An activating composition, in particular for concrete or industrial mortars containing hydraulic binder and/or pozzolanic material, comprises at least 40% by weight, preferably at least 50% by weight of calcium carbonate and/or magnesium carbonate particles having a d80 less than or equal to 15 .Math.m, and a d50 less than or equal to 4 .Math.m, and at least 1.5% by weight and up to 60% by weight of at least one alkaline metal salt. A binder composition is also provided, the binder composition comprising the activating composition and a component C comprising at least one hydraulic binder. The binder composition and at least one aggregate are combined to form a dry concrete or industrial mortar composition. Also provided is a process for preparing wet concrete or mortar compositions and hardened concrete or industrial mortar compositions obtained therefrom.

The invention concerns a method for fluidifying wet concrete or industrial mortar compositions comprising: (a) at least one hydraulic binder, (b) at least one water reducing polymer, (c) at least one accelerator in the form of a salt containing at least one kosmotropic ion, (d) water, and (e) possibly one or more supplementary cementitious materials, and (f) possibly one or more filler materials, the method comprising a step of adding at least one salt (ch) including at least one chaotropic ion to the concrete or industrial mortar composition.

Vinyl acetate-ethylene and/or styrene-(meth)acrylic ester copolymers along with processes for preparing the same and uses for the same. Wherein the vinyl acetate-ethylene and/or styrene-(meth)acrylic ester copolymers are in the form of water-redispersible powders for producing hydraulically-setting building material dry formulations. Where the storage stability of the protective-colloid-stabilized vinyl acetate-ethylene or styrene-(meth)acrylic ester copolymers in the form of water-redispersible powders is improved by drying aqueous dispersions comprising protective-colloid-stabilized vinyl acetate-ethylene and/or styrene-(meth)acrylic ester copolymers, one or more water-soluble inorganic salts, and one or more desiccants. Where the water-soluble inorganic salts are selected from the group consisting of alkali metal sulfates and where the desiccants are selected from the group comprising polyvinyl alcohols, polyvinyl acetals, nonionic polyvinylpyrrolidones, nonionic poly(meth)acrylamides, polysaccharides and proteins.

The present invention relates to fiber cement flooring products. In particular, the present invention provides fiber cement flooring products, at least comprising cement and fibers, characterized in that these fiber cement flooring products comprise amorphous silica in an amount of between about 2 weight % and about 15 weight % compared to the total dry weight of the fiber cement composition of said fiber cement flooring product. The present invention further relates to methods for the production of such fiber cement flooring products as well as uses of such fiber cement flooring products in the building industry. The present invention further relates to fiber cement formulations and fiber cement materials, which are suitable for the production of fiber cement products for flooring applications.

A free-flowing powder composition includes at least one substrate having pores and an external surface between said pores, said surface functionalized with at least one accelerator for a hydraulic setting composition, said accelerator being liquid, hygroscopic, or deliquescent, and wherein after 15 minutes of immersion of free-flowing powder composition in water at 20° C. at least 80% in weight of said accelerator is solubilized, said free-flowing powder composition being immersed in an amount of water sufficient so that the saturation concentration of said accelerator cannot be reached. There is also a method for preparing said free-flowing powder composition. The use of said free-flowing powder composition as an additive for mortar or concrete composition provides an accelerating effect, an anti-ageing effect and an anti-dusting effect. A dry mortar or concrete composition includes a hydraulic binder, said free-flowing powder composition and a granulate, wet mortar or concrete composition and hardened body obtained therefrom.

The present invention relates to a photoluminescent cementitious composition suitable for use in safety signs in accordance with DIN 67510-1 standard, characterized by including a hydraulic binder, an aggregate and/or a filler and at least a photoluminescent pigment selected from strontium aluminates or silicates doped with rare earths selected from europium and dysprosium. The invention also relates to the use of a photoluminescent pigment in the manufacturing of concrete articles with aesthetic quality given by persistent photoluminescent properties.

An anti-explosion flooring material is disclosed. The material is prepared by foaming, modification and rust prevention treatment of an iron alloy material and other auxiliary materials having components in percentage by weight: 85% of iron, 8% of manganese, 6% of silicon, and the rest amount of carbon. Because a foaming agent and rare earth are added, the static conducting performance of the flooring material is improved.

The main weaknesses of masonry buildings, especially those made of clay, against earthquakes are: high weight, which increases the earthquake force that is proportional to the weight; low resistance that causes an early crushing of walls and ceilings; lack of ductility, which causes the masonry buildings to collapse immediately after cracking. These weaknesses have been the main causes of collapse of masonry buildings in past earthquakes in various parts of the world. Also, many of the restoration works, done on the historical monuments that were made by the mentioned materials, showed their inadequacy in some recent earthquakes This invention improves clay, as an eco-friendly, low-cost material with high workability, to present a better seismic behavior, by decreasing its specific weight to less than tones/m.sup.3 and increasing its tensile resistance up to five times of the ordinary clay, and giving better insulation capabilities against heat, sound and moisture to it.

An aqueous oil-in-water emulsion containing a propylethoxysilane oligomer mixture or a mixture of a propylethoxysilane oligomer mixture and octyltriethoxysilane in a weight ratio of 3:1 to 1:3, at least one emulsifier or an emulsifier system, at least one content of a 2-aminoethanol and water is used as an addition in the production of hydraulically setting cement mixtures such as mortar, screed or concrete for reduction of the shrinkage characteristics.

A method for recycling electronic waste may method comprise receiving electronic waste from an electronic waste-generating entity, separating components of the electronic waste into valuable recyclable material, hazardous material, and disposable non-hazardous material, creating a plurality of building material units comprising the disposable non-hazardous material, and sending at least a portion of the plurality of building material units back to the electronic waste-generating entity.