Patent ID: 7527858

Claim:
A composite material comprising: (a) a substrate material selected from fibers, slivers, chips and combinations thereof; and, (b) a cured binder composition, wherein the cured binder composition is produced from an aqueous binder composition comprising an aqueous solvent, component X and a binder polymer polymerized from component Y and component Z; where component X comprises a base, a surfactant and combinations thereof; where component Y comprises at least one cyclic anhydride; and, where component Z comprises at least one of styrene, a styrene derivative, an α-olefin and an α-olefin derivative; wherein the composite material comprises ≦40 wt % cured binder composition and with the proviso that the cured binder composition contains <5 wt % crosslinking agent wherein the crosslinking agent contains at least two reactive groups capable of reacting with the carbonyl groups of the at least one cyclic anhydride of component Y.