Effects of Al/Na and Si/Na Molar Ratios on the Alkalinity of Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer Pore Solutions

The pH values of pore solutions are of great significance for the durability of concrete, but the influencing factors and mechanisms of geopolymer pore solutions are still unclear and the composition of raw material elements has a great influence on the geological polymerization behavior of geopolym...

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Main Authors: Weiwei Han, Yigang Lv, Shiyu Wang, Jie Qiao, Chaosheng Zou, Miao Su, Hui Peng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-02-01
Series:Materials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/5/1929
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author Weiwei Han
Yigang Lv
Shiyu Wang
Jie Qiao
Chaosheng Zou
Miao Su
Hui Peng
author_facet Weiwei Han
Yigang Lv
Shiyu Wang
Jie Qiao
Chaosheng Zou
Miao Su
Hui Peng
author_sort Weiwei Han
collection DOAJ
description The pH values of pore solutions are of great significance for the durability of concrete, but the influencing factors and mechanisms of geopolymer pore solutions are still unclear and the composition of raw material elements has a great influence on the geological polymerization behavior of geopolymers. Therefore, we prepared geopolymers with different Al/Na and Si/Na molar ratios using metakaolin, and the pH and compressive strength values of the pore solutions were determined using solid–liquid extraction. Finally, the influencing mechanisms of sodium silica on the alkalinity and geological polymerization behavior of geopolymer pore solutions were also analyzed. The results showed that the pH values of the pore solutions decreased with an increase in the Al/Na ratio and increased with an increase in the Si/Na ratio. The compressive strength of the geopolymers first increased and then decreased with an increase in the Al/Na ratio and decreased with an increase in the Si/Na ratio. The exothermic rates of the geopolymers first increased and then slowed down with an increase in the Al/Na ratio, indicating that the reaction levels first increased and then decreased with an increase in the Al/Na ratio. The exothermic rates of the geopolymers gradually slowed down with an increase in the Si/Na ratio, indicating that an increase in the Si/Na ratio reduced the reaction levels. In addition, the results obtained from SEM, MIP, XRD and other test methods were consistent with the pH change laws of geopolymer pore solutions, i.e., the higher the reaction level, the denser the microstructure and the smaller the porosity, whereas the larger the pore size, the smaller the pH value of the pore solution.
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spelling doaj.art-6c9dcd438d004ef4a633f4cd62579aef2023-11-17T08:04:51ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442023-02-01165192910.3390/ma16051929Effects of Al/Na and Si/Na Molar Ratios on the Alkalinity of Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer Pore SolutionsWeiwei Han0Yigang Lv1Shiyu Wang2Jie Qiao3Chaosheng Zou4Miao Su5Hui Peng6National Engineering Research Center of Highway Maintenance Technology, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410114, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410114, ChinaGuangdong Hualu Communications Technology Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510550, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410114, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410114, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410114, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410114, ChinaThe pH values of pore solutions are of great significance for the durability of concrete, but the influencing factors and mechanisms of geopolymer pore solutions are still unclear and the composition of raw material elements has a great influence on the geological polymerization behavior of geopolymers. Therefore, we prepared geopolymers with different Al/Na and Si/Na molar ratios using metakaolin, and the pH and compressive strength values of the pore solutions were determined using solid–liquid extraction. Finally, the influencing mechanisms of sodium silica on the alkalinity and geological polymerization behavior of geopolymer pore solutions were also analyzed. The results showed that the pH values of the pore solutions decreased with an increase in the Al/Na ratio and increased with an increase in the Si/Na ratio. The compressive strength of the geopolymers first increased and then decreased with an increase in the Al/Na ratio and decreased with an increase in the Si/Na ratio. The exothermic rates of the geopolymers first increased and then slowed down with an increase in the Al/Na ratio, indicating that the reaction levels first increased and then decreased with an increase in the Al/Na ratio. The exothermic rates of the geopolymers gradually slowed down with an increase in the Si/Na ratio, indicating that an increase in the Si/Na ratio reduced the reaction levels. In addition, the results obtained from SEM, MIP, XRD and other test methods were consistent with the pH change laws of geopolymer pore solutions, i.e., the higher the reaction level, the denser the microstructure and the smaller the porosity, whereas the larger the pore size, the smaller the pH value of the pore solution.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/5/1929metakaolingeopolymermolar ratioalkalinitymicrostructure
spellingShingle Weiwei Han
Yigang Lv
Shiyu Wang
Jie Qiao
Chaosheng Zou
Miao Su
Hui Peng
Effects of Al/Na and Si/Na Molar Ratios on the Alkalinity of Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer Pore Solutions
Materials
metakaolin
geopolymer
molar ratio
alkalinity
microstructure
title Effects of Al/Na and Si/Na Molar Ratios on the Alkalinity of Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer Pore Solutions
title_full Effects of Al/Na and Si/Na Molar Ratios on the Alkalinity of Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer Pore Solutions
title_fullStr Effects of Al/Na and Si/Na Molar Ratios on the Alkalinity of Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer Pore Solutions
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Al/Na and Si/Na Molar Ratios on the Alkalinity of Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer Pore Solutions
title_short Effects of Al/Na and Si/Na Molar Ratios on the Alkalinity of Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer Pore Solutions
title_sort effects of al na and si na molar ratios on the alkalinity of metakaolin based geopolymer pore solutions
topic metakaolin
geopolymer
molar ratio
alkalinity
microstructure
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/5/1929
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