Metakaolin-based geopolymers are aluminosilicate materials that can be used as cationic dye adsorbents in aqueous system treatment. Our aim in this paper is to study the ability of geopolymer powder produced from metakaolin and alkaline activators to act as an adsorbent to remove methylene blue (MB). The solid materials were systematically analyzed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectrometery (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and the point of zero charge. XRF, FTIR, XRD, SEM, and EDX analyses confirmed the formation of a geopolymer composite by geopolymerization reaction. The influence of various experimental factors such as geopolymer dosage, pH, initial dye concentration, contact time, and temperature was assessed. Adsorption isotherms were evaluated by Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherms. Kinetics data were studied using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion models. The thermodynamic parameters, namely, Gibbs free energy (ΔG°), enthalpy (ΔH°), and entropy (ΔS°), were determined. The results indicated that the maximum decolorization was found in high pH values. The collected isotherm data were best fitted by the Langmuir isotherm, and the maximum adsorption capacity of dye onto the geopolymer was 43.48 mg/g. The experiment kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The thermodynamic results demonstrated that the adsorption of the obtained material occurs spontaneously as an endothermic process. The results confirmed that the prepared adsorbent can be used for remediation of water contaminated by MB dye.

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In this work, geopolymer synthesized with perlite and an alkaline activator medium was evaluated as a new adsorbent and photocatalyst for degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye from an aqueous medium. The functional group, the structure, and the morphology of the raw and the synthesized materials were characterized using FT-IR, XRD, and SEM analysis. The degradation of MB in the contaminated solution was examined using the spectrophotometric technique. Several analysis methods revealed the formation of the aluminosilicate gel after the geopolymerization reaction. The kinetics data with UV and without UV irradiations were well fitted with the pseudo-second-order equation. The results indicated that the degradation efficiency of cationic dye by perlite-based geopolymer without and with UV was up to 88.94% and 97.87% in 4 hours, respectively. The degradation efficiencies of methylene blue are in the following order: perlite-based geopolymer under UV irradiations is greater than perlite-based geopolymer without UV irradiations that is larger than UV irradiations. The overall experimental results suggested that the new elaborated material with synergetic adsorption and photocatalytic activities has a great potential for the treatment of water contaminated by hazardous substances.

The influence of alkali cations on mix design of geopolymers is essential for their mechanical, thermal, and electrical performance. This research investigated the influence of alkali cation type on microscale characteristics and mechanical, dielectric, and thermal properties of fly ash-based geopolymer matrices. The geopolymers were elaborated via class F fly ash from the thermal plant Jorf Lasfar, El Jadida (Morocco), and several alkaline solutions. Morphological, structural, mechanical, dielectric, and thermal characteristics of materials synthesized via fly ash with different proportions of KOH and NaOH aged 28 days were evaluated. The physicochemical properties of class F fly ash-based geopolymers were assessed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) analyses. Based on readings of the results obtained, XRD and FTIR analysis detected the creation of semicrystalline potassium/sodium aluminate-silicate hydrate (KASH/NASH) gel in the elaborated matrices after the geopolymerization reaction. The SEM analysis proved the formation of alkali alumina-silicate hydrate gel in the raw material particles after the polycondensation stage. Experimental compressive strength data indicated that the highest compressive strength (39 MPa) was produced by the alkaline activator (75% KOH/25% NaOH). The dielectric parameters values of the elaborated materials changed depending of the mass ratios KOH/NaOH. Dielectric findings demonstrated that geopolymers containing 100% NaOH have better dielectric performances. The fire resistance study revealed that the geopolymer binders induced by KOH are stable up to 600°C. Based on these results, it can be deduced that the formulated geopolymer concrete possesses good mechanical, dielectric, and fire resistance properties.

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