Characterizing and understanding the mechanisms underlying geopolymerization are critical in achieving the use of sustainable construction material, geopolymer, for widespread commercial production. Non-destructive ¹H NMR relaxometry can provide novel information about geopolymerization as it allows simultaneous detection of where the water goes and how the pore structure changes. Coupled with the development of single-sided NMR devices, NMR measurements are not limited by the specimen size and are therefore able to observe in-situ conditions of geopolymer synthesis. Here, the curing process of metakaolin-based geopolymers was monitored by ¹H relaxometry on a single-sided NMR device. The silica-to-alumina ratio (Si/Al) was found to affect reaction stages of the geopolymerization. After the dissolution of aluminosilicate precursor, the low Si/Al of 1 was found to generate three gelation/polymerization stages as well as a water-binding stage, and two gel phases appeared. When Si/Al varied in 1.5–2.5, two gelation/polymerization stages and only one gel phase was observed.

表征和理解地质聚合的潜在机制对于实现可持续建筑材料地质聚合物的广泛商业生产的使用至关重要。非破坏性¹ H NMR 弛豫测量法可以提供有关地质聚合的新信息，因为它可以同时检测水流向何处以及孔隙结构如何变化。再加上单面核磁共振装置的发展，核磁共振测量不受样品尺寸的限制，因此能够观察地质聚合物合成的原位条件。在这里，偏高岭土基地质聚合物的固化过程通过¹ H 弛豫测量法在单面 NMR 设备上进行监测。硅铝比 ( Si / Al) 被发现会影响地质聚合的反应阶段。在硅铝酸盐前驱体溶解后，发现低Si / Al 1 产生三个凝胶/聚合阶段以及一个水结合阶段，并出现两个凝胶相。当Si / Al在 1.5-2.5 范围内变化时，观察到两个凝胶/聚合阶段和仅一个凝胶阶段。