• 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.

• 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.