Composite gypsum product having water resistance

摘要

An improved water resistant gypsum board is made by adding an aqueous wax emulsion containing a cationic surfactant to an aqueous slurry containing calcium sulfate and host particles at a slurry temperature which maintains calcium sulfate hemihydrate crystals. The wax emulsion is stable at the temperature of slurry which maintains the calcium sulfate hemihydrate. The slurry is then dewatered and rehydrated to form a gypsum board and dried at a temperature to melt the wax.