Abstract: A homogeneous composition comprising(1) at least one particulate ceramic material, and(2) a liquid medium, in which the composition comprises at least 50% by volume of particulate ceramic material, in which the particulate ceramic material and liquid medium are selected such that a test composition has a friction coefficient of less than 0.2, and in which the particulate ceramic material has a mean aspect ratio of less than 1.70, a shaped article produced from the composition, a shaped article from which the liquid medium has been removed, and a product in which the particles of ceramic material have been sintered.

Abstract: A cementitious composition comprising hydraulic cement, not more than 25% of water by weight of the composition, and water soluble or dispersible (co)polymer in a proportion of 1 to 15% by weight of the hydraulic cement in the composition, the cement and (co)polymer being selected such that a test composition comprising 100 parts by weight of cement, 5 parts by weight of (co)polymer, and 16 parts by weight of water when extruded in a capillary rheometer undergoes an increase of at least 25% in shear stress when a ten-fold increase in the shear rate of the test composition from the capillary of the rheometer is effected. Also a cementitious product produced by setting of the composition. The (co)polymer is preferably a partially hydrolyzed poly (vinyl acetate). The cementitious product may have a flexural strength in excess of 100 MPa.

Abstract: A cementitious composition comprising(a) at least one hydraulic cement,(b) water,(c) at least one polymeric water-soluble or water-dispersible additive which is capable of aiding in the processing of the composition, and(d) at least one particulate material insoluble in the composition and having an ultimate particle size of less than 0.1 micron,and a cement product produced therefrom.

Abstract: A cementitious product produced by setting of a composition comprising a mixture of at least one hydraulic cement and water not more than 2% of the total volume of the product comprising pores of maximum dimension exceeding 100 microns and preferably not more than 2% of the total volume comprising pores exceeding 15 microns in maximum dimension, the product preferably having a flexural strength of at least 40 MPa.

Abstract: A hydraulic cement characterized by the particle size distribution of the hydraulic cement being multi-modal, preferably bimodal or trimodal, and in which preferably there are present two or more distinct bands or modes of particle sizes and in which the total weight of particles of intermediate size does not exceed 20% of the total weight of the particles in the bands or modes adjacent thereto, and a cement composition comprising the hydraulic cement and not greater than 25% of water by weight of the hydraulic cement.