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.

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 building construction composition, including wall and ceiling textures, joint compounds and coatings, the building construction composition comprising hydrated gypsum, anhydrous gypsum and/or calcium carbonate, a starch and/or polymeric binder and a formaldehyde-free antibacterial agent which contains one or more of the following compounds: copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate, copper sulfate, copper hydroxide, copper oxychloride, or any combination thereof; and methods for preventing microbial growth during manufacturing, storage and usage of the building construction compositions.

A porous refractory composition containing a foamed colloidal silica binder, and porous refractory articles made from it, are provided. The foamed colloidal silica binder has a total porosity of about 50% to about 95% by volume and includes a synthetic, non-protein foaming agent mixed with colloidal silica and water. The foamed colloidal silica binder has sufficient durability and integrity to withstand the mixing with dry refractory ingredients to form a porous refractory composition, casting the refractory composition into a refractory shape, and drying the shape to form a porous refractory article having a porosity of about 25% to about 75% by volume. The resulting refractory articles have excellent high-temperature durability and insulating properties.

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.