Recording medium

Abstract

A recording medium includes a substrate, and a deinking agent incorporated in the substrate, on the substrate in a layer, or both in the substrate and on the substrate in a layer. The deinking agent is chosen from an unsaturated fatty acid having from 19 to 23 carbon atoms and combinations of these unsaturated fatty acids. The deinking agent interacts with an ink having been printed on the recording medium to remove the ink during a deinking process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A recording medium, comprising:
 a substrate; and   a deinking agent incorporated: i) in the substrate; ii) on the substrate in a layer; or iii) both i and ii, the deinking agent being chosen from an unsaturated fatty acid having from 19 to 23 carbon atoms and combinations of these unsaturated fatty acids;   wherein the deinking agent is to interact with an ink having been printed on the recording medium to remove the ink during a deinking process.   
     
     
         2 . The recording medium as defined in  claim 1  wherein the unsaturated fatty acid has a chemical formula of C 22 H 42 O 2 , and wherein a double bond of the C 22 H 42 O 2  is present at any position along its carbon chain. 
     
     
         3 . The recording medium as defined in  claim 2  wherein the unsaturated fatty acid is erucic acid. 
     
     
         4 . The recording medium as defined in  claim 1  wherein the unsaturated fatty acid is present in an amount ranging from about 0.2 wt % to about 2 wt % per unit weight of the substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The recording medium as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising an other deinking agent chosen from a saturated fatty acid, an other unsaturated fatty acid, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The recording medium as defined in  claim 5  wherein:
 the saturated fatty acid is chosen from acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, enanthic acid, caprylic acid, pelargonic acid, capric acid, undecylic acid, lauric acid, tridecylic acid, myristic acid, pentadecanoic acid, palmitic acid, margaric acid, stearic acid, nonadecylic acid, arachidic acid, heneicosylic acid, behenic acid, tricosylic acid, lignoceric acid, pentacosylic acid, cerotic acid, heptacosylic acid, montanic acid, nonacosylic acid, melissic acid, hentriacontylic acid, lacceroic acid, psyllic acid, geddic acid, ceroplastic acid, and hexatriacontylic acid; and 
 the other unsaturated fatty acid is chosen from α-linolenic acid, stearidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, linoleic acid, γ-linolenic acid, dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, oleic acid, eicosenoic acid, nervonic acid, and mead acid. 
 
     
     
         7 . The recording medium as defined in  claim 1  wherein the recording medium includes the layer, which has the deinking agent incorporated therein. 
     
     
         8 . The recording medium as defined in  claim 7  wherein the layer further has an other deinking agent therein, the other deinking agent chosen from a saturated fatty acid, an other unsaturated fatty acid, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The recording medium as defined in  claim 1  wherein the substrate is chosen from a base paper including cellulose fibers. 
     
     
         10 . A method for forming the recording medium as defined in  claim 1 , comprising incorporating the deinking agent into the substrate by:
 forming a paper base by any of chemically or mechanically treating wood pulp; and   adding the deinking agent to the paper base.   
     
     
         11 . A method for forming the recording medium as defined in  claim 1 , comprising:
 adding the deinking agent to a combination of a pigment and a binder to form a coating layer composition; and   applying the coating layer composition onto a surface of the substrate to form the layer.   
     
     
         12 . A deinking process, comprising:
 pulping a medium having an ink printed on a surface thereof in the presence of a deinking chemical to form a slurry, the medium having a deinking agent that is: i) incorporated into the medium; ii) incorporated into a layer formed on a surface of the medium; or iii) both i and ii, the deinking agent being chosen from an unsaturated fatty acid having from 19 to 23 carbon atoms and combinations of these unsaturated fatty acids; and   performing a flotation process using the slurry and a frother.   
     
     
         13 . The deinking process as defined in  claim 12  wherein the deinking agent, upon interacting with the ink during the pulping process, breaks the ink into smaller particles that are removable during the flotation process, and wherein the ink is chosen from liquid electrophotographic (LEP) inks, pigment-based inkjet inks, dye-based inkjet inks, and inks for offset printing. 
     
     
         14 . The deinking process as defined in  claim 12  wherein the medium further includes an other deinking agent in combination with the deinking agent, the other deinking agent chosen from a saturated fatty acid, an other unsaturated fatty acids, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The deinking process as defined in  claim 12  wherein the deinking chemical is a mixture of sodium hydroxide, sodium silicate, and hydrogen peroxide.