MINERAL WOOL PRODUCTS

1 .- 15 . (canceled)

16 . A mineral wool product, wherein the product comprises mineral fibers bonded by a cured binder which in its uncured state comprises at least one protein and at least one enzyme.

17 . The mineral wool product of claim 16 , wherein the at least one protein comprises one or more proteins of animal origin.

18 . The mineral wool product of claim 17 , wherein the at least one protein comprises one or more proteins selected from collagen, gelatin, hydrolyzed gelatin, protein from milk (casein, whey), protein from eggs.

19 . The mineral wool product of claim 16 , wherein the at least one protein comprises one or more proteins of plant origin.

20 . The mineral wool product of claim 19 , wherein the at least one protein comprises one or more proteins selected from proteins of legumes, cereals, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits.

21 . The mineral wool product of claim 19 , wherein the at least one protein comprises one or more proteins selected from proteins of buckwheat, oats, rye, millet, maize (corn), rice, wheat, bulgar, sorghum, amaranth, quinoa, soybeans (soy protein), lentils, kidney beans, white beans, mung beans, chickpeas, cowpeas, lima beans, pigeon peas, lupines, wing beans, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, walnuts, cotton seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds.

22 . The mineral wool product of claim 16 , wherein the at least one protein comprises one or more polyphenolic proteins.

23 . The mineral wool product of claim 18 , wherein the collagen or gelatin originates from one or more sources from the group of mammal, bird species, scales, skin of fish.

24 . The mineral wool product of claim 16 , wherein the at least one enzyme comprises one or more of transglutaminase (EC 2.3.2.13), protein disulfide isomerase (EC 5.3.4.1), thiol oxidase (EC 1.8.3.2), polyphenol oxidase (EC 1.14.18.1).

25 . The mineral wool product of claim 16 , wherein the at least one enzyme comprises one or more of catechol oxidase, tyrosine oxidase, phenoloxidase, lysyl oxidase (EC 1.4.3.13), peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7).

26 . The mineral wool product of claim 16 , wherein the binder in its uncured state comprises a pH adjuster.

27 . The mineral wool product of claim 16 , wherein the binder in its uncured state has a pH value of lower than 8.

28 . The mineral wool product of claim 16 , wherein the binder comprises at least one additive selected from linkers comprising acyl groups and/or amine groups and/or thiol groups.

29 . The mineral wool product of claim 16 , wherein a density of the product is from 10 kg/m 3 to 900 kg/m 3 .

30 . The mineral wool product of claim 16 , wherein the product exhibits a loss on ignition (LOI) of from 0.1% to 25.0%.

31 . A method of producing a mineral wool product, wherein the method comprises contacting mineral fibers with a binder which in its uncured state comprises at least one protein and at least one enzyme and curing the binder.

32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the method comprises making a melt of raw materials, fiberizing the melt by a fiber forming apparatus to form mineral fibers, providing the mineral fibers in the form of a collected web, mixing the binder with the mineral fibers before, during or after the provision of the collected web to form a mixture of mineral fibers and binder, and curing the mixture of mineral fibers and binder.

33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the mixing of the binder with the mineral fibers is carried out after providing the collected web by subjecting the collected web of mineral fibers to a disentanglement process, suspending the mineral fibers in a primary air flow, and mixing the binder with the mineral fibers before, during or after the disentanglement process to form a mixture of mineral fibers and binder.

34 . The method of claim 31 , wherein curing of the binder is carried out at a temperature of from 5° C. to 95° C.

35 . The method of claim 31 , wherein curing of the binder comprises a drying process and/or is performed in an oxygen-depleted atmosphere.