Composite structural material and aggregate therefor

Abstract

A composite structural material formed from aggregate within a matrix, the aggregate being a particulate material where each particle includes at least three radial legs extending outwardly from a central hub

1 . A composite structural material formed from aggregate within a hard matrix, the aggregate being a particulate material where each particle includes at least three radial legs extending outwardly from a central hub. 
     
     
         2 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , including an amount of aggregate of about 0.1% to 25.0% v/v 
     
     
         3 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , including an amount of aggregate of about 0.5% to 20.0% v/v 
     
     
         4 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , including an amount of aggregate of about 1.0% to 15.0% v/v. 
     
     
         5 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , including an amount of aggregate of about 2.0% to 7.5% v/v. 
     
     
         6 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , including an amount of aggregate of about 2.5% to 5.0% v/v. 
     
     
         7 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , wherein the aggregate particles have three legs, four legs, five legs, six legs, seven legs, eight legs, nine legs or ten legs. 
     
     
         8 . A composite structural material according to  claim 7 , wherein the aggregate particles have six legs. 
     
     
         9 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , wherein some or all of the legs extend radially symmetrically outwardly from the central hub. 
     
     
         10 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , wherein some or all of the legs extend radially symmetrically outwardly from the central hub to form three dimensional aggregate particles. 
     
     
         11 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , wherein the legs are of the same size and shape. 
     
     
         12 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more legs are of a different size and/or shape to other legs. 
     
     
         13 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , wherein the legs are cylindrical, conical or frusto-conical, with the conical and frusto-conical versions reducing in diameter away from the central hub. 
     
     
         14 . A composite structural material according to  claim 13 , wherein some legs are shaped cylindrically and some legs are shaped as a frusto-cone. 
     
     
         15 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , wherein the free ends of the legs have either a flat surface, or a curved surface (being a convex or concave surface), a bulbous spherical tip, or are pointed. 
     
     
         16 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , wherein all legs have the same length. 
     
     
         17 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , wherein the leg length is in the range of 3 mm to 20 mm. 
     
     
         18 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , wherein the central hub has a generally spherical shape, a generally cylindrical shape, or a generally cuboid shape. 
     
     
         19 . A composite structural material according to  claim 18 , wherein the central hub is generally spherical and has a diameter in the range of 1 mm to 10 mm. 
     
     
         20 . A composite structural material according to  claim 18 , wherein the central hub is generally cylindrical and has a width in the range of 1 mm to 10 mm. 
     
     
         21 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , wherein the legs have a diameter, at a location closest to the central hub, which is equal to or less than the diameter/width of the central hub. 
     
     
         22 . A composite structural material according to  claim 21 , wherein the legs have a diameter, at a location closest to the central hub, which is less than the diameter/width of the central hub, the central hub having exposed surface portions located between the legs, which surface portions include a surface contour. 
     
     
         23 . A composite structural material according to  claim 22 , wherein the surface contour is a concavity. 
     
     
         24 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , wherein the aggregate particles are of a plastic material, selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonates, polypropylene, or any high density plastic, or are of a formable or moldable non-plastic material (such as fly ash), or a mixture of these materials. 
     
     
         25 . A composite structural material according to  claim 1 , wherein the hard matrix is a cementitious binder, an energetically modified cement, or a cement blend. 
     
     
         26 . An aggregate for use in a composite structural material, the aggregate being a particulate material where each particle includes at least three radial legs extending outwardly from a central hub. 
     
     
         27 . An aggregate according to  claim 26 , wherein the aggregate particles have six legs. 
     
     
         28 . An aggregate according to  claim 26 , wherein some or all of the legs extend radially symmetrically outwardly from the central hub. 
     
     
         29 . An aggregate according to  claim 26 , wherein some or all of the legs extend radially symmetrically outwardly from the central hub to form a three dimensional particle. 
     
     
         30 . An aggregate according to  claim 26 , wherein the legs are of the same size and shape. 
     
     
         31 . An aggregate according to  claim 26 , wherein the legs are cylindrical, conical or frusto-conical, with the conical and frusto-conical versions reducing in diameter away from the central hub. 
     
     
         32 . An aggregate according to  claim 26 , wherein the free ends of the legs have either a flat surface, or a curved surface (being a convex or concave surface), a bulbous spherical tip or are pointed. 
     
     
         33 . An aggregate according to  claim 26 , wherein the leg length is in the range of 3 mm to 20 mm. 
     
     
         34 . An aggregate according to  claim 26 , wherein the central hub has a generally spherical shape, a generally cylindrical shape, or a generally cuboid shape. 
     
     
         35 . An aggregate according to  claim 34 , wherein the central hub is generally spherical and has a diameter in the range of 1 mm to 10 mm. 
     
     
         36 . An aggregate according to  claim 34 , wherein the central hub is generally cylindrical and has a width in the range of 1 mm to 10 mm. 
     
     
         37 . An aggregate according to  claim 26 , the legs have a diameter, at a location closest to the central hub, which is equal to or less than the diameter/width of the central hub. 
     
     
         38 . An aggregate according to  claim 37 , wherein the legs have a diameter, at a location closest to the central hub, which is less than the diameter/width of the central hub, the central hub having exposed surface portions located between the legs, which surface portions include a surface contour. 
     
     
         39 . An aggregate according to  claim 38 , wherein the surface contour is a concavity. 
     
     
         40 . An aggregate according to  claim 26 , wherein the aggregate particles are of a plastic material, selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonates, polypropylene, or any high density plastic, or are of a formable or moldable non-plastic material (such as fly ash), or a mixture of these materials.