A method for a mechanical treatment of a concrete floor, such as troweling and blade finishing, using a hand-operated, a walk-behind or a ride-on actuator, such as a concrete power trowel machine, a floor treatment machine or the like, is described. The actuator has one or more operating heads comprising a rotor consisting of two or more attachment arms. The floor surface is treated by means of concrete troweling elements, such as circular trowel pans or elongated trowel blades attached to the rotor attachment arms, made substantially of plastic material, that are detachably coupled to the rotor of the actuator, in particular to prevent discoloration of the treated floor surface during treatment. Before the concrete floor is troweled with plastic-based concrete troweling elements, a water-soluble silica-based medium is applied on it.

A method for a mechanical treatment of a concrete floor, such as troweling and blade finishing, using a hand-operated, a walk-behind or a ride-on actuator, such as a concrete power trowel machine, a floor treatment machine or the like, is described. The actuator has one or more operating heads comprising a rotor consisting of two or more attachment arms. The floor surface is treated by means of concrete troweling elements, such as circular trowel pans or elongated trowel blades attached to the rotor attachment arms, made substantially of plastic material, that are detachably coupled to the rotor of the actuator, in particular to prevent discoloration of the treated floor surface during treatment. Before the concrete floor is troweled with plastic-based concrete troweling elements, a water-soluble silica-based medium is applied on it.

Acoustical tile including a dried base mat of: about 70 to about 90 wt % mineral wool; about 5 to about 15 wt % perlite; 0 to about 10 wt % starch; about 3 to about 10 wt % latex; 0 to about 5 wt % gypsum; and less than 5 wt % water. The dried base mat without including glass fibers and without a laminate layer or coating and without perforations has a NRC of about 0.70 or greater, a density of about 10 pcf to about 12 pcf, and a thickness of about to about 1 inch. The acoustical tile can further include a back coating at a surface weight of about 5 grams per square foot (gsf) to about 40 gsf to the dried base mat, wherein the acoustical tile has the CAC rating of about 30 to about 35.

Acoustical tile including a dried base mat of: about 70 to about 90 wt % mineral wool; about 5 to about 15 wt % perlite; 0 to about 10 wt % starch; about 3 to about 10 wt % latex; 0 to about 5 wt % gypsum; and less than 5 wt % water. The dried base mat without including glass fibers and without a laminate layer or coating and without perforations has a NRC of about 0.70 or greater, a density of about 10 pcf to about 12 pcf, and a thickness of about to about 1 inch. The acoustical tile can further include a back coating at a surface weight of about 5 grams per square foot (gsf) to about 40 gsf to the dried base mat, wherein the acoustical tile has the CAC rating of about 30 to about 35.

Luminescent concrete compositions containing cement, fine aggregates such as sand, and a phosphor such as strontium aluminate. Glow-in-the-dark concrete products made therefrom and methods of producing such concrete products are also specified. The glow-in-the-dark concrete products demonstrate good mechanical strength (e.g. compressive strength) and skid resistance. The addition of phosphorescent strontium aluminate provides luminance that persists for up to 10 hours to the concrete products.

Luminescent concrete compositions containing cement, fine aggregates such as sand, and a phosphor such as strontium aluminate. Glow-in-the-dark concrete products made therefrom and methods of producing such concrete products are also specified. The glow-in-the-dark concrete products demonstrate good mechanical strength (e.g. compressive strength) and skid resistance. The addition of phosphorescent strontium aluminate provides luminance that persists for up to 10 hours to the concrete products.

Inorganic coatings that may be used to coat and protect concrete are disclosed. The protective inorganic coatings include a liquid composition portion comprising water, an alkali metal oxide component and a silicate-containing component. The coatings also include a powder composition portion comprising microspheres, metal oxide powder and optional microfibers. When applied to concrete, the coatings provide chemical and physical protection.

A composition that may be used to retain moisture within fresh concrete as it cures to optimize the curing of the concrete may include one or more hardening and densifying agents (e.g., alkali metal polysilicate, colloidal silica, etc.) and one or more temporary moisture sealing agents (e.g., a wax, etc.). Additionally, such a composition may include a siliconate (e.g., a metal siliconate, such as an alkali metal siliconate like potassium methyl siliconate, etc.). The hardening and densifying agent of such a composition may penetrate the surface of fresh concrete to react with free lime, providing the fresh concrete with a strong surface. The temporary moisture sealing agent may form a moisture barrier on the surface of the fresh concrete to prevent moisture from escaping from the fresh concrete (e.g., evaporating, etc.) before the fresh concrete has sufficiently cured. The temporary moisture sealing agent may degrade within a matter of days (e.g., three days, seven days, 14 days, less than a month, etc.), facilitating its removal from the surface of the concrete once the concrete has cured and enabling further treatment of the surface without undue delay.

A composition that may be used to retain moisture within fresh concrete as it cures to optimize the curing of the concrete may include one or more hardening and densifying agents (e.g., alkali metal polysilicate, colloidal silica, etc.) and one or more temporary moisture sealing agents (e.g., a wax, etc.). Additionally, such a composition may include a siliconate (e.g., a metal siliconate, such as an alkali metal siliconate like potassium methyl siliconate, etc.). The hardening and densifying agent of such a composition may penetrate the surface of fresh concrete to react with free lime, providing the fresh concrete with a strong surface. The temporary moisture sealing agent may form a moisture barrier on the surface of the fresh concrete to prevent moisture from escaping from the fresh concrete (e.g., evaporating, etc.) before the fresh concrete has sufficiently cured. The temporary moisture sealing agent may degrade within a matter of days (e.g., three days, seven days, 14 days, less than a month, etc.), facilitating its removal from the surface of the concrete once the concrete has cured and enabling further treatment of the surface without undue delay.

Luminescent concrete compositions containing cement, fine aggregates such as sand, and a phosphor such as strontium aluminate. Glow-in-the-dark concrete products made therefrom and methods of producing such concrete products are also specified. The glow-in-the-dark concrete products demonstrate good mechanical strength (e.g. compressive strength) and skid resistance. The addition of phosphorescent strontium aluminate provides luminance that persists for up to 10 hours to the concrete products.