Inorganic phosphate ceramics and coatings

1. A metal phosphate ceramic comprising:

a reaction product of:

at least one acidic phosphate component directly covalently bonded or indirectly bonded to a hydrophobic agent;

at least one basic metal oxide or hydroxide component directly covalently bonded or indirectly bonded to the hydrophobic agent or a different hydrophobic agent; and

the hydrophobic agent comprising a Group IV element of silicon

having at least one hydrocarbon moiety covalently bonded thereto; wherein, the at least one hydrocarbon moiety is independently, C 1-20 alkyl, phenyl, aryl; where alkyl includes straight-chain, branched, or cyclic alkyl, haloalkyl.

2. A metal phosphate ceramic precursor formulation comprising the following:

at least one acidic phosphate component;

at least one basic metal oxide or hydroxide component having a solubility constant (Ksp). of 10 −4 or less in molar excess to that of the at least one acidic phosphate component; and

at least one hydrophobic agent covalently combined with the at least one acid phosphate component and the at least one basic metal oxide or hydroxide component;

wherein the at least one hydrophobic agent has one or more reactive groups capable of covalently bonding with the at least one acidic phosphate component; or the at least one basic metal oxide or hydroxide component;

the hydrophobic agent is of the general formula (I) or (II) or (III) or (IV):

where:

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are, independently, hydrogen, C 1-20 alkyl, phenyl, aryl; where alkyl includes straight-chain, branched, cyclic or acylic alkyl, or haloalkyl;

Y 1 , Y 2 , and Y 3 is, independently, hydroxyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, phenoxide, or halogen; or, Y 1 , Y 2 , and Y 3 is, independently, an alkali metal salt, an ammonium salt, an alkylammonium salt, a phenylammonium salt, or an alklyphenylammonium salt of Si—OH;

b is 0-21; n is 1,000 to 1,000,000;

m is 0-1,000;

t is 1; and

Z is sodium or potassium.

3. The metal phosphate ceramic precursor formulation of claim 2 , further comprising one or more of an inorganic mineral silicate, wollastonite, talc, amorphous magnesium silicate, amorphous calcium silicate, diatomaceous earth, aluminosilicate, olivine, calcined Kaolin, mullite, colloidal silica, silicon dioxide, and amorphous silicon dioxide.

4. The metal phosphate ceramic precursor formulation of claim 2 , further comprising at least one soluble basic inorganic salt of: an alkali metal hydroxide, alkali earth metal hydroxide, a phosphate, a silicate, or an alkylsiliconate.

5. A method of forming a hydrophobic metal phosphate ceramic, the method comprising combining:

(i) at least one acidic phosphate component;

(ii) at least one basic oxide or hydroxide component having a solubility constant (Ksp). of 10 −4 or less; and

(iii) at least one hydrophobic agent comprising a Group IV element of silicon having at least one hydrocarbon covalently bonded thereto, the at least one hydrophobic agent directly covalently bonded or indirectly bonded to the at least one acidic phosphate component and the at least one basic metal oxide or hydroxide component.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one hydrocarbon is independently, C 1-20 alkyl, phenyl, aryl; where alkyl includes straight-chain, branched, or cyclic alkyl, haloalkyl.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one hydrophobic agent is at least one polymeric or oligomeric siloxane with reactive silanol and/or alkoxyl groups.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one hydrophobic agent is at least one organosiliconate.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one organosiliconate is a salt; or a mono-, di-, or tri-alkyl siliconate.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one hydrophobic agent is a combination of a least two of: a polymeric or oligomeric siloxane or silanol; and at least one organosiliconate.

11. The method of claim 5 , further comprising combining one or more of an inorganic mineral silicate, wollastonite, talc, amorphous magnesium silicate, amorphous calcium silicate, diatomaceous earth, aluminosilicate, olivine, calcined Kaolin, mullite, colloidal silica, silicon dioxide, or amorphous silicon dioxide.