Effect Of Curing Temperature On The Formation, Compression Strength And Morphology Of Pre-treated Fly Ash Geopolymers

Abstract

The overwhelming use of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) in the construction industry is one of the main sources of CO₂ emissions, and it also leads to the depletion of natural resources. Geopolymer concrete (GPC), which is mainly composed of industrial waste materials, including fly ash, provides a promising sustainable solution. Raw fly ash has a high content of unburned carbon and needs to be heated at high temperatures to achieve geopolymer action. Fly ash is an essential component of GPC, where it consists of silica and alumina. The GPC is manufactured by geopolymerization between fly ash and alkaline activators, which are sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide. This study investigates the effects of heat treatment on fly ash and examines how different curing temperatures influence the functional group, morphological, and compression strength of GPC.