ABSTRACT

System-analytical and live-cycle-analysis embedded
development of geopolymeric binder

Emphases in Service and Research

 

In 2004 the VolkswagenStiftung promoted within the Tandem Program with a total of 1.52 Million Euro further 3 interdisciplinary composed research groups.
For the first time part of the money (575 000 €) went to an engineering project, in which Dr. Katja Dombrowski - member of the Department of Construction Materials at the Institute of Ceramic, Glass and Construction Materials (IKGB), Freiberg University of Mining and Technology – is involved together with Dr. Anja Buchwald from the Bauhaus-University Weimar and Dr. Marcel Weil from Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe.
In the following 3 years this research team is engaged in the development of geopolymer binder - that means alumosilicat polymer binder or alkali activated binder. The properties of these materials – such as temperature/fire resistance and acid resistance – permit the estimation of a high application potential in different areas of use. The solid materials – e.g. recycling materials and combustion residues – used for the geopolymer production do not point only to a high variety but also to ecological advantages.
Since the development of geopolymer binder stands in the early stages, a complex and time consuming workload awaits the 3 researcher, which is to be solved by means of a target-oriented program. Herein the team wants to use a new system analytical approach in order to select the most promising candidates for defined application fields from a variety of material combinations. In the field of materials development the application of life cycle analyses (LCA) displays a methodological challenge.
While Dr. Buchwald works mainly on the part of chemical compositions and structure formation of geopolymer binder and since Dr. Weil brings in his knowledge on system analyses as well as carries out extensive life cycle analyses, Dr. Dombrowski has to deal with the testing of long time properties and durability of the materials under predicted application conditions, respectively. Fire resistant tunnel walls e.g. are not only exposed to fire in the extreme case.
During the use the tunnel material has to resist against a multitude of different climatic influences such moisture, temperature changes and up to frost and deicing chemicals. The instrumentation at the IKGB offers best conditions for the planned investigations, during which intense cooperation between the researchers is beyond all questions. Besides the workshops planned on the topic the team will be present in the internet with a platform for discussion and cooperation with interested parties (www.uni-weimar.de/geton).