Polyurethane composites and methods of preparing polyurethane composites are described herein. The polyurethane composite can comprise (a) a polyurethane formed by the reaction of (i) one or more isocyanates selected from the group consisting of diisocyanates, polyisocyanates, and mixtures thereof, and (ii) one or more polyols; (b) fly ash comprising 50% or greater by weight, fly ash particles having a particle size of from 0.2 micron to 100 microns; and (c) a coarse filler material comprising 80% or greater by weight, filler particles having a particle size of from greater than 250 microns to 10 mm. The coarse filler material can be present in the composite in an amount of from 1% to 40% by weight, based on the total weight of the composite. The weight ratio of the fly ash to the coarse filler material can be from 9:1 to 200:1.

A composition for use in making a structural assembly board, a structural assembly made from the composition, and a method of making the structural assembly board is provided. The composition includes magnesium oxide having purity of 94-98 wt %; magnesium chloride; fly ash; and water. The magnesium oxide has at least two different particles sizes. The composition and method of making the structural assembly board promote formation of 5MgO.MgCl.sub.2.8H.sub.2O to improve structural qualities of the structural assembly board.

A ceramic structure of the present disclosure is provided with: a first member made of a single crystal of sapphire or an yttrium aluminum composite oxide; and a second member in contact with the first member, the second member being made of ceramic containing an aluminum oxide or an yttrium aluminum composite oxide as a principal component, wherein, of crystal grains constituting the second member, contact grains of the second member, which are grains in contact with the first member, include a first curved surface part that is convex toward the first member.

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of solid waste recycling and fabricated buildings, and provides a solid waste large-mixing-amount concrete prefabricated laminated slab and a preparation method thereof. The solid waste large-mixing-amount concrete prefabricated laminated slab provided by the present disclosure comprises a prefabricated layer and a laminated layer. Transverse grooves and longitudinal grooves are formed in the surface of the prefabricated layer. During application, the grooves can be used for erecting pipelines, the contact area of the prefabricated layer and the laminated layer can also be increased, the combined effect of new concrete and old concrete is improved, the integrity of a floor slab is enhanced, and the effect of improving the overall stress capacity of the floor slab is achieved.

An article made of conglomerate material comprising an aggregate comprising granules of expanded glass or expanded ceramic/clay defining between them inter-granular cavities and a binding resin. The binding resin is present in the minimum amount required to coat the granules of expanded glass or expanded ceramic/clay and the inter-granular cavities contain only air and are devoid of filling material. The binding resin is present in an amount equal to about 6-16% of the volume of the article and is a thermosetting resin obtained by means of reaction between an epoxidized unsaturated fatty acid triglyceride and a carboxylic anhydride in the presence of a catalyst.

A porous ceramic laminate, which can reduce pressure loss of a fluid, includes a first porous layer and a second porous layer. The second porous layer is laminated on, in contact with or via air, the first porous layer. A part of the second porous layer is laminated on, in contact with, the first porous layer. Each of the first porous layer and the second porous layer contains a metal oxide. A ratio Da/Db of an average pore diameter Da of the first porous layer relative to an average pore diameter Db of the second porous layer is 10 or more. A proportion of a portion in which a distance between the first porous layer and the second porous layer is smaller than 1 μm is 70% or less.

A fireplace surround structure is disclosed. The fireplace surround structure includes a mantel portion, a first vertical leg portion and a second vertical leg portion. The first leg portion and the second leg portion extend downward from the mantel portion at opposite ends to form a unitary fireplace surround structure. Each leg portion has a skeletal bar frame with a plurality of bar portions defining a three sided generally rectangular structure. Each of the sides has a lightweight non-combustible board portion attached on the exterior of the frame. The fireplace surround structure is open to one side and mountable on a wall surface. Each board portion is cast from a mix of Portland cement, silica, and cellulose fibers, which are combined and sintered into a flat board structure.

Provided are separators for use in an electrochemical cell comprising (a) an inorganic oxide and (b) an organic polymer, wherein the inorganic oxide comprises organic substituents. Also provided are electrochemical cells comprising such separators.

A paving block with improved illumination (luminescent paving block) preferably includes a concrete base layer and a photoluminescent layer. The photoluminescent layer is formed on top of the concrete base layer. The concrete base layer is preferably created by combining sand, aggregate, water, pigment and cement to form an uncured concrete mixture. The photoluminescent layer preferably includes very fine aggreagate, cement, water, pigment, sand and a polyester resin infused with a photoluminescent pigment or a silica-based glass material infused with photoluminescent pigment. Further, a light transmitting sealant may be placed over the photoluminescent material.

Integrally waterproof fiber cement composite materials including interior and exterior fiber cement articles for building structures are disclosed. Fiber cement formulations include small percentages of silica fume and silanol. Formulations may additionally include a cementitious binder, silica, and a density modifier such as calcium silicate or perlite. Advantageously, the addition of preselected small percentages of silica fume and silanol has been discovered to yield waterproofness at substantially lower concentrations of silica fume and silanol than would be required to yield waterproofness when using either silica fume or silanol alone.