Combination formation in the reinforcement of metakaolin geopolymers with quartz sand

Although quartz sand is widely used as filler material in construction, a few studies investigated the incorporation of quartz sand in geopolymers. To study the incorporation of quartz sand in the reinforcement of metakaolin geopolymer not only fills this gap, but also gives a clue on using non-calcinated aluminosilicates (e.g., mine tailings) in the synthesis of geopolymers. In the presence of sodium silicate, metakaolin geopolymers were synthesized with quartz sand of various size ranges as filler material. XRD, FTIR, SEM and NMR characterizations on the geopolymers indicate the dissolution, precipitation, and the formation of combination on quartz particles that associates them into the geopolymeric gel, so as to reinforce the mechanical strength of geopolymers. The compressive strength of metakaolin geopolymers with only silicate, silicate plus quartz sand and silicate plus rutile sand is 31.2, 52.2 and 41.5 MPa, respectively. In geopolymer with silicate and quartz sand, a decreasing Si/Al ratio as increasing distance from the quartz particle is observed through an energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping. The SEM images and NMR spectra suggest that the formed combination is of several micrometers with main species of polysialates (-Si-O-) such as Q⁴(2Al), Q⁴(1Al).