Liquid organic polyisocyanate-dicarboxylic ester binder composition and lignocellulosic composite materials prepared therefrom

Claim 2

A liquid binder composition comprising a mixture of from about 40 to about 98 percent by weight of an organic polyisocyanate and correspondingly from about 2 to about 60 percent by weight of an ester derived from a dicarboxylic acid, said ester being selected from the group consisting of (a) saturated aliphatic dicarboxylic esters having the formula ##STR4## wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 20 alkoxy and n is an integer ranging from 1-12, inclusive; (b) unsaturated aliphatic dicarboxylic esters having the formula ##STR5## wherein R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 20 alkoxy and m and p are the same and each is an integer ranging from 1-10, inclusive; (c) aromatic dicarboxylic esters having the formula ##STR6## wherein R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 10 alkyl, C 1 -C 10 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 10 alkoxy and wherein the aromatic ring is otherwise unsubstituted or substituted with at least one member selected from the group consisting of halo and C 1 -C 4 alkyl; and (d) mixtures threof.

Claim 3

The composition of claim 1, wherein said ester is selected from the group consisting of (a) saturated aliphatic dicarboxylic esters, wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 8 alkoxy and n is an integer ranging from 1-8, inclusive; (b) unsaturated aliphatic dicarboxylic esters, wherein R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 8 alkoxy and m and p are the same and each is an integer ranging from 1-3, inclusive; (c) aromatic dicarboxylic esters, wherein R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 4 alkoxy and wherein the aromatic ring is otherwise unsubstituted; and (d) mixtures thereof.

Claim 4

The composition of claim 2, wherein said ester is derived from a dicarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of oxalic, malonic, succinic, glutaric, adipic, pimelic, suberic, azelaic, sebacic, maleic, fumaric, phthalic, isophthalic and terephthalic.

Claim 5

The composition of claim 3, wherein said ester is derived from a dicarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of succinic, glutaric and adipic.

Claim 6

The composition of claim 1, wherein said organic polyisocyanate is selected from the group consisting of toluene diisocyanate, polyphenylene polymethylene isocyanate and mixtures thereof.

Claim 7

The composition of claim 5, wherein said organic polyisocyanate is a crude product of the phosgenation of toluene diamine.

Claim 8

The composition of claim 1, wherein there is employed in said mixture from about 70 to about 97 percent by weight of said organic polyisocyanate and correspondingly from about 3 to about 30 percent by weight of said ester.

Claim 9

The composition of claim 7, wherein said organic polyisocyanate is a crude product of the phosgenation of toluene diamine and said ester is derived from a dicarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of oxalic, malonic, succinic, glutaric, adipic, pimelic, suberic, azelaic, sebacic, maleic, fumaric, phthalic, isophthalic and terephthalic.

Claim 10

The composition of claim 8, wherein said crude product is prepared by: (a) mixing toluene diamine with an inert organic diluent and a stoichiometric excess of phosgene; (b) heating the mixture to about 100°-200° C. in order to bring about the phosgenation of said toluene diamine to toluene diisocyanate, with the concurrent formation of hydrogen chloride as a by-product; (c) removing substantially all of the diluent, the unreacted phosgene and the hydrogen chloride by-product; (d) optionally removing, by distillation, a portion of the toluene diisocyanate in the phosgenation product and recovering, as a residual distilland, said crude phosgenation product; and (e) removing any precipitated or suspended solids that may be present in said crude phosgenation product.

Claim 11

The composition of claim 9, wherein said ester is derived from a dicarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of succinic, glutaric and adipic.

Claim 12

A process for the preparation of a lignocellulosic composite material, comprising the steps of: contacting a plurality of lignocellulosic particles with a liquid binder composition; and then forming said contacted particles into a composite material by the application of heat and pressure, said liquid binder composition comprising a mixture of from about 40 to about 98 percent by weight of an organic polyisocyanate and correspondingly from about 2 to about 60 percent by weight of an ester derived from a dicarboxylic acid, said ester being selected from the group consisting of (a) saturated aliphatic dicarboxilic esters having the formula ##STR7## wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 20 alkoxy and n is an integer ranging from 1-12, inclusive; (b) unsaturated aliphatic dicarboxylic esters having the formula ##STR8## wherein R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 20 alkoxy and m and p are the same and each is an integer ranging from 1-10, inclusive; (c) aromatic dicarboxic esters having the formula ##STR9## wherein R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 10 alkyl, C 1 -C 10 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 10 alkoxy and wherein the aromatic ring is otherwise unsubstituted or substituted with at least one member selected from the group consisting of halo and C 1 -C 4 alkyl; and (d) mixtures thereof.

