Development of alkali activated ceramic residue and fly ash blends

Abstract

Environmental concerns are becoming increasingly more significant worldwide, framing a scenario that points to the urgent development of new and sustainable alternatives for the industrial sector. The present study assesses the possible contribution of ceramic residue (CR) for alternative binders, for applications in the construction industry. The behavior of the CR alone in alkaline activated systems was initially tested, followed by a combination with a well-known precursor, fly ash (FA), considering different CR/FA weight ratios. Mechanical and microstructural analysis was conducted, including uniaxial compression strength (UCS) tests, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Energy Dispersive Analyzer (EDX), X-ray dif-fraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Results obtained showed that the most effective blend was a CR+FA combination, activated with sodium silicate, reach-ing UCS values higher than 20 MPa, after 90 days of ambient curing.