Binder for mineral wool products

Process according to any of the preceding claims wherein the carboxylic acid is a di, tri, or tetra, carboxylic acid having a molecular weight of about 1000 or less, preferably about 500 or less, and most preferably about 200 or less.

Process according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the carboxylic acid is a di-carboxylic acid having the general formula:

• COOH—(CR1R2)n—COOH
• wherein n≧2 and preferably n≧4, and wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from H or a lower alkyl group, preferably a methyl or ethyl group.

Process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the alkanolamine is selected from the group comprising di, and tri-alkanolamines.

Process according to any of the preceding claims wherein the alkanolamine is diethanolamine.

Process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mole ratio of the carboxylic acid to the alkanolamine in the binder lies in the range of 0.1-1:1-0.1.

Process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the weight percentage of the carboxylic acid group containing polymer in the binder lies in the range of 0.5-50, for example 10-40, preferably 15-30, most preferably about 20.

Process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the alkanolamine is firstly heated to a first predetermined temperature whereafter the carboxylic acid is added and the temperature of this mixture raised to a second predetermined temperature.

Process according to any of the preceding claims comprising the further step of adding one or more of the following to the binder:

• a coupling agent, for example an aminosilane, preferably gamma-aminopropyltriethoxysilane,
• a polymerisation accelerator, a curing accelerator and optionally further standard mineral wool binder additives.

Process according to any of the preceding claims wherein the reaction between the carboxylic acid and the alkanol amine is actively stopped, preferably by adding water to the resin reaction mixture, whereby water is preferably added by upto about 50% more preferably by more than 25% by weight of the resin mixture, preferably by weight of solids in the resin mixture.

Process according to any of the preceding claims further comprising the step of adding a silane, preferably in the range of 0.1%-5%, more preferably 0.2%-3% and most preferably about 1% by weight of the resin reaction mixture, preferably by weight of the resin solids, whereby the silane is most preferably prehydrolysed gamma-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (VS 142/Vitco).

Binder obtainable according to any of the preceding claims.

A mineral wool binder having an aged strength measured according to the Grit bar test of at least 0.5, preferably at least 1,0, more preferably at least 1,5 and even more preferably at least 2,0 and most preferably at least 2,5 N/mm2.

Use of a reaction mixture of an alkanolamine and a carboxylic acid, optionally mixed with a carboxylic acid group containing polymer, as a binder for a mineral wool product.