Paper compositions, imaging methods and methods for manufacturing paper

Abstract

There is described a paper composition which comprises an anionic polymeric material and a binder material. The paper compositions of the invention are particularly useful as receiver materials for images formed by electrophotographic imaging methods utilizing liquid developers. Also described are imaging methods which utilize the paper compositions of the invention as receiver materials and methods for manufacturing the paper.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A paper composition comprising at least one anionic polymeric material and at least one binder material and not having more than about 20% by weight of mechanical fiber.  
     
     
         2 . A paper composition as defined in  claim 1  not having more than about 10% by weight of mechanical fiber.  
     
     
         3 . A paper composition as defined in  claim 1  comprising from about 0.1 to about 18.0 lbs/3300 ft 2  of finished paper of at least one anionic polymeric material and from about 0.25 to about 10.0 lbs/3300 ft 2  of finished paper of at least one binder material  
     
     
         4 . A paper composition as defined in  claim 1  comprising from about 0.20 to about 5.0 lbs/3300 ft 2  of finished paper of at least one anionic polymeric material and from about 1.0 to about 5.0 lbs/3300 ft 2  of finished paper of at least one binder material.  
     
     
         5 . A paper composition as defined in  claim 1  wherein said anionic polymer material is selected from the group consisting of homopolymers, copolymers and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         6 . A paper composition as defined in  claim 1  wherein said anionic polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyethyleneacrylic acid, polystyrene sulfonate, anionic polyacrylamide, polystyreneacrylic acid and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         7 . A paper composition as defined in  claim 1  wherein said anionic polymer is in the salt form.  
     
     
         8 . A paper composition as defined in  claim 7  wherein said anionic polymeric material is an ammonium salt of polyethyleneacrylic acid.  
     
     
         9 . A paper composition as defined in  claim 8  and further including anionic polyacrylamide  
     
     
         10 . A paper composition as defined in  claim 1  wherein said binder material is selected from the group consisting of starch, latexes, proteins, alginates, vegetable gums and cellulose derivatives.  
     
     
         11 . A paper composition as defined in  claim 10  wherein said binder comprises starch and said anionic polymeric material comprises anionic polyacrylamide and an ammonium salt of polyethyleneacrylic acid.  
     
     
         12 . A paper composition as defined in  claim 11  comprising from about 0.20 to about 5.0 lbs of an ammonium salt of polyethyleneacrylic acid, from about 0.10 to about 1.0 lb of anionic polyacrylamide and from about 1.0 to about 5.0 lbs of starch, each based on 3300 ft 2  of finished paper.  
     
     
         13 . A paper composition as defined in  claim 1  wherein said anionic polymeric material has a Vicat softening temperature which is equal to or less than about 90° C.  
     
     
         14 . An imaging method comprising the steps of: 
 a. forming an image; and    b. transferring said image to a sheet of paper comprising at least one anionic polymeric material and at least one binder material.    
     
     
         15 . The imaging method as defined in  claim 14  wherein said paper does not have more than about 20% by weight of mechanical fiber.  
     
     
         16 . The imaging method as defined in  claim 14  wherein said paper does not have more than about 10% by weight of mechanical fiber.  
     
     
         17 . The imaging method as defined in  claim 14  wherein said paper comprises from about 0.1 to about 18.0 lbs/3300 ft 2  of finished paper of said anionic polymeric material and from about 0.25 to about 10.0 lbs/3300 ft 2  of finished paper of said binder material.  
     
     
         18 . The imaging method as defined in  claim 14  wherein said paper comprises from about 0.2 to about 5.0 lbs/3300 ft 2  of finished paper of at least one anionic polymeric material and from about 1.0 to about 5.0 lbs/3300 ft 2  of finished paper of at least one binder material.  
     
     
         19 . The imaging method as defined in  claim 14  wherein step a. comprises forming said image on a photoconductive surface utilizing a liquid developer composition and transferring said image from said photoconductive surface to a heated intermediate transfer surface and step b. comprises transferring said image from said intermediate transfer surface to said sheet of paper.  
     
     
         20 . The imaging method as defined in  claim 19  wherein during step b. said intermediate surface has a temperature of from about 100° C. to about 200° C.  
     
     
         21 . The imaging method as defined in  claim 20  wherein said anionic polymeric material has a softening temperature of from about 10° C. to about 100° C. less than the temperature of the surface of said paper when it is in contact with said intermediate transfer surface.  
     
     
         22 . The imaging method as defined in  claim 21  wherein said anionic polymeric material has a softening temperature of about 40° C.  
     
     
         23 . The imaging method as defined in  claim 21  wherein said paper composition comprises an ammonium salt of polyethyleneacrylic acid, anionic polyacrylamide and starch.  
     
     
         24 . The imaging method as defined in  claim 23  wherein said paper composition comprises from about 0.20 to about 5.0 lbs of an ammonium salt of polyethyleneacrylic acid, from about 0.10 to about 1.0 lb of anionic polyacrylamide and about 1.0 to about 5.0 lbs of starch, each based on 3300 ft 2  of finished paper.  
     
     
         25 . The imaging method as defined in  claim 14  wherein step a. comprises irradiating a substantially uniformly electrostatically charged photoconductive surface with an imagewise-modulated laser beam.  
     
     
         26 . The imaging method as defined in  claim 14  wherein step a. comprises forming said image on a photoconductive surface and further including the step of fusing said image to said paper sheet.  
     
     
         27 . The imaging method as defined in  claim 26  wherein said anionic polymeric material has a softening temperature equal or less than 180° C.  
     
     
         28 . A method for manufacturing paper comprising applying at least one anionic polymeric material and at lest one binder material to a paper composition to obtain a paper having not more than about 20% by weight of mechanical fiber.  
     
     
         29 . The method as defined in  claim 28  wherein said paper composition does not have more than about 10% by weight of mechanical fiber.  
     
     
         30 . The method as defined in  claim 28  wherein said anionic polymeric material and said binder material are applied from a solution, dispersion, emulsion or combinations thereof,  
     
     
         31 . The method as defined in  claim 28  wherein said anionic polymeric material and said binder materials are applied at a size press addition station.  
     
     
         32 . The method as defined in  claim 28  wherein said anionic polymeric material and said binder material are applied from a solution, dispersion, emulsion or combinations thereof having a pH of from about 6 to 8.