Effect of calcium silicate sources on geopolymerisation

Seven different calcium silicate materials were used to investigate the role of calcium in geopolymerisation. At low alkalinity, the compressive strength of matrices prepared with predominantly amorphous calcium silicates (blast furnace slag) or containing crystalline phases specifically manufactured for reactivity (cement) is much higher than when the calcium is supplied as crystalline silicate minerals. The compressive strength of matrices containing natural (crystalline) calcium silicates improves with increasing alkalinity, however the opposite trend is observed in matrices synthesised with processed calcium silicate sources. The difference in compressive strength between matrices synthesised using different calcium silicate sources is significantly reduced at high alkalinity. An insufficient amount of calcium is dissolved from crystalline calcium silicates at relatively low alkalinity to enable formation of calcium silicate hydrate in coexistence with the aluminosilicate geopolymeric gel, and this leads to the poor mechanical properties of such matrices. At high alkalinity, calcium plays a lesser role in affecting the nature of the final binder, as it forms precipitates rather than hydrated gels. Thus, the different calcium silicate sources will not have a major impact on the mechanical properties of these matrices. The effects of different calcium silicates on geopolymerisation are therefore seen to depend most significantly on two factors: the crystallinity of the calcium silicate source, and the alkalinity of the activating solution used.