A composition configured to form a heat generating layer on a building element is disclosed. The composition includes a base material and an electrically conductive filler, wherein the composition is configured to form a heat generating layer after it has been applied to a surface of the building element. The composition may be a construction adhesive or jointing composition, a gel coat composition or a bedding or self-levelling composition.

Spray dried homogeneous mixtures of a high molecular mass flocculating agent, a base polymer dispersion, and a protective colloid are useful for homogenously stabilizing mixtures such as dust, sand, and/or soil and produce a stabilized composition of high strength.

A dry composition for a wall covering for interior walls can have a food additive as a binding agent to bind cotton and paper. The dry composition can be mixed with an appropriate amount of water and allowed to set to create a paste. The paste can then be applied to a surface of an interior wall. Once cured, the paste forms a solid layer of a decorative coating on the surface of the interior wall. A color of the decorative layer can be varied by altering the color of the cotton, color of the paper, and the addition of pigments to the paste. A texture of the decorative layer can be varied by altering the amount of cotton, and the size of the cotton pieces used in the dry composition.

A slag-based binder has at least one slag, optionally at least one CO.sub.3-containing mineral powder, optionally at least one co-binder different from the slag and mineral powder, at least one activator of the water/slag reaction, optionally at least one co-activator different from the one activator, at least one chelatant and/or at least one source of chelatant, said chelatant being preferably a scale inhibitor, and, optionally, at least one superplasticizer different from the chelatant. A kit is provided to make the binder. The binder is combined with an aggregate to make a dry concrete or mortar. A method for the preparation of a wet formulation (binder/water or concrete-mortar/water) is disclosed as is method of manufacturing buildings or civil engineering works or elements thereof, coatings, fillers, screeds, tiles, adhesives and/or internal or external insulation systems from the wet formulation. The binder is a substitute to OPC-based compositions and is environmentally friendly.

A hydrophobic, water-redispersible polymer powder composition contains a) a main polymer having a1) more than 60 parts by weight of vinyl laurate monomer units a2) 5 to 30 parts by weight of vinyl acetate monomer units, a3) 5 to 30 parts by weight of ethylene monomer units, a4) 0 to 10 parts by weight of other ancillary monomer units,
where the parts by weight total 100 parts by weight, b) 0.5 to 30% by weight of one or more protective colloids, c) 0 to 30% by weight of antiblocking agent, d) 0 to 20% by weight of organosilicon compound, and e) 0 to 20% by weight of fatty acid or derivatives of the fatty acids,
where the % s by weight are based on the total weight of the polymer a).

A composition including: a first component A, includes: between 68 and 99.9 wt.-% of an aqueous dispersion of at least one polymer, the aqueous dispersion including the polymer with an amount of between 20 and 90 wt.-%; between 0 and 2 wt.-% of a nonionic or ionic dispersing agent; a second component B, includes: between 10 and 30 wt.-% of a nonionic, non-aqueous liquid carrier, between 0 and 20 wt.-% of calcium sulfate, between 10 and 89.9 wt.-% of at least one hydraulic binder, between 0 and 10 wt.-% of a thixotropy agent; wherein both components A and B are prepared and stored separately and mixed directly before application; and with the proviso that the first component A furthermore includes: between 0.1 and 15 wt.-% of a monovalent metal salt, and the second component B furthermore comprises: between 0.1 and 25 wt.-% of a polyamine.

The present invention relates to a gypsum composition comprising recycled gypsum and a foam former comprising at least one alpha-sulfo fatty acid disalt, to a process for production thereof and to an article comprising the gypsum composition of the invention. The present invention further relates to the use of a foam former comprising at least one alpha-sulfo fatty acid disalt for reducing the wet density of an aqueous gypsum composition having a recycled gypsum content of at least 0.5% by weight.

Pulverulent mortar composition comprising a mineral binder, an inert material in the form of aggregate capable of being agglomerated in aqueous phase by means of said binder, and 0.2 to 1% of a fluid additive comprising 25 to 100% of a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon compound (i) which is liquid at room temperature and which includes one or more —COO— ester groups, the total weight of which, relative to the molar mass of said compound, is between 20 and 50%. Use for preparing an adhesive mortar for fixing ceramic tiles.

Water-redispersible polymer powders with improved characteristics in building materials are prepared using a drying aid which is a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer also containing vinyl ester monomers and specific comonomers.

The invention relates to a process for preparing silica-coated particles of an inorganic expanding agent, the silica-coated particles and their use. The silica-coated particles show a delayed release of the expanding agent particularly in alkaline medium and at elevated temperatures. They are therefore useful in the oil and construction industry.