Influence of metakaolin characteristics on the mechanical properties of geopolymers

•Metakaolin characteristics are related to geopolymer properties.•No correlation was found between Al (V) content and geopolymer strength development.•Dissolution in 8 M NaOH provides the preferred indicator of metakaolin reactivity.

The relationship between the properties of geopolymers and the characteristics of metakaolin samples used in their preparation has been investigated. Three commercial metakaolin samples have been characterised using 27Al-NMR to determine the coordination number of Al (IV, V and VI), and by acid and alkali dissolution to determine the reactive Si and Al content. The setting and mechanical properties of geopolymers formed from the metakaolin samples under identical conditions are reported, using Weibull statistics to analyse strength data. Although the metakaolin samples contained different levels of five coordinated aluminium (Al (V)) the mechanical properties of the geopolymers formed were very similar. The reactive fraction of metakaolinite determined by dissolution in 8 M NaOH provides the most relevant long-term indicator of geopolymer performance.