Production of geopolymer foam concrete containing blast furnace slag activated with alkali

Geopolymers are materials obtained by the activation of silica and alumina containing materials such as fly ash, metakaolin and blast furnace slag (YFC) with alkalines such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium silicate (Na2SiO3) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) without using cement. In this study, geopolymer mortars were obtained by activating YFC, a waste of Iskenderun Iron and Steel Factory, NaOH and Na2SiO3 as the main material. Geopolymer foam concrete (GPKB) samples were prepared by adding foam solution into the geopolymer mortars. The physical and mechanical properties of the prepared GPKB samples were researched. The amounts of YFC, alkalis and foam solutions to be used in the production of ideal GPKB were determined by making preliminary trial samples. In the production of GPKB, 3 different samples were prepared as foam solution / rate of YFC 12.5%, 15% and 17.5%. 3 different curing conditions (in the laboratory, 40 ° C and 60 ° C) were applied to 3 different prepared samples and 9 different types of samples were produced. Within the scope of the study; fresh unit weight, unit volume weight, compressive strength, capillarity, water absorption, apparent porosity, thermal conductivity and ultrasonic pulse velocity experiments were conducted on the produced samples. As a result of the experiments; dry unit volume weights 0.52-1.00 gr/cm3, compressive strength 0.95-5.54 MPa, water absorption values 42-53%, apparent porosity values 54-97%, thermal conductivity coefficients 0.12-0,28 W/mK and ultrasonic pulse velocity values 1600-2300 m/s GPKBs in range were obtained. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyzes were performed according to the results of the experiments. KEYWORDS: Blast Furnace Slag, Geopolymer Foam Concrete, Alkaline Activator, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Silicate