Abstract: A cellular structure thermal insulation material includes by weight as compared to the material total weight: from 4 to 96% of a hydraulic binder, which prior to being contacted with water, includes at least one phase selected from C3A, CA, C12A7, C11A7CaF2, C4A3$ (Yee lemite), C2A(1-x)Fx (where x belongs to [0, 1]), hydraulic amorphous phases having a C/A molar ratio ranging from 0.3 to 15 and such that cumulated amounts of Al2O3 of these phases be ranging from 3 to 70% by weight of the hydraulic binder total weight, from 4 to 96% of at least one filler, the material having a pore volume ranging from 70% to 95%. The use of a mineral foam for making thermal insulation material as well as methods for making the mineral foam are also described.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a betaine as a foam drainage reducing agent. The invention also relates to the use of betaine in processes involving foam.

Abstract: The invention relates to a treatment that can be used to remove a coating and/or stain from a construction material, such as anti-graffiti treatment. The inventive treatment uses a beta-dicarbonyl product.

Abstract: A cellular structure thermal insulation material includes by weight as compared to the material total weight: from 4 to 96% of a hydraulic binder, which prior to being contacted with water, includes at least one phase selected from C3A, CA, C12A7, C11A7CaF2, C4A3$ (Yee lemite), C2A(1-x)Fx (where x belongs to [0, 1]), hydraulic amorphous phases having a C/A molar ratio ranging from 0.3 to 15 and such that cumulated amounts of Al2O3 of these phases be ranging from 3 to 70% by weight of the hydraulic binder total weight, from 4 to 96% of at least one filler, the material having a pore volume ranging from 70% to 95%. The use of a mineral foam for making thermal insulation material as well as methods for making the mineral foam are also described.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel copolymer containing vinyl-pyrrolidone units. The copolymer further includes units of the betaine type. The invention further relates to the use of the copolymer in compositions for drying dishes, said polymer particularly improving the drying thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hard surface cleaning composition comprising a copolymer, wherein said copolymer comprises a zwitterionic unit A or a mixture thereof and another unit B or a mixture thereof, wherein said unit A comprises a betaine group or a mixture thereof and wherein said betaine group of said unit A is a sulphobetaine group or a mixture thereof, and wherein said unit B is derived from vinyl-pyrrolidone.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a betaine as a foam drainage reducing agent. The invention also relates to the use of betaine in processes involving foam.

Abstract: The invention relates to a treatment that can be used to remove a coating and/or stain from a construction material, such as anti-graffiti treatment. The inventive treatment uses a beta-dicarbonyl product.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a betaine as a foaming agent and a foam drainage reducing agent. The invention also relates to the use of betaine in processes involving foam.

Abstract: A method for increasing the rate of shear rehealing of fluids made with cationic, zwitterionic, and amphoteric viscoelastic surfactant fluid systems by adding an effective amount of a rheology enhancer package containing, for example a polyethylene glycol—polypropylene glycol block copolymer and a polynaphthalene sulfonate. The rheology enhancer package allows viscoelastic surfactant fluids to be used at lower viscoelastic surfactant concentrations in certain non-oilfield excavation applications, for example boring, excavating, drilling and trenching operations in deep foundation construction, subterranean construction, and tunneling. Preferred surfactants are betaines and quaternary amines.

Abstract: Detergent composition that generate foams in aqueous media, which foams have improved rheology and appearance (whiteness), contain at least one surfactant (S) selected from the group consisting of anionic and nonionic surfactants and mixtures thereof, and at least one C8-C22 aliphatic alcohol (AA).

Abstract: Emulsion (E) comprising a hydrophobic phase (O) containing and/or consisting of a hydrophobic active material (A), which is in the form of a multiple emulsion (Em) comprising: an inner inverse emulsion (Ei) comprising the continuous phase (O), a dispersed aqueous phase (Wi) and, at the interface of the two phases, a stabilizer (Di) as a water-soluble or water-dispersible polysaccharide with a mean degree of polymerization of at least 1.5 and preferably of at least 20, the Brookfield viscosity of which, at 25° C. as a 1% solution in water, is less than 20 000 mPa·s, and free of lipophilic polyorganosiloxane substituting groups, and an aqueous or water-miscible outer phase (We), in which is dispersed the inner emulsion (Ei), or in a solid form (Es), which is water-dispersible as a multiple emulsion (Em); the emulsion (E), after being used in an aqueous medium (B), can convey the hydrophobic active material to a substrate present in or in contact with said aqueous medium (B).

