Method and system using surfactants in paper sizing composition to inhibit deposition of multivalent fatty acid salts

Abstract

A method for inhibiting deposition of multivalent saturated fatty acids on paper sizing equipment and/or devices which use a paper surface sizing composition containing one or more surface sizing starches and a source of multivalent cations, such as a multivalent metal drying salt, by including a C 16 or higher saturated fatty acid solubilizing and dispersing surfactant in the paper surface sizing composition. Also, a paper surface sizing system for carrying out this method.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising the following steps of:
 (a) providing a paper surface sizing composition comprising one or more surface sizing starches in an amount which provides at least about 10% starch solids and which liberates at least about 300 ppm C 16  or higher saturated fatty acids when the one or more surface sizing starches are cooked; and   (b) prior to contact with a source of multivalent cations at a level of at least about 1000 ppm, adding a C 16  or higher saturated fatty acid solubilizing and dispersing surfactant having a Krafft temperature to the paper surface sizing composition in an amount effective to solubilize and disperse C 16  or higher saturated fatty acids liberated from the one or more high fatty acid surface sizing starches and/or monovalent salts of the liberated C 16  or higher saturated fatty acids, wherein the paper surface sizing composition is raised to a temperature above the Krafft temperature to thereby solubilize and disperse the liberated C 16  or higher saturated fatty acids and/or monovalent salts thereof in the paper surface sizing composition and thus inhibit the deposition of multivalent C 16  or higher saturated fatty acid salts on paper surface sizing equipment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the paper surface sizing composition is raised above the Krafft temperature by cooking the one or more surface sizing starches in the paper surface sizing composition to thereby liberate the C 16  or higher saturated fatty acids. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the surfactant of step (b) is added prior to cooking the one or more surface sizing starches in the paper surface sizing composition. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the surfactant of step (b) is added after cooking the one or more surface sizing starches in the paper surface sizing composition. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , which comprises the further step (c) of adding a monovalent hydroxide to the cooked paper surface sizing composition and prior to introducing a source of multivalent cations to thereby neutralize and convert the liberated C 16  or higher saturated fatty acids to monovalent C 16  or higher saturated fatty acid salts. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the cooked paper surface sizing composition is raised to a pH of from about 6 to about 9. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the surfactant of step (b) is added prior to step (c). 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the surfactant of step (b) is added after step (c). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the source of multivalent cations of step (b) comprises a multivalent metal drying salt, and wherein the method comprises the further step (c) of treating at least one surface of a paper substrate with the paper surface sizing composition and the multivalent metal drying salt. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the paper substrate has two surfaces, and wherein step (c) comprises treating each surface with the paper surface sizing composition and the multivalent metal drying salt/ 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the source of multivalent cations of step (b) is added to the paper surface sizing composition prior to step (c). 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more surface sizing starches comprise one or more high fatty acid surface sizing starches. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more high fatty acid surface sizing starches comprise one or more surface sizing non-waxy cereal starches. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more surface sizing non-waxy cereal starches comprise one or more of non-waxy corn starch and non-waxy wheat starch. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the paper surface sizing composition comprises at least about 400 ppm C 16  or higher saturated fatty acids when the one or more surface sizing starches are cooked. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the paper surface sizing composition comprises above about 12% surface sizing starch solids. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein surfactant of step (b) comprises one or more of:
 nonionic polyoxyethylene sorbitan monoesters of C 12 -C 18  fatty acids surfactants;   hydrophobically nonionic modified hydroxyethyl cellulose (HMHEC) ether surfactants;   amphoteric surfactants; and anionic maleic anhydride/olefin (isobutylene) copolymer surfactants.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the surfactant of step (b) comprises one or more of:
 nonionic polyoxyethylene(20) sorbitan monolaurate surfactants; nonionic hydrophobically modified hydroxyethyl cellulose ether surfactants; amphoteric protein surfactants; and   anionic maleic anhydride/olefin (isobutylene) copolymer surfactants.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , where the surfactant of step (b) is added to the paper surface sizing composition in a concentration of from about 20 to about 1000 ppm. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , where the surfactant of step (b) is added to the paper surface sizing composition in a concentration of from about 50 to about 500 ppm. 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a source of a paper surface sizing composition which comprises one or more high fatty acid surface sizing starches in amount which provides above about 10% starch solids;   a starch cooking stage which cooks the one or more high fatty acid surface sizing starches in the paper surface sizing composition and thus liberates at least about 300 ppm C 16  or higher saturated fatty acids from the one or more surface sizing starches;   a fatty acid neutralization stage which neutralizes and converts the liberated C 16  or higher saturated fatty acids in the cooked paper surface sizing composition to monovalent C 16  or higher saturated fatty acid salts;   a source of a multivalent metal drying salt;   a paper surface sizing device wherein at least one surface of a paper substrate is treated with the neutralized paper surface sizing composition and also with the multivalent metal drying salt in an amount which provides multivalent cations at a level of at least about 1000 ppm; and   a source of a C 16  or higher saturated fatty acid solubilizing and dispersing surfactant having a Krafft temperature which can solubilize and disperse the liberated C 16  or higher saturated fatty acids and/or monovalent salts thereof in the paper surface sizing composition, wherein the surfactant is added to the paper surface sizing composition prior to treatment of the at least one surface with the multivalent metal drying salt, and wherein the starch cooking stage raises the paper surface sizing composition to a temperature above the Krafft temperature of the surfactant such that the surfactant solubilizes and disperses the liberated C 16  or higher saturated fatty acids and/or monovalent salts thereof in the paper surface sizing composition, and thus inhibits the deposition of multivalent C 16  or higher saturated fatty acid salts on the paper surface sizing device.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the surfactant is added to the paper surface sizing composition prior to the starch cooking stage. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the surfactant is added to the paper surface sizing composition after the starch cooking stage. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the surfactant is added the cooked paper surface sizing composition prior to the fatty acid neutralization stage. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the surfactant is added the cooked paper surface sizing composition after the fatty acid neutralization stage. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the source of the paper surface sizing composition comprises above about 12% surface sizing starch solids. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the multivalent metal drying salt is added to the paper surface sizing composition prior to treating the at least one surface at the paper surface sizing device. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the paper substrate has two surfaces and wherein each surface is treated with the paper surface sizing composition and the multivalent metal drying salt at the paper surface sizing device. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the paper surface sizing device comprises a size press. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the source of the paper surface sizing composition comprises one or more high fatty acid surface sizing starches. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the one or more high fatty acid surface sizing starches comprise one or more surface sizing non-waxy cereal starches. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more surface sizing non-waxy cereal starches comprise one or more of non-waxy corn starch and non-waxy wheat starch. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the source of surfactant comprises one or more of:
 nonionic polyoxyethylene sorbitan monoesters of C 12 -C 18  fatty acids surfactants;   hydrophobically nonionic modified hydroxyethyl cellulose (HMHEC) ether surfactants;   amphoteric surfactants; and anionic maleic anhydride/olefin (isobutylene) copolymer surfactants.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the source of surfactant comprises one or more of: nonionic polyoxyethylene(20) sorbitan monolaurate surfactants; nonionic hydrophobically modified hydroxyethyl cellulose ether surfactants; amphoteric protein surfactants; and anionic maleic anhydride/olefin (isobutylene) copolymer surfactants.