Patent ID: 8366866

Claim:
A process for binding organic or inorganic fibers, the process comprising: mixing a polycarboxy polymer that is about 10% by wt, to 100% by wt, of a butenedioic anhydride, a polyol, and a basic compound selected from a group consisting of an alkali metal hydroxide and an alkali earth metal hydroxide to form a binder composition having a of about 4.5 or more, wherein: the butenedioic anhydride is first hydrolyzed in an aqueous solution containing the basic compound, but not including a nitrogen-containing compound, to form a resin solution, wherein the basic compound is a catalyst for hydrolyzing the butenedioic anhydride, and the polyol is added to the resin solution to form the binder composition; applying the binder composition on organic or inorganic fibers; and curing the binder composition to form an article comprising a thermoset plastic and the fibers.