No abstract

The effect of curing temperature on basic geopolymeric reactivity and hardening behaviour of blast furnace slag were investigated using the mixture of pulverized slag and several alkaline solutions of relatively high concentration. For the pastes prepared at several different temperatures between 20 o C and 90 o C, setting time and heat of reaction were examined while mineralogical and morphological examinations were performed for the hardened paste after curing period at same temperature. The geopolymeric reaction of slag was revealed to be accelerated strongly according to the curing temperature regardless of the sort and concentration of the alkaline solution. The increase of concentration of the alkaline solution within 9 M and the existence of silicic ion in the solution also promoted the reaction severely. The mineral component and their ratio of the hardened paste were revealed to be influenced by the chemical species and silicic ion contained in alkaline solution rather than by the curing temperature. The higher temperature and longer period of curing stage were effective for the sustained formation of geopolymer and succeed improvement of density and uniformity of morphology of the final hardened body.