Formaldehyde free composites made with carbohydrate and alpha-carbon nucleophile binder compositions
AssigneeJohns Manville
InventorsKiarash Alavi, Ameya Natu
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Abstract
Fiber-containing composites are described that contain woven or non-woven fibers, and a cured binder formed from a binder composition that includes (1) a reducing sugar and (2) a crosslinking agent that includes a first carbon moiety selected from an aldehyde, a ketone, a nitrile, and a nitro group, wherein an α-carbon atom having at least one acidic hydrogen is directly bonded to the first carbon moiety. Exemplary reducing sugars include dextrose and exemplary crosslinking agents include glyoxal. Exemplary fiber-containing composites may include fiberglass insulation.
Claims31
A method of making a fiber-containing composite, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of woven or non-woven fibers;
- applying a binder composition to the plurality of woven or non-woven fibers to make a binder-fiber amalgam, wherein the binder composition consists of:
- at least one reducing sugar or a polysaccharide capable of generating at least one reducing sugar in situ when the binder composition is cured;
- 5 wt. % to 25 wt. % by dry weight of the binder composition of a crosslinking agent that is an organic compound comprising:
- a first carbon moiety comprising an electron withdrawing group;
- and
- an α-carbon atom directly bonded to the first carbon moiety, wherein the α-carbon atom has at least one acidic hydrogen atom and wherein the α-carbon atom forms a nucleophile that reacts with a carbonyl carbon on the sugar during curing of the binder composition;
- a catalyst for catalyzing the reaction between the α-carbon atom and the sugar;
- and
- one or more additional binder components selected from the group consisting of, dedusting oils, pigments, inorganic fillers, colorants, and waxes;
- curing the binder-fiber amalgam to make the fiber-containing composite, wherein the cured binder in the fiber-containing composite has not more than 3 wt. % of melanoidins.
A method of making a fiber-containing composite, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of woven or non-woven fibers;
- applying a binder composition to the plurality of woven or non-woven fibers to make a binder-fiber amalgam, wherein the binder composition consists of:
- a reducing sugar or a polysaccharide capable of generating at least one reducing sugar in situ when the binder composition is cured;
- 5 wt. % to 25 wt. % by dry weight of the binder composition of a crosslinking agent comprising:
- a first carbon moiety selected from an aldehyde and a ketone;
- and
- an α-carbon atom directly bonded to the first carbon moiety, wherein the α-carbon atom has at least one acidic hydrogen atom and wherein the α-carbon atom forms a nucleophile that reacts with a carbonyl carbon on the sugar during curing of the binder composition;
- a catalyst for catalyzing the reaction between the a-carbon atom and the sugar;
- and
- one or more additional binder components selected from the group consisting of, dedusting oils, pigments, inorganic fillers, colorants, and waxes;
- curing the binder-fiber amalgam to make the fiber-containing composite, wherein the cured binder in the fiber-containing composite has not more than 3 wt. % of melanoidins.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.