Cementitious panels with swellable materials and methods of providing a moisture or water barrier in cementitious panels using swellable materials

1. A gypsum panel, comprising:

a core layer comprising gypsum;

a plurality of sheets of facing material surrounding the core layer, the plurality of sheets of facing material comprising a first sheet of facing material and a second sheet of facing material;

a first dense layer comprising gypsum defining an interface between the core layer and the first sheet of facing material, and optionally, a second dense layer comprising gypsum defining an interface between the core layer and the second sheet of facing material; and

one or more swellable materials, wherein the first dense layer or both the first dense layer and the second dense layer comprise at least one of the one or more swellable materials, the one or more swellable materials comprising from 0.1 wt. % to 40 wt. % based on the total weight of the first dense layer or both the first dense layer and the second dense layer, wherein the one or more swellable materials comprises an encapsulated or coated swellable material.

2. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the core layer further comprises at least one of the one or more swellable materials, the one or more swellable materials of the core layer comprising from 0.1 wt. % to 90 wt. % of the core layer, based on the total weight of the core layer.

3. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the first dense layer or both the first dense layer and the second dense layer comprise at least one of the one or more swellable materials, the one or more swellable materials comprising from 0.1 wt. % to 20 wt. % based on the total weight of the first dense layer or both the first dense layer and the second dense layer.

4. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more swellable materials comprises particles and/or discrete domains of a micro-scale size, the particles and/or discrete domains having an average cross-sectional dimension from 1 μm to 2000 μm.

5. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more swellable materials comprises particles and/or discrete domains of a nano-scale size, the particles and/or discrete domains having an average cross-sectional dimension from 1 nm to 1,000 nm.

6. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more swellable materials has the capability to swell to a volume that is from 2 to 100 times the non-swollen volume of the swellable material.

7. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more swellable materials has the capability to absorb from 2 to 30 times its weight in distilled water.

8. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more swellable materials comprises one or more phyllosilicates.

9. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more swellable materials comprises nanocrystalline or microcrystalline cellulose, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, and/or hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.

10. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more swellable materials comprises nanocrystalline or microcrystalline cellulose, the nanocrystalline or microcrystalline cellulose comprising ultrafine cellulose, colloidal cellulose, and/or nanocrystalline or microcrystalline cellulose gel.

11. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more swellable materials comprises a superabsorbent polymer.

12. The gypsum panel of claim 11 , wherein the superabsorbent polymer comprises an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid anhydride monomeric compound, and/or an ethylenically unsaturated sulfonic acid monomeric compound.

13. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the gypsum panel exhibits a surface water resistance according to ASTM C-473 such that the panel absorbs less than 10% of water.

14. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the gypsum panel further comprises void volumes in the form of one or more holes, punctures, cracks, cuts, or perforations, at least some of the void volume capable of being at least partially blocked by the swellable material once swollen by absorbing water or moisture, wherein the holes optionally include fastener holes.

15. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more swellable materials comprises a clay.

16. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more swellable materials comprises a phyllosilicate.

17. The gypsum panel of claim 16 , wherein the phyllosilicate comprises montmorillonite.

18. The gypsum panel of claim 1 , wherein the core layer consists of gypsum, one or more swellable materials, and optionally, filler materials, additives, and/or hydraulically setting materials.

19. A gypsum panel, comprising:

a core layer comprising gypsum;

a plurality of sheets of facing material surrounding the core layer, the plurality of sheets of facing material comprising a first sheet of facing material and a second sheet of facing material;

a first dense layer comprising gypsum defining an interface between the core layer and the first sheet of facing material, and optionally, a second dense layer comprising gypsum defining an interface between the core layer and the second sheet of facing material; and

one or more swellable materials, wherein the first dense layer or both the first dense layer and the second dense layer comprise at least one of the one or more swellable materials, the one or more swellable materials comprising from 0.1 wt. % to 40 wt. % based on the total weight of the first dense layer or both the first dense layer and the second dense layer, wherein the one or more swellable materials comprises particles and/or discrete domains of a nano-scale size, the particles and/or discrete domains having an average cross-sectional dimension from 1 nm to 1,000 nm.

20. A method of providing a moisture or water barrier in a gypsum panel, the method comprising:

contacting a swellable material in a gypsum panel with a first quantity of moisture or water, the gypsum panel comprising:

a core layer comprising gypsum;

a plurality of sheets of facing material surrounding the core layer, the plurality of sheets of facing material comprising a first sheet of facing material and a second sheet of facing material; and

a first dense layer comprising gypsum defining an interface between the core layer and the first sheet of facing material, and optionally, a second dense layer comprising gypsum defining an interface between the core layer and the second sheet of facing material;

wherein the first dense layer or both the first dense layer and the second dense layer comprise the swellable material, the swellable material comprising from 0.1 wt. % to 40 wt. % based on the total weight of the first dense layer or both the first dense layer and the second dense layer, wherein the one or more swellable materials comprises an encapsulated or coated swellable material;

absorbing with the swellable material at least some of the first quantity of moisture or water with the swellable material swelling to at least twice the non-swollen volume of the swellable material;

at least partially blocking a void volume in the gypsum panel with the swellable material swollen from having absorbed at least some of the first quantity of water; and

preventing or mitigating a second quantity of moisture of water from penetrating through the void volume at least partially blocked by the swollen swellable material.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the void volume comprises one or more holes, punctures, cracks, cuts, or perforations.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the void volume comprises one or more fastener holes.