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Geopolymer experiments

Using alkali materials we attempt to make polymeric anions from aluminosilicates and other materials as an alternative to concrete.

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Cement manufacture and use is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, and maintenance of cement infrastructure costs billions of dollars annually.  Stronger, or self-repairing cements with less of a carbon footprint could save money while avoiding harm to the environment.

Luckily such concretes exist: they are called geopolymers. Geopolymers are polymers with inorganic backbones, stabilized by highly basic or acidic conditions. Geopolymers are widely studied, but have not managed to displace concrete yet, due to various engineering issues with solubility and industrial scaling. This project will demonstrate how to make many of the existing geopolymers, and then we will test some novel geopolymer compositions that we have arrived at by studying geochemistry. Instructions, supplies and files will be included here.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.


  • 1
    Making Waterglass

    Online Recipe for Waterglass

    10 ml water
    Add 4-8 grams of NaOH
    Belle Chemical Brand  - Billings, MT

    Add 6 grams of Silica    (“NATRA SORB” Brand Silica) Multisorb technologies Buffalo, NY
    www.multisorb.com

  • 2
    July 5, 2023 - Trial run on making waterglass

    Started with 10.1 +/- 0.1 grams of DI water in 5” inch stainless steel pan 4 inches deep with a poly-acrylic lid secured by a chrome plated steel lid assembly (see photo)

    Dissolved 6.5 grams of Sodium Hydoxide in solution.

    Added 8.1 grams of silica

    Dissovled entirely into solution.

    Added 12.4 ml water after all the water began boiling away
    Added another 16 ml of water just to bring the level up to normal where the magnetic spinner could actually stir the solution. NOTE: Making larger batches will reduce these problems.

    Stainless Steel Container Weight: 308 g

  • 3
    July 6, 2023 - Big Batch #1

    Begin with: 700 grams of filtered tap water from the frige in the break room. Poured into the same 5” stainless steel container that I used to cook inside yesterday. At 9:55 turn heat on and add: 6x70 = 420 grams of Sodium Hydroxide At 10:06 I slowly added 60.4 grams of silica And then another 78.5 grams of silica 5 minutes later Thermometer was disconnected so we had a boil over and spill at 10:15  resulting in 10-15ml of solution spilling over. Another 57.8 grams of silica was added slowly, and then another 54 grams. A final 66 grams of silica was added before the solution would not readily dissolve any more. ⅔ of the final solution was poured into a stainless steel paint can. 12:57pm The final 3rd of remaining solution is estimated to be between 200 and 250 ml. To this another 55.2 grams of Sodium Hydroxide was added to solution followed by another 40 grams of silica. 2:14pm Solution fully cooked and solidified.

    Heater and mixer turned off. Lab Equipment cleaned and workstation made ready for tomorrow. 420 grams NaOH .700 ml of water 420 grams NaOH / 39.9971 grams / mole = 10.5007 700 ml or .700 liters of water 1-1 Med Conc Waterglass 15.001 moles / liter 4:00pm Prep for tomorrow 40% concentrate

    Begin with 200 grams of filtered water

    4 x 20 = 80 grams of NaOH

    6 x 20 = 120 grams silica

View all 9 instructions

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