Submit to Ceramics Review for Ceramics Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

The Production Processes and Applications of Geopolymers

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Ceramics (ISSN 2571-6131).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 11489

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Kinga Korniejenko

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Institute of Material Engineering, Faculty of Material Engineering and Physics, Cracow University of Technology, Jana Pawła II 37, 31-864 Cracow, Poland
Interests: geopolymer; geopolymer composites; circular economy; additive manufacturing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Katarzyna Buczkowska

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor

Department of Material Science, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Liberec, Studentská 2, 461 17 Liberec, Czech Republic
Interests: building materials; geopolymer composites; geopolymer application; antibacterial coatings; hydrophobic coatings
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Marek Nykiel

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Institute of Material Engineering, Faculty of Material Engineering and Physics, Cracow University of Technology, Jana Pawła II 37, 31-864 Cracow, Poland
Interests: manufacturing method; additive manufacturing; 3D printing; sorbent; geopolymer

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is dedicated to recent advances in the production of geopolymers and their potential applications. In the last few decades, geopolymers have mainly been developed as an environmental friendly alternative for Portland cement. However, in more recent years, they have found a number of new and interesting applications, not always connected with traditional civil engineering. These potential applications can be distinguished as isolation material, modern sorbents, material for lunar or Martian construction, smart materials with phase-change properties, or material for artificial reef building. The possibilities of geopolymer applications seem unlimited, and their use in almost all fields of technology has been noted. These new applications are possible because of improvements in the manufacturing process. New technologies such as additive manufacturing are readily used in geopolymers production. Moreover, recently, a large increase in applications and interest in geopolymeric materials—most often produced from waste materials as a material dedicated for the circular economy—has been observed. Potential topics in this Special Issue include, but are not limited to:

Additive manufacturing of geopolymers materials;
Geopolymers as materials dedicated to the circular economy;
The use of geopolymer materials as a sorbent;
Manufacturing lunar and Martian shelters based on geopolymer composites;
Applications in the underwater environment for geopolymer composites.

This Special Issue aims to attract original contributions on topics related to the production of geopolymers and their potential applications. Studies including innovative research and critical analyses related to various types of geopolymers, as well as their methods of production and applications, are welcome, including original articles, case studies, and reviews.

We believe that this collection will summarize the current state-of-the-art and become a source of new ideas resulting in the development of knowledge in the area of geopolymers and their composites.

Dr. Kinga Korniejenko
Dr. Katarzyna Buczkowska
Dr. Marek Nykiel
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Ceramics is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

geopolymer
geopolymerization
alkaline activation
additive manufacturing of geopolymers
geopolymer composites
circular economy

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 3884 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Size-Independent Flexure Test Technique for the Mechanical Properties of Geocomposites Reinforced by Unidirectional Fibers

by Hung Tran Doan, Dora Kroisova and Oleg Bortnovsky

Ceramics 2023, 6(4), 2053-2069; https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics6040126 - 17 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1184

Abstract

In assessing the bending attributes for geopolymer composites augmented with uni-directional fibers, methodologies aligned with the established American and European standards yield quantifiable values for flexural strength, denoted as σ_m*, and its corresponding elasticity modulus, E*. Notably, these values exhibit a pronounced dependency on the size of the testing parameters. Specifically, within a judicious range of support span L relative to specimen height H, spanning a ratio of 10 to 40, these metrics can vary by a factor between 2 and 4. By conducting evaluations across an extensive array of H/L ratios and adhering to the protocols set for comparable composites with a plastic matrix, it becomes feasible to determine the definitive flexural elastic modulus E and shear modulus G, both of which can be viewed as size-neutral material traits. A parallel methodology can be employed to deduce size-agnostic values for flexural strength, σ_m. The established linear relationship between the inverse practical value E* (1/E*) and the squared ratio (H/L)² is acknowledged. However, a congruent 1/σ_m* relationship has been recently corroborated experimentally, aligning primarily with Tarnopolsky’s theoretical propositions. The parameter T, defined as the inverse gradient of 1/σ_m* about (H/L)², is integral to these findings. Furthermore, the significance of the loading displacement rate is underscored, necessitating a tailored consideration for different scenarios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Production Processes and Applications of Geopolymers)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 5331 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Developing Geopolymer Concrete by Using Ferronickel Slag and Ground-Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag

by Quang Dieu Nguyen and Arnaud Castel

Ceramics 2023, 6(3), 1861-1878; https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics6030114 - 6 Sep 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1593

