Characteristics of lightweight geopolymers from microwave curing of basalt and waste glass powder mixtures

In this paper, the feasibility of employing basalt and waste glass powder as raw materials for geopolymer synthesis was investigated. The impact of room temperature and microwave curing on the comprehensive properties of basalt-based geopolymers was firstly compared. Extending microwave curing time can enhance the compressive strength while exceeding 180 W may lead to adverse effects. The strength achieved after 7 min microwave curing is comparable to that obtained at room temperature for 28 days. The geopolymers displayed a low density (from 1.58 to 1.94 g/cm3), high porosity (∼30 %), and compressive strength ranging from 7.4 − 18.6 MPa.