French metakaolin based geopolymer mortars produced with bottom ash

Abstract

The production of Portland cement, a cementitious material used in construction, happens at very high rates and quantities due to its large demand in the construction industry, as it is the standard cementitious material used in construction. However, its production in bulk increases CO2 emissions and hence increases overall pollution. Therefore, the discovery of new cementitious material that happens to be eco-friendly and also has good mechanical and durable properties is required. Therefore, geopolymer has become a major focus of study for the past decades. This research aims to study the mechanical and durable properties of French geopolymer mortars with bottom ash mass substitution. French metakaolin and bottom ash were used as the source materials in the mix design. The cubic 4x4 geopolymer mortar samples were produced and tested on days 7, 28, 90, and 180. The test results showcase that geopolymer is indeed a strong and durable sustainable material, that also encourages and helps in boosting the circular economy.