Binder compositions and uses thereof

An aqueous curable binder composition consisting of water, starting materials required for forming a thermoset resin upon curing and a matrix polymer, optionally one or more dyes, antifungal agents, antibacterial agents, hydrophobes, and silicone-containing coupling agents, and optionally a component selected from microparticles, nano-particles, or combinations thereof derived from one or more of MgO, CaO, Al2O3, CaCO4, nanoclays, montmorillonite, bentonite, kaolinite, hectorite, and halloysite, wherein the starting materials required for forming a thermoset resin upon curing consist of a carbohydrate component selected from the group consisting of reducing sugars and a carbohydrate component capable of producing one or more reducing sugars in situ under thermal curing conditions, and a nitrogen-containing component and/or a reaction product thereof, and wherein the matrix polymer comprises 5-15% of the dry weight of the binder composition, and is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), 2-hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), chitosan, polyurethanes, aliphatic isocyanate oligomers, azetidinium polymer, copolymers thereof and mixtures thereof.