Patent ID: 8691934

Claim:
A method of making a formaldehyde-free binder comprising drying a substantially unreacted aqueous solution comprising (a) a polycarboxylic acid component selected from the group consisting of a dicarboxylic acid, tricarboxylic acid, tetracarboxylic acid, pentacarboxylic acid, anhydride or salt derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof, (b) a polymeric polyhydroxyl component, (c) a catalyst, and (d) a base to form a dried mixture, and curing the dried mixture to form the formaldehyde-free binder as a water-insoluble thermoset polyester resin, wherein the aqueous solution includes sufficient base to have an alkaline pH, and wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of ammonium para-toluene sulfonate, ammonium naphthalene disulfonate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, sulfuric acid, lactic acid, lead acetate, sodium acetate, calcium acetate, zinc acetate, organotin compounds, titanium esters, antimony trioxide, germanium salts, sodium hypophosphite, sodium phosphite, methane sulfonic acid and para-toluene sulfonic acid, and mixtures thereof.