Techniques and compositions for applying films to a variety of substrates, from water-borne coating compositions, are provided. The techniques involve providing desiccant and applying the desiccant with water-borne film-forming composition, in application to a substrate. The desiccant composition provides for take up of free water in of the film-forming composition, without total reliance on ambient conditions, to advantage. Compositions, methods, techniques and resulting constructions are described. The techniques can be applied in wet thick film applications, but are not limited to such applications.

Process for the production of a hydrophobic thermal-insulation moulding, where a hydrophilic thermal-insulation moulding is brought into contact with a hydrophobizing agent in vapour form with formation of a thermal-insulation moulding coated with hydrophobizing agent, and this is then subjected to a press process and during the press process and/or after the press process is reacted with the hydrophobizing agent with formation of the hydrophobic thermal-insulation moulding, where a) the density of the hydrophobic thermal-insulation moulding after the press process and after the reaction with the hydrophobizing agent is from 100 to 250 kg/m.sup.3, and b) the density of the hydrophilic thermal-insulation moulding on contact with the hydrophobizing agent is from 50% to less than 100% of the density of the hydrophobic thermal-insulation moulding.

Process for the production of a hydrophobic thermal-insulation moulding, where a hydrophilic thermal-insulation moulding is brought into contact with a hydrophobizing agent in vapour form with formation of a thermal-insulation moulding coated with hydrophobizing agent, and this is then subjected to a press process and during the press process and/or after the press process is reacted with the hydrophobizing agent with formation of the hydrophobic thermal-insulation moulding, where a) the density of the hydrophobic thermal-insulation moulding after the press process and after the reaction with the hydrophobizing agent is from 100 to 250 kg/m.sup.3, and b) the density of the hydrophilic thermal-insulation moulding on contact with the hydrophobizing agent is from 50% to less than 100% of the density of the hydrophobic thermal-insulation moulding.

Silicon dioxide-containing thermal-insulation sheet hydrophobized throughout with hardened surface, wherein the compressive stress at fracture measured on the sheet surface is higher than the compressive stress at fracture measured on the sectional surface in the middle cross section of the sheet parallel to the sheet surface, at, in each case, the same penetration depths of the measurement probe in the test specimen.

Silicon dioxide-containing thermal-insulation sheet hydrophobized throughout with hardened surface, wherein the compressive stress at fracture measured on the sheet surface is higher than the compressive stress at fracture measured on the sectional surface in the middle cross section of the sheet parallel to the sheet surface, at, in each case, the same penetration depths of the measurement probe in the test specimen.

The present invention relates to a granular thermal insulation material comprising hydrophobized silicon dioxide and at least one IR opacifier, having a tamped density of up to 250 g/l and a compressive strength according to DIN EN 826:2013 at 50% compression of 150 to 300 kPa or greater than 300 kPa, to processes for production thereof and to the use thereof for thermal insulation.

The present invention relates to a granular thermal insulation material comprising hydrophobized silicon dioxide and at least one IR opacifier, having a tamped density of up to 250 g/l and a compressive strength according to DIN EN 826:2013 at 50% compression of 150 to 300 kPa or greater than 300 kPa, to processes for production thereof and to the use thereof for thermal insulation.

Hydrophobized granular material comprising from 30 to 95% by weight of a pyrogenic mixed oxide based on silica and at least one oxide of metal M selected from of Al, Ti and Fe with the content of metal M oxide in the mixed oxide being from 01 to 10% by weight, and from 5 to 70% by weight of at least one IR-opacifier selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, zirconium dioxide, ilmenites, iron titanates, zirconium silicates, manganese oxides, graphites, carbon blacks and mixtures thereof.

Hydrophobized granular material comprising from 30 to 95% by weight of a pyrogenic mixed oxide based on silica and at least one oxide of metal M selected from of Al, Ti and Fe with the content of metal M oxide in the mixed oxide being from 01 to 10% by weight, and from 5 to 70% by weight of at least one IR-opacifier selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, zirconium dioxide, ilmenites, iron titanates, zirconium silicates, manganese oxides, graphites, carbon blacks and mixtures thereof.

Process for producing a thermally insulating mixture comprising hydrophobic silica, in which a) a pulverulent carrier material selected from the group consisting of precipitated silicas, SiO.sub.2 aerogels, pearlites and mixtures thereof is coated with a liquid silicon compound, where the liquid silicon compound has at least one alkyl group and a boiling point of less than 200 C., and b) the pulverulent carrier material that has thus been coated with the liquid silicon compound is mixed with a composition comprising a pulverulent hydrophilic fumed silica and the mixture is subjected to thermal treatment at more than 40 C. and c) any unreacted silicon compound is subsequently removed from the thermally treated mixture, thus giving the thermally insulating mixture comprising hydrophobic silica.