# US 10,119,020 B2 · Modified urea-formaldehyde binders for non-woven fiber glass mats > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,020 B2 - Document ID: US10119020B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/300,841 - Filed: 2011-11-21 - Published: 2013-05-23 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2011-11-21 - Assignees: Johns Manville - Applicants: Guodong Zheng; Mingfu Zhang; Luke Saylor Weith; Jawed Asrar - Inventors: Guodong Zheng; Mingfu Zhang; Luke Saylor Weith; Jawed Asrar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119020B2 ## CPC - C08L 61/00: Compositions of condensation polymers of aldehydes or ketones (with polyalcohols C08L59/00; with polynitriles C08L77/00); Compositions of derivatives of such polymers - C08J 5/043: {with glass fibres} - C08J 5/244: {using glass fibres} - C08L 61/24: with urea or thiourea - C08J 2361/24: with urea or thiourea - Y10T 442/2992: Coated or impregnated glass fiber fabric - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin binder compositions modified with a starch are described. The binder compositions may include about 1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a starch. In addition, fiber reinforced composites are described. The composites may include organic or inorganic fibers and a polymer matrix formed from a binder composition. The binder composition may include a UF resin and about 1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a starch. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A binder composition comprising: a urea-formaldehyde resin; about 1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a starch crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of a native starch, a cationically modified starch, and an anionically modified starch, wherein hydroxyl functional groups on the starch bond to reactive functional groups on the urea-formaldehyde resin; and wherein the binder composition lacks a styrene-containing, petroleum-based modifier, wherein the urea-formaldehyde resin and the starch crosslink to increase a hot/wet tensile strength of a fiber-reinforced composite formed with the binder composition by 5% to 35% compared to a comparative fiber-reinforced composite made with an unmodified urea-formaldehyde binder composition that lacks the starch. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The binder composition of claim 1, wherein the binder composition comprises about 1 wt. % to about 2.5 wt. % of the starch. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The binder composition of claim 1, wherein the binder composition has a solids content of greater than 35 wt. %. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The binder composition of claim 1, wherein the binder composition has a solids content of about 45 wt. % to about 70 wt. %. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The binder composition of claim 1, wherein the binder composition further comprises water. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The binder composition of claim 5, wherein the binder composition has a solids content of about 5 to 35 wt. %. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The binder composition of claim 1, wherein the pH of the composition is between about 7.0 and 9.0. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The binder composition of claim 1, wherein the binder composition comprises between about 45% to about 75% by weight nonvolatiles. ### Claim 9 A fiber reinforced composite comprising: a polymer matrix formed from a binder composition that comprises: a urea-formaldehyde resin; about 1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a starch crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of a native starch, a cationically modified starch, and an anionically modified starch, wherein hydroxyl functional groups on the starch bond to reactive functional groups on the urea-formaldehyde resin; and wherein the binder composition lacks a styrene-containing, petroleum-based modifier, organic or inorganic fibers, wherein the urea-formaldehyde resin and the starch are crosslinked to increase a hot/wet tensile strength of the fiber-reinforced composite by 5% to 35% compared to a comparative fiber-reinforced composite made with an unmodified urea-formaldehyde binder composition that lacks the starch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The fiber reinforced composite of claim 9, wherein the organic or inorganic fibers comprise glass fibers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The fiber reinforced composite of claim 9, wherein the composite comprises a non-woven glass-fiber reinforced mat. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The fiber reinforced composite of claim 11, wherein the non-woven glass-fiber reinforced mat forms part of a roofing shingle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The fiber reinforced composite of claim 9, wherein a weight ratio of the starch to the petroleum-based modifier is about 0.1:1 or more. ### Claim 14 A binder composition consisting of: a urea-formaldehyde resin; and about 1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a starch crosslinking agent selected from a native starch, a cationically modified starch, and an anionically modified starch wherein the starch does not substantially increase a viscosity of the binder composition, and wherein the binder composition lacks a styrene-containing, petroleum-based modifier, and wherein the urea-formaldehyde resin and the starch crosslink to increase a hot/wet tensile strength of a fiber-reinforced composite formed with the binder composition by 5% to 35% compared to a comparative fiber-reinforced composite made with an unmodified urea-formaldehyde binder composition that lacks the starch. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The binder composition of claim 14, wherein the binder composition comprises about 1 wt. % to about 2.5 wt. % of the starch. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The binder composition of claim 14, wherein the binder composition has a solids content of greater than 35 wt. %. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The binder composition of claim 14, wherein the binder composition has a solids content of about 45 wt. % to about 70 wt. %. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The binder composition of claim 14, wherein the urea-formaldehyde resin is an aqueous urea-formaldehyde resin. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The binder composition of claim 18, wherein the binder composition has a solids content of about 5 to 35 wt. %.