Abstract: Inorganic polymer compositions and methods for their preparation are described herein. The compositions include the reaction product of a reactive powder, an activator, and optionally a retardant. The reactive powder includes fly ash, calcium sulfoaluminate cement, and less than 10% by weight portland cement. In some examples, the composition is substantially free from alkanolamines. In some examples, the ratio of water to reactive powder is from 0.06:1 to less than 0.2:1. Also described herein are building materials including the compositions.

Abstract: Inorganic polymer compositions and methods for their preparation are described herein. The compositions include the reaction product of a reactive powder, an activator, and optionally a retardant. The reactive powder includes fly ash and a tricalcium aluminate additive. In some examples, the reactive powder comprises less than 5% by weight portland cement. The tricalcium aluminate is present in an amount of 0.5% or greater by weight of the reactive powder. Also described herein are building materials including the compositions.

Abstract: Inorganic polymer compositions and methods for their preparation are described herein. The compositions include the reaction product of a reactive powder, an activator, optionally a retardant, and water. The reactive powder includes 85% by weight or greater fly ash. The ratio of water to reactive powder is from 0.06:1 to less than 0.15:1. Also described herein are building materials including the compositions.

Abstract: Retardant-free inorganic polymer compositions and methods for their preparation are described herein. The methods include mixing reactants comprising a reactive powder and an activator in the presence of water and forming an inorganic polymer product. In some examples, the method includes continuously feeding the resultant mixture to produce the inorganic polymer product. Also described herein are mixtures and inorganic polymer compositions. Further described are building materials formed according to the methods.

Abstract: Inorganic polymer compositions and methods for their preparation are described herein. The compositions include the reaction product of a reactive powder, anhydrous calcium sulfate, an activator, and optionally a retardant. The reactive powder includes fly ash and no more than 10% by weight portland cement. The anhydrous calcium sulfate is present in an amount of 2% or greater by weight of the reactive powder. Also described herein are building materials including the compositions.

Abstract: Methods of producing inorganic polymer products are described herein. The methods include mixing reactants comprising a reactive powder, an activator, and optionally a retardant for a mixing time of 15 seconds or less to provide a reaction mixture and forming the reaction mixture into a product. Also described herein are building materials formed according to the methods.

Abstract: Inorganic polymer compositions and methods for their preparation are described herein. The compositions include the reaction product of a reactive powder, an activator, and optionally a retardant. The reactive powder includes fly ash and calcium aluminate cement in an amount of 5% by weight or greater of the reactive powder. The reactive powder can include less than 8% by weight of portland cement. Also described herein are building materials including the compositions.

Abstract: Composite materials and methods for their preparation are described herein. The composite materials include a polyurethane made from the reaction of an isocyanate and a polyol, and coal ash (e.g., fly ash). The isocyanates for these composite materials may be selected from the group consisting of diisocyanates, polyisocyanates, and mixtures thereof. The polyol consists essentially of one or more plant-based polyols, the one or more plant-based polyols including castor oil. The fly ash is present in amounts from about 40% to about 90% by weight of the composite material. Also described is a method of preparing a composite material, including mixing an isocyanate, a polyol, coal ash (e.g., fly ash), and a catalyst.

Abstract: Composite materials and methods for their preparation are described herein. The composite materials include a polyurethane made from the reaction of an isocyanate and a mixture of polyols, and coal ash (e.g., fly ash). The mixture of polyols comprises at least two polyols including a high hydroxyl number polyol having a hydroxyl number greater than 250 and comprising from about 1% to about 25% by weight of the total polyol content used to form the polyurethane, and a low hydroxyl number polyol having a hydroxyl number of 250 or lower. The coal ash is present in amounts from about 40% to about 90% by weight of the composite material. Also described is a method of preparing a composite material, including mixing an isocyanate, a mixture of at least two polyols, coal ash (e.g., fly ash), and a catalyst.

Abstract: Composite materials and methods for their preparation are described herein. The composite materials include a polyurethane made from the reaction of at least one isocyanate and at least one polyol, and coal ash (e.g., fly ash). The isocyanates for these composite materials may be selected from the group consisting of diisocyanates, polyisocyanates, and mixtures thereof. The at least one polyol includes lesquerella oil. The coal ash is present in amounts from about 40% to about 90% by weight of the composite material. Also described is a method of preparing a composite material, including mixing at least one isocyanate, at least one polyol, coal ash (e.g., fly ash), and a catalyst.

Abstract: Composite materials and methods for their preparation are described herein. The composite materials include a polyurethane made from the reaction of at least one isocyanate and at least one polyol, and coal ash (e.g., fly ash). The composite materials are highly reactive systems such as through the use of highly reactive polyols, highly reactive isocyanates, or both. The coal ash is present in amounts from about 40% to about 90% by weight of the composite material. Also described is a method of preparing a composite material, including mixing at least one isocyanate, at least one polyol, coal ash, and a catalyst.

