An ultrastable cementitious material with nano-molecular veneer makes a cementitious material by blending 29 wt % to 40 wt % of a magnesium oxide dry powder containing 80 wt % to 98 wt % of magnesium oxide based on a final total weight of the cementitious material, with 14 wt % to 18 wt % of a magnesium chloride dissolved in water and reacting to form a liquid suspension, mixing from 2 to 10 minutes, adding a phosphorus-containing material, and allowing the liquid suspension to react into an amorphous phase cementitious material, wherein a portion of the amorphous phase cementitious material grows a plurality of crystals. The plurality of crystals are encapsulated by the amorphous phase cementitious material forming a nano-molecular veneer. A process to make the ultrastable cementitious material. A tile backer board incorporating the ultrastable cementitious material and a process for making the tile backer board.

A retrofitting appliqu for stepped application to a building wall construction. For external retrofitting, the system has an air barrier layer impermeable or semi-permeable for moisture, a ventilated air cavity used to modify temperature and/or remove water that may be coming from both sides or to modify the relative humidity of the ventilation air, a layer of thermal insulation, a composite material called Eco-Wrap with capillary active capability, in which a hydronic heating or cooling system may be located, and a surface finishing layer. For internal retrofitting, the system has an air barrier system arranged onto the wall of the building and separated from a layer of permeable or semi-permeable thermal insulation by a ventilated air gap. The layer of insulation, in turn, is in contact with a layer of Eco-Wrap. A permeable interior finishing layer that may also have capillary active performance is in contact with the Eco-Wrap. Methods for installing the retrofitting appliqu are also disclosed.

The present disclosure describes architectural blocks configured to give the appearance of real cut stone. A plaster composition may be applied to one or more surfaces of a block, such as a concrete masonry unit (CMU) to form an architectural block having the appearance of cut stone. The plaster composition includes a cementitious component, such as white Portland cement, a limestone aggregate component, and optionally an adhesive component. The limestone aggregate component includes a fine sand portion and a coarse sand portion that effectively enable the appearance of cut stone after finishing of the plaster surface via sanding and/or polishing.

In a method for obtaining a compacted material, a) a set of particles of raw materials is mixed with 1-50% by weight of a hydraulic binder to form a dry composition, the percentage being relative to the total weight of the dry composition, the particle size distribution of the raw material particles being characterised by a first reference diameter 50 millimetres and a second reference diameter 0.08 micrometres, b) the dry composition is mixed with 1-35% by weight of water to form a mixed composition, the percentage relative to the total weight of the dry composition, c) the mixed composition is vibrated 0.3 millimetres at 20-80 Hertz, while a compressive stress is applied, the value of the applied compressive stress being at least 2 MegaPascal. Also disclosed is a method for obtaining a multilayer compacted material and to the materials obtained according to the methods.

A cement-based tile formed from a mixture comprising: a cement in the range of about 0.1 to 88% by wet weight percent; a secondary material in the range of about 0.1 to 50% by wet weight percent, the secondary material comprising limestone, sand, silica sand, gypsum, silica fume, fumed silica, Plaster of Paris, calcium carbonate, fly ash, slag, rock, or a combination thereof; a reinforcement fiber in the range of about 0.5 to 20% by wet weight percent, the reinforcement fiber comprising cellulose fiber, glass fiber, plastic fiber, polypropylene fiber, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber, homopolymer acrylic fiber, alkali-resistant fiber, or a combination thereof; a rheology modifying agent in the range of about 0.5 to 10% by wet weight percent; a water in the range of 10 to 60% of a total wet material weight; and wherein the mixture is extruded or molded to form the cement-based tile.

The disclosure relate generally to structures, forms, and monoliths, and methods of preparing the same. This disclosure can produce uniform structured passageways or channels of active material, including adsorbent or catalyst, by imprinting or molding features into a paste on a support that can be subsequently assembled into a gas or liquid treating structure, i.e. a monolith. The paste, which can include an active material, binder, and other potential additives, can be applied to the support or pushed through a support (as in a mesh) as a thin film. The paste can be imprinted, stamped, shaped or otherwise handled to give features of desired height, shape, width, and positioning. When stacked or rolled, the features of one layer contact a subsequent layer, which seal to form passageways. The resulting structure can have high cell-density (>1000 cells per square inch) and a large volume fraction of active material.

A method of manufacturing a highly insulating three-dimensional (3D) structure is provided. The method includes depositing a first layer of hollow microspheres onto a base. The hollow microspheres have a metallic coating formed thereon. A laser beam is scanned over the hollow microspheres so as to sinter the metallic coating of the hollow microspheres at predetermined locations. At least one layer of the hollow microspheres is deposited onto the first layer. Scanning by the laser beam is repeated for each successive layer until a predetermined 3D structure is constructed. The 3D structure includes a composite thermal barrier coating (TBC), which may be applied to a surface of components within an internal combustion engine, and the like. The composite TBC is bonded to the components of the engine to provide low thermal conductivity and low heat capacity insulation that is sealed against combustion gasses.

Embodiments may include a coated granule for roofing systems. The coated granule may include an aluminum silicate granule and a coating disposed on the aluminum silicate granule. The coating may include a copolymer and a siloxane-based or a silane-based compound. The copolymer may be a cationic fluorinated (meth)acrylic copolymer. The aluminum silicate granule may have a particle size in a range from 0.2 mm to 2.4 mm. The aluminum silicate granule may have a 65% or greater reflectivity. The coated granule may repel oil and maintain its reflectivity better than with other techniques.

Dry mortar mixture characterized by a glass mixture of expanded glass beads with a grain size d/D 0/8, mixed in a ratio of between 1:1 and 1:3, with a binding mixture of hydraulic binders and stone granules in the weight ratio of 1:2 to 1:4. The glass has a discontinuous grain distribution. For the glass mixture the fractions 0.5/1.0 and 2.0/4.0 are present while a fraction intermediate other fractions are absent. Preferably the fractions 0.25/0.5 and 1.0/2.0 are absent. For the glass mixture preferably all grain sizes between 1.0 and 2.0 mm are absent. The grain size distribution is around an average, so that an open structure is obtained.

A board includes at least a substrate which is formed at least of a gypsum-based and/or cement-based basic material layer with a compressive strength of 30 kg/cm2 and a resin-based covering provided on at least one side of the substrate, in the form of a laminate layer directly pressed onto the substrate.