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Gels
Special Issues
Development and Applications of Advanced Geopolymer Gel Materials
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Development and Applications of Advanced Geopolymer Gel Materials

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Analysis and Characterization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2025) | Viewed by 4954

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marija Ivanovic

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Guest Editor
Department of Materials, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Mike Petrović Alasa 12-14, Vinča, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: nanomaterial and nanoparticle synthesis; amorphous materials gel network; cementitious gels; nano-composites; hybrid gels; hydrogels
Dr. Miloš Nenadović

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Atomic Physic, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Mike Petrović Alasa 12-14, Vinča, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: geopolymers; green materials; building materials; recycling; soil remediation; raw materials; polymers; alkali-activated materials; protective coatings; surface science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A very small amount of the fly ash (FA) produced in power plants worldwide is used in construction annually; most FA ends up in open landfills and poses a serious threat to human health. Accumulated industrial residues from full landfills are suitable for use in the production of cheap and fireproof insulation materials as well as insulation materials with high conductivity and high compressibility, providing good protection against radiation. It is necessary to focus on the development of new, advanced geopolymer gel materials (AGGMs) based on fly ash and slag from industrial waste and reducing their impact on the environment. Such materials can be obtained by changing the process parameters during “green” synthesis, such as the type of precursor, the molarity of the activator, and the liquid/solid ratio, or by adding various additives to the gel phase. Slag- and FA-based geopolymer gel materials can be applied in various technological fields due to their excellent thermal stability and thermal shock resistance, high porosity, high sustainability, and low energy consumption during production. It is of great importance to monitor the physicochemical, mechanical, and thermal properties of some types of AGGMs and determine the possibility of utilizing them as new “green” materials. This Special Issue aims to disseminate knowledge on AGGMs and discuss their classification for application in various infrastructure fields. This Special Issue aims to disseminate knowledge on AGGMs and discuss their classification for application in various infrastructure fields. This Special Issue also aims to raise awareness of the harmful impact of industrial waste on human health and safety. This issue aims to provide an overview of recent advances in the contribution of nanomaterials and related technologies to sustainable development and future prospects in this field. We invite authors to submit experimental and theoretical original articles, perspectives, and review articles addressing these problems and similar topics.

Dr. Marija Ivanovic
Dr. Miloš Nenadović
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • synthesis
  • advanced materials
  • waste materials
  • hydrogel
  • nanomaterials
  • porous materials
  • characterization
  • wastewater treatment
  • environmental protection
  • construction application

