• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.143-150
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• 2022

Geopolymers were made by mixing IGCC slag and aluminum smelted waste and their properties were compared with those of IGCC slag based geopolymers. When two raw materials were mixed, the highest compressive strength was obtained at 1.78 of Si/Al ratio. Because the change in compressive strength and density was not so sensitive by the change in Si/Al ratio; that is, the permissible range of Si/Al ratio mixing ratio is broad, it was speculated this broad permissible range would be advantageous for commercialization. The Compressive strength of geopolymers including red mud was higher than that of IGCC based ones and the safety was confirmed by TCLP test. Therefore, it was concluded that the making geopolymers by mixing red mud not only enhances the properties of geopolymers but also gives a recyclability as safe construction materials.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2020

Lightweight geopolymers were fabricated by using fused slag from integrated gasification combined cycle as a law material and Si sludge from silicon wafer process as a bloating material for the purpose of replacing autoclaved lightweight concrete (ALC). Density and compressive strength of geopolymers were measured and compared with the properties of ALC according to the variation of mol concentration of alkaline activator, W/S ratio, addition of fibers, and addition of polystyrene and the possibility of replacing ALC panel was estimated through the comparisons. Although the geopolymer satisfying the standard of ALC panel was not made by controlling mol concentration and W/S ratio, addition of inserts such as fibers and polystyrene insert was tried to overcome the obstacle of enhancing properties. Geopolymers cannot satisfying the standard of ALC panel by adding carbon or glass fibers; however, adding fibers can be suggested as one of the methods enhancing compressive strength because the compressive strength of the specimen containing 0.3 wt.% glass fibers was increased by 3 times. The maximum addition of polystyrene insert was turned out to be 50 vol.% and the properties of geopolymers varied by the method of insertion. When using single polystyrene insert, compressive strength was 17.8 MPa and density was 0.996 g/㎤ which were similar values to the standard of ALC panel. If the difficulties of reproductivity of production and insertion method of inserts were overcome through the future research, the geopolymers containing polystyrene inserts could possibly replace ALC panel.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2015

PURPOSES: In this study, alkali-activated blast-furnace slag (AABFS) was investigated to determine its capacity to absorb carbon dioxide and to demonstrate the feasibility of its use as an alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC). In addition, this study was performed to evaluate the influence of the alkali-activator concentration on the absorption capacity and physicochemical characteristics. METHODS: To determine the characteristics of the AABFS as a function of the activator concentration, blast-furnace slag was activated by using calcium hydroxide at mass ratios ranging from 6 to 24%. The AABFS pastes were used to evaluate the carbon dioxide absorption capacity and rate, while the OPC paste was tested under the same conditions for comparison. The changes in the surface morphology and chemical composition before and after the carbon dioxide absorption were analyzed by using SEM and XRF. RESULTS: At an activator concentration of 24%, the AABFS absorbed approximately 42g of carbon dioxide per mass of paste. Meanwhile, the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed onto the OPC was minimal at the same activator concentration, indicating that the AABFS actively absorbed carbon dioxide as a result of the carbonation reaction on its surface. However, the carbon dioxide absorption capacity and rate decreased as the activator concentration increased, because a high concentration of the activator promoted a hydration reaction and formed a dense internal structure, which was confirmed by SEM analysis. The results of the XRF analyses showed that the CaO ratio increased after the carbon dioxide absorption. CONCLUSIONS : The experimental results confirmed that the AABFS was capable of absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide, suggesting that it can be used as a dry absorbent for carbon capture and sequestration and as a feasible alternative to OPC. In the formation of AABFS, the activator concentration affected the hydration reaction and changed the surface and internal structure, resulting in changes to the carbon dioxide absorption capacity and rate. Accordingly, the activator ratio should be carefully selected to enhance not only the carbon capture capacity but also the physicochemical characteristics of the geopolymer.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.17-26
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• 2016

The experimental investigation aims at developing controlled low strength materials (CLSM) using a self-cementitious fly ash (FA) as a binder and a bottom ash (BA) as a aggregate. The fly ash and bottom ash used in this study were obtained from a circulating fluidized bed combustion boiler (CFBC) which produces relatively high CaO containing fly ash. To find the optimum mixing condition satisfying flow consistency and unconfined compression strength (UCS), the CLSM specimens were prepared under various mixing conditions, including two types of aggregate and different weight fractions between fly ash and aggregate. Additionally, the prepared specimens were evaluated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results of this study demonstrate that the water content satisfying flow consistency ranges from 42% to 85% and the flowability is improved with increasing the fraction of aggregate in whole mixture. The USC ranges from 0.3 MPa to 1.9 MPa. The results of UCS increases with increasing the fraction of aggregate in FA-sand mixtures, but decreases with increasing the fraction of aggregate in FA-BA mixtures. SEM images and XRD patterns reveal that the occurrence of both geopolymerization and hydration. The results of this study demonstrate that CFBC fly ash could be used as an alternative binder of CLSM mixtures.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.237-243
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• 2015

In this research, isothermal conduction calorimetry analysis has been conducted to investigate the reactivity of alkali activated slag binders. In order to secure the reactivity and workability of alkali activated slag binders, experiences with various types and concentrations of alkali activators were performed. Isothermal conduction calorimetry were measured with different alkali activators and mass ratio of $SO_3$ to binders as variables, and sodium tripolyphosphate ($Na_2P_3O_{10}$) and hydrated sodium borate ($Na_2B_4O_710H_2O$) were used to control setting time. As a results, alkali activated slag binders required alkali activators with 4 to 5 percent of concentration to accelerate the formation of calcium silicate hydrate(C-S-H) by alkali-activation, and overall heat generation rate delayed as accumulated heat decreased due to the high $SO_3$ contents. Moreover, the use of hydrated sodium borate as setting retarder causes elongated setting time due to delaying heat generation, so it can be considered that setting retarder played an important role in delaying total heat generation rate.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.363-370
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• 2016

