A Review Regarding the Use of Natural and Industrial byProducts in the Production of Geopolymer Binders

Abstract

Rapid growth in population has led to the generation of large amounts of waste and environmental degradation. Environmental protection for future generations and to preservation of the already limited mineral resources, could be obtained with sustainable solutions for traditional Portland Cement Concrete. In order to produce geopolymers binders, raw materials rich in aluminum and silicon are alkali-activated. Some of the raw materials, for the production of the geopolymer binders can be obtained from natural sources, such as kaolin, metakaolin (calcined kaolin), diatomite, volcanic rock, etc., or industrial waste arising from production processes, such as fly ash, iron slag, blast furnace, granulated blast furnace slag, silica fume, marble dust, etc. The aim of this paper is to present relevant data in the field of alkali-activated geopolymer materials and study the opportunities of using Romanian mineral local raw materials in order to produce these types of binders.