Geopolymer from sand washing waste: Mechanical, rheological, and sustainability perspectives
Mohammad Reza Hanafi, Hamed Rahimpour, Aliakbar Gholampour, Seyed Hamidreza Ghaffar, Faramarz Moodi, H. Zarrabi +1 more
Results in Engineering
Abstract
SWW fully used as sole precursor for sustainable geopolymer mortar Optimized 12 M NaOH mix achieved 27.3 MPa compressive strength Dense N-A-S-H gels improved strength, durability, and stability SWW geopolymers cut CO₂ by 50% and eco-costs by 53.5% vs OPC This study presents a sustainable approach to producing geopolymer mortar by fully utilizing sand washing waste (SWW) as the sole aluminosilicate precursor, offering an eco-efficient alternative to conventional cement-based materials. Despite growing research on industrial waste valorization, the direct application of SWW in geopolymer systems remains limited. In this work, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) activators with concentrations of 4, 8, and 12 M were combined with varying water glass (WG) ratios to assess their effects on strength developm