The　impact　on　hydration　of　four　kinds　of　alkanolamines　(triethanolamine　(TEA),　triisopropanolamine　(TIPA),　diethanol-isopropanolamine　(DEIPA)　and　methyldiethanolamine　(MDEA))　in　a　steel　slag　cementitious　system　was　reviewed.　Isothermal　calorimetry　studies　provided　information　on　the　hydration　heat　release　rate　and　the　cumulative　energy　released　by　blend　cement　systems.　Mortar　strength,　quantitative　X-ray　diffractometry,　mercury　intrusion　pore　size　distribution　analysis,　scanning　electron　microscopy　and　thermogravimetric　analysis　were　used　to　analyze　the　mechanism　of　strength　enhancement　and　microstructure　of　hydrates　that　were　impacted　by　alkanolamines.　Alkanolamines　prolonged　the　hydrated　induction　period　in　the　steel　slag-cement　system,　and　enhanced　the　second　exothermic　peak　of　hydration　at　dosages　of　0.01%,　0.03%　and　0.05%.　The　second　hydration　rate　was　decreased　by　TEA,　DEIPA　and　MDEA,　and　increased　by　TIPA　at　alkanolamine　dosages　of　0.1%　and　0.2%.　The　compressive　strength　and　non　evaporable　water　content　were　enhanced　by　the　four　types　of　alkanolamines　(dosage　of　0.03%)　at　3　d,　7　d　and　28　d,　which　allowed　TEA　and　DEIPA　to　contribute　to　strength　development　and　the　hydration　reaction　over　TIPA　and　MDEA.　The　CH　content,　porosity　and　pore　size　were　decreased　by　alkanolamines　at　different　ages.　Alkanolamines　promoted　the　formation　of　ettringite　and　an　alumina-ferric　oxide-monosulfate　phase,　and　the　C-S-H　morphology　was　also　changed　by　different　kinds　of　alkanolamines.　(C)　2016　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.