A method of manufacturing a mineral fibre thermal insulation product comprises the sequential steps of: Forming mineral fibres from a molten mineral mixture; Spraying a substantially formaldehyde free binder solution on to the mineral fibres, the binder solution comprising: a reducing sugar, an acid precursor derivable from an inorganic salt and a source of nitrogen; Collecting the mineral fibres to which the binder solution has been applied to form a batt of mineral fibres; and Curing the batt comprising the mineral fibres and the binder which is in contact with the mineral fibres by passing the batt through a curing oven so as to provide a batt of mineral fibres held together by a substantially water insoluble cured binder.

A method of making a glass mat includes providing an assembly of glass fibers, applying a binder composition to the assembly of glass fibers, wherein the binder includes an organic resin, and curing the binder composition while dimensionally constraining the assembly of glass fibers. Dimensional constraining includes directly contacting a first major surface and a second major surface of the assembly of glass fibers between two substantially parallel surfaces. Further provided is a glass mat that includes an assembly of glass fibers, wherein the assembly of glass fibers are substantially randomly oriented with a tensile anisotropy of less than about 6 in any two directions. The glass mat has a decreased surface roughness and a decreased caliper compared to an equivalent glass mat having an assembly of naturally packed glass fibers with an equivalent fiber diameter size.

A method of making a glass mat includes providing an assembly of glass fibers, applying a binder composition to the assembly of glass fibers, wherein the binder includes an organic resin, and curing the binder composition while dimensionally constraining the assembly of glass fibers. Dimensional constraining includes directly contacting a first major surface and a second major surface of the assembly of glass fibers between two substantially parallel surfaces. Further provided is a glass mat that includes an assembly of glass fibers, wherein the assembly of glass fibers are substantially randomly oriented with a tensile anisotropy of less than about 6 in any two directions. The glass mat has a decreased surface roughness and a decreased caliper compared to an equivalent glass mat having an assembly of naturally packed glass fibers with an equivalent fiber diameter size.

The present disclosure relates to a pultrusion process for preparing a reinforced thermoset polyurethane composite, and specifically relates to a pultrusion process for simultaneous optimization of fiber sizing continuously along with the pultrusion process without any interruption by contacting the fibers with a sizing composition.

The invention is directed to an aqueous binder composition free of phenol and formaldehyde.

The present invention relates to a process for producing insulating products based on mineral fibers, in particular on mineral wool, comprising providing a first binder composition containing (a) from 50% to 85% by weight of water, preferably from 70 to 82% of water (b) from 10% to 45% by weight, preferably 15 to 35% by weight of a saccharide component containing sucrose, (c) from 3% to 15% by weight, preferably from 5 to 12% by weight of one or more ammonium salts or primary amine salts of an acid, preparing a second binder composition comprising the dilution of the first aqueous binder composition with water to a solids content of between 3 and 7% by weight, applying the second binder composition to mineral fibers, forming an assembly of mineral fibers coated with the second binder composition, and heating the assembly of coated mineral fibers so as to form an assembly of mineral fibers bound by an insoluble binder,
said process being characterized in that the first aqueous binder composition has a pH of less than 5.5, in that the ammonium salt or primary amine salt is a salt of strong acid or a salt of an acid having a pKa of less than or equal to 2.2, and in that the first and second binder compositions are devoid of salts of weak acids having at least a pKa of between 2.5 and 6.9.

The present invention relates to a process for producing insulating products based on mineral fibers, in particular on mineral wool, comprising providing a first binder composition containing (a) from 50% to 85% by weight of water, preferably from 70 to 82% of water (b) from 10% to 45% by weight, preferably 15 to 35% by weight of a saccharide component containing sucrose, (c) from 3% to 15% by weight, preferably from 5 to 12% by weight of one or more ammonium salts or primary amine salts of an acid, preparing a second binder composition comprising the dilution of the first aqueous binder composition with water to a solids content of between 3 and 7% by weight, applying the second binder composition to mineral fibers, forming an assembly of mineral fibers coated with the second binder composition, and heating the assembly of coated mineral fibers so as to form an assembly of mineral fibers bound by an insoluble binder,
said process being characterized in that the first aqueous binder composition has a pH of less than 5.5, in that the ammonium salt or primary amine salt is a salt of strong acid or a salt of an acid having a pKa of less than or equal to 2.2, and in that the first and second binder compositions are devoid of salts of weak acids having at least a pKa of between 2.5 and 6.9.

A method of manufacturing a mineral fibre thermal insulation product comprises the sequential steps of: Forming mineral fibres from a molten mineral mixture; Spraying a substantially formaldehyde free binder solution on to the mineral fibres, the binder solution comprising: a reducing sugar, an acid precursor derivable from an inorganic salt and a source of nitrogen; Collecting the mineral fibres to which the binder solution has been applied to form a batt of mineral fibres; and Curing the batt comprising the mineral fibres and the binder which is in contact with the mineral fibres by passing the batt through a curing oven so as to provide a batt of mineral fibres held together by a substantially water insoluble cured binder.

A method of manufacturing a mineral fibre thermal insulation product comprises the sequential steps of: Forming mineral fibres from a molten mineral mixture; Spraying a substantially formaldehyde free binder solution on to the mineral fibres, the binder solution comprising: a reducing sugar, an acid precursor derivable from an inorganic salt and a source of nitrogen; Collecting the mineral fibres to which the binder solution has been applied to form a batt of mineral fibres; and Curing the batt comprising the mineral fibres and the binder which is in contact with the mineral fibres by passing the batt through a curing oven so as to provide a batt of mineral fibres held together by a substantially water insoluble cured binder.

A method of reducing the formaldehyde emission of a mineral fiber product bonded with a urea-modified phenol-formaldehyde resol resin-type binder comprises adding dextrose to the binder composition during and/or after preparation of the binder composition but before curing of the binder composition applied to the mineral fibers.