Ceramic matrix compositions and uses thereof

1. A ceramic matrix composition comprising:

about 85% to about 99% of a hydraulic gypsum cement material, based on a total dry weight of the composition;

about 0.1% to about 5% of a non-hydraulic gypsum cement material, based on the total dry weight of the composition;

about 0.1% to about 10% of a crosslinked synthetic hydrogel, based on the total dry weight of the composition; and

about 0.1% to about 10% of a binder, based on the total dry weight of the composition; wherein the ceramic matrix composition comprises a three-dimensional interconnected array of channels.

2. The ceramic matrix composition according to claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic gypsum cement material comprises calcium sulfate hemihydrate, a silicon dioxide and a cement.

3. The ceramic matrix composition according to claim 2 , wherein the calcium sulfate hemihydrate is present in an amount of at least 85%, at least 90% or at least 95%, based on a total dry weight of the hydraulic gypsum cement material.

4. The ceramic matrix composition according to claim 2 , wherein the silicon dioxide is present in an amount of about 0.1% to about 10%, about 0.5% to about 7.5% or about 1% to about 5%, based on a total dry weight of the hydraulic gypsum cement material.

5. The ceramic matrix composition according to claim 2 , wherein the cement is present in an amount of about 0.1% to about 10%, about 0.5% to about 7.5% or about 1% to about 5%, based on a total dry weight of the hydraulic gypsum cement material.

6. The ceramic matrix composition according to claim 1 , wherein the non-hydraulic gypsum cement material comprises calcium sulfate hemihydrate, talc and a low-molecular-weight carbohydrate.

7. The ceramic matrix composition according to claim 6 , wherein the calcium sulfate hemihydrate is present in an amount of about 60% to about 90%, about 65% to about 85% or about 70% to about 80%, based on a total dry weight of the non-hydraulic gypsum cement material.

8. The ceramic matrix composition according to claim 6 , wherein the talc is present in an amount of about 1% to about 25%, about 2.5% to about 20% or about 5% to about 15%, based on a total dry weight of the non-hydraulic gypsum cement material.

9. The ceramic matrix composition according to claim 6 , wherein the low-molecular-weight carbohydrate is present in an amount of about 1% to about 20%, about 2.5% to about 15% or about 5% to about 10%, based on a total dry weight of the non-hydraulic gypsum cement material.

10. The ceramic matrix composition according to claim 1 , wherein the crosslinked synthetic hydrogel comprises a polyacrylamide polymer, a polyvinyl acetate polymer, a polyacrylate polymer, a poly(alkylene oxide) polymer, a polyethylene oxide polymer, a polyethylene glycol polymer, a polyvinyl alcohol polymer, a polylactic acid polymer and an acrylic-modified starch polymer.

11. The ceramic matrix composition according to claim 1 , further comprising an antimicrobial.

12. The ceramic matrix composition according claim 11 , wherein the antimicrobial is in an amount of about 0.25% to about 4%, about 0.5% to about 3%, about 0.6% to about 2%, about 0.7% to about 1.5%, about 0.8% to about 1.0% or about 0.9%, based on the total dry weight of the composition.

13. The ceramic matrix composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition has a porosity sufficient to allow fluid to flow into its three-dimensional interconnected array of channels.

