Study of acidic degradation of alkali-activated materials using synthetic C-(N)-A-S-H and N-A-S-H gels

Alkali-activated materials (AAMs) are usually recognized having better acid resistance compared to ordinary Portland cement (OPC), however, the detailed mechanism has not been well studied due to the complexity of raw materials and hardened matrix. In this study, two typical binding gels in AAMs, sodium aluminum silicate hydrate (N-A-S-H) and calcium (sodium) aluminum silicate hydrate (C-(N)-A-S-H), were chemically prepared by laboratory synthesized aluminosilicate powders. The microstructure and composition evolution of the two gels exposed to sulfuric acid were investigated. The results showed that the C-(N)-A-S-H gel had higher degree of structural order than the N-A-S-H gel, while the N-A-S-H gel showed higher polymerization. The AlIV in N-A-S-H gel transferred completely to AlV during sulfuric acid attack, while trace amount of AlIV was still detected in the exposed C-(N)-A-S-H gels. Both gels had increased silica polymerization degree after exposure to sulfuric acid solution. Due to rapider dealumination of N-A-S-H gel than C-(N)-A-S-H gel, the Si/Al ratio increased much higher in the former. The molecular framework changes of N-A-S-H gel caused by dealumination was found to have less effect on the integrity though than that of C-(N)-A-S-H gel, in which coarse gypsum crystalline grains formed and led to destructive stress in hardened matrix. This paper provides an insight at microstructure level of the two typical gels, which is essential for the manufacturing and application of alkali-activated materials.

Automated summary

In this study, two typical binding gels in AAMs, N-A-S-H and C-(N)-A-S-H, were chemically prepared and investigated for their microstructure and composition evolution when exposed to sulfuric acid. The results showed that both gels had increased silica polymerization degree after exposure to sulfuric acid solution, with N-A-S-H gel showing faster dealumination and higher Si/Al ratio increase. The molecular framework changes caused by dealumination in the N-A-S-H gel had less effect on integrity compared to C-(N)-A-S-H gel, where coarse gypsum crystalline grains formed and led to destructive stress in hardened matrix.