Highly hydrolytically stable loose-fill insulation
The general inventive concepts relate to unbonded loose-fill fiberglass compositions useful for insulation. The compositions demonstrate high hydrolytic stability. In certain instances, this is accomplished by application of a surface modifier. In certain embodiments, the modifying agent is prepared by dilution and hydrolysis of a silane at a high solid content (i.e., hydrolysis at 25% to 60% solid).
1. A pourable or blowable loose-fill insulation product comprising:
a) glass fiber insulation wool, said glass fiber insulation wool comprising a plurality of glass fibers each having hydroxyl groups on the surface thereof;
b) an aminoalkyl silane modifying agent comprising free hydroxyl groups which chemically interact with said hydroxyl groups on the surface of the glass fibers which promotes hydrolytic resistance in said glass fiber insulation wool; and
wherein said modifying agent comprises less than 25% monomeric units; and
wherein the modifying agent comprises greater than 50% of units consisting of dimers, trimers, and tetramers;
wherein the dimers, trimers, and tetramers are selected from the group comprising the following structures:
2. The product of claim 1 , wherein the modifying agent comprises less than 10% monomeric units.
3. The product of claim 1 , wherein the modifying agent comprises less than 5% monomeric units.
4. The product of claim 1 , wherein the modifying agent comprises less than 1% monomeric units.
5. The product of claim 1 , wherein the modifying agent comprises greater than 90% of units consisting of dimers, trimers, and tetramers.
6. The product of claim 5 , wherein the silane modifying agent is hydrolyzed at a solid level of at least 5%.
7. The product of claim 5 , wherein the silane modifying agent is hydrolyzed at a solid level of 25% to 60%.
8. A method for the production of an unbonded loose-fill insulation comprising:
diluting a silane modifying agent;
hydrolyzing the silane modifying agent to provide a hydrolyzed silane modifying agent comprising free hydroxyl groups; and
mixing the hydrolyzed silane modifying agent with glass fibers so that the modifying agent is distributed on the glass fibers;
wherein the free hydroxyl groups of the hydrolyzed silane modifying agent chemically interact with hydroxyl groups on the surface of the glass fibers which promotes hydrolytic resistance in the insulation;
wherein the hydrolyzed silane modifying agent is an aminoalkyl silane; and
wherein the hydrolyzed silane modifying agent comprises greater than 50% of units consisting of dimers, trimers, and tetramers selected from the group comprising the following structures:
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the silane modifying agent is diluted to a solid level of at least 5%.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the silane modifying agent is diluted to a solid level of 25% to 60%.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the hydrolyzed silane modifying agent comprises less than 25% monomeric units.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the hydrolyzed silane modifying agent comprises less than 10% monomeric units.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the hydrolyzed silane modifying agent comprises less than 1% monomeric units.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the hydrolyzed silane modifying agent comprises greater than 90% of units consisting of dimers, trimers, and tetramers after hydrolysis.
15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the hydrolyzed silane modifying agent is diluted after hydrolysis but before mixing with the glass fibers.