Gypsum slurries and boards and methods of making the same

1. A gypsum board comprising a cover sheet and a gypsum layer disposed on said cover sheet, said gypsum layer defining a plurality of bubbles dispersed therein and comprising the reaction product of:

calcined gypsum; and

water;

wherein an exothermic reaction occurs between said calcined gypsum and water, with said reaction product having a temperature ranging from an initial temperature (T 1 ) to a peak temperature (T 2 ) during formation;

in the presence of:

a foaming agent comprising an anionic surfactant for creating a foam to impart a plurality of bubbles in said reaction product; and

a coalescing agent comprising an alcohol alkoxylate and having a cloud point (T CP ) from about 16.0 to about 60.0° C. according to ASTM D2024 and that is between the initial temperature (T 1 ) and the peak temperature (T 2 ) of said reaction product, such that said coalescing agent coalesces the plurality of bubbles imparted by the foam thereby establishing the plurality of bubbles in said gypsum layer,

wherein said foaming agent and said coalescing agent are present in a weight ratio of from about 20:1 to about 5:1.

2. A gypsum board as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coalescing agent has a cloud point (T CP ) of from about 18.0 to about 60.0° C. according to ASTM D2024.

3. A gypsum board as set forth in claim 1 wherein said surfactant of said foaming agent comprises a sulfate or a sulfonate.

4. A gypsum board as set forth in claim 1 wherein said surfactant of said foaming agent comprises an ammonium ether sulfate.

5. A gypsum board as set forth in claim 1 wherein said foaming agent and said coalescing agent are present in a weight ratio of from about 7.5:1 to about 5:1.

6. A gypsum board as set forth in claim 1 wherein said foaming agent is present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 2.0 lbs per 1000 square feet (msf) of said gypsum board and said coalescing agent is present in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 1.0 lbs per 1000 square feet (msf) of said gypsum board.

7. A gypsum board as set forth in claim 1 wherein said foaming agent is present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 2.0 lbs per 1000 square feet (msf) of said gypsum board.

8. A gypsum board as set forth in claim 1 formed in yet the further presence of an additive component comprising at least one of a starch, an accelerator, glass fibers, potash, a thickening agent, boric acid, or a combination thereof.

9. A gypsum board as set forth in claim 1 wherein said water and said calcined gypsum are reacted in a weight ratio of from about 0.5 to about 1.5.

10. A gypsum board as set forth in claim 1 wherein the plurality of bubbles have an average diameter of from about 200 to about 800 microns.

11. A gypsum board as set forth in claim 1 having a weight of less than about 1500 lbs per 1000 square feet (msf).

12. A gypsum board as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a second cover sheet spaced from said cover sheet with said gypsum layer sandwiched between said cover sheets.

13. A gypsum board as set forth in claim 1 wherein said reaction product is free of a dispersant.

14. A gypsum board as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said coalescing agent is present in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 1.0 lbs per 1000 square feet (msf) of said gypsum board.

15. A gypsum board as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the alcohol alkoxylate comprises a C 6 to C 10 fatty alcohol.

16. A method of forming a gypsum board comprising a cover sheet and a gypsum layer disposed on the cover sheet, the gypsum layer defining a plurality of bubbles dispersed therein and comprising the reaction product of calcined gypsum and water,

wherein an exothermic reaction occurs between the calcined gypsum and water, with the reaction product having a temperature ranging from an initial temperature (T 1 ) to a peak temperature (T 2 ) during formation in the presence of:

a foaming agent comprising an anionic surfactant for creating a foam to impart a plurality of bubbles in the reaction product; and

a coalescing agent comprising an alcohol alkoxylate, with the coalescing agent having a cloud point (T CP ) of from about 16.0 to about 60.0° C. according to ASTM D2024 and that is between the initial temperature (T 1 ) and the peak temperature (T 2 ) of the reaction product, such that the coalescing agent coalesces the plurality of bubbles imparted by the foam thereby establishing the plurality of bubbles in the gypsum layer; and

wherein said foaming agent and said coalescing agent are present in a weight ratio of from about 20:1 to about 5:1,

said method comprising the steps of:

providing the calcined gypsum;

providing the water;

providing the foaming agent;

providing the coalescing agent;

mixing the calcined gypsum, water, foaming agent, and coalescing agent to form the slurry;

disposing the slurry on the cover sheet; and

allowing the slurry to set to form the reaction product, gypsum layer, and the gypsum board.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16 further comprising the step of premixing a portion of the water and the foaming agent separate from the calcined gypsum prior to the step of mixing.

18. A method as set forth in claim 16 further comprising the step of premixing a portion of the water and the coalescing agent separate from the calcined gypsum prior to the step of mixing.

19. A method as set forth in claim 16 further comprising the step of providing an additive component such that the step of mixing is further defined as mixing the calcined gypsum, water, foaming agent, coalescing agent, and the additive component to form a slurry.

20. A method as set forth in claim 16 further comprising the steps of providing a second cover sheet and applying the second cover sheet to the gypsum layer opposite the cover sheet such that the gypsum layer is sandwiched between the cover sheets.

21. A method as set forth in claim 16 further comprising the step of applying heat to the gypsum board to remove residual water from the gypsum layer.

22. A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the slurry is free of a dispersant.