Patent ID: 8193106

Claim:
A process for binding a fibrous material comprising: (a) forming a curable intermediate reaction product containing at least one unsaturated double bond capable of undergoing free-radical polymerization and hydroxyl and carboxylic acid end groups by the reaction of (i) at least one anhydride having at least one unsaturated double bond capable of undergoing free-radical polymerization, which is selected from the group consisting of a cyclic anhydride, acrylic anhydride, methacrylic anhydride, crotonic anhydride, itaconic anhydride, and mixtures of the foregoing and (ii) at least one polyol crosslinker, (b) introducing a free-radical initiator and a polyol crosslinker to said intermediate reaction product, (c) applying a composition comprising said intermediate product, said free-radical initiator, and said polyol crosslinker as a coating to a fibrous material, and (d) heating said coated fibrous material in the presence of said free-radical initiator and said polyol crosslinker to achieve free-radical polymerization of unsaturated double bonds present in said intermediate reaction product as well as the crosslinking of said hydroxyl and carboxylic acid end groups via an esterification reaction while in association with the fibrous material to form a cured binder for said fibrous material.