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.xOH. R may be a hydrocarbyl group having from 9 to 20 carbon atom, 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.

In one embodiment, a retarded acid system comprises an aqueous acid and a retarding surfactant. The aqueous acid may comprise from 5 wt. % to 25 wt. % of a strong acid, that is, an acid having a K.sub.a greater than or equal to 0.01. The aqueous acid may further comprise from 75 wt. % to 95 wt. % water. The retarding surfactant may have the general chemical formula R(OC.sub.2H.sub.4).sub.xOH where R is a hydrocarbon having from 11 to 15 carbon atoms and x is an integer from 6 to 10. The retarding surfactant may have a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance from 8 to 16.

The invention relates to the use of carboxylic acid-based polyoxyalkylenes as low-emissions shrinkage reducers in mineral binders, to methods of reducing shrinkage and to corresponding compositions.

The product is produced from a settable aqueous calcium sulphate dispersion which has a water to solids ratio of less than 0.4 to 1, and has distributed therethrough lightweight hollow bodies having water-impervious surfaces (such as expanded polystyrene beads). The dispersion contains a hydratable cement (such as calcium sulpho aluminate) which is capable of hydration in the presence of the calcium sulphate dispersion. The hydratable cement is such that it reacts with excess water in the dispersion thereby enhancing the water resistance of the resulting product.

The product is produced from a settable aqueous calcium sulphate dispersion which has a water to solids ratio of less than 0.4 to 1, and has distributed therethrough lightweight hollow bodies having water-impervious surfaces (such as expanded polystyrene beads). The dispersion contains a hydratable cement (such as calcium sulpho aluminate) which is capable of hydration in the presence of the calcium sulphate dispersion. The hydratable cement is such that it reacts with excess water in the dispersion thereby enhancing the water resistance of the resulting product.

Hardenable inorganic systems such as cements, plasters, ceramics or liquid silicates, usable for example in the building trade, construction industry or oil drilling industry. The insertion of carbonaceous nanofillers, such as carbon nanotubes, for reinforcing mechanical properties and improving such systems. A method for producing a master mixture including at least one superplasticiser and carbonaceous nanofillers at a mass ratio of between 0.1% and 25%, preferably between 0.2% and 20%, in relation to the total weight of the master mixture, and also to said master mixture thus obtained and to the use thereof in a hardenable inorganic system with a view to producing materials with improved properties. The disclosure applies to the construction industry, the building trade and the oil drilling industry.

Hardenable inorganic systems such as cements, plasters, ceramics or liquid silicates, usable for example in the building trade, construction industry or oil drilling industry. The insertion of carbonaceous nanofillers, such as carbon nanotubes, for reinforcing mechanical properties and improving such systems. A method for producing a master mixture including at least one superplasticiser and carbonaceous nanofillers at a mass ratio of between 0.1% and 25%, preferably between 0.2% and 20%, in relation to the total weight of the master mixture, and also to said master mixture thus obtained and to the use thereof in a hardenable inorganic system with a view to producing materials with improved properties. The disclosure applies to the construction industry, the building trade and the oil drilling industry.

The aim of the invention is to provide, at a lower cost, novel primary mixtures that can be used for preparing polymer bitumens. For this purpose, the primary mixture according to the invention comprises: (a) at least 25% by weight, preferably 25 to 80% by weight, of polymer, (b) at least one thermoplastic tackifying resin having an average molecular mass of 100 to 3,000 g/mol, (c) and/or one or more mono-alkylpreferably methylesters of fatty acids at C16-C18, in particular sunflower oil, linseed oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, and/or sunflower oil that is optionally isomerized; the ester (c) necessarily being present when the tackifying resin (b) has an acid value measured according to standard NF EN ISO 660 of less than 50 mg KOH/g. The invention also concerns the polymer bitumens, emulsions and coatings/coated products obtained from this primary mixture, as well as the methods for preparing same.

The aim of the invention is to provide, at a lower cost, novel primary mixtures that can be used for preparing polymer bitumens. For this purpose, the primary mixture according to the invention comprises: (a) at least 25% by weight, preferably 25 to 80% by weight, of polymer, (b) at least one thermoplastic tackifying resin having an average molecular mass of 100 to 3,000 g/mol, (c) and/or one or more mono-alkylpreferably methylesters of fatty acids at C16-C18, in particular sunflower oil, linseed oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, and/or sunflower oil that is optionally isomerized; the ester (c) necessarily being present when the tackifying resin (b) has an acid value measured according to standard NF EN ISO 660 of less than 50 mg KOH/g. The invention also concerns the polymer bitumens, emulsions and coatings/coated products obtained from this primary mixture, as well as the methods for preparing same.

A composition includes: an ethoxylated fatty alcohol having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms and having an ethoxylation level of from 1 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of fatty alcohol, an alkanolamine or a morpholine, or its derivatives or mix of them, and a fatty acid. A hydraulic binder includes the composition. A process prevents the formation of a surface film at the surface of hydraulic binders, wherein the composition is added to the dry hydraulic binder. A process for preparing the composition, includes: melting the ethoxylated fatty alcohol and heating it at a temperature above its melting point, adding water to the melted ethoxylated fatty alcohol and mixing, adding fatty acid to the mixture and mixing, adding alkanolamine or morpholine, or its derivative or mix of them to the mixture obtained and mixing, and adding water.