14. The ceramic matrix composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition has a controlled absorption of a fluid to a volume that is at least 1 time, at least 2 times, at least 3 times, at least 4 times, at least 5 times, at least 6 times, at least 7 times, at least 8 times, at least 9 times or at least 10 times the weight of the ceramic matrix composition or at most 1 time, at most 2 times, at most 3 times, at most 4 times, at most 5 times, at most 6 times, at most 7 times, at most 8 times, at most 9 times or at most 10 times the weight of the ceramic matrix composition, or about 1 time to about 2 times, about 1 time to about 3 times, about 1 time to about 4 times, about 1 time to about 5 times, about 1 time to about 6 times, about 1 time to about 7 times, about 1 time to about 8 times, about 1 time to about 9 times, about 1 time to about 10 times, about 2 times to about 3 times, about 2 times to about 4 times, about 2 times to about 5 times, about 2 times to about 6 times, about 2 times to about 7 times, about 2 times to about 8 times, about 2 times to about 9 times, about 2 times to about 10 times, about 3 times to about 4 times, about 3 times to about 5 times, about 3 times to about 6 times, about 3 times to about 7 times, about 3 times to about 8 times, about 3 times to about 9 times, about 3 times to about 10 times, about 4 times to about 5 times, about 4 times to about 6 times, about 4 times to about 7 times, about 4 times to about 8 times, about 4 times to about 9 times, about 4 times to about 10 times, about 5 times to about 6 times, about 5 times to about 7 times, about 5 times to about 8 times, about 5 times to about 9 times, about 5 times to about 10 times, about 6 times to about 7 times, about 6 times to about 8 times, about 6 times to about 9 times, about 6 times to about 10 times, about 7 times to about 8 times, about 7 times to about 9 times, about 7 times to about 10 times, about 8 times to about 9 times, about 8 times to about 10 times or about 9 times to about 10 times the weight of the ceramic matrix composition.

15. The ceramic matrix composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition has a controlled distribution of a fluid so that when exposed to a fluid the ceramic matrix composition is at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% saturated, or at most 65%, at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 90%, at most 95%, at most 97%, at most 98% or at most 99% saturated, or about 65% to about 75%, about 65% to about 85%, about 65% to about 95%, about 65% to about 97%, about 65% to about 98%, about 65% to about 99%, about 65% to about 100%, about 75% to about 85%, about 75% to about 95%, about 75% to about 97%, about 75% to about 98%, about 75% to about 99%, about 75% to about 100%, about 80% to about 85%, about 80% to about 95%, about 80% to about 97%, about 80% to about 98%, about 80% to about 99%, about 80% to about 100%, about 85% to about 95%, about 85% to about 97%, about 85% to about 98%, about 85% to about 99%, about 85% to about 100%, about 90% to about 95%, about 90% to about 97%, about 90% to about 98%, about 90% to about 99%, about 90% to about 100%, about 95% to about 97%, about 95% to about 98%, about 95% to about 99% or about 95% to about 100% saturated.

