Abstract
In this study, silicon carbide (SiC) particles were synthesized from natural rice husk wastes containing silica by carbothermal reduction method, and GP composites were produced by reinforcing the synthesis SiC particles with geopolymer (GP) matrix and their microstructural and mechanical properties were characterized. Rice husk was calcined at 700 °C for 2 hours and rice husk ash was obtained. It was homogenized for 10 minutes with a molar ratio of carbon black at C/SiO2 of 4. Carbothermal reduction processes were carried out in an atmosphere-controlled tube furnace. After that GP composites were produced using synthesis SiC particles. Potassium silicate solution and metakaolin were mixed in a mechanical mixer. Synthesis SiC were added to the slurry prepared in this way at a rate of 5-15% by weight, and the mixture was homogenized. For mechanical tests, bending specimens according to ASTM C78/C78M-18 standard and compression specimens according to ASTM C1424-10 standard prepared and three-point bending and compression tests were performed. As a result, as the bending strength increases due to the increasing amount of reinforcement, the Weibull distribution exhibits a wide confidence interval, while the compressive strength shows a narrower confidence interval, while the opposite situation is observed. When both situations are assessed, 5-10% synthesis SiC supplementation is seen as the working window.