T.D. What do you consider to be some of the greatest challenges in this
field of research?
Dr. Davidovits
To get those scientists working in the field
of geopolymer cement
and who had a Portland
cement chemistry back-
ground to shift away
from hydration-based
reasoning towards geopolymer terminology
and chemistry.
This is not easy because
it requires from them
that they go back to
school.
T.D. What, in your opinion, are some of the emerging applications that will
gain interest in the next few years?
Dr. Davidovits
I always make a
clear
distinction
between Geopolymer
Technologies
and
Geopolymer
Cement
applications.
With
respect to Geopolymer
Technologies, we should
see the commercial-
ization in the field of
pharmaceutical applications, high-tech ceramics, paints and coatings, and heat-resistant
composite materials. As
for the cement field, I
guess that the newly
discovered ferro-sial55
ate geopolymer cement
type will provide the
solution for mass production worldwide (see
at www.geopolymer.org
the News dated August
2012 on “red geopolymer cement”).