State of the art in geopolymer binders

Concrete is one of the most widely consumed materials in the world. However, its industry faces a number of environmental and energy-related issues. It is well known that the production of cement, the main component of concrete, consumes a great deal of energy and causes many environmental problems, including: the significant consumption of natural resources, the release of dust and certain pollutants, and the significant emission of greenhouse gases. One possible solution is to replace cement with other binders, such as geopolymers. These materials are most often synthesized from a chemical reaction between aluminosilicate powder and an alkaline solution. The binder obtained in this way can guarantee very significant properties and performance. What’s more, advances in knowledge about this binder show that it can offer a highly effective and relevant alternative to cement in the manufacture of concrete.