16. The ceramic matrix composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition has a controlled evaporation rate of a fluid that is at least 0.001 kg/sec, at least 0.002 kg/sec, at least 0.0025 kg/sec, at least 0.003 kg/sec, at least 0.004 kg/sec, at least 0.005 kg/sec, at least 0.006 kg/sec, at least 0.007 kg/sec, at least 0.0075 kg/sec, at least 0.008 kg/sec, at least 0.009 kg/sec, at least 0.01 kg/sec, at least 0.02 kg/sec, at least 0.025 kg/sec, at least 0.03 kg/sec, at least 0.04 kg/sec, at least 0.05 kg/sec, at least 0.06 kg/sec, at least 0.07 kg/sec, at least 0.075 kg/sec, at least 0.08 kg/sec, at least 0.09 kg/sec, at least 0.1 kg/sec, at least 0.2 kg/sec, at least 0.25 kg/sec, at least 0.3 kg/sec, at least 0.4 kg/sec, at least 0.5 kg/sec, at least 0.6 kg/sec, at least 0.7 kg/sec or at least 0.75 kg/sec, or having a controlled evaporation rate of a fluid that is at most 0.001 kg/sec, at most 0.002 kg/sec, at most 0.0025 kg/sec, at most 0.003 kg/sec, at most 0.004 kg/sec, at most 0.005 kg/sec, at most 0.006 kg/sec, at most 0.007 kg/sec, at most 0.0075 kg/sec, at most 0.008 kg/sec, at most 0.009 kg/sec, at most 0.01 kg/sec, at most 0.02 kg/sec, at most 0.025 kg/sec, at most 0.03 kg/sec, at most 0.04 kg/sec, at most 0.05 kg/sec, at most 0.06 kg/sec, at most 0.07 kg/sec, at most 0.075 kg/sec, at most 0.08 kg/sec, at most 0.09 kg/sec, at most 0.1 kg/sec, at most 0.2 kg/sec, at most 0.25 kg/sec, at most 0.3 kg/sec, at most 0.4 kg/sec, at most 0.5 kg/sec, at most 0.6 kg/sec, at most 0.7 kg/sec or at most 0.75 kg/sec, or having a controlled evaporation rate of a fluid that is about 0.001 kg/sec to about 0.005 kg/sec, about 0.001 kg/sec to about 0.01 kg/sec, about 0.001 kg/sec to about 0.05 kg/sec, about 0.001 kg/sec to about 0.1 kg/sec, about 0.001 kg/sec to about 0.5 kg/sec, about 0.0025 kg/sec to about 0.005 kg/sec, about 0.0025 kg/sec to about 0.01 kg/sec, about 0.0025 kg/sec to about 0.05 kg/sec, about 0.0025 kg/sec to about 0.1 kg/sec, about 0.0025 kg/sec to about 0.5 kg/sec, about 0.005 kg/sec to about 0.01 kg/sec, about 0.005 kg/sec to about 0.05 kg/sec, about 0.005 kg/sec to about 0.1 kg/sec, about 0.005 kg/sec to about 0.5 kg/sec, about 0.0075 kg/sec to about 0.01 kg/sec, about 0.0075 kg/sec to about 0.05 kg/sec, about 0.0075 kg/sec to about 0.1 kg/sec, about 0.0075 kg/sec to about 0.5 kg/sec, about 0.01 kg/sec to about 0.05 kg/sec, about 0.01 kg/sec to about 0.1 kg/sec, about 0.01 kg/sec to about 0.5 kg/sec, about 0.025 kg/sec to about 0.05 kg/sec, about 0.025 kg/sec to about 0.1 kg/sec, about 0.025 kg/sec to about 0.5 kg/sec, about 0.05 kg/sec to about 0.1 kg/sec, about 0.05 kg/sec to about 0.5 kg/sec or about 0.1 kg/sec to about 0.5 kg/sec.

17. A method of making a ceramic matrix composition, the method comprising the steps of:

depositing a slurry mixture into a form or a mold, the slurry mixture comprising about 28% to about 46% by volume of a hydraulic gypsum cement material, about 3% to about 16% by volume of a crosslinked synthetic hydrogel, about 0.01% to about 2% by weight/volume of a non-hydraulic gypsum cement material, about 0.1 to about 5% by weight/volume of a binder, and about 42% to about 62% by volume of water; and

allowing the slurry mixture to set in order to form the ceramic matrix composition.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the composition further comprises an antimicrobial in an amount of about 0.025% to about 1.5%, about 0.05% to about 1%, about 0.1% to about 0.75%, about 0.15% to about 0.5%, about 0.2% to about 0.4% or about 0.3%, based on a total wet weight of the slurry mixture.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the form or mold comprises one or more additional components, the one or more additional components including a superabsorbent fabric, a piece of metal oxide, a tubing or other hollow-channeled structure or a reinforcement or structural component.

20. A method of treating a surface of a pre-existing material with a ceramic matrix composition, the method comprising the steps of:

depositing a slurry mixture onto the surface of the pre-existing material, the slurry mixture comprising about 28% to about 46% by volume of a hydraulic gypsum cement material, about 10% to about 26% by volume of a crosslinked synthetic hydrogel, about 0.01% to about 2% by weight/volume of a non-hydraulic gypsum cement material, about 0.1 to about 5% by weight/volume of a binder, and about 32% to about 52% by volume of water; and

allowing the slurry mixture to set in order to form the ceramic matrix composition.