Lightweight geopolymers are more readily produced and give higher fire resistant performance than foam cement concrete. Lowering the density of solid geopolymers can be achieved by inducing chemical reactions that entrain gases to foam the geopolymer structure. This paper reports on the effects of adding different concentrations of aluminum powder on the properties of cellular structured geopolymers. The apparent density of lightweight geopolymers has a range from 0.7 to $1.2g/m^3$ with 0.025, 0.05 and 0.10 wt% of a foaming agent concentration, which corresponds to about 37~60 % of the apparent density, $1.96g/cm^3$, of solid geopolymers. The compressive strength of cellular structured geopolymers decreased to 6~18 % of the compressive strength, 45 MPa of solid geopolymers. The microstructure of geopolymers gel was equivalent for both solid and cellular structured geopolymers. The workability of geopolymers with polyprophylene fibers needs to be improved as in fiber-reinforced cement concrete. The lightweight geopolymers could be used as indoor wall tile or board due to fire resistance and incombustibility of geopolymers.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.94-101
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• 2016

This paper presents an investigation into the durability alkali-activated materials(AAM) mortar and paste samples manufactured using fly-ash(FA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag(GGBFS) exposed to a sulfate environment with different GGBFS replace ratios(0, 30, 50 and 100%), sodium silicate modules($Ms[SiO_2/Na_2O]$ 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0) and initial curing temperatures($23^{\circ}C$ and $70^{\circ}C$). The tests involved immersions for a period of 6 months into 10% solutions of sodium sulfate and magnesium sulfate. The evolution of compressive strength, weight, length expansion and microstructural observation such as x-ray diffraction were studied. As a results, as higher GGBFS replace ratio or Ms shown higher compressive strengths on 28 days. In case of immersed in 10% sodium sulfate solution, the samples shows increase in long-term strength. However, for samples immersed in magnesium sulfate solutions, the general observation was that the compressive strength decreased after immersion. The most drastic reduction of compressive strength and expansion of weight and length occurred when GGBFS or Ms ratios were higher. Also, the XRD analysis of samples immersed in magnesium sulfate indicated that expansion of AAM caused by gypsum($CaSO_4{\cdot}2H_2O$); the gypsum increased up to 6 months continuously.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.73-81
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• 2016

Geopolymers produced from aluminosilicate materials such as metakaolin and coal ash react with alkali activators and show higher fire resistance than portland cement, due to amorphous inorganic polymer. The percentage of thermal shrinkage of geopolymers ranges from less than 0.5 % to about 3 % until $600^{\circ}C$, and reaches about 5 ~ 7 % before melting. In this study, geopolymers paste having Si/Al = 1.5 and being mixed with carbon nanofibers, silicon carbide, pyrex glass, and vermiculite, and ISO sand were studied in order to understand the compressive strength and the effects of thermal shrinkage of geopolymers. The compressive strength of geopolymers mixed by carbon nanofibers, silicon carbide, pyrex glass, or vermiculite was similar in the range from 35 to 40 MPa. The average compressive strength of a geopolymers mixed with 30 wt.% of ISO sand was lowest of 28 MPa. Thermal shrinkage of geopolymers mixed with ISO sand decreased to about 25 % of paste. This is because the aggregate particles expanded on firing and to compensate the shrinkage of paste. The densification of the geopolymer matrix and the increase of porosity by sintering at $900^{\circ}C$ were observed regardless of fillers.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.59-67
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• 2018

Efflorescence is a white deposit of powders in the surface of cement concrete which can also occur in geopolymers. Efflorescence occurs when sodium ions in alkali activator react with atmospheric carbon dioxide to form sodium carbonate components. In this study, we investigated whether the secondary efflorescence can be reduced by controlling the Na/Al mole ratio or by changing the curing temperature and heat curing time in fly ash-based geopolymers. The 28 days compressive strength in geopolymers having Na/Al ratio of 1.0 was higher than geopolymers having Na/Al ratio of 0.8. The strength increased with the increasing curing temperature and longer heat curing time. On the other hand, efflorescence was lower when the curing temperature was high and the heat curing time was longer in the geopolymers having Na/Al ratio of 1.0. The geopolymers having Na/Al ratio of 0.8 showed accelerated efflorescence occurrence than the geopolymers having Na/Al ratio of 1.0. In order to reduce the occurrence of the secondary efflorescence of fly ash-based geopolymers, it will be advantageous to maintain the Na/Al ratio at 1.0, increase the curing temperature, and lengthen the heating curing time.

• Composites Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.201-215
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• 2022

This paper presents the development of thin and lightweight ultra-high temperature radar-absorbing ceramic composites composed of an aluminosilicate ceramic matrix-based geopolymer reinforced ceramic fiber and sendust magnetic nanoparticles in X-band frequency range (8.2~12.4 GHz). The dielectric properties with regard to complex permittivity of ceramic/sendust-aluminosilicate composites were proportional to the size of sendust magnetic nanoparticle with high magnetic characteristic properties as flake shape and its concentrations in the target frequency range. The characteristic microstructures, element composition, phase identification, and thermal stability were examined by SEM, EDS, VSM and TGA, respectively. The fabricated total thicknesses of the proposed single slab ultra-high temperature radar absorber correspond to 1.585 mm, respectively, exhibiting their excellent EM absorption performance. The behavior of ultra-high temperature EM wave absorption properties was verified to the developed free-space measurement system linked with high temperature furnace for X-band from 25℃ to 1,000℃.