Energy-Efficient geopolymer wall panels: optimizing mechanical, thermal, and acoustic properties for sustainable construction

The rising demand for sustainable and multifunctional building materials in advanced construction field needs innovative composites that acquires superior mechanical, thermal, and acoustic performance. This study focusses on to analyse the potential of geopolymer composites developed with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), waste foundry sand (WFS), vermiculite, and coir fiber. Five mix designs (M1-M5) were developed with varying combination of WFS (5-25wt%) and vermiculite content (40-20wt%), while maintaining constant liquid-to-binder ratio (L/B = 0.4) and coir fiber content (5wt%). The test findings highlight, impact of the mix design on material performance. In this study, for the sample M1 to M5, densities varied from 1302 to 2032 kg/m³, water absorption reduced from 23 to 9%, compressive strength improved from 6.52 MPa to 20.0 MPa, while flexural strength increased from 2.9 MPa to 7.0 MPa, indicating improved structural integrity with increasing WFS. In addition, thermal conductivity varied from 0.1222 to 0.1652 W/m·K, and sound absorption coefficients (SAC) peaking at 0.41, while noise reduction coefficients (NRC) ranged from 0.23 to 0.10, demonstrating superior thermal and acoustic performance in mixes with higher porosity due to vermiculite. Further, the study emphasis the versatility of geopolymer composites, which can be tailored for specific applications by adjusting the mix proportions. The test findings position geopolymer composites as a promising solution for sustainable, multifunctional building materials in modern construction.