Binders and materials made therewith

A method of making a thermal or acoustical fiberglass insulation product, comprising:

• providing heat-resistant fibers;
• spraying onto the heat-resistant fibers a formaldehyde-free binder solution comprising
• a) reactants consisting of
• (i) one or more reducing sugars, a carbohydrate that yields one or more reducing sugars in situ under thermal curing conditions, or combinations thereof, wherein the percent by dry weight of the reducing sugar from reactant (i) with respect to the total weight of reactants in the binder solution ranges from about 73% to about 96%,
• (ii) one or more organic acids or salts thereof,
• (iii) an amine base, and
• (iv) optionally one or more non-carbohydrate polyhydroxy compounds,
• b) one or more additives, and
• c) water;
• and
• curing the binder disposed on the heat-resistant fibers so as to produce the thermal or acoustical fiberglass insulation product, wherein the fibers comprise fiberglass fibers selected from mineral fibers and glass fibers, said fiberglass fibers being present in the fiberglass insulation product in the range from about 80% to about 99% by weight.