Compressive Strength and Setting Time Modification of Class C Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer Partially Replaced with Kaolin and Metakaolin
Class C fly ash is widely used as a geopolymer raw material. It contains high calcium oxide and iron oxide resulting in a fast setting property. The influence of using kaolin and metakaolin replaced class C fly ash in geopolymer processing were investigated in term of compressive strength and setting time. Kaolin and metakaolin which calcined at different temperature of 600°C and 700°C replaced Class C fly ash between 0 to 50 wt. %. The geopolymers were prepared at constant KOH concentration as 6.0 M, K2SiO3/KOH ratio as 1.0, solid/liquid ratio as 1.5 and 7 days of curing. The compressive strength is obviously increased when fly ash was replaced with both kinds of metakaolin, although, it is inclined to decrease when replaced by kaolin. The compressive strength is increased up to 13% and 47% with the replacement by 50 wt. % of metakaolin calcined at 600°C and 700°C, respectively. On the other hand, the replacement by 50 wt. % of kaolin give the initial setting time prolonging from about 6 min to 80 min. However, the initial setting time of metakaolin calcined at 600°C and 700°C replacement is also improved to about 37 min and 20 min, respectively. These results from their difference of amorphous phase and reactivity of the replacement materials. XRD analysis reveals the combination phases of amorphous geopolymer gel that is the broad hump centered at 28 – 30° 2θ, and products from the reaction such as calcium oxide, arcanite, calcium silicate hydrate, quartz and muscovite which the two latter are from unreacted metakaolin. They are confirmed by FT-IT result and microstructure evaluation by SEM. Therefore, the partially replacement of fly ash with kaolin and metakaolin in fly ash-based geopolymer production are affected to the compressive strength and resulted to modify the setting time.