Abstract: A method of producing cementitious mixtures containing fly ash as one of the cementitious components, under air entrainment conditions. The method involves forming a mixture comprising water, cement, fly ash, optionally other cementitious materials, aggregate, conventional chemical admixtures, and an air entrainment agent and agitating the mixture to entrain air therein. Additionally, at least one sacrificial agent is also included in the mixture. The sacrificial agent is a material or mixture of materials that is not required to act as an air entrainment agent but interacts preferentially with components of the fly ash that otherwise neutralize, repress or depress the activity of the air entrainment agent. The invention includes cementitious mixtures and hardened concretes resulting from the method and fly ash treated with sacrificial agent, or air entrainment agent/sacrificial agent combinations, and processes for selecting suitable sacrificial agents.

Abstract: A method of producing cementitious mixtures containing fly ash as one of the cementitious components, under air entrainment conditions. The method involves forming a mixture comprising water, cement, fly ash, optionally other cementitious materials, aggregate, conventional chemical admixtures, and an air entrainment agent and agitating the mixture to entrain air therein. Additionally, at least one sacrificial agent is also included in the mixture. The sacrificial agent is a material or mixture of materials that is not required to act as an air entrainment agent but interacts preferentially with components of the fly ash that otherwise neutralize, repress or depress the activity of the air entrainment agent. The invention includes cementitious mixtures and hardened concretes resulting from the method and fly ash treated with sacrificial agent, or air entrainment agent/sacrificial agent combinations, and processes for selecting suitable sacrificial agents.

Abstract: A method of producing cementitious mixtures containing fly ash as one of the cementitious components, under air entrainment conditions. The method involves forming a mixture comprising water, cement, fly ash, optionally other cementitious materials, aggregate, conventional chemical admixtures, and an air entrainment agent and agitating the mixture to entrain air therein. Additionally, at least one sacrificial agent is also included in the mixture. The sacrificial agent is a material or mixture of materials that is not required to act as an air entrainment agent but interacts preferentially with components of the fly ash that otherwise neutralize, repress or depress the activity of the air entrainment agent. The invention includes cementitious mixtures and hardened concretes resulting from the method and fly ash treated with sacrificial agent, or air entrainment agent/sacrificial agent combinations, and processes for selecting suitable sacrificial agents.

Abstract: The present invention is a fly ash filler or filler blend having a particle size distribution with at least three modes that can be combined with a polymer at higher filler loadings to produce a filled polymer for polymer composites that, in many cases, can produce improved mechanical properties for the polymer composites over polymer composites using conventional fillers. As a result, superior polymer composites (e.g. those used in carpet backing) can be produced at a lower cost than conventional polymer composites. The present invention also includes a method for producing a polymer composite, comprising the steps of combining a polymer with a fly ash filler or a filler blend having a particle size distribution with at least three modes to produce a filled polymer and producing a polymer composite with the resulting filled polymer. The present invention further includes a method of determining what fly ashes can be used as fillers for polymer composites.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and composition for controlling the viscosity of latex compositions that include fly ash. The composition is an aqueous dispersion comprising water, at least one polymer latex, from about 50 to about 600 parts by weight fly ash per 100 parts by weight dry polymer, and a viscosity stabilizing composition that preferably comprises at least one borate compound. The method includes adding a viscosity stabilizing composition to an aqueous polymer latex composition that includes fly ash. The viscosity stabilizing composition can be used to produce a stirred viscosity of the aqueous dispersion 7 days after mixing that is less than 30% greater than the viscosity of the aqueous composition immediately after mixing.

Abstract: Methods for forming foamed polyurethane composite materials in an extruder including a vacuum section are described. One method includes introducing a polyol, a di- or poly-isocyanate, and an inorganic filler to a first section of an extruder and mixing the components. After mixing, the composite material is advanced to a second section of the extruder, which is maintained at a vacuum pressure. The composite material can begin foaming in the second section and then be extruded from the output end of the extruder. The vacuum pressure of the second section removes non-foaming related gasses entrained in the composite material. A further method includes directing the extruded composite material into a mold.

Abstract: Methods for forming composite materials containing fiber in an extruder are described. A first method includes introducing a polymeric material, an inorganic filler, and a fiber to an extruder. A fiber metering device is used to control the rate the fiber is introduced to the extruder based on the extrusion rate of the extruder. A further method is described that includes introducing a polymeric material and an inorganic filler to an extruder. Then, downstream of the polymeric material and inorganic filler, a fiber metering device introduces a constant weight percentage of fiber to the extruder based on the amount of polymeric material and inorganic filler introduced to the extruder. After the polymeric material, inorganic filler, and fiber are introduced to the extruder by either method, the components are mixed to produce a composite material.

Abstract: A method of producing cementitious mixtures containing fly ash as one of the cementitious components, under air entrainment conditions is described. The method involves forming a mixture comprising water, cement, fly ash, optionally other cementitious materials, aggregate, conventional chemical admixtures, and an air entrainment agent and agitating the mixture to entrain air therein. Additionally, at least one amine sacrificial agent is included in the mixture. The cementitious mixtures and hardened concretes resulting from the method and fly ash treated with sacrificial agent, or air entrainment agent/sacrificial agent combinations, are also described.

Abstract: A method of treating fly ash and fly ash treated thereby, the method involving contacting ammonia-laden fly ash with an organic base-containing treatment composition, where the organic base causes the ammonia within the fly ash to evolve from the fly ash. The treatment composition preferably includes an effective amount of one or more amines. The treatment compound may be applied to the fly ash in any manner effective to disperse the treatment compound among the fly ash.