Preparation of geopolymers from thermally activated lithium slag as sole precursor: Mechanical properties and microstructure

Lithium slag (LS) is a waste residue generated during lithium extraction, posing significant environmental challenge due to its extensive accumulation. This study proposes a method of utilizing thermally activated LS as the sole precursor for geopolymer synthesis. The thermal activation mechanism of LS was investigated using XRD, FTIR, ICP, and SEM techniques, while exploring the optimal composition for LS geopolymers(LSG). The research revealed that heating at 700 °C increased the amorphous content of LS from 15.9 % to 48.1 %, altering the chemical structure of its aluminosilicates and enhancing its leaching capacity in alkaline environments, thereby boosting its reactivity. The activator modulus and alkali equivalent were found to significantly influence the strength and microstructure of LSG. As the modulus increased from 1.0 to 1.4, geopolymer strength initially rose before declining, whereas strength progressively increased with alkali equivalent from 0.10 to 0.16. The geopolymer synthesized with a modulus of 1.2 and alkali equivalent of 0.16 exhibited the highest compressive strength of 53.1 MPa after 28 days. Test results indicated that the internal structure of LSG primarily comprised unreacted particles, N(C)-A-S-H gel, and microcracks. The increased alkali equivalent facilitated the dissolution of Si4+ and Al3+ within LS, intensifying geopolymerization to produce more N(C)-A-S-H gel, thereby densifying the structure and significantly enhancing compressive strength. This study elucidates the mechanism by which high-temperature calcination enhances LS reactivity, as well as the impact of activator on compressive strength and microstructural properties of LSG, offering new insights into the engineering applications of LS in high-performance cementitious materials.