Mechanical and microstructural performance of alkali-activated biomass wood ash with calcium hydroxide
摘要
The worldwide concern about sustainable development also proposes demands in the construction sector, focusing on fabricating low-carbon footprint concrete. Alkali-activated materials (AAMs) contribute to less environmental impact than traditional Portland cement and are considered eco-binders. With the global promotion of renewable clean energy, its waste management has become a significant challenge. A more sustainable approach is to incorporate it in AAMs. In this study, biomass wood ash (BWA), including wood fly ash and wood bottom ash, was valorised as a precursor, and recycled sand (RS) from biofuel energy plants was used as fine aggregates. Calcium hydroxide (CH), which was added as a binary or ternary alkaline activator at a ratio of 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20% by precursor mass, besides sodium hydroxide (SH) and sodium silicate (SS) at low molarity, to ensure the release of Ca2+ to participate in the activation process. A series of tests were conducted, including compressive strength, water absorption, reaction temperature, scanning electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric-differential thermal analysis, and X-ray diffraction analysis. The combination of SH/SS as activators significantly outperformed the sole use of SH, contributing to an average strength increment of 134.55%. Adding CH in SH/SS activator solutions promoted the microstructural properties of AAMs due to the change in the Ca/Si and Ca/Na ratio. The interaction between CH and SS increased the hydration reaction temperature, leading to a denser microstructure and improved formation of hydration products, which favoured the development of compressive strength by up to 44%.