A Critical Review on the Advances and Prospects of One-Part Geopolymer

Given the increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions in the cement industry, geopolymers, which can be prepared from bulk solid waste, offer the dual benefits of carbon reduction and solid waste disposal, making them a highly promising low-carbon cementitious material. Traditional two-part geopolymer processes rely on highly corrosive liquid alkali activators, which pose significant risks during storage, transportation, and construction, and are difficult to adapt to the needs of large-scale solid waste disposal at mining sites. In contrast, the one-part geopolymer process involves premixing precursors with solid activators to form a dry powder that reacts upon the addition of water. This approach significantly reduces the risks associated with the storage and transportation of liquid alkali at the source and provides a viable pathway for the on-site resource recovery of solid waste. This paper systematically reviews the raw material and pretreatment technology principles of one-part geopolymers, contrasting the activation pathways of solid waste precursors, such as tailings, with the functional characteristics of various solid activators. It also summarises the patterns of performance development and progress in engineering applications, identifies existing bottlenecks such as reaction efficiency and volume stability, and outlines future development directions. This provides a reference for the application and promotion of one-part geopolymers in solid waste resource recovery.