Disclosed are methods of protecting porous substrates and/or increasing the peel-resistance of coatings and stains for porous substrates. The methods may include providing a stain or coating comprising a microencapsulated self-healing material; and applying the stain or coating to a porous substrate. Damage to the stain or coating may release the self-healing material at a site of damage, such as a crack or scratch in the stain or coating. The self-healing material may be a polymeric precursor, an unsaturated polyester resin or alkyd, a fatty acid-based natural oil or derivative thereof, or a cross-linkable silane or siloxane monomer or resin. The microencapsulated self-healing material may include a microcapsule having a shell wall that includes a thermosetting polymer or a thermoplastic polymer; the thermosetting polymer may include urea-formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde, polyurethane, polyurea, or polyacrylate; and the thermoplastic polymer comprises poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(lactic acid), or poly(glycolic acid).

Disclosed are methods of protecting porous substrates and/or increasing the peel-resistance of coatings and stains for porous substrates. The methods may include providing a stain or coating comprising a microencapsulated self-healing material; and applying the stain or coating to a porous substrate. Damage to the stain or coating may release the self-healing material at a site of damage, such as a crack or scratch in the stain or coating. The self-healing material may be a polymeric precursor, an unsaturated polyester resin or alkyd, a fatty acid-based natural oil or derivative thereof, or a cross-linkable silane or siloxane monomer or resin. The microencapsulated self-healing material may include a microcapsule having a shell wall that includes a thermosetting polymer or a thermoplastic polymer; the thermosetting polymer may include urea-formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde, polyurethane, polyurea, or polyacrylate; and the thermoplastic polymer comprises poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(lactic acid), or poly(glycolic acid).

A process for treating a substrate made of stone material, preferably in the form of slabs, is provided which process improves the mechanical, thermal and catalytic properties of the substrate. The process includes applying a protective coating to the outer surface of the substrate made of stone material and, to improve adhesion of the protective coating to the outer surface of the substrate, preliminarily subjecting the substrate to one or more pre-treatment steps that eliminate or reduce the presence of pollutants and porosity on the surface of the substrate. The pre-treatment of the substrate made of stone material comprises at least one step of treatment under vacuum conditions inside an autoclave, preferably under pressure conditions lower than 10.sup.2 mbar. Then, after having brought the substrate back to ambient pressure, it is possible to apply and effectively adhere the protective coating to the surface of the stone material.

Embodiments may include a coated granule for roofing systems. The coated granule may include an aluminum silicate granule and a coating disposed on the aluminum silicate granule. The coating may include a copolymer and a siloxane-based or a silane-based compound. The copolymer may be a cationic fluorinated (meth)acrylic copolymer. The aluminum silicate granule may have a particle size in a range from 0.2 mm to 2.4 mm. The aluminum silicate granule may have a 65% or greater reflectivity. The coated granule may repel oil and maintain its reflectivity better than with other techniques.

The present invention relates to a granular thermal insulation material comprising hydrophobized silicon dioxide and at least one IR opacifier, having a tamped density of up to 250 g/l and a compressive strength according to DIN EN 826:2013 at 50% compression of 150 to 300 kPa or greater than 300 kPa, to processes for production thereof and to the use thereof for thermal insulation.

A silica composite particle includes a silica particle and a compound in which a metal atom selected from the group consisting of Ti, Al, Zr, V, and Mg bonds to an organic group through oxygen, the silica particle being surface-treated with the compound. A coverage of a surface of the silica composite particle with the metal atom is 0.01 at % or more and 30 at % or less. When a binding energy peak of O1s in an oxide of the metal atom is assumed to be MO1s, a binding energy peak of O1s in SiO.sub.2 is assumed to be SO1s, and a binding energy peak of O1s in the silica composite particle is assumed to be MSO1s, the binding energy peaks being detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the formula 0.000452X.sup.20.059117X+SO1s<MSOs(SO1sMO1s)/100X+SO1s is satisfied.

Embodiments may include a coated granule for roofing systems. The coated granule may include an aluminum silicate granule and a coating disposed on the aluminum silicate granule. The coating may include a copolymer and a siloxane-based or a silane-based compound. The copolymer may be a cationic fluorinated (meth)acrylic copolymer. The aluminum silicate granule may have a particle size in a range from 0.2 mm to 2.4 mm. The aluminum silicate granule may have a 65% or greater reflectivity. The coated granule may repel oil and maintain its reflectivity better than with other techniques.

A coating agent is disclosed, which is suitable for concrete structures. The coating agent comprises: (A) a diorganopolysiloxane capped at both molecular terminals with silanol groups or silicon atom-bonded hydrolyzable groups; (B) a silane compound having at least two silicon atom-bonded hydrolyzable groups per molecule, or a partially hydrolyzed condensate thereof; (C) a curing catalyst; and (D) fumed silica. The coating agent forms a silicone film that is strongly adherent to a concrete structure, and that enables visual confirmation of the surface state of the concrete structure through the silicone film.

A coating agent is disclosed, which is suitable for concrete structures. The coating agent comprises: (A) a diorganopolysiloxane capped at both molecular terminals with silanol groups or silicon atom-bonded hydrolyzable groups; (B) a silane compound having at least two silicon atom-bonded hydrolyzable groups per molecule, or a partially hydrolyzed condensate thereof; (C) a curing catalyst; and (D) fumed silica. The coating agent forms a silicone film that is strongly adherent to a concrete structure, and that enables visual confirmation of the surface state of the concrete structure through the silicone film.

Provided is a surface treatment agent capable of imparting superior antifouling property as well as good and durable hydrophilicity to an inorganic substrate. The surface treatment agent is one comprising a pretreatment agent and a hydrophilizing treatment agent and being to be sequentially applied to an inorganic substrate, wherein the pretreatment agent comprises a silane compound having a reactive silyl group and an organic functional group and a polyfunctional monomer, and the polyfunctional monomer has one or more first reactive groups that react with the organic functional group and one or more second reactive groups that react with the hydrophilizing treatment agent.