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US 6,806,343 B2Granted
Method of preparing a stable, low pH phenolic resin
AssigneeCertainTeed Corporation
InventorKathleen H. Coventry-Saylor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A phenol-formaldehyde resole resin for use as a binder for glass fibers is acidified to a pH of 3 or less after base-catalyzed resinification. An increase in actual solids is observed compared with neutralized resin. Phenol-formaldehyde-urea-ammonia resins are surprisingly stable at pH 3 with desirable cure profiles.
Claims20
A process for preparing a phenolic binder for glass fibers, the process comprising a) preparing a water-soluble phenol-formaldehyde resole resin by:
- 1) preparing an initial aqueous mixture including formaldehyde and phenol;
- 2) adding a basic polymerization catalyst to the initial aqueous mixture;
- 3) maintaining the aqueous mixture at a predetermined temperature during reaction of the phenol and formaldehyde to form the water-soluble phenol-formaldehyde resole resin until the free formaldehyde content of the aqueous mixture drops to a predefined level;
- 4) cooling the aqueous mixture;
- and
- 5) acidifying the aqueous mixture to a pH of no greater than 3;
- b) subsequently completing preparation of the binder by adding a catalyst for curing the modified resole resin.
4 more elements
A process for producing a glass fiber batt, the process comprising:
- a) preparing a water-soluble phenol-formaldehyde resole resin by:
- 1) preparing an initial aqueous mixture including formaldehyde and phenol;
- 2) adding a basic polymerization catalyst to the initial aqueous mixture;
- 3) maintaining the aqueous mixture at a predetermined temperature during reaction of the phenol and formaldehyde to form the water-soluble phenol-formaldehyde resole resin until the free formaldehyde content of the aqueous mixture drops to a predefined level;
- 4) cooling the aqueous mixture;
- and
- 5) acidifying the aqueous mixture to a pH of no greater than 3;
- b) preparing a binder for the glass fibers by subsequently adding a catalyst for curing the modified resole resin,
- c) spraying the binder on glass fibers to form a batt;
- and
- d) curing the binder at an elevated temperature.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.