Journal of Polymer & Composites Review Article Special issue

Use of Geopolymers for Environmental Sustainability

  1. Vikas Bagga Department of Civil Engineering, Maharishi Markandeshwar Engineering College, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala
  2. Chadetrik Rout Department of Civil Engineering, Maharishi Markandeshwar Engineering College, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala

Abstract

Geopolymers are a rapidly growing matter with enormous potential for improving environmental sustainability in the construction sector. This study highlights the use of geopolymers as eco-friendly alternatives to traditional building materials, with special emphasis on their role in reducing the environmental effect of construction operations. It also focuses on the chemical composition, mechanical characteristics, environmental sustainability, etc. of geopolymers, along with their benefits over conventional materials such as portland cement. Key themes covered include the use of industrial byproducts and waste materials in geopolymer manufacture, lowering carbon emissions associated with concrete manufacturing, and improving structural durability and lifecycle with geopolymers. Furthermore, it looks into the economic feasibility and scalability, evaluating its potential to transform the building sector while achieving sustainable development goals. This study seeks to convey useful insights into various benefits of geopolymers for environmental sustainability by conducting a thorough survey of current literature and research findings, paving the path for their wider acceptance in construction practices.

Keywords

References (50)

  1. Wu Y, Lu B, Bai T, Wang H, Du F, Zhang Y, et al. Geopolymer, green alkali activated cementitious material: Synthesis, applications and challenges. Construction and Building Materials. 2019;224:930-949. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.07.112
  2. Kong DLY, Sanjayan JG, Sagoe-Crentsil K. Factors affecting the performance of metakaolin geopolymers exposed to elevated temperatures. Journal of Materials Science. 2007;43(3):824-831. doi:10.1007/s10853-007-2205-6
  3. Hossain SS, Roy PK, Bae CJ. Utilization of waste rice husk ash for sustainable geopolymer: A review. Construction and Building Materials. 2021;310:125218. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.125218
  4. Mehta A, Siddique R. An overview of geopolymers derived from industrial by-products. Construction and Building Materials. 2016;127:183-198. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2016.09.136
  5. He R, Dai N, Wang Z. Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Geopolymers Exposed to High Temperature: A Literature Review. Advances in Civil Engineering. 2020;2020(1). doi:10.1155/2020/7532703
  6. Cong P, Cheng Y. Advances in geopolymer materials: A comprehensive review. J. Traffic Transp. Eng. (Engl. Ed.). 2021;8(3):283-314p. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2019.02.009
  7. Amran M, Debbarma S, Ozbakkaloglu T. Fly ash-based eco-friendly geopolymer concrete: A critical review of the long-term durability properties. Construction and Building Materials. 2021;270:121857. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121857
  8. Coffetti D, Crotti E, Gazzaniga G, Carrara M, Pastore T, Coppola L. Pathways towards sustainable concrete. Cement and Concrete Research. 2022;154:106718. doi:10.1016/j.cemconres.2022.106718
  9. Le VS, Louda P, Tran HN, Nguyen PD, Bakalova T, Ewa Buczkowska K, et al. Study on Temperature-Dependent Properties and Fire Resistance of Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer Foams. Polymers. 2020;12(12):2994. doi:10.3390/polym12122994
  10. Jia D, He P, Wang M, Yan S. Geopolymer and Geopolymer Matrix Composites. Springer Series in Materials Science. 2020. doi:10.1007/978-981-15-9536-3
  11. Shehata N, Mohamed OA, Sayed ET, Abdelkareem MA, Olabi AG. Geopolymer concrete as green building materials: Recent applications, sustainable development and circular economy potentials. Science of The Total Environment. 2022;836:155577. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155577
  12. Sorvari J, Wahlström M. Industrial by-products. Handbook of Recycling. 2024:259-285. doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-85514-3.00044-0
