Aromatic Polyol-Stabilized Resol Resin for Insulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional phenolic resins used in insulating products release formaldehyde during thermal degradation, and existing solutions like urea-formaldehyde condensates have insufficient thermal stability and produce ammonia, which is harmful.

Innovation Solution

Amino phenol resins stabilized with water-soluble aromatic polyols, such as resorcinol and phloroglucinol, replace urea as solubilizers, maintaining storage stability and preventing ammonia emissions during thermal curing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If urea is added to phenolic resin to improve storage stability and reduce residual formaldehyde, then the resin becomes more stable during storage, but formaldehyde is released during thermal degradation and curing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage stabilityVSAvoidformaldehyde release
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing urea with water-soluble aromatic polyols (such as resorcinol, phloroglucinol, or hydroquinone) as the solubilizer. This substitution maintains the resin's storage stability while eliminating the formaldehyde-releasing urea-formaldehyde condensates, thereby resolving the contradiction between storage stability and formaldehyde emission during curing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses water-soluble aromatic polyols as temporary solubilizers that perform their function during storage and application, then are eliminated during thermal curing without producing harmful byproducts. These polyols serve as disposable components that enable resin stability during storage but do not persist to cause formaldehyde release during curing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Stability of the object's composition

If urea-formaldehyde condensates are used to stabilize the resin, then storage stability improves, but thermal stability becomes insufficient and ammonia is released

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage stabilityVSAvoidthermal stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent fundamentally changes the chemical nature of the solubilizer from urea-formaldehyde condensates to water-soluble aromatic polyols. This parameter change maintains storage stability through the polyol's solubilizing effect while ensuring thermal stability because the polyols decompose without releasing ammonia or formaldehyde during curing, thus resolving the contradiction between storage stability and thermal reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional phenolic resins are used to ensure basic performance, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but harmful emissions to human health and environment increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidharmful emissions
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite resin system combining phenolic resin with water-soluble aromatic polyols. This composite approach maintains the ease of manufacture associated with conventional phenolic resins while significantly reducing harmful emissions, as the aromatic polyol substituent replaces the harmful urea-formaldehyde condensates that would otherwise release formaldehyde and ammonia during curing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The use of water-soluble aromatic polyols ensures the amino phenol resin remains stable and free of ammonia emissions, enhancing the thermal stability and environmental safety of insulating products.

Implementation Method 1

Amino phenol resins stabilized with water-soluble aromatic polyols, such as resorcinol and phloroglucinol, replace urea as solubilizers, maintaining storage stability

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSolvation: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

an aqueous binder composition, also referred to as sizing composition, is sprayed onto the still-hot fibers, which binder then undergoes a thermosetting reaction at temperatures of approximately 200° C.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermosetting reaction: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 3

existing solutions like urea-formaldehyde condensates have insufficient thermal stability and produce ammonia, which is harmful

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal degradation: Pyrolysis

Data Source

PatentUS20230340180A1Aromatic polyol-stabilized resol resin
Publication Date: 2023.10.26 SAINT GOBAIN ISOVER

AI summary

The invention relates to a stabilized resol resin comprising water, a water-soluble amino phenol resin and a water-soluble aromatic polyol, as a solubilizer for the water-soluble amino phenol resin. The invention also relates to a diluted aqueous binder composition containing such a stabilized resol resin and additives, and to a method for producing a fibrous insulation product using such an aqueous binder composition.