NEW TRENDS IN THE CHEMISTRY OF INORGANIC POLYMERS FOR ADVANCED APPLICATIONS

摘要

Conventionally, inorganic polymers (also called geopolymers) composite materials based on these are prepared by reaction of a solid aluminosilicate such as dehydroxylated kaolinite clay (metakaolinite) with an alkali silicate solution under highly alkaline conditions. This paper discusses recent studies aimed at extending the applications of inorganic polymer materials by addressing the following questions: Can viable conventional aluminosiiicate inorganic polymers be formed with improved energy efficiency by eliminating the need for thermal pre-treatment of the solid aluminosiiicate source (i.e. by mechanochemical or chemical pre-treatment)? Can viable inorganic polymers be formed with other tetrahedral network-forming groups such as borate, and what are the likely practical applications for such compounds? What are the possibilities for forming viable bioactive inorganic geopolymers containing phosphate groups and calcium? What are the possible synthesis strategies for forming viable inorganic polymers with useful electronic properties, and could they be formed by soft chemical reactions in solution without the need for solid aluminosiiicate sources?