A composite product comprising a metakaolin-based mineral polymer. The composite product has a number of applications including use as a fire resistant material, use as a thermally insulating material and use as an impact resistance material. Methods of preparing a composite product according to the present invention and a kit of parts for preparing the composite product are also disclosed.

The present invention concerns a plaster composition for manufacturing of a fire resistant plasterboard, said composition comprising hydratable calcium sulphate, water with a water/hydratable calcium sulphate ratio between 0.50 and 1.00 and the following components: 0.5-10 wt. % of SiO2 particles having a particle size distribution d50>10 m; 2.5-10 wt. % of CaCO3; 0.2-2.5 wt. % of polysiloxane wherein the wt. % are expressed relative to the weight of the hydratable calcium sulphate.

An antimicrobial exfoliated vermiculite composite material is synthesized by impregnating the interlayers of exfoliated vermiculite through cation exchange and surface absorption with at least one of the following metal species: copper, silver, zinc, and manganese. Alternately, the antimicrobial material is synthesized by impregnating interlayers of unexfoliated vermiculite with said metal species and exfoliating the product thereafter. The metal species can be in ionic state, nanometer particles, and in the form of metal oxides, metal hydroxides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal phosphates, metal silicates, metal borides, metal sulfides, metal halides, metal hydrides, metal nitrates, metal carbonates, and metal sulfadiazines. Any mixture of these metal species in the exfoliated vermiculite can provide protection against a broad spectrum of pathogens. This antimicrobial material in any desired form, in whole or as an additive, can effectively self-decontaminate various materials or products as the antimicrobial metal ions slowly diffuse to the surface of the products.

A composite product comprising a metakaolin-based mineral polymer. The composite product has a number of applications including use as a fire resistant material, use as a thermally insulating material and use as an impact resistance material. Methods of preparing a composite product according to the present invention and a kit of parts for preparing the composite product are also disclosed.

A water resistant sealing material suitable as a gasket or valve seal is described. The sealing material comprises modified chemically exfoliated vermiculite (CEV) in a proportion of 30-70% w/w sealing material and a filler in a proportion of 70-30% w/w sealing material, and optionally other additives in a proportion of 0-10% w/w sealing material. The modified CEV comprises water resistance enhancing monovalent cations. The sealing material is particularly useful to provide improved water resistance in gaskets and valve seals.

A water resistant sealing material suitable as a gasket or valve seal is described. The sealing material comprises modified chemically exfoliated vermiculite (CEV) in a proportion of 30-70% w/w sealing material and a filler in a proportion of 70-30% w/w sealing material, and optionally other additives in a proportion of 0-10% w/w sealing material. The modified CEV comprises water resistance enhancing monovalent cations. The sealing material is particularly useful to provide improved water resistance in gaskets and valve seals.

A magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) incorporating an emulsion of active cationic organo-silane and method of making same.

A magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) incorporating an emulsion of active cationic organo-silane and method of making same.

The invention provides a composition having a bulk density of 0.8 g/cm.sup.3 or less comprising (a) 25-65 weight % of an inorganic binder comprising (i) 83 to 100 weight % of calcium aluminate cement, (ii) 0 to 14 weight % of calcium sulphate, (iii) 0 to 9 weight % of portland cement wherein the weight % of (i), (ii), (iii) is based on the sum of (i)+(ii)+(iii), (b) 0.5-15 weight % of one or more organic polymers, (c) 30-75 weight % of one or more inorganic fillers wherein the bulk density of the fillers is less than 0.5 g/cm.sup.3, wherein weight % is calculated on the total weight of all the non-volatile components in the composition.

A building construction composition, including wall and ceiling textures, joint compounds and coatings, the building construction composition comprising hydrated gypsum, anhydrous gypsum and/or calcium carbonate, a starch and/or polymeric binder and a formaldehyde-free antibacterial agent which contains one or more of the following compounds: copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate, copper sulfate, copper hydroxide, copper oxychloride, or any combination thereof; and methods for preventing microbial growth during manufacturing, storage and usage of the building construction compositions.