Study on High-Ductility Geopolymer Concrete: The Influence of Oven Heat Curing Conditions on Mechanical Properties and Microstructural Development

Low carbon and high performance have become key trends in the development of construction materials. Understanding the mechanism by which curing conditions affect the mechanical properties of high-ductility geopolymer concrete (HDGC) is of significant importance. This study investigated three sealing curing temperatures (room temperature, 45 °C, and 60 °C) and four curing durations (1 day, 3 days, 5 days, and 7 days), while considering two final curing ages (7 days and 28 days) to explore their effects on the axial tensile and compressive properties of HDGC. The results showed that both 45 °C and 60 °C could improve the brittle failure of HDGC under axial compressive loading. However, curing at 60 °C and for durations longer than 1 day in an oven would catalyze the formation of eight-faced zeolite crystals within the slag-fly ash geopolymer matrix, and it could weaken the matrix's pore structure and subsequently affect the material's later strength development. Nevertheless, oven heat curing enhanced the bridging effect between the fibers and the matrix, partially compensating for the reduction in the initial tensile strength of HDGC. This follows the pseudo-strain-hardening material's saturation cracking criterion to enhance the strain-hardening behavior of HDGC and improve its tensile energy absorption capacity. A curing condition of 45 °C for 5 days is recommended to maximize the ductility of HDGC. This study provides important theoretical support for the design and promotion of green, low-carbon, high-ductility composite materials.

Enhancing the Corrosion Protection of AA2024-T3 Alloy by Surface Treatments Based on Piperazine-Modified Hybrid Sol–Gel Films

The aim of this study was to develop new chrome-free surface pretreatments for AA2024-T3 aluminum alloy. These pretreatments were based on hybrid organic–inorganic sol–gel thin films prepared from mixtures of γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MAPTMS) and tetramethylorthosilicate (TMOS). Different MAPTMS/TMOS molar ratios were used for optimizing the physical–chemical characteristics of the sol–gel films. The formulation of a set of these sols was modified by incorporating piperazine (1,4-diazacyclohexane) as a corrosion inhibitor. The resulting sol–gel films were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), liquid-state 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (29Si-NMR) and viscosity measurements. The corrosion performance of the sol–gel films was analyzed by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and local electrochemical impedance mapping (LEIM). The characterization techniques indicated that piperazine behaved as a catalyst for the condensation reaction during the formation of the MAPTMS/TMOS organopolysiloxane network and produces an increase of the crosslinking degree of the sol–gel films. EIS and LEIM results showed that piperazine is an effective corrosion inhibitor, which can be used to enhance the active corrosion protection performance of sol–gel films.

Geopolymer Synthesis Using Garnet Tailings from Molybdenum Mines

Garnet tailings obtained in large quantities from molybdenum ore beneficiation are regarded as industrial waste, which not only occupies large areas of land but also causes environmental issues and ecological fines. Preparing garnet tailings based geopolymers (GTGs) is one of the efficient methods to recycle and utilize garnet mine tailings. In this work, geopolymers were synthesized using garnet tailing (GT) and metakaolin (MK) as the main precursors and sodium silicate as the alkali-activation agent. The effect of MK and alkali activator dosage, as well as curing temperature on the compression strength of GTGs were analyzed in detail. Results showed that the maximum strength (46 MPa, 3 days) was reached at a 20 wt % MK dosage with 35% sodium silicate addition cured at room temperature. The microstructure and phase composition of GTGs were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), which confirmed the formation of an amorphous geopolymer gel. Lastly, it can be concluded that the garnet tailing is a promising material for geopolymer production, as an alternative for its utilization.