Archive | 2019
A Quick Overview on Geopolymer Chemistry and General Properties
Abstract
As Giannopoulou and Panias [1] explained, the main means of production of the geopolymers is through a reaction composed of a solid phase, called precursor, and a liquid phase, known as activator. The precursor is characterized by reactive aluminosilicate materials, frequently used metakaolin and fly ash. The activator is composed of an alkaline solution, usually sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH). In general, regardless of the aluminosilicate material used, the macroscopic characteristics of the product will be similar. However, there will be variation-often significant-in the microstructure, affecting also the chemical, mechanical and thermal properties. This variation will depend on which material was used and what were its molar ratios [2].