Thermal Performance and Temperature Resistance of Straw-Geopolymer Composites

This paper investigates the influence of high temperature on geopolymer reinforced by straw fibers from 25°C to 800 °C with a duration of 0 min, 30 min and 60 min, respectively. The effect of straw fiber content on the thermal properties and compressive strength have also been explored. It is found that the optimum range of straw fiber came to be 2-4 % with both excellent thermal insulation properties and a comparable compressive strength. The mechanical strength of the geopolymer with 3% straw fiber subjected to elevated temperatures show that the geopolymer composites possess significantly higher strength and better temperature resistance than the conventional thermal insulation materials. When exposure to 300 °C for 60 min, the specimen gives a satisfied result of 42.08 MPa. And the compressive strength drop is almost under 50% after exposure to 400 °C for 60 min. Thermal analysis is employed to explore the temperature damage.