Patent Publication Number: US-2004040227-A1

Title: Material for improving living environment, and building material, laying material and spraying agent using the same

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001] The present invention relates to a residential environment improving material comprising microcapsules each containing porous fine particles as a major component, and to a building material, laying material and spraying preparation using the same.  
       BACKGROUND ART  
       [0002] Heretofore, termite damage to buildings has become a serious problem. Termites, in general, are well known to eat wet wood materials. Now, they have come to be known as a kind of vermin having very high omnivorousness that damage wood materials as well as concrete, earth, rubber, vinyl materials, foamed resins and the like, to say nothing of cloth and paper, by eating them or making holes into them. Such termite damage is becoming more and more serious all over the world irrespective of whether in Japan or abroad and whether the climate is wet or dry. As a countermeasure against termite, a method has been employed of spraying or applying a synthetic chemical preparation, a natural chemical preparation or the like onto prospective places at which termites are expected to make nests, such as underfloor places and concrete foundations. With such a method, however, the termite exterminating effect does not last for a long time and, hence, there arises a problem that the chemical treatment need be effected repeatedly at predetermined intervals, which requires much labor and increased cost. Some of such chemical preparations may contain organic compounds that are harmful to humans, pets, livestock and the like and hence need to be used carefully. Damage to health due to such chemical preparations has been reported. Particularly, underfloor places are places collecting or accumulating moisture and hence permit easy proliferation of vermin such as mites as well as termites and of miscellaneous germs such as mold. It is pointed out that there also arises a problem that such vermin and germs cause a building itself to decay or do damage to the health of residents of the building.  
       [0003] Buildings of today having high stream-tightness tend to collect and accumulate humidity in their rooms because of their stream-tightness. For this reason, such buildings not only permit easy proliferation of mold and mites but also raise a serious problem that the health of residents is damaged due to sick house syndrome caused by volatile organic chemicals (VOC) such as formaldehyde used in the so-called “new building materials”.  
       [0004] It is said that buildings that are constructed using specific wood materials, representative of which are Aomori hiba (Thujopsis dolabrata Sieb. et Zucc.) and Taiwan hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl. var. formosana Rehd.), do not permit easy proliferation of vermin such as termites and mites and of miscellaneous germs such as mold. Hinokitiol contained in such woods have been found to exhibit a vermin-proofing and antimicrobial effect as well as the effect of eliminating (neutralizing) VOCs. Various approaches have been attempted to obtain a termite-proofing, mite-proofing and antimicrobial effect or to provide a countermeasure against sick house by spraying or applying hinokitiol essential oil or a liquid preparation comprising diluted hinokitiol essential oil directly onto pillars, floor, foundation, walls and the like of a building. Such approaches, however, have an inconvenience that once a treatment such as liquid preparation spraying has been done, the initial effect of hinokitiol becomes weaker as the hinokitiol component volatilizes and, hence, such a treatment needs to be performed repeatedly thereafter. Though it is easy to treat underfloor places particularly before construction of a building, spraying of a liquid preparation or the like becomes very troublesome once the building has been completed. In addition, such a liquid preparation generally needs to be put in a tank or the like for storage and transportation, so that handling thereof is inconvenient.  
       [0005] Under such circumstances, a material is desired which is capable of satisfactorily improving residential environments by effectively utilizing hinokitiol, which is harmless to humans, animals and environments and by allowing hinokitiol to exercise various effects continuously over a long term.  
       [0006] With a view to resolving the aforementioned problems at a time, the present invention has been made focusing on a porous particulate matter as a carrier of hinokitiol.  
       DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION  
       [0007] The present invention provides a residential environment improving material characterized by comprising a porous particulate matter as a major component, and a hinokitiol-containing liquid retained in pores of the porous particulate matter.  
       [0008] The porous particulate matter has the property of adsorbing various substances in their pores. With attention focused on the action of the porous particulate matter as a carrier, by allowing the porous particulate matter to retain the hinokitiol-containing liquid in their pores, hinokitiol adsorbed by the porous particulate matter gradually volatilizes from the pores to exhibit various effects of improving residential environments such as a termite repellent effect, antimicrobial effect, vermin-proofing effect, VOC-eliminating effect, and relaxation effect over a long term. In addition, it is also possible to obtain useful effects essential to the porous particulate matter such as a heat-insulating effect, condensation-preventive function, moisture-conditioning function, breathability, deodorizing function, waterproofing function and air-cleaning function. The porous particulate matter may be either an inorganic substance or an organic substance.  
       [0009] Specific examples of such porous substances include diatomaceous earth, artificial ceramic particles, zeolite, hydroxyapatite, and composite particles comprising any one of those substances and an organic polymeric substance. Any one of these substances is suitable for use. Of course, the porous particulate matter may be composed of either a single such substance or a mixture of two or more of the aforementioned substances.  
