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Geopolymers and Alkali-Activated Materials: Preparation and Properties (Second Edition)
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Geopolymers and Alkali-Activated Materials: Preparation and Properties (Second Edition)

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction and Building Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2026 | Viewed by 984

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Antonio D’Angelo

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Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, 81031 Aversa, Italy
Interests: geopolymers; alkali-activated materials; sol–gel chemistry; hybrid materials; composites; antimicrobial assessment; FT-IR spectroscopy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Michelina Catauro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, 81031 Aversa, Italy
Interests: geopolymers; sol–gel technology; biomaterials; bioglass; organic/inorganic hybrid materials; drug delivery; thin films
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As Guest Editors of this Special Issue, titled “Geopolymers and Alkali-Activated Materials: Preparation and Properties”, we cordially invite you to contribute research articles, review articles, short communications, technical notes, and/or perspectives. This Special Issue will comprise a collection of articles from top researchers that cover new insights and perspectives on the development and characterization of geopolymers (GPs) and alkali-activated materials (AAMs). Nowadays, because of the strong need to reduce pollution from Portland cement production and setting, waste disposal, and resource consumption, several GPs and AAMs have been synthesized using various wastes. However, there are many properties that need to be understood when adjusting precursors and synthesis conditions.

This Special Issue aims to shed light on a deeper understanding of the mechanisms and processes controlling the development and performance of GPs and alkali-activated materials from synthesis to application, material chemistry and engineering, inorganic chemistry, GP and AAM composites, mineralogy, waste management, sustainability, etc.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Antonio D’Angelo
Prof. Dr. Michelina Catauro
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. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2600 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

  • geopolymers
  • alkali-activated materials
  • geopolymer composites
  • sustainability
  • physico-chemical properties
  • compressive strength
  • alternative precursors
  • waste recycling

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 2368 KB  
Article
Low-Carbon Valorization of Construction Spoil into High-Value Recycled Aggregates for Geopolymer Concrete
by Lei Zhang, Kai Wang, Yuting Gao, Xiaoxiong Zha and Yu Lei
Materials 2026, 19(5), 922; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19050922 - 27 Feb 2026
Viewed by 325
Abstract
This study investigates the production of recycled aggregates (RAs) derived from construction spoil (CS) and their influence on the mechanical properties of geopolymer concrete. Two manufacturing routes, disc pelletization and crushing granulation, were employed to produce CS-based RAs. The resulting RAs were characterized [...] Read more.
This study investigates the production of recycled aggregates (RAs) derived from construction spoil (CS) and their influence on the mechanical properties of geopolymer concrete. Two manufacturing routes, disc pelletization and crushing granulation, were employed to produce CS-based RAs. The resulting RAs were characterized in terms of particle size distribution and geopolymer compressive strength development. Geopolymer concretes incorporating disc-pelletized and crushed aggregates achieved 7-day compressive strengths of 31.0–32.5 MPa and 37.9–38.4 MPa, 21-day compressive strengths of 31.6–36.5 MPa and 40.8–41.5 MPa, 28-day compressive strengths of 36.9–37.1 MPa and 42.3–43.5 MPa, respectively. These results confirm the technical feasibility of using CS as a high-value RA resource in structural geopolymer concrete. At the same time, the approach offers environmental and economic benefits by reducing the reliance on conventional natural aggregates and lowering the associated carbon footprint. Compared with disc-pelletized RAs, crushed RAs exhibit superior performance in improving concrete compressive strength, which is attributed to their angular morphology and higher apparent density that enhance the overall structural integrity of the concrete matrix. In contrast, disc-pelletized RAs display higher porosity and smoother surfaces, which tend to induce stress concentration and thus reduce the mechanical performance of geopolymer concrete. Overall, the findings provide practical guidance for the valorization of construction spoil through RAs production. They demonstrate that crushed CS-derived RAs can effectively replace natural aggregates in structural concrete, thereby mitigating the impacts of aggregate mining and contributing to circular economy and low-carbon construction objectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolymers and Alkali-Activated Materials: Preparation and Properties (Second Edition))
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14 pages, 1769 KB  
Article
Role of Reactive Silica Addition in Enhancing Geopolymerization Efficiency and Strength Development of Calcined Granite Waste
by Yang Liu, Cao Bi, Yuting Gao, Frederick Ntim Gyakari and Xiaoxiong Zha
Materials 2026, 19(5), 886; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19050886 - 27 Feb 2026
Viewed by 385
Abstract
This study examined the geopolymerization behavior of granite waste powder and reactive silica powder (GWS), utilizing granite waste powder as a sustainable precursor material, to develop an environmentally friendly substitute for Ordinary Portland cement. To obtain this objective, a total of three different [...] Read more.
This study examined the geopolymerization behavior of granite waste powder and reactive silica powder (GWS), utilizing granite waste powder as a sustainable precursor material, to develop an environmentally friendly substitute for Ordinary Portland cement. To obtain this objective, a total of three different mixes of calcined granite waste with reactive silica (1:1, 3:2, 7:3) were cast to evaluate the aim of this study. Due to low inherent reactivity of granite waste powder, the alkali activation was achieved using a combined solution of alkali activators consisting of 8 mol/L concentration of NaOH and Na2SiO3 solution at mass ratio of 1:1.2 prepared 24 h in advance to ensure complete dissolution and stabilization prior to pouring it into the GWS paste. The finest particle size distribution for optimal reactivity performance was achieved by choosing lowest median particles size from 4.0 μm–4.2 μm among all mixtures. ICP-MS analysis of granite waste and reactive silica showed the presence of silica (0.11% and 0.26% respectively) and calcium (49.61% and 38.92% respectively) content adequate for effective geopolymerization of the paste. The elemental composition, new phase formation and microstructural analysis were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis. XRD analysis revealed that all GWS mixes were predominantly amorphous, with crystalline quartz, feldspar and minor α-cristobalite peaks diminishing from GWS50 to GWS70 confirming increased reactivity due to enormous reactive silica content. FTIR spectra of GWS mixes displayed characteristics of O-H (3375 cm−1), H-O-H (1645 cm−1), and Si-O-T (982–1000 cm−1) bands, with the main Si-O-T peak shifting to higher wavenumbers from GWS50 to GWS70 due to increased GW content, indicating reduced geopolymerization effect in GWS50. SEM analysis revealed that among all mixes, GWS70 exhibited the most ideal dense matrix with increasing content of granite waste along with strong N-A-S-H gel formation. Compressive strength at 28 days increased from 11.2 MPa for GWS50 to 14.2 MPa for GWS60 and 13.8 MPa for GWS70, demonstrating that higher reactive silica powder content significantly enhanced the mechanical performance of the alkali-activated paste. These findings demonstrated that alkali-activated geopolymers of GSW offer a viable alternative to Ordinary Portland cement with optimized mixes by valorizing industrial waste and reducing reliance on high-carbon cement production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolymers and Alkali-Activated Materials: Preparation and Properties (Second Edition))
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