Abstract
In this research work, thermal foaming of bottom ash and sodium silicate geopolymer is proposed as a production process for light weight bricks. The composition and temperatures were studied and optimized to get the most suitable intumescence properties for the lightweight construction applications. For this purpose, four different compositions (i.e., 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% bottom ash (BA)) were cured at four different curing temperatures (CT) (i.e., 200, 400, 500, and 600 °C). Sodium silicate (SS) to sodium hydroxide (SH) ratio was kept constant in order to keep the activation capacity of the solution constant in all the samples so that the effect of composition and CT could be studied effectively. All samples were characterized by bulk density, foamability, compression test, XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water absorption index (WAI), and weight loss index (WLI). These characterizations finally led to the optimized parameters to get the most appropriate intumescence properties. It was found that bottom ash and sodium silicate geopolymer foams have good potential to produce lightweight aerated blocks.
Highlights
Due to global warming and energy crisis, efforts have been taken to obtain highly efficient construction materials
The weight percentages of Sodium silicate (SS) and NaOH were adjusted in each sample with a SS/NaOH ratio at 15in order to study the effect of bottom ash (BA) content and curing temperature (CT) on the intumescence behaviour of thermal geopolymer foams (TGPFs)
Vapour was trapped in the sticky viscous slurry, resulting in small bubbles forming in the slurry
Summary
Due to global warming and energy crisis, efforts have been taken to obtain highly efficient construction materials. Aerated concretes are mainly produced from Portland cements and raised by mixing with metal powders, like aluminium, and reacting with acidic ashes, which create hydrogen gas. Such aerated concrete technology involves the use of Portland cement and autoclaves to create expansive reactions and consolidate the bricks. Both the raw materials and the technology are not environmentally friendly [1]. We investigated a thermal foaming process at a lower temperature compared to other works, without using sodium borate or any other fluxing agents. All samples were characterized for their physical, microstructural, and mechanical properties
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