       [0010] Among such substances, diatomaceous earth has a moisture-conditioning property and hence has been attracting attention as a “breathing material”. Diatomaceous earth, which results from deposition of fossilized phytoplankton (diatom) in the bottom of sea or lake, comprises silicic acid as a major component, has a particle size of about 50 micrometers and is ultraporous with a multiplicity of micropores of about 0.1- to 0.2-micrometer diameter all over the surface and inside thereof. In view of these properties, diatomaceous earth has begun to be utilized as a useful building material having various properties and functions of diatomaceous earth such as incombustibility, heat-insulating property, condensation-preventive function, moisture-conditioning function, breathability, deodorizing function, waterproofing function and air-cleaning function. That is, by the use of diatomaceous earth as a carrier of the hinokitiol-containing liquid, it is possible to provide an excellent residential environment improving material having, in combination, the useful characteristics of diatomaceous earth and various characteristics of hinokitiol adsorbed and retained in pores of diatomaceous earth such as an antimicrobial property, vermin-proofing property, VOC-eliminating property, and relaxation effect. Such an excellent residential environment improving material has not been developed so far. Thus, the original effects of hinokitiol can be obtained through release of hinokitiol from pores of diatomaceous earth without impairing the superior characteristics of diatomaceous earth. Further, since diatomaceous earth is available at a low price, it is possible to render the residential environment improving material easy to utilize.  
       [0011] Like diatomaceous earth, artificial ceramic particles, zeolite and hydroxyapatite have various useful properties and functions such as incombustibility, heat-insulating property, condensation-preventive function, moisture-conditioning function, breathability, deodorizing function, waterproofing function and air-cleaning function and hence are capable of forming excellent residential environment improving materials.  
       [0012] A liquid preparation extracted from a wood such as Aomori hiba (Thujopsis dolabrata Sieb. et Zucc.) or Taiwan hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl. var. formosana Rehd.), or a solution of chemically synthesized hinokitiol can be used as the “hinokitiol” used herein.  
       [0013] In order for hinokitiol to exhibit its effects more easily, the porous particulate matter may be allowed to retain hiba oil (oil extracted from Thujopsis dolabrata Sieb. et Zucc.). By so doing, the aforementioned effects of hinokitiol such as antimicrobial effect, vermin-proofing effect, VOC-eliminating effect, and relaxation effect can be obtained since hiba oil contains hinokitiol in abundance, while at the same time the cost and time required for the preparation of the residential environment improving material can be reduced since the process of extracting hinokitiol from hiba oil can be eliminated. Further, with the use of hiba oil, which is a natural substance, in the residential environment improving material, the residents in a house (or workers in an office or the like) constructed using the residential environment improving material can rest assured.  
       [0014] Examples of building materials using such a residential environment improving material include: a building foundation comprising a concrete composition as a chief material and the residential environment improving material incorporated therein; a moisture-proof sheet comprising a water-impermeable sheet body as a chief material and the residential environment improving material incorporated therein; a building wall formed from a material comprising the residential environment improving material as a chief material; a plate-shaped wall panel to be affixed to a building wall, the wall panel comprising plaster or the like as a chief material and the residential environment improving material incorporated therein; a foamable building material for use as applied onto a wall, floor, ceiling or an analog in a building, the foamable building material comprising a foamable building material body and the residential environment improving material retained by or incorporated in the foamable building material body; and a tatami mat comprising at least a tatami body and a tatami cover as chief materials and the residential environment improving material incorporated in the tatami body. With increasing need for energy-saving housing in recent years, an external thermal insulation method using polystyrene foam has become widespread. On the other hand, it has been reported that termite damage to a foamable resin used as the aforementioned foamable building material body raises a problem and, particularly, termite damage to polystyrene foam is a striking problem. Under such a situation, a great effect on termite damage is expected to result if a foamable building material formed by allowing the residential environment improving material of the present invention to be retained by or incorporated in a foamable building material body, typically polystyrene foam, is applied to the aforementioned external thermal insulation method.  
       [0015] A laying material which uses the residential environment improving material of the present invention is a laying material to be laid in an underfloor space of a building or its periphery, and an example of such a laying material comprises a container which is permeable to air outwardly and inwardly thereof and the residential environment improving material contained therein.  
       [0016] An example of a spraying preparation using the residential environment improving material comprises a composition containing the residential environment improving material and is capable of being sprayed to or mixed with a foundation part of a building, soil around the foundation part, and a floor, wall and an analog in the building.  
