#8: Alkaline Cements and Concretes, Properties of Geopolymer cements

1rst International Conference on Alkaline Cements and Concretes
KIEV Ukraine, 1994
PROPERTIES OF GEOPOLYMER CEMENTS
by Joseph Davidovits
published in the Proceedings, pp. 131-149

Geopolymer cement, high-alkali (K-Ca)-Poly(sialate-siloxo) cement, results from an inorganic polycondensation reaction, a so-called geopolymerisation yielding three dimensional zeolitic frameworks. High-tech Geopolymer K-Poly(sialate-siloxo) binders, whether used pure, with fillers or reinforced, are already finding applications in all fields of industry. These applications are to be found in the automobile and aeronautic industries, non-ferrous foundries and metallurgy, civil engineering, plastics industries, etc. Geopolymer cement hardens rapidly at room temperature and provides compressive strengths in the range of 20 MPa, after only 4 hours at 20°C, when tested in accordance with the standards applied to hydraulic binder mortars. The final 28-day compression strength is in the range of 70-100 MPa. The behaviour of geopolymeric cements is similar to that of zeolites and feldspathoids; they immobilize hazardous materials within the geopolymeric matrix, and act as a binder to convert semi-solid wastes into adhesive solids. Their unique properties which include high early strength, low shrinkage, freeze-thaw resistance, sulphate resistance and corrosion resistance, make them ideal for long term containment in surface disposal facilities. These high-alkali cements do not generate any Alkali-Aggregate-Reaction. Preliminary study involving 27 Al and 29 Si MASNMR spectroscopy and the proposed structural model, reveal that geopolymeric cements are the synthetic analogues of natural tecto-alumino-silicates.

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