Physico chemical and thermal resistance properties of fly ash/ground granulated blast furnace slag based geopolymer mortar

Abstract

The present study investigated the physicochemical and thermal properties of fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) based geopolymer mortars exposed to elevated temperatures under different reaction conditions. The compressive strength results shows that fly ash based geopolymer mortar exhibits retention of compressive strength up to 800⁰C whereas the addition of GGBS increases the ambient temperature compressive strength, however, thereafter the retention of strength is observed as 66% at 400˚C and 30% at 800˚C. Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT- IR) and 29Si and 27Al Magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) spectrum confirmed the alumino-silicate network structure of the geopolymer. Thermogravimetry with differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA) showed that most of the % weight loss occurred in the temperature range between 30-250ºC due to the water loss after that it was stabilized till 1000⁰C. Thermal conductivity has the direct relationship with the temperature whereas it is vice versa for the % linear thermal expansion. The Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was performed to identify the morphology changes before and after thermal exposure.