Abstract: The invention concerns a novel photosensitive composition for photoresist and a system comprising a substrate and a photoresist obtained from said novel composition. The photosensitive composition for photoresist comprises a copolymer with hydrophobic blocks whereof at least one block is an hydrophobic block capable of generating a hydrophilic block and comprising at its end a group selected among dithioesters, thioesters-thiones, dithiocarbamates and xanthates, and a photoactive compound capable of generating under the effect of a radiation an active species reacting with the hydrophobic block to generate the hydrophilic block.

Abstract: The invention concerns the use of organic fibers having a melting point lower than 300° C., an average length l more than 1 mm and a diameter Ø not more than 200 ?m, in ultra high performance concrete for improving the concrete fire resistance, the amount of organic fibers being such that their volume ranges between 0.1 and 3% of the concrete volume after setting and the concrete having a compressive strength at 28 days of at least 120 Mpa, a bending strength of at least 20 Mpa, and a spread value in non-hardened state of at least 150 mm, the values being for a concrete preserved at 20° C., the concrete consisting of a particularly hardened cement matrix wherein metal fibres are dispersed.

Abstract: The invention relates to an aqueous suspension of precipitated silica, characterized in that its solids content is between 10 and 40% by weight, its viscosity is lower than 4×10−2 Pa.s at a shear rate of 50 s−1 and the quantity of silica present in the supernatant obtained after centrifuging the said suspension at 7500 revolutions per minute for 30 minutes represents more than 50% of the weight of the silica present in the suspension. The particle size distribution of the agglomerates in suspension is such that their median diameter D50 is smaller than 5 &mgr;m and the deagglomeration factor FD is greater than 3 ml. This suspension can be employed for the production of anticorrosion coatings and for the preparation of concretes, of paper or of inorganic adhesives.

Abstract: The invention concerns a novel photosensitive composition for photoresist and a system comprising a substrate and a photoresist obtained from said novel composition. The photosensitive composition for photoresist comprises a copolymer with hydrophobic blocks whereof at least one block is an hydrophobic block capable of generating a hydrophilic block and comprising at its end a group selected among dithioesters, thioesters-thiones, dithiocarbamates and xanthates, and a photoactive compound capable of generating under the effect of a radiation an active species reacting with the hydrophobic block to generate the hydrophilic block.

Abstract: The invention concerns a composition based on phenolic derivatives and their use as mineral binder additives, enabling to obtain mineral matrices, preferably of mortars and concrete mixtures, with improved properties. The invention also concerns a composition for binders, in the form of a powder or an aqueous suspension, comprising at least a phenolic derivative and at least a polymer. The invention further concerns methods for preparing those various compositions, and their uses in particular for making mortars and concrete mixtures.

Abstract: The invention concerns the use of organic fibres having a melting point lower than 300° C., an average length l more than 1 mm and a diameter Ø not more than 200 &mgr;m, in ultra high performance concrete for improving the concrete fire resistance, the amount of organic fibres being such that their volume ranges between 0.1 and 3% of the concrete volume after setting and the concrete having a compressive strength at 28 days of at least 120 Mpa, a bending strength of at least 20 Mpa, and a spread value in non-hardened state of at least 150 mm, the values being for a concrete preserved at 20° C., the concrete consisting of a particularly hardened cement matrix wherein metal fibres are dispersed.

Abstract: This invention relates to an aqueous suspension including a mixture of at least one aqueous suspension of precipitated silica and of at least one latex, in which the aqueous suspension of precipitated silica has a solids content of between 10 and 40% by weight, has a viscosity lower than 4×10−2 Pa s at a shear of 50 s−2 and, after centrifuging at 7500 revolutions per minute for 30 minutes, produces a supernatant containing more than 50% of the weight of the silica initially in suspension. This suspension can be employed in compositions based on an inorganic binder and in concrete compositions.

Abstract: Composition which is useful for exterior coatings, comprising, for successive or simultaneous addition, an aqueous phase comprising a polyol dispersion or solution whose glass transition temperature (tg) is not more than 100° C.; and an isocyanate sub-composition already emulsified or to be emulsified in the aqueous phase.