Mica Schist-Based Geopolymer Green Cement: Properties and Characterization .

Eldesoky, Hatem; Shahin, Taher; Taha, Mohamed Ezzat; ElNagar, Abdeen M.; Mohammed, Omar Atef

doi:10.21608/ejchem.2025.365467.11399

Mica Schist-Based Geopolymer Green Cement: Properties and Characterization .

Document Type : Review Articles

Authors

¹ Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University

² Housing and Building National Research Centre (HBRC)

³ housing and building national research center

10.21608/ejchem.2025.365467.11399

Abstract

Cement is one of the most widely used building materials, but its production contributes to significant waste accumulation and hence a big environmental issues. This research investigates the feasibility of utilizing physically and mechanically activated mica schist, which is rich in alumina and silica, to develop sustainable geopolymer cement as an environmentally friendly alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). Five geopolymer mixtures were prepared with a 1:1 blend of activated mica schist and slag. The study explored the impact of alkali activation using sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate on mica schist that was fired at 850°C and milled for different durations (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 hours). The investigation assessed how these factors influenced the physical, mechanical, and microstructural properties of the resulting geopolymer binders. The geopolymer mixtures were cured at 80°C under 100% humidity for curing periods of 7, 14, 28, and 90 days. Material of geopolymer characterization was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that the physical and mechanical activation of the mica schist led to improvements in compressive strength, density, and microstructure compared to the control geopolymer mixture. The advantage of this mixtures is its nearly zero CO2 emissions during raw materials processing.

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