Optimizing the Fly Ash/Activator Ratio for a Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer through a Study of Microstructure, Thermal Stability, and Electrical Properties
Fly ash (FA)-based geopolymer was prepared using sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate (in 2.5ratio) as an alkali activator liquid (AL). The condition of FA/AL was optimized for achieving 1.00, 1.25, 1.5, and 1.75 ratios by varying the alkali concentrations, which are referred to as GP1, GP2, GP3, an...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Ceramics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6131/6/4/144 |
| _version_ | 1797381606786203648 |
|---|---|
| author | Meenakshi Yadav Lalit Kumar Vikas Yadav Karthikeyan Jagannathan Vidya Nand Singh Surinder P. Singh V. Ezhilselvi |
| author_facet | Meenakshi Yadav Lalit Kumar Vikas Yadav Karthikeyan Jagannathan Vidya Nand Singh Surinder P. Singh V. Ezhilselvi |
| author_sort | Meenakshi Yadav |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fly ash (FA)-based geopolymer was prepared using sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate (in 2.5ratio) as an alkali activator liquid (AL). The condition of FA/AL was optimized for achieving 1.00, 1.25, 1.5, and 1.75 ratios by varying the alkali concentrations, which are referred to as GP1, GP2, GP3, and GP4, respectively. The influence of slight variations in the FA/AL ratio on microstructure, morphology, functional groups, and composition was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). FESEM detected a homogeneous fused matrix of fly ash and alkali activator solution up to 1.5 ratios; GP3 showed a dense morphology. FTIR confirmed that the formation of aluminosilicate gel induced a shift in the T–O (T = Si or Al) asymmetric stretching band, nearing a lower frequency. XRD showed an amorphous structure with phases, including quartz, mullite, hematite, and sodalite. The thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TGA–DTA) indicated that the geopolymer samples were thermally stable. The electrical study concluded that the geopolymer possessed insulating properties. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:54:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8f2da1ba167c4ebe87124588b3942254 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-6131 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:54:53Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ceramics |
| spelling | doaj.art-8f2da1ba167c4ebe87124588b39422542023-12-22T13:59:54ZengMDPI AGCeramics2571-61312023-12-01642352236610.3390/ceramics6040144Optimizing the Fly Ash/Activator Ratio for a Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer through a Study of Microstructure, Thermal Stability, and Electrical PropertiesMeenakshi Yadav0Lalit Kumar1Vikas Yadav2Karthikeyan Jagannathan3Vidya Nand Singh4Surinder P. Singh5V. Ezhilselvi6Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, IndiaAcademy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, IndiaAcademy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, IndiaDepartment of Physics, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Vadapalani Campus, No.1 Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Vadapalani, Chennai 600026, IndiaAcademy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, IndiaAcademy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, IndiaAcademy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, IndiaFly ash (FA)-based geopolymer was prepared using sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate (in 2.5ratio) as an alkali activator liquid (AL). The condition of FA/AL was optimized for achieving 1.00, 1.25, 1.5, and 1.75 ratios by varying the alkali concentrations, which are referred to as GP1, GP2, GP3, and GP4, respectively. The influence of slight variations in the FA/AL ratio on microstructure, morphology, functional groups, and composition was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). FESEM detected a homogeneous fused matrix of fly ash and alkali activator solution up to 1.5 ratios; GP3 showed a dense morphology. FTIR confirmed that the formation of aluminosilicate gel induced a shift in the T–O (T = Si or Al) asymmetric stretching band, nearing a lower frequency. XRD showed an amorphous structure with phases, including quartz, mullite, hematite, and sodalite. The thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TGA–DTA) indicated that the geopolymer samples were thermally stable. The electrical study concluded that the geopolymer possessed insulating properties.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6131/6/4/144geopolymerfly ashmullitethermal applicationselectrical conductivity |
| spellingShingle | Meenakshi Yadav Lalit Kumar Vikas Yadav Karthikeyan Jagannathan Vidya Nand Singh Surinder P. Singh V. Ezhilselvi Optimizing the Fly Ash/Activator Ratio for a Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer through a Study of Microstructure, Thermal Stability, and Electrical Properties Ceramics geopolymer fly ash mullite thermal applications electrical conductivity |
| title | Optimizing the Fly Ash/Activator Ratio for a Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer through a Study of Microstructure, Thermal Stability, and Electrical Properties |
| title_full | Optimizing the Fly Ash/Activator Ratio for a Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer through a Study of Microstructure, Thermal Stability, and Electrical Properties |
| title_fullStr | Optimizing the Fly Ash/Activator Ratio for a Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer through a Study of Microstructure, Thermal Stability, and Electrical Properties |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimizing the Fly Ash/Activator Ratio for a Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer through a Study of Microstructure, Thermal Stability, and Electrical Properties |
| title_short | Optimizing the Fly Ash/Activator Ratio for a Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer through a Study of Microstructure, Thermal Stability, and Electrical Properties |
| title_sort | optimizing the fly ash activator ratio for a fly ash based geopolymer through a study of microstructure thermal stability and electrical properties |
| topic | geopolymer fly ash mullite thermal applications electrical conductivity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6131/6/4/144 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT meenakshiyadav optimizingtheflyashactivatorratioforaflyashbasedgeopolymerthroughastudyofmicrostructurethermalstabilityandelectricalproperties AT lalitkumar optimizingtheflyashactivatorratioforaflyashbasedgeopolymerthroughastudyofmicrostructurethermalstabilityandelectricalproperties AT vikasyadav optimizingtheflyashactivatorratioforaflyashbasedgeopolymerthroughastudyofmicrostructurethermalstabilityandelectricalproperties AT karthikeyanjagannathan optimizingtheflyashactivatorratioforaflyashbasedgeopolymerthroughastudyofmicrostructurethermalstabilityandelectricalproperties AT vidyanandsingh optimizingtheflyashactivatorratioforaflyashbasedgeopolymerthroughastudyofmicrostructurethermalstabilityandelectricalproperties AT surinderpsingh optimizingtheflyashactivatorratioforaflyashbasedgeopolymerthroughastudyofmicrostructurethermalstabilityandelectricalproperties AT vezhilselvi optimizingtheflyashactivatorratioforaflyashbasedgeopolymerthroughastudyofmicrostructurethermalstabilityandelectricalproperties |