The present invention relates to fiber cement products comprising a first layer, which first layer is covered by at least one second layer, characterized in that said first layer is the top layer and the first layer material has a density of between about 0.4 and about 0.9 g/cm.sup.3 inclusive, and at least comprises cement and between 1 wt % and 70 wt % (relative to the total dry weight of said first layer material) of a lightweight filler, and said at least one second layer is the bottom layer and covers only one of the main surfaces of the first layer, thereby forming a bi-layered fiber cement product, wherein the second layer material has a density of between about 0.9 and about 1.4 g/cm.sup.3 inclusive, and at least comprises fibers and cement.

A structural insulated panel includes a core of thermally insulating material having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a first skin coupled to the first side of the core, and a second skin coupled to the second side of the core. The first skin, the second skin, or both the first and second skins may include a sheet of reinforced concrete material. Each sheet of reinforced concrete material may include calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement and a reinforcing material disposed in at least a portion of the CSA cement.

A method of making a structural insulated panel includes providing a core of thermally insulating material having a first side and a second side, mixing a concrete material comprising calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement and reinforcing material, and applying a first skin of the concrete material while wet onto the first side of the core. The first skin is allowed to at least partially cure, thereby bonding the first skin to the first side of the core without a separate adhesive or binder apart from the concrete material. A second skin of the concrete material may be applied while wet onto the second side of the core, and the second skin may be allowed to at least partially cure, thereby bonding the second skin to the second side of the core without a separate adhesive or binder apart from the concrete material.

The invention relates to a panel and a method for producing a panel. The panel is in particular a floor, wall or ceiling panel, and comprises at least one core layer, the core layer comprising an upper core surface and a lower core surface and at least one pair of opposite side edges; wherein the core layer comprises magnesium oxide cement; wherein the core has a density which is substantially homogenous over its entire volume, and wherein at least one decorative top layer is attached to an upper core surface of the core layer.

The present invention relates to fiber cement products comprising an inner core material, which inner core material is covered by at least one outer surface layer, characterized in that:said inner core material has a density of between about 0.4 and about 0.9 g/cm.sup.3 inclusive, and at least comprises cement and between 1 wt % and 70 wt % (with respect to the total dry weight of said inner core material) of a lightweight filler, andsaid at least one outer surface layer has a density of between about 0.9 and about 1.4 g/cm.sup.3 inclusive, and at least comprises fibers and cement.

The present invention relates to fiber cement products comprising an inner core material, which inner core material is covered by at least one outer surface layer, characterized in that: said inner core material has a density of between about 0.4 and about 0.9 g/cm.sup.3 inclusive, and at least comprises cement and between 1 wt % and 70 wt % (with respect to the total dry weight of said inner core material) of a lightweight filler, and said at least one outer surface layer has a density of between about 0.9 and about 1.4 g/cm.sup.3 inclusive, and at least comprises fibers and cement.

A tooling assembly for use in forming z-channels in a fibrous ceramic preform includes a mandrel having a first plurality of holes extending into a mandrel body, a first subset of the plurality of holes being through-holes extending completely through the mandrel, and a second subset of the holes comprising blind pockets, and a plurality of channels extending longitudinally along the mandrel in a direction orthogonal to the first plurality of holes. The tooling assembly further includes an outer fixture at least partially enclosing the mandrel, the outer fixture including at least one piece comprising a second plurality of holes extending completely through the at least one piece, the second plurality of holes being aligned with respective corresponding ones of the first plurality of holes such that a needle can be inserted through each of the second plurality of holes in the at least one piece and into the respective ones of the first plurality of holes in the mandrel.

A method of preparing a ceramic fabric for use in a ceramic matrix composite includes transforming a ceramic tow from a first tow geometry to a second tow geometry, thereby reducing a first dimension of the ceramic tow and increasing a second dimension of the ceramic tow orthogonal to the first dimension to produce a flattened tow. The method includes weaving or braiding the flattened ceramic tow to form a ceramic fabric.

The present disclosure relates to a visible light-catalyzed translucent concrete, and a preparation method and use thereof. The preparation method includes: extracting an iron oxide from a copper slag, mixing the iron oxide with TiO.sub.2 to obtain a photocatalyst, and then mixing the photocatalyst with an additive to obtain a photocatalytic slurry; preparing a concrete slurry using the copper slag after iron extraction as an aggregate; and pouring the photocatalytic slurry, the concrete slurry, and the photocatalytic slurry in sequence into a mold pre-laid with an optical fiber, to obtain the visible light-catalyzed translucent concrete. In the visible light-catalyzed translucent concrete, iron in the copper slag is used as a part of raw materials of the photocatalyst, and the copper slag after iron extraction is used as an aggregate to replace natural sand and gravel. This solves environmental pollutions caused by the copper slag and realizes resource utilization.