Ceramics-Silikáty 53, (3) 195 - 204 (2009)

Previous experimental results have proved the potential of aluminosilicate materials from natural resources, i.e. natural pozzolans, for being utilized as raw material in synthesis and production of inorganic polymeric material. In this research work, basic engineering properties of an inorganic polymeric binder based on pumice-type natural pozzolan including initial and final setting times, 28-day compressive strength, and paste workability were studied by changing chemical composition, i.e. SiO₂/Na₂O molar ratio of activator and total molar ratios of Na₂O/Al₂O₃, and H₂O/Al₂O₃. The results obtained show that the maximum 28-day compressive strengths up to 50 MPa can be achieved at SiO₂/Na₂O, Na₂O/Al₂O₃, and H₂O/Al₂O₃ molar ratios of 0.75, 0.92, and 7.50, respectively. Most of the studied systems exhibit acceptable setting time and paste workability. X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy techniques were utilized for characterizing a number of systems and studying the effects of chemical composition on molecular and microstructure of the material.