Influence of thermal activation of zeolite on their cementing properties
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33936/riemat.v10i1.7654Keywords:
zeolita; cemento portland; hormigón; activación térmica.Abstract
Zeolites are silica-rich pozzolanic materials that have sparked interest in the scientific community due to their ability to react with portlandite in cement in the presence of water. Traditionally, they are extracted from deposits through a cleaning and grinding process; however, in recent years, it has been demonstrated that they can increase their cementing properties when previously subjected to high temperatures, known as thermal activation. With this premise, the objective of the research is to evaluate how the thermal activation of zeolite from the Castilla La Pita deposit in Havana province, Cuba, influences its cementing properties. To this end, the zeolite was subjected to a thermal activation process at temperatures of 200°C, 400°C, and 600°C with calcination times of one, two, and three hours, producing mortar briquettes. These briquettes were then subjected to compressive strength tests and compared with a standard mortar made with not activated zeolite. The results show that thermal activation of zeolite increases its cementing properties; and that the highest strength activity index with Portland cement is obtained at a temperature of 400°C and a calcination time of 2 hours.
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Copyright (c) 2025 René Antonio Puig Martínez, Ivette Freire Valverde, Sheila Monteserín Pérez, Giovany Alemán Carmenate, José Carlos Pérez Brown
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