Utilisation of fly ash in a geopolymeric material

Finding means of utilising waste products is a very important field of research at the moment. In this study, fly ash, a waste product of the electricity and petrochemical industries, was investigated as a basic ingredient of a new geopolymeric material. The similarity of fly ash to natural pozzolans has encouraged the use of this waste product in the synthesis of geopolymers, which, in turn, can best be viewed as consisting of a polymeric Si–O–Al framework. Manufacturing of the geopolymers was conducted by mixing fly ash, kaolinite, sodium silicate solution, NaOH and water. The samples were cured at 40, 50, 60 and 70 °C for different time intervals (6, 24, 48 and 72 h). The optimum condition was found to be at 60 °C for a period of 48 h. Compressive strength measurements show a maximum strength of almost 8 MPa after 28 days. Infrared spectroscopic measurements were obtained of the samples after 7 and 28 days. X-ray diffraction measurements show quartz as the main constituent with the largest part of the geopolymer structure being amorphous and glass-like.