Fayalite Based Geopolymer Foam

The present work is the first study exploring the potential of geopolymer foams based on fayalite slag, an industrial by-product, as the primary precursor, for lightweight and fireproof construction applications. The research involved synthesis and characterization of geopolymer foams with varying water to solid ratio, followed by testing their physical and mechanical properties. The phase composition and microstructure of the obtained geopolymer foams were examined using powder XRD, Micro-CT and SEM. The geopolymer foams at optimal water to solid ration (0.15) demonstrated 73.2% relative porosity, 0.92 g/cm³ apparent density and 1.3 MPa compressive strength. The use of an air-entraining agent improved compressive strength to 2.8 MPa but lower to 64.5% the relative porosity. Real-size lightweight panel (300 × 300 × 30 mm) specimens were prepared and to measure thermal conductivity coefficient (0.243 W/mK), to evaluate size effect, and the reaction to direct fire. The results of the study of geopolymer foams based on fayalite slag demonstrate their potential as lightweight, insulating and fire-resistant materials suitable for implementation in environmentally friendly construction methods.