Abstract

Geopolymer concrete is gaining recognition as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cement-based materials, offering potential solutions for reducing the carbon emissions of the construction industry. This study aims to develop GGBFS–FNS geopolymers utilising ferronickel slag (FNS) and ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS). Ground FNS (GFNS) is a potential candidate for replacing fly ash in geopolymers. This research aims to develop for the first time a GGBFS–FNS alkali-activated concrete. Numerous trials were conducted including different GGBFS–FNS blend percentages, several chemical admixtures and varying activator concentrations to develop the optimal binder mix composition. The effects of different chemical admixtures on the properties of geopolymer pastes, mortars, and concretes were investigated. The study evaluated setting time, compressive strength, shrinkage, and physical and durability properties. The results indicate that conventional admixtures have limited impact on the setting time, while increasing the water/solid ratio and decreasing the GGBFS content could extend the initial and final setting times. The presence of FNS aggregate could improve the compressive strength of geopolymer mortars. The water absorber admixture was highly effective in reducing shrinkage and increasing chloride diffusion resistance. The geopolymer mix containing 50 wt.% GFNS and 50 wt.% GGBFS with the presence of the water absorber admixture presented high chloride diffusion resistance, non-reactivity to the alkali–silica reaction and high sulphate resistance. Overall, the GGBFS–FNS geopolymers exhibited promising potential for engineering applications as an environmentally friendly material, particularly in aggressive environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Production Processes and Applications of Geopolymers)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 3961 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Alkali-Activated Brick Aggregates as Industrial Valorized Wastes: Synthesis and Properties

by Abdel Boughriet, Oscar Allahdin, Nicole Poumaye, Gildas Doyemet, Grégory Tricot, Bertrand Revel, Baghdad Ouddane and Michel Wartel

Ceramics 2023, 6(3), 1765-1787; https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics6030108 - 14 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1406

Abstract

In recent works, many industrial by-products were employed as solid precursors for the synthesis of alkali-activated binders and as alternatives to Portland cement for the immobilization of hazardous, toxic and nuclear wastes. Among industrial wastes, alkali-activated brick was found to be an interesting porous composite for removing very toxic heavy metals (Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Co²⁺) and radio-nuclides (Sr²⁺, Cs⁺, Rb⁺) from aqueous solutions. The starting material is very attractive due to the presence of metakaolinite as a geo-polymer precursor and silica for increasing material permeability and facilitating water filtration. The alkaline reaction gave rise to geo-polymerization followed by partial zeolitization. Elemental surface micro-analysis was performed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipped with an Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer (EDS). The formation of crystalline phases was corroborated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Information about ²⁹Si, ²⁷Al and ¹H nuclei environments in crystallized and amorphous aluminosilicates was obtained by ²⁹Si, ²⁷Al and ¹H MAS NMR. ²⁷Al–¹H dipolar-mediated correlations were investigated by employing dipolar hetero-nuclear multiple quantum coherence (D-HMQC) NMR, highlighting Al–O–H bonds in bridging hydroxyl groups (Si–OH–Al) that are at the origin of adsorptive properties. Aqueous structural stability and cationic immobilization characteristics before and after material calcination were investigated from acid-leaching experiments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Production Processes and Applications of Geopolymers)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 6882 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Lightweight Geopolymer Composites by Combining Various CDW Streams

by Dimitrios Kioupis, Aggeliki Skaropoulou, Sotirios Tsivilis and Glikeria Kakali

Ceramics 2023, 6(2), 837-857; https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics6020048 - 26 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1980

