The invention relates to a method for producing a supplementary cementitious material for use in a cement product or concrete, the method comprising the steps of activating clay to the supplementary cementitious material at between 600 to 1000 degree Celsius; treating the activated supplementary cementitious material under reduced conditions to form a reduced product and cooling the reduced product to 300-400 degrees Celsius by a quenching process under oxidizing conditions.

An apparatus including: (a) a fluid material conduit in fluid communication with a source of a fluid material, wherein the fluid material comprises unexpanded, expandable polymeric microspheres; (b) a treatment zone in heat transfer communication with a source of heat and in fluid communication with the fluid material conduit, such that the fluid material is directly or indirectly contacted by heat within the treatment zone; and (c) a back pressure generator in fluid communication with the treatment zone, capable of increasing pressure in the treatment zone, which results in expansion of the expandable polymeric microspheres when the fluid material exits the treatment zone.

The invention relates to a method for producing an expanded granulate from sand grain-shaped mineral material (1) with a propellant, wherein the material (1) is fed into a vertically upright furnace (2) from above and said material (1) falls along a drop section (4) through multiple heating zones (5) in a furnace shaft (3) of the furnace (2), wherein each heating zone (5) is heatable using at least one independently controllable heating element (6), and the material (1) is heated to a critical temperature at which the surfaces (7) of the sand grains (15) plasticize and the sand grains (15) are expanded by the propellant. In order to enable setting a closed surface of the expanded granulate in a purposeful fashion, it is provided in accordance with the invention that upon detection of a first reduction in the temperature of the material (1) between two successive positions (9) along the drop section (4) the heating elements (6) are controlled along the remaining drop section (4) depending on the critical temperature.

An apparatus for producing a bloated mineral granulate with a heated processing channel (1) for the mineral granulate fed to a conveying flow (13), wherein an inflow opening (4) is provided in the processing channel (1) for forming a granulate-free laminar flow (5) running along the inner wall of the processing channel, is described.

In order to design a device of the type described above in such a way that a continuous, qualitatively controllable production process is achieved, it is proposed in that the processing channel (1) comprises two channel sections (16), (17) with differing cross-sections, wherein the channel section (16) with a smaller cross-section projects into the channel section (17) with a larger cross-section, forming the inflow opening (4), and wherein the channel section (16) with a smaller cross-section is enclosed by the channel section (17) with a larger cross-section in such a way that an inflow opening (4) is formed completely around the projecting region of the channel section (16) with a smaller cross-section.

An apparatus for producing a bloated mineral granulate with a heated processing channel (1) for the mineral granulate fed to a conveying flow (13), wherein an inflow opening (4) is provided in the processing channel (1) for forming a granulate-free laminar flow (5) running along the inner wall of the processing channel, is described.

In order to design a device of the type described above in such a way that a continuous, qualitatively controllable production process is achieved, it is proposed in that the processing channel (1) comprises two channel sections (16), (17) with differing cross-sections, wherein the channel section (16) with a smaller cross-section projects into the channel section (17) with a larger cross-section, forming the inflow opening (4), and wherein the channel section (16) with a smaller cross-section is enclosed by the channel section (17) with a larger cross-section in such a way that an inflow opening (4) is formed completely around the projecting region of the channel section (16) with a smaller cross-section.

A method of manufacturing an expanded granular material comprises: forming a mixture comprising a silicate material, an alkali compound and water; curing the mixture to form a solid precursor; crushing and/or milling the solid precursor to form an expandable granular material; and heating the granular material to form an expanded granular material.

A reduced weight, reduced density gypsum panel that includes high expansion vermiculite with fire resistance capabilities that are at least comparable to (if not better than) commercial fire rated gypsum panels with a much greater gypsum content, weight and density.

A reduced weight, reduced density gypsum panel that includes high expansion vermiculite with fire resistance capabilities that are at least comparable to (if not better than) commercial fire rated gypsum panels with a much greater gypsum content, weight and density.

A method for producing a bulk material consisting substantially of foamed or blown mineral or oxide particles by thermal treatment of a bulk material of basic particles, characterized in that the thermal treatment includes transport of a transversely conveyed or horizontal layer or of a free flow of the bulk material through a radiation field, the substantial active component of which lies in the near infrared range (NIR), and which has a power density of at least 50 kW/m2.

A method for producing a bulk material consisting substantially of foamed or blown mineral or oxide particles by thermal treatment of a bulk material of basic particles, characterized in that the thermal treatment includes transport of a transversely conveyed or horizontal layer or of a free flow of the bulk material through a radiation field, the substantial active component of which lies in the near infrared range (NIR), and which has a power density of at least 50 kW/m2.