Role of Alkali in Formation of Structure and Properties of a Ceramic Matrix

What is it about?

In 1957 a scientist from Ukraine Victor Glukhovsky put forward an an assumption which was taken as a base for development and bringing into practice of a principally new class of cementitious materials which first appeared in the art under name of alkaline (now, alkali- activated) cements. The idea itself was based, first of all, on geological data that sodium, potassium, sodium- potassium- calcium aluminosilicate compounds, which are known to have the higher stability and resistance to atmospheric reagents, are present in the Earth crust along with calcium compounds, secondly, on results of experimental studies, which proved that alkali hydroxides and salts of alkali metals producing in an aqueous medium an alkaline reaction, under condition of their high concentration, come into interaction with clay minerals, aluminosilicate glasses and crystalline substances of natural and artificial origin with the formation of water resistant alkaline and alkaline- alkali- earth aluminosilicate reaction products analogous to natural minerals of zeolite and mica types. A validity of these ideas was confirmed by more than 50 year- experience of evolutional development and vast experience collected on practical use of new materials in different applications.

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Why is it important?

Paper covers theoretical views on role played by alkali in the formation of a given structure thus providing the higher performance properties compared to those of traditional portland cements. The examples of compositional build-up of the alkali- activated cementitious systems vs quantity of alkali and type of aluminosilicate component are given as well as 40-year experience- service of structures made using these cementitious systems.