abstract
The Achilles heel in the production of porous geopolymers (PGPs) by the direct foaming technique is the porous coalescence phenomenon. The control of pore size distribution and porosity type (closed or open) is mandatory, although difficult. In most of the published studies, this problem is overcome through the addition of chemical stabilizing agents (surfactants) or thickening agents (fibers or particles). In this work, porous geopolymers were produced by the direct foaming technique using aluminium powder as a chemical foaming agent. The pore size distribution and porosity type was controlled by adding, to the geopolymeric mixture, Al-anodising sludge (AAS), a waste resulting from aluminium surface treatment. The PGPs were characterized in terms of apparent density, porosity, pore morphology, thermal conductivity, water vapour permeability and compressive strength, yielding lightweight materials (0.339 g/cm(3)) exhibiting high total (84%) and open (70%) porosity, low thermal conductivity (0.082 W/mK) and a low water vapour diffusion resistance coefficient. Compressive strength (of about 2 MPa or higher) is enough for the applications (e.g. insulating materials, filters, lightweight structures). (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
keywords
FLY-ASH; FOAMS; POROSITY; AGENT; WATER; PERMEABILITY; STRENGTH; POWDER
subject category
Construction & Building Technology; Engineering; Materials Science
authors
Buruberri, LH; Senff, L; Seabra, MP; Labrincha, JA
our authors
Leire Hernando Buruberri
PhD Student
Maria Paula Seabra
Assistant Professoracknowledgements
This work was developed within the scope of the project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, FCT Ref. LIID/CTM/50011/2019, financed by national funds through the FCT/MCTES. L.H. Buruberri acknowledge the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT -Portugal) for their support (SFRH/BD/111243/2015). We thank R.C. Pullar for assistance with the English editing.