Abstract:
Disclosed are cementitious product, as well as cementitious slurry, and method of forming the product. To reduce density in the cementitious product, foam is included in the slurry and in the method of forming the product. The slurry includes cementitious particles, water, and air bubbles such as from compressed air. Instead of using detergent chemistry at the gas/water interface of bubbles, the present invention uses a surface modifying agent for the cementitious particles in the slurry. The modified particles act to produce stable foam in the slurry. As an example mode of introduction, the surface modifier can be added (e.g., as solid or solution) directly into a bulk cementitious slurry that forms the product. As another example, the surface modifier can be added in a separate solution with water, air bubbles, and cementitious particles that serve as additive to the main cementitious slurry, where the separate solution is then added to the main cementitious slurry.
Abstract:
A process is provided for creating a gypsum wallboard slurry with enhanced strength. The process includes providing a gypsum wallboard slurry mixer, providing suitable amounts of calcined gypsum and water in the mixer to create a slurry, agitating the slurry in the mixer, extracting a portion of the slurry in the mixer, reintroducing the extracted portion into the mixer for further mixing, and dispensing the mixed slurry from an outlet of the mixer.