A method of preparing a cement may include: defining one or more engineering parameters of a proposed cement slurry; selecting at least: a cement and mass fraction thereof and at least one supplementary cementitious material and mass fraction thereof; a retarder and mass fraction thereof; and a water and mass fraction thereof, such that a slurry formed from the cement, the at least one supplementary cementitious material, the retarder, and the water meets at least one of the one or more engineering parameters and has a property of being capable of remaining in a pumpable fluid state for a period of about 1 day or greater at a temperature of about 80 F. in quiescent storage; and preparing the slurry.

A variety of systems, methods and compositions are disclosed, including, in one method, a method of cementing may comprise: providing a cement composition comprising: a hydraulic cement comprising Portland cement in an amount of about 50% by weight of hydraulic cement or less, water, and a phosphorylated amino polycarboxylic acid cement retarder; placing the cement composition in a wellbore; and allowing the cement composition to set. A cement composition, the composition comprising: a hydraulic cement comprising Portland cement in an amount of about 50% by weight of hydraulic cement or less; water; and a phosphorylated amino polycarboxylic acid cement retarder.

Various examples are provided for in situ growth of subsurface structures using bioinspired mineralization. In one example, among others, a method for growth of a subsurface structure includes introducing a first aqueous mineral salt reactant and a second aqueous mineral salt reactant comprising a polymeric additive into a soil substrate. The first and second aqueous mineral salt reactants can combine to form a polymer-induced liquid-precursor (PILP) phase that initiates in situ mineralization in the soil substrate. Solidifying the mineralization can form a subsurface structure in the soil substrate. Multiple applications of aqueous mineral salt reactants can be introduced to adjust the thickness of the mineralization or for layers of coatings.

The invention is directed to compositions and methods for the manufacture of pigmented solids structures for which can be used for construction and/or decoration. Manufacturing comprises fixing one or more pigments to an aggregate material such as crushed rock, stone or sand. The pigmented aggregate is incubated with urease or urease producing microorganisms, an amount of a nitrogen source such as urea, and an amount of calcium source such as calcium chloride forming calcite bridges between particles of aggregate. The resulting solid has a hardness and colorfastness for most any construction material. Using selected aggregate and pigment, the process also provides for the manufacture of simulated-stone materials such as clay or granite bricks or blocks, marble counter-tops, and more. The invention is also directed to composition containing microorganisms and pigment as kits that can be added to most any aggregate materials.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a preceding material for pumping, a feeding of a very small amount thereof being capable of extending the pumping distance. The preceding material for pumping includes an added cellulose nanofiber and having calcium carbonate as a main component. The present invention enables a thin lubricant layer of a uniform thickness to be formed inside a pipe even when the pipe has a slightly roughened inner surface due to, for example, residues of solidified cement paste or the like, allowing the pumping distance to be extended. Thus, the present invention is suitable, for example, for casting ready-mixed concrete at various construction sites.

The invention is directed to compositions and methods for the manufacture of pigmented solids structures for which can be used for construction and/or decoration. Manufacturing comprises fixing one or more pigments to an aggregate material such as crushed rock, stone or sand. The pigmented aggregate is incubated with urease or urease producing microorganisms, an amount of a nitrogen source such as urea, and an amount of calcium source such as calcium chloride forming calcite bridges between particles of aggregate. The resulting solid has a hardness and colorfastness for most any construction material. Using selected aggregate and pigment, the process also provides for the manufacture of simulated-stone materials such as clay or granite bricks or blocks, marble counter-tops, and more. The invention is also directed to composition containing microorganisms and pigment as kits that can be added to most any aggregate materials.

A soil stabilization method of forming an admixture of at least one hydrogel precursor and urease enzyme, and contacting at least a portion of the admixture with soil, and forming a hydrogel network in-situ within at least a portion of the soil, wherein at least a portion of the hydrogel network includes in-situ precipitated calcium carbonate. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the hydrogel network is formed in-situ by polymerizing the at least one hydrogel precursor in the presence of the urease enzyme.

The present invention provides a liquid composition of quicklime particles within an alkylene glycol-based paste or slurry environment, which allows for pumpability and meterability of a liquid composition into cementitious materials such as concrete and mortar. Treated quicklime particles of the present invention manifest an unexpected and surprising hydration induction postponement behavior, as demonstrated through calorimetric testing.

The pumpable aqueous concrete mixture has an air pore volume of 10-85 volume-%, that includes a hydrophobic resin at least partially soluble in the concrete mixture and optionally an aggregate material.

The present specification discloses ceramic matrix compositions, methods of making such ceramic matrix compositions and methods and uses for such ceramic matrix compositions.