Summary: | There are considerable resource reuse and environmental concerns regarding SiC sludge (SiCS) that results from cutting silicon ingots into wafers. In the current study, the effect of the Na<sub>2</sub>SiO<sub>3</sub> solution/sodium hydroxide solution (NS/SS) mass ratio and SiCS amount on metakaolin geopolymers was found during geopolymerization system performance. The results indicate that while NS/SS ratio was relatively low, increasing the NaOH content resulted in a sufficient amount of OH<sup>−</sup> in the system to increase the solubility and hinder polycondensation, as indicated by the bulk density and setting-time results; since the polycondensation was inhibited, the mechanical strength was reduced. This study demonstrated that a geopolymer can be formed from a substitution of 10% SiCS and with an NS/SS ratio of 1.6, and that this geopolymer is a feasible material.
|