An improved water-resistant gypsum product prepared with a high-viscosity siloxane is provided. A fuel-efficient method for making the product and reducing the amount of siloxane dust released is provided as well.

A building panel with a high degree of isotropy with regard to the load bearing capacity and flexural strength. The building panel includes a first section and a second section, each section including at least one layer, each of the at least one layer having fibers, whereby the fibers are distributed substantially homogeneously throughout each layer, substantially parallel to the main surfaces of the panel and oriented predominantly in the same direction and the sections are firmly joined in transverse direction, and the first section is thinner than the second section.

[Object] To provide a building material having excellent durability. [Solution] A building material has a convex part formed on a surface thereof, the convex part including a first lateral surface part and a second lateral surface part corresponding to the first lateral surface part. The building material is formed from a mixture containing a hydraulic material, an admixture, and a plant-based reinforcing material, and the plant-based reinforcing material at least in the convex part is distributed in the mixture with the hydraulic material and the admixture attached to the plant-based reinforcing material. A distribution of the plant-based reinforcing material in the first lateral surface part and a distribution of the plant-based reinforcing material in the second lateral surface part are substantially the same. Desirably, the convex part includes a first edge part that is an edge part of the first lateral surface part and a second edge part that is an edge part of the second lateral surface part and that corresponds to the first edge part, and a distribution of holes formed in the first edge part and a distribution of holes formed in the second edge part are substantially the same.

This invention relates to improved high temperature resistant calcium sulphate-based products e.g. gypsum wallboard products and, in particular, to products having reduced shrinkage at high temperatures. The invention provides calcium sulphate-based product comprising gypsum and a shrinkage resistance additive. The shrinkage resistance additive is melamine polyphosphate or melamine pyrophosphate.

This invention relates to improved high temperature resistant calcium sulphate-based products e.g. gypsum wallboard products and, in particular, to products having reduced shrinkage at high temperatures. The invention provides calcium sulphate-based product comprising gypsum and a shrinkage resistance additive. The shrinkage resistance additive is melamine polyphosphate or melamine pyrophosphate.

A method for improving the air and/or water barrier performance of a building panel is disclosed. The building panel may be a gypsum board or cement board. In particular, the board may have improved resistance to bulk water penetration or permeation while maintaining breathability with respect to water vapor.

A method of forming a patterned device includes depositing at least one nanostructure comprising self-assembled nucleic acids formed into a predetermined conformation upon a surface of a substrate, depositing a stabilizing layer of material mechanically stronger than the at least one nanostructure over the at least one nanostructure and the surface of the substrate to form a positive pattern template, depositing a layer of a first polymer over the positive pattern template, and removing the layer of the first polymer from connection with the positive pattern template, wherein the layer of the first polymer includes a surface having a negative imprint of the positive pattern template.

This invention relates to improved high temperature resistant calcium sulphate-based products e.g. gypsum wallboard products and, in particular, to products having reduced shrinkage at high temperatures. The invention provides calcium sulphate-based product comprising gypsum and a shrinkage resistance additive. The shrinkage resistance additive is melamine polyphosphate or melamine pyrophosphate.

This invention relates to improved high temperature resistant calcium sulphate-based products e.g. gypsum wallboard products and, in particular, to products having reduced shrinkage at high temperatures. The invention provides calcium sulphate-based product comprising gypsum and a shrinkage resistance additive. The shrinkage resistance additive is melamine polyphosphate or melamine pyrophosphate.

A process for producing heat-expandable microspheres including a thermoplastic resin shell and a blowing agent encapsulated therein. The process includes the steps of dispersing a polymerizable component and the blowing agent in an aqueous dispersion medium having a pH of 7 or less and containing a fine-particle metal compound having a mean particle size ranging from 1.0 to 10 nm, and polymerizing the polymerizable component. The amount of the fine-particle metal compound ranges from 0.15 to 20 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight of the total amount of the polymerizable component and the blowing agent. Also disclosed are heat-expandable microspheres produced by dispersing a polymerizable component and a blowing agent in an aqueous dispersion medium containing colloidal silica and polymerizing the polymerizable component. Also disclosed is a composition containing the heat-expandable microspheres and a base component, a formed product, a slurry composition for use in forming a negative electrode of a lithium-ion secondary battery and a negative electrode.