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.

Drilling fluid compositions include a base fluid, at least one additive chosen from an emulsifier, weighting material, fluid-loss additive, viscosifier, or alkali compound, and from 0.1 wt. % to 1 wt. %, based on total weight of the drilling fluid composition, of an ethoxylated alcohol compound having the formula R—(OCH.sub.2CH.sub.2).sub.7—OH, in which R is a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched hydrocarbyl group having from 8 to 20 carbon atoms. The base fluid may be an aqueous base fluid. Methods for drilling a subterranean well include operating a drill in a wellbore in the presence of a drilling fluid composition including the base fluid, the additive, and the ethoxylated alcohol compound.

In one embodiment, a spacer fluid may comprise a base fluid and a surfactant package. The surfactant package may comprise one or more surfactants, where the surfactant package comprises a first surfactant having the chemical structure R—(OC.sub.2H.sub.4).sub.x—OH. R may be a hydrocarbyl group having from 9 to 20 carbon atoms, and x may be an integer from 5 and 15. The first surfactant may have a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of from 12 to 13.5.

Embodiments are directed to a lubricant package for water based drilling fluids. The lubricant package includes water, a polyethylene glycol, and a lubricating agent. The lubricating agent includes triethanolamine, or a C.sub.12-C.sub.14 alcohol ethoxylate, or a combination of triethanolamine and C.sub.12-C.sub.14 alcohol ethoxylate. The weight ratio of the polyethylene glycol to the lubricating agent in the lubricant package is from 1:2 to 2:1. Embodiments are also directed to a water-based drilling fluid composition including an aqueous base fluid, one or more additives, and the lubricant package for water based drilling fluids.

The present invention relates to a construction method for playground surfacing. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of: a) preparing in situ a mixture comprising 29-70% by weight of cork granules and 30-71% by weight of a polymeric binder, at room temperature; b) pouring the mixture obtained in step a) on at least one surface area; c) compacting said mixture to a thickness in the range of 35-135 mm and to a density in the range of 100-300 kg/m.sup.3; and d) curing the compacted mixture from step c).

Techniques of forming a foamed insulation material from gypsum waste are disclosed herein. One example technique includes mechanically comminuting the gypsum waste from an original size into particles of gypsum at a target size smaller than the original size and mixing the particles of the gypsum with a binder to form a mixture of particles and binder. The binder is configured to bind the particles of gypsum upon hydration. The example technique can further include performing air entrainment on the mixture until a foam is formed from the mixture having the particles of gypsum and binder. The foam has water that causes the binder to bind the particles of gypsum. The example technique can then include removing moisture from the mixture with the formed foam to form a foamed insulation material from the particles of gypsum.

The present application discloses a reinforced and toughened MGO substrate, a preparation method thereof and a composite board having the substrate. The reinforced and toughened MGO substrate includes a middle layer and fiber layers on upper and lower surfaces of the middle layer, wherein the fiber layers are glassfiber surface mats, and the middle layer is prepared from a forming agent, a lightweight filler, a modifier and water in parts by weight as follows: 34-45 parts of light burned magnesium oxide, 23-30 parts of magnesium sulfate heptahydrate, 8-10 parts of granulated lignocellulose, 4-6 parts of xylem fiber, 0.5-2 parts of the modifier, and 18-26 parts of water; the modifier being obtained by mixing citric acid, anhydrous sodium sulfate, dihydrogen phosphate and phosphoric acid in a mass ratio of 10:3:1:6.

Disclosed is a composite gypsum board comprising a board core and a concentrated layer of substantial thickness (e.g., at least about 0.02 inches). The concentrated layer includes a higher weight percentage of an enhancing additive than the board core. The board core has a thickness greater than the thickness of the concentrated layer and forms the bulk of the board volume. The concentrated layer has a higher density (e.g., at least about 1.1 times greater) than the density of the board core. Also disclosed is a method of preparing a composite gypsum board.

A wellbore servicing fluid comprises an aqueous base fluid, one or more alkali metal or alkali earth metal salts, at least one visocisifier, and a filtration control package. The filtration control package may comprise a carboxylic acid and an ethoxylated alcohol compound. Alternatively, the filtration control package may comprise a polyethylene glycol. The carboxylic acid may have from 8 to 20 carbon atoms. The ethoxylated alcohol compound may have a general formula R—(OCH.sub.2CH.sub.2).sub.X—OH, where R is a hydrocarbon having from 10 to 16 atoms and x is an integer from 6 to 9. The ethoxylated alcohol compound may have a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance of from 8.0 to 16.0. The polyethylene glycol may have a mass average molar mass (M.sub.w) of less than or equal to 1500 daltons.

A multiphase particle has a multiphase structure comprising a first phase and a second phase and has an average particle size of 0.1-100 mm. The multiphase particle has a high bulk strength and a good interface binding power with the hardened cement and is particularly suitable for the toughening application of the hardened cement.