Effect of Solid Sodium Silicate on Workability, Hydration and Strength of Alkali-Activated GGBS/Fly Ash Paste

Based on economic and environmental considerations, the recycling economy of mineral waste has been found to have great potential and economic benefits worldwide, in which alkali-activated cementitious materials are one of the main developing directions. The alkali activators commonly used in alkali-activated cementitious materials are the composite activators of sodium silicate solution and solid sodium hydroxide, which not only need to deal with high viscosity and corrosive chemicals, but also need to be prepared in advance and properly stored. In this paper, ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and fly ash were used as precursors, while solid sodium silicate powder was applied as the alkali activator. In addition, the precursors were mixed with the activator in advance and activated by adding water to prepare alkali-activated GGBS/fly ash cement. The influence of precursor components, the dosage of the alkali activator and the liquid–solid ratio on the working performance, mechanical strength and hydration process of alkali-activated cement was studied. The results showed that the further incorporation of GGBS accelerated the alkali activation reaction rate and improved the strength of the specimen. However, in the specimen with GGBS as the main component of the precursor, the main hydration product was C-A-S-H gel, which was different in the structural order and quantity. The compressive strength indicated that there was the best amount of activator to match it in terms of the precursor with certain components. A too high or too low amount of activator will hinder the alkali activation reaction. This study can provide some significant reference material for the use of solid alkali activators in alkali-activated cementitious materials.