Claim 13

A process for the preparation of a lignocellulosic composite material, comprising the steps of: contacting a plurality of lignocellulosic particles with a liquid binder composition; and then forming said contacted particles into a composite material by the application of heat and pressure, said liquid binder composition comprising a mixture of from about 40 to about 98 percent by weight of an organic polyisocyanate and correspondingly from about 2 to about 60 percent by weight of an ester derived from a dicarboxylic acid, said ester being selected from the group consisting of (a) saturated aliphatic dicarboxilic esters having the formula ##STR7## wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 20 alkoxy and n is an integer ranging from 1-12, inclusive; (b) unsaturated aliphatic dicarboxylic esters having the formula ##STR8## wherein R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 20 alkoxy and m and p are the same and each is an integer ranging from 1-10, inclusive; (c) aromatic dicarboxic esters having the formula ##STR9## wherein R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 10 alkyl, C 1 -C 10 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 10 alkoxy and wherein the aromatic ring is otherwise unsubstituted or substituted with at least one member selected from the group consisting of halo and C 1 -C 4 alkyl; and (d) mixtures thereof.

Claim 14

The process of claim 11, wherein there is employed from about 2 to about 50 percent by weight, based on the dry weight of said lignocellulosic particles, of said binder composition.

Claim 15

The process of claim 12, wherein there is employed from about 3 to about 20 percent by weight, based on the dry weight of said lignocellulosic particles, of said binder composition.

Claim 16

The process of claim 11, wherein said ester is selected from the group consisting of (a) saturated aliphatic dicarboxylic esters, wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 8 alkoxy and n is an integer ranging from 1-8, inclusive; (b) unsaturated aliphatic dicarboxylic esters, wherein R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 8 alkoxy and m and p are the same and each is an integer ranging from 1--3, inclusive; (c) aromatic dicarboxylic esters, wherein R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl and C 1 -C 4 alkoxy and wherein the aromatic ring is otherwise unsubstituted; and (d) mixtures thereof.

Claim 17

The process of claim 14, wherein said ester is derived from a dicarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of oxalic, malonic, succinic, glutaric, adipic, pimelic, suberic, azelaic, sebacic, maleic, fumaric, phthalic, isophthalic and terephthalic.

Claim 18

The process of claim 15, wherein said ester is derived from a dicarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of succinic, glutaric and adipic.

Claim 19

The process of claim 11, wherein said organic polyisocyanate is selected from the group consisting of toluene diisocyanate, polyphenylene polymethylene isocyanate and mixtures thereof.

Claim 20

The process of claim 17, wherein said organic polyisocyanate is a crude product of the phosgenation of toluene diamine.

Claim 21

The process of claim 11, wherein there is employed in said mixture from about 70 to about 97 percent by weight of said organic polyisocyanate and correspondingly from about 3 to about 30 percent by weight of said ester.

Claim 22

The process of claim 19, wherein said organic polyisocyanate is a crude product of the phosgenation of toluene diamine and said ester is derived from a dicarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of oxalic, malonic, succinic, glutaric, adipic, pimelic, suberic, azelaic, sebacic, maleic, fumaric, phthalic, isophthalic and terephthalic.

Claim 23

The process of claim 20, wherein there is employed from about 3 to about 20 percent by weight, based on the dry weight of said lignocellulosic particles, of said binder composition.

Claim 24

The process of claim 21, wherein said crude product is prepared by: (a) mixing toluene diamine with an inert organic diluent and a stoichiometric excess of phosgene; (b) heating the mixture to about 100°-200° C. in order to bring about the phosgenation of said toluene diamine to toluene diisocyanate, with the concurrent formation of hydrogen chloride as a by-product; (c) removing substantially all of the diluent, the unreacted phosgene and the hydrogen chloride by-product; (d) optionally removing, by distillation, a portion of the toluene diisocyanate in the phosgenation product and recovering, as a residual distilland, said crude phosgenation product; and (e) removing any precipitated or suspended solids that may be present in said crude phosgenation product.

Claim 25

The process of claim 22, wherein said ester is derived from a dicarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of succinic, glutaric and adipic.

Claim 26

The process of claim 23, wherein said lignocellulosic particles are wood chips and said lignocellulosic composite material is wood particle board.

Claim 27

A lignocellulosic composite material prepared according to the process of claim 11.

Claim 28

A lignocellulosic composite material prepared according to the process of claim 16.

Claim 29

A lignocellulosic composite material prepared according to the process of claim 18.

Claim 30

A lignocellulosic composite material prepared according to the process of claim 20.

Claim 31

A lignocellulosic composite material prepared according to the process of claim 22.

Claim 32

A lignocellulosic composite material prepared according to the process of claim 23.

Claim 33

A lignocellulosic composite material prepared according to the process of claim 24.