Effect of Calcination Temperatures on the Chemical, Microstructure, and Strength Characterisation of Borassus Ash-Mortar
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63746/njtd.v23i2.4645Keywords:
Borassus Ash, Mortar, Microstructure, Compressive Strength, Cement ReplacementAbstract
Studies have shown that biomass ashes from diverse agricultural residues exhibit pozzolanic characteristics, making them suitable for partial cement replacement in mortar production. However, limited studies have explored the feasibility of Borassus ash as a partial replacement of cement in mortar. Information on the material phase changes and microstructure under the varying calcination temperatures is not available in literatures. This study assessed the effect of calcination temperatures on the chemical, microstructure, and strength properties of mortar containing Borassus ash. The Borassus was calcined at four different temperatures: 500, 600, 700, and 800 oC. Mineralogical, chemical, and morphological characterization of the obtained Borassus ashes was conducted. Moreso, the influence of the Borassus ash on the setting time, density, and compressive strength properties of mortar were examined. The results revealed that calcination temperature influences the surface morphology, fineness, porosity, amorphous and crystalline phase of Borassus ash. Borassus ash calcined at a temperature of 600 oC provides a balance between crystalline and amorphous phases, and the highest SiO?, Al?O?, and Fe?O? combination of 82.1%, demonstrating potential to perform better in cement replacement applications, aligning with the ASTM C618 and IS 3812-1 standards requiring a minimum of 70% for pozzolanic materials. A mortar mix containing 15 % Borassus ash as a cement replacement achieved an optimum density and compressive strength of 2218 ± 6 kg/m³ and 14.93 ± 0.2 N/mm2 at 28 days, which were 7.4 and 29.9 % higher than the control mix. The findings demonstrate Borassus ash as a viable alternative to cement in the production of environmentally friendly mortar mixes, providing value for the agro-sourced material.
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