Carbohydrate binders and materials made therewith

Abstract

A binder comprising a polymeric binder comprising the products of a carbohydrate reactant and nucleophile is disclosed. The binder is useful for consolidating loosely assembled matter, such as fibers. Fibrous products comprising fibers in contact with a carbohydrate reactant and a nucleophile are also disclosed. The binder composition may be cured to yield a fibrous product comprising fibers bound by a cross-linked polymer. Further disclosed are methods for binding fibers with the carbohydrate reactant and polyamine based binder.

1 .- 49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . A method of making a collection of matter bound with a cured, thermoset polymeric binder, the method comprising:
 (i) providing a carbohydrate reactant, wherein the carbohydrate reactant comprises a cellulose hydrolysate comprising at least one reducing sugar;   (ii) providing a nucleophile R 1 -Q-R 2  wherein   Q is alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, or cycloheteroalkyl, each of which is optionally substituted,   R 1  is an amine, and   R 2  is selected from the group consisting of an amine, an amide, an imine, an imide, a nitro, a nitrate, a pyridine, a phosphate, a phosphono, a hydroxyl, a sulphono, a sulpho, a sulfinyl, a sulfhydryl, an azide, a cyanate, an isocyanate, a thiol, a disulfide, a thiocyanate, a halogen, a haloformyl, a carboxyl, a carboxylate, and an alkoxide,   provided that the nucleophile does not consist of polyethyleneimine;   (iii) preparing an uncured aqueous binder solution containing reactants for producing the cured thermoset polymeric binder by combining the carbohydrate reactant and the nucleophile,   (iv) disposing the uncured aqueous binder solution onto said collection of matter; and   (v) thermally curing the uncured aqueous binder disposed on the collection of matter to form the collection of matter bound with the cured, thermoset polymeric binder.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the collection of matter comprises matter selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, mineral fibers, aramid fibers, ceramic fibers, metal fibers, carbon fibers, polyimide fibers, polyester fibers, rayon fibers, cellulosic fibers, wood shavings, sawdust, wood pulp, ground wood, jute, flax, hemp, straw, particulates, coal particulates and sand particulates. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the collection of matter comprises glass fibers. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the glass fibers are present in the range from about 70% to about 99% by weight. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the collection of matter bound with the cured, thermoset, polymeric binder is a composite wood board. 
     
     
         55 .- 56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the weight ratio of the carbohydrate reactant to the nucleophile is in the range of about 2:1 to about 10:1. 
     
     
         58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein preparing the aqueous binder solution includes adjusting the pH of the aqueous binder solution to within the range of about 8 to about 12. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the cellulose hydrolysate comprises at least one reducing sugar selected from dextrose, xylose, fructose, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the method has at least one of the following features:
 Q is an alkyl selected from the group consisting of C 2 -C 24 ;   Q is an alkyl selected from the group consisting of C 2 -C 8 ;   Q is an alkyl selected from the group consisting of C 3 -C 7 ;   Q is a C 6  alkyl;   Q is alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl, each of which is not substituted;   Q is alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl, each of which is optionally substituted by a group selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, halo, thiol, alkyl, haloalkyl, heteroalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, arylheteroalkyl, nitro, sulfonic acids and derivatives thereof, carboxylic acids and derivatives thereof;   Q is selected from the group consisting of a cyclohexyl, cyclopentyl or cyclobutyl;   R 1 -Q-R 2  is 2-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]ethanol.   
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein a mole ratio of the carbohydrate reactant to the nucleophile is in the range of about 1:1 to about 30:1. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein a mole ratio of the carbohydrate reactant to the nucleophile is in the range of about 2:1 to about 10:1. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein R 1  and R 2  form covalent bonds with the carbohydrate reactant to form the polymeric binder. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the cured, thermoset, polymeric binder is formaldehyde-free. 
     
     
         66 . (canceled) 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein neither formaldehyde nor phenol is used as a reagent. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein R 2  is selected from the group consisting of an amine, an amide, an imine, a nitro, a phosphate, a phosphono, a hydroxyl, a sulpho, a sulfinyl, a cyanate, an isocyanate, a thiol, a halogen, a haloformyl, a carboxyl, a carboxylate, and an alkoxide. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein R 2  is a selected from the group consisting of an amine, an amide, an imine, a phosphate, a phosphono, a hydroxyl, a sulpho, a sulfinyl, a cyanate, a thiol, a carboxyl, and a carboxylate. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the mole ratio of the carbohydrate reactant to nucleophile is in the range of 3:1 to 6:1. 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the aqueous binder solution has an alkaline pH. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the cured, thermoset, polymeric binder is substantially water insoluble. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the cured, thermoset, polymeric binder is essentially acid-free. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the cellulose hydrolysate comprises at least two reducing sugar.