The use of Grimmen clay (TS-136) as a substitute for Geopolymer cement component``(Green Concrete)

Abstract

The term Geopolymer was introduced to represent the mineral polymers resulting from geochemistry. The process involves a chemical reaction under highly alkaline conditions on Si-Al minerals, yielding polymeric Si-O-Al-O bonds in amorphous form. The actual compressive strength of the concrete depends on various parameters such as the ratio of the activator solution to fly ash, molarity of the alkaline solution, ratio of the activator chemicals, curing temperature etc. In recent years, Concrete usage around the world is second only to water. Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is conventionally used as the primary binder to produce concrete. The amount of the carbon dioxide released during the manufacture of OPC due to the calcinations of limestone and combustion of fossil fuel is in the order of one ton for every ton of OPC produced. In addition, the extent of energy required to produce OPC is only next to steel and aluminium. Attempts to reduce the use of Portland cement in concrete are receiving much attention due to environment-related issues. Using Grimmen clay of a lower Jurassic age (183 million years old) found in North Eastern German Basin  as a case study, various test were carried out on the sample such as dehydroxylation, where the sample was heated at 700°C,750°C,800°C,850°C,900°C,950°C to achieve meta clays with different dehydroxylation degree, rotary milling to pulverize the sample, micro milling using distilled H2O to avoid preferred orientation (texture) coupled with the introduction of stress and X-ray diffraction to determine the mineral composition. The results show that at the ideal heating temperature at 850°C and prolong milling time of up to 4hours, the Grimmen clay is suitable for the usage as a geopolymer cement.

Index

Abstract……………………………………………………………………….……….1

Introduction and Research Objectives.....................................................................2

Methodologies and Experiments.............................................................................................3

Material (Grimmen Clay)..........................................................................................4

Description of the analytical equipment..................................................................................5

The muffle furnace......................................................................................….….6

Planetary ball mill...................................................................................................................7

McCrone Micronizing Mill.....................................................................................................8

XRD-measurements................................................................................................................9

Results....................................................................................................................................10

XRD and Compressibility Test measurements......................................................................11

Interpretations and Discussion...............................................................................................12

Conclusions............................................................................................................................13

Acknowledgements................................................................................................................14

References..............................................................................................................................15

Appendixes.............................................................................................................................16