Open Access

ARTICLE

Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Bamboo Shaving Geopolymer Composite

Jiayu Zhang, Zhenyang Li, Xinli Zhang^*
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China
* Corresponding Author: Xinli Zhang. Email:
(This article belongs to this Special Issue: Renewable Material from Agricultural Waste and By-Product and Its Applications)

Journal of Renewable Materials 2022, 10(11), 2871-2881. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2022.019373

Received 20 September 2021; Accepted 14 October 2021; Issue published 29 June 2022

Abstract

Geopolymers are inorganic aluminosilicate materials, which have been a great research interest as a material for sustainable development. However, they possess relatively low toughness properties similar to brittle solids. The limitation may be altered by fiber reinforcement to improve their strength and toughness. This research describes the synthesis of bamboo shaving (BS) reinforced geopolymer composites and the characterization of their mechanical properties. The effect of BS content (0–2 wt. %) on the physical and mechanical properties and microstructure of metakaolin based geopolymer paste were investigated. The workability, setting time, bulk density, apparent porosity, thermal conductivity, compressive strength, flexural strength, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) of geopolymer paste were determined. The results showed that the workability, setting time, density, and thermal conductivity decreased with the increasing of BS content. The BS content was proportional to the apparent porosity and a good linear relation was found between apparent porosity and BS content. The highest mechanical properties were achieved at an optimum BS content of 1.0 wt. %. The results of microstructural analysis revealed that BS act as inforcing phase in matrix, reducing cracks and making a dense geopolymer, which leads to favorable adhesion of the composites and produces a geopolymer composite with better mechanical properties than that of pure geopolymer. However, when the BS content exceeded 1.0 wt. %, interfacial bonding between BS and geopolymer matrix became less. XRD analysis showed that BS has little effect on the mineral composition of metakaolin-based geopolymer and no new phase is formed.

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Keywords

Bamboo shaving; geopolymer; strength; microstructure; thermal conductivity

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