An expandable porous framework, the framework containing a dry cementitious powder fill that when exposed to an aqueous media, will expand against the constraint of the framework and set to form a solid, hard and coherent material, the formwork being porous to liquids but substantially impermeable to the powder fill.

Thermoset ceramic compositions and a method of preparation of such compositions. The compositions are advanced organic/inorganic hybrid composite polymer ceramic alloys. The material combines strength, hardness and high temperature performance of technical ceramics with the strength, ductility, thermal shock resistance, density, and easy processing of the polymer. Consisting of a branched backbone of silicon, and alumina, with highly coordinated Si—O—Si or Al—O—Al bonds, the material undergoes sintering at 7 to 300 centigrade for 2 to 94 hours from water at a pH between 0 to 14, humidity of 0 to 100%, with or without vaporous solvents.

The present invention concerns a process for the production of a solid fire protection material. The composition for producing the fire protection material contains at least one water glass and microcapsules provided with propellant gas. The fire protection material is formed by expanding the microcapsules or by breaking the polymer material of the shell of the microcapsules by the influence of temperature or by adding an agent which breaks the shell of the microcapsules.

Amorphous calcium carbonate is included in a fire-resistant inorganic mortar system for a fire-resistant chemical fastening of anchors and post-installed reinforcing bars in mineral substrates. The system includes a curable aluminous cement component A and an initiator component B for initiating the curing process. The component A includes at least one blocking agent selected from the group of phosphoric acid, metaphosphoric acid, phosphorous acid and phosphoric acids, at least one plasticizer and water. The component B includes an initiator, at least one retarder, at least one mineral filler and water. Moreover, amorphous calcium carbonate in a fire-resistant inorganic mortar increases load values. Also, a method is used for a fire-resistant chemical fastening of anchors and post-installed reinforcing bars in mineral substrates, such as structures made of brickwork, concrete, pervious concrete or natural stone.

An epoxy grout composition for marine repairs contains: a liquid epoxy resin comprising up to 15 wt. % benzyl alcohol and having a viscosity of 220 to 1100 cps; a liquid hardener comprising up to 25% benzyl alcohol and having a viscosity of 50 to 85 cps and, wherein the total benzyl alcohol content of the combined resin and hardener ranges from 1 to 12 wt. %; and preferably, a particulate inorganic filler comprising 10 to 50 wt. % of particles under 150 μm and 50 to 90 wt. % of particles between 150 μm and 1.18 mm. The composition is particularly suitable for placement in the annular space between a marine structure and a fiberglass composite jacket. The composition may be provided in kit form, with premeasured containers of resin, hardener, and filler. A related method is also disclosed.

A combination of retarders and regulators for hydration reaction of cementitious binders including clinkers based on Ye'elimite. Set retarders are calcium complexing agents, consisting of sugar acids, sugars, sugar alcohols, hydroxycarboxylic acids, phosphates, phosphonates, borates and amines. Regulator general formula (I) is

##STR00001##

where M is H, NH.sub.4 or chosen from monovalent or divalent metal of groups Ia, IIa, IIIa, Ib, IIb, IVb, VIb, VIIb or VIIIb of periodic table of elements, where M is a divalent metal, a second equivalent of R—SO.sub.3 is present, and M is chosen from group consisting of H, NH.sub.4, Li, Na, K, MgX, CaX, or NiX with X═RSO.sub.3, and R is chosen from H, NH.sub.2, OH or from hydrocarbon chain with 1-18 C atoms which may be substituted by N and/or O and/or which may be linear or branched and/or which contain one or more unsaturated bonds and/or cycloaliphatic and/or aromatic moieties.

A macro-cement and associated methods useful for preparing pastes, mortars, concretes and other cement-based materials having high workability, high density, and high strength are disclosed. A method of producing a macro-cement includes cement, supplemental cementitious materials (SCM's), including siliceous submicron-sized particles and nano-sized particles, and polymers in the form of liquid or dry chemical admixtures for concrete. The cement mixture may be used for making ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC).

A two-component epoxy-modified cement mortar, wherein component A includes cement and an epoxy compound and component B including water and an amine hardener for the epoxy compound, and wherein the epoxy compound includes at least one liquid, water soluble polyepoxide.

Disclosed are methods for incorporating core materials such as phase change materials or admixtures into building materials like concrete. The methods use cenospheres, which are then etched and loaded with the core material. The composition can also be coated with a thin film. Compositions containing cenospheres loaded with the various core materials are disclosed, as are building materials containing such compositions.

A method of diffusing CO.sub.2 within a concrete mixture that includes mixing a non-recycled aggregate material with a CO.sub.2 gas in a pretreatment chamber of a concrete preparation system to form a CO.sub.2 adsorbed aggregate material, transferring the CO.sub.2 adsorbed aggregate material from the pretreatment chamber into a cement mixing chamber of the concrete preparation system, and mixing the CO.sub.2 adsorbed aggregate material with cement and water to form the concrete mixture, where mixing the CO.sub.2 adsorbed aggregate material with cement and water releases CO.sub.2 from the CO.sub.2 adsorbed aggregate material and diffuses CO.sub.2 into the concrete mixture to form a carbonated concrete mixture.