Cards made in accordance with the invention include a specially treated thin decorative layer attached to a thick core layer of metal or ceramic material, where the thin decorative layer is designed to provide selected color(s) and/or selected texture(s) to a surface of the metal cards. Decorative layers for use in practicing the invention include: (a) an anodized metal layer; or (b) a layer of material derived from plant or animal matter (e.g., wood, leather); or (c) an assortment of aggregate binder material (e.g., cement, mortar, epoxies) mixed with laser reactive materials (e.g., finely divided carbon); or (d) a ceramic layer; and (e) a layer of crystal fabric material. The cards may be dual interface smart cards which can be read in a contactless manner and/or via contacts.

Cards made in accordance with the invention include a specially treated thin decorative layer attached to a thick core layer of metal or ceramic material, where the thin decorative layer is designed to provide selected color(s) and/or selected texture(s) to a surface of the metal cards. Decorative layers for use in practicing the invention include: (a) an anodized metal layer; or (b) a layer of material derived from plant or animal matter (e.g., wood, leather); or (c) an assortment of aggregate binder material (e.g., cement, mortar, epoxies) mixed with laser reactive materials (e.g., finely divided carbon); or (d) a ceramic layer; and (e) a layer of crystal fabric material. The cards may be dual interface smart cards which can be read in a contactless manner and/or via contacts.

An artificial stone building tile and method. Disclosed is an artificial stone building tile and a method of making the building tile. The building tile has a low density and significant flexibility, and is nailable without cracking. It is made by layers of cement formulations separated by layers of metal mesh. Color batches of cement are prepared and placed in the bottom of a mold, with the color batches becoming the visible face of the building tile.

An artificial stone building tile and method. Disclosed is an artificial stone building tile and a method of making the building tile. The building tile has a low density and significant flexibility, and is nailable without cracking. It is made by layers of cement formulations separated by layers of metal mesh. Color batches of cement are prepared and placed in the bottom of a mold, with the color batches becoming the visible face of the building tile.

Fabricate a panel (5) by building a sacrificial relief (10) by an additive process of multilayer deposition, applying a facade layer (20,30) over the sacrificial relief so as to conform to the contour of the sacrificial relief, depositing a foamable composition (40, 50, 60) over the facade layer.

An integrated air barrier assembly is provided as an integral product in which a fastener-sealing layer is secured between opposed surfaces of a board and an anti-blocking facing layer. The assembly exhibits good fastener sealability, including for larger self-drilling screws. The anti-blocking facing layer maintains the fastener-sealing layer inward of the environment and prevents blocking or sticking of the assembly when stacked. In some embodiments, the anti-blocking facing layer can be a metal film or foil, which can reflect heat away from the fastener-sealing layer, thereby maintaining a lower temperature on the fastener-sealing layer. In some embodiments, the board can be an insulating layer or wood layer. The assembly can be readily installed in a single step during construction.

There are provided a soundproof structure, which can have high soundproofing performance in a wide frequency band and in which visual recognition of through-hole can be suppressed, and a sound absorbing panel and a sound adjusting panel using the soundproof structure. A sheet member having a plurality of through-holes passing therethrough in a thickness direction and a sound absorbing body disposed in contact with one main surface of the sheet member are provided. An average opening diameter of the through-holes is 0.1 μm or more and less than 100 μm. Assuming that the average opening diameter of the through-holes is ϕ (μm) and an average opening ratio is σ a parameter A expressed by A=σ×ϕ.sup.2 is 92 or less.

In the present disclosure, a gypsum panel is disclosed. The gypsum panel comprises a gypsum core having a first gypsum layer surface and a second gypsum layer surface opposite the first gypsum layer surface and a fluted layer having a first fluted layer surface and a second fluted layer surface opposite the first fluted layer surface wherein the first fluted layer surface facing the first gypsum layer surface. The present disclosure is also directed to a method of forming the aforementioned gypsum panel.

In the present disclosure, a gypsum panel is disclosed. The gypsum panel comprises a gypsum core having a first gypsum layer surface and a second gypsum layer surface opposite the first gypsum layer surface and a fluted layer having a first fluted layer surface and a second fluted layer surface opposite the first fluted layer surface wherein the first fluted layer surface facing the first gypsum layer surface. The present disclosure is also directed to a method of forming the aforementioned gypsum panel.

Cards made in accordance with the invention include a specially treated thin decorative layer attached to a thick core layer of metal or ceramic material, where the thin decorative layer is designed to provide selected color(s) and/or selected texture(s) to a surface of the metal cards. Decorative layers for use in practicing the invention include: (a) an anodized metal layer; or (b) a layer of material derived from plant or animal matter (e.g., wood, leather); or (c) an assortment of aggregate binder material (e.g., cement, mortar, epoxies) mixed with laser reactive materials (e.g., finely divided carbon); or (d) a ceramic layer; and (e) a layer of crystal fabric material. The cards may be dual interface smart cards which can be read in a contactless manner and/or via contacts.