Light weight composites with high flexural strength comprise epoxy foam sandwiched between two layers of facing material have high strength and low weight and can be used to replace steel structures. The facing layer may be fibrous material especially glass or carbon fibres, the facing material is preferably embedded into the epoxy matrix. Alternatively they may be matching box structures or concentric metal tubes. The sandwich structures may be prepared by laying up the fibre; coating and/or impregnating the layer with epoxy resin, laying a layer of heat activatable foamable epoxy material, providing a further layer of the fibrous material optionally coated and/or impregnated with epoxy resin on the foamable material ad heating to foam and cure the epoxy materials. Alternatively they may be formed by extrusion of the foamable material between the surface layers.

Disclosed herein are engineered composite materials suitable for applications that can benefit from a composite material capable of interacting with or responding to, in a controlled or pre-determined manner, changes in its surrounding environment. The composite material is generally includes a gradient layer structure of a sequence of at, e.g., three or more gradient-contributing layers of microscale particles, wherein a mean particle size of particles of neighboring gradient-contributing layers in the cross section of the gradient layer structure varies from layer to layer, thereby forming a particle size gradient, and in contact with the gradient layer structure, a densely packed particle structure including densely packed microscale particles, wherein a mean particle size of the densely packed microscale particles does not form a particle size gradient in the cross section of the densely packed particle structure.

Light weight composites with high flexural strength comprise epoxy foam sandwiched between two layers of facing material have high strength and low weight and can be used to replace steel structures. The facing layer may be fibrous material especially glass or carbon fibres, the facing material is preferably embedded into the epoxy matrix. Alternatively they may be matching box structures or concentric metal tubes. The sandwich structures may be prepared by laying up the fibre; coating and/or impregnating the layer with epoxy resin, laying a layer of heat activatable foamable epoxy material, providing a further layer of the fibrous material optionally coated and/or impregnated with epoxy resin on the foamable material ad heating to foam and cure the epoxy materials. Alternatively they may be formed by extrusion of the foamable material between the surface layers.

Light weight composites with high flexural strength comprise epoxy foam sandwiched between two layers of facing material have high strength and low weight and can be used to replace steel structures. The facing layer may be fibrous material especially glass or carbon fibres, the facing material is preferably embedded into the epoxy matrix. Alternatively they may be matching box structures or concentric metal tubes. The sandwich structures may be prepared by laying up the fibre; coating and/or impregnating the layer with epoxy resin, laying a layer of heat activatable foamable epoxy material, providing a further layer of the fibrous material optionally coated and/or impregnated with epoxy resin on the foamable material and heating to foam and cure the epoxy materials. Alternatively they may be formed by extrusion of the foamable material between the surface layers.

A shear panel building material that includes a first facing membrane, a core matrix disposed on a face of the first facing membrane, and a semi-rigid or rigid material attached to the core matrix. The core matrix can include microspheres having a size of about 200 microns to about 800 microns, sodium silicate, and ethylene vinyl acetate. In one aspect, the shear panel is substantially free from glue and cement.

A composition, utility material, and method of making a utility material is disclosed. A composition having an improved setting time may include a plurality of microparticles mixed with a sodium silicate binder and an isocyanate setting agent, where the microparticle composition has a setting time of less than or equal to one hour. A utility material may be a wallboard that includes the composition.

A composition, utility material, and method of making a utility material is disclosed. A composition having an improved setting time may include a plurality of microparticles mixed with a sodium silicate binder and an isocyanate setting agent, where the microparticle composition has a setting time of less than or equal to one hour. A utility material may be a wallboard that includes the composition.

Disclosed herein are engineered composite materials suitable for applications that can benefit from a composite material capable of interacting with or responding to, in a controlled or predetermined manner, changes in its surrounding environment. The composite material is generally comprised of a gradient layer structure of a sequence of at least three gradient-contributing layers of microscale particles, wherein a mean particle size of particles of neighboring gradient-contributing layers in the cross section of the gradient layer structure varies from layer to layer, thereby forming a particle size gradient, and in contact with the gradient layer structure, a densely packed particle structure including densely packed microscale particles, wherein a mean particle size of the densely packed microscale particles does not form a particle size gradient in the cross section of the densely packed particle structure.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an adhesive asphalt emulsion. The adhesive asphalt emulsion can be prepared in liquid form and applied to a material, such as a film or fabric, to create a self-adhering membrane. In some embodiments, the adhesive can be water vapor permeable, and can be applied in a continuous layer to a membrane. The adhesive asphalt emulsion can be prepared, applied, and in service at low temperatures.

In some embodiments, a shelter includes an impact-resistant panel having an energy-absorbing core positioned between two outer layers, wherein the energy-absorbing core includes a syntactic foam material that has a plurality of hollow microspheres compounded with a polymeric resin.