Louisiana Tech University has managed to pour a 5,000 lb block of geopolymer in their lab (the largest block of geopolymer to date). I've known the researchers for years and I am arranging for a field trial in the spring of 2010 to pour a retaining wall on my property out of geopolymer in ICF. The field trial will help "prove" the ability of geopolymers for use with ICF walls. The researchers say meeting the specification standards for concrete used in ICF construction should be no difficulty. If we can accomplish such a large scale geopolymer pour we will be capable of scaling up to actually pour my future ICF home with geopolymer instead of portland cement. I'll report back on our progress next year. I'm excited. The geopolymer should result in approximately 90% less CO2 emissions than the production of portland cement.

Interesting... some people think geopolymers will replace cement (not concrete) as they are much greener than cement - i think this CO2 stuff is driven by LEED.. kind of silly when you reduce your output of co2 by 1 ton and china increases it by 100000000000000000000000000000000 tons.

It's more than just a "green" label. It's an issue of embodied energy and reusing waste materials instead of consuming limited and precious resources. Even an extreme right wing conservative can gladly embrace the favorable economics of geopolymers as compared to portland cement. And structural and civil engineers and architects can all appreciate the superior material properties. This is no mere "green" improvement for only environmental reasons (although imo that would be enough). Geopolymers are an industry revolutionizing advancement. Other than plastics when was the last time a new low cost widely available construction material was added to our design and construction toolbox? Take the "everything green is voodoo" skepticism away from your analysis and take another look at geopolymer

GWhittle
I am totally not familiar with geopolymers.
Is there a 'Geopolymers for Dummies' that you could direct me to?

ditto what wes said. What is the price per yard?

Baldwin2012 why do you love to HATE china? if you look at western history of pollution generated by our industrial revolution early 1900 dreds ,we were huge polluters ! how long did it take the west to begin to look at not polluting? 100 years ! China 's industrial revolution started the same way as the west polluting 1970ies , in a short 30 years the government and people of china have become more active and conscious of pollution than the American govt. and our industrial giants polluters . In the near future you'll be able to buy your geopolymers from china well before there available in usa because of lobbiest from cement industry.

here are some site of reseach on geopolymers in china;
http://www.geopolymer.org/tag/china

LOL to me china is like a honda civic - I do not like them nor do I dislike them. Kinda like whatever... nice people...

It is simply stupid to think saving a million tons of co2 here would make a difference against china and india releasing 20 gazilitons....

If we do not bother to make an effort at CO2 reduction because of China then we might as well just shoot ourselves now. We are supposed to provide leadership and technological advancements. geopolymer cement sounds like a good product with a huge distribution problem.