Low caliper glass mat and binder system for same

A cured non-woven fiber mat comprising, by weight:

• from 80 to about 88 wt. % fibers fixedly bounded with a binder comprising about 12 to about 20 wt. % of a urea-formaldehyde based binder, said binder containing on a solids basis:
• about 50 to about 75 wt. % urea-formaldehyde resin;
• about 25 to about 50 wt. % of rubber;
• and about 0.05 to about 4 wt. % of a high molecular weight latent acid crosslinking additive.

An asphalt coated roofing material comprising a cured non-woven fiber mat comprising, by weight:

• from about 60 to about 95 wt. % fibers fixedly bonded with a binder comprising about 5 to about 40 wt. % of a formaldehyde type binder, said binder comprising on a solids basis ratio:
• about 50 to about 75 wt. % urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin;
• about 25 to about 50 wt. % carboxylated styrene butadiene;
• and
• about 0.05 to about 4 wt. % of a high molecular weight latent acid crosslinking additive.

A process for making a cured non-woven fiber mat comprising:

• a) preparing an aqueous slurry of fibers and removing excess water from said slurry to form a non-woven fibrous web;
• b) applying a wet binder to said non-woven fibrous web, said binder comprising by weight on a solids basis:
• about 50 to about 75 wt. % urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin;
• about 25 to about 50 wt. % rubber;
• and
• about 0.05 to about 4 wt. % of a high molecular weight latent acid crosslinking additive;
• and
• c) drying or curing said fibrous web.

An asphalt shingle comprising a glass fiber mat coated with an asphalt composition, said glass fiber mat comprising a cured non-woven fiber mat comprising, by weight:

• from about 60 to about 95 wt. % fibers fixedly bonded with a binder comprising about 5 to about 40 wt. % of a formaldehyde type binder, said binder containing on a solids basis:
• about 50 to about 75 wt. % urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin;
• about 25 to about 50 wt. % rubber;
• and
• about 0.05 to about 4 wt. % of a high molecular weight latent acid crosslinking additive.

An asphalt coated roofing material, comprising:

• a mat including randomly disposed fibers bound together with a resinous adhesive, said mat having a caliper of less than about 30 mil, a loss on ignition (LOI) of less than 18 wt. %, a hot tensile strength of at least about 60 lbs for a sample width of 2.5 inches, and an areal weight of less than about 1.8 lbs/100 ft2;
• an asphalt coating applied to the mat, said asphalt coating impregnating the mat with an asphalt composition;
• and
• a protective coating of granules applied to at least one surface of the asphalt-coated mat.

A process for making a cured non-woven fiber mat comprising:

• a) preparing an aqueous slurry of fibers and removing excess water from said slurry to form a non-woven fibrous web;
• b) applying a wet binder to said non-woven fibrous web, said binder comprising urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin, rubber;
• and one or more polymer additives;
• and
• c) drying or curing said fibrous web to form a non-woven mat comprising randomly disposed fibers bound together by said binder, said mat having a caliper of less than about 30 mil, an LOT of less than 18 wt. %, a hot tensile strength of at least about 60 lbs for a sample width of 2.5 inches, and an areal weight of less than about 1.8 lbs/100 ft2.

A resinous binder for fibrous mats comprising on a solids basis:

• about 50 to about 75 wt. % urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin;
• about 25 to about 50 wt. % carboxylated styrene-butadiene rubber;
• and
• about 0.05 to about 4 wt. % of a polymer additive comprising a latent polymeric cross-linking agent, a polymer viscosity modifying agent, or both.