A Study of Mechanical Properties of Geopolymer Mortar with Banana Peel Charcoal

Abstract

Geopolymer is a new alternative material for construction that does not contain cement and produces very little CO₂. Geopolymer was caused by the reaction of geopolymerization of high concentrations of alkali substances and oxides of silicon and aluminum that can transformed into a strong structural material. Therefore it is an alternative material that can be used to replace cement. When mixed with charcoal powder of banana peel which is waste in agricultural products form banana plants. This study is mixing with geopolymer with charcoal powder banana peel at 0, 5, 10, and 15% by weight for testing a mechanical properties. We used a ratio for fly ash 50% and the mixed with solution 1 part sodium silicate and 1 part of 12 molar sodium hydroxide into 50% by total weight. Last process, we mixed geopolymer part with river sand that passing through sieve no.16 in ratio of geopolymer 1 part per river sand 2 part by weight. Also we were tested the mechanical properties and testing both powder with scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDS). We found that charcoal powder banana peel mixed with geopolymer can improved the efficiency of compression and flexural strength and water absorption in an appropriate ratio.