A building assembly can include a substrate and a water barrier coating film. The water barrier coating film can include a thermoplastic polymer and microporous particles, such as microporous glass beads. The water barrier coating film can provide a good protection towards liquid water but may allow water vapor flow from the substrate through the coating film. The water vapor permeability of the water barrier coating film can be at least 2 US perms as tested according to ASTM E96 (2014) at 21° C. and 50% average relative humidity.

Disclosed herein is a method of: placing between a cooling element and an opposing surface a slurry of: a dielectric powder containing barium titanate, a dispersant, a binder, and water; maintaining the cooling element at a temperature below the opposing surface to cause the formation of ice platelets perpendicular to the surface of the cooling element and having the powder between the platelets; subliming the ice platelets to create voids; sintering the powder to form the dielectric material; and filling the voids with the polymeric material. The process can produce a composite having: a sintered dielectric material of barium titanate and platelets of a polymeric material embedded in the dielectric material. Each of the platelets is perpendicular to a surface of the composite.

Engineered stone, and methods of manufacturing same. An engineered stone comprises: a surface of the engineered stone, wherein the surface comprises one or more pores; and a sealant mixture including a sealant material and a functional component, wherein the functional component modifies one or more properties of said engineered stone.

Engineered stone, and methods of manufacturing same. An engineered stone comprises: a surface of the engineered stone, wherein the surface comprises one or more pores; and a sealant mixture including a sealant material and a functional component, wherein the functional component modifies one or more properties of said engineered stone.

Engineered stone, and methods of manufacturing same. An engineered stone comprises: a surface of the engineered stone, wherein the surface comprises one or more pores; and a sealant mixture including a sealant material and a functional component, wherein the functional component modifies one or more properties of said engineered stone.

The present description relates to an anti-efflorescence water based composition that eliminates the efflorescence that occurs on new pavers, stones, concrete bricks or concrete furniture because of high humidity comprising a homo polymer solution of acrylic, an hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol and/or a combination thereof.

A method of preparing a cement hydration product nano-thin film, the method including: (1) preparing a cement hydration product; (2) preparing a water sacrificial layer film; (3) depositing the cement hydration product obtained in (1) on the surface of the water sacrificial layer film obtained in (2) to obtain a cement hydration product film; and (4) immersing the cement hydration product film in a saturated aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide to dissolve the water sacrificial layer film to obtain a nano-thin film of the cement hydration product.

A ceramic composite article includes a substrate including a matrix of ceramic material defining a network of interstitial regions and a transparent material occupying at least some of the interstitial regions of the substrate. The transparent material can have a melting point lower than a melting point of the ceramic material. The matrix of ceramic material can be formed by a 3D printing process.

A ceramic composite article includes a substrate including a matrix of ceramic material defining a network of interstitial regions and a transparent material occupying at least some of the interstitial regions of the substrate. The transparent material can have a melting point lower than a melting point of the ceramic material. The matrix of ceramic material can be formed by a 3D printing process.

A ceramic composite article includes a substrate including a matrix of ceramic material defining a network of interstitial regions and a transparent material occupying at least some of the interstitial regions of the substrate. The transparent material can have a melting point lower than a melting point of the ceramic material. The matrix of ceramic material can be formed by a 3D printing process.