A state-of-the-art review of the structure and properties of laterite-based sustainable geopolymer cement

Portland cement is the primary material in the field of construction. Despite its importance, its production remains an energy-consuming and polluting operation. Research on alternatives to Portland cement has become an international concern, and these alternatives include geopolymers. With the evolution of the research on geopolymers during the last decade, it is necessary to work on raw materials that are abundant in nature and less expensive and provide sustainable construction materials. The present paper reviews the research on the use of laterites as a precursor in synthesizing sustainable geopolymers. The effect of the nature of activators, the calcination temperature of laterites, and the effect of additives on the properties of laterite-based geopolymers are also examined. The characterization results of laterite-based geopolymers show that laterite is a promising precursor for synthesizing sustainable geopolymers with high physical-mechanical characteristics. Finally, perspectives and recommendations for advancing laterite-based geopolymers are discussed at the end of the paper.