W.r. Grace & Co. -conn.

Other

Gcp Applied Technologies Inc.

Atlantic Fiber Technologies Limited

Michael B Macklin

Klaus-Alexander Rieder

Neal Steven Berke

Anandakumar Ranganathan

Stephen J Fyler

Salah Altoubat

Leslie A Jardine

Vijay Gupta

William J Hurley, Jr

Paul J Westgate

Ding Feng Shen

Donald S Indge

Randall Fierke

Jean-Fran&ccedil;ois Trottier

Jessica Verrill

Sean Burke

Anandakumar Ranganthan

David Agresti

Michael Buchanan

Mark A Franciosi

Charlotte B Porteneuve

Michael S Summer

Jean-François Trottier

An additive composition, a cement composition, and method for modifying rheology of an uncured masonry cement, comprising the use of at least one extra-cellular biopolymer, at least one anionic surfactant, and at least one cationic or amphoteric surfactant. Preferably, the biopolymer and surfactants are incorporated into the cement by incorporating the components into the grinding of clinker as part of the manufacture of the cement. Masonry cements produced by the invention have excellent workability, particularly when coarse sands are employed.

Cement additive for stucco applications

Synthetic polymer reinforcing fibers provide dispersability and strength in matrix materials such as concrete, masonry, shotcrete, and asphalt. The individual fiber bodies, substantially free of stress fractures and substantially non-fibrillatable, have generally quadrilateral cross-sectional profiles along their elongated lengths. Preferred fibers and matrix materials having such fibers demonstrate excellent finishability in addition to dispersion and toughness properties.

Fiber-reinforced matrix compositions

The invention relates to fiber compositions that can be pumped and metered in the fashion of fluid chemical admixtures into a concrete mix, thereby enabling the fibers to be dispensed by concrete ready-mix plant operators who can provide verification of fiber administration and dosage. The fibers, particularly plastic shrinkage control fibers having large cumulative surface area, are suspended in an aqueous medium such that their surface area is already wetted out, thereby virtually assuring that substantial uniform fiber dispersion can be achieved without clumping and the delay that is usually required by fiber intermixing.

Pumpably verifiable fluid fiber compositions

The invention relates to fiber compositions that can be pumped and metered in the fashion of fluid chemical admixtures into a concrete mix, thereby enabling the fibers to be dispensed by concrete ready-mix plant operators who can provide verification of fiber administration and dosage. The fibers, particularly plastic shrinkage control fibers having large cumulative surface area, are suspended in an aqueous or non-aqueous medium such that their surface area is already wetted out, thereby virtually assuring that substantial uniform fiber dispersion can be achieved without clumping and the delay that is usually required by fiber intermixing.

Exemplary mechanically-flattened fibers of the invention comprise generally elongate bodies having varied width or thickness dimensions and micro-diastrophic surface deformities. Preferred fibers are elongate synthetic polymer or multipolymer blend fibers for reinforcing matrix materials such as concrete, shotcrete, gypsum-containing materials, asphalt, plastic, rubber, and other matrix materials. Preferred methods for manufacturing such fibers comprise subjecting synthetic polymer fibers to compressive forces sufficient to achieve flattening and surface micro-diastrophism without substantially shredding and abrading the fibers. Further exemplary fibers and methods involve mechanically-flattening intertwined or braided fibers or fiber bundles, thereby providing fibers having physical impressions thereon of the intertwinement or braidingand, optionally though preferably of micro-diastrophic surface deformities.

Fibers for reinforcing matrix materials

Synthetic polymer reinforcing fibers provide dispersability and strength in matrix materials such as concrete, masonry, shotcrete, and asphalt. The individual fiber bodies, substantially free of stress fractures and substantially non-fibrillatable, have generally quadrilateral cross-sectional profiles along their elongated lengths.

Cementitious compositions having highly dispersible polymeric reinforcing fibers

Preferred methods for manufacturing such fibers involve subjecting synthetic polymer fibers to compressive forces sufficient to achieve flattening and surface micro-diastrophism without substantially shredding and abrading the fibers.

Process of treating fibers

Highly dispersible reinforcing polymeric fibers

Exemplary packaging of the invention can be introduced in a sealed form directly into a mixer, whereby, upon agitation of the mixer, a cemenititous binder, an admixture or admixtures, and/or fibers can be released to make or modify, in the mixer, a castable cementitious composition within which the packaging material, which is made of a non-water-soluble, basic-medium-soluble polymeric material, can disappear from sight.

Basic-medium-soluble packaging material for use in castable cementitious composites

Exemplary fibers of the invention, useful for reinforcing hydratable cementitious materials such as concrete and mortar, have three-dimensional twist curvatures. Preferably, the fibers are flat or flattened and have first and second opposed flat or flattened ends that are twisted out of phase, and which preferably define therebetween an intermediate elongate fiber body having a curvature in more than one direction. Processes of the invention comprise forming a fiber with a three-dimensional twisted shape by twisting at least two fibers together to form a twisted fiber bundle to impart a twist curvature into the fiber material. The twisted fiber bundle can then be cut into separate fibers or stored on bobbins for shipment to another location for cutting. Advantages of the invention include enhanced dispersibility of the fibers in hydratable cementitious compositions.

Three-dimensional twisted fibers and processes for making same

Growing community of inventors

Westford, MA, United States of America

Michael B Macklin