Formaldehyde-free protein-containing binder compositions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10087350-B2
Application number	US-201615280824-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2016
Priority date	Feb 1, 2010
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

One-part thermosetting binder compositions are described that may include soy protein, a first crosslinking compound, and a second crosslinking compound different from the first crosslinking compound. Upon curing, the first and second crosslinking compounds covalently bond to each other and to the soy protein to form a thermoset binder. Also describe are fiber-containing products that include a plurality of fibers and a formaldehyde-free binder. The formaldehyde-free binder is formed from a one-part, thermosetting binder composition that includes soy protein, a first crosslinking compound, and a second crosslinking compound different from the first crosslinking compound. Upon curing, the first and second crosslinking compounds covalently bond to each other and to the soy protein to form a thermoset binder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a fiber product, the method comprising:
providing fibers comprising organic fibers or inorganic fibers;
applying a one-part thermoset binder composition to the fibers to form a binder-fiber amalgam, wherein the one-part thermoset binder composition is an aqueous mixture comprising:
a protein; and
an aqueous crosslinking solution comprising:
a first crosslinking compound comprising at least one carboxylic acid group; and
a second crosslinking compound comprising at least one of a hydroxyl group or an amine group,

wherein the aqueous crosslinking solution is not an emulsion;
curing the binder-fiber amalgam to form the fiber product,
wherein the curing converts the thermoset binder composition into a thermoset binder that has the first and second crosslinking compounds covalently bonded to each other and to the protein.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fibers comprise both the organic fibers and the inorganic fibers.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the organic fibers are selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, wood fibers, and organic polymer fibers.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic fibers comprise glass fibers.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fibers are arranged as an insulation batt, a woven mat, a non-woven mat, or spunbond.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protein comprises a vegetable protein.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the vegetable protein comprises soy protein.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first crosslinking compound comprises an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic anhydride.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic anhydride comprises a reaction product of styrene and maleic anhydride.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second crosslinking compound is selected from the group consisting of a polyol and an alkanol amine.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the polyol is selected from the group consisting of glycerol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, and triethylene glycol.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the alkanol amine is selected from the group consisting of ethanolamine, diethanolamine, and triethanolamine.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one-part binder composition has a shelf life of at least one month.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one-part binder composition has a viscosity of about 1 cps to about 1000 cps at a temperature of 20° C.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one-part binder composition is applied to the fibers by curtain coating or spray coating the one-part binder composition on the fibers.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises recycling an unused portion of the one-part binder composition.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the recycled one-part binder composition is applied to the fibers.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber product is a wood-containing product.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber product is a fiberglass insulation product.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber product is chosen from a printed circuit board, a battery separator, a filter stock, and a reinforcement scrim.

Assignees

• Johns Manville

Inventors

• Zhang Mingfu
• Miele Philip Francis
• Asrar Jawed

Classifications

• C08K5/0025

  Crosslinking or vulcanising agents; including accelerators · CPC title

• C09J189/00 Primary

  Adhesives based on proteins; Adhesives based on derivatives thereof · CPC title

• C08L35/06

  Copolymers with vinyl aromatic monomers · CPC title

• C08L99/00

  Compositions of natural macromolecular compounds or of derivatives thereof not provided for in groups C08L89/00 - C08L97/00 · CPC title

• C08L35/00

  Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by a carboxyl radical, and containing at least one other carboxyl radical in the molecule, or of salts, anhydrides, esters, amides, imides or nitriles thereof; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers · CPC title