Composite maillard-resole binders

1. A method of manufacturing a collection of matter held together by a binder, the method comprising:

preparing an aqueous solution comprising an uncured resole resin, a carbohydrate reactant, and an amine reactant, where the carbohydrate and the amine reactants are Maillard reactants,

disposing the aqueous solution onto a collection of matter,

volatilizing water to form a dehydrated reactive mixture as an uncured binder disposed upon the collection of matter, and

curing the dehydrated reactive mixture to form an infusible polymeric product, wherein the infusible polymeric product is the binder that promotes cohesion of the collection of matter, and

wherein the Maillard reactants comprise (a) a monosaccharide; and (b) an ammonium salt of a polycarboxylic acid, and wherein the ratio of the number of moles of the ammonium salt to the number of moles of the monosaccharide is in the range from 1:4 to 1:15.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the preparing step includes adjusting the aqueous solution to an alkaline pH.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mixing urea with an aldehyde and phenol to form the uncured resole resin, wherein the urea, the aldehyde, and the phenol are mixed for a time sufficient to afford the aldehyde in a concentration of less than about 0.5%, on a wet basis.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the collection of matter includes fibers selected from the group consisting of mineral fibers, aramid fibers, ceramic fibers, metal fibers, carbon fibers, polyimide fibers, polyester fibers, rayon fibers, mineral wool, glass fibers, and cellulosic fibers.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbohydrate reactant is selected from one or more reducing sugars, one or more carbohydrate reactants that yield one or more reducing sugars in situ under thermal curing conditions, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbohydrate reactant comprises dextrose.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amine reactant is selected from the group consisting of an ammonium salt of a polycarboxylic acid, an amino acid, a peptide, a protein, and mixtures thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution further comprises a silicon-containing compound selected from the group consisting of gamma-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, gamma-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, aminoethylaminopropyltrimethoxysilane, n-propylamine silane, and mixtures thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution further comprises a corrosion inhibitor selected from the group consisting of dedusting oil, monoammonium phosphate, sodium metasilicate pentahydrate, melamine, tin(II) oxalate, and a methylhydrogen silicone fluid emulsion.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Maillard reactants upon thermal curing produce melanoidins.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a predominant mole fraction of the uncured binder is represented by the uncured resole resin.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein a predominant mole fraction of the uncured binder is represented by the Maillard reactants.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the uncured resole resin and the Maillard reactants are present in the uncured binder in about equal mole fractions.

14. The method of claim 1 , in which the collection of matter is a fiberglass insulation product comprising fibers selected from mineral fibers and glass fibers.

15. The method of claim 1 , in which the collection of matter is a wood fiber board product.