A concrete slab system includes a bed of a first concrete having a top surface and edge surfaces. The bed's top surface has shrinkage cracks and induced cracks. The widths of the induced cracks are greater than widths of the shrinkage cracks. Non-concrete material is disposed on the bed's top surface and on each of the bed's edge surfaces. A second concrete covers the non-concrete material and the bed. The second concrete has stretchable fibers mixed therein.

A coated insulation material comprising an insulation material substrate and a coating on at least part of a surface of the insulation material substrate and wherein the coating comprises 20 to 65 wt % alkali silicate based on the total weight of the cured coating and the alkali silicate comprises potassium silicate. Also described is an aqueous coating composition useful in providing the insulation material coating, a potassium silicate coating, methods of producing the coated insulation material and potassium silicate coating and kit of parts including an insulation material substrate and either the aqueous coating composition or the potassium silicate coating.

Disclosed embodiments concern a composition comprising a diatom frustule and two or more photocatalytic nanoparticles dispersed on the surface of the frustule. Also disclosed are embodiments of a method for making the composition. The nanoparticles are dispersed such that they are separate and not in physical contact with each other. An average distance between the nanoparticles may be from greater than 0 nm to 100 nm. The nanoparticles may comprise a dopant material. Paint compositions comprising the diatom frustule compositions are also contemplated. The diatom frustule composition may be useful for removing and/or degrading volatile organic compounds, such as those present in the atmosphere.

Disclosed is a method to produce composite materials, which contain customized mixes of nano- and/or micro-particles with tailored electromagnetic spectral properties, structural elements based thereon, in particular layers, but also bulk materials including inhomogeneous bulk materials. In some embodiments the IR-reflectivity is enhanced predominantly independently of reflectivity for visible wavelength. The enhanced IR-reflectivity is achieved by combining spectral properties from a plurality of nano- and/or micro-particles of distinct size distribution, shape distribution, chemical composition, crystal structure, and crystallinity distribution. This enables to approximate desired target spectra better than know solutions, which comprise only a single type of particles and/or an uncontrolled natural size distribution. Furthermore disclosed are methods of manufacturing such materials, including ceramics, clay, and concrete, as well as applications related to design and construction of buildings or other confined spaces.

The present invention relates to a coating composition and method of manufacturing said coating composition. The coating composition is a two-component coating composition for construction surfaces. The present coating composition is effectively bonded to the surface without an additional application of intermediate layer overcoming the existing problems associated with conventional concrete surface treatment methods.

The present invention provides an aqueous polyurethane (PU)-polyacrylate hybrid dispersion obtainable by free radical polymerization of at least one acrylate polymer (A1) in the presence of at least one polyurethane (P1), a process for preparing these aqueous polyurethane-polyacrylate hybrid dispersions, wherein said process comprises a) preparing an aqueous polyurethane dispersion and b) using the polyurethane dispersion thus prepared as raw material for the further synthesis of a polyacrylate dispersion, and the use of the hybrid dispersion thus obtained as binder in filled coating materials, particularly as a binder for flexible roof coatings.

The present disclosure relates to coating compositions, kits, and methods of applying the same, for use with fireproofing materials. The coating compositions are effective to control the drying rate and shrinkage of fireproofing materials. The coating compositions are also able to be applied to fireproofing materials shortly after these materials have been applied to a substrate.

The present disclosure relates to coating compositions, kits, and methods of applying the same, for use with fireproofing materials. The coating compositions are effective to control the drying rate and shrinkage of fireproofing materials. The coating compositions are also able to be applied to fireproofing materials shortly after these materials have been applied to a substrate.

The invention relates to a new inorganic polymer which is based on modified water glass, is characterized by numerous unusual properties and can be used as a substitute for, for example, concrete, cement, and ceramics.

A solid composition contains a first material and a powder and satisfies requirements 1 and 2. Requirement 1: |dA(T)/dT| satisfies 10 ppm/° C. or more at least at −200° C. to 1,200° C. A is (an a-axis lattice constant of a crystal in the powder)/(a c-axis lattice constant of a crystal in the powder), obtained from X-ray diffractometry of the powder. Requirement 2: C is 0.04 or more. C is (a log differential pore volume when a pore diameter of the solid composition is B in a pore distribution curve of the solid composition)/(a log differential pore volume corresponding to a maximum peak intensity in the pore distribution curve of the solid composition). B is (a pore diameter giving a maximum peak intensity in the pore distribution curve of the solid composition)/2. The pore distribution curve of the solid composition shows a relationship between the pore diameter and the log differential pore volume.