Geopolymers Program
Program Leader: Prof Arie van Riessen, Curtin University of Technology
Geopolymers are a class of inorganic polymers formed by the
reaction between an alkali and an aluminosilicate source.
These materials have an amorphous 3-dimensional structure
that gives geopolymers properties which make them an
ideal substitute for Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) in a
whole range of applications. Many by-products produced by
industry can be used as feedstocks for geopolymer, including
fly ash, mine tailings and bauxite residues. Variations in the
ratio of aluminium to silicon, and alkali to silicon, produce
geopolymers with different physical and mechanical properties.
The program aims to develop the necessary fundamental
understanding of geopolymers made from waste products
for them to be used in the ready mixed and precast concrete
market for a given industrial region.
Using geopolymers to replace OPC cements in concrete
structures and ready-mix applications has the potential to
provide the following environmental advantages:
- significantly reduce greenhouse gas emission
- use large volumes of industrial (waste) by-products
- increase resource efficiency by producing concrete products
with longer services lives
Objectives
- Assess the suitability of soluble or dissolvable silica bearing
waste streams generated in any one geographical region,
to be used as geopolymer feedstocks.
- Determine the role that secondary metal ion constituents in
the geopolymer process play on the kinetics of formation
and resulting microstructure of geopolymers.
- Design, manufacture and test commercially viable readymixed
geopolymer concrete made from the suite of
regionally generated wastes.
- Investigate the long-term durability of such concretes.
Current Projects
Completed Projects
Highlights
- The first Geopolymer path in Australia has been laid at Curtin University of Technology with the efforts of CSRP, Curtin, Rocla, CSIRO and Boral.
- The formation of the Geopolymer Alliance brings together research institutes, the engineering fraternity, government authorities, industrial by-product generators, cement manufacturers, chemicals suppliers, concrete aggregate suppliers, concrete manufacturers, infrastructure owners and industry regulators to cooperatively develop mutually beneficial applications for geopolymer technology.
- Replacement of Ordinary Portland Cement by geopolymer-based mine backfill systems have been successfully demonstrated on a laboratory scale and implementation at a mine could result in overall reductions in both energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions of the order of up to 25% and 25-60% respectively.
- Geopolymers with impressive physical properties have been successfully manufactured from Bayer residue. This new material opens up opportunities for utilisation of significant amounts of industry by-product.
- Lead, chromium III, barium and silver have been encapsulated in geopolymers to pass the US Environmental Agency recommended toxicity characterisation leaching procedure (TCLP) test for landfills.
- Caesium, strontium and uranium have been immobilised in geopolymers to pass regulatory tests for radioactive nuclear waste.
More Information
> read about the Geopolymer Alliance and download the Prospectus (.pdf)
> download the Geopolymers flyer (.pdf)
> visit the Geopolymers Alliance website www.geopolymers.com.au
