Minerals compositions in wood processing waste for geopolymer base ingredient

Abstract

Geopolymer is a material with pozzolan characteristic which can come from nature or artificially made. Pozzolan characteristic material contain silica (SiO2) and alumina (Al2O3) (Davidovits, 2008). Both compounds can be found in nature (such as metakaolin and volcanic material) or in human activities waste (fly ash and ash from rice processing). In Papua, especially in Kabupaten Manokwari forestry wood products are abundant as well as its utilization. Utilization of wood processing had produce solid waste such as wood chip, wood scraps and sawdust. This study aims to understand the mineral compositions of wood waste ash in Kabupaten Manokwari for its possibility as geopolymer base ingredient. The wood waste came from merbau (Instia sp.) tree and compare to ash from mix wood. The study result shows that ash from wood waste consist of minerals such as; Calcite (CaCO3), 50.1% and 58.7%; Quartz (SiO2), 27.4% and 24.8%; Mica/Muscovite (KAl2(OH)2Si3AlO10), 11.0% and 16.5%; Pyrite (FeS2), 11.5%.