Aqueous formaldehyde-free composition and fiberglass insulation including the same
View Patent ↗An aqueous composition that includes a) aqueous hydroxy functional, carboxy functional polymer including the reaction product of at least 5% by weight α,β-ethylenically unsaturated hydroxy monomer, at least 30% by weight ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer, from 0% by weight to less than 50% by weight α,β-ethylenically unsaturated nonhydroxy functional, noncarboxy functional monomer, and chain transfer agent, and b) condensation accelerator, and articles that include a nonwoven web including glass fibers, and cured aqueous binder composition.
1. Fiberglass insulation comprising:
a) a nonwoven web comprising glass fibers; and
b) a composition comprising the reaction product of
i) aqueous hydroxy functional carboxy functional polymer comprising the reaction product of
at least 5% by weight α,β-ethylenically unsaturated hydroxy functional monomer,
at least 30% by weight ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer,
from 0% by weight to less than 50% by weight α,β-ethylenically unsaturated nonhydroxy functional, noncarboxy functional monomer, and
chain transfer agent, and
ii) condensation accelerator,
said composition being essentially free of glycerol and α,β-ethylenically unsaturated hydroxy functional monomer.
2. The fiberglass insulation of claim 1 , wherein said composition is essentially free of ethylene glycol, pentaerythritol, trimethylol propane, sorbitol, sucrose, glucose, resorcinol, catechol, pyrogallol, glycollated ureas, 1,4-cyclohexane diol, dethanolamine, and triethanolamine.
3. The fiberglass insulation of claim 1 , wherein said aqueous hydroxy functional, carboxy functional polymer comprises the reaction product of
i) from 10% by weight to 70% by weight hydroxyethyl acrylate monomer,
ii) from 40% by weight to 90% by weight acrylic acid monomer, and
iii) chain transfer agent.
4. The fiberglass insulation of claim 1 , wherein said aqueous hydroxy functional, carboxy functional polymer comprises the reaction product of
i) from 10% by weight to 60% by weight hydroxyethyl acrylate monomer,
ii) from 50% by weight to 90% by weight acrylic acid monomer, and
iii) chain transfer agent.
5. The fiberglass insulation of claim 1 , wherein said aqueous hydroxy functional, carboxy functional polymer comprises the reaction product of
i) from 20% by weight to 60% by weight hydroxyethyl acrylate monomer,
ii) from 60% by weight to 80% by weight acrylic acid monomer, and
iii) chain transfer agent.
6. The fiberglass insulation of claim 1 , wherein said aqueous hydroxy functional carboxy functional polymer has a number average molecular weight no greater than 10,000.
7. A method of making fiberglass insulation comprising:
a) contacting glass fibers with a composition comprising
i) aqueous hydroxy functional carboxy functional polymer comprising the reaction product of
at least 5% by weight α,β-ethylenically unsaturated hydroxy functional monomer,
at least 30% by weight ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer,
less than 50% by weight nonhydroxy functional, noncarboxy functional monomer,
chain transfer agent, and
ii) condensation accelerator,
said composition being essentially free of glycerol and α,β-ethylenically unsaturated hydroxy functional monomer; and
b) curing said composition.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said composition is essentially free of ethylene glycol, pentaerythritol, trimethylol propane, sorbitol, sucrose, glucose, resorcinol, catechol, pyrogallol, glycollated ureas, 1,4-cyclohexane diol, dethanolamine, and triethanolamine.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said aqueous hydroxy functional carboxy functional polymer has a number average molecular weight no greater than 10,000.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein said aqueous composition has a pH less than 7.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein said aqueous composition has a pH from about 2 to about 4.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein said α,β-ethylenically unsaturated hydroxy functional monomer comprises 2-hydroxy ethyl acrylate.
13. The method of claim 7 , wherein said ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer comprises glacial acrylic acid.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein said ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer comprises glacial acrylic acid.
15. The method of claim 7 , wherein said aqueous hydroxy functional carboxy functional polymer is prepared from no greater than 40% by weight α,β-ethylenically unsaturated nonhydroxy functional, noncarboxy functional monomer.
16. The method of claim 7 , wherein said aqueous hydroxy functional carboxy functional polymer comprises from 20% by weight to 60% by weight solids.
17. The method of claim 7 , wherein said aqueous hydroxy functional carboxy functional polymer has an acid number of at least 300 mg KOH/g dried polymer.
18. The method of claim 7 , wherein said aqueous hydroxy functional, carboxy functional polymer comprises the reaction product of
i) from 10% by weight to 70% by weight α,β-ethylenically unsaturated hydroxy functional monomer,
ii) from 40% by weight to 90% by weight ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer, and
iii) chain transfer agent.
19. The method of claim 7 , wherein said aqueous hydroxy functional, carboxy functional polymer comprises the reaction product of
i) from 10% by weight to 60% by weight α,β-ethylenically unsaturated hydroxy functional monomer,
ii) from 50% by weight to 90% by weight ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer, and
iii) chain transfer agent.
20. The method of claim 7 , wherein said aqueous hydroxy functional, carboxy functional polymer comprises the reaction product of
i) from 20% by weight to 60% by weight α,β-ethylenically unsaturated hydroxy functional monomer,
ii) from 60% by weight to 80% by weight ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer, and
iii) chain transfer agent.
21. The method of claim 7 , wherein said aqueous hydroxy functional, carboxy functional polymer comprises the reaction product of
i) from 10% by weight to 70% by weight hydroxyethyl acrylate monomer,
ii) from 40% by weight to 90% by weight acrylic acid monomer, and
iii) chain transfer agent.
22. The method of claim 7 , wherein said aqueous hydroxy functional, carboxy functional polymer comprises the reaction product of
i) from 10% by weight to 60% by weight hydroxyethyl acrylate monomer,
ii) from 50% by weight to 90% by weight acrylic acid monomer, and
iii) chain transfer agent.
23. The method of claim 7 , wherein said aqueous hydroxy functional, carboxy functional polymer comprises the reaction product of
i) from 20% by weight to 60% by weight hydroxyethyl acrylate monomer,
ii) from 60% by weight to 80% by weight acrylic acid monomer, and
iii) chain transfer agent.