Synthesis of Fly Ash-Based Geopolymers: Effect of Calcite Addition and Mechanical Activation

• Main Authors: Alexander M. Kalinkin, Basya I. Gurevich, Mikhail S. Myshenkov, Mikhail V. Chislov, Elena V. Kalinkina, Irina A. Zvereva, Zara Cherkezova-Zheleva, Daniela Paneva, Vilma Petkova
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-09-01
• Series: Minerals
• Subjects: fly ash; natural calcite; mechanical activation; geopolymers
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/10/9/827

Blends of fly ash and natural calcite, mechanically activated for 0–400 s in a planetary mill, were used to synthesize geopolymers at ambient temperature. The calcite content in the blends was 0–10 wt.%. Sodium hydroxide solution was used as an alkaline agent. Mechanical activation of the raw material considerably enhanced its reactivity with respect to the alkaline agent, as was observed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, isothermal conduction calorimetry, thermogravimetry coupled with mass spectrometry analysis of the evolved gas, and SEM/EDS. The addition of calcite to the fly ash improved the compressive strength of the geopolymers, especially during the early age of curing. For 7 d aged geopolymers based on the 90% fly ash + 10% calcite blend, the strength was 8.0-, 3.5- and 2.9-fold higher than that for the geopolymers based on the unblended fly ash for 30 s, 180 s and 400 s mechanical activation time, respectively. Using Mössbauer spectroscopy, it was revealed that iron present in the fly ash did not play a significant part in the geopolymerization process. The dominant reaction product was sodium containing aluminosilicate hydrogel (N-A-S-H gel). Calcite was found to transform, to a small extent, to vaterite and Ca(OH)₂ in the course of the geopolymerization.