Abstract
The use of waste materials in construction is gaining increasing interest due to the development of new technologies. This paper presents an experimental study on geopolymer binder produced with copper mine tailings (MT) and low-calcium slag (SG) for potential applications in road construction. The study systematically investigated the effects of water-to-solid ratio (w/s), SG content (0%, 25%, and 50%), sodium hydroxide (NaOH) concentration (5, 10 and 15 M), and the ratio of sodium silicate (SS) to sodium hydroxide (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5) on the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of synthesized geopolymer binder specimens. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were also performed to characterize the microstructure and phase composition of the geopolymer specimens. The results show that the inclusion of SG improves UCS and reduces the initial water content required for achieving a certain workability of the geopolymer paste. The geopolymer binder specimens prepared at 50% SG, 10-M NaOH, SS/NaOH=1.0, and cured at 60°C for seven days reached the highest UCS of 23.5 MPa. The geopolymer paste prepared at 50% SG, 15-M NaOH concentration, and SS/NaOH ratios of 0.5 and 1.0 showed flash setting, which led to poorer quality specimens and lower UCS. The SEM, EDS, and XRD analyses clearly showed the participation of iron dissolved from SG in the formation of geopolymer gels. This research helps promote the reuse of MT and SG through geopolymerization and contributes to the knowledge of geopolymer materials.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 04019156 |
| Journal | Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 1 2019 |
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Keywords
- Compressive strength
- Flash setting
- Geopolymer
- Low-calcium slag
- Mine tailings
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Civil and Structural Engineering
- Building and Construction
- Materials Science(all)
- Mechanics of Materials
Cite this
Experimental Study of Geopolymer Binder Synthesized with Copper Mine Tailings and Low-Calcium Copper Slag. / Manjarrez, Lino; Nikvar-Hassani, Arash; Shadnia, Rasoul; Zhang, Lianyang.
In: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, Vol. 31, No. 8, 04019156, 01.08.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Experimental Study of Geopolymer Binder Synthesized with Copper Mine Tailings and Low-Calcium Copper Slag
AU - Manjarrez, Lino
AU - Nikvar-Hassani, Arash
AU - Shadnia, Rasoul
AU - Zhang, Lianyang
PY - 2019/8/1
Y1 - 2019/8/1
N2 - The use of waste materials in construction is gaining increasing interest due to the development of new technologies. This paper presents an experimental study on geopolymer binder produced with copper mine tailings (MT) and low-calcium slag (SG) for potential applications in road construction. The study systematically investigated the effects of water-to-solid ratio (w/s), SG content (0%, 25%, and 50%), sodium hydroxide (NaOH) concentration (5, 10 and 15 M), and the ratio of sodium silicate (SS) to sodium hydroxide (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5) on the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of synthesized geopolymer binder specimens. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were also performed to characterize the microstructure and phase composition of the geopolymer specimens. The results show that the inclusion of SG improves UCS and reduces the initial water content required for achieving a certain workability of the geopolymer paste. The geopolymer binder specimens prepared at 50% SG, 10-M NaOH, SS/NaOH=1.0, and cured at 60°C for seven days reached the highest UCS of 23.5 MPa. The geopolymer paste prepared at 50% SG, 15-M NaOH concentration, and SS/NaOH ratios of 0.5 and 1.0 showed flash setting, which led to poorer quality specimens and lower UCS. The SEM, EDS, and XRD analyses clearly showed the participation of iron dissolved from SG in the formation of geopolymer gels. This research helps promote the reuse of MT and SG through geopolymerization and contributes to the knowledge of geopolymer materials.
AB - The use of waste materials in construction is gaining increasing interest due to the development of new technologies. This paper presents an experimental study on geopolymer binder produced with copper mine tailings (MT) and low-calcium slag (SG) for potential applications in road construction. The study systematically investigated the effects of water-to-solid ratio (w/s), SG content (0%, 25%, and 50%), sodium hydroxide (NaOH) concentration (5, 10 and 15 M), and the ratio of sodium silicate (SS) to sodium hydroxide (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5) on the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of synthesized geopolymer binder specimens. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were also performed to characterize the microstructure and phase composition of the geopolymer specimens. The results show that the inclusion of SG improves UCS and reduces the initial water content required for achieving a certain workability of the geopolymer paste. The geopolymer binder specimens prepared at 50% SG, 10-M NaOH, SS/NaOH=1.0, and cured at 60°C for seven days reached the highest UCS of 23.5 MPa. The geopolymer paste prepared at 50% SG, 15-M NaOH concentration, and SS/NaOH ratios of 0.5 and 1.0 showed flash setting, which led to poorer quality specimens and lower UCS. The SEM, EDS, and XRD analyses clearly showed the participation of iron dissolved from SG in the formation of geopolymer gels. This research helps promote the reuse of MT and SG through geopolymerization and contributes to the knowledge of geopolymer materials.
KW - Compressive strength
KW - Flash setting
KW - Geopolymer
KW - Low-calcium slag
KW - Mine tailings
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85066142259&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002808
DO - 10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002808
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85066142259
VL - 31
JO - Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
JF - Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
SN - 0899-1561
IS - 8
M1 - 04019156
ER -