Direct Preparation of Powdered Geopolymer Using Polyvinyl Alcohol as Dispersant Template and Its Cu(II) Cation Adsorption Capacity

Abstract—A direct preparation method for a powdered geopolymer was developed using polyvinyl alcohol as a dispersant template. Metakaolin obtained by calcination of kaolinite at 600 or 750°C was used as silica-alumina source. Powdered samples with average particle sizes of 44.2 and 42.0 µm were prepared from the metakaolin calcined at 600 and 750°C, respectively. The sample prepared from metakaolin calcined at 750°C consisted of geopolymer, while the sample prepared from metakaolin calcined at 600°C consisted of a mixed phase of unreacted metakaolin and geopolymer. The sample prepared from metakaolin calcined at 750°C showed higher Cu(II) cation adsorption ability. The adsorption amount of Cu(II) cation was 40.8 mg/g, which is comparable to the adsorption capacity of the geopolymer prepared by the conventional method.