Patent ID: 8277556

Claim:
An article made from a cementitious foam slurry comprising: (i) a polycarboxylate surfactant in an amount effective for generating cementitious foam; (ii) a foam stabilizer comprising a polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, or mixture thereof, said foam stabilizer in an amount effective to stabilize the foam; (iii) a shrinkage reducing admixture in an amount effective to reduce plastic shrinkage in the cementitious slurry after water is introduced to initiate hydration of cement in the cementitious foam slurry; (iv) a calcium salt in an amount effective to accelerate setting of cement in the cementitious foam slurry when water is added to initiate hydration, said calcium salt comprising calcium nitrite, calcium nitrate, or mixture thereof; (v) a viscosity modifying agent; (vi) a binder comprising Portland cement in an amount effective to provide cementitious foam slurry when the cement is combined with water; (vii) an expansion agent in an amount effective for expanding by chemical reaction the volume of the cementitious slurry, said expansion agent comprising calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, calcium sulfoaluminate, or mixture thereof; (viii) a cross-linking agent in an amount effective for cross-linking said foam stabilizer, said foam stabilizer cross-linking agent comprising a borate, a sulfate, an aluminate, or a mixture thereof; and (ix) a plurality of microfibers in an amount effective to reduce plastic shrinkage cracking of said Portland cement when mixed with water in an amount effective to initiate hydration of the cement, said microfibers having an effective diameter of 5-50 microns and being comprised of cellulose, synthetic polymer, or mixture thereof; said components (i) through (ix) being combined with water in amount effective to form a cementitious foam slurry, to initiate hydration of said cement binder within the cementitious foam slurry, and to incorporate said components into a foamed cement article upon hardening of the cementitious foam slurry.