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Green synthesis of nano-silica from olivine rock and its impact on the mechanical performance of geopolymer concrete composites

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Abstract

Incorporating nanomaterials into geopolymer composites enhances their performance by improving microstructural properties through the formation of additional C–S–H, N–A–S–H, and C–A–S–H gels and effectively filling nanopores within the matrix. This study focuses on an innovative approach to overcome challenges associated with nanoparticle (NP) production, through the environmentally friendly synthesis of nano-silica (NS) derived from olivine rock, specifically designed for construction applications. The results revealed that amorphous NS ranging from 7.9 to 43.4 nm could be successfully produced from olivine rock. Furthermore, incorporating 2% of this NS into geopolymer concrete mixtures resulted in a notable improvement in compressive strength, with enhancements of 13.09 and 13.07% at 28 and 90 days, respectively. The findings highlight the potential of olivine rock-based NS production, which could significantly impact the construction sector by enabling the affordable integration of NPs. Consequently, this advancement has the potential to increase the use of NPs in construction, leading to enhanced durability and strength in various construction materials.

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All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.

Abbreviations

GPC:

Geopolymer concrete

NS:

Nano-silica

NS-C:

Commercial nano-silica

NS-LM:

Locally manufactured nano-silica

NP:

Nanoparticles

GGBFS:

Ground-granulated blast furnace slag

C–S–H:

Calcium–silicate–hydrate

N–A–S–H:

Sodium–alumino–silicate–hydrate

C–A–S–H:

Calcium–alumino–silicate–hydrate

SF:

Silica-fume

NaOH and SH:

Sodium hydroxide

Na2SiO3 and SS:

Sodium silicate

FA:

Fine aggregate

CA:

Coarse aggregate

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

SEM:

Scanning electron microscope

M:

Molarity

EW:

Extra water

SP:

Superplasticizer

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

    Hemn Unis Ahmed, Ahmed S. Mohammed & Azad A. Mohammed

  2. Civil Engineering Department, Komar University of Science and Technology, Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

    Hemn Unis Ahmed

  3. Civil Engineering Department, University of Halabja, Halabja, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

    Rabar H. Faraj

  4. Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

    Aso Q. Hassan & Khalid M. Omer

  5. Department of Geology, College of Science, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

    Yousif Osman Mohammad

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Ahmed, H.U., Faraj, R.H., Hassan, A.Q. et al. Green synthesis of nano-silica from olivine rock and its impact on the mechanical performance of geopolymer concrete composites. Innov. Infrastruct. Solut. 8, 202 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-023-01171-0

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