Abstract: An aigicidal composite sheet body suitable for use as a building material is described. The composite comprises a bituminous sheet material having a firmly adherent surfacing of granular material, the granular material comprising ceramic-coated base granules adhered to the bituminous sheet material by a composition containing calcium, the granular material and the composition forming an exterior surface on the composite sheet body, the composite sheet body exterior surface having an algicidal topical coating Thereon, wherein the algicidal topical coating comprises an organic oil and a tin-acrylate polymer dispersed therein, the tin-acrylate polymer being derived from a monomer composition comprising flee-radical polymerizable units. The organic oil is selected from the group consisting of slate oil, rock oil, coal oil, and seneca oil, and the tin-acrylate polymer is present at a weight percentage ranging from about 0.

Abstract: An asphalt-based roofing product includes an asphalt-based substrate such as asphalt-saturated fiberglass or cellulose felt, a non-asphalt, thermoplastic, water-resistant adhesive on the surface of the asphalt-based substrate, and a plurality of roofing granules embedded in the asphalt such that the adhesive provides an interface between the asphalt and roofing granules. The adhesive is present in an amount sufficient to improve the adhesion of the roofing granules to the asphalt.

Abstract: A coatable composition suitable for reducing dust generation during processing of granular materials consists essentially of a tackifier, an organic oil, and an adhesion agent, the tackifier consisting essentially of an organic material having a glass transition temperature of no less than about 120.degree. C. and a diluent present in sufficient amount to give the tackifier a kinematic viscosity ranging from about 3,000 to about 5,000 centistokes at 100.degree. C. The tackifier is preferably present in the composition at about 0.5 to about 2.0 weight percent of the total weight of the composition, and the adhesion agent is preferably present at about 0.5 to about 5.0 weight percent of the total weight of the composition, with the balance being organic oil.

Abstract: Granular materials having a tin-acrylate polymer coating are described which are algae-resistant. A method of inhibiting the growth of algae on roofing granules and other particulate materials attached to substrates by the use of tin-acrylate-containing polymers either as a topical treatment or as a polymeric binder is also presented. The methods presented are an advancement in the art in that in addition to algae-resistance, the polymers also confer other desirable properties to the granules onto which they are coated, such as increased adhesion to asphalt shingles.

Abstract: Materials, particularly wood materials and calcium carbonate-containing materials such as concrete and marble, can be protected from the growth of algae by being treated with a compound containing tin covalently bonded to a silylating group such that cleavage of the covalent bonds due to hydrolysis or photolysis is minimized, thus making the treatment ecologically safe. One such compound is (n-Bu).sub.3 SnCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 Si(OEt).sub.3. The tin compound can either be incorporated into raw materials from which materials are to be made, or it can be applied to the finished materials. When the tin compound is applied to a material that is algae streaked, the streaking should disappear.

Abstract: A granular material which includes an inorganic substrate and a ceramic coating shows improved adhesion to bituminous surfaces, decreased alkalinity, and, when formulated as a three coated algae-resistant granule, exhibits improved algae-resistance over previously known granules. The ceramic coating comprises the reaction product of an alkali metal silicate and an aluminosilicate, the ceramic coating further including a borate compound and zinc oxide having a particle size less than about 0.13 micrometer. It has been found that the use of a borate compound and zinc oxide having the stated particle size allows the granules to be adhered to a substrate for longer periods of time, thus producing a surface which retains its original color for a longer period of time. Methods of producing such ceramic-coated granular materials, and composite sheets including the granules are also presented.

Abstract: A process for improving the adhesion of roofing granules to a hot asphalt surface in the manufacture of a roofing product. Onto an asphalt-based substrate having a hot asphalt surface, an amount of a non-asphalt adhesive effective for improving adhesion of roofing granules to the hot asphalt surface is applied and then roofing granules are embedded on the hot asphalt surface. The non-asphalt adhesive can be composed of or include as a component one or more of polyolefins, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene-ethyl acetate copolymers, ethylene-n-butylacrylate polymers, ethylene-methylacrylate polymers, styrene-containing block or graft copolymers, polyamide terpolymers, hydrocarbon rubbers, polyesters, polyurethanes, and siloxanes. The resulting roofing product includes an asphalt-based substrate with an asphalt surface having roofing granules imbedded thereon with a non-asphalt adhesive at the interface between the asphalt and roofing granules.

Abstract: A coatable composition suitable for reducing dust generation during processing of granular materials consists essentially of a tackifier, an organic oil, and an adhesion agent, the tackifier consisting essentially of an organic material having a glass transition temperature of no less than about 120.degree. C. and a diluent present in sufficient amount to give the tackifier a kinematic viscosity ranging from about 3,000 to about 5,000 centistokes at 100.degree. C. The tackifier is preferably present in the composition at about 0.5 to about 2.0 weight percent of the total weight of the composition, and the adhesion agent is preferably present at about 0.5 to about 5.0 weight percent of the total weight of the composition, with the balance being organic oil.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting algae growth on an asphalt shingle surface exposed to varying humidity using a blend of copper-containing algae-resistant granules and non-algae-resistant granules. The copper-containing algae-resistant granules comprise a substrate granule having at least one inner ceramic coating layer comprising cuprous oxide and a seal coating having a thickness covering the inner layer and which is at time t.sub.o devoid of copper.

Abstract: Building materials such as concrete can be protected from the growth of algae by being treated with a compound containing tin covalently bonded to a silylating group such that cleavage of the covalent bonds due to hydrolysis or photolysis is minimized, thus making the treatment ecologically safe. One such compound is (n-Bu).sub.3 SnCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 Si(OEt).sub.3. The tin compound can either be incorporated into raw materials from which building materials are to be made, or it can be applied to the finished building materials. When the tin compound is applied to a building material that is algae streaked, the streaking should disappear.

Abstract: Roofing granules having surfaces treated with a polysiloxane that has a long-chain hydrocarbon group bonded to a silicon atom on the polysiloxane backbone wherein the long-chain hydrocarbon group preferably is a straight or branched aliphatic group having 5 to 30 carbon atoms and the roofing granules treated with such polysiloxanes demonstrate good dust control and water repellency, and also resist staining from oils in asphalt-based substrates.

Abstract: A cylindrical ceramic foam body that can be the sole buoyant member of an oil-containment boom is produced by firing a mixture of fine particles of ceramic precursor, a source of carbon such as silicon carbide, and a metallic oxide. In the boom, a stack of the ceramic foam bodies, each of which is a cylinder, can be held together by wire mesh to provide a buoyant log. A plurality of the buoyant logs can be inserted end-to-end into a 3-layer loop, viz., an inner layer of a ceramic textile fabric, a middle layer of knitted wire mesh, and an outer layer of polymer-coated fabric.

Abstract: Use of surface modification treatment on mineral fines to obtain higher filler loadings in asphalt used for roofing shingles. Mineral fines are coated with oil such as a petroleum oil at about the 0.25-1.0 percent level before they are incorporated into molten asphalt. This treatment makes minerals which otherwise would be uncompetitive with traditional fillers, such as limestone, sufficiently compatible with asphalt to be a viable alternative to limestone. Nepheline syenite mineral fines treated in this manner have been successfully incorporated into asphalt for shingles at a loading of 65-70%.