Enhanced Gypsum Wallboard

1 . An aqueous composition that is useful in forming a gypsum wallboard core possessing superior strength to weight ratio, said aqueous composition comprising:

calcium sulfate;

up to about 1.0 weight percent of a polyvinyl acetate emulsion, said emulsion containing less than about 6 weight percent polyvinyl alcohol; and

water;

wherein said composition is substantially free of supplemental polyvinyl alcohol.

2 . A composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises, on a dry basis, at least about 95 weight percent calcium sulfate.

3 . A composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition is substantially free of polyvinyl alcohol.

4 . A composition according to claim 1 , comprising on a dry basis:

at least about 95 weight percent calcium sulfate;

between about 0.1 and 1.0 weight percent of polyvinyl acetate; and

less than 0.2 weight percent polyvinyl alcohol, if any.

5 . A composition according to claim 4 , wherein said composition comprises, on a dry basis, at least about 98 weight percent calcium sulfate.

6 . A sheet of gypsum wallboard, comprising:

a first facing layer;

a second facing layer; and

a core positioned between said first and second facing sheets, said core itself comprising on a dry basis:

at least about 95 weight percent calcium sulfate;

up to 1.0 weight percent polyvinyl acetate; and

less than 0.2 weight percent polyvinyl alcohol, if any.

7 . A sheet of gypsum wallboard according to claim 6 , wherein said first and second facing layers comprise paperboard.

8 . A sheet of gypsum wallboard according to claim 6 , wherein said core comprises, on a dry basis, at least about 98 weight percent calcium sulfate.

9 . A sheet of gypsum wallboard according to claim 6 , wherein said core is substantially free of supplemental polyvinyl alcohol.

10 . A sheet of gypsum wallboard according to claim 6 , wherein:

said first facing layer is a first paperboard facing sheet;

said second facing layer is a second paperboard facing sheet; and

said core comprises on a dry basis:

at least about 98 weight percent calcium sulfate;

between about 0.1 and 1.0 weight percent polyvinyl acetate; and

between 0 and about 0.2 weight percent polyvinyl alcohol, if any.

11 . A method of forming a gypsum wallboard sheet that possesses superior strength to weight ratio, comprising:

forming a gypsum slurry that includes water, calcium sulfate, and between about 0.1 and 1.0 weight percent polyvinyl acetate emulsion, the gypsum slurry having less than about 0.2 weight percent polyvinyl alcohol;

continuously depositing the slurry onto a moving surface of a continuously fed bottom facing material such that a first and second edge of the bottom facing material remain uncovered by the gypsum slurry;

forming a substantially planar upper surface on the deposited gypsum slurry;

folding, as the gypsum slurry and bottom facing material advance, the first and second edges of the bottom facing material up and onto the upper surface so as to terminate on the upper surface; and

applying a continuously fed top facing material onto the upper surface.

12 . A method of forming a gypsum wallboard sheet according to claim 11 , wherein the step of forming a gypsum slurry comprises forming a gypsum slurry that includes, on a dry basis, at least about 95 weight percent calcium sulfate.

13 . A method of forming a gypsum wallboard sheet according to claim 11 , wherein the step of forming a gypsum slurry comprises forming a gypsum slurry that includes, on a dry basis, at least about 98 weight percent calcium sulfate.

14 . A method of forming a gypsum wallboard sheet according to claim 11 , wherein the step of forming a gypsum slurry comprises forming a gypsum slurry that is substantially free of polyvinyl alcohol.

15 . A method of forming a gypsum wallboard sheet according to claim 11 , wherein the step of forming a gypsum slurry comprises forming a gypsum slurry that is substantially free of supplemental polyvinyl alcohol.

16 . A method of forming a gypsum wallboard sheet that possesses superior strength to weight ratio, comprising:

continuously depositing a gypsum slurry that includes water, calcium sulfate, and between about 0.1 and 1.0 weight percent polyvinyl acetate emulsion, the gypsum slurry having less than about 0.2 weight percent polyvinyl alcohol, onto a moving surface of a continuously fed bottom facing material, wherein the bottom facing material is beneath a mold structure that forms a first and second edge on the slurry, the first and second slurry edges being substantially perpendicular to the bottom facing material;

forming a substantially planar upper surface on the deposited gypsum slurry;

folding, as the gypsum slurry and bottom facing material advance past the end of the mold, the first and second edges of the bottom facing material up and onto the upper surface of the gypsum slurry so as to terminate on the upper surface; and

applying a continuously fed top facing material onto the upper surface.

17 . A method of forming gypsum wallboard according to claim 16 , wherein the step of continuously depositing a gypsum slurry comprises continuously depositing a gypsum slurry that includes, on a dry basis, at least about 95 weight percent calcium sulfate.

18 . A method of forming gypsum wallboard according to claim 16 , wherein the step of continuously depositing a gypsum slurry comprises continuously depositing a gypsum slurry that includes, on a dry basis, at least about 98 weight percent calcium sulfate.

19 . A method of forming gypsum wallboard according to claim 16 , wherein the step of continuously depositing a gypsum slurry comprises continuously depositing a gypsum slurry that is substantially free of supplemental polyvinyl alcohol.

20 . A method of forming gypsum wallboard according to claim 16 , wherein the step of continuously depositing a gypsum slurry comprises continuously depositing a gypsum slurry that is substantially free of polyvinyl alcohol.