A solid material that holds (binds) other materials or phases together. Binders are often formed from liquid or pasty suspensions which harden upon drying, both in artificial (e.g. cement in a masonry) and natural systems (e.g. carbonate cement in sandstones). Hardening may be solely by evaporation or by precipitation of new phases (e.g., calcite).
Cf., cement, concrete, Portland cement