Transmaterial » ceramics

SorbtiveMEDIA

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:00:41 +0000

Many lakes, ponds and rivers suffer from algae blooms and depleted dissolved oxygen as a direct result of excessive nutrients entering waterways after rainstorms. Phosphorus is the accelerant that causes algae blooms to grow rapidly. SorbtiveMEDIA is an oxide-coated water filtration system engineered to remove pollutants including phosphorus. It is produced from natural and recycled aggregates, and is applied in a wide variety of low-impact development landscape applications.

SorbtiveMEDIA is an appropriate solution for impaired watersheds or protecting water resources, with proven phosphorus treatment performance exceeding current North American regulations. Available in a variety of gradations or as porous concrete products, SorbtiveMEDIA can accommodate many landscape designs and stormwater treatment systems.

SorbtiveMEDIA can be flexibly applied to sand filters, infiltration trenches, and filter cartridges, and is also a perfect match for LID applications such as bioretention cells, rain gardens, gabion walls, porous concrete pavement and permeable pavers systems. SorbtiveMEDIA is a safe, non-hazardous material that does not decompose or leach captured pollutants.

Contact: Imbrium Systems, Rockville, MD, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Fusion

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:00:16 +0000

Fusion incorporates the iridescent color features of dichroic glass with clear or low iron options. Fissures and air bubbles also become integral components of the finished glass pieces, making the final appearance even more visually captivating. Comprised by up to 30% recycled content and offered in multiple colors and finishes, Fusion is a celebration of the robust decorative potential of glass.

Contact: Nathan Allan Glass Studios Inc., Richmond, BC, Canada.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Fly Ash Panels

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:00:22 +0000

Fly ash is the waste product of burning coal that is comprised mainly of silica, alumina, iron, and calcium. Fly ash is often combined with cement as an additive, but only up to a certain percentage of concrete may be fly ash.

Carolyn Dry has developed a method of fabricating building panels and insulation out of nearly 100% fly ash in order to sequester these heavy metals so that they do not leach out and pollute the environment. Essentially cooking the ash into a solid, Dry utilizes a flux which allows processing at lower temperatures—thus using less energy and fewer chemicals. Components such as building panels, bricks, and insulation may be produced without the need for binders such as cement.

Contact: Natural Process Design, Inc., Winona, MN, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Imagine Tile

Blaine Brownell — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:00:58 +0000

Imagine Tile, Inc. can take any two-dimensional image and incorporate it into the glaze of an incredibly vivid, commercially-rated ceramic tile. Imagine Tile uses a patented process which treats ceramic glazes like printing inks. Pure minerals and ores are ground micro-fine and suspended in a liquid to produce substances similar to printing inks. The mineral and ore-based image is printed and coated with a refractory material that creates a glass finish. Once the tile is fired at approximately 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit, the glazes fuse with the body of the tile. The result is a graphic and durable decorative tile.

Imagine Tile meets or exceeds ASTM standards for commercial floor and wall applications, and independent tests certify that the product is frost-proof, UV and chemical resistant, as well as ADA compliant. Moreover, Imagine Tile possesses a surface MOH rating of 7 or higher. The product is supplied with a five-year manufacturer warranty.

Contact: Imagine Tile, Inc., Bloomfield, NJ, USA.
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Sphere Glass

Blaine Brownell — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:00:47 +0000

Sphere Glass provides a novel form for three-dimensional glass. Hemispherical glass spheres are fused to clear or cast background glass panels. Spheres can be added to one side or both sides of the panel, and they can be cast (textured) or clear, with or without color. The spheres may be made up to two feet in diameter.

Contact: Nathan Allan Glass Studios Inc., Richmond, BC, Canada.
Find more information in Transmaterial.

Livinglass Curves

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:00:28 +0000

Livinglass Curves is the first decorative laminated glass made in curved profiles. Available in an array of interlayer patterns and textures, Curves allows designers to specify the panel length, width, thickness, and radius. It can be specified with 100% recycled resin and 100% recycled glass, and is available as a LEED compatible alternative to other decorative glass products. Curves is Class A/Class I fire rated, UV and chemical resistant, and allows for easy cleaning with household or industrial cleaners without scratching or discoloration.

Contact: Livinglass, San Clemente, CA, USA.

Eco-Cement

Blaine Brownell — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:00:56 +0000

Developed by John Harrison of TecEco, Eco-Cement is made by blending reactive magnesium oxide with conventional hydraulic cements. Mimicking nature, Eco-Cement concretes absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in order to harden into materials used for the built environment. As Eco-Cements are also chemically benign, large amounts of various wastes can be incorporated into the concrete matrix. The Eco-Cement technology offers partial solutions for global warming, climate change, waste, and cost-effective mass housing.

Contact: TecEco Pty. Ltd., Glenorchy, TAS, Australia.
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Rastra

Blaine Brownell — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:00:17 +0000

Rastra panels are large building blocks with a grid of internal channels that serve as a stay-in-place wall form for residential and commercial structures. Once a complete floor is set in place, the channels are reinforced and concrete is poured to achieve any desired strength. A Rastra wall is capable of withstanding earthquakes, hurricanes, and other forces of nature, because the system of channels is designed to provide maximum strength with minimum amount of concrete.

The Rastra panels are made of recycled post-consumer foam plastics placed in a cement matrix. This composition unifies the best properties for a wall; it is durable, lightweight, and quick to install, and also provides high thermal and acoustic insulation. Rastra is resistant to fire, mold, insects, and rodents. It also has a cementitious surface to which stucco adheres well.

Contact: Rastra Corporation, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
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Transbuoyant Concrete

Blaine Brownell — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 14:00:13 +0000

Architect Peter Jay Zweig and Monotech International, Inc. have developed an innovative, extremely fast, flexible, inexpensive, and environmentally-friendly building system with a wide variety of applications. This system includes a proprietary concrete blend with performance-enhancing additives called Monocrete, which is an integral part of a double monocoque design which Zweig terms Transbuoyant Concrete.

Unlike conventional concrete, Transbuoyant Concrete has extremely high tensile and flexural strength as well as high compression strength. The building system is durable, easily maintained, as well as earthquake, water, wind, fire, and bullet resistant. It is also extremely lightweight and easy to construct.

Contact: Monotech International, Inc., Houston, TX, USA.
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Xposed

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 13 May 2011 14:00:12 +0000

Xposed is a refined cement-based eco-composite made from natural minerals and up to 25% post-industrial recycled content. Standard slab materials are available and can be fabricated into countertops, table tops, surrounds, or display tops using ordinary natural stone fabrication tools and equipment. Xposed is also available for custom interior and exterior applications such as furniture elements, sinks, tiles, and three-dimensional objects. Twelve standard colors are available as well as custom colors.

Contact: Meld, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.