Investigation of thermal and mechanical properties of perlite‑based lightweight geopolymer composites

The objectives of this study include minimizing the thermal conductivity of the produced materials, reducing dead loads of structures through lightweight composite material production, and increasing perlite use in areas close to material deposits.To this end, lightweight geopolymer composites were produced using ground raw perlite as a precursor, expanded perlite as an aggregate, and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as an activator. The produced samples were cured in an oven at 110 °C for 24 h. Within the scope of this study, unit weight, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity coefficient tests were conducted. Additionally, microstructure analysis was carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). As a result, it has been shown that ground raw perlite can be used as a precursor in geopolymer composites, while expanded perlite demonstrates suitability as a lightweight and porous aggregate for heat insulation applications.