HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENTS IN GEOPOLYMER SCIENCE IN NEW ZEALAND: A BRIEF REVIEW

Abstract

This brief review covers some of the highlights of the research into the chemistry and various applications of aluminosilicate geopolymers carried out in the Chemistry Department of Victoria University of Wellington over the last 20 years. Because these materials are generally amorphous to X-rays, the technique of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance with Magic Angle Spinning (MAS NMR) played a unique and important role in these studies. Many potential applications of geopolymers, were investigated over this period, including their use as structural materials, catalysts for commercially important organic reactions, bioactive materials and photoactive materials. Most of the initial work was carried out on clay-based starting materials because of their purity, but more practical materials were also developed, based on the by-products of industrial processing (fly ash, blast furnace slag, red mud, etc) This work led to more than 62 published papers in international journals, some of which are discussed here.