Synthetic light-weight material and process and system for manufacturing same

Claim 2

The process of producing the particle material as claimed in claim 2, wherein said boric acid is commingled in an amount constituting between about 5 percent to about 25 percent by weight of the sodium silicate solids in the homogeneous mass.

Claim 3

The process of producing the particle material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the commingling step includes the addition of Portland cement as an expansion controller.

Claim 4

The process of producing the particle material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling of the homogeneous mass into a friable cake is preceded by the step of pressing the heated commingled homogeneous mass into a thin strip for efficient cooling.

Claim 5

The process of producing the particle material as claimed in claim 1, wherein said liquid sodium silicate is preheated before it is commingled with the other constituents.

Claim 6

The process of producing a particle material capable of being fully expanded into a resulting light-weight material suitable for use in building, construction, building products, insulation, and the like, such expansion being provided by the application of heat, said process comprising the steps of combining anhydrous sodium silicate with liquid sodium silicate in a mixer with the sodium silicate solids constituting between 50% and 56 percent by weight of the mix of the anhydrous and liquid sodium silicate, and combining into said mix a delayed-action heat-triggered neutralizer material in the form of boric acid and an expansion controller material in the form of Portland cement, mixing the combined materials into a homogeneous mass with the solids in the mix thoroughly distributed for retention in the mix, heating the mixed homogeneous mass for a time period and to a temperature below the boiling point of water selected to dissolve the anhydrous sodium silicate, pressing the heated mix of homogeneous mass into a thin strip, cooling the thin strip of material to a friable and crushable state, crushing the strip of cooled material into small particles, and supplying heat to the crushed strip particles for pre-expansion drying thereof and surface stabilization to form a particle material capable of being stored for at least several weeks storage and capable of delayed full expansion upon subsequent application of heat into a resulting light-weight material.

Claim 7

The process of producing a light-weight aggregate material comprising the steps of combining anhydrous sodium silicate, liquid sodium silicate in a mixer, combining a delayed-action heat-triggered neutralizer material and an expander controller material to the mix of anhydrous and liquid sodium silicates, mixing the combined materials into a homogeneous mass, heating the homogeneous mass for a time period and to a temperature selected to dissolve the anhydrous sodium silicate, the temperature being below the boiling point of water but sufficiently high to dissolve the anhydrous sodium silicate cooling the homogeneous mass to a friable cake, crushing the friable cake into particles of a desired size, and heating the particles to a temperature and for a time period sufficient to attain full expansion thereof into a light-weight aggregate having a bulk density determined by said expansion controller material and neutralized by said delayed-action heat-triggered neutralized material.

Claim 8

The process of producing a light-weight aggregate material as claimed in claim 8, wherein the crushing step is followed by a pre-expansion drying of the particles with a heating thereof to a temperature and a time period sufficient to stabilize the particles and prevent a subsequent coalescing of the particles while they are bEing stored, if desired, for a period of several weeks.

Claim 9

The process of producing a light-weight aggregate as claimed in claim 8, wherein the heating of the particles comprises exposing the particles to air at a temperature in the range of from about 880* to 1,020* F.

Claim 10

The process of producing light-weight aggregate as claimed in claim 10, wherein said combining step includes the step of mixing boric acid as the delayed-action heat-triggered neutralizer.

Claim 11

The process of producing a light-weight aggregate as claimed in claim 8, wherein the combining step includes the step of mixing Portland cement as the expander controller material in an amount commensurate with the desired bulk density of the light-weight aggregate.

Claim 12

The process of producing a light-weight particle material suitable for use in building, construction, building products, insulation, and the like, comprising the steps of introducing into a mixing zone liquid sodium silicate and anhydrous sodium silicate, the sodium silicate solids being present in an amount between 50 and 56 percent by weight, introducing into said mixing zone a delayed-action, heat-triggered neutralizer material in the form of granular boric acid in an amount constituting between about 5 and about 25 percent by weight of the sodium silicate solids in said mixing zone, and also introducing into said mixing zone an expansion controller material in the form of Portland cement in an amount constituting between about 8 percent and about 25 percent by weight of the sodium silicate solids, providing a vigorous mixing action in said mixing zone in the presence of heat to mix the contents thereof into a homogeneous mass, the heat being sufficient to produce in the mass a temperature below the boiling point of water but sufficiently high to dissolve the anhydrous sodium silicate therein, removing the mass from the mixing zone, cooling the mass into a friable and crushable state, crushing the cooled mass into small particles, heating the particles to pre-expand and dry the surfaces of the particles such that their surfaces are stabilized to be capable of being stored together for weeks, if desired, without coalescing between stored particles, and subsequently heating the stabilized particles to a temperature in the range from about 880* F. to about 1,020* F. to produce the desired expansion thereof.