Retention and drainage in the manufacture of paper

Abstract

A method of improving retention and drainage in a papermaking process is disclosed. The method provides for the addition of an associative polymer, a second component and optionally a siliceous material to the papermaking slurry. Additionally, a composition comprising an associative polymer, and a second component, and optionally further comprising cellulose fiber is disclosed.

1 . A method of improving retention and drainage in a papermaking process wherein the improvement comprises at least a 3 percent increase in retention and at least a 5 percent improvement in drainage time over the associative polymer produced without using lauroyl peroxide wherein the associative polymer comprising the formula: 
           B-co-F   (I) 
       wherein B is a nonionic polymer segment comprising one or more ethylenically unsaturated nonionic monomers; F is an polymer segment comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated anionic or cationic monomer; and the molar percent ratio of B:F is 99:1 to 1:99 and wherein the associative polymer has associative properties provided by an effective amount of at least emulsification surfactant chosen from diblock or triblock polymeric surfactants, and wherein the amount of the at least one diblock or triblock surfactant to monomer is at least about 3:100.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the associative polymer is formed from monomers comprising at least one non-ionic monomers selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, methacrylamide, N,N-dialkylacrylamides, N-alkylacrylamides, N-vinylmethacetamide, N-vinylformamide, N-vinylmethylformamide, N-vinylpyrrolidone, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the associative polymer is formed from monomers further comprising at least one anionic monomer selected from the group consisting of the free acid or salt of: acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, sodium styrene sulfonate, 2-acrylamido-2-alkylsulfonic acids where the alkyl group contains 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the associative polymer is anionic and wherein the storage modulus of a 1.5 wt. % active polymers solution at 6.3 Hz is greater than 75 Pa.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein at least one anionic monomer selected from free acids or salts of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the associative polymer contains acrylamide and the free acid or salt of acrylic acid.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising a second material.  
     
     
         8 . The method  claim 7  wherein the second material is selected from at least one of the groups comprising siliceous material, organic micropolymers, polyelectrolytes, starch or starch derivatives, aluminum compounds, poly(vinylamine), zeolites, water compatible polymers, metal sales, silicone and cyclic organic materials.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the associative polymer is cationic.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the associative polymer comprises both anionic and cationic monomers.  
     
     
         11 . A method of  claim 1  wherein the di- or tri-block copolymer emulsification surfactant is a copolymer of ethylene oxide and hydroxystearic acid.  
     
     
         12 . A method of  claim 6  wherein the di- or tri-block copolymer emulsification surfactant is a copolymer of ethylene oxide and hydroxystearic acid.