Innovative one-part Alkali activated binder from activator derived from agricultural waste: Synthesis and application for sustainable construction

Abstract

Commercial powder activators are commonly used to produce one-part alkali-activated binders (AAB) despite their manufacturing method using more energy and generating more CO2 emissions. To address this concern, the study employed a mechanical process to synthesize an agricultural waste-based powder activator, derived from rice husk ash (RHA) and NaOH powder at six different ratios. Paste samples were prepared by blending the derived activator with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) precursor in a 1:4 ratio. Fresh properties and compressive strength (range of 33–77 MPa) was evaluated. Besides, microstructural analysis and ecological factors were estimated, including embodied CO2 emissions and energy analysis, and the approach employed in this investigation significantly reduced both embodied CO2 emissions and embodied energy requirements compared to conventional practices. The result indicates that the activator powder synthesized in this study can produce AAB with qualities comparable to Portland cement.

Keywords

• One-part alkali-activated binders
• Rice husk ash
• Compressive strength
• Microstructural characteristics
• Sustainability analysis