A structural lightweight concrete composition comprising cement, a fine aggregate such as sand, a natural coarse aggregates, such as limestone, scoria or perlite or mixtures thereof, a synthetic coarse aggregate comprising a polymeric material, such as polypropylene beads, an industrial waste byproduct in the form of fine particles, such as silica fume or heavy oil ash, a superplasticizer, such as a polycarboxylate ether and water demonstrating lower thermal conductivity and sufficient compressive strength. Concrete products made therefrom and methods for producing such products are also provided.

A structural lightweight concrete composition comprising cement, a fine aggregate such as sand, a natural coarse aggregates, such as limestone, scoria or perlite or mixtures thereof, a synthetic coarse aggregate comprising a polymeric material, such as polypropylene beads, an industrial waste byproduct in the form of fine particles, such as silica fume or heavy oil ash, a superplasticizer, such as a polycarboxylate ether and water demonstrating lower thermal conductivity and sufficient compressive strength. Concrete products made therefrom and methods for producing such products are also provided.

A structural lightweight concrete composition comprising cement, a fine aggregate such as sand, a natural coarse aggregates, such as limestone, scoria or perlite or mixtures thereof, a synthetic coarse aggregate comprising a polymeric material, such as polypropylene beads, an industrial waste byproduct in the form of fine particles, such as silica fume or heavy oil ash, a superplasticizer, such as a polycarboxylate ether and water demonstrating lower thermal conductivity and sufficient compressive strength. Concrete products made therefrom and methods for producing such products are also provided.

Novel fire-proof thermal-insulation coating materials are disclosed formed primarily by mixing granulated Rockwood with liquid vermiculite (i.e., expanded vermiculite mixed with water). Also disclosed are methods for producing the coating materials and for applying the novel coating materials and additional layers to selected surfaces which can reach excessive temperatures (e.g., above 135? C.) so as to limit the maximum temperature of the outer exposed surfaces of the coating layers.

A porous ceramic particle includes a porous portion and a dense layer. The porous portion has a plate-like shape and a pair of main surfaces in parallel with each other. The dense layer has porosity lower than that of the porous portion and covers at least one main surface among the pair of main surfaces of the porous portion. A portion of a surface of the porous portion, which is other than the pair of main surfaces, is exposed from the dense layer. It is thereby possible to provide a porous ceramic particle of low thermal conductivity and low heat capacity.

Provided is an aerogel blanket and a method for producing the same, wherein a catalyzed sol is sufficiently and uniformly impregnated into a blanket in an impregnation tank, and the catalyzed sol is allowed to stay in the impregnation tank for a specific time to control fluidity while achieving a viscosity at which the catalyzed sol can be easily introduced into the blanket, thereby forming a uniform aerogel in the blanket. As a result, the uniformity of pore structure and thermal insulation performance of an aerogel blanket are improved, the loss of raw materials is reduced through the impregnation process, the occurrence of process problems is reduced, and the generation of dust is reduced.

The present invention relates to a thermal insulating composition, containing 5 to 60% by weight of a hydrophobized granular material comprising fumed silica and at least one IR-opacifier, and 40 to 95% by weight of an inorganic and/or an organic binder, whereby the hydrophobized granular material has a content of free hydroxyl groups of no greater than 0.12 mmol/g, as determined by the reaction with lithium aluminium hydride.

Compositions include an aerogel component and have low thermal conductivity. Methods for preparing slurries or composites include, for example combining the aerogel component with a surfactant, binder and other ingredients, such as, for instance, fibers. The compositions can be slurries that can be used in coating applications or self supporting rigid composites.

A high temperature lightweight thermal insulating material is formed from a mixture that includes cement or silica sand, water and a foaming agent. The foaming agent can be an aluminum powder or a surfactant. The insulating material has a maximum use temperature greater than about 600 degrees Celsius.

The current invention is a novel addition to the field and comprises a self-sensing high performance fiber reinforced Geopolymer composite (HPFR-GPC) with self-sensing ability. In one or more embodiment, the self-sensing abilities are created by the addition of high performance fibers into a Geopolymer composites. The HPFR-GPC exhibits smart, high performance, energy efficient, and sustainability characteristics including: enhanced tensile ductility, toughness, and strain hardening (including crack width control); improved piezoresistive effects; utilization of industrial by-product; high resistance to acid attacks; and lightweight, low density. When compared to current available embedded or attachable sensors, the current invention offers lower cost, higher durability, and a larger sensing volume.