A flexible pavement structure comprises a surface layer, a base layer, a sub-base layer, and a subgrade layer. Herein, the surface layer is adjacent to and above the base layer, and the sub-base layer is adjacent to and above the subgrade layer. The flexible pavement structure further comprises a layered system composed of first, second, and third materials different from each other, and is disposed as an interface layer between the base layer and the sub-base layer. The first material is a geotextile fabric selected from a group consisting of polypropylene and polyethylene, providing ground stabilization or reinforcement properties. The second material is a waterproof heat insulation material selected from a group consisting of cross-linked polyethylene foam and laminated aluminum foil, providing waterproofing or impermeability properties. The third material is a glass foamed insulation material.

A flexible pavement structure comprises a surface layer, a base layer, a sub-base layer, and a subgrade layer. Herein, the surface layer is adjacent to and above the base layer, and the sub-base layer is adjacent to and above the subgrade layer. The flexible pavement structure further comprises a layered system composed of first, second, and third materials different from each other, and is disposed as an interface layer between the base layer and the sub-base layer. The first material is a geotextile fabric selected from a group consisting of polypropylene and polyethylene, providing ground stabilization or reinforcement properties. The second material is a waterproof heat insulation material selected from a group consisting of cross-linked polyethylene foam and laminated aluminum foil, providing waterproofing or impermeability properties. The third material is a glass foamed insulation material.

Composite ceramic materials are disclosed in which an interconnected network of ceramic material on a substrate contains pores with an accessible pore volume that is at least partially filled with a polymer, resin, and/or wax.

Surface modifications and coating materials are provided that may be applied to a substrate to reduce or eliminate damage that would accrue to do environmental effects or operational stress when incorporated into a device such as a heat exchanger. Structured ceramic surface modification materials may be incorporated into the surface modification and may optionally include a gradient in one or more physical or chemical property.

Assemblies of stacked layers of materials are described. The assemblies include functional and structural layers. Functional layers include binderless ceramic materials on woven or non-woven substrates of natural, synthetic, or metallic materials. The layers of functional and structural materials may be configured to transport moisture or heat from an inner surface to an outer surface that is exposed to an ambient environment.

The present invention disclose a tunnel profile element (10, 20A, 20) comprising a lightweight body constituted by foam glass panels sprayed with unbroken polyurea layer providing a fire resistant coating, and which is providing increased mechanical integrity of the tunnel profile element (10, 20A, 20).

Embodiments of the present invention describe secured fiber-reinforced aerogels and laminate structures formed therefrom. In one embodiment a laminate comprises at least one fiber-reinforced aerogel layer adjacent to at least one layer of fiber containing material wherein fibers from said at least one fiber-reinforced aerogel layer are interlaced with fibers of said at least one fiber-containing material. In another embodiment a laminate comprises at least two adjacent fiber-reinforced aerogel layers wherein fibers from at least one fiber-reinforced aerogel layer are interlaced with fibers of an adjacent fiber-reinforced aerogel layer.

The invention describes the construction of more or less thin house walls, of which the load-bearing panels are stabilized in such a way that they have an insulating middle layer, the middle layer containing carbon, which is brought in as insulation material by means of suitable binders such as cement, geopolymers, resins or foams or glass. In particular, biochar mortars and biochar foams are used, which with the help of fiber reinforcement of the outer stone slices become self-supporting wall and facade elements, which are able to store more carbon than what is produced in the form of CO2, escaping into the atmosphere. Fiber-stabilized stone disks with an insulating middle layer based on pyrogenic or otherwise manufactured or extracted carbon are constructed symmetrically and dimensioned in such a way that they can absorb loads and buckling forces with a comparatively very low weight. For this reason, in addition to its high carbon content, the insulation material should preferably have sufficient tensile stability.

A retrofitted window is disclosed which includes a substantially transparent aerogel film laminated on a glass windowpane, the aerogel film being embedded with randomly dispersed nanoparticles of vanadium dioxide (VO.sub.2) core and silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) shell, wherein the vanadium dioxide (VO.sub.2) core transitions between an insulator phase and a metal phase at a predetermined phase-transition temperature, and a volume fraction of the nanoparticles in the aerogel film is approximately between 0.001% and 0.05%.

An extruded multilayer film includes a top layer comprising a blend of a polyolefin and adsorbent silica. The adsorbent silica is 5% or more of the blend and the polyolefin is 95% or less of the blend. The multilayer film is oriented in at least one direction to cause fracturing of the top layer to provide a microporous surface exposing the adsorbent silica gel. The fractured top layer is receptive to receiving a printing ink on an exposed surface thereof with enhanced pigment entrapment and rapid ink drying. A single layer film in the form of the top layer, and also oriented in at least one direction also constitutes a part of this invention.