Alternative Solid Activators from Waste Glass for One-Part Alkali-Activated Fly Ash/Red Mud Cements

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Civil Engineering
• Waste Management

Background:

• Alkali-activated materials offer sustainable alternatives to Portland cement.
• Fly ash and red mud are industrial byproducts with potential for use in construction materials.
• Developing efficient activators is crucial for the performance of one-part alkali-activated systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize solid activators from waste glass for one-part alkali-activated fly ash/red mud materials.
• To investigate the influence of synthesis temperature and NaOH/waste glass ratio on activator properties.
• To evaluate the performance of these activators in terms of water solubility and compressive strength.

Main Methods:

• Solid activators were synthesized using alkaline fusion of waste glass with sodium hydroxide.
• Synthesis parameters included varying reaction temperatures and NaOH/waste glass mass ratios.
• Characterization involved assessing water solubility and compressive strength of the resulting alkali-activated materials.

Main Results:

• Reaction temperature significantly impacts the properties of the solid activators.
• Optimal water solubility was achieved at a synthesis temperature of 600°C, irrespective of the NaOH/waste glass ratio.
• The best compressive strength was obtained using activators synthesized at 600°C with a NaOH/waste glass ratio of two.

Conclusions:

• Waste glass can be effectively utilized to create solid activators for one-part alkali-activated fly ash/red mud materials.
• A synthesis temperature of 600°C is critical for optimizing activator performance.
• The developed activators demonstrate potential for sustainable construction applications.