       [0017] For the effects of hinokitiol to be exercised further continuously in such various building materials, laying materials and spraying preparations, the residential environment improving material is preferably used in combination with wood powder containing hinokitiol. While the proportion of the residential environment improving material is desirably about 3% in a building material or about 1% to about 20% in a spraying preparation, there is no particular limitation thereto and it is possible for such a material to contain the residential environment improving material in an appropriate proportion more than or less than the aforementioned value or range, taking cost-effectiveness into consideration. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
     [0018]FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a residential environment improving material as one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view illustrating a process for preparing the residential environment improving material according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view illustrating a method of testing the termite-proofing effect of the residential environment improving material according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents and the results of the termite-proofing test. FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing a first application of the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating a spraying preparation used in the first application. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing a second application of the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view showing the second application. FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view showing a laying material used in the second application. FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a third application of the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic sectional view showing a foamable building material used in the third application. FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view showing a fourth application of the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a wall panel used in the fourth application. FIG. 14 is a schematic perspective view showing a fifth application of the embodiment. FIG. 15 is a schematic sectional view showing a tatami mat used in the fifth application. FIG. 16 is a sectional view showing a residential environment improving material as another embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION  
     [0019] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.  
     [0020]FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing a residential environment improving material  1  according to this embodiment. The residential environment improving material  1  includes a porous particulate matter comprising artificial ceramic particles  11  composed mainly of a high-purity ceramic, and hiba oil  12  contained in pores  11   a  of the porous particulate matter. As shown, the artificial ceramic particles  11  are each an ultraporous particle having an average particle diameter of about 7 micrometers with the pores  11   a  consisting of innumerable micropores.  
     [0021] Brief description will be made of a method of preparing the residential environment improving material  1  with reference to FIG. 2. First, as shown in FIG. 2( a ), a predetermined amount of artificial ceramic particles  11  are introduced into a container containing hiba oil  12 . Hiba oil  12  is an oil-soluble component of a liquid obtained by applying high-temperature and high-pressure steam to finely pulverized wood chips, bark, branches and leaves, or the like of Aomori hiba (Thujopsis dolabrata Sieb. et Zucc.) or Taiwan hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl. var. formosana Rehd.), the oil-soluble component containing hinokitiol in abundance. Artificial ceramic particles  11  float on the surface of hiba oil  12  for a short while after the introduction of artificial ceramic particles  11  (see FIG. 2( b )) and then sink gradually to the bottom of the container as the pores  11   a  thereof adsorb hiba oil  12  (see FIG. 2( c )). The sediment removed from the container (see FIG. 2( d )) is the residential environment improving material  1  according to the subject embodiment. Alternatively, the following preparation method is possible. A mixed liquid is previously prepared by diluting a hinokitiol-containing liquid with alcohol; artificial ceramic particles  11  are introduced into this mixed liquid to allow the pores  11   a  thereof to adsorb the mixed liquid; thereafter, excess mixed solvent is removed by filtration; and then the alcohol content is removed away from the mixed liquid adsorbed by the pores  11   a  by natural drying or warm-air drying to give the residential environment improving material  1  in a dried condition. In this method artificial ceramic particles  11  are allowed to adsorb the mixed liquid prepared by diluting the hinokitiol-containing liquid with alcohol. The hinokitiol-containing liquid comprising hiba oil  12  has a very high viscosity, which is inconvenient for handling in allowing artificial ceramic particles  11  to adsorb the liquid as it is, and exhibits low adsorption efficiency. For this reason the viscosity of the whole mixed liquid is lowered by dilution to eliminate such an inconvenience. Since alcohol becomes an unnecessary component in the final stage, alcohol is removed at the final procedural step. While various alcohols are applicable in the present invention, use of edible ethanol having a low impurity content is particularly desirable.  
     [0022] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the termite-proofing test on the residential environment improving material  1  and the results thereof are explained. The test is in compliance with “Ant-proofing Effectiveness Test Method for Ant-proofing Agent adapted for Soil Treatment and Indoor Test Method based on Performance Standard (1)”, Japan Wood Preserving Association standard No. 13 (1992). Brief description of the test method follows. As shown in FIG. 2 [sic], two branched glass test tubes TT 1  and TT 2  are positioned with their respective branch portions facing each other and a glass tube GT having opposite open ends is inserted into the branches. The glass tube GT contains therein a test sample X and is calibrated with graduation lines  0  to  5  equally spaced by about 1 cm longitudinally from one side (from the right-hand side in the figure). One test tube TT 1  (the right test tube in the figure) contains therein untreated soil Y and a predetermined number of termites (not shown), while the other test tube TT 2  (the left test tube in the figure) contains therein chips Z of a Japanese red pine as an aliment for the termites. The upper ends of respective tube tubes are covered with perforated aluminum foils TTa. That is, this test is to examine to which graduation line the termites advance in the test sample X from the test tube TT 1  at a predetermined temperature in a predetermined time period to eat the Japanese red pine chips Z.  
