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Effect of Oil Palm Fiber Content on the Physical and Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of High-Calcium Fly Ash Geopolymer Paste

Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering volume 43, pages 5215–5224 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of oil palm fiber content on the physical and mechanical properties and microstructure of high-calcium fly ash geopolymer paste. The oil palm fiber was added to the mixture at 0, 1, 2, and 3% by weight of fly ash. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium silicate \((\hbox {Na}_{2}\hbox {SiO}_{3})\) were used as liquid alkaline activators. The bulk density, compressive strength, flexural strength, pore size distribution, scanning electron microscopy, and thermal conductivity of geopolymer paste were determined. Test results showed that the bulk density of high-calcium geopolymer paste containing oil palm fibers decreased with increasing fiber content. The increase oil palm fiber content decreased the compressive strength of geopolymer paste but enhanced the flexural strength and toughness and changed the failure behavior of geopolymer composite. In addition, the pore size and total porosity also increased with the increase in fiber content, while the thermal conductivity was reduced. The addition of oil palm fiber can improve the flexural strength and thermal conductivity of geopolymer paste and could thus be developed into a fiber-reinforced composite for construction purposes.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported under research funding from the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Uthenthawai Campus, Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok, Thailand. Appreciation is also extended to the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) for financial support under the Grant No. DPG618002 and the TRF New Researcher Scholar, Grant No. TRG 5880064.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Uthenthawai Campus, Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Wunchock Kroehong

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand

    Chai Jaturapitakkul

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Thanyawat Pothisiri

  4. Department of Civil Engineering, Sustainable Infrastructure Research and Development Center, Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

    Prinya Chindaprasirt

  5. The Academy of Science, The Royal Society of Thailand, Dusit, Bangkok, 10300, Thailand

    Prinya Chindaprasirt

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  1. Wunchock Kroehong
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  2. Chai Jaturapitakkul
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  3. Thanyawat Pothisiri
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  4. Prinya Chindaprasirt
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Correspondence to Wunchock Kroehong.

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Kroehong, W., Jaturapitakkul, C., Pothisiri, T. et al. Effect of Oil Palm Fiber Content on the Physical and Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of High-Calcium Fly Ash Geopolymer Paste. Arab J Sci Eng 43, 5215–5224 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-017-3059-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-017-3059-0

Keywords

  • Geopolymer
  • Oil palm fiber
  • Fly ash
  • Flexural strength
  • Pore size distribution
  • Thermal conductivity