Preparation of Cement Clinker from Geopolymer-Based Wastes

Rabii Hattaf; Mohamed Benchikhi; Abdessamad Azzouzi; Rachida El Ouatib; Moussa Gomina; Azzeddine Samdi; Redouane Moussa

doi:10.3390/ma14216534

Preparation of Cement Clinker from Geopolymer-Based Wastes

Materials (Basel). 2021 Oct 30;14(21):6534. doi: 10.3390/ma14216534.

Authors

Rabii Hattaf¹, Mohamed Benchikhi^{1

2}, Abdessamad Azzouzi¹, Rachida El Ouatib¹, Moussa Gomina³, Azzeddine Samdi¹, Redouane Moussa¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Physics and Chemistry of Inorganic Materials, Faculty of Sciences Aïn Chock, University Hassan II Casablanca, Casablanca 53306, Morocco.
² Department of Chemistry, Faculté Polydisciplinaire, University Sultan Moulay, Slimane, Mghila, BP.592, Beni-Mellal 23000, Morocco.
³ CRISMAT UMR6508 CNRS, ENSICAEN, 6 Boulevard Maréchal Juin, CEDEX 4, 14050 Caen, France.

Abstract

In order to avoid potential environmental pollution from geopolymer-based material wastes, this work investigated the feasibility of using these materials as alternative raw materials in the preparation of cement clinker. The geopolymer binders and mortars were used as substitutes for natural mineral clays since they are rich in silica and alumina. Simulated geopolymer wastes were prepared by the activation of metakaolin or fly ash by an alkaline silicate solution. The cement-clinkers fired at 1450 °C for 1h were characterized by XRD, XRF, SEM-EDS, and a free lime (CaO_f) content test. The anhydrous clinker mineral phases C₃S (Ca₃SiO₅), C₂S (Ca₂SiO₄), C₃A (Ca₃Al₂O₆), and C₄AF (Ca₄Al₂Fe₂O₁₀) were well-crystallized in all investigated formulations. The free lime was lower than 1.3 wt% in all elaborated clinkers, which indicates a high degree of clinkerization. The results demonstrate that geopolymer binder and mortar materials are suitable substitutes for natural mineral clay incement clinker preparation.

Keywords: alternative raw materials; clinker; geopolymer; waste.

Grants and funding

MAT-MOS-01/2017/OCP Group (Morocco)