Binders and associated products

Abstract

The present invention relates to a water-soluble binder composition comprising at least one carbohydrate component and at least one carbon dioxide reaction product comprising at least the reaction product(s) of carbon dioxide with at least one nitrogen-containing compound. It further relates to a method of its manufacture, its use, a method of manufacturing a collection of matter bound by said polymeric binder, as well as a binder solution or dispersion comprising said binder composition.

1 . A water-soluble, curable, thermosetting binder composition, comprising:
 at least one carbohydrate component and   at least one carbon dioxide reaction product comprising at least the reaction product(s) of carbon dioxide with at least one nitrogen-containing compound.   
     
     
         2 . The binder composition according to  claim 1 , in which the viscosity of an aqueous solution containing 70 wt.-% of said binder composition does not increase by more than 500 cP when left to stand at 20° C. for 12 hours. 
     
     
         3 . The binder composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said binder composition is capable of reacting with a crosslinker to yield one or more melanoidins as a water-insoluble composition, under relevant curing conditions. 
     
     
         4 . The binder composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of total carbonyl groups in the carbohydrate component(s) to total reactive nitrogen-containing groups in the nitrogen-containing component(s) is 5:1 to 1:5. 
     
     
         5 . The binder composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one carbohydrate component is selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides or a reaction product thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The binder composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one carbohydrate component is selected from the group consisting of reducing sugars, ribose, arabinose, xylose, lyxose, glucose (dextrose), mannose, galactose, allose, altrose, talose, gulose, idose, fructose, psicose, sorbose, dihydroxyacetone, sucrose and tagatose, as well as mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The binder composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one nitrogen-containing component is NH 3 , an inorganic amine or an organic amine comprising at least one primary amine group, as well as salts thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The binder composition according to  claim 7 , wherein the at least one nitrogen-containing component is a primary polyamine having the formula H 2 N—Q—NH 2 , wherein Q is a C6 alkyl or cyclohexyl, cyclopentyl or cyclobutyl, or benzyl, each of which being optionally substituted with amino, aminoalkyl, hydroxyl, halo, or thiol, wherein alkyl is selected from the group consisting of C 2 -C 24  alkyl, C 2 -C 9  alkyl, and C 3 -C 7  alkyl. 
     
     
         9 . The binder composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio between the carbohydrate component and the carbon dioxide reaction product with nitrogen-containing component is 0.5:1 to 30:1. 
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing a binder composition comprising the steps of:
 (i) providing at least one carbohydrate component,   (ii) providing at least one nitrogen-containing component,   (iii) providing carbon dioxide,   (iv) mixing in a solvent the carbohydrate component(s) and the nitrogen-containing component(s), and optionally cooling at room temperature, and   (v) bubbling carbon dioxide into the mixture obtained in step (iv); or   (i′) providing at least one carbohydrate component,   (ii′) providing at least one nitrogen-containing component,   (iii′) providing carbon dioxide,   (iv′) reacting the carbon dioxide with the nitrogen-containing component, and   (v′) mixing in a solvent the carbohydrate component(s) and the reaction product of (iv′).   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein 0.5 to 50 w % CO 2  based on the total weight of the binder composition, is bubbled into the reaction mixture. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A water-soluble binder composition obtainable by the method according to  claim 10 . 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method of manufacturing a collection of matter bound by a polymeric binder comprising the steps:
 (i) providing a collection of matter,   (ii) providing a binder composition according to  claim 1 , or a binder composition obtained by the method according to  claim 10 , in a solvent to obtain a solution or dispersion,   (iii) applying the solution or dispersion obtained in step (ii) to the collection of matter, and   (iv) applying energy to the collection of matter containing said solution or dispersion to cure the binder composition.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein in step (ii) a crosslinker is added to the binder composition according to  claim 1 , or the binder composition obtained by the method according to  claim 10 , or the solution or dispersion thereof. U.S. Nationalization of PCT/EP2018/085579 P0461/US HAMPSON, Carl and JONES, Gareth 
     
     
         17 . The method of manufacturing a collection of matter according to  claim 15  or  16 , wherein prior to the step of applying the solution or dispersion obtained in step (ii) to the collection of matter, the collection of matter is substantially free of binder. 
     
     
         18 . A binder solution or dispersion comprising in a solvent the binder composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  9  and a crosslinker.