A structure for manufacturing castings, containing an inorganic fiber, a layered clay mineral, and an inorganic particle other than the layered clay mineral and having an organic content of 5 mass % or lower or having a mass loss of 5 mass % or lower when heated at 1000° C. for 30 minutes. The inorganic particle preferably contains one or more selected from obsidian, graphite, and mullite. The inorganic fiber preferably contains carbon fiber. The inorganic fiber preferably has an average length of 0.5 to 15 mm. The layered clay mineral preferably contains one or more selected from bentonite and montmorillonite.

A structure for manufacturing castings, containing an inorganic fiber, a layered clay mineral, and an inorganic particle other than the layered clay mineral and having an organic content of 5 mass % or lower or having a mass loss of 5 mass % or lower when heated at 1000° C. for 30 minutes. The inorganic particle preferably contains one or more selected from obsidian, graphite, and mullite. The inorganic fiber preferably contains carbon fiber. The inorganic fiber preferably has an average length of 0.5 to 15 mm. The layered clay mineral preferably contains one or more selected from bentonite and montmorillonite.

Provided are bitumen nanocomposites. The bitumen nanocomposites have one or more clay, one or more polymer composition, and bitumen. A polymer composition can have one or more polymer and one or more crumb rubber. A polymer may have one or more maleic anhydride group. The bitumen nanocomposites can be used in, for example, road surfacing products and roofing products.

A joint compound system includes a set-inhibited, pre-wetted, setting-type, ready-mix joint compound and a set initiator. The set-inhibited, pre-wetted, setting-type joint compound includes a ready-mixed, setting-type joint compound base with a calcium-free phosphate set preventing agent that impedes chemical hydration of a gypsum component of the setting-type joint compound. The joint compound base is free of calcium carbonate. The set initiator includes alum to reinitiate the chemical hydration reactions.

A joint compound system includes a set-inhibited, pre-wetted, setting-type, ready-mix joint compound and a set initiator. The set-inhibited, pre-wetted, setting-type joint compound includes a ready-mixed, setting-type joint compound base with a calcium-free phosphate set preventing agent that impedes chemical hydration of a gypsum component of the setting-type joint compound. The joint compound base is free of calcium carbonate. The set initiator includes alum to reinitiate the chemical hydration reactions.

Disclosed are an organic binder-based coating; a composite gypsum board containing face and back cover sheets, an outside surface of the back cover sheet bearing the coating; and a method of preparing composite board where the back cover sheet contains the coating on its outer surface. The coating is formed from a composition comprising an alkaline silicate, a solid filler, and optionally, a borate. An enhancing layer can also be applied to the back cover sheet.

Disclosed are an organic binder-based coating; a composite gypsum board containing face and back cover sheets, an outside surface of the back cover sheet bearing the coating; and a method of preparing composite board where the back cover sheet contains the coating on its outer surface. The coating is formed from a composition comprising an alkaline silicate, a solid filler, and optionally, a borate. An enhancing layer can also be applied to the back cover sheet.

This invention discloses a double-liquid grouting slurry, its technology and application for super large diameter underwater shield engineering under high water pressure condition. The materials of slurry I are: 35-45 parts of cement clinker; 15-25 parts of slag; 24-35 parts of fly ash; 15-25 parts of steel slag; 5-15 parts of bentonite; 4-10 parts of limestone tailing; 0.3-2.0 parts of water reducing agent; 0.5-2.5 parts of cellulose. The materials of slurry II are: 0.2-3.8 parts of short-cut fiber; 96-99 parts of sodium silicate solution; 0.8-4.8 parts of viscous polymers. This invention generates the double-liquid slurry preparation process including crushing-screening-milling-group mixing-grouped mixing at different speeds, the volume ratio of slurry I and II is 1:1-10:1 during grouting, and the slurry is injected into the shield void through the six-point position technology at the shield tail and 3+2+1 segment splicing synchronous grouting techniques.

A synchronous single-liquid grouting slurry, its technology and application for large diameter shield engineering under water-rich, high-pressure and weak soil strata conditions, comprising raw materials: 1050-1200 parts of gold tailing, 420-480 parts of silicate cement clinker, 220-240 parts of fly ash, 45-120 parts of waste clay brick, 65-95 parts of slag, 25-45 parts of limestone tailing, 70-80 parts of steel slag, 30-45 parts of silica fume, 15-22 parts of desulfurized gypsum, and 9-15 parts of quick-setting and early-strength composite additive. The invention controls the d.sub.50, d.sub.85 and d.sub.95 of the material particles as 35-40, 42-48 and 50-55 μm, respectively. Gold tailing with the particle size of 120-600 μm being used as the fine aggregate, their volume fractions are 40-60%. The slurry production technique, comprising crushing-sieving-superfine ball milling-homogenization-particle size classification-variable speed mixing being developed. The shield tail eight-point grouting technique is being developed for filling.

The present invention relates to additives and, more specifically, the use of biochar, in concrete and other cementitious materials to provide for building materials that have a lower carbon footprint than their traditional counterparts. Traditional methods for production of cement produce large amount of carbon dioxide (CO2). When coupled with the massive demand for cement building materials around the world, this means that the cement production has a significant impact on the amount of CO2 produced globally. By including biochar and other additives along with, or instead of some traditional components of cement, one may be able to provide for cementitious building materials that sequester carbon, rather than release it.