     [0023] The test used seven test conditions A to G for the test sample X and three runs of the test were conducted under each test condition. FIG. 3( a ) [sic] shows the contents of each test condition for the test sample X. The term “calcium borate-containing power”, as used hereinafter, is sand produced by pulverizing an ore containing calcium borate. Each test sample X was evenly put into the glass tube GT so as to establish each of the test conditions: test condition A where the proportion of the residential environment improving material  1  in the test sample X was 100%; test condition B where the test sample X comprised 40% of the residential environment improving material  1  and 60% of calcium borate-containing powder; test condition C where the test sample X comprised 20% of the residential environment improving material  1  and 80% of calcium borate-containing powder; test condition D where the proportion of calcium borate-containing powder in the test sample X was 100%; test condition E where the test sample X comprised 20% of the residential environment improving material  1  and 80% of sandy loam; and test condition F where the proportion of sandy loam in the test sample X was 100%. The test condition G was a condition where the residential environment improving material  1  was put only between graduation lines  3  and  4  and sandy loam was put between graduation lines  0  and  3  and between graduation lines  4  and  5 .  
     [0024] The test results are shown in FIG. 4( b ). Each value in FIG. 4( b ) represents a piercing degree. A lower value indicates a higher termite-proofing effect. As can be seen from FIG. 4( b ), a very high termite-proofing effect was obtained under the test condition A where the proportion of the residential environment improving material  1  in the test sample X was 100%. A high termite-proofing effect was obtained under each of the test conditions B, C and E where the test sample X comprised 40% or 20% of the residential environment improving material  1 , regardless of whether calcium borate-containing power or sandy loam with which the residential environment improving material  1  was mixed. It should be noted that the combination of the residential environment improving material  1  with calcium borate-containing powder exhibited a higher termite-proofing effect than did the combination with sandy loam. It can be said that a low or substantially no termite-proofing effect was obtained under each of the test conditions D and F where calcium borate-containing power or sandy loam was used alone as the test sample X. From the test result that the termite-proofing effect was low under the test condition G, it can be understood that uniform mixing of the residential environment improving material  1  with sandy loam (test condition E) provided for a higher termite-proofing effect than did the case of the residential environment improving material  1  disposed in a localized fashion relative to sandy loam.  
     [0025] From the foregoing test results, it turned out that the residential environment improving material  1  exhibited a satisfactory termite-proofing effect when it was mixed with other material in suitable proportions.  
     [0026] Description will be made of applications of the residential environment improving material  1 .  
     [0027] In a first application shown in FIG. 5, the residential environment improving material  1  is applied to a spraying preparation  10  to be sprayed onto a foundation part B (concrete foundation) of a building constructed on a cobble stone layer laid in soil S with an intervening moisture-proof sheet WRS and onto the soil S around the foundation part B. As schematically shown in FIG. 6, the spraying preparation  10  is a liquid preparation prepared by mixing the residential environment improving material  1  and wood chips  2  such as of Aomori hiba with water serving as a base material and adapted to be sprayed by means of a sprayer P. Wood chips  2  are produced by pulverizing bark, branches and leaves or the like of Aomori hiba or a like wood containing hinokitiol in abundance (such as Taiwan hinoki or the like) to a size of about several millimeters. Since each particle of the residential environment improving material  1  and each wood chip  2  are very fine, they are shown exaggeratedly in FIG. 6. In this application the residential environment improving material  1  and wood chips  2  are each blended in a proportion of about 3% based on the overall weight of the spraying preparation  10 . Note that this proportion is not limited to 3% and may be varied appropriately. Since the residential environment improving material  1  and wood chips  2  are solid, they are particularly easy to store and transport and can be mixed with water to prepare the spraying preparation  10  at a spraying site for immediate use. For this reason, the spraying preparation  10  is advantageous in handling property.  
