Formaldehyde-free phenolic resin binder

1. A composition comprising:

a) an aqueous dispersion of at least one phenol-formaldehyde resin;

b) at least one amine compound of the general formula (1)

wherein:

R1 is H or general formula (2):

with a value for n of 2-10, and

R2 and R3 are, independently, H or general formula (3):

wherein n is 2-10 and m is 1-50,

and wherein the molecular mass of the amine compound does not exceed approximately 20,000 g/mole;

c) at least one activated silane, obtained by a conversion of a silane with an enolizable ketone having at least one carbonyl group or a ketone having at least one OH group, wherein the ketone contains 3 to 12 C atoms, wherein the silane is selected from the group consisting of a mono-, di- and trialkoxysilanes having one C 1 to C 8 alkoxy group, wherein the alkoxysilane carries at least one C 2 to C 10 aminoalkyl group or a C 2 to C 10 N-aminoalkyl group; 3(2-aminoethylamino)propyltrimethoxysilane; (MeO) 3 —Si—(CH 2 ) 3 —NH—(CH 2 ) 3 —Si—(OMe) 3 ; 3-aminopropylsilanetriol; aminosilane with ethoxylated nonylphenolate; phenyl-CH 2 —NH—(CH 2 )S—NH—(CH 2 )S—Si—(OMe) 3 *HCl; and mixtures thereof; and

d) at least one aromatic hydroxyl compound.

2. The composition in accordance with claim 1 , wherein d) the at least one aromatic hydroxyl compound is selected from the group consisting of a dihydroxybenzene, a trihydroxybenzene and a hydroxylated heterocycle.

3. The composition in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the phenol-formaldehyde resin comprises no more than about 8% (mass) of free formaldehyde.

4. The composition in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the phenol-formaldehyde resin comprises, at the most, approx. 3% (mass) of free formaldehyde.

5. The composition in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the phenol-formaldehyde resin comprises, at the most, approx. 1% (mass) of free formaldehyde.

6. The composition in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the phenol-formaldehyde resin comprises monomer constitutional units containing a benzyl alcohol and/or chain and/or cyclic, oligomer alkyl-bridged aromatic multinuclear compounds having a molecular mass of up to 3,000 g/mole.

7. The composition in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a carboxylic acid.

8. The composition in accordance with claim 7 , further comprising a hydroxyacetic acid.

9. The composition in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the at least one amine compound is a C 2 to C 10 alkanolamine.

10. The composition in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the at least one amine compound is selected from the group consisting of ethanolamine, diethanolamine, and triethanolamine.

11. The composition in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the silane is 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane.

12. The composition in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the ketone is dihydroxyacetone or acetylacetone.

13. The composition in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising at least one crosslinking agent.

14. The composition in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of: glycerol, polyols, neopentylglycol, thmethylallylamine, 1,3,5-thallyl-2-methoxybenzene, 1,1,1-tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)-ethane, triallylneopentylether, pentaerythrite, sugars, sugar molasses, and mixtures thereof.

15. The composition in accordance with claim 1 , having a pH value in the range of approx. 7.0 to 10.

16. The composition in accordance with claim 15 , having a pH value in the range of 8 to 9.

17. A binder for mineral wool, comprising the composition in accordance with claim 1 .

18. A method for the manufacture of mineral wool, comprising:

applying the binder of claim 1 , following fiberization of a molten mineral material, on fibers while they are still hot, and

exposing the mineral wool product, with the applied binder, to a curing process.

19. The method in accordance with claim 18 , wherein the binder is applied on the fibers in a chute by spraying the fibers attenuated from the molten mineral material.

20. A bound mineral wool product obtained by the method in accordance with claim 18 .

21. The composition of claim 1 , wherein (d) is at least one aromatic hydroxyl compound selected from the group consisting of a

dihydroxybenzene, hydroxymethylated dihydroxybenzene, an autocondensation product of a hydroxymethylated dihydroxybenzene;

trihydroxybenzenes, mono-hydroxymethylated trihydroxybenzene, dihydroxymethylated trihydroxybenzenes; an autocondensation product of dihydroxymethylated trihydroxybenzenes;

C-alkylated phenol, C-alkylated resorcin, hydroxylated heterocycle, mono- or dialkylated hydroxylated heterocycle, anellated derivative of a hydroxylated heterocycle, a dihydroxy derivative of naphthalene, and a trihydroxy derivative of naphthalene;

or mixtures thereof.