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Role of ɣ-Al2O3 on the mechanical and microstructural properties of metakaolin-based geopolymer cements

  • Original Paper: Fundamentals of sol-gel and hybrid materials processing
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Abstract

The main target of this work is to investigate the influence of ɣ-Al2O3 on the properties of metakaolin-based geopolymer cements. The kaolin used as starting material for producing geopolymer cements contains approximately 28 and 64% of gibbsite and kaolinite, respectively. This kaolin was transformed to metakaolins by calcination at 500, 550, 600, 650, and 700 °C for 1 h. Gibbsite contained in kaolin was transformed to γ-Al2O3 during the calcination process. The hardener was obtained by mixing commercial sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide solution (10 M) with a mass ratio sodium silicate/sodium hydroxide equal to 1.6:1. Geopolymer cements, GMK-500, GMK-550, GMK-600, GMK-650, and GMK-700, were obtained using the prepared hardener with a mass ratio hardener/metakaolin equal to 0.87:1. It could be seen that the specific surface area of metakaolins decreases with increasing the calcination temperature of kaolin owing to the formation of the particles of γ-Al2O3. The compressive strengths 18.21/29.14/36.61/36.51 increase in the course GMK-550/GMK-600/GMK-650/GMK-700. The X-ray patterns and micrograph images of geopolymer cements, GMK-600, GMK-650, and GMK-700, indicate the presence of γ-Al2O3 in their structure. It was typically found that γ-Al2O3 remains largely unaffected during the geopolymerisation, and therefore could act as an inert filler and reinforce the structure of geopolymer cements.

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Acknowledgements

Hervé Tchakouté Kouamo gratefully acknowledges the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for financial support the purchase of equipment under the grant N° KAM/1155741 STP.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Laboratory of Applied Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon

    Hervé K. Tchakouté

  2. Institut für Mineralogie, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Callinstrasse 3, 30167, Hannover, Germany

    Hervé K. Tchakouté & Claus H. Rüscher

  3. Local Materials Promotion Authority, P.O. Box: 2396, Nkolbikok, Yaoundé, Cameroon

    Elie Kamseu

  4. Department of Engineering Enzo Ferrari, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Via Vivarelli 10, 41125, Modena, Italy

    Elie Kamseu, Fernanda Andreola & Cristina Leonelli

  5. Faculty of Science, The University of Douala, P.O. Box. 24157, Douala, Cameroon

    Charles Banenzoué

  6. University of Sciences and Technology, Lille 1, France

    Claudia C. L. Tchamo

Authors
  1. Hervé K. Tchakouté
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  2. Elie Kamseu
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  3. Charles Banenzoué
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  4. Claus H. Rüscher
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  5. Fernanda Andreola
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  6. Claudia C. L. Tchamo
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  7. Cristina Leonelli
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Correspondence to Hervé K. Tchakouté.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Highlights

  • Kaolin containing gibbsite and kaolinite is applied for producing geopolymer cements.

  • Gibbsite contained in kaolin was transformed to γ-Al2O3 during the calcination process.

  • The specific surface area of metakaolins decreases with increasing the calcination temperature.

  • γ-Al2O3 remains largely unaffected during the geopolymerization.

  • γ-Al2O3 could act as filler and reinforces the structure of geopolymer cements.

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Tchakouté, H.K., Kamseu, E., Banenzoué, C. et al. Role of ɣ-Al2O3 on the mechanical and microstructural properties of metakaolin-based geopolymer cements. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 86, 305–315 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-018-4616-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-018-4616-z

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