Bio-based binder systems

Abstract

An environmentally friendly, bio-based binder system that is useful for the formation of fiberglass insulation, the system includes: A) an aqueous curable binder composition, which includes a carbohydrate and a crosslinking agent; and B) a dedust composition, which includes a blown, stripped plant-based oil and optionally at least one emulsifying agent. The bio-based binder system is typically heated to form a cured binder system.

1 . A bio-based binder system useful for the formation of rotary fiber insulation, the system comprising:
 A) an aqueous curable binder composition comprising:
 (i) at least one carbohydrate; 
 (ii) at least one crosslinking agent; and 
   B) a dedust composition comprising:
 (i) a blown, stripped plant-based oil having a viscosity of at least 200 cSt at 40° C., a flash point of at least 293° C., and having an acid value less than 5.0 mg KOH/gram, 
   wherein the bio-based binder system comprises 10 part per million sulfur or less based on the weight of components A) and B), excluding water.   
     
     
         2 . The binder system of  claim 1 , wherein the binder system comprises at least one emulsifying component. 
     
     
         3 . The binder system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one emulsifier component comprises a first emulsifying component contained in dedust composition B), and wherein the dedust composition has less than 100 part per million sulfur, based on the weight of component B), excluding water. 
     
     
         4 . The binder system of  claim 3 , wherein the dedust composition B) further comprises an aqueous fraction and an organic fraction. 
     
     
         5 . The binder system of  claim 4 , wherein dedust composition B) comprises an oil in water emulsion and wherein the first emulsifier component is mixed into the blown, stripped plant-based oil of (i) before the emulsion is formed. 
     
     
         6 . The binder composition of  claim 5 , wherein a second emulsifying component is mixed into an aqueous solution before the oil-water emulsion is formed by mixing the aqueous solution and the blown, stripped plant-based oil of (i). 
     
     
         7 . The binder composition of  claim 6 , wherein the second emulsifying component is selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, maltodextrin, carboxymethyl cellulose, polyols, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The binder composition of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one emulsifying component is selected from the group consisting of non-ionic emulsifiers, ionic emulsifiers, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The binder system of  claims 1 , wherein the binder system comprises 5 part per million sulfur or less based on the weight of components A) and B), excluding water. 
     
     
         10 . The curable binder system of  claim 1 , wherein the blown, stripped plant-based oil has a viscosity of at least 250 cSt at 40° C. 
     
     
         11 . The binder system of  claims 1 , wherein the blown, stripped plant-based oil has a acid value less than 5.0 mg K014/gram. 
     
     
         12 . The binder system of  claims 1 - 14 , wherein the blown, stripped plant-based oil comprises a blown, stripped, bodied plant-based oil. 
     
     
         13 . The binder system of  claim 1 , wherein the blown, stripped plant-based oil is made from a blend of corn stillage oil and soybean oil in a weight ratio of corn stillage oil to soybean oil of from 5:95 to 95:5. 
     
     
         14 . The binder system of  claim 13 , wherein the blown, stripped plant based oil further comprises from about 0.5 percent by weight to about 11 percent by weight of a refined, bleached, and deodorized plant based oil having greater than 0.0 percent by weight and less than 2 percent by weight 18:3 fatty acid content. 
     
     
         15 . The binder system of  claim 1 , wherein the blown, stripped plant-based oil has an hydroxyl number from about 1 mg KOH/gram to about 50 mg KOH/gram. 
     
     
         16 . The binder system of  claims 1 , wherein the blown, stripped plant based oil has less than 50 ppm sulfur. 
     
     
         17 . The aqueous curable binder composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one carbohydrate is selected from the group consisting of glucose syrup, fructose syrup, dextrose, corn syrup, pectin, dextrin, maltodextrin, starch, modified starch, starch derivatives, a maltodextrin and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The aqueous curable binder composition of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one carbohydrate is a water-soluble polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of pectin, dextrin, maltodextrin, starch, modified starch, starch derivatives, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The aqueous curable binder composition of  claim 1 , wherein said crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of polycarboxylic acids, salts of polycarboxylic acid, anhydrides, monomeric carboxylic acid with anhydride, polycarboxylic acid with anhydride, citric acid, salts of citric acid, adipic acid, salts of adipic acid, polyacrylic acid, salts of polyacrylic acid, polyacrylic acid based resins and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The binder system of  claim 1 , wherein the binder system further comprises at least one of: at least one coupling agent; a moisture resistant agent, a catalyst, an inorganic acid, an inorganic base, an organic base and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The binder system of  claims 1 , wherein the binder composition A) comprises:
 from about 30.0% to about 95.0% by weight of the total solids of the at least one carbohydrate (i); and   from about 1.0% to about 40.0% by weight of the total solids of the at least one crosslinking agent (ii).   
     
     
         22 . The binder system of  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of binder composition A) to dedust composition B) is from about 100:1 to 100:34. 
     
     
         23 . A cured binder system resulting from heating the binder system of  claim 1  at a temperature and for a sufficient period of time sufficient to react the carbohydrate (i) with the crosslinking agent (ii) of the binder composition A) 
     
     
         24 . The cured binder system of  claim 23 , wherein the cured binder system exhibits a relatively low odor profile. 
     
     
         25 . The cured binder system of  claim 24 , wherein the cured binder system exhibits a lower odor profile than a comparable cured binder system resulting from curing a binder system having greater than 30 ppm sulfur based on the weight of the cured binder system. 
     
     
         26 - 40 . (canceled)