Fabrication and properties of foam geopolymer using circulating fluidized bed combustion fly ash

In recent years, circulating fluidized bed combustion fly ash (CFA) is used as a raw material for geopolymer synthesis. Hydrogen peroxide was employed as a foaming agent to prepare CFA-based foam geopolymer. The particle distribution, mineral composition, and chemical composition of CFA were examined firstly. Geopolymerization products were characterized by mechanical testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The CFA-based foam geopolymer was successfully fabricated with different contents of hydrogen peroxide and exhibited uncompleted alkali reaction and reasonable strength with relative low atomic ratios of Si/Al and Si/Na. Type-C CFA in this research could be recycled as an alternative source material for geopolymer production.