Impact of interatomic structural characteristics of aluminosilicate hydrate on the mechanical properties of metakaolin-based geopolymer

アルミノケイ酸塩水和物の原子間構造特性がメタカオリンを基質とするジオポリマーの機械的特性に及ぼす影響

Kim, G.*; Cho, S.-M.*; Im, S.*; Suh, H.*; 諸岡 聡  ; 菖蒲 敬久  ; 兼松 学*; 町田 晃彦*; Bae, S.*

Kim, G.*; Cho, S.-M.*; Im, S.*; Suh, H.*; Morooka, Satoshi; Shobu, Takahisa; Kanematsu, Manabu*; Machida, Akihiko*; Bae, S.*

This study explores the influence of the interatomic structure of sodium aluminosilicate hydrate (N-A-S-H) with varying silica contents on the mechanical properties of metakaolin-based geopolymer. Geopolymer pastes comprising Si/Al ratios between 2.0 and 3.0 were synthesized. A larger number of Si-O-Si linkages compared to Si-O-Al linkages and a higher atomic number density were found in the geopolymers with higher silica contents, which enhanced the compressive strength of the geopolymer pastes up to the optimal Si/Al ratio of 2.5. The paste with a Si/Al = 2.5 exhibited a greater portion of Q(1Al and 2Al) and denser morphology compared to the other geopolymer pastes. Furthermore, in-situ high-energy synchrotron X-ray scattering experiments were conducted to assess the elastic modulus of the aluminosilicate structure at a local atomic scale. The modulus value in real space decreases with increasing silica contents up to Si/Al = 2.5 and increases with the presence of excessive unreacted silica fume. The modulus value in reciprocal space for the axial and lateral directions both presented a positive value at the geopolymer comprising a Si/Al ratio higher than 2.5, indicating that the load-bearing property of N-A-S-H changed at higher Si/Al ratios. Moreover, the smallest difference between the strains along the axial and lateral directions was detected for the geopolymer with Si/Al = 2.5 in both the real and reciprocal space, owing to the most interconnected and flexible nanostructure, which led to the highest mechanical strength.