L., (2017) Characterization of supplementary cementitious materials by thermal analysis. Mater. Struct., 50:26. https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-016-0909-2

Ye, N., Yang, J. Ke, X., Zhu, J., Li, Y., Xiang, C., Wang H., Li, L., Xiao, B., (2014) Synthesis and characterization of geopolymer from bayer red mud with thermal pre-treatment. J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 97, (5), 1652-1660. doi:10.1111/jace.12840

Ke, X., Bernal, S.A.; Provis, J.L., (2017) Uptake of chloride and carbonate by Mg-Al and Ca-Al layered double hydroxides in simulated pore solutions of alkali-activated slag cement. Cem. Concr. Res., 100, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2017.05.015

Ke, X., Bernal, S. A., Hussein, O. H., Provis, J. L. (2017) Chloride binding and mobility in sodium carbonate-activated slag pastes and mortars. Mater. Struct., 50, 252. https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-017-1121-8

Ke, X., Bernal, S.A.; Provis, J.L., (2016) Controlling the kinetics of reaction of sodium carbonate-activated slag cements using calcined layered double hydroxides. Cem. Concr. Res., 81, 24-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2015.11.012

Ke, X., Bernal, S. A.; Ye, N.; Provis, J. L. Yang, J., (2015), One-part geopolymers based on thermally treated red mud/NaOH blends. J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 98, (1), 5-11. doi: 10.1111/jace.13231

Functional cementitious materials

Zhang, J., Ke, X.*, Heath, A., Ball, R. J., Xie, J., Fan, J., Li, G., Paine, K. (2026) Physical origin of temperature induced activation energy switching in electrically conductive cement. Adv. Sci. (2025): e17384. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202517384

Wilson, J., Ke, X., Maskell, D., Ball, R. J. (2026) The role of gel chemistry on the photocatalytic performance of geopolymers: a critical review. Results Mater. 30, 100956. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rinma.2026.100956

Wilson, J., Ke, X., Maskell, D., Ball, R. J. (2026) Phase Transformations, Microstructural Effects and Photocatalytic Activity of Tungsten Trioxide Geopolymer Composites. J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 109, no. 3 (2026): e70659. https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.70659

Wilson, J., Ke, X., Maskell, D., Ball, R. J. (2025) Evaluation of photocatalytic ZnO-geopolymer composites: degradation of methylene blue and α-pinene. Cem. Concr. Comps., 162: 106125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2025.106125

Skevi, L., Ke, X.*, Ginestet, S., Ouellet-Plamondon, C., Gomes, F., Cyr, M. (2025) Reviewing experimental studies on chemical thermal energy storage in Cementitious composites: report of the RILEM TC 299-TES. Mater. Struct. 58, 292 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-025-02803-w

Reynolds, J., Abbas, B., Sullivan, G., Elvins, J., Jewell, E., Searle, J., Skevi, L., Ke, X., (2024) Optimisation of CaCl₂ Impregnated Expanded Graphite and Alginate Matrices – Targeted Salt Loading. Energy Convers. Manag. 302: 118145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2024.118145

Reynolds, J., Williams, R., Elvins, J., Jewell, E., Searle, J., Ke, X., (2023) Development and characterisation of an alginate and expanded graphite based composite for thermochemical heat storage. J Mater Sci. doi: 10.1007/s10853-023-08370-1

Tan, L., Ke, X.*, Li, Q., Ferrandiz-Mas, V., Gebhard, S., Paine, K., Chen, W. (2022) The effects of biomineralization on the localised phase and microstructure evolutions of different bacteria-based self-healing cementitious composites. Cem. Concr. Comps., 128: p. 104421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2022.104421

Ke, X.*, Baki, V.A. (2021) Assessing the suitability of alkali-activated metakaolin for thermochemical heat storage. Microporous Mesoporous Mater., 325, 111329, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micromeso.2021.111329

Ke, X.*, (2020) Micro-fabricated electrochemical chloride ion sensors: from the present to the future. Talanta, 211, 120734, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2020.120734

Walkley B., Ke X., Hussein O. H., Bernal, S. A., Provis, J. L. (2020) Incorporation of strontium and calcium in geopolymer gels. J. Hazard. Mater., 382, 121015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121015

Ke, X.* and Duan, Y. (2019) A spatially-varying relaxation parameter Lattice Boltzmann Method (SVRP-LBM) for predicting effective thermal conductivity of composite material. Comput. Mater. Sci., 169: 109080. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.commatsci.2019.109080

Ke, X.*, Bernal S.A., Sato T., Provis J.L.* (2019) Alkali aluminosilicate geopolymer as a binder to encapsulate strontium-selective titanate ion-exchangers. Dalton Trans., 48, 12116-12126. doi: 10.1039/C9DT02108F