Formulating high performance fire? and flame?retardant mortars using novel, in situ alkali?activated inorganic polymeric compositions and mineral fillers

摘要

Novel, high-performance fire-retardant mortar formulations are produced involving in situ alkali activated, inorganic polymerbinder (AAIPB) concept, similar to popular Geopolymers. The formulated mortar after mixing with water will cure underprevailing, ambient conditions. The proposed process of making mortar is relatively simple, economical, only involvesdry blending of raw materials, and no CO_2emissions as it does not involve heating. This makes the process greener andlower energy consumption than a cement industry. It makes use of cheap by-products fly ash and other waste products.The finished product is a single pack, dry powder mix, eliminating all handling, storage and corrosion-related problemsassociated with commonly used two pack, aqueous paste products. The testing was carried out by directly exposing theprecast mortar blocks, with embedded steel rod to fire for 4 h continuously at temperatures above 1050 ℃. It is establishedin this experimental finding that formulated mortars have excellent heat stability, minimum mass loss, and excellent thermalshock resistance even upon prolonged heating. Characterization tests like Raman Spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction (XRD),Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopic Images and Thermogravimetric Analysisare carried out to study the chemical changes taking place in the internal structure of material, which provides excellent fireresisting characteristics. One of the results demonstrates the superiority of using potassium silicate/potassium hydroxideas combination alkaline binder/activator instead of traditional combination of sodium silicate/sodium hydroxide. The otherresults obtained are presented and discussed.