Rheology effect and enhanced thermal conductivity of diamond/metakaolin geopolymer fabricated by direct ink writing

• Published in: Rapid prototyping journal 2021-07, Vol.27 (5), p.837-850
• Main Authors: Wang, Yushen, Xiong, Wei, Tang, Danna, Hao, Liang, Li, Zheng, Li, Yan, Cheng, Kaka
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3-D printers; Caustic soda; Composite materials; Corrosion; Corrosion prevention; Diamonds; Extrudability; Fourier transforms; Friction; Geology; Geopolymers; Graphene; Heat conductivity; Heat detection; Heat resistance; Heat transfer; Heat transfer coefficients; Landslides; Manufacturing; Mechanical properties; Metakaolin; Natural disasters; Radioactive wastes; Rapid prototyping; Raw materials; Rheological properties; Rheology; Simulation; Slurries; Sodium; Thermal conductivity; Thermal imaging; Three dimensional printing; Viscosity
• ISSN: 1355-2546; 1758-7670
• DOI: 10.1108/RPJ-06-2020-0124

Purpose Traditional simulation research of geological and similar engineering models, such as landslides or other natural disaster scenarios, usually focuses on the change of stress and the state of the model before and after destruction. However, the transition of the inner change is usually invisible. To optimize and make models more intelligent, this paper aims to propose a perceptible design to detect the internal temperature change transformed by other energy versions like stress or torsion. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, micron diamond particles were embedded in 3D printed geopolymers as a potential thermal sensor material to detect the inner heat change. The authors use synthetic micron diamond powder to reinforced the anti-corrosion properties and thermal conductivity of geopolymer and apply this novel geopolymer slurry in the direct ink writing (DIW) technique. Findings As a result, the addition of micron diamond powder can greatly influence the rheology of geopolymer slurry and make the geopolymer slurry extrudable and suitable for DIW by reducing the slope of the viscosity of this inorganic colloid. The heat transfer coefficient of the micron diamond (15 Wt.%)/geopolymer was 50% higher than the pure geopolymer, which could be detected by the infrared thermal imager. Besides, the addition of diamond particles also increased the porous rates of geopolymer. Originality/value In conclusion, DIW slurry deposition of micron diamond-embedded geopolymer (MDG) composites could be used to manufacture the multi-functional geological model for thermal imaging and defect detection, which need the characteristic of lightweight, isolation, heat transfer and wave absorption.