Fibers to be added to concrete to improve its properties are coated with an alkali-insoluble polymer, to provide adhesion of the fibers to the concrete. In a further improvement, nanoparticles are dispersed in an alkali-soluble polymer coating, and this is used to coat the fibers. When the fibers are mixed into the concrete mix, the nanoparticles are dispersed throughout the concrete, avoiding problems from agglomeration of the nanoparticles if simply added to the concrete mix.

Fibers to be added to concrete to improve its properties are coated with an alkali-insoluble polymer, to provide adhesion of the fibers to the concrete. In a further improvement, nanoparticles are dispersed in an alkali-soluble polymer coating, and this is used to coat the fibers. When the fibers are mixed into the concrete mix, the nanoparticles are dispersed throughout the concrete, avoiding problems from agglomeration of the nanoparticles if simply added to the concrete mix.

A polymer-modified hybrid-fibers cementitious composition has a one-day compressive strength of at least approximately 17 MPa, a 28-day tensile strength of at least approximately 3.8 MPa, an ultimate tensile strain of approximately 3% to approximately 9%, and a 7-day bond strength of at least approximately 2.3 MPa. A binder of ordinary Portland cement, fly ash, and silica fume is provided. Other components include limestone powder, sand, superplasticizer, and water. The composition further includes one or more of styrene butadiene rubber or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer in an amount ranging between approximately 2% and approximately 8% by mass of binder. Fiber additives include steel fibers in an amount ranging between approximately 0.3% and approximately 3.0% by volume of the cementitious composition and polymer fibers in an amount less than approximately 1.0% by volume of the cementitious composition. Chamfers made of the composition are positioned at beam-column joints.

The invention provides novel articles of composite materials having hollow interior channels or passageways, or otherwise being hollowed out, and formulations and methods for their manufacture and uses. These hollow core objects are suitable for a variety of applications in construction, pavements and landscaping, and infrastructure.

The invention provides novel articles of composite materials having hollow interior channels or passageways, or otherwise being hollowed out, and formulations and methods for their manufacture and uses. These hollow core objects are suitable for a variety of applications in construction, pavements and landscaping, and infrastructure.

The invention provides novel articles of composite materials having hollow interior channels or passageways, or otherwise being hollowed out, and formulations and methods for their manufacture and uses. These hollow core objects are suitable for a variety of applications in construction, pavements and landscaping, and infrastructure.

Disclosed herein are phase change materials microencapsulated by a microcapsule having two shells, the first shell (directly encapsulating the phase change material) being an organic polymeric material and the second shell (an outer shell) being made from a doped TiO.sub.2 material. The microcapsules disclosed herein may be particularly useful for improving the energy efficiency of indoor environments, as well as providing compositions that they are applied to (e.g. paints) with self-cleaning properties.

Provided are: a coated sand having improved fluidity and being capable of improving a filling rate of a casting mold to be obtained; and a coated sand for advantageously manufacturing a casting mold having excellent strength, which coated sand provides a casting mold with good mold-releasability and collapsibility, gives cast products a favorable casting surface, and effectively improves sand adhesion on cast products. The coated sand is formed as a dry granular material having fluidity at room temperature, in which the surface of a refractory aggregate is coated with a solid layer of a water-soluble inorganic binder, and spherical particles of silicone resin having binder-repellency exist on the surface of the binder layer, or form a layer on the surface of the binder layer, a part of the spherical particles being not covered with the water-soluble inorganic binder and being exposed.

Provided are: a coated sand having improved fluidity and being capable of improving a filling rate of a casting mold to be obtained; and a coated sand for advantageously manufacturing a casting mold having excellent strength, which coated sand provides a casting mold with good mold-releasability and collapsibility, gives cast products a favorable casting surface, and effectively improves sand adhesion on cast products. The coated sand is formed as a dry granular material having fluidity at room temperature, in which the surface of a refractory aggregate is coated with a solid layer of a water-soluble inorganic binder, and spherical particles of silicone resin having binder-repellency exist on the surface of the binder layer, or form a layer on the surface of the binder layer, a part of the spherical particles being not covered with the water-soluble inorganic binder and being exposed.

The invention relates to a method for producing thermal energy storage components comprising phase change material embedded into porous components, in particular for use in cement-based compositions. The method comprises: an impregnation step (10) comprising introducing phase change material into porous components inside a main vessel (102) by vacuum impregnation; an injection step (12) at a temperature within a melting temperature range of said phase change material and under an overpressure, in order vacuuming to force the phase change material into the porous components; and an entrapment step (14) comprising reducing the temperature inside the main vessel, while maintaining an the overpressure, in order to lower the viscosity of said phase change material.