Journal
CEMENT & CONCRETE COMPOSITES
Volume 121, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2021.104063
Keywords
Alkali-activated materials; Geopolymers; Sulfuric acid; Mineral admixtures; Brucite
Funding
- United States National Science Foundation [CBET-1604457]
- European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant [839436]
- Marie Curie Actions (MSCA) [839436] Funding Source: Marie Curie Actions (MSCA)
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This study investigated the impact of alkali content and brucite mineral addition on the acid resistance of alkali-activated metakaolin. Results showed that higher alkali content and brucite addition improved the acid resistance of sodium-stabilized aluminosilicate hydrate framework, primarily through increased Mg+2 retention and Mg-Al interaction. Additionally, brucite addition reduced micro-scale porosity and increased gel pore proportion, indicating potential benefits for Mg+2 retention and Mg-Al coupling.
This study investigated the effect of alkali content (Na:Al = 0.86 and 1.39) and brucite (i.e., Mg(OH)2) mineral addition on the sulfuric acid resistance of alkali-activated metakaolin (i.e., geopolymers). Geopolymers consist primarily of a sodium-stabilized aluminosilicate hydrate (N-A-S-H) framework. Results demonstrate that higher alkali contents and brucite addition improve the acid resistance of N-A-S-H, as evidenced by reduced dealumination and Si and Na leaching upon exposure to acid. These results are mechanistically explained by increased retention of Mg+2 within the microstructure and increased Mg-Al interaction upon acid exposure. Higher Mg+2 retention and increased Mg-Al coupling together provide empirical evidence of polyvalent cationic stabilization-a mechanism involving polyvalent cations (e.g., Mg+2) that stabilize the N-A-S-H binder by arresting acid-induced electrophilic attack. Results further illustrate that brucite addition, especially at highalkali content formulations, reduces micro-scale porosity while increasing the proportion of gel pores (<5 nm), which suggests that increased tortuosity of gel pores may aid in Mg+2 retention and promote the increased Mg-Al coupling observed herein.
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