Binders and associated products

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

• (i) providing a collection of matter, the collection of matter comprising matter selected from the group consisting of mineral fibers, slag wool fibers, stone wool fibers, glass fibers, aramid fibers, ceramic fibers, metal fibers, carbon fibers, polyimide fibers, polyester fibers, rayon fibers, cellulosic fibers, coal, sand, wood shavings, sawdust, wood pulp, ground wood, wood chips, wood strands, wood layers, jute, flax, hemp, straw, wood veneers, facings, wood facings, particles, and woven or non-woven materials,
• (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 said pre-reacted binder composition, and the pre-reacted binder composition comprising the reaction product(s) of
• (a) at least one reducing sugar, 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 1 to 500 kDa in an amount of 2 wt.-% or more, based on the total weight of the pre-reacted binder composition,
• (iii) applying the aqueous solution or dispersion to the collection of matter, and
• (iv) applying energy to the collection of matter containing said aqueous solution or dispersion to cure the binder composition.