     [0028] As shown in FIG. 5, in forming the cobble stone layer A prior to pouring concrete to form the foundation part B by plowing the soil S in a region that will underlie the concrete foundation part B and then covering the upper surface of the soil S with a predetermined amount of cobble stones a, a termite control agent  100  is poured to a level substantially equal to the upper level of the cobble stone layer A and then pressure is applied from above to form a layer of the termite control agent  100 . Thereafter, concrete is poured onto the moisture-proof sheet WRS covering the termite control layer  100  to form the concrete foundation part B. In this way the termite control agent  100  can be included in the soil S in a predetermined region by a very easy operation. The termite control agent  100  is one prepared by mixing  2  parts by weight of the residential environment improving material  1  and  8  parts by weight of sandy loam powder, taking the aforementioned test results into consideration. This ratio meets the aforementioned test condition that provided for a very high termite repellent effect. It should be noted that a layer of the termite control agent  100  having a thickness of about 1 cm may be provided under or over the cobble stone layer A. An alternative satisfactory termite-proofing measure can be provided by mixing the residential environment improving material  1 , sandy loam and concrete powder with water at predetermined ratios and pouring the mixture onto the cobble stone layer A thinly to form a base for the foundation part B, instead of using the termite control agent  100 . Even where only the spraying preparation  100  is sprayed onto the foundation part B of the building and onto the soil S around the foundation part B, such soil, foundation part B and its periphery are allowed to exhibit a termite-proof effect and the like by the action of hinokitiol contained in hiba oil  12  blended in the spray preparation  10 , thus preventing termite damage in the initial stage of construction.  
     [0029] With the spraying preparation  10  or termite control agent  100  sprayed onto the foundation part B of the building and onto the soil S therearound, first hiba oil  12  volatilizes from the pores  11   a  of artificial ceramic particles  11  forming the residential environment improving material  1  to exert a termite-proofing effect and like effects in or on the soil S, foundation part B and its periphery, thereby preventing the termite damage continuously over a medium or long term from the initial stage of construction. Further, since wood chips  3  release hinokitiol little by little and continues releasing hinokitiol even after the releasing of hiba oil  12  from the residential environment improving material  1  has been almost completed and the effect of hiba oil  12  has become faint, the termite repellent effect and like effects continue over a longer term. Of course, the effects of hinokitiol thus released include not only the termite-proofing effect but also a vermin-proofing effect against vermin such as mites, a microorganism sterilizing effect and an antimicrobial effect against mold, bacteria and the like, and the effect of eliminating VOCs causing sick house syndrome such as formaldehyde released from synthetic resin adhesives, new building materials and the like used in a building. Further, during the releasing of hiba oil  12  and after the releasing of hiba oil  12  has been completed, artificial ceramic particles  11  adsorb VOCs and smell-causing substances in their pores  11   a,  thereby exhibiting a deodorizing effect, moisture-conditioning effect and like effects. Even by spraying the spraying preparation  10  onto the soil S and the foundation part B after lapse of predetermined time from the completion of the building, it is possible to obtain various effects including a termite-exterminating effect with high efficiency. The spraying preparation  10  may be mixed with soil S as well as sprayed thereto from above.  
     [0030] Use of an extracted liquid (a water-soluble or oil-soluble component for example) extracted from Aomori hiba or the like as a base material of the spraying preparation in addition to water enables the aforementioned effects to be enhanced. It is also possible to mix only the residential environment improving material  1  with the base material of the spraying preparation  10 .  
     [0031] A second application of residential environment improving material  1  shown in FIGS.  7  to  9  is an application where the residential environment improving material  1  is applied to a laying material  20  to be laid or buried in an underfloor space Fs of a building or the soil S around the underfloor space Fs. The number of laying materials  20  to be laid in the underfloor space Fs or around the foundation part B, spacing between adjacent laying materials  20  thus laid, the depth to which the laying materials  20  are to be buried and the like can be appropriately determined depending on the extent of a building to be constructed, budgetary limits and other factors. If possible, laying materials  20  may be laid in the underfloor space Fs or the soil S even after the completion of the building. As schematically shown in FIG. 9, each laying material  20  comprises a bag-like container  21 , and residential environment improving material  1  and wood chips  2  contained in the container  21 . The container  21  comprises, for example, an air-permeable material such as a hempen bag or a nonwoven fabric bag. It is possible to use various other types of bags or pouches such as a bag to be used usually as a sandbag or the like. The residential environment improving material  1  and wood chips  2  used in this application are the same as used in the foregoing first application. The container  21  may contain earth, sawdust or the like additionally. It is possible that the container  21  contains only the residential environment improving material  1 .  
     [0032] Such laying materials  20  are laid in the underfloor space Fs defined by the foundation part B and the floor F of the building and the soil S or buried in the soil S outside the building and around the foundation part B. By so doing, the action of hinokitiol contained in hiba oil  12  released from the residential environment improving material  1  exerts a termite-proofing effect, fungiproofing effect and like effects for a short term as well as for a medium or long term. Hinokitiol released from wood chips  2  exhibits its effects for a longer term, as in the first application. Further, with artificial ceramic particles  11  releasing hiba oil  12  or after having completed the releasing of hiba oil  12 , it is possible to obtain a VOC-adsorbing effect, deodorizing effect, moisture-conditioning effect and like effects, as in the first application. Therefore, it is, of course, possible to use both the spraying preparation  10  used in the first application and the laying material  20  used in the second application at the same time.  