  13. Van Deventer JSJ, Provis JL, Duxson P. Technical and commercial progress in the adoption of geopolymer cement. Minerals Engineering. 2012;29:89-104. doi:10.1016/j.mineng.2011.09.009
  14. Kryvenko P, Rudenko I, Sikora P, Sanytsky M, Konstantynovskyi O, Kropyvnytska T. Alkali-activated cements as sustainable materials for repairing building construction: A review. Journal of Building Engineering. 2024;90:109399. doi:10.1016/j.jobe.2024.109399
  15. Mohajerani A, Suter D, Jeffrey-Bailey T, Song T, Arulrajah A, Horpibulsuk S, et al. Recycling waste materials in geopolymer concrete. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy. 2019;21(3):493-515. doi:10.1007/s10098-018-01660-2
  16. Zhao J, Tong L, Li B, Chen T, Wang C, Yang G, et al. Eco-friendly geopolymer materials: A review of performance improvement, potential application and sustainability assessment. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2021;307:127085. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127085
  17. Lingyu T, Dongpo H, Jianing Z, Hongguang W. Durability of geopolymers and geopolymer concretes: A review. REVIEWS ON ADVANCED MATERIALS SCIENCE. 2021;60(1):1-14. doi:10.1515/rams-2021-0002
  18. Revathi T, Vanitha N, Jeyalakshmi R, Sundararaj B, Jegan M, Rajkumar PRK. Adoption of alkali-activated cement-based binders (geopolymers) from industrial by-products for sustainable construction of utility buildings-A field demonstration. Journal of Building Engineering. 2022;52:104450. doi:10.1016/j.jobe.2022.104450
  19. Sagoe-Crentsil K, De Silva P. Alkali-activated binders: Early age nucleation reactions, chemical phase evolution and their implications on system properties. J. Chin. Ceram. Soc. 2015;43(10):1449-57. https://doi.org/10.14062/j.issn.0454-5648.2015.10.15
  20. Provis JL, Lukey GC, van Deventer JSJ. Do Geopolymers Actually Contain Nanocrystalline Zeolites? A Reexamination of Existing Results. Chemistry of Materials. 2005;17(12):3075-3085. doi:10.1021/cm050230i
  21. Sotelo-Piña C, Aguilera-González EN, Martínez-Luévanos A. Geopolymers: Past, Present, and Future of Low Carbon Footprint Eco-Materials. Handbook of Ecomaterials. 2017:1-21. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-48281-1_54-1
  22. Lemougna PN, Wang KT, Tang Q, Melo UC, Cui XM. Recent developments on inorganic polymers synthesis and applications. Ceramics International. 2016;42(14):15142-15159. doi:10.1016/j.ceramint.2016.07.027
  23. Krishna RS, Mishra J, Zribi M, Adeniyi F, Saha S, Baklouti S, et al. A review on developments of environmentally friendly geopolymer technology. Materialia. 2021;20:101212. doi:10.1016/j.mtla.2021.101212
  24. Gharzouni A, Ouamara L, Sobrados I, Rossignol S. Alkali-activated materials from different aluminosilicate sources: Effect of aluminum and calcium availability. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids. 2018;484:14-25. doi:10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2018.01.014
  25. Provis JL, Bernal SA. Geopolymers and Related Alkali-Activated Materials. Annual Review of Materials Research. 2014;44(1):299-327. doi:10.1146/annurev-matsci-070813-113515
  26. Nodehi M, Taghvaee VM. Alkali-Activated Materials and Geopolymer: a Review of Common Precursors and Activators Addressing Circular Economy. Circular Economy and Sustainability. 2021;2(1):165-196. doi:10.1007/s43615-021-00029-w
  27. John SK, Nadir Y, Girija K. Effect of source materials, additives on the mechanical properties and durability of fly ash and fly ash-slag geopolymer mortar: A review. Construction and Building Materials. 2021;280:122443. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.122443
  28. Anburuvel A. The role of activators in geopolymer-based stabilization for road construction: a state-of-the-art review. Multiscale and Multidisciplinary Modeling, Experiments and Design. 2023;6(1):41-59. doi:10.1007/s41939-022-00139-4
  29. Raza MH, Khan M, Zhong RY. Investigating the impact of alkaline activator on the sustainability potential of geopolymer and alternative hybrid materials. Materials Today Sustainability. 2024;26:100742. doi:10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100742
  30. Davidovits J. Geopolymers: Ceramic-like inorganic polymers. J. Ceram. Sci. Technol. 2017;8(3):335-50p. https://doi.org/10.4416/JCST2017-00038
