An acoustical ceiling panel including a first layer having a first major surface opposite a second major surface and a side surface extending therebetween, a second layer having a first major surface opposite a second major surface and a side surface extending therebetween, and a sealing layer having a first major surface opposite a second major surface and a side surface extending therebetween. The sealing layer may be positioned between the first major surface of the first layer and the second major surface of the second layer. The side surface of the sealing layer may extend beyond the side surface of the first layer and the side surface of the second layer.

The invention relates to a method for binding of carbon dioxide, comprising: providing a starting material which comprises sources for CaO and SiO.sub.2 and optionally also Al, Fe and/or Mg, hydrothermally treating the starting material in an autoclave at 50 to 300 C., tempering at 350 to 600 C., and hardening the resulting material with carbon dioxide. The invention further relates to building elements which are obtained by hardening a material according to the method.

The present invention provides a bidirectional energy-transfer system comprising: a thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete, disposed in a structural object; a location of energy supply or demand that is physically isolated from, but in thermodynamic and/or electromagnetic communication with, the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete; and a means of transferring energy between the structural object and the location of energy supply or demand. The system can be a single node in a neural network. The thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete includes a conductive, shock-absorbing material, such as graphite. Preferred compositions are disclosed for the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete. The bidirectional energy-transfer system may be present in a solar-energy collection system, a grade beam, an indoor radiant flooring system, a structural wall or ceiling, a bridge, a roadway, a driveway, a parking lot, a commercial aviation runway, a military runway, a grain silo, or pavers, for example.

The present invention provides a bidirectional energy-transfer system comprising: a thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete, disposed in a structural object; a location of energy supply or demand that is physically isolated from, but in thermodynamic and/or electromagnetic communication with, the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete; and a means of transferring energy between the structural object and the location of energy supply or demand. The system can be a single node in a neural network. The thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete includes a conductive, shock-absorbing material, such as graphite. Preferred compositions are disclosed for the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete. The bidirectional energy-transfer system may be present in a solar-energy collection system, a grade beam, an indoor radiant flooring system, a structural wall or ceiling, a bridge, a roadway, a driveway, a parking lot, a commercial aviation runway, a military runway, a grain silo, or pavers, for example.

A molding produced from a heat-curable bio-based casting composition, including: (a) one or more monofunctional and one or more polyfunctional acrylic and/or methacrylic biomonomers of vegetable or animal origin, (b) one or more polymers or copolymers selected from among polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyols, polyesters derived from recycled material or of vegetable or animal origin, (c) inorganic filler particles of natural origin, where the proportion of the monofunctional and polyfunctional acrylic and methacrylic biomonomer(s) is 10-40% by weight, the proportion of the polymer(s) or copolymer(s) is 1-16% by weight and the proportion of the inorganic filler particles is 44-89% by weight, wherein the polymerized composition has an impact strength of from 2-5 mJ/mm.sup.2.

The disclosure provides a curable coating composition including 10-50 vol. % inorganic binder, based on the total volume of solids in the dry coating composition, wherein the inorganic binder is an alkali metal silicate or an alkaline earth metal silicate and 50-90 vol. % inorganic filler, based on the total volume of solids in the coating composition, wherein the binder and the filler are not the same and the coating is substantially free of an organic polymeric binder. Further provided are ceiling tiles having a backing side and an opposing facing side, and a cured coating layer supported by the backing side of the panel, the cured coating layer including the curable coating composition of the disclosure and methods of preparing same.

An acoustical tile having a wet laid mineral fiber basemat, a non-woven porous fiberglass veil adhered to the basemat and covered with a light reflecting air permeable coating, at least 90% of the weight of the basemat comprising mineral wool and binder, a weight of the binder being less than 1/11 of the weight of the mineral fiber, the basemat having a density of between about 11.4 and about 14.2 lbs/cubic foot, the mineral fiber having an average diameter of between 4.5 and 8.3 microns, the composite of the basemat, veil and coating exhibiting good NRC and CAC performance values.

The present invention provides a bidirectional energy-transfer system comprising: a thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete, disposed in a structural object; a location of energy supply or demand that is physically isolated from, but in thermodynamic and/or electromagnetic communication with, the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete; and a means of transferring energy between the structural object and the location of energy supply or demand. The system can be a single node in a neural network. The thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete includes a conductive, shock-absorbing material, such as graphite. Preferred compositions are disclosed for the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete. The bidirectional energy-transfer system may be present in a solar-energy collection system, a grade beam, an indoor radiant flooring system, a structural wall or ceiling, a bridge, a roadway, a driveway, a parking lot, a commercial aviation runway, a military runway, a grain silo, or pavers, for example.

A gypsum hardened body including a gypsum slurry that has been hardened is provided. The gypsum slurry is obtained by mixing calcined gypsum, calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate, water, and foam. The specific gravity of the gypsum hardened body is greater than or equal to 0.3 and less than or equal to 0.8.

A paper based overlay is provided. The overlay has a paper impregnated with a resin composition having an acrylic resin having a glass transition temperature in a range of from about 20 C. to about 40 C. and a resin content from about 15 to about 35 wt. % based on the weight of the overlay and an adhesive is applied at the back of a substrate. The acrylic composition may include wax in the amount of about 0.005 to about 3.5 wt. % based on the weight of the resin composition. A method of producing the overlay is also provided. The overlay is highly water and abrasion resistant with low volatile content.