Rui Novais

Lightweight geopolymers have been researched and used in specific applications due to their differentiated properties and, particularly, due to the lower environmental impacts in their manufacture, mainly associated with the use of raw materials with a low environmental impact and the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, light geopolymers, using metakaolin, sodium silicate, sodium hydroxide, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), were evaluated. The effects of H2O2 concentration were evaluated up to a concentration of 1% in pastes and mortars. The properties of thermal conductivity, density, compressive strength, and modulus of elasticity were determined. The simulation of the thermal transmittance of cladding panels applied to a facade was also performed. Mortars with a H2O2 concentration of 0.2% obtained a compressive strength of 18 MPa and thermal conductivity of 0.55 W/mK, which was 60% less than the thermal conductivity obtained for the reference composition. The simulation of a panel for use on a facade showed that the thermal resistance increased from 0.27 (m2.K/W) to 0.42 (m2.K/W), indicating the efficiency of the geopolymer for use as a thermal control material.