Phase Transformation of Kaolin-Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag from Geopolymerization to Sintering Process

Abstract

The main objective of this research was to investigate the influence of curing temperature on the phase transformation, mechanical properties, and microstructure of the as-cured and sintered kaolin-ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) geopolymer. The curing temperature was varied, giving four different conditions; namely: Room temperature, 40, 60, and 80 °C. The kaolin-GGBS geopolymer was prepared, with a mixture of NaOH (8 M) and sodium silicate. The samples were cured for 14 days and sintered afterwards using the same sintering profile for all of the samples. The sintered kaolin-GGBS geopolymer that underwent the curing process at the temperature of 60 °C featured the highest strength value: 8.90 MPa, and a densified microstructure, compared with the other samples. The contribution of the Na2O in the geopolymerization process was as a self-fluxing agent for the production of the geopolymer ceramic at low temperatures.