     [0033] A third application of residential environment improving material  1  showing in FIGS. 10 and 11 is an application where the residential environment improving material  1  is applied to a foamable building material  30  comprising rock wool  31  used as its building material body. FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway view of a wall of a building sprayed with the foamable building material  30 . This wall is improved in fireproof or fire-resistant performance and comprises a fireproof siding  300  as an outer wall material, a waterproof ply wood  310  positioned inwardly of the fireproof siding  300 , a waterproof sheet  320  positioned inwardly of the ply wood  310 , the foamable building material  30  applied to between adjacent pillars positioned inwardly of the waterproof sheet  320 , and a plasterboard  340  positioned on the indoor side as an interior material. The foamable building material  30  is shown as shaded in FIG. 10. FIG. 11 is a fragmentary enlarged view schematically showing a segment of the foamable building material  30  as sprayed. The foamable building material  30  comprises rock wool  31  as a foamable building material body in a fibrous form produced from an ore, and a multiplicity of residential environment improving materials  1  and wood chips  2  as used in each of the foregoing applications, the residential environment improving materials  1  and wood chips  2  being held as adhering to entangled fibers of the rock wool  31 . Such a foamable building material  30  thus constructed can be sprayed after mixing of residential environment improving materials  1  and wood chips  2  with rock wool  31  in an appropriate foaming machine. Alternatively, it is possible to foam a previously prepared mixture of rock wool  31  and residential environment improving materials  1  and the like by means of the foaming machine and then pour it onto a part to be worked. While preferable proportions of residential environment improving material  1  and wood chips  2  in the foamable building material  30  are each about 3%, this value is not necessarily limited. Also, only the residential environment improving materials  1  may adhere to rock wool  31 . Yet, it is possible to use, as the building material body, resin building materials such as polyurethane foam, polyethylene foam, polystyrene foam and phenolic or isocyanurate building materials, to say nothing of inorganic-fiber or wood-fiber building materials such as glass wool or cellulosic fiber.  
     [0034] It is needless to say that such a foamable building material  30  has a basic capability as a soundproofing and heat-insulating material. When hiba oil  12  is released from the residential environment improving materials  1  held by rock wool  31 , hinokitiol contained in hiba oil  12  can effectively eliminate VOCs such as formaldehyde, which are substances causing sick house syndrome, released from new building materials and synthetic resin adhesives and at the same time can prevent or inhibit proliferation of mites, termites and miscellaneous germs such as mold in walls and rooms. Also, in addition to the moisture-conditioning effect obtained inside walls by the artificial ceramic particles  11  forming the residential environment improving material  1  and wood chips  2 , the effects of hinokitiol released from wood chips  2  over a longer term are combined with the effects of the residential environment improving material  1  to maintain the vermin-proofing effect, antimicrobial effect and the effect of preventing damage to human&#39;s health due to sick house syndrome for a very long term. Further, the aroma of hinokitiol is effective in relaxing the residents. It is reported that termite damage to a heat-insulating material and like materials utilizing a foamable building material such as a foamable resin has raised problems in these years and, particularly, a noticeably large number of problems of termite damage to polystyrene foam have arisen. A potent effect on such termite damage is expected to result if the residential environment improving material  1  according to the subject embodiment is applied to, for example, the polystyrene foam-based external thermal insulation method which has become widespread recently.  
     [0035] A fourth application of residential environment improving material  1  shown in FIG. 11 is an application where the residential environment improving material  1  is applied to a wall panel  40  to be affixed to a wall W of a building either on the indoor side or the outdoor side thereof as an inner wall or an outer wall. As shown by the partially enlarged section at FIG. 12, the wall panel  40  comprises plaster  41  as a major material, and residential environment improving material  1  and wood chips  2  incorporated in plaster  41 , the residential environment improving material  1  and wood chips  2  being the same as used in each of the foregoing applications. While preferable proportions of residential environment improving material  1  and wood chips  2  in plaster  41  are each about 3%, this value is not necessarily limited. Also, only the residential environment improving material  1  may be incorporated in plaster  41 . If it is desired that the wall panel  40  be imparted with a color other than the color of plaster  41 , color earth may be blended in plaster  40 .  
