Inorganic Polymer Compositions Containing Tricalcium Aluminate Additive and Methods of Making Same
Inorganic polymer compositions and methods for their preparation are described herein. The compositions include the reaction product of a reactive powder, an activator, and optionally a retardant. The reactive powder includes fly ash and a tricalcium aluminate additive. In some examples, the reactive powder comprises less than 5% by weight portland cement. The tricalcium aluminate is present in an amount of 0.5% or greater by weight of the reactive powder. Also described herein are building materials including the compositions.
1 . An inorganic polymer composition, comprising the reaction product of:
reactive powder comprising 85% by weight or greater fly ash and tricalcium aluminate additive, wherein the tricalcium aluminate additive is not a portland cement or fly ash constituent;
an activator; and
optionally a retardant.
2 . In an inorganic polymer composition comprising the reaction product of a reactive powder, an activator, and optionally a retardant, wherein the reactive powder comprises fly ash, the improvement comprising:
including a tricalcium aluminate additive in the reactive powder, wherein the tricalcium aluminate additive is not a portland cement or fly ash constituent; and
reacting the reactive powder, the activator, and the optional retardant to produce the inorganic polymer,
wherein the reactive powder comprises 85% by weight or greater fly ash.
3 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the reactive powder includes less than 5% portland cement.
4 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the tricalcium aluminate additive comprises from 0.1% to 10% by weight of the reactive powder.
5 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the reactive powder is substantially free from portland cement.
6 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein greater than 75% of the fly ash comprises Class C fly ash.
7 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein greater than 95% of the fly ash comprises Class C fly ash.
8 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the fly ash is present in an amount of greater than 95% by weight of the reactive powder.
9 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the fly ash includes a calcium oxide content of from 23% to 30% by weight.
10 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the activator includes citric acid.
11 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the activator includes sodium hydroxide.
12 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a retardant and the retardant includes borax, boric acid, gypsum, phosphates, gluconates, or a mixture of these.
13 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the water to binder ratio is from 0.06:1 to 0.25:1.
14 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the reaction product includes anhydrous calcium sulfate as a reactant.
15 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the reactive powder further comprises calcium aluminate cement.
16 . The composition of claim 1 , further comprising aggregate.
17 . The composition of claim 16 , wherein the aggregate includes lightweight aggregate.
18 . The composition of claim 1 , further comprising water.
19 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is substantially free from retardants.
20 . The composition of claim 1 , further comprising fibers.
21 . The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a photocatalyst.
22 . A building material comprising the composition of claim 1 .
23 . The building material of claim 22 , wherein the building material is selected from the group consisting of a roofing tile, a ceramic tile, a synthetic stone, a thin brick, a brick, a paver, a panel, or an underlay.
24 - 31 . (canceled)
32 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the activator is selected from the group consisting of citrates, hydroxides, metasilicates, carbonates, aluminates, sulfates, tartrates, and mixtures thereof.
33 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a pH of from 12 to 13.5.