In
late 1999, IHL successfully combined 50% by weight of hydrolytic cement
with 50% by weight of a water-based phenolic resin to produce a co-polymer
binder for fabricating wood substitutes from 80% by weight of chopped
wheat straw. The net results of this activity included 1/2" "particle
board" materials with the following characteristics: water-proof (10 days under
water); fire-proof (2200 degrees Fahrenheit); excellent dimensional
stability;
and overall compatibility with a wide range of wood-working tools,
e.g. screws, nails, staples, saws, lathes, router, etc. Based
on this very positive result, IHL is currently involved with combining
hydrolytic cement
with patented water-based urethane and epoxies from the Sustainable
Resources International Co., in relative proportions to be determined
from test results. IHL
currently anticipates that a major wood substitute market will be developed
by this joint venture activity.
IHC Patent
In
August 2002, IHL completed a comprehensive rewrite of its 1989 patent
application (which eventually became U.
S. Patent No. 5, 244, 726 in September 1993). As a result of this
revision, IHL's new patent application grew from 36 pages in 1988 to
66 pages in
2002, and the number of claims increased from 10 in 1988 to 25 in 2002.
Finally, and most important from the standpoint of avoiding "guilt
by association" in future marketing efforts, any and all reference
to geopolymer resins, AGC, IGL and Professor Joseph Davidovits, were
deleted in favor
of the much more technically accurate terms hydrolytic cements,
AHC, and IHL.
IHL Web Site
Following a two-year development schedule, IHL unveiled its web site www.glubak.com
in July of 2002, and now, after numerous international accolades, phase
II will soon be available with many user-oriented improvements. In general,
this 95 page web site describes in fascinating detail each important chapter
of IHC's evolution over the past 21 years, including: AHC products, AHC
applications, AHC material comparison, IHL company profile, AHC marketing,
IHL franchise opportunities, IHL exclusive license agreement, IHL marketing
representatives, University/National Lab Consortia, AHC literature and
references and recent AHC developments.
IHC Preliminary Tests
Continued AHC improvements during the
past 5 1/2 years provided the impetus for a wide variety of tests prior
to expensive independent test lab certification. Typical examples include:
August 2002 tests prior to ASTM E-119 tests and UL certification in
Ottawa, Canada -- gypsum, coconut fiber phase change materials combined
with
hydrolytic cement in design configurations based on 1966 NASA-developed
transpirational cooling concepts-maintained low-melting epoxies below
200 degrees Fahrenheit for over six hours when exposed to front face
propane source temperatures of 2300 degrees Fahrenheit; July of 2001.
In an
attempt to curb failing infrastructures throughout the United States,
i.e., bridges, etc., from rusting rebar, IHL dip-coated 1/4" and
5/8"
reinforced steel with modified hydrolytic cement in which the normal
14% water was replaced with 14% of a 6% solution of potassium chromate,
an extremely powerful rust inhibitor, with proven long-term compatibility
with advanced hydrolytic cement. At present the dip-coated rebar
samples are under evaluation by ASTM's 30 member Board of Directors.
