Fired clay moldings are hydrophobicized by applying a long chain alkyl-substituted alkoxysilane or hydrolysate thereof having up to 5 silicon atoms, and an alkoxy-functional silicone resin. The moldings, which may be roof tiles, are hydrophobicized to a significant depth, without discoloration.

A process for manufacturing a composite part includes introducing an adhesion promoter into the pores of a fibrous preform formed by threads covered with a coating having OH groups on its surface, the adhesion promoter including an electron-withdrawing group G1 that is reactive according to a reaction of substitution or of nucleophilic addition with the OH groups, and a reactive group G2; grafting the adhesion promoter to the surface of the coating by a reaction of substitution or nucleophilic addition of the OH groups on the group G1; introducing a ceramic precursor resin into the pores of the fibrous preform; polymerizing the resin introduced and bonding the grafted adhesion promoter to the resin by chemical reaction between these two compounds at the level of the group G2, and forming a ceramic matrix phase in the pores of the fibrous preform by pyrolysis of the polymerized resin.

Provided is a particle material that achieves excellent mechanical properties and optical properties when dispersed in a transparent resin material in order to solve the problem. In a case where primary particles having particle sizes in a certain range are formed into an aggregate, mechanical properties are enhanced while optical properties are maintained. The primary particles each have compositions different between the inside thereof and the surface thereof. Therefore, the optical properties to be obtained are easily controlled unlike an inorganic substance in which both of the compositions are mixed at an atomic level. The particle material of the present invention is an aggregate including primary particles in which a specific surface area. diameter is not less than 0.8 nm and not greater than 80 nm, the primary particles formed of an inorganic substance in which a composition of a surface and a composition of an inside are different.

A method for improving the hydrophobic properties of a fiber cement product, is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a fiber cement product comprising at least one profiled surface, applying a water-free silane-based liquid to the at least one profiled surface, and allowing said water-free silane-based liquid to penetrate into the fiber cement product.

Anion exchange membranes and materials including silica-based ceramics, and associated methods, are provided. In some aspects, anion exchange membranes that include a silica-based ceramic that forms a coating on and/or within a porous support membrane are described. The anion exchange membranes and materials may have certain structural or chemical attributes (e.g., pore size/distribution, chemical functionalization) that, alone or in combination, can result in advantageous performance characteristics in any of a variety of applications for which selective transport of positively charged ions through membranes/materials is desired. In some embodiments, the silica-based ceramic contains relatively small pores (e.g., substantially spherical nanopores) that may contribute to some such advantageous properties. In some embodiments, the anion exchange membrane or material includes quaternary ammonium groups covalently bound to the silica-based ceramic.

A method of making a lithium alkylsiliconate composition comprising adding an alkylalkoxysilane to a first mixture comprising lithium hydroxide and water to form a second mixture comprising a lithium alkylsiliconate and an alcohol, wherein i) the mole ratio of lithium hydroxide to alkylalkoxysilane is from 0.9 to less than 1.1 and the water is from 89 to 93 mol %, or ii) the mole ratio of lithium hydroxide to alkylalkoxysilane is from 1.1 to 1.4 and the water is from greater than 93 to 99 mole %.

Disclosed are methods and solutions for sealing and curing concrete and other cementitious materials using strontium containing, non-alkali, non-silica, chemical solutions. The strontium-based solutions can be placed in admixture with cementitious materials prior to molding and curing to create a final product, or the strontium-based solutions can be applied to newly created or existing cementitious material surfaces to improve the repellent and stain, resistant properties.

Disclosed are methods and solutions for sealing and curing concrete and other cementitious materials using strontium containing, non-alkali, non-silica, chemical solutions. The strontium-based solutions can be placed in admixture with cementitious materials prior to molding and curing to create a final product, or the strontium-based solutions can be applied to newly created or existing cementitious material surfaces to improve the repellent and stain, resistant properties.

This gel-form composition contains (A) an organoalkoxysilane of the following formula and/or a partially hydrolyzed condensate of the organoalkoxysilane, R.sup.1.sub.aSi(OR.sup.2).sub.4-a (R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are monovalent hydrocarbon groups, and a is 1, 2, or 3), (B) an aluminum dicarboxylate of the following formula (R.sup.3COO).sub.2Al(OH) (R.sup.3 is a monovalent hydrocarbon group), (C) a C6-24 fatty acid, (D) a C6-30 dicarboxylic acid, and (E) an aluminum oligomer and/or aluminum alkoxide selected from aluminum oxide organoxides and aluminum oxide acylates. It is thereby possible to: obtain a water absorption inhibitor that imparts an excellent water absorption-inhibiting property to the surfaces of porous materials; and provide a method for imparting a water absorption-inhibiting property by applying the water absorption inhibitor to the surface of a porous material, and a porous material that is surface-treated by the water absorption inhibitor.

This gel-form composition contains (A) an organoalkoxysilane of the following formula and/or a partially hydrolyzed condensate of the organoalkoxysilane, R.sup.1.sub.aSi(OR.sup.2).sub.4-a (R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are monovalent hydrocarbon groups, and a is 1, 2, or 3), (B) an aluminum dicarboxylate of the following formula (R.sup.3COO).sub.2Al(OH) (R.sup.3 is a monovalent hydrocarbon group), (C) a C6-24 fatty acid, (D) a C6-30 dicarboxylic acid, and (E) an aluminum oligomer and/or aluminum alkoxide selected from aluminum oxide organoxides and aluminum oxide acylates. It is thereby possible to: obtain a water absorption inhibitor that imparts an excellent water absorption-inhibiting property to the surfaces of porous materials; and provide a method for imparting a water absorption-inhibiting property by applying the water absorption inhibitor to the surface of a porous material, and a porous material that is surface-treated by the water absorption inhibitor.