Rosin-based resins for surface sizing application

Abstract

The present invention relates to surface sizing compositions, methods for making such compositions, processes for sizing paper products using such compositions, and paper products which have been sized with such compositions. In particular, the invention relates to novel surface sizing compositions comprising rosin-based component and styrene-carboxylic copolymer.

1 . A surface sizing composition, comprising:
 (a) at least one rosin or rosin derivative; and   (b) at least one styrene-carboxylic polymer.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , comprising:
 (a) about 50% to about 90% weight of rosin or rosin derivative; and   (b) about 10% to about 50% weight of styrene-carboxylic polymer.   
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the rosin is selected from the group consisting of tall oil rosin, gum rosin, wood rosin, and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the rosin derivative is selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated rosins, disproportionated rosins, formaldehyde-treated rosins, dimerized rosins, polymerized rosin, fumarated rosins, maleated rosins, styrenated rosins, phenolic-modified rosins, acrylic-modified rosins, hydrocarbon-modified rosins, rosin-vinylic copolymers, rosin salts, hydrogenated rosin salts, disproportionated rosin salts, formaldehyde-treated rosin salts, dimerized rosin salts, polymerized rosin salts, fumarated rosin salts, maleated rosin salts, styrenated rosin salts, phenolic-modified rosin salts, acrylic-modified rosin salts, hydrocarbon-modified rosin salts, rosin-vinylic copolymer salts, rosin esters, hydrogenated rosin esters, disproportionated rosin esters, formaldehyde-treated rosin esters, dimerized rosin esters, polymerized rosin esters, fumarated rosin esters, maleated rosin esters, styrenated rosin esters, phenolic-modified rosin esters, acrylic-modified rosin esters, hydrocarbon-modified rosin esters, rosin-vinylic copolymer esters, rosin amides, hydrogenated rosin amides, disproportionated rosin amides, formaldehyde-treated rosin amides, dimerized rosin amides, polymerized rosin amides, fumarated rosin amides, maleated rosin amides, styrenated rosin amides, phenolic-modified rosin amides, acrylic-modified rosin amides, hydrocarbon-modified rosin amides, rosin-vinylic copolymer amides, and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein the rosin derivative is selected from the group consisting of fumarated rosin, maleated rosin, rosin ester, rosin amide, rosin salt, and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the styrene-carboxylic polymer includes polymerization products of:
 (a) at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, fumaric acid, crotonic acid, itaconic acid, maleic acid, maleic anhydride, carboxylic acrylics, and their corresponding esters thereof, and   (b) at least one styrenic monomer.   
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the styrenic monomer is selected from the group consisting of alpha-methyl styrene, styrene, vinyl toluene, tertiary butyl styrene, ortho-chlorostyrene, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the styrene-carboxylic polymer is selected from the group consisting of styrene acrylic copolymer, styrene maleic copolymer, and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of protective colloids, starch derivatives, cellulose derivatives, polymeric materials, and surfactants. 
     
     
         10 . Paper sized with a surface sizing composition, wherein the surface sizing composition comprises:
 (a) at least one rosin or rosin derivative; and   (b) at least one styrene-carboxylic polymer.   
     
     
         11 . The paper of  claim 10 , wherein the surface sizing composition comprises:
 (a) about 50% to about 90% weight of rosin or rosin derivative; and   (b) about 10% to about 50% weight of styrene-carboxylic polymer.   
     
     
         12 . The paper of  claim 10 , wherein the rosin is selected from the group consisting of tall oil rosin, gum rosin, wood rosin, and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The paper of  claim 10 , wherein the rosin derivative is selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated rosins, disproportionated rosins, formaldehyde-treated rosins, dimerized rosins, polymerized rosin, fumarated rosins, maleated rosins, styrenated rosins, phenolic-modified rosins, acrylic-modified rosins, hydrocarbon-modified rosins, rosin-vinylic copolymers, rosin salts, hydrogenated rosin salts, disproportionated rosin salts, formaldehyde-treated rosin salts, dimerized rosin salts, polymerized rosin salts, fumarated rosin salts, maleated rosin salts, styrenated rosin salts, phenolic-modified rosin salts, acrylic-modified rosin salts, hydrocarbon-modified rosin salts, rosin-vinylic copolymer salts, rosin esters, hydrogenated rosin esters, disproportionated rosin esters, formaldehyde-treated rosin esters, dimerized rosin esters, polymerized rosin esters, fumarated rosin esters, maleated rosin esters, styrenated rosin esters, phenolic-modified rosin esters, acrylic-modified rosin esters, hydrocarbon-modified rosin esters, rosin-vinylic copolymer esters, rosin amides, hydrogenated rosin amides, disproportionated rosin amides, formaldehyde-treated rosin amides, dimerized rosin amides, polymerized rosin amides, fumarated rosin amides, maleated rosin amides, styrenated rosin amides, phenolic-modified rosin amides, acrylic-modified rosin amides, hydrocarbon-modified rosin amides, rosin-vinylic copolymer amides, and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The paper of  claim 13 , wherein the rosin derivative is selected from the group consisting of fumarated rosin, maleated rosin, rosin amide, rosin salt, and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The paper of  claim 10 , wherein the styrene-carboxylic polymer includes polymerization products of:
 (a) at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, fumaric acid, crotonic acid, itaconic acid, maleic acid, maleic anhydride, carboxylic acrylics, and their corresponding esters thereof, and   (b) at least one styrenic monomer.   
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein the styrenic monomer is selected from the group consisting of alpha-methyl styrene, styrene, vinyl toluene, tertiary butyl styrene, ortho-chlorostyrene, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The paper of  claim 10 , wherein the styrene-carboxylic polymer is selected from the group consisting of styrene-acrylic copolymer, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer, and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The paper of  claim 10 , wherein the surface sizing composition further comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of protective colloids, starch derivatives, cellulose derivatives, polymeric materials, and surfactants. 
     