  31. Ling Y, Wang K, Wang X, Hua S. Effects of mix design parameters on heat of geopolymerization, set time, and compressive strength of high calcium fly ash geopolymer. Construction and Building Materials. 2019;228:116763. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.116763
  32. Kumar S, Kumar R. Geopolymer: Cement for low carbon economy. Indian Concr. J. 2014;88(7):29-37p.
  33. Almutairi AL, Tayeh BA, Adesina A, Isleem HF, Zeyad AM. Potential applications of geopolymer concrete in construction: A review. Case Studies in Construction Materials. 2021;15:e00733. doi:10.1016/j.cscm.2021.e00733
  34. Saeed A, Najm HM, Hassan A, Sabri MMS, Qaidi S, Mashaan NS, et al. Properties and Applications of Geopolymer Composites: A Review Study of Mechanical and Microstructural Properties. Materials. 2022;15(22):8250. doi:10.3390/ma15228250
  35. Burduhos Nergis DD, Abdullah MMAB, Vizureanu P, Tahir MFM. Geopolymers and Their Uses: Review. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 2018;374:012019. doi:10.1088/1757-899x/374/1/012019
  36. Davidovits J. Geopolymer Chemistry and Application Saint-Quentin: Institut Geopolymere. Institut Géopolymère: Saint-Quentin, France. 2015.
  37. Provis JL. Geopolymers and other alkali activated materials: why, how, and what? Materials and Structures. 2013;47(1-2):11-25. doi:10.1617/s11527-013-0211-5
  38. Duxson P, Provis JL, Lukey GC, van Deventer JSJ. The role of inorganic polymer technology in the development of ‘green concrete’. Cement and Concrete Research. 2007;37(12):1590-1597. doi:10.1016/j.cemconres.2007.08.018
  39. Sánchez Díaz EE, Escobar Barrios VA. Development and use of geopolymers for energy conversion: An overview. Construction and Building Materials. 2022;315:125774. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.125774
  40. Komnitsas K, Zaharaki D. Geopolymerisation: A review and prospects for the minerals industry. Minerals Engineering. 2007;20(14):1261-1277. doi:10.1016/j.mineng.2007.07.011
  41. Chindaprasit P, Pacheco-Torgal F, Labrincha J, et al. editors. Handbook of alkali-activated cements, mortars and concretes. Elsevier; 2014.
  42. Ren B, Zhao Y, Bai H, Kang S, Zhang T, Song S. Eco-friendly geopolymer prepared from solid wastes: A critical review. Chemosphere. 2021;267:128900. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128900
  43. Zhang Z, Provis JL, Reid A, Wang H. Geopolymer foam concrete: An emerging material for sustainable construction. Construction and Building Materials. 2014;56:113-127. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2014.01.081
  44. Passuello A, Rodríguez ED, Hirt E, Longhi M, Bernal SA, Provis JL, et al. Evaluation of the potential improvement in the environmental footprint of geopolymers using waste-derived activators. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2017;166:680-689. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.08.007
  45. Duxson P, Provis JL. Designing Precursors for Geopolymer Cements. Journal of the American Ceramic Society. 2008;91(12):3864-3869. doi:10.1111/j.1551-2916.2008.02787.x
  46. Wong LS. Durability Performance of Geopolymer Concrete: A Review. Polymers. 2022;14(5):868. doi:10.3390/polym14050868
  47. Duxson P, Fernández-Jiménez A, Provis JL, Lukey GC, Palomo A, van Deventer JSJ. Geopolymer technology: the current state of the art. Journal of Materials Science. 2006;42(9):2917-2933. doi:10.1007/s10853-006-0637-z
  48. Nilimaa J. Smart materials and technologies for sustainable concrete construction. Developments in the Built Environment. 2023;15:100177. doi:10.1016/j.dibe.2023.100177
  49. Garg R, Chhikara R, Singh R, Agrawal G, Talwar V, Mehra V. A qualitative study to understand the factors affecting the adoption of glass fiber-reinforced gypsum (GFRG) as a sustainable building technology: insights from Indian construction industry. Construction Innovation. 2020;21(2):321-344. doi:10.1108/ci-12-2019-0153
  50. Bataille C, Åhman M, Neuhoff K, Nilsson LJ, Fischedick M, Lechtenböhmer S, et al. A review of technology and policy deep decarbonization pathway options for making energy-intensive industry production consistent with the Paris Agreement. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2018;187:960-973. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.03.107
Support