Durability of red mud-fly ash based geopolymer and leaching behavior of heavy metals in sulfuric acid solutions and deionized water

The durability and heavy metal leaching behavior of red mud-class F fly ash based geopolymers (RFFG) were investigated in this study. RFFG specimens were soaked in sulfuric acid solutions (pH = 3.0) and deionized water (pH = 7.0) for 1–120 days, and then their remaining mechanical properties and the change in the microstructures were characterized with unconfined compression tests, three-point bending tests, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray...