Development of lightweight geopolymer composites containing perlite and vermiculite

Abstract

The aim of this work was to prepare and characterise geopolymer composites containing lightweight aggregates - perlite and vermiculite.The geopolymer matrix was prepared on the basis of fly ash, sand and a 6M sodium hydroxide solution with sodium silicate. The properties of the materials were tested 28 days after the preparation of the samples. The following research methods were used to characterise the composites: compressive and flexural strength tests, microstructural tests using a scanning electron microscope, and thermal conductivity were measured.The results obtained showed a slight effect of the additives on the strength properties. Lightweight aggregates are characterised by good coherence with the matrix material. Their addition allowed to reduce the density and lowered the thermal conductivity of the materials. The results obtained indicate that the proposed additives can improve the properties of the geopolymer composite for use in the construction industry.Further research should focus on geopolymer composites with perlite and involve fire-resistant and water-absorption tests.The production of lightweight building materials brings a number of benefits, such as reducing the density of building elements and, at the same time, the entire structure, which results in a reduction in their weight, as well as lower transport costs. Such elements have better thermal and acoustic insulation, reflected in the parameters of buildings. An additional advantage is the reduced environmental impact through better insulation properties, lower fuel consumption during transport, etc.The density of the material can be reduced by using lightweight aggregates or obtaining porous material in the foamed process. In the case of geopolymer composites, a number of studies related to foamed materials have been provided, but there is only a few previous research connected with lightweight aggregates such as perlite and vermiculite.