Abstract

This study regards the development of lightweight geopolymer composites through the valorization of various construction and demolition wastes. Brick waste was utilized as the sole aluminosilicate precursor for the geopolymerization reactions, expanded polystyrene and polyurethane wastes were used as artificial lightweight aggregates, and short polyethylene fibers developed from CDWs reinforced the geopolymer matrix. The curing conditions of the geopolymer synthesis were optimized to deliver a robust geopolymer matrix (T = 25–80 °C, t = 24–72 h). Both raw materials and products were appropriately characterized with XRD and SEM, while the mechanical performance was tested through compressive strength, flexural strength, Poisson’s ratio and Young’s modulus measurements. Then, a comprehensive durability investigation was performed (sorptivity, wet/dry cycles, freeze/thaw cycles, and exposure to real weather conditions). In contrast to polyurethane waste, the introduction of expanded polystyrene (0.5–3.0% wt.) effectively reduced the final density of the products (from 2.1 to 1.0 g/cm³) by keeping sufficient compressive strength (6.5–22.8 MPa). The PE fibers could enhance the bending behavior of lightweight geopolymers by 24%; however, a geopolymer matrix–fiber debonding was clearly visible through SEM analysis. Finally, the durability performance of CDW-based geopolymers was significantly improved after the incorporation of expanded polystyrene aggregates and polyethylene fibers mainly concerning freeze/thaw testing. The composite containing 1.5% wt. expanded polystyrene and 2.0% v/v PE fibers held the best combination of properties: Compr. Str. 13.1 MPa, Flex. Str. 3.2 MPa, density 1.4 g/cm³, Young’s modulus 1.3 GPa, and sorptivity 0.179 mm/min^0.5. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Production Processes and Applications of Geopolymers)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

16 pages, 490 KiB

Open AccessReview

Geopolymer Antimicrobial and Hydrophobic Modifications: A Review

by Vojtěch Růžek, Jan Novosád and Katarzyna Ewa Buczkowska

Ceramics 2023, 6(3), 1749-1764; https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics6030107 - 11 Aug 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2697

Abstract

The article summarizes the state of the art in increasing antimicrobial activity and hydrophobic properties of geopolymer materials. Geopolymers are inorganic polymers formed by polycondensation of aluminosilicate precursors in an alkaline environment and are considered a viable alternative to ordinary Portland cement-based materials, due to their improved mechanical properties, resistance to chemicals, resistance to high temperature, and lower carbon footprint. Like concrete, they are susceptible to microbially induced deterioration (corrosion), especially in a humid environment, primarily due to surface colonization by sulphur-oxidizing bacteria. This paper reviews various methods for hydrophobic or antimicrobial protection by the method of critical analysis of the literature and the results are discussed, along with potential applications of geopolymers with improved antimicrobial properties. Metal nanoparticles, despite their risks, along with PDMS and epoxy coatings, are the most investigated and effective materials for geopolymer protection. Additionally, future prospects, risks, and challenges for geopolymer research and protection against degradation are presented and discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Production Processes and Applications of Geopolymers)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 4217 KiB

Open AccessReview

Unlocking the Potential of Biomass Fly Ash: Exploring Its Application in Geopolymeric Materials and a Comparative Case Study of BFA-Based Geopolymeric Concrete against Conventional Concrete

by Baturalp Yalcinkaya, Tomas Spirek, Milan Bousa, Petr Louda, Vojtěch Růžek, Cezary Rapiejko and Katarzyna Ewa Buczkowska

Ceramics 2023, 6(3), 1682-1704; https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics6030104 - 3 Aug 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2009

Abstract

The production of conventional cement involves high energy consumption and the release of substantial amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂), exacerbating climate change. Additionally, the extraction of raw materials, such as limestone and clay, leads to habitat destruction and biodiversity loss. Geopolymer technology offers a promising alternative to conventional cement by utilizing industrial byproducts and significantly reducing carbon emissions. This paper analyzes the utilization of biomass fly ash (BFA) in the formation of geopolymer concrete and compares its carbon and cost impacts to those of conventional concrete. The previous analysis shows great potential for geopolymers to reduce the climate change impact of cement production. The results of this analysis indicate a significant disparity in the computed financial and sustainability costs associated with geopolymers. Researchers have shown that geopolymers may help mitigate the effects of cement manufacturing on the environment. These geopolymers are predicted to reduce green gas emissions by 40–80%. They also show that those advantages can be realized with the best possible feedstock source and the cheapest possible conveyance. Furthermore, our case study on CO₂ emission and cost calculation for BFA-based geopolymer and conventional concrete shows that geopolymer concrete preparation emits 56% less CO₂ than conventional concrete while costing 32.4% less per ton. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Production Processes and Applications of Geopolymers)

► Show Figures