Decor paper comprising self-dispersing pigments

Abstract

The disclosure provides décor paper comprising a self-dispersing pigment having an isoelectric point of at least about 8, more typically about 8 to about 10, comprising an inorganic particle, pigment, having a silica treatment and an outermost treatment prepared by sequentially by (a) hydrolyzing an aluminum compound or basic aluminate to deposit a hydrous alumina surface; and (b) adding a dual-functional compound comprising: an anchoring group that attaches the dual-functional compound to the pigment surface, and a basic amine group comprising a primary, secondary or tertiary amine. Typically, the inorganic particle is titanium dioxide, TiO 2 . These décor papers comprising the self-dispersing pigments are useful in making paper laminates.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A décor paper comprising a self-dispersing pigment having an isoelectric point of at least about 8, more typically about 8 to about 10, comprising an inorganic particle having a silica treatment and an outermost treatment prepared by sequentially:
 (a) hydrolyzing an aluminum compound or basic aluminate to deposit a hydrous alumina surface; and 
 (b) adding a dual-functional compound comprising
 i. an anchoring group that attaches the dual-functional compound to the pigment surface, and 
 ii. a basic amine group comprising a primary, secondary or tertiary amine. 
 
 
     
     
         2 . The décor paper of  claim 1  further comprising an opaque, cellulose pulp-based sheet. 
     
     
         3 . The décor paper of  claim 1  further comprising an impregnating resin. 
     
     
         4 . The décor paper of  claim 3  wherein the impregnating resin is a phenolic resin or a melamine resin. 
     
     
         5 . The décor paper of  claim 1  wherein the inorganic particle is ZnO, TiO 2 , SrTiO 3 , BaSO 4 , PbCO 3 , BaTiO 3 , Ce 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , CaCO 3  or ZrO 2 . 
     
     
         6 . The décor paper of  claim 5  wherein the inorganic particle is a self-dispersing TiO 2  pigment having a surface area of at least 10 m 2 /g, preferably >15 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         7 . The décor paper of  claim 6  wherein the anchoring group is a carboxylic acid functional group, a di-carboxylic acid group, an oxoanion functional group, a 1,3-diketone, 3-ketoamide, derivative of 1,3-diketone, or derivative of 3-ketoamide. 
     
     
         8 . The décor paper of  claim 7  wherein the carboxylic acid functional group comprises acetate or salts thereof and the di-carboxylic acid group comprises malonate, succinate, glutarate, adipate or salts thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The décor paper of  claim 6  wherein the diketone is 2,4-pentanedione, 3-(2-aminoethyl)-2,4-pentanedione or a derivative of 2,4-pentanedione substituted at C-3 with ammine or an amine-containing functional group or salts thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The décor paper of  claim 7  wherein the oxoanion functional group comprises a substituted phosphate, phosphonate, sulfate, or sulfonate. 
     
     
         11 . The self-dispersing pigment of  claim 3  wherein the basic amine comprises ammine; an N-alkyl amine of 1 to 8 carbon atoms; an N-cycloalkyl amine of 3 to 6 carbon atoms; an N,N-dialkyl amine of 2 to 16 carbon atoms; N,N-dicycloalkyl amine of 6 to 12 carbon atoms; or mixtures of both alkyl and cycloalkyl substituents. 
     
     
         12 . The décor paper of  claim 6  wherein the dual functional compound further comprises a tethering group X n  that chemically connects the anchoring group to the basic amine group, wherein the tethering group comprises an alkyl chain of 1-8 carbon atoms; a polyetheramine comprising poly(oxyethylene) or poly(oxypropylene), or mixtures thereof whereby the weight average molecular weight of the tethering group is about 220 to about 2000; wherein a carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, or sulfur atom constitute the attachment point between the tethering group and the anchoring group. 
     
     
         13 . The décor paper of  claim 6  wherein the dual-functional compound comprises
 (i) an aminomalonate derivative having the structure: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein X is a tethering group that chemically connects the anchoring group to the basic amine group;
 R′ and R″ are each individually selected from hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkyl-aryl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, alkene, alkylene, arylene, alkylarylene, arylalkylene or cycloalkylene; 
 R 1  and R 2  are each individually selected from hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, alkene, alkylene, or cycloalkylene; and 
 n=0-50; 
 (ii) an aminosuccinate derivative having the structure: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein X is a tethering group that chemically connects the anchoring group to the basic amine group;
 R′ and R″ are each individually selected from hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkyl-aryl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, alkene, alkylene, arylene, alkylarylene, arylalkylene or cycloalkylene; 
 R 1  and R 2  are each individually selected from hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, alkene, alkylene, or cycloalkylene; and 
 n=0-50; 
 (iii) a 2,4-pentanedione derivative having the structure: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein X is a tethering group that chemically connects the anchoring group to the basic amine group;
 R 1  and R 2  are each individually selected from hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, alkene, alkylene, and cycloalkylene; and 
 n=0-50; or 
 (iv) a 3-ketobutanamide derivative having the structure: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein X is a tethering group that chemically connects the anchoring group to the basic amine group;
 R 1  and R 2  are each individually selected from hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, alkene, alkylene, and cycloalkylene and 
 n=0-50. 
 
     
     
         14 . The décor paper of  claim 13  wherein the tethering group “X” comprises:
 an alkyl chain of 1-8 carbon atoms; (b) a polyether chain comprising poly(oxyethylene) or poly(oxypropylene), or mixtures thereof whereby the weight average molecular weight of the tethering group is about 220 to about 2000; or 
 (c) polyetheramine co-polymers comprising both oxoethylene and oxopropylene monomers. 
 
     
     
         15 . The decor paper of  claim 13  wherein R′ and R″ are hydrogen, methyl or ethyl and R 1  and R 2  are hydrogen, methyl, ethyl or propyl. 
     
     
         16 . The décor paper of  claim 13  wherein the aminomalonate derivative is a methyl ester of 2-(2-aminoethyl)malonic acid or an ethyl ester of 2-(2-aminoethyl)malonic acid; 
     
     
         17 . The décor paper of  claim 13  wherein the aminosuccinate derivative is a methyl ester of N-substituted aspartic acid or an ethyl ester of N-substituted aspartic acid. 
     
     
         18 . The décor paper of  claim 13  wherein the 3-ketobutanamide(amidoacetate) derivative is an ethylenediamine amide or a diethylenetriamine amide. 
     
     
         19 . The décor paper of  claim 6  wherein aluminum compound is made from the salts comprising aluminum chloride, aluminum sulfate, or aluminum nitrate or mixtures thereof or a basic aluminate from a source comprising sodium or potassium aluminate. 
     
     
         20 . The décor paper of  claim 6  wherein the self-dispersing TiO 2  pigment further comprises at least one oxide treatment comprising aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, aluminosilicate or aluminophosphate. 
     
     
         21 . The décