Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Publication
    Microstructure and porosity evolution of alkali activated slag at various heating temperatures
    ( 2020)
    Ikmal Hakem Aziz
    ;
    ;
    M.A.A. Mohd Salleh
    ;
    Sorachon Yoriya
    ;
    Jitrin Chaiprapa
    ;
    Catleya Rojviriya
    ;
    Long Yuan Li
    This paper elucidated the microstructural and porosity evolution of alkali activated slag at 800 °C up to 1200 °C. The microstructural analysis obtained shows the changes in surface densification of glassy phase and nucleation of dynamical grains within the alkali activated slag when in contact with high heating temperature. Using synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy, the number of pores in alkali activated slag decreased with increasing heating temperature. The 3D pores distribution also demonstrated significant increase in the range size of ~20 μm with the appearance of isolated and intergranular pores at 1200 °C. These changes also led to the anorthite crystallisation indicated by high angle grain boundaries and preferred crystal orientation. The evolution of porosity and crystalline phase is contributed to the development of internal strain after heating at high temperature environment.
  • Publication
    The influence of sintering temperature on the pore structure of an Alkali-Activated Kaolin-Based Geopolymer Ceramic
    ( 2022)
    Mohd Izrul Izwan Ramli
    ;
    ; ;
    Ikmal Hakem Aziz
    ;
    Tan Chi Ying
    ;
    Noor Fifinatasha Shahedan
    ;
    Winfried Kockelmann
    ;
    Anna Fedrigo
    ;
    Andrei Victor Sandu
    ;
    Petrica Vizureanu
    ;
    Jitrin Chaiprapa
    ;
    Dumitru Doru Burduhos Nergis
    Geopolymer materials are used as construction materials due to their lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions compared with conventional cementitious materials. An example of a geopolymer material is alkali-activated kaolin, which is a viable alternative for producing high-strength ceramics. Producing high-performing kaolin ceramics using the conventional method requires a high processing temperature (over 1200 °C). However, properties such as pore size and distribution are affected at high sintering temperatures. Therefore, knowledge regarding the sintering process and related pore structures on alkali-activated kaolin geopolymer ceramic is crucial for optimizing the properties of the aforementioned materials. Pore size was analyzed using neutron tomography, while pore distribution was observed using synchrotron micro-XRF. This study elucidated the pore structure of alkali-activated kaolin at various sintering temperatures. The experiments showed the presence of open pores and closed pores in alkali-activated kaolin geopolymer ceramic samples. The distributions of the main elements within the geopolymer ceramic edifice were found with Si and Al maps, allowing for the identification of the kaolin geopolymer. The results also confirmed that increasing the sintering temperature to 1100 °C resulted in the alkali-activated kaolin geopolymer ceramic samples having large pores, with an average size of ~80 µm3 and a layered porosity distribution.
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  • Publication
    Influence of sintering temperature of kaolin, slag, and fly ash geopolymers on the microstructure, phase analysis, and electrical conductivity
    ( 2021)
    Nur Nadiah Izzati Zulkifli
    ;
    ;
    Anna Przybył
    ;
    Paweł Pietrusiewicz
    ;
    ;
    Ikmal Hakem Aziz
    ;
    Dariusz Kwiatkowski
    ;
    Marcin Gacek
    ;
    Marek Gucwa
    ;
    Jitrin Chaiprapa
    This paper clarified the microstructural element distribution and electrical conductivity changes of kaolin, fly ash, and slag geopolymer at 900 °C. The surface microstructure analysis showed the development in surface densification within the geopolymer when in contact with sintering temperature. It was found that the electrical conductivity was majorly influenced by the existence of the crystalline phase within the geopolymer sample. The highest electrical conductivity (8.3 × 10−4 Ωm−1) was delivered by slag geopolymer due to the crystalline mineral of gehlenite (3Ca2Al2SiO7). Using synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence, the high concentration Ca boundaries revealed the appearance of gehlenite crystallisation, which was believed to contribute to development of denser microstructure and electrical conductivity.
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