Insulation having a fibrous material and method of making same

Abstract

A method of forming a nodular insulation material suitable for installation in a cavity, comprising: propelling fibrous nodules at a substrate, wherein the fibrous nodules comprise glass fibers, wherein a majority of the nodules has a maximum dimension of about one-half inch, and contacting the nodules while the nodules are being propelled, with a solution comprising water and a water soluble binder to produce coated nodules, wherein the coated nodules form an insulation on the substrate, wherein the insulation comprises a fibrous material having a melting point that is higher than the melting point of the glass fibers.

1 . A method of forming a nodular insulation material suitable for installation in a cavity, comprising:
 propelling fibrous nodules at a substrate, wherein the fibrous nodules comprise glass fibers, wherein a majority of the nodules has a maximum dimension of about one-half inch, and   contacting the nodules while the nodules are being propelled, with a solution comprising water and a water soluble binder to produce coated nodules, wherein the coated nodules form an insulation on the substrate,   wherein the insulation comprises a fibrous material having a melting point that is higher than the melting point of the glass fibers.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material is present in the solution, the fibrous material is present in the fibrous nodules and is propelled at the substrate, and/or the fibrous material is propelled at the substrate separately from the fibrous nodules. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material comprises slag fibers, rock fibers, ceramic fibers, soluble amorphous fibers or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the fibrous material to the glass fibers present in the insulation is from about 30:70 to about 70:30, based on the weight of the insulation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material is present in an amount of from about 40% to about 60% by weight, based on the weight of the just-installed insulation. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the insulation has a fire rating of at least one hour under the standard set forth in ASTM E119-05a. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein when the insulation is formed in a standard wall cavity, the just-installed moisture content of the insulation is less than about 1.5 pounds. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least about 70 percent of the coated nodules have a maximum dimension of one-half inch. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water soluble binder comprises a partially hydrolyzed polyester oligomer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the binder is present in the insulation in an amount of less than about 6 wt. percent, on a dry solids basis. 
     
     
         11 . An insulation product comprising fibrous nodules comprising glass fibers, wherein a majority of the fibrous nodules has a maximum dimension of about one-half inch, and wherein the fibrous nodules are coated with a solution comprising water and a water soluble binder, wherein the insulation product further comprises a fibrous material having a melting point that is higher than the melting point of the glass fibers. 
     
     
         12 . The insulation product of  claim 11 , wherein the fibrous material comprises slag fibers, rock fibers, ceramic fibers, soluble amorphous fibers, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The insulation product of  claim 11 , wherein the weight ratio of the fibrous material to the glass fibers present in the insulation is from about 30:70 to about 70:30, based on the weight of the insulation. 
     
     
         14 . The insulation product of  claim 11 , wherein the fibrous material is present in an amount of from about 40% to about 60% by weight, based on the weight of the just-installed insulation. 
     
     
         15 . The insulation product of  claim 11 , wherein the insulation product has a fire rating of at least one hour under the standard set forth in ASTM E119-05a. 
     
     
         16 . The insulation product of  claim 11 , wherein when the insulation product is formed in a standard wall cavity, the just-installed moisture content of the insulation is less than about 1.5 pounds. 
     
     
         17 . The insulation product of  claim 11 , wherein at least about 70 percent of the coated nodules have a maximum dimension of one-half inch. 
     
     
         18 . The insulation product of  claim 11 , wherein the water soluble binder comprises a partially hydrolyzed polyester oligomer. 
     
     
         19 . The insulation product of  claim 11 , wherein the binder is present in the insulation in an amount of less than about 6 wt. percent, on a dry solids basis.