Described herein are compositions and methods relating to functionalized sands or soils.

A method for ecological filling with mixed coal gangue and fly ash includes the following steps: S1: construction of a double-impermeable base layer: leveling a pit or gully, laying a fly ash-based cementitious material, compacting and curing; spraying a layer of polymer waterproof coating on a surface of the fly ash-based cementitious material, and fully curing to obtain a double-impermeable protective structure; S2: three-dimensional layered filling: dumping coal gangue and fly ash in sequence on the double-impermeable protective structure formed in S1, where the coal gangue and the fly ash are three-dimensionally layered and well graded; the coal gangue is coal gangue after coal washing, which is used as an aggregate; the fly ash is used as a filler and cementitious material to achieve a compact filling structure; and S3: rolling: rolling by a roller after the three-dimensional layered filling.

A cellular glass insulation system for an outer surface of a structure or pipe. The insulation system includes multiple segments of cellular glass. An adhesive having a reduced permeability is provided at the interface between the individual cellular glass segments and is configured to limit water intrusion that might cause corrosion of the structure or pipe.

Coating compositions are useful for applying to surfaces of molding, include concrete moldings such as roofing tile. The coating composition comprise monomers that provide advantageous properties to reduce water uptake as well as improving the aesthetic appearance.

A light weight geopolymer concrete, having a specific gravity less than 2.0, more typically between 1 and 1.3, is provided that has compressive strength comparable to or greater than ordinary Portland concrete. The light weight geopolymer concrete has low shrinkage, expansion, and cracking, and substantially no loss of compressive strength when exposed to high temperatures of 800° C. or greater, as would occur in a fire. To be useful as a load bearing member for general applications, such as residential housing, the compressive strength of the light-weight geopolymer concrete should be at least 10 MPa, preferably greater than 12 MPa, for example greater than 15 MPa. For more demanding uses, the compressive strength should be near or at the compressive strength of concrete, that is, greater than 20 MPa, preferably greater than 30 MPa, and optimally greater than 35 MPa. To be useful during and after a fire, the strength must not be reduced by more than 20%, preferably not less than 10%, optimally not reduced at all when exposed to heat up to 800° C. Embodiments of the invention include low-density high-temperature-resistant geopolymer concrete which increases load bearing strength when exposed to temperatures above 400° C., preferably at 800° C. Key constituents for forming most embodiments include a geopolymer source such as fly ash, a cement-coated expanded vermiculite, a fiber such as wollastonite, and soluble silicates such as alkali silicates.

A process for the waterproofing of porous construction materials, the process including the steps of mixing water and a composition C, the composition C comprising, in each case based on the total weight of the composition C, a) 2-15 wt.-% of at least one binder selected from natural hydraulic lime (NHL), formulated lime (FL), and hydraulic lime (HL), b) 1-20 wt.-% of at least one pozzolanic material, c) 40-80 wt.-% of at least one aggregate, d) 2-30 wt.-% of at least one synthetic polymer, and wherein the content of Portland cement in said composition C is <3 wt.-%, applying the mixture thus obtained to a porous construction material, and optionally hardening the applied mixture.

The product is produced from a settable aqueous calcium sulphate dispersion which has a water to solids ratio of less than 0.4 to 1, and has distributed therethrough lightweight hollow bodies having water-impervious surfaces (such as expanded polystyrene beads). The dispersion contains a hydratable cement (such as calcium sulpho aluminate) which is capable of hydration in the presence of the calcium sulphate dispersion. The hydratable cement is such that it reacts with excess water in the dispersion thereby enhancing the water resistance of the resulting product.

Gypsum panels and methods of making gypsum panels are provided. Methods of making gypsum panels include: depositing a first gypsum slurry onto a first surface of a first fiberglass mat; allowing the first gypsum slurry to set to form at least a portion of a gypsum core; and applying a substantially continuous barrier coating comprising a polymer binder to a second surface, opposite the first surface, of the first fiberglass mat, in an amount of from about 1 lb/MSF to about 40 lb/MSF, such that the substantially continuous barrier coating has an average thickness of from about 1 micron to about 100 microns, wherein the substantially continuous barrier coating eliminates at least 99 percent of pin holes present in the exposed second surface of the first fiberglass mat.

A reflective particulate material comprises a particulate substrate, and a coating on the particulate substrate. The coated reflective particulate material may have a relative error of an amount of the coating on the particulate substrate of about 5% to about 15%, and/or a dust index of about 5 or lower, and/or a staining loss of about 8% to about 11%. A method of manufacturing the reflective particulate material comprises mixing the particulate substrate with a liquid coating composition to form a wet particulate mixture, passing the wet particulate mixture through at least one heat zone to remove water and/or moisture, and curing the coating material in the coating composition.

A cement composition is provided. The cement composition comprises: a microcapsule and cement. The microcapsule is provided with a core-shell structure having i) a core containing a water-repellent organosilicon material selected from the group consisting of organosilanes, organosilane partial condensation products, and branched siloxane resins, and ii) a shell of a silicon-based network polymer containing a silica unit. The microcapsule is included at 0.01 to less than 0.5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the cement. Thus, it is possible to provide a cement composition that can provide a cured product having high strength, as well as excellent air content stability, substance penetration prevention, drying shrinkage, and freeze-thaw resistance.