Inorganic polymer/organic polymer composites and methods of making same
View Patent ↗Inorganic polymer/organic polymer composites and methods for their preparation are described herein. The inorganic polymer/organic polymer composites comprise a first layer comprising an inorganic polymer and a second layer adhered to the first layer comprising an organic polymer. The inorganic polymer is formed by reacting, in the presence of water, a reactive powder, an activator, and optionally a retardant. The reactive powder comprises 85% by weight or greater fly ash and less than 10% by weight portland cement. Also described herein are building materials including the composites.
1. An inorganic polymer/organic polymer composite, comprising:
a first layer comprising an inorganic polymer formed by reacting in the presence of water: a reactive powder comprising 85% by weight or greater fly ash, based on the total weight of the reactive powder and less than 10% by weight portland cement, based on the total weight of the reactive powder; and an activator; and
a second layer adhered to the first layer comprising an organic polymer and from 40% to 90% by weight fly ash, based on the total weight of the second layer.
2. An inorganic polymer/organic polymer composite, comprising:
a first layer comprising an inorganic polymer formed by reacting in the presence of water: a reactive powder comprising fly ash and less than 10% by weight portland cement, based on the total weight of the reactive powder; and an activator; and
a second layer adhered to the first layer comprising an organic polymer and from 40% to 90% by weight fly ash, based on the total weight of the second layer.
3. The composite of claim 2 , wherein the fly ash in the first layer is present in an amount of greater than 85% by weight of the reactive powder.
4. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the reactive powder includes less than 5% by weight of portland cement.
5. The composite of claim 1 , wherein greater than 75% of the fly ash in the first layer comprises Class C fly ash.
6. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the activator includes citric acid.
7. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the activator includes sodium hydroxide.
8. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic polymer is substantially free from retardants.
9. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic polymer further comprises fibers.
10. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic polymer further comprises a photocatalyst.
11. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of water to reactive powder is from 0.06:1 to 0.25:1.
12. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the organic polymer is a polyurethane.
13. The composite of claim 12 , wherein the polyurethane is foamed.
14. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the first layer is directly adhered to the second layer without the use of an adhesive layer.
15. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the composite includes 75% by weight or greater of the second layer and 25% by weight or less of the first layer.
16. A building material comprising the composite of claim 1 .
17. The building material of claim 16 , wherein the building material is a synthetic stone or a panel.
18. The composite of claim 2 , wherein greater than 75% of the fly ash in the inorganic polymer reactive mixture comprises Class C fly ash.
19. The composite of claim 2 , wherein the inorganic polymer is substantially free from retardants.