Abstract

M. Sivasakthi¹, R. Jeyalakshmi¹, N. P. Rajamane² and T. Revathi¹

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/ojc/330461

Geopolymers are systems of inorganic binders that can be used as eco-friendly sustainable binder alternate to Portland cement and thereby causing significant reduction of Green house gas emission in construction activities. Geopolymer is often produced by the reaction of alumino-Silicate precursor with alkaline solutions.  Geopolymer has shown many excellent properties such as high early strength, good resistance against acid and sulfate attacks, and goo performance in high temperature. The key mechanical strength giving components of geopolymeric  binders are chemically complex and of multiphase nature since most of the precursor materials used are also structurally disordered, being either glassy or thermally  disrupted layer structure. Hence, geopolymers pose the most significant outstanding problem of micro structural characterization. In the present study, industrial by products such as fly ash and GGBS  are used as geopolymeric precursor materials and activated by combined solution ofsodium silicate.The reactivity of fly ash , GGBS, development of strength and structure of Geopolymer under optimized reaction conditions were examined using different techniques such as X-Ray Fluorescence, X-Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, 29Si and 27Al MAS -NMR spectroscopy and FT-IR Spectroscopy. The thermal stability of Geopolymer formed studied through thermal analysis TGA/DTA. The average  mass loss  was found to be of 8% after 180 C upto maximum of  1000 C exposure   which was significantly lower than Metakaoline based Geopolymer reported in literature.

Geopolymer; Fly ash; FT-IR; 29Si and 27Al MAS-NMR; XRD

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