This invention aims to provide a novel material to be used for the production of components used in the construction industry such as construction blocks, wall panels, floor and roof tiles, lintels and any other product that could use this novel material. The novel material is a paper concrete made with 50% to 90% of recycled paper in the base mixture. This invention also aims to provide a novel process for making a construction block with the base mixture of paper concrete. The process for making the lightweight building blocks with this paper concrete has three main steps with two stages each. The base mixture for the paper concrete is essentially interlinked with the process for making this construction block. The two first steps of the process are crucial to achieve the base mixture and the following step is crucial to achieve a construction block. Thereafter, there are possibilities for producing these blocks with different colors by adding pigment to the paper pulp at stage 1 and adding artistic molds to the molds on the block making machine in stage 6.

This invention aims to provide a novel material to be used for the production of components used in the construction industry such as construction blocks, wall panels, floor and roof tiles, lintels and any other product that could use this novel material. The novel material is a paper concrete made with 50% to 90% of recycled paper in the base mixture. This invention also aims to provide a novel process for making a construction block with the base mixture of paper concrete. The process for making the lightweight building blocks with this paper concrete has three main steps with two stages each. The base mixture for the paper concrete is essentially interlinked with the process for making this construction block. The two first steps of the process are crucial to achieve the base mixture and the following step is crucial to achieve a construction block. Thereafter, there are possibilities for producing these blocks with different colors by adding pigment to the paper pulp at stage 1 and adding artistic molds to the molds on the block making machine in stage 6.

A dry papercrete mix containing a pulp of fiber material such as newsprint and sharp sand, Portland cement and adding additional sand and/or pumice. The resulting dry, granular mix can then be handled stored and used in the manner which is conventional for concrete. The dry papercrete mix can be fortified with a fiber form of basalt which can be added to or substituted for all or a portion of the cellulose fiber content of the dry papercrete mix to provide a stronger structure when hydrated and cast into a desired shape with only a small increase in weight. Basalt reinforcing bars and meshes may be included in shapes cast from the hydrated mix in combination with or substitution for steel reinforcing structures. Including basalt in the mix and in reinforcing systems allows the design of joints between structural modules to provide exceptional strength in a unitary structure so formed.

A dry papercrete mix containing a pulp of fiber material such as newsprint and sharp sand, Portland cement and adding additional sand and/or pumice. The resulting dry, granular mix can then be handled stored and used in the manner which is conventional for concrete. The dry papercrete mix can be fortified with a fiber form of basalt which can be added to or substituted for all or a portion of the cellulose fiber content of the dry papercrete mix to provide a stronger structure when hydrated and cast into a desired shape with only a small increase in weight. Basalt reinforcing bars and meshes may be included in shapes cast from the hydrated mix in combination with or substitution for steel reinforcing structures. Including basalt in the mix and in reinforcing systems allows the design of joints between structural modules to provide exceptional strength in a unitary structure so formed.

Gypsum based compositions, processes for making same, and articles made therefrom. In one example, the gypsum based composition can include about 1.5 wt % to about 3 wt % of a starch, about 11 wt % to about 14 wt % of a paper, about 0.7 wt % to about 2.3 wt % of vermiculite, about 1.3 wt % to about 3 wt % of a plurality of reinforcing fibers, about 7 wt % to about 10 wt % of a binding agent, about 2 wt % to about 4 wt % of perlite, and about 65 wt % to about 75 wt % of a calcium sulfate, where all weight percent values are based on a combined weight of the starch, paper, vermiculite, plurality of reinforcing fibers, binding agent, perlite, and calcium sulfate.

Gypsum based compositions, processes for making same, and articles made therefrom. In one example, the gypsum based composition can include about 1.5 wt % to about 3 wt % of a starch, about 11 wt % to about 14 wt % of a paper, about 0.7 wt % to about 2.3 wt % of vermiculite, about 1.3 wt % to about 3 wt % of a plurality of reinforcing fibers, about 7 wt % to about 10 wt % of a binding agent, about 2 wt % to about 4 wt % of perlite, and about 65 wt % to about 75 wt % of a calcium sulfate, where all weight percent values are based on a combined weight of the starch, paper, vermiculite, plurality of reinforcing fibers, binding agent, perlite, and calcium sulfate.

Method and composition for producing aggregates from cement and concrete, including residual or returned concrete. Exemplary methods involve the use of an aggregate-forming inducer that provides a surface anchoring site for cement paste to bond/adhere, such as shredded news print, cardboard, or mixtures thereof, and also including fiber materials such as polymers, glass, and other material fibers. The aggregate-forming inducer is mixed with fresh concrete until aggregates are formed.

Method and composition for producing aggregates from cement and concrete, including residual or returned concrete. Exemplary methods involve the use of an aggregate-forming inducer that provides a surface anchoring site for cement paste to bond/adhere, such as shredded news print, cardboard, or mixtures thereof, and also including fiber materials such as polymers, glass, and other material fibers. The aggregate-forming inducer is mixed with fresh concrete until aggregates are formed.

Techniques of forming a foamed insulation material from gypsum waste are disclosed herein. One example technique includes mechanically comminuting the gypsum waste from an original size into particles of gypsum at a target size smaller than the original size and mixing the particles of the gypsum with a binder to form a mixture of particles and binder. The binder is configured to bind the particles of gypsum upon hydration. The example technique can further include performing air entrainment on the mixture until a foam is formed from the mixture having the particles of gypsum and binder. The foam has water that causes the binder to bind the particles of gypsum. The example technique can then include removing moisture from the mixture with the formed foam to form a foamed insulation material from the particles of gypsum.

Techniques of forming a foamed insulation material from gypsum waste are disclosed herein. One example technique includes mechanically comminuting the gypsum waste from an original size into particles of gypsum at a target size smaller than the original size and mixing the particles of the gypsum with a binder to form a mixture of particles and binder. The binder is configured to bind the particles of gypsum upon hydration. The example technique can further include performing air entrainment on the mixture until a foam is formed from the mixture having the particles of gypsum and binder. The foam has water that causes the binder to bind the particles of gypsum. The example technique can then include removing moisture from the mixture with the formed foam to form a foamed insulation material from the particles of gypsum.