About geopolymerization

Step 5: reaction of the basic siloxo Si-O- with the sodium cation Na⁺ and formation of Si-O-Na terminal bond.

Step 6a: condensation between ortho-sialate molecules, reactive groups Si-ONa and aluminum hydroxyl OH-Al, with production of NaOH, creation of cyclo-tri-sialate structure, whereby the alkali NaOH is liberated and reacts again and further polycondensation into Na-poly(sialate) nepheline framework.

Step 6b: in the presence of waterglass (soluble Na- polysiloxonate) one gets condensation between di-siloxonate Q₁ and ortho-sialate molecules, reactive groups Si-ONa, Si-OH and aluminum hydroxyl OH-Al-, creation of ortho-sialate-disiloxo cyclic structure, whereby the alkali NaOH is liberated and reacts again.

Step 7: further polycondensation into Na-poly(sialate-disiloxo) albite framework with its typical feldspar crankshaft chain structure.