Aqueous binder compositions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019106563-A1
Application number	US-201816154782-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 9, 2018
Priority date	Oct 9, 2017
Publication date	Apr 11, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An aqueous binder composition is disclosed that comprises at least one long-chain polyol having at least two hydroxyl groups and a number average molecular weight of at least 2,000 Daltons; a primary cross-linking agent comprising at least two carboxylic acid groups; and a secondary cross-linking agent comprising a short-chain polyol having at least two hydroxyl groups and a number average molecular weight less than 2,000 Daltons.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aqueous binder composition comprising:
at least one long-chain polyol having at least two hydroxyl groups and a number average molecular weight of at least 2,000 Daltons; a cross-linking agent comprising at least two carboxylic acid groups; and a short-chain polyol having at least two hydroxyl groups and a number average molecular weight less than 2,000 Daltons, wherein said binder composition has a pH after cure between 5 and 9 and achieves a b* color value, using L*a*b* coordinates, of less than 45.

2 . The aqueous binder composition of claim 1 , wherein said cross-linking agent is a polymeric polycarboxylic acid.

3 . The aqueous binder composition of claim 1 , wherein said cross-linking agent is present in the binder composition in an amount from about 50 wt. % to about 85 wt. %, based on the total solids content of the aqueous binder composition.

4 . The aqueous binder composition of claim 1 , wherein said cross-linking agent is present in the binder composition in an amount from about 65 wt. % to about 80 wt. %, based on the total solids content of the aqueous binder composition.

5 . The aqueous binder composition of claim 1 , wherein said long-chain polyol is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl acetate.

6 . The aqueous binder composition of claim 1 , wherein said long-chain polyol is present in the binder composition in an amount from about 5 wt. % to about 30 wt. %, based on the total solids content of the aqueous binder composition.

7 . The aqueous binder composition of claim 1 , wherein said short-chain polyol comprises one or more of a sugar alcohol, 2,2-bis(methylol)propionic acid, tri(methylol)propane, and a short-chain alkanolamine.

8 . The aqueous binder composition of claim 7 , wherein said short-chain polyol comprises a sugar alcohol selected from the group consisting of glycerol, erythritol, arabitol, xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, iditol, isomaltitol, lactitol, cellobitol, palatinitol, maltotritol, syrups thereof, and mixtures thereof.

9 . The aqueous binder composition of claim 1 , wherein said short-chain polyol is present in the binder composition in an amount from about 3 wt. % to about 30 wt. %, based on the total solids content of the aqueous binder composition.

10 . An insulation product comprising:
a plurality of randomly oriented fibers; and an aqueous binder composition at least partially coating said fibers, said binder composition comprising:
at least one long-chain polyol having at least two hydroxyl groups and a number average molecular weight of at least 2,000 Daltons;
a cross-linking agent comprising at least two carboxylic acid groups; and
a short-chain polyol having at least two hydroxyl groups and a number average molecular weight less than 2,000 Daltons, wherein said binder composition has a pH after cure between 5 and 9 and achieves a b* color value, using L*a*b* coordinates, of less than 45.

11 . The insulation product of claim 10 , wherein the fibers comprise one or more of mineral fibers, natural fibers, and synthetic fibers.

12 . The insulation product of claim 10 , wherein the fibers comprise glass fibers, mineral wool fibers, or a mixture thereof.

13 . The insulation product of claim 10 , wherein when said insulation product has a thickness of about 1 inch and a density of about 6 lbs/ft 3 , said insulation product has a flexural elastic modulus of at least 40 psi.

14 . The insulation product of claim 10 , wherein when said insulation product has a thickness of about 1 inch and a density of about 6 lbs/ft 3 , said insulation product has a compressive strength at 10% deformation of at least 200 lbs./ft 2 .

15 . The insulation product of claim 10 , wherein a ratio of molar equivalents of carboxylic acid groups to hydroxyl groups in the binder composition is from about 1/0.05 to about 1.0/5.0.

16 . A method for controlling color in insulation products formed using a formaldehyde-free binder composition, comprising:
preparing a formaldehyde-free binder composition comprising:
at least one long-chain polyol having at least two hydroxyl groups and a number average molecular weight of at least 2,000 Daltons; and
a short-chain polyol having at least two hydroxyl groups and a number average molecular weight less than 2,000 Daltons;
curing said binder composition to achieve a b* color value, using L*a*b* coordinates, of less than 45 and a cured binder pH of between 5 and 9.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said binder composition further comprises a cross-linking agent, comprising at least two carboxylic acid groups.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said cross-linking agent is a polymeric polycarboxylic acid.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein a ratio of molar equivalents of carboxylic acid groups to hydroxyl groups is from about 1/0.05 to about 1.0/5.0.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said long-chain polyol is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl acetate.

21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said long-chain polyol is present in the binder composition in an amount from about 5 wt. % to about 30 wt. %, based on the total solids content of the aqueous binder composition.

22 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said short-chain polyol comprises one or more of a sugar alcohol, 2,2-bis(methylol)propionic acid, tri(methylol)propane, and a short-chain alkanolamine.

23 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said short-chain polyol is present in the binder composition in an amount from about 3 wt. % to about 30 wt. %, based on the total solids content of the aqueous binder composition.

24 . The method of claim 16 , wherein said binder composition includes a ratio of long-chain polyol to short-chain polyol is from about 0.1/0.9 to about 0.9/0.1.

25 . The method of claim 16 , wherein prior to curing, the pH of the binder composition is adjusted by 0.25 to 1.5 pH units.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein said pH is adjusted by the addition of one or more of a non-volatile base and alkaline water.

27 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said binder composition achieves a b* color value, using L*a*b* coordinates, of less than 40.

28 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said binder composition has an un-cured pH of about 2 to about 5.

29 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said binder composition has a cured pH of between 6.0 and 8.0.

30 . The method of claim 16 , wherein when said insulation product has a thickness of about 1 inch and a density of about 6 lbs/ft 3 , said insulation product has a flexural elastic modulus of at least 40 psi.

31 . The method of claim 16 , wherein when said insulation product has a thickness of about 1 inch and a density of about 6 lbs/ft 3 , said insulation product has a compressive strength at 10% deformation of at least 200 lbs./ft 2 .

32 . The method of claim 16 , wherein when said insulation product has a thickness of about 1 inch and a density of about 6 lbs/ft 3 , said insulation product has a bond strength at break of at least 7.5 lbs./ft 2 /LOI.

Assignees

• Owens Corning Intellectual Capital Llc

Inventors

• Zhang Xiujuan
• Mueller Gert
• Smith Kendel

Classifications

• C08K5/17

  Amines; Quaternary ammonium compounds · CPC title

• C08K5/092

  Polycarboxylic acids · CPC title

• C09D133/02

  Homopolymers or copolymers of acids; Metal or ammonium salts thereof · CPC title

• C08K5/053

  Polyhydroxylic alcohols · CPC title

• C08L31/04 Primary

  Homopolymers or copolymers of vinyl acetate · CPC title