Roofing granules comprising agglomerated inorganic material, and building materials, such as shingles, that include such roofing granules. By fabricating roofing granules from agglomerating inorganic material it is possible to tailor the particle size distribution so as to provide optimal shingle surface coverage, thus reducing shingle weight and usage of raw materials. Additionally, the use of agglomeration permits the utilization of by-products from conventional granule production processes.

Fired clay moldings are hydrophobicized by applying a long chain alkyl-substituted alkoxysilane or hydrolysate thereof having up to 5 silicon atoms, and an alkoxy-functional silicone resin. The moldings, which may be roof tiles, are hydrophobicized to a significant depth, without discoloration.

Disclosed herein are building products comprising a polyurethane formed by the reaction of at least one isocyanate selected from the group consisting of diisocyanates, polyisocyanates and mixtures thereof and at least one polyol in the presence of fly ash and a non-silicone surfactant, wherein, the fly ash is present in an amount from 40% to 90% by weight based on the total weight of the building product; and wherein, the non-silicone surfactant is present in an amount from 0.5% to 2.2% by weight of polyol used to form the polyurethane. The building products possess desirable surfaces that are substantially free of pinholes, while also possessing a modulus, and other properties, that is comparable to or greater than that of building products substantially free of a non-silicone surfactant. Also disclosed are methods for producing the building products.

Disclosed herein are composite materials, including composite building materials, comprising a polyurethane composite core in physical communication with a cementitious layer. Also disclosed are methods for producing the composite materials.

A roofing membrane is provided that includes at least one substrate at least partially impregnated with a first asphalt coating composition and a liquid parting agent emulsion applied to the upper surface of the asphalt-coated substrate. The liquid parting agent emulsion comprises one or more thermoplastic polymers and about 15 wt. % to about 40 wt. % of at least one mineral filler, based on the weight of the total solids in the emulsion. The first asphalt coating composition is free of oxidized asphalt.

The invention relates to a composition having plasma-treated recycled steel fibers within the matrix.

A method for manufacturing a processed asphalt suspension is provided. The method includes dry grinding shingle waste material to a particle size of less than 1 cm, forming ground recycled shingle material, introducing virgin asphalt into a heated slurry tank and mixing the ground recycled shingle material with the virgin asphalt in the heated slurry tank, forming a mixed asphalt slurry, introducing the mixed asphalt slurry into a wet grinding machine, and recovering a processed asphalt suspension comprising particles having a size no greater than about 200 microns. Roofing and paving products manufactured from the processed asphalt suspension are also provided.

The invention relates to a composition having plasma-treated recycled steel fibers within the matrix.

Crumb rubber obtained from recycled tires is subjected to an interlinked substitution process. The process utilizes a reactive component that interferes with sulfur bonds. The resulting treated rubber exhibits properties similar to those of the virgin composite rubber structure prior to being granulated, and is suitable for use in fabricating new tires, engineered rubber articles, and asphalt rubber for use in waterproofing and paving applications.

A method of making a plurality of composite granules can include: forming green body granules comprising an aluminosilicate; heating the green body granules to form sintered granules; cooling the sintered granules according to a cooling regime, wherein the cooling regime comprises a temperature hold between 700 C. and 900 C. for at least one hour. In a particular embodiment, the aluminosilicate for making the composite granules can have a particle size less than 150 m. The composite granules are particularly suitable as roofing granules and can have a desired combination of high solar reflectance SR and low lightness L*, a low bulk density, good weather resistance and strength.