     [0036] The wall panel  40  is plate-shaped and standardized to have a predetermined size to eliminate a high technique required in coating of plaster for the purpose of reducing the labor in the work and the manufacturing cost. Specifically, the wall panel  40  is formed with stepped portions  42  and  43  extending along its upper and lower edges, respectively. Wall panels  40  can be positioned easily by bringing the stepped portion  43  on the lower edge side of upper wall panel  40  into engagement with the stepped portion  42  on the upper edge side of lower wall panel  40 . Further, these wall panels  40  can be easily attached to and arranged on the vertical surface of the wall W by means of fittings BR adapted to engage the stepped portions  42  and  43  of respective wall panels.  
     [0037] Such a wall panel  40  combines the moisture-conditioning action essential to plaster  41  with the moisture-conditioning action of artificial ceramic particles  11  forming the residential environment improving material  1  and that of wood chips  2 , thereby exhibiting a very high indoor air-conditioning effect. When hiba oil  12  is released from the residential environment improving material  1 , hinokitiol contained in hiba oil  12  can effectively eliminate VOCs and at the same time can prevent or inhibit proliferation of mites, termites and miscellaneous germs such as mold in the wall W and in the indoor space over a long term from the initial stage of construction. Further, the aroma of hinokitiol is effective in relaxing the residents. It is possible to use, as the chief material of the wall panel  40 , materials generally used for wall such as loam, cement earth, and artificial ceramic particles  11  not containing hiba oil  12 .  
     [0038] A fifth application of residential environment improving material  1  shown in FIG. 14 is an application where the residential environment improving material  1  is applied to a tatami mat  50  to be laid on the floor of a building. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the tatami mat  50  comprises a tatami body  51 , a pair of tatami covers  52  on the obverse and reverse sides of the tatami body  51 , and a nonwoven-fabric sheet material  53  interposed between the tatami body  51  and each tatami cover  52 . The tatami mat  50  may be provided with edging in addition to these components. The tatami body  2  comprises a core material  511  formed of a rigid foamed synthetic resin material such as polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam and polyethylene foam, and a pair of board materials  512  positioned on the obverse and reverse sides of the core material  511 , the board materials  512  each comprising a so-called particle board formed from small pieces of wood (sawdust, splinters or the like) by compression forming. As shown in FIG. 15, a multiplicity of residential environment improving materials  1  as used in each of the foregoing applications are included in the synthetic resin material used as the chief material of the core material  511 . Further, wood chips  2  are included in the board materials  512 . The proportion of such residential environment improving materials  1  relative to the synthetic resin material and the proportion of wood chips  2  relative to the board material  512  are each about 3% by weight. This value is not necessarily limited. The core material  511  may incorporate the residential environment improving materials  1  either alone or in combination with wood chips  2 . Though not shown, it is possible that residential environment improving materials  1 , wood chips  2  or the like are made to adhere to or incorporated in the tatami covers  52  or the sheet materials  53 .  
     [0039] With such a tatami mat  50 , it is possible to prevent sick house syndrome caused by VOCs released from new building materials, synthetic resin adhesives or the like over a long term from the initial stage of construction by virtue of the VOC-eliminating action of hinokitiol contained in hiba oil  12  continuously released from the residential environment improving materials  1  and wood chips  2  incorporated in the materials of the tatami body  51 . Further, it is possible to inhibit proliferation of mites, termites and miscellaneous germs such as mold in the tatami mat  50  itself, walls, floor and rooms. The tatami mat  50  can also exhibit high moisture-conditioning performance by virtue of the moisture-conditioning action of artificial ceramic particles  11  forming the residential environment improving material  1  and that of wood chips  2 . Additionally, the residents can also enjoy the relaxation effect of hinokitiol released indoors from the tatami mat  50 .  
     [0040] The porous particulate matter functioning as the carrier of the liquid containing hinokitiol such as hiba oil  12  in the residential environment improving material  1  of the present invention may comprise, as a major component thereof, zeolite (not shown), hydroxyapatite (not shown), or composite particles  60  (silica-coated polyethylene particles for example) comprising artificial ceramic particles  61  having an average particle diameter of about 10 micrometers to tens of micrometers and an organic polymeric substance  62  (polyethylene for example). Zeolite is an ore of silicic acid salt hydrate comprising silica (about 70%) and alumina (about 10%) as major components, and an alkali metal oxide, an alkali earth metal oxide, an iron oxide and the like and having pores consisting of innumerable micropores. Zeolite has an average particle diameter of about 0.2 to about 0.6 mm and a surface area larger than artificial ceramic particles  11  and hence is capable of adsorbing an increased amount of hiba oil  12  in its pores per particle. As a result, by simply mixing zeolite with hiba oil  12  as used in the foregoing embodiment at ratio of 10:1, the pores of zeolite can absorb hiba oil  12  containing hinotitiol in an amount sufficient to exercise the termite-proofing, vermin-proofing and antimicrobial functions and like functions. There are two types of zeolite, one being synthetic zeolite prepared by artificial synthesis, the other being natural zeolite which is powder prepared by crushing a natural zeolite ore. Particularly where natural zeolite is used in the residential environment improving material  1 , the user can utilize the residential environment improving material  1  with ease since natural zeolite is inexpensively available. Composite particles  60  each have a structure wherein artificial ceramic particle  61  is embraced with the organic polymeric substance  62 . Since the organic polymeric substance  62  expands with rising temperature or contracts with lowering temperature, composite particles  60  have a feature that their pores  61   a  are closed or exposed correspondingly thereto. As a result, hiba oil  12  containing hinokitiol is retained by or released from composite particles  60  over a medium or long term, thereby exhibiting the termite-proofing effect of hinokitiol efficiently. It is possible to use a mixture of two or more types of these porous particulate matters appropriately. A method of preparing a residential environment improving material employing such a porous particulate matter as the carrier is similar to the method of preparing the residential environment improving material  1  employing artificial ceramic particles according to the subject embodiment.  
