Method of manufacturing composite products comprising a carbohydrate-based binder

Abstract

The present invention relates to the use of an amine compound comprising at least one, preferably at least two amine functions, wherein the amine functions are primary or secondary amines, to reduce the level of furfural and/or hydroxymethylfurfural in a carbohydrate-based binder or binder composition and/or escaping in the course of preparation, cross-linking and/or curing of carbohydrate-based binders. Preferably, the carbohydrate-based binder is obtained from a carbohydrate-based binder composition comprising a carbohydrate component and a cross-linker and possibly reaction product of carbohydrate component and cross-linker, wherein the cross-linker is selected from ammonium salts of inorganic acid, carboxylic acids, salts, ester or anhydride derivatives thereof, and/or combinations thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method for the preparation of a composite product comprising one or more fibers, particles sheet materials and/or combinations thereof bonded with a carbohydrate-based binder comprising
 (i) providing a binder composition comprising a carbohydrate component, a cross-linker component and optionally one or more reaction products of the carbohydrate component and the cross-linker component, wherein the cross-linker component is selected from the group consisting of ammonium salts, inorganic acids, carboxylic acids, ester and/or anhydride derivatives thereof, and/or combinations thereof;   (ii) adding 0.5-10% by weight (wt. %, based on the total dry weight of the binder composition) of a urea comprising compound to the binder composition;   (iii) applying the binder composition produced in step (ii) to the one or more fibers, particles sheet materials and/or combinations thereof for forming the composite product;   and   (iv) applying heat and/or pressure to dry and/or cure the composite product.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the cross-linker component is selected from the group consisting of an ammonium salt of an inorganic acid, ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the cross-linker component is selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, an ammonium salts thereof, an ester derivative thereof, an anhydride derivative thereof, a polycarboxylic acid, a monomeric polycarboxylic acid and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the carbohydrate component is selected from the group consisting of a monosaccharide, a disaccharide, an oligosaccharide, a polysaccharide, a reducing sugar, dextrose, a non-reducing sugar, sucrose, reducing sugars produced in situ, derivatives thereof and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the carbohydrate component is selected from the group consisting of a low molecular weight (MW) polysaccharide, molasses, starch, a starch hydrolysate, dextrin, a cellulose hydrolysate, a hemicellulose hydrolysate, derivatives thereof and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the carbohydrate component comprises one or more higher molecular weight carbohydrate derivatives comprising 10-70 wt. % C5 sugars and/or five-membered ring sugars. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the carbohydrate component comprises 30-97% by dry weight of the binder composition. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the cross-linker component comprises 10-25% by dry weight of the binder composition. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the binder composition produced in step (ii) is characterized by reduced concentrations of furfural and/or hydroxymethylfurfural as compared to a binder composition not produced in accordance with step (ii). 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the binder composition produced in step (ii) is characterized by reduced levels of furfural and/or hydroxymethylfurfural emission as compared to a binder composition not produced in accordance with step (ii). 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the binder composition further comprises one or more adjuvants, waxes, dyes, release agents, formaldehyde scavengers, hydrophobizing agents, silicon-based coupling agents, phosphorous comprising salts, phosphorous comprising acids, phosphate salts, hypophosphite salts and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the composite product is selected from the group consisting of a wood board, a wood particle board, a fiberboard, a medium density fiberboard (MDF), a chip board, an orientated strand board (OSB), plywood, a glass fiber product, a glass wool product, a mineral wool fiber product, a thermal insulating material product and an acoustic insulating material product. 
     
     
         37 . A method for reducing furfural and/or hydroxymethylfurfural concentrations and/or emissions in a binder composition comprising a carbohydrate component and a cross-linker comprising
 (i) preparing a binder composition reaction medium comprising a carbohydrate component, a cross-linker component and optionally one or more reaction products of the carbohydrate component and the cross-linker component; and   (ii) adding a urea comprising compound to the binder composition reaction medium of step (i) to form the binder composition;   wherein the reduced furfural and/or hydroxymethylfurfural concentrations and/or emissions are determinable during the preparation, cross-linking and/or curing of the binder composition; and   wherein the reduced furfural and/or hydroxymethylfurfural concentrations and/or emissions are determined in comparison to a binder composition not produced in accordance with step (ii).   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the cross-linker component is selected from the group consisting of ammonium salts, inorganic acids, carboxylic acids, ester and/or anhydride derivatives thereof, ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate and/or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the urea comprising compound is added at a concentration of 0.5-10 wt. %, based on the total dry weight of the binder composition. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the carbohydrate component comprises 30-97% by dry weight of the binder composition. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the carbohydrate component comprises one or more higher molecular weight carbohydrate derivatives comprising 10-70 wt. % C5 sugars and/or five-membered ring sugars. 
     
     
         42 . A composite product produced by the method of  claim 25 . 
     
     
         43 . The composite product of  claim 42 , comprising reduced concentrations of furfural and/or hydroxymethylfurfural as compared to a composite material not produced by the method of  claim 25 . 
     
     
         44 . The composite product of  claim 42 , wherein the composite product is characterized by reduced levels of furfural and/or hydroxymethylfurfural emission as compared to a composite material not produced by the method of  claim 25 .