Effect of Sintering Mechanism towards Crystallization of Geopolymer Ceramic—A Review

Globally, there is an increasing need for ceramic materials that have a variety of applications in the environment, for precision tools, and for the biomedical, electronics, and environmental industries. However, in order to obtain remarkable mechanical qualities, ceramics have to be manufactured at a high temperature of up to 1600 °C over a long heating period. Furthermore, the conventional approach presents issues with agglomeration, irregular grain growth, and furnace pollution. Many researchers have developed an interest in using geopolymer to produce ceramic materials, focusing on improving the performances of geopolymer ceramics. In addition to helping to lower the sintering temperature, it also improves the strength and other properties of the ceramics. Geopolymer is a product of polymerization involving aluminosilicate sources such as fly ash, metakaolin, kaolin, and slag through activation using an alkaline solution. The sources of the raw materials, the ratio of the alkaline solution, the sintering time, the calcining temperature, the mixing time, and the curing time may have significant impacts on the qualities. Therefore, this review aims to study the effects of sintering mechanisms on the crystallization of geopolymer ceramics, concerning the strength achieved. A future research opportunity is also presented in this review.