# US 5,710,239 A · Water-soluble sulfonated melamine-formaldehyde resins > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,710,239 A - Document ID: US5710239A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/609,064 - Filed: 1996-02-29 - Granted: 1998-01-20 - Earliest claimed: 1996-02-29 - Assignees: Georgia-Pacific Resins, Inc. - Inventors: Kim K. Tutin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5710239A ## CPC - C08G 12/32: Melamines - C08G 12/40: Chemically modified polycondensates - C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS ## Abstract The present invention relates to a sulfonated water-soluble melamine-formaldehyde resin, to a method of manufacturing the resin, and to insulation products prepared using the resin. The resin is particularly useful for making thermal insulation having low moisture adsorption, high tensile strength and low formaldehyde emissions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A water-soluble sulfonated melamine-formaldehyde resin prepared by reacting melamine and formaldehyde at an initial F/M mole ratio of about 2.0 to 3.0 in the presence of a polyhydroxy compound and under an alkaline condition to form an initial melamine-formaldehyde resin; sulfonating the initial resin with sodium bisulfite or metabisulfite; polymerizing the sulfonated melamine-formaldehyde resin by heating; adding additional melamine to reduce the cumulative F/M mole ratio to about 1.6 to 1.7 and produce a final sulfonated melamine-formaldehyde resin; and adjusting the pH of the final resin, as necessary, to about 9.0 to 10.0, wherein sufficient sodium bisulfite or metabisulfite is added to provide a bisulfite/melamine mole ratio of about 0.05 to 1.5 based on the total amount of melamine. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The resin of claim 1, wherein the polyhydroxy compound is sucrose or sorbitol. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The resin of claim 1, wherein the polyhydroxy compound/melamine ratio is about 0.06 to 0.18 based on the total amount of melamine. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The resin of claim 1, wherein the bisulfite/melamine mole ratio is about 0.15 to 1.0. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The resin of claim 4, wherein the bisulfite/melamine mole ratio is about 0.15 to 0.8. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The resin of claim 5, wherein the bisulfite/melamine mole ratio is about 0.15 to 0.25. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The resin of claim 6, wherein the bisulfite/melamine mole ratio is about 0.21. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The resin of claim 1, wherein the F/M mole ratio is about 2.3 to 2.7. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The resin of claim 1, wherein the sulfonated melamine-formaldehyde resin is polymerized by heating to about 85.degree. to 95.degree. C. ### Claim 10 A method of producing a water-soluble sulfonated melamine-formaldehyde resin comprising reacting melamine and formaldehyde at an initial F/M mole ratio of about 2.0 to 3.0 in the presence of a polyhydroxy compound and under an alkaline condition to form an initial melamine-formaldehyde resin; sulfonating the initial resin with sodium bisulfite or metabisulfite; polymerizing the sulfonated melamine-formaldehyde resin by heating; adding additional melamine to reduce the cumulative F/M mole ratio to about 1.6 to 1.7 and produce a final sulfonated melamine-formaldehyde resin; and adjusting the pH of the final resin, as necessary, to about 9.0 to 10.0, wherein sufficient sodium bisulfite or metabisulfite is added to provide a bisulfite/melamine mole ratio of about 0.05 to 1.5 based on the total amount of melamine. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the polyhydroxy compound is sucrose or sorbitol. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the polyhydroxy compound/melamine ratio is about 0.06 to 0.18 based on the total amount of melamine. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the bisulfite/melamine mole ratio is about 0.15 to 1.0. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the bisulfite/melamine mole ratio is about 0.15 to 0.8. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the bisulfite/melamine mole ratio is about 0.15 to 0.25. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the bisulfite/melamine mole ratio is about 0.21. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the F/M mole ratio is about 2.3 to 2.7. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising heating the sulfonated melamine-formaldehyde resin to about 85.degree. to 95.degree. C. ### Claim 19 Thermal insulation treated with a binder containing a water-soluble sulfonated melamine-formaldehyde resin prepared by dissolving the resin in water and applying to the thermal insulation; wherein the resin is prepared by reacting melamine and formaldehyde at an initial F/M mole ratio of about 2.0 to 3.0 in the presence of a polyhydroxy compound and under an alkaline condition to form an initial melamine-formaldehyde resin; sulfonating the initial resin with sodium bisulfite or metabisulfite; polymerizing the sulfonated melamine-formaldehyde resin by heating; adding additional melamine to reduce the cumulative F/M mole ratio to about 1.6 to 1.7 and produce a final sulfonated melamine-formaldehyde resin; and adjusting the pH of the final resin, as necessary, to about 9.0 to 10.0, wherein sufficient sodium bisulfite or metabisulfite is added to provide a bisulfite/melamine mole ratio of about 0.05 to 1.5 based on the total amount of melamine. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The thermal inulation of claim 19, wherein the binder also contains phenol-formaldehyde resin, melamine and urea.