METHOD FOR FORMING A QUICKLY HARDENING, INORGANIC FOAM

Forming a rapid setting-inorganic foam, based on (a) a solid component present in the form of a reactive powder exhibiting both structure-forming and pore-forming properties, and (b) a liquid component present in the form of an alkali metal silicate (water glass), comprises mixing the two components up to 1 minute in a weight ratio of 0.5-2 to form a paste and forming a foam body by carrying out an exothermic reaction in less than 10 minutes. The reactive powder comprises 45-65 wt.% aluminum oxide, 10-20 wt.% aluminum nitride and 5-15 wt.% metallic aluminum as essential components. Forming a rapid setting-inorganic foam, based on a reaction of (a) a solid component present in the form of a reactive powder exhibiting both structure-forming and pore-forming properties, and (b) a liquid component present in the form of an alkali metal silicate (water glass), comprises mixing the two components up to 1 minute at room temperature in a weight ratio of the powder to the liquid component of 0.5-2 to form a paste and forming a foam body from the resulting paste by carrying out an exothermic reaction in less than 10 minutes, where the foam body has a density of less than 0.7 g/cm 3>. The reactive powder comprises 45-65 wt.% aluminum oxide, 10-20 wt.% aluminum nitride and 5-15 wt.% metallic aluminum as essential components, where at least 90 wt.% of these components have a particle size of less than 1 mm. An independent claim is also included for the above mentioned reactive powder for forming the rapid setting mineral foam by reacting with an alkaline activating solution.