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 5942 KB  
Article
Early-Stage Hydration and Product Evolution in Calcium Hydroxide-Activated Lithium Slag
by Baoliang Li, Liying Shi, Hongrui Shang, Wangzi Li, Shouhua Liu, Binbin Huo, Baizhan Ding and Guojun Huang
Gels 2026, 12(5), 359; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12050359 - 24 Apr 2026
Viewed by 305
Abstract
This study used calcium hydroxide (CH) to simulate the alkaline environment of cement and to activate lithium slag (LS), aiming to reveal the mechanism of LS in cement. The early-age hydration of LS blended with 10 wt.% CH was monitored via isothermal calorimetry [...] Read more.
This study used calcium hydroxide (CH) to simulate the alkaline environment of cement and to activate lithium slag (LS), aiming to reveal the mechanism of LS in cement. The early-age hydration of LS blended with 10 wt.% CH was monitored via isothermal calorimetry (ICC) at ambient temperature, followed by a comparative analysis of phase assemblage, microstructure, and macroscopic properties under standard and steam curing conditions. The results show that LS exhibits superior early reactivity within the first 9 h, which is attributed to abundant ettringite formation. Two distinct exothermic peaks were identified during LS-CH hydration, corresponding to (i) ettringite formation accompanied by LS dissolution and C–S–H precipitation, and (ii) CaCO3 crystallization and renewed ettringite formation. The hydrated paste consists of abundant AFt, CaCO3 polymorphs, unreacted LS particles, and a small amount of C–S–H gel with a low Ca/Si ratio and incorporating Al and S. This unique phase assemblage results in a coarser pore structure and lower specific surface area compared with conventional cement paste. Nevertheless, the system achieves a relatively high 28-day compressive strength, highlighting the promise of LS-CH blends as sustainable cementitious materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Advanced Geopolymer Gel Materials)
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28 pages, 18799 KB  
Article
Activation Potential of Various Activators for Ferronickel Slag Under Steam Curing: Characterization of Hydration Products and Mechanical Properties
by Yue Li, Baoliang Li, Haohang Yu, Sahi Wail, Binbin Huo, Yongzhen Cheng and Zejun Liu
Gels 2026, 12(3), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12030219 - 6 Mar 2026
Viewed by 383
Abstract
This study investigates the activation potential of various activators for ferronickel slag (FNS) and the associated phase evolution. First, the existing forms of MgO in FNS were identified by analyzing its phase composition across different particle sizes. Subsequently, FNS was activated using six [...] Read more.
This study investigates the activation potential of various activators for ferronickel slag (FNS) and the associated phase evolution. First, the existing forms of MgO in FNS were identified by analyzing its phase composition across different particle sizes. Subsequently, FNS was activated using six types of activators—Ca(OH)2, CaO, NaOH, KOH, Na2CO3, and a Ca(OH)2–gypsum composite—under steam curing at 80 °C for 7 days. The setting time, fluidity, hydration products, and mechanical properties of the activated systems were systematically examined. The results show that finer water-cooled FNS particles contain abundant amorphous phases, including amorphous MgO, which can react with Ca-based activators to form hydrotalcite—a reaction not observed with Na- or K-based activators. Compared with Na- or K-based activators, Ca-containing activators, particularly the Ca(OH)2–gypsum combination, exhibited superior activation performance. In addition, distinct microstructures were observed: NaOH activation promoted the formation of a yarn ball-like N–A–S–H gel, while KOH activation led to a knotted-fiber-bundle-like K–A–S–H phase, the latter showing potential for enhancing the crack resistance of cement-based materials. These findings provide new insights into the activator-dependent hydration mechanisms of FNS and support its value-added utilization in sustainable construction materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Advanced Geopolymer Gel Materials)
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32 pages, 49351 KB  
Article
The Early Age Hydration Products and Mechanical Properties of Autoclaved Cement Paste Incorporating Supplementary Cementitious Materials
by Baoliang Li, Sahi Wail, Liying Shi, Arifuggaman Arif, Binbin Huo and Yongzhen Cheng
Gels 2026, 12(2), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12020160 - 12 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 725
Abstract
This study systematically investigated the effects of four supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), namely ferronickel slag (FNS), lithium slag (LS), steel slag (SS), and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS), on various properties of autoclaved cementitious materials. Cement pastes and mortars with 0% and [...] Read more.
This study systematically investigated the effects of four supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), namely ferronickel slag (FNS), lithium slag (LS), steel slag (SS), and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS), on various properties of autoclaved cementitious materials. Cement pastes and mortars with 0% and 30% replacement levels were prepared to examine their impacts on early age hydration products and mechanical properties, with comparisons made to specimens under standard 28-day curing. Key findings reveal that autoclaving promoted the formation of tobermorite, crystalline calcium aluminosilicate hydrate (CASH), gypsum and hydrogarnet, with the latter two phases potentially compromising concrete durability. Autoclave curing significantly enhanced SCM reactivity, as evidenced by thermogravimetric analysis: the mass loss below 200 °C (mainly from C–S–H gels decomposition) in SCM-incorporated pastes ranged from 87.0% (SS) to 104.6% (GBFS) of the control value, while the portlandite (Ca(OH)2) content decreased to between 47.7% (LS) and 82.4% (GBFS) of the control. Among the SCMs studied, autoclaving exhibited the most pronounced activation effect on LS, which also showed superior potential as a GBFS alternative in autoclaved concrete products. However, the low CaO content and acidic nature of LS limited its use to low replacement levels unless supplementary sources of alkalinity and CaO were provided. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Advanced Geopolymer Gel Materials)
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32 pages, 6071 KB  
Article
The Effect of GBFS on the Mechanical Properties and Hydration Products of Steam-Cured Cement Mortar
