Binder Composition for Mineral Wool Insulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Insulation products based on mineral wool using 'green' binders, such as hydrogenated sugars, suffer from reduced mechanical properties over time, leading to increased binder proportions and altered fire reaction characteristics, while traditional reducing sugar-based binders cause coloration issues.

Innovation Solution

An aqueous sizing composition comprising hydrogenated sugars, polycarboxylic acids, and hydrophobic monoalcohols, where the carbohydrate component includes hydrogenated, reducing, and non-reducing sugars, and the polycarboxylic acid or its anhydride, with a hydrophobic monoalcohol that enhances mechanical properties and prevents coloration, is used.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If hydrogenated sugars are used as binders, then color stability is improved, but mechanical properties deteriorate over time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor stabilityVSAvoidmechanical properties

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention combines hydrogenated sugars (for color stability) with hydrophobic monoalcohols (for mechanical property enhancement) to create a composite binder system that achieves both light color and good mechanical strength, resolving the contradiction between color stability and mechanical properties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention modifies the chemical composition parameters of the binder by introducing hydrophobic monoalcohols with specific chain lengths and structures, changing the physical and chemical properties of the binder system to simultaneously achieve color stability and improved mechanical properties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If binder proportion is increased to compensate for mechanical property loss, then mechanical properties are improved, but fire reaction characteristics are altered

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical propertiesVSAvoidfire reaction characteristics

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the binder by incorporating hydrophobic monoalcohols, which improve mechanical properties at lower binder proportions, thereby avoiding the need to increase binder content and preserving fire reaction characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If reducing sugars are used as binders, then mechanical properties are improved, but coloration occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical propertiesVSAvoidcoloration

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the coloration problem by removing reducing sugars from the binder composition and replacing them with hydrogenated sugars that do not undergo Maillard reactions, while compensating for mechanical properties through hydrophobic monoalcohol additives

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The hydrophobic monoalcohol acts as an intermediary substance that transfers the mechanical property enhancement function from reducing sugars to the hydrogenated sugar-based system, enabling color stability without sacrificing strength

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 composition significantly improves the mechanical properties and color stability of mineral wool insulation products, maintaining thickness recovery and reducing hygroscopicity, while avoiding the cost and coloration issues of traditional binders.

Implementation Method 1

1 to 25% by weight, based on the sum of components (a) and (b), at least one aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic monoalcohol free of acidic or basic functions (Bronsted) and having an octanol/water partition coefficient (Log Kow) of between 1 and 3

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrophobicity: Hydrophobe

Implementation Method 2

an aqueous sizing composition, also called binder, is sprayed onto the still hot fibers, which then undergoes a thermosetting reaction at temperatures of around 200°C

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermosetting reaction:

Implementation Method 3

Sizing compositions based on reducing sugars, however, have the disadvantage of giving rise to coloring reactions (caramelization, Maillard reaction) which make it difficult, if not impossible, to obtain light-colored products

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCaramelization:

Implementation Method 4

Sizing compositions based on reducing sugars, however, have the disadvantage of giving rise to coloring reactions (caramelization, Maillard reaction)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMaillard reaction:

Data Source

PatentEP3148951B1Binder composition for mineral wool

Publication Date: 2019.08.14 SAINT GOBAIN ISOVER

AI summary

The present invention concerns an aqueous bonding composition for insulating products made from mineral wool, comprising (a) at least one carbohydrate chosen from the reducing sugars, the hydrogenated sugars and a mixture of same, (b) at least one polycarboxylic acid or a salt or anhydride of such an acid, (c) between 1 and 25% by weight, based on the sum of components (a) and (b), of at least one aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic monoalcohol free of acid or basic functions and having an octanol/water partition coefficient (log Kow) of between 1 and 3.