A method of making a structural lightweight and thermal insulating concrete is described. The concrete has a coarse aggregate partly replaced by recycled plastic pieces. This enables the concrete to maintain a high compressive strength, low thermal conductivity, and low weight, while providing a use for waste plastic. The waste plastic pieces may comprise polyethylene in the form of flakes, fibers, or granules. Due to its low unit weight, adequate compressive strength and high thermal resistance the developed concrete can be used as a structural lightweight and thermal insulating concrete. The use of this concrete leads to economic and environmental benefits.

An unfired, refractory molded body (1), especially a plate, especially for thermal insulation of molten metal and/or an ingot solidifying from molten metal, that includes a binding agent matrix (2) of a set binder and aggregate grains (3) of biogenic silicic acid, preferably of rice husk ash, which are incorporated into the binding agent matrix (2), wherein the binding agent matrix (2) consists of silica gel, as well as a process for its production and its usage.

A composition for forming fire resistant concrete block, that includes a cementitious binder material comprising alumina cement, recycled fine aggregate, and recycled coarse aggregates, the recycled fine aggregates including 10-50 wt % recycled particulate glass cullet having a particle size of 600 microns or less, a concrete block formed from the composition exhibiting a decrease in thermal conductivity with increasing temperature at temperatures causing the particulate glass cullet to melt. A concrete block fabricated from the composition exhibits a fire resistance of at least three hours, a density below 2000 kg/m.sup.3, and a compressive strength of at least 7 MPa.

A mineral wool insulating product having improved off gassing characteristics is particularly adapted for high temperature applications.

A heat insulating plate (1), preferably a covering plate (5a;b), especially for thermal isolation of molten metal, especially of molten steel, in a metallurgical vessel (6), wherein the plate (3) includes a binding agent matrix (2) of at least one, set, temporary, organic binding material and aggregate grains (3) with and/or of biogenic silicic acid, preferably with and/or of rice husk ash, which grains (3) are incorporated into the binding agent matrix (2), and to a method for production of the plate (1) and its use.

A lightweight thermal insulating cement-based material is formed from a mixture that includes cement, water and a foaming agent. The foaming agent can be an aluminum powder or a surfactant. The insulating material has a maximum use temperature of about 900 degrees Celsius or more.

A composite product comprising a metakaolin-based mineral polymer. The composite product has a number of applications including use as a fire resistant material, use as a thermally insulating material and use as an impact resistance material. Methods of preparing a composite product according to the present invention and a kit of parts for preparing the composite product are also disclosed.

A composite wall panel comprising a panel frame and an insulating layer disposed therein, and a wall assembly comprising a plurality of the composite wall panels that are vertically jointed to one another. Various embodiments and combinations of embodiments are provided.

A powder adhesive composition having cement, a dispersible polymer powder; and at least 10% volume of the powder adhesive is an expanded perlite. The cement is at a ratio of between 600-1000% of the mass of the expanded perlite. The powder adhesive composition is an adhesive, and the adhesion strength of the adhesive, is over 0.4 MPa, after 28 days, and after water immersion for at least 20 days.

In a heat-insulation film, porous plate fillers are dispersed in a matrix to bond the porous plate fillers. The porous plate filler includes plates having an aspect ratio of 3 or more, a minimum length of 0.1 to 50 m and a porosity of 20 to 90%. In the heat-insulation film, a volume ratio between the porous plate fillers and the matrix is from 50:50 to 95:5. In the heat-insulation film in which the porous plate fillers are used, a length of a heat transfer path increases and a thermal conductivity can be decreased, as compared with a case where spherical or cubic fillers are used.