by Baoliang Li, Jie Li, Yue Li, Hongrui Shang, Haohang Yu, Binbin Huo and Yuyi Liu
Gels 2026, 12(2), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12020110 - 27 Jan 2026
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 637
Abstract
To investigate the mechanism by which ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GBFS) affects the performance of steam-cured cementitious materials, this study systematically analyzes the effect of GBFS on the mechanical strength and hydration products of mortar by adjusting the GBFS content (0%, 20%, 30%, [...] Read more.
To investigate the mechanism by which ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GBFS) affects the performance of steam-cured cementitious materials, this study systematically analyzes the effect of GBFS on the mechanical strength and hydration products of mortar by adjusting the GBFS content (0%, 20%, 30%, 50%), curing temperature (50 °C for 7 h, 80 °C for 7 h), and curing time (3 d, 28 d). The results show that although increasing the steam-curing temperature can improve the strength activity index of GBFS-containing mortar, higher temperatures tend to induce later-age strength retrogression in such mixtures. Steam-curing not only promotes the massive formation of calcium hydroxide with coarse crystals but also increases the initial Ca/Si ratio of calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) gels, which is a crucial factor contributing to the high susceptibility of steam-cured concrete to brittle fracture; however, the incorporation of GBFS can effectively mitigate this issue. Furthermore, under the steam-curing condition of 80 °C, the addition of GBFS facilitates the formation of hydrogarnet and delayed ettringite, which is unfavorable for the long-term strength development and durability improvement in concrete. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Advanced Geopolymer Gel Materials)
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17 pages, 21274 KB  
Article
In Situ Steam-Assisted Synthesis of CTAB-Modified Geopolymer-Based Hectorite for Enhanced Adsorption of Congo Red
by Derui Chen, Chao Sun, Keying Sun, Mingyu Yan, Yang Yang, Hang Jin, Junda Guo, Jingna Jia, Longbin Xu and Xinyu Li
Gels 2025, 11(11), 930; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11110930 - 19 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 886
Abstract
For deep purification of wastewater containing anionic dyes. In this study, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-modified geopolymer-based hectorite was synthesized via a steam-assisted method using depolymerized illite-based geopolymer as the silicon source and CTAB as the modifier, enhancing its adsorption performance for anionic dyes. The [...] Read more.
For deep purification of wastewater containing anionic dyes. In this study, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-modified geopolymer-based hectorite was synthesized via a steam-assisted method using depolymerized illite-based geopolymer as the silicon source and CTAB as the modifier, enhancing its adsorption performance for anionic dyes. The product was characterized by methods such as X-ray diffraction, and the effects of parameters such as adsorbent dosage and pH on the adsorption process were investigated. Adsorption experiments revealed that when the CTAB addition was 20%, the adsorption performance for Congo red was optimal (99.79%, 997.92 mg·g−1), far superior to that of hectorite without CTAB (66.64%, 666.40 mg·g−1). The adsorption process followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm model. Further comparison of changes before and after adsorption indicated that the adsorption mechanism primarily involved the combined effects of electrostatic interaction and hydrophobic effects. Additionally, after five adsorption–desorption cycles, the material maintained over 92% removal efficiency. By using different geopolymers as silicon sources to prepare CTAB-modified geopolymer-based hectorite, the high universality of this synthesis strategy was confirmed. This study provides a universal, green, and sustainable route for preparing efficient anionic dye adsorption materials and expands the high-value utilization of clay resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Advanced Geopolymer Gel Materials)
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31 pages, 21231 KB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of Chemical Activators and Expansive Agents for Aeolian Sand Stabilization Using Industrial Solid Waste-Based Geopolymers
by Zilu Xie, Zengzhen Qian, Xianlong Lu, Hao Wang and Phatyoufy Lai
Gels 2025, 11(9), 713; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11090713 - 4 Sep 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1333
Abstract
Aeolian sand is the primary geological material for construction in desert regions, and its stabilization with industrial solid wastes-based geopolymer (ISWG) provides an eco-friendly treatment replacing cement. This study comparatively investigated the enhancement effects of chemical activators and expansive agents on compressive strength [...] Read more.
Aeolian sand is the primary geological material for construction in desert regions, and its stabilization with industrial solid wastes-based geopolymer (ISWG) provides an eco-friendly treatment replacing cement. This study comparatively investigated the enhancement effects of chemical activators and expansive agents on compressive strength of aeolian sand stabilized by ISWG (ASIG). Three chemical activators—NaOH, Ca(OH)2, and CaCl2—along with two expansive agents—desulfurized gypsum and bentonite—were considered. Through X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, mercury intrusion porosimetry and pH values tests, the enhancement mechanisms of the additives on ASIG were elucidated. Results demonstrate that the expansive agent exhibits significantly superior strengthening effects on ASIG compared to the widely applied chemical activators. Chemical activators promoted ISWs dissolution and hydration product synthesis, thereby densifying the hydration product matrix but concurrently enlarged interparticle pores. Desulfurized gypsum incorporation induced morphological changes in ettringite, and excessive desulfurized gypsum generated substantial ettringite that disrupted gel matrix. In contrast, bentonite demonstrated superior pore-filling efficacy while densifying gel matrix through a compaction effect. These findings highlight bentonite superior compatibility with the unique microstructure of aeolian sand compared to conventional alkaline activators or expansive agents, and better effectiveness in enhancing the strength of ASIG. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Advanced Geopolymer Gel Materials)
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