Abstract
Geopolymers are a new class of binder with high mechanical strength, chemical inertia and can be made of by-products. In this work fly ash from a Brazilian power station was used to produce the geopolymer cement. To produce the geopolymers, different activator solutions were used in order to study the influence of the chemical composition of these solutions on the production of the fly ash-based geopolymers. The results showed that the Brazilian fly ash has the potential to be used in the geopolymerization process. The specimens presented high compression strength, 28 MPa after 24 h and 48 MPa after 28 days of cure. The X-ray diffraction of the original fly ash and the geopolymers samples exhibited some mineral phases presents in the fly ash and new zeolitic phases formed after the geopolymerization process. The infrared spectroscopic of all samples showed some modifications of absorption bands besides new bands corresponding to the geopolymerization process. The physical properties, such as the water absorption, porosity and permeability, changed when the activator solution changed and the curing time was modified.
Keywords:
geopolymers; geopolymeric cement; fly ash; alkaline activation
