A treatment fluid may comprise: a water having hardness at about 300 ppm or greater, a plurality of particulates, a swellable clay, a chelating agent at about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of the water (BWOW); and an alkali metal base at about 0.01% to about 5% BWOW, wherein the chelating agent and alkali metal base reduce the negative effect of the water on hydrating swellable clays.

A method may comprise: mixing a water having hardness at about 300 ppm or greater with a plurality of particulates, a swellable clay, a chelating agent at about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of the water (BWOW), and an alkali metal base at about 0.01% to about 5% BWOW to produce a treatment fluid; and introducing the treatment fluid into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation.

A method may comprise: mixing a water having hardness at about 300 ppm or greater with a plurality of particulates, a swellable clay, a chelating agent at about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of the water (BWOW), and an alkali metal base at about 0.01% to about 5% BWOW to produce a treatment fluid; and introducing the treatment fluid into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation.

Disclosed herein are a lightweight geopolymer foam with low thermal conductivity and a manufacturing method therefor in which coal bottom ash and fly ash are used together as materials for the geopolymer foam and silica fume is added to a mixed solution of an alkali activator and sodium hydroxide. The geopolymer foam can be utilized for improving insulation performance and safety for a structure constructed with eco-friendly cement.

Disclosed herein are a lightweight geopolymer foam with low thermal conductivity and a manufacturing method therefor in which coal bottom ash and fly ash are used together as materials for the geopolymer foam and silica fume is added to a mixed solution of an alkali activator and sodium hydroxide. The geopolymer foam can be utilized for improving insulation performance and safety for a structure constructed with eco-friendly cement.

A nanoporous carbon-loaded cement composite that conducts electricity. The nanoporous carbon-loaded cement composite can be used in a variety of different fields of use, including, for example, a structural super-capacitor as an energy solution for autonomous housing and other buildings, a heated cement for pavement deicing or house basement insulation against capillary rise, a protection of concrete against freeze-thaw (FT) or alkali silica reaction (ASR) or other crystallization degradation processes, and as a conductive cable, wire or concrete trace.

A nanoporous carbon-loaded cement composite that conducts electricity. The nanoporous carbon-loaded cement composite can be used in a variety of different fields of use, including, for example, a structural super-capacitor as an energy solution for autonomous housing and other buildings, a heated cement for pavement deicing or house basement insulation against capillary rise, a protection of concrete against freeze-thaw (FT) or alkali silica reaction (ASR) or other crystallization degradation processes, and as a conductive cable, wire or concrete trace.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and materials for fabricating building materials and other components from coal. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to materials and other components, such as char clay plaster, char brick, and foam glass fabricated from coal, and to methods of forming such materials. In an embodiment is provided a building material fabrication method. The method includes mixing an organic solvent with coal, under solvent extraction conditions, to form a coal extraction residue, and heating the coal extraction residue under pyrolysis conditions to form a pyrolysis char, the pyrolysis conditions comprising a temperature greater than about 500 C. The method further includes mixing the pyrolysis char with water and with one or more of clay, cement, or sand to create a mixture, and molding and curing the mixture to form a building material. Pyrolysis char-containing materials are also disclosed.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and materials for fabricating building materials and other components from coal. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to materials and other components, such as char clay plaster, char brick, and foam glass fabricated from coal, and to methods of forming such materials. In an embodiment is provided a building material fabrication method. The method includes mixing an organic solvent with coal, under solvent extraction conditions, to form a coal extraction residue, and heating the coal extraction residue under pyrolysis conditions to form a pyrolysis char, the pyrolysis conditions comprising a temperature greater than about 500 C. The method further includes mixing the pyrolysis char with water and with one or more of clay, cement, or sand to create a mixture, and molding and curing the mixture to form a building material. Pyrolysis char-containing materials are also disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to a sulphur containing additive for bitumen paving mixtures. The sulphur containing additive comprises sulphur, a mixture of metal oxides, and optionally 5 at least one metal sulphate. The mixture of metal oxides includes calcium oxide, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide and ferric oxide.