Binders and associated products

A method of manufacturing a collection of matter bound by a polymeric binder comprising:

• (i) providing a collection of matter;
• (ii) providing a water-soluble pre-reacted binder composition in the form of an aqueous solution or dispersion, the aqueous solution or dispersion containing no more than 80 wt. % of the pre-reacted binder composition, and the pre-reacted binder composition comprising the reaction product(s) of
• (a) at least one carbohydrate component comprising a reducing sugar and/or a component which yields a reducing sugar in situ, and
• (b) at least one nitrogen-containing component selected from the group consisting of an organic amine comprising at least one primary amine group, salts of an organic amine comprising at least one primary amine group, a polyamine, a primary polyamine, and a polymeric polyamine, wherein the pre-reacted binder composition comprises at least one pre-polymer having a molecular weight in the range of about 1-500 kDa in an amount of 2% by weight (wt. %) or more, based on the total weight of the pre-reacted binder composition;
• (iii) applying the aqueous solution or dispersion comprising the water-soluble pre-reacted binder composition to the collection of matter;
• and
• (iv) applying energy to the collection of matter containing the aqueous solution or dispersion to cure the binder composition;
• wherein the collection of matter bound by a polymeric binder is selected from the group consisting of a mineral wool insulation article, a non-woven fiber material and a wood board.