Geopolymer Institute

Who should attend

The course is designed for professionals who are concerned with sustainable R&D and production technology, in managerial, operational and supervisory positions involved in such industrial applications as extractive minerals, ceramics, cements, building materials, decorative stones and restoration works, fire and heat resistant composites, high-tech composites for aerospace, aircraft, naval and automobile, radioactive and toxic waste containment, thermal insulation.

This course would also benefit R&D scientists and managers presently involved in organic plastic industry by merging organic polymer engineering with the new mineral polymer (Geopolymer) engineering.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Describe the fundamental principles and concepts of geopolymer science and technology.
- Outline the major impact of Geopolymer chemistry on our Global economy in terms of low-energy and low-CO2 production technologies.
- Identify the impact of Geopolymer on your R&D projects, product marketing and industrial practice.

First day

08:45 Registration

09:00-10:45 The mineral geopolymer concept
Ionic or covalent bonding ? Covalent bonding in geopolymers
Terminology: poly(siloxo) / poly(siloxonate) / poly(silanol) / poly(sialate)

10:45-11:00 Coffee break

11:00-13:00 Macromolecular structure of natural silicates and aluminosilicates
Ortho-silicates, ring silicates, linear poly-silicates: pyroxene, amphibole
Sheet poly-silicates: kaolinite, pyrophillite, muscovite
Framework poly-silicates: quartz, feldspars, feldspathoids, zeolites

14:15-17:30 Laboratory demonstration
binder, resin, cement, concrete, ceramic, composite, castable

Second day

09:00-10:45 Scientific Tools, X-rays, FTIR, NMR
X-ray diffraction, FTIR, infra-red spectroscopy
MAS-NMR spectroscopy

10:45-11:00 Coffee break

11:00-13:00 Chemistry of (Na,K)–Poly(sialate)
Zeolite Synthesis
Geolymerization mechanism, identification of soluble oligo-sialate molecules

14:15-16:15 Soluble silicate, Poly(siloxonate) Si:Al=1:0
History of soluble silicates (waterglass), manufacture,
Macromolecular structure of (Na,K)–silicate glasses,
Hydrolysis, depolymerization of solid silicates

16:15-16-30 Coffee break

16:30-17:30 Structure of poly(siloxonate) solutions (waterglass)
NMR spectroscopy, macromolecular structure, identification of soluble species
Density, Viscosity, pH, alkali silicate powders

Third day

09:00-10:45 Metakaolin MK-750-based geopolymer binders
Formation of metakaolin MK-750, dehydroxylation mechanism of kaolinite:
Al(V) -Al=O alumoxyl,
Al(IV, VI) Al-O-Al-OH aluminoxide-hydrate
Chemical mechanism for Na-based sialate: poly(sialate), poly(sialate-siloxo) and poly(sialate-disiloxo)
Chemical mechanism for K-based sialate: poly(sialate), poly(sialate-siloxo)

10:45-11:00 Coffee break

11:00-13:00 Low-CO2 geopolymer cements
MK-750 / slag based geopolymer cement
Rock-based, silica-based, geopolymer cements
Fly ash-based geopolymer cement
Geopolymerization in high alkaline milieu (corrosive system)
Geopolymerization in low alkaline milieu (user-friendly)

14:15-16:15 Low-energy geopolymer ceramics
LTGS Low Temperature Geopolymeric Setting
High-tech ceramics
Archaeological ceramics

16:15-16-30 Coffee break

16:15-16:45 Collection of laboratory samples

16:45-17:30 User-friendly geopolymer systems
The need for user-friendly systems
The pH values of geopolymers
K versus Na