     [0041] The residential environment improving material  1  of the present invention is not limited to the foregoing applications. The residential environment improving material  1  can exhibit high termite-proofing performance if, for example, it is mixed with the concrete material, such as cement or mortar, used as the chief material of the foundation part B of the building shown in FIG. 5, or if, for example, it is incorporated in the water-impermeable sheet comprising a reinforced vinyl material or the like used as the chief material of the water-proof sheet WRS shown in FIG. 5. In coating a wall itself, it is possible to use a coating material comprising the residential environment improving material  1  as a chief material in the wall coating, or it is possible to incorporate the residential environment improving material  1  in a plaster-coated wall. In these cases and in the foregoing applications the residential environment improving material may be used in combination with diatomaceous earth not containing hiba oil. Two or more of the foregoing applications may be used at a time.  
     [0042] The residential environment improving material  1  may be incorporated in a resin paint for use in building coating. Such a paint can be utilized, for example, in coating the surface of the concrete foundation of a building or the surface of a wood portion of a pillar standing from such a concrete foundation or as an undercoating agent before covering an indoor wall with cloth. The proportion of the residential environment improving material  1  in the paint is preferably about 2% or more when the paint is used to coat such a concrete foundation or wood portion, or about 1% when the paint is used as the undercoating agent before coverage with cloth. However, the proportion may be varied appropriately in view of cost-effectiveness.  
     [0043] The residential environment improving material of the present invention may comprise diatomaceous earth as the porous particulate matter and hiba oil contained in pores of diatomaceous earth. Each particle of diatomaceous earth is sized to have a diameter of about 50 micrometers and is an ultraporous fine particle having innumerable micropores each having a diameter of about 0.1 to about 0.2 micrometers. A method of preparing the residential environment improving material employing diatomaceous earth is similar to the method of preparing the residential environment improving material  1  employing artificial ceramic particles  11 . Diatomaceous earth, per se, has incombustibility, heat-insulating property, condensation-preventive property, moisture-conditioning property, breathability, deodorizing property, waterproofing property and air-cleaning function, and the like. With such useful characteristics of diatomaceous earth combined with the characteristics of hinokitiol, it is possible to provide an excellent residential environment improving material. Since diatomaceous earth is inexpensively available, the residential environment improving material employing diatomaceous earth can be utilized with ease. Of course, diatomaceous earth is applicable to the foregoing spraying preparation  10 , laying material  20 , foamable building material  30 , wall panel  40  and tatami mat  50 . In these applications it is possible to use such a residential environment improving material and diatomaceous earth not containing hiba oil in combination; that is, it is possible to use a mixture in which diatomaceous earth containing hiba oil is mingled with diatomaceous earth not containing hiba oil.  
     [0044] Also, it is possible to use porous particulate matters other than exemplified herein as long as they have pores capable of retaining hiba oil or a liquid containing hinokitiol.  
     [0045] Other specific features of the residential environment improving material of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above and may be modified variously without departing from the spirit of the present invention.  
     [0046] Industrial Applicability  
     [0047] As has been described above, the present invention is directed to a novel residential environment improving material comprising a porous particulate matter as a carrier, and hiba oil or a hinokitiol-containing liquid retained in pores of the porous particulate matter. Application of the residential environment improving material to various building materials, spraying preparations, laying materials and the like provides for a building that synergistically exhibits the functions of the porous particulate matter such as heat-insulating function, condensation-preventive function, moisture-conditioning function, breathability, deodorizing function, waterproofing function and air-cleaning function and the functions of hinokitiol such as vermin-proofing function against termites, mites and the like, antimicrobial function against miscellaneous germs such as mold, function of eliminating VOCs causing sick house syndrome, and relaxing function based on its aroma.