*Proceeding Paper* **Effect of Potassium Formate on Alkali–Silica Reaction in Aggregates with Different Categories of Reactivity †**

**Aneta Antolik \*, Daria Józwiak-Nied ´ ´ zwiedzka , Kinga Dziedzic and Paweł Lisowski**

Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Adolfa Pawi ´nskiego 5B, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland


**Abstract:** During the wintertime, concrete pavements experience harsh exposure conditions due to the presence of both the freezing–thawing and wetting–drying cycles. Airport concrete pavements are commonly de-iced using chloride-free organic salts such as potassium formate or potassium acetate. However, these materials contain alkali ions which can have harmful effects on both the cement matrix and the aggregate. Specifically, there is an increased risk of occurrence of the alkali–silica reaction (ASR). The goal of this research was to estimate the influence of potassium formate on the potential of causing alkali–silica reaction in aggregates with different categories of reactivity (R0, R1, R2). The accelerated mortar bar test and its modification (which involves replacing sodium hydroxide solution with a potassium formate solution) were used. Detailed SEM-EDS examinations were performed to confirm the presence of alkali–silica reaction and to analyze the influence of potassium formate on the microstructure of mortar.

**Keywords:** alkali–silica reaction; potassium formate; de-icing agent; reactive aggregate

**Citation:** Antolik, A.; Jó ´zwiak-Nied ´zwiedzka, D.; Dziedzic, K.; Lisowski, P. Effect of Potassium Formate on Alkali–Silica Reaction in Aggregates with Different Categories of Reactivity. *Mater. Proc.* **2023**, *13*, 13. https://doi.org/10.3390/materproc 2023013013

Academic Editors: Katarzyna Mróz, Tomasz Tracz, Tomasz Zdeb and Izabela Hager

Published: 14 February 2023

**Copyright:** © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).
