Physico-Chemical and Mechanical Properties of Geopolymer/Zircon Composites

  • Ljiljana Kljajević Department of Materials Science, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of thе Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade
  • Miloš Nenadović Department of Atomic Physics, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of thе Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade
  • Marijana Petković Department of Atomic Physics, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of thе Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade
  • Dušan Bučevac Department of Materials Science, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of thе Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade
  • Vladimir Pavlović Institute of Technical Sciences of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts; University of Belgrade
  • Nataša Mladenović Nikolić Department of Nuclear and Plasma Physics, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of thе Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade
  • Snežana Nenadović Department of Materials Science, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of thе Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade

Abstract

The effect of zircon (ZrSiO4) on the physico-chemical and mechanical properties of geopolymer/zircon composites was examined in this study. Four geopolymer/zircon composites containing 10, 20, 30 and 40 wt.% zircon were prepared from metakaolin with alkali activators. Characterization of the obtained geopolymers was performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM-EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF). XRD results did not confirmed the formation of interconnected phases between added zircon, starting aluminum silicates and alkali activators. Compressive strength of prepared geopolymer was examined. The maximum obtained compressive strength of 70.15 MPa was measured in sample containing the smallest fraction of zircon, i.e., 10 wt.%. Addition of larger amount of zircon (20 wt.%) hinders the progress of geopolymerization reaction and consequently decreases compressive strength.

Published
2022-02-16
Issue
Vol 54 No 1 (2022)
Section
Articles

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