ALGINATE-BASED BUILDING MATERIALS
The present disclosure describes various building materials used in the building and construction industry, and to buildings or objects constructed therefrom, and to methods of making these building materials. The building materials comprise a polymeric material, such as sodium alginate and/or calcium alginate which confers significant flame-, fire- and heat-resistance or imperviousness to the materials. Other substances can be added to the materials to improve cross-linking and/or to produce resistance to fungal degradation. The building materials which can be produced, processed, or treated using the alginate polymers of the invention include, but are not limited to, wood products; masonry products; wall, roofing, flooring and siding products; and paint products. Further, sodium alginate in the form of a gel may be used as a firebreak to effectively stop the advance of grass fires, wildfires, and forest fires.
1 . A building material product for use in construction, comprising:
a construction material matrix component; and
an alginate polymer component dispersed on or within the construction material matrix component.
2 . The building material product of claim 1 wherein the alginate polymer component comprises sodium alginate and/or calcium alginate.
3 . The building material product of claim 1 wherein the alginate polymer component further comprises a cross-linking agent.
4 . The building material product of claim 3 wherein the cross-linking agent is at least one of a xanthan gum, a carrageenan, and an agar.
5 . The building material product of claim 1 wherein the alginate polymer component further comprises an anti-mold or anti-fungal agent.
6 . The building material product of claim 1 wherein the alginate polymer component comprises 1% to 25% by weight of the building material product.
7 . The building material product of claim 1 comprising a wood product.
8 . The building material product of claim 1 comprising a masonry product.
9 . The building material product of claim 1 comprising a paint product.
10 . The building material product of claim 1 comprising a siding product.
11 . The building material product of claim 1 comprising a flooring product.
12 . The building material product of claim 1 comprising a roofing product.
13 . A building or building component comprising a building material product of claim 1 .
14 . A fence or fence component comprising a building material product of claim 1 .
15 . A method of producing a building material product, comprising:
providing a construction material matrix component;
providing an alginate polymer component;
combining the construction material matrix component and the alginate polymer component; and
processing the combined construction material matrix component and alginate polymer component to form the building material product.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the alginate polymer component comprises sodium alginate and/or calcium alginate.
17 . The method of claim 15 wherein the alginate polymer component further comprises a cross-linking agent.
18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the cross-linking agent is at least one of a xanthan gum, a carrageenan, and an agar.
19 . The method of claim 15 wherein the alginate polymer component further comprises an anti-mold or anti-fungal agent.
20 . The method of claim 15 wherein the alginate polymer component comprises 1% to 25% by weight of the building material product.
21 . The method of claim 15 wherein the building material product comprises at least one of a wood product, a masonry product, a paint product, a siding product, a flooring product, and a roofing product.