Formaldehyde-free binder compositions for fibrous material

Abstract

Compositions for binding organic or inorganic fibers is described. The compositions may include an aqueous solution having a pH of about 4.5 or more. The aqueous solution may include a polycarboxy polymer that is about 10%, by wt., to 100%, by wt., of a butenedioic acid or butenedioic anhydride; and a polyol. The compositions can maintain a pH of about 5 or more after being cured into a thermoset plastic with the fibers. Processes for preparing a binder composition for organic or inorganic fibers are also described. The processes may include providing an aqueous solution of polycarboxylic acid polymers, where the polymers comprise about 10%, by wt., to 100%, by wt., of a butenedioic acid or butenedioic anhydride; adding a polyol to the aqueous solution; and maintaining the pH of the aqueous solution at about 5 or more.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition comprising:
 an aqueous solution having a pH of about 4.5 or more, wherein the aqueous solution comprises:   a polycarboxy polymer that is about 10%, by wt., to 100%, by wt., of a hydrolyzed butenedioic anhydride, and   a polyol,   wherein the composition maintains a pH of about 5 or more after being cured into a thermoset plastic with the fibers.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a cross-linking catalyst. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrolyzed butenedioic anhydride comprises maleic acid or fumaric acid, and the butenedioic anhydride comprises maleic anhydride. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polycarboxy polymer is a co-polymer of maleic acid or maleic anhydride and a second unit selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, acrylic anhydride, methacrylic acid, methacrylic anhydride, ethylene, propylene, acrylamide, acrylonitrile, (meth)acrylate, fumaric acid, and styrene. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polycarboxy polymer comprises styrene-maleic acid. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein the maleic acid is about 10%, by mol., to about 100% by mol., of the polycarboxy polymer. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polyol is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, a polyether polyol, di-ethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, ethanol amine, diethanol amine, triethanol amine, a polyester polyol, a polyether polyol, an acrylic polyol, ethylene diamine, hexane diamine, triethylene diamine, a bisphenol-A epoxy, a aliphatic epoxy, and an epoxidized oil. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the cross-linking catalyst comprises a phosphorous oxyacid salt. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the cross-linking catalyst is sodium hypophosphite. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution has a pH between about 4.5 and about 9. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution further comprises an alkaline compound selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkali earth metal hydroxides, and tertiary amines. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution further comprises sodium hydroxide. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrolyzed butenedioic anhydride does not comprise nitrogen. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution further comprises alkali metal ions or alkali earth metal ions. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polycarboxy polymer does not comprise nitrogen.