Geopolymer is an alumina silicate-based ceramic material that has good heat-resistance and fire-resistance; it can be cured at room temperature, and thus its manufacturing process is simple. Geopolymer can be used as a reinforcement or floor finish for high-speed curing applications. In this manuscript, we investigate a high-speed curing geopolymer achieved by adding calcium to augment the curing rate. Metakaolin is used as the main raw material, and aqueous solutions of KOH and K2SiO3 are used as the activators. As a result of optimizing the high bending strength as a target factor for geopolymers with SiO2 / Al2O3 ratio of 4.1 ~ 4.8, the optimum ranges of the active agent are found to be 0.1 ≤ K2O / SiO2 ≤ 0.4 and 10 ≤ H2O / K2O ≤ 32.5, and the optimum range of the curing accelerator is found to be 0.82 Ca (OH)2 / Al2O3 2.87. The maximum flexural strength is found to be 1.35 MPa at Ca (OH)2 / Al2O3 = 2.82, K2O / SiO2 = 0.3, and H2O / K2O = 11.3. The physical and thermal properties are analyzed to validate the applicability of these materials as industrial insulating parts or repairing·finishing materials in construction.

Fly ash is one of the aluminosilicate sources used for the synthesis of geopolymers. The particle size distribution of fly ash and the content of unburned carbon residue are known to affect the compressive strength of geopolymers. In this study, the effects of particle size and unburned carbon content of fly ash on the compressive strength of geopolymers have been studied over a compositional range in geopolymer gels. Unburned carbon was effectively separated in the -46μm fraction using an air classifier and the fixed carbon content declined from 3.04 wt% to 0.06 wt%. The mean particle size (d50) decreased from 22.17μm to 10.79μm. Size separation of fly ash by air classification resulted in reduced particle size and carbon residue content with a collateral increase in reactivity with alkali activators. Geopolymers produced from carbon-free ash, which was separated by air classification, developed up to 50 % higher compressive strength compared to geopolymers synthesized from raw ash. It was presumed that porous carbon particles hinder geopolymerization by trapping vitreous spheres in the pores of carbon particles and allowing them to remain intact in spite of alkaline attack. The microstructure of the geopolymers did not vary considerably with compressive strength, but the highest connectivity of the geopolymer gel network was achieved when the Si/Al ratio of the geopolymer gel was 5.0.

Recently, geopolymer binder or alkali-activated binder has been enormously studied as an alternative to portland cement. However, studies on heat resistance of geopolymers are still few, whereas studies on resistances against chemical attack and carbonation, and mechanical performance of geopolymer are being investigating. This paper aims to summarize a literature review on heat resistance of gel structure in geopolymers exposed to elevated temperature.