Microstructural study of environmentally friendly boroaluminosilicate geopolymers

Abstract

This paper is investigating a more environment-friendly type of alkali-activated materials so-called boroaluminosilicate geopolymer (BASG). The microstructural and thermal behaviour of boroaluminosilicate geopolymers is studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) respectively. The chemical bonds forming the geopolymeric network as well as the reaction of the matrix at the elevated temperatures up to 600 °C are investigated. Different combinations of sodium silicate, sodium hydroxide solution and borax are utilised to activate fly ash. The effect of boron ions, from the alkaline solution, on forming geopolymer gel is the main idea of the s..