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Alkali-hydrothermal activation of tailings with red mud as a supplementary alkali source to synthesize one-part geopolymer

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Abstract

Utilization of mine tailings via geopolymerization is a promising approach to convert them into value-added products. In this method, development an affordable and effective activation technology for enhancing the reactivity of tailings is necessary. In this study, an alkali-hydrothermal method was used for the tailings activation, with the high-alkaline red mud as a supplementary alkali source. Two different types of activated tailings were prepared: the activated tailings without adding red mud (ATs) and the activated tailings with adding red mud (ARTs). Subsequently, the one-part geopolymer was prepared from the activated tailings and slag. The results demonstrated that the addition of red mud contributed to the activation of tailings because of the increased alkali concentration. ARTs had lower relative crystallinity, higher initial pH, and higher solubility of Si and Al than these of ATs under the same NaOH content. As a result, geopolymer samples from ARTs exhibited a shorter induction period, a faster rate of hydration reactions, larger amounts of hydration reactants, and a more compact microstructure compared to control samples from ATs, resulting in the excellent mechanical strength. The geopolymer sample possessed the optimum strength of 21.50 and 52.65 MPa at 1 and 28 days, respectively, when the NaOH content was controlled at 15 wt.% during the alkali-hydrothermal process. This value was even higher than that of control samples with the addition of 20 wt.% NaOH.

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Funding

This work was supported by Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (No. ZR2019BEE075), Young Science and Technology Innovation Program of Shandong Province (No. 2020KJD001), Elite Program of SDUST (No. skr21-3-051) and Science and Technology Project of Qingdao West Coast New Area (2021-4). The researchers would like to acknowledge Deanship of Scientific Research, Taif University for funding this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong, 266590, China

    Qing Liu, Zhenyu Chen, Peng Wang, Yukun Wan, Junxiang Wang & Lin Li

  2. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, 11884, Cairo, Egypt

    Zeinhom M. El-Bahy

  3. Department of Chemistry, Khurmah University College, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia

    Safaa N. Abdou

  4. Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia

    Mohamed M. Ibrahim

  5. Qingdao Shenfei Anda Eco-friendly Materials Co, Ltd, Qingdao, Shandong, 266409, China

    Hui Wang

  6. College of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology, Taiyuan, 030024, China

    Handong Li

  7. Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK

    Handong Li

Authors
  1. Qing Liu
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  8. Junxiang Wang
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  10. Lin Li
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  11. Hui Wang
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Contributions

Qing Liu conceived the idea, designed the research, and wrote the main manuscript text; Zhenyu Chen, Peng Wang, and Yukun Wan prepared one-part geopolymers; Zeinhom M. El-Bahy performed the characterizations of activated tailings; Peng Wang performed the XRD analyses of raw materials; Safaa N. Abdou performed the analyses of hydration products; Mohamed M. Ibrahim performed the strength test; Yukun Wan performed the analyses of particle size distribution and chemical compositions of raw materials; Junxiang Wang supervised the project and provided the research funding; Handong Li performed the morphological and elemental analyses of hydrated samples; Lin Li and Hui Wang supplied raw materials and prepared mortar samples; All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Junxiang Wang.

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Liu, Q., Chen, Z., El-Bahy, Z.M. et al. Alkali-hydrothermal activation of tailings with red mud as a supplementary alkali source to synthesize one-part geopolymer. Adv Compos Hybrid Mater 6, 132 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42114-023-00707-3

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