Embodiments of the present technology include a formaldehyde-free binder composition. The composition may include melamine. The composition may also include a reducing sugar. In addition, the binder composition may include a non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone. Embodiments may also include a method of making a formaldehyde-free binder composition. The method may include dissolving melamine in an aqueous solution of a reducing sugar. The concentration of the reducing sugar may be 30 wt. % to 70 wt. % of the aqueous solution, which may be at a temperature of 50 C. to 100 C. The method may also include adding a non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone to the dissolved melamine in the aqueous solution to form a binder solution. The temperature of the aqueous solution of the dissolved melamine may be 50 C. to 100 C. during the addition of the non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone. The method may further include reducing the temperature of the binder solution.

A resin powder for solid freeform fabrication has a 50 percent cumulative volume particle diameter of from 5 to 100 m and a ratio (Mv/Mn) of a volume average particle diameter (Mv) to the number average particle diameter (Mn) of 2.50 or less and satisfies at least one of the following conditions (1) to (3): (1): Tmf1>Tmf2 and (Tmf1Tmf2)3 degrees C., both Tmf1 and Tmf2 are measured in differential scanning calorimetry measuring according to ISO 3146, (2): Cd1>Cd2 and (Cd1Cd2)3 percent, both Cd1 and Cd2 are measured in differential scanning calorimetry measuring according to ISO 3146, and (3): C1>C2 and (C1C2)3 percent.

A resin powder for solid freeform fabrication has a 50 percent cumulative volume particle diameter of from 5 to 100 m and a ratio (Mv/Mn) of a volume average particle diameter (Mv) to the number average particle diameter (Mn) of 2.50 or less and satisfies at least one of the following conditions (1) to (3): (1): Tmf1>Tmf2 and (Tmf1Tmf2)3 degrees C., both Tmf1 and Tmf2 are measured in differential scanning calorimetry measuring according to ISO 3146. (2): Cd1>Cd2 and (Cd1Cd2)3 percent, both Cd1 and Cd2 are measured in differential scanning calorimetry measuring according to ISO 3146, and (3): C1>C2 and (C1C2)3 percent.

Formaldehyde-free binder compositions are described that include an aldehyde or ketone, an organic anhydride, an alkanol amine, and a nitrogen-containing salt of an inorganic acid. The binder compositions may be applied to fibers, such as glass fibers, to make formaldehyde-free, fiber-reinforced composites. Methods of making fiber-reinforced composites are also described, where such methods may include mixing an alkanol amine with an organic anhydride to make a first mixture, and adding a reducing sugar to the first mixture to make a second mixture. A nitrogen-containing salt may be added to the second mixture to make a binder composition, which may be applied to fibers to form a binder-fiber amalgam. The amalgam may be heated to cure the binder composition and form the fiber-reinforced composite.

Formaldehyde-free binder compositions are described that include an aldehyde or ketone, an organic anhydride, an alkanol amine, and a nitrogen-containing salt of an inorganic acid. The binder compositions may be applied to fibers, such as glass fibers, to make formaldehyde-free, fiber-reinforced composites. Methods of making fiber-reinforced composites are also described, where such methods may include mixing an alkanol amine with an organic anhydride to make a first mixture, and adding a reducing sugar to the first mixture to make a second mixture. A nitrogen-containing salt may be added to the second mixture to make a binder composition, which may be applied to fibers to form a binder-fiber amalgam. The amalgam may be heated to cure the binder composition and form the fiber-reinforced composite.

Embodiments of the present technology include a formaldehyde-free binder composition. The composition may include melamine. The composition may also include a reducing sugar. In addition, the binder composition may include a non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone. Embodiments may also include a method of making a formaldehyde-free binder composition. The method may include dissolving melamine in an aqueous solution of a reducing sugar. The concentration of the reducing sugar may be 30 wt. % to 70 wt. % of the aqueous solution, which may be at a temperature of 50 C. to 100 C. The method may also include adding a non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone to the dissolved melamine in the aqueous solution to form a binder solution. The temperature of the aqueous solution of the dissolved melamine may be 50 C. to 100 C. during the addition of the non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone. The method may further include reducing the temperature of the binder solution.

Embodiments of the present technology include a formaldehyde-free binder composition. The composition may include melamine. The composition may also include a reducing sugar. In addition, the binder composition may include a non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone. Embodiments may also include a method of making a formaldehyde-free binder composition. The method may include dissolving melamine in an aqueous solution of a reducing sugar. The concentration of the reducing sugar may be 30 wt. % to 70 wt. % of the aqueous solution, which may be at a temperature of 50 C. to 100 C. The method may also include adding a non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone to the dissolved melamine in the aqueous solution to form a binder solution. The temperature of the aqueous solution of the dissolved melamine may be 50 C. to 100 C. during the addition of the non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone. The method may further include reducing the temperature of the binder solution.

Provided is a method for producing a bisphenol by removing, from a mixed solution containing a bisphenol and another resin other than a polycarbonate resin, the another resin to obtain the bisphenol, the method including a step in which the bisphenol is precipitated out of an aromatic monoalcohol-containing solution in which the bisphenol and the another resin are dissolved in a solvent containing an aromatic monoalcohol to obtain a slurry of the bisphenol, and the slurry of the bisphenol is then subjected to solid-liquid separation to obtain a crude cake of the bisphenol and a mother liquor.

A method for separating a polymer-containing composition from a substrate coated with the composition is described, the method comprising contacting the coated substrate with an acidic solution under conditions sufficient to separate the composition from the substrate which can then be recycled, wherein at least one polymer present in the polymer-containing composition is formed from at least one monomer having one or more functional groups which form acid-labile (reversible) covalent crosslinking bonds with the substrate and/or with a different polymer present in the polymer-containing composition and/or with itself.

Systems and methods for producing aerogel materials are generally described. In certain cases, the methods do not require supercritical drying as part of the manufacturing process. In some cases, certain combinations of materials, solvents, and/or processing steps may be synergistically employed so as to enable manufacture of large (e.g., meter-scale), substantially crack free, and/or mechanically strong aerogel materials.