Abstract: A coated glass mat comprises a glass mat substrate having non-woven glass fibers and a coating which essentially uniformly penetrates the glass mat substrate to desired fractional thickness of the coated glass mat. The coating imparts a tensile strength to the coated glass mat which on average is at least 1.33 times greater than the tensile strength of the glass mat substrate without the coating. In example embodiments, penetration of the coating into the glass mat substrate preferably extends to a depth of from twenty five percent of a thickness of the coated glass mat to seventy five percent of the thickness of the coated glass mat. Moreover, a non-coated thickness of the coated glass mat is sufficiently thick for bonding purposes with, e.g., a gypsum slurry or other core materials such as thermoplastic or thermosetting plastics. The coating has a porosity in a range of from 1.3 CFM to 5.0 CFM, e.g.

Abstract: A thermally insulative building construction panel (10) is comprised of a first or top sheet (20) that is a rigid nail-anchoring material; a second sheet (22) comprised of aluminum foil firmly adhered to the top sheet (20); and, a third or bottom sheet (26) comprised of an insulation material comprising low density foam insulation. A plurality of spacer members (24) are sandwiched in fixed positions between the second sheet (22) and the third (bottom) sheet (26) for defining air channels (25) between the sheets and between the spacer members themselves to permit multi-dimensional air flow substantially throughout the panel. In a first example embodiment, plural discrete spacer members are arranged in a pattern such that, for the discrete spacer members arranged in any direction of alignment, an air channel extends perpendicular to the direction of alignment.

Abstract: A nonwoven web has a weight sufficient for construction industry use and comprises at least forty percent (40%) recycled waste paper. At least one surface of the web bears a biocide, e.g., has a biocide applied thereto. Preferably the weight of the web is greater than fifteen pounds per thousand square feet (15-lbs/MSF). Preferably the biocide is zinc pyrithione. The web preferably bears at least 50-grams of biocide per thousand square feet per side of said web. One example use of the web is as builders felt, with other uses including as a facer for a laminate board and for asphalt-impregnated webs. The biocide-bearing nonwoven web is specifically directed to use in building construction. One example use of the web is as builders felt, with other uses including as a facer for a laminate board and for asphalt-impregnated webs.

Abstract: A coated glass mat is formed by applying a coating mixture to a surface of a glass mat substrate, and then by drying the coated glass mat. As a result of the coating composition, the resultant mat attains a predetermined target spectral characteristic, e.g., a desired or target color. The coating mixture is formed by mixing together a mineral pigment filler, a solvent, a binder (e.g., organic latex binder), (optionally) a dispersing agent, and (optionally) a colorant. The type and amount of the mineral pigment filler is judiciously chosen to impart the predetermined spectral characteristic to the coated glass mat upon drying. In fact, although the coating mixture may include a separate, optional colorant, the mineral pigment filler is chosen as a primary color determinate for the completed coated glass mat. The primary determinative influence of the mineral pigment filler on the spectral characteristic of the coated glass mat is evident by the relative amounts of the mineral pigment filler and the colorant.

Abstract: A coated glass mat comprises a glass mat substrate having non-woven glass fibers and a coating which essentially uniformly penetrates the glass mat substrate to desired fractional thickness of the coated glass mat. The coating imparts a tensile strength to the coated glass mat which on average is at least 1.33 times greater than the tensile strength of the glass mat substrate without the coating. In example embodiments, penetration of the coating into the glass mat substrate preferably extends to a depth of from twenty five percent of a thickness of the coated glass mat to seventy five percent of the thickness of the coated glass mat. Moreover, a non-coated thickness of the coated glass mat is sufficiently thick for bonding purposes with, e.g., a gypsum slurry or other core materials such as thermoplastic or thermosetting plastics. The coating has a porosity in a range of from 1.3 CFM to 5.0 CFM, e.g.

Abstract: A rigid closed cell polyisocyanate-based foams is created by reacting at least one organic polyisocyanate with compounds having at least two active hydrogen atoms in the presence of an n-pentane blowing agent. When the foam is formed into a laminated board with facers, the foam formulation includes a sufficient amount of a common blend of cleaning solvent chemicals to cause a noticeable improvement in facer adhesion. The chemicals used to improve facer adhesion are a standard blend of industrial cleaning solvents called “Di-Basic Esters” or DBE. The actual chemical compounds in one mode of this mixture are the methyl esters of about 59% glutaric acid, about 20% succinic acid, and about 21% adipic acid. The minimum rate of addition of the Di-Basic Esters” [DBE] thought to be effective may be less than about 0.5 parts per hundred parts of polyol (pphpp). The currently preferred embodiments use add-on rates within the range of about 0.5 to about 5.