Inhibition of Efflorescence in Na-Based Geopolymer Inorganic Coating

Coating is one of the most important high-value-added application cases in geopolymer materials. However, efflorescence can easily cause discoloration and reduce the esthetic impression of the coating surface, thus limiting its application; hence, inhibition of efflorescence is one of the most important techniques in the application of geopolymer coatings. Efflorescence is a spontaneous behavior in a Na-based geopolymer, involving the migration of soluble alkalis. Alkalis are dissolved by water and diffuse to the material surface through nocuous pores, and then react with CO₂ to produce white carbonate products. To inhibit efflorescence in geopolymer coating, this article reports a structure modification method using polydimethy siloxane (PS) and mica. To explore the inhibition mechanism, the effects of PS and mica on the pore structure, water absorption, alkali leaching, and efflorescence product were investigated. The experimental results showed that a harmful pore structure and instinctive water absorption of the geopolymer strongly contributed to efflorescence. PS and mica could reduce the pore size distribution and porosity and are helpful to establish a waterproof structure, leading to water absorption and the alkali leaching rate being significantly suppressed. Both high water glass and water content play a critical role in the increase of efflorescence, but even under a high content of water glass and water used in geopolymer coating, this method shows an 80-90% efflorescence reduction, which is much higher than that of other studies. In practical engineering, when the geopolymer coating is applied after modification, even if it is exposed to the field environment for a long time, there is no efflorescence deposit on the coating surface. It is feasible to limit water ingression in a geopolymer, which effectively blocks the efflorescence reaction process. This method is simple and practical and can be applied in practical engineering applications of geopolymer coatings conveniently.