A brief history and review of geopolymer technology is presented with the aim of introducing the technology and the vast categories of materials that may be synthesized by alkali-activation of aluminosilicates. The fundamental chemical and structural characteristics of geopolymers derived from metakaolin, fly ash and slag are explored in terms of the effects of raw material selection on the properties of geopolymer composites. It is shown that the raw materials and processing conditions are critical in determining the setting behavior, workability and chemical and physical properties of geopolymeric products. The structural and chemical characteristics that are common to all geopolymeric materials are presented, as well as those that are determined by the specific interactions occurring in different systems, providing the ability for tailored design of geopolymers to specific applications in terms of both technical and commercial requirements.

Geopolymer technology: the current state of the art

New cements for the 21st century: The pursuit of an alternative to Portland cement

Composition and Microstructure of Alkali Activated Fly Ash Binder: Effect of the Activator

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, efforts are needed to develop environmentally friendly construction materials. This paper presents the development of fly ash-based geopolymer concrete. In geopolymer concrete, a by-product material rich in silicon and aluminum, such as low-calcium (ASTM C 618 Class F) fly ash, is chemically activated by a high-alkaline solution to form a paste that binds the loose coarse and fine aggregates, and other unreacted materials in the mixture. The test results presented in this paper show the effects of various parameters on the properties of geopolymer concrete. The application of geopolymer concrete and future research needs are also identified.

Kenneth J.D MacKenzie

Papers

Synthesis and characterisation of materials based on inorganic polymers of alumina and silica: sodium polysialate polymers