Geopolymers Prepared by Microwave Treatments

GeopolymersGeopolymers occur easilyPolycondensed polymer framework in a polycondensedPolymer polymer frameworkFramework in high-alkali conditions. They are known as sustainableSustainable materials with a simple process that uses wasteWaste for raw materialsRaw materials like fly ashFly ash, slagSlag, and rice huskRice husk etc. This chapter highlights the use of microwaves as efficient auxiliary processing for geopolymerGeopolymers production. Compared to conventional heatingHeating, the microwave cureMicrowave cure reduced the curing timeCuring time as an advantage. In addition, depending on theMicrowave irradiation microwave irradiationIrradiation conditions, the resulting geopolymersGeopolymers were changed in material propertiesProperties such as high porosity, and low mechanical strengthMechanical strength using a high-waterWater foaming agentWater foaming agent content due to water evaporationEvaporation in the geopolymer. Also, the microwave curing had the advantage over the conventional oven heatingHeating, of densely structuring geopolymersGeopolymers when the water foaming agentWater foaming agent content was low by combining the pre-heating and accelerating the polymerizationPolymerization. In contrast, the alkali activatorAlkali activator concentration caused enhancement of the morphologyMorphology of geopolymers in the case of microwave cureMicrowave cure. Thus, microwave curing is expected to be an effective method for the fabricationFabrication of geopolymersGeopolymers. This chapter describes the feasibility of synthesizing the porousPorous morphologyMorphology and densely structured geopolymer without micro-sized pores using microwaveEnergy energy.