The influence of NaOH concentration on the strength and microstructure of ceramic binders prepared from coal gangue through geopolymerization

Abstract

The efficient utilization of coal gangue plays an indispensable role in reducing environmental pressure, improving resource utilization efficiency and promoting green development. As a kind of solid waste rich in silicon and aluminium, coal gangue can be used to prepare ceramic materials. Therefore, a new ceramic preparation process was proposed in this study to prepare ceramic binders for grinding wheels by geopolymerization. The SiO2-B2O3-Al2O3-RO-R2O ceramic binder, a green and low-cost material, was successfully prepared using this method. The effect of the concentration of NaOH on the mechanical properties and microstructure of the ceramic binder was also studied. The strength and microstructure of different ceramic binders were characterized by XRD, TG-DTG, SEM-EDS and FT-IR. The results show that the bending strength of the geopolymer ceramic binder increases proportionately with the increase of NaOH concentration. When the concentration of sodium hydroxide is 15 M, the bending strength reaches 19 MPa. N-A-S-H gel and zeolite formed in the geopolymerization reaction and the pores formed in the sintering process have a significant effect on the bending strength of the ceramic binder. This technology can significantly stimulate the chemical activity of coal gangue and provide innovative ideas for efficient utilization of coal gangue.