     
         19 . The paper of  claim 10 , wherein an amount of the sizing composition is in a range of about 0.025% to about 0.4% by weight of solids based on total weight of the paper. 
     
     
         20 . Paper produced by a process comprising:
 (a) providing an aqueous pulp suspension;   (b) sheeting and drying the aqueous pulp suspension to obtain paper;   (c) applying to at least one surface of the paper, the surface size composition comprising at least one rosin or rosin derivative and at least one styrene-carboxylic polymer; and   (d) drying the paper.   
     
     
         21 . The paper of  claim 20 , wherein the surface sizing composition comprises:
 (a) about 50% to about 90% weight of rosin or rosin derivative; and   (b) about 10% to about 50% weight of styrene-carboxylic polymer.   
     
     
         22 . The paper of  claim 20 , wherein the rosin is selected from the group consisting of tall oil rosin, gum rosin, wood rosin, and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The paper of  claim 20 , wherein the rosin derivative is selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated rosins, disproportionated rosins, formaldehyde-treated rosins, dimerized rosins, polymerized rosin, fumarated rosins, maleated rosins, styrenated rosins, phenolic-modified rosins, acrylic-modified rosins, hydrocarbon-modified rosins, rosin-vinylic copolymers, rosin salts, hydrogenated rosin salts, disproportionated rosin salts, formaldehyde-treated rosin salts, dimerized rosin salts, polymerized rosin salts, fumarated rosin salts, maleated rosin salts, styrenated rosin salts, phenolic-modified rosin salts, acrylic-modified rosin salts, hydrocarbon-modified rosin salts, rosin-vinylic copolymer salts, rosin esters, hydrogenated rosin esters, disproportionated rosin esters, formaldehyde-treated rosin esters, dimerized rosin esters, polymerized rosin esters, fumarated rosin esters, maleated rosin esters, styrenated rosin esters, phenolic-modified rosin esters, acrylic-modified rosin esters, hydrocarbon-modified rosin esters, rosin-vinylic copolymer esters, rosin amides, hydrogenated rosin amides, disproportionated rosin amides, formaldehyde-treated rosin amides, dimerized rosin amides, polymerized rosin amides, fumarated rosin amides, maleated rosin amides, styrenated rosin amides, phenolic-modified rosin amides, acrylic-modified rosin amides, hydrocarbon-modified rosin amides, rosin-vinylic copolymer amides, and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The paper of  claim 23 , wherein the rosin derivative is selected from the group consisting of fumarated rosin, maleated rosin, rosin amide, rosin salt, and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The paper of  claim 20 , wherein the styrene-carboxylic polymer includes polymerization products of:
 (a) at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, fumaric acid, crotonic acid, itaconic acid, maleic acid, maleic anhydride, carboxylic acrylics, and their corresponding esters thereof, and   (b) at least one styrenic monomer.   
     
     
         26 . The paper of  claim 25 , wherein the styrenic monomer is selected from the group consisting of alpha-methyl styrene, styrene, vinyl toluene, tertiary butyl styrene, ortho-chlorostyrene, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The paper of  claim 20 , wherein the styrene-carboxylic polymer is selected from the group consisting of styrene-acrylic copolymer, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer, and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The paper of  claim 20 , wherein the surface size composition further comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of protective colloids, starch derivatives, cellulose derivatives, polymeric materials, and surfactants. 
     
     
         29 . The paper of  claim 20 , wherein an amount of the surface sizing composition applied to the paper is in a range of about 0.025% weight to about 0.4% by weight of solids based on total weight of the paper. 
     
     
         30 . The paper of  claim 20 , wherein the step (c) takes place at a size press. 
     
     
         31 . The paper of  claim 20 , wherein the step (c) takes place at a water-box. 
     
     
         32 . The paper of  claim 20 , wherein the process further comprises a step of adding at least one sizing composition to the aqueous pulp suspension prior to step (b).