Disclosed herein are low density fiber cement articles, such as fiber cement building panels and sheets, comprised of multiple overlaying fiber cement substrate layers having small and uniform entrained air pockets distributed throughout. Also disclosed herein are air entrainment systems and methods for manufacturing aerated low density fiber cement panels or sheets with consistent air void content and uniform air void distribution. Also disclosed herein are air entrainment technologies adapted to work in conjunction with the Hatschek process to produce aerated fiber cement articles having controlled air void content and distribution.

An amphoteric betaine-type polycarboxylic acid water reducer and a preparation method therefor are provided in the present invention. An unsaturated betaine-type monomer A and an acrylic acid-type polyethylene glycol monomer B are placed in a reaction container, stirred until uniform and then an acrylic acid-type monomer C is added, the stirring is continued and water is added to make adjustments so as to make the total mass of the monomers account for 10%-20% of the total mass of the aqueous solution; and under the protection of an inert gas, the temperature is raised to 60° C.-100° C., an aqueous initiator solution is added, maintaining the temperature and reacting for 4-6 h, and after the reaction is completed, the solution is cooled to room temperature, and the pH value thereof is adjusted to 5-7 to prepare the amphoteric betaine-type polycarboxylic acid water reducer.

A cementitious composition including at least one cementitious material and at least one crack reducing admixture including: (i) from 0 to about 5 weight percent of at least one alcohol, based on the total weight of the admixture excluding water; and (ii) a compound having the chemical structure of formula (III): ##STR00001##
wherein: v is an integer from 0 to 50 and w is an integer from 0 to 50, with the proviso that the sum of v and w is at least 1 but not greater than 50. Also, methods of making the cementitious composition, reducing or eliminating the formation of cracks in a cementitious composition as the cementitious composition cures, and limiting the size of cracks which form in a cementitious composition as the cementitious composition cures using an admixture for cementitious compositions as described herein.

A cementitious composition including at least one cementitious material and at least one crack reducing admixture including: (i) from 0 to about 5 weight percent of at least one alcohol, based on the total weight of the admixture excluding water; and (ii) a compound having the chemical structure of formula (III): ##STR00001##
wherein: v is an integer from 0 to 50 and w is an integer from 0 to 50, with the proviso that the sum of v and w is at least 1 but not greater than 50. Also, methods of making the cementitious composition, reducing or eliminating the formation of cracks in a cementitious composition as the cementitious composition cures, and limiting the size of cracks which form in a cementitious composition as the cementitious composition cures using an admixture for cementitious compositions as described herein.

Quaternary ammonium, betaine, or sulfobetaine compositions derived from fatty amines, wherein the fatty amine is made by reducing the amide reaction product of a metathesis-derived C.sub.10-C.sub.17 monounsaturated acid, octadecene-1,18-dioic acid, or their ester derivatives and a secondary amine, are disclosed. Quaternary ammonium, betaine, or sulfobetaine compositions derived from fatty amidoamines, wherein the amidoamine is made by reacting of a metathesis-derived C.sub.10-C.sub.17 monounsaturated acid, octadecene-1,18-dioic acid, or their ester derivatives and an aminoalkyl-substituted tertiary amine, are also disclosed. The quaternized compositions are advantageously sulfonated or sulfitated. In one aspect, the ester derivative of the C.sub.10-C.sub.17 monounsaturated acid or octadecene-1,18-dioic acid is a lower alkyl ester. In other aspects, the ester derivative is a modified triglyceride made by self-metathesis of a natural oil or an unsaturated triglyceride made by cross-metathesis of a natural oil with an olefin. The quaternary ammonium, betaine, and sulfobetaine compositions and their sulfonated or sulfitated derivatives are valuable for a wide variety of end uses, including cleaners, fabric treatment, hair conditioning, personal care (liquid cleansing products, conditioning bars, oral care products), antimicrobial compositions, agricultural uses, and oil field applications.

Quaternary ammonium, betaine, or sulfobetaine compositions derived from fatty amines, wherein the fatty amine is made by reducing the amide reaction product of a metathesis-derived C.sub.10-C.sub.17 monounsaturated acid, octadecene-1,18-dioic acid, or their ester derivatives and a secondary amine, are disclosed. Quaternary ammonium, betaine, or sulfobetaine compositions derived from fatty amidoamines, wherein the amidoamine is made by reacting of a metathesis-derived C.sub.10-C.sub.17 monounsaturated acid, octadecene-1,18-dioic acid, or their ester derivatives and an aminoalkyl-substituted tertiary amine, are also disclosed. The quaternized compositions are advantageously sulfonated or sulfitated. In one aspect, the ester derivative of the C.sub.10-C.sub.17 monounsaturated acid or octadecene-1,18-dioic acid is a lower alkyl ester. In other aspects, the ester derivative is a modified triglyceride made by self-metathesis of a natural oil or an unsaturated triglyceride made by cross-metathesis of a natural oil with an olefin. The quaternary ammonium, betaine, and sulfobetaine compositions and their sulfonated or sulfitated derivatives are valuable for a wide variety of end uses, including cleaners, fabric treatment, hair conditioning, personal care (liquid cleansing products, conditioning bars, oral care products), antimicrobial compositions, agricultural uses, and oil field applications.

The invention relates to a polymer which is obtainable by copolymerizing monomers comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer which comprises at least one acid group and at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer (II) having polyether groups with 5 to 35 repeating units and at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer (III) having polyether groups with 45 to 150 repeating units, the molar ratio of monomer (II) to monomer (III) being between 75:25 and 99.5:0.5. Further disclosed are the use of the polymer of the invention as an admixture for inorganic binder compositions, and a composition in powder form comprising an inorganic binder and the polymer of the invention.

A plaster-based material, in particular a plasterboard intended for the interior fitting of dwellings, contains a metal complex of EDTA. The plaster-based material is used for reducing the amount of volatile organic compounds present in the atmosphere inside dwellings, offices or public buildings.

A plaster-based material, in particular a plasterboard intended for the interior fitting of dwellings, contains a metal complex of EDTA. The plaster-based material is used for reducing the amount of volatile organic compounds present in the atmosphere inside dwellings, offices or public buildings.

A rheology modifying agent that develops a rheology modifying effect over a wide temperature region is provided. A rheology modifying agent comprising two or more types of compounds represented by the following general formula (1):

##STR00001##

wherein X is a group represented by R.sup.1a or R.sup.1b—[CONH—CH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH.sub.2].sub.n—; R.sup.1a is an alkyl group with 14 or more and 22 or less carbons or an alkenyl group with 14 or more and 22 or less carbons; R.sup.1b is an alkyl group with 13 or more and 21 or less carbons or an alkenyl group with 13 or more and 21 or less carbons; n is an integer of 1 or more and 3 or less; each of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is independently an alkyl group with 1 or more and 4 or less carbons or a group represented by —(C.sub.2H.sub.4O).sub.pH; and p is an average number of added moles and a total for R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is a number of 0 or more and 5 or less,

wherein the two or more types of compounds differ in X in the general formula (1) and

at least one of the two or more types of compounds is a compound in which R.sup.1 of X in the general formula (1) is an alkenyl group.