preprints.org > chemistry and materials science > materials science and technology > doi: 10.20944/preprints202311.0579.v1

Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Version 1 : Received: 8 November 2023 / Approved: 9 November 2023 / Online: 9 November 2023 (07:48:59 CET)

Alkali-activated materials, sometimes called geopolymers, can be used as alternative cementitious materials to conventional Portland cement. There is a significant current interest in these materials due to their low CO2 footprint. Typical applications of alkali-activated materials are within civil engineering, however, potential applications as well cementing material within oil & gas are also being studied with emerging interest. This paper presents a systematic study of compressive strength development from 1 to 28 days for metakaolin-based alkali-activated cement. The results show that compressive strength is highly dependent upon the initial Si/Al ratio in the mix design, as well as the concentration of the activator solution. Furthermore, due to the relatively low initial reactivity of the used metakaolin material, different types of co-binders were included in the slurry composition to improve early strength development. The two different co-binders tested were another, more reactive metakaolin material and Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS). It was found that both these co-binders performed as intended, by ensuring early strength development via precipitation of K-A-S-H and C-A-S-H gels, respectively, and also by enabling subsequent strength development due to improved dissolution of the low-reactive metakaolin.

Alkali-activated materials; geopolymer; metakaolin; well cement; co-binder

Chemistry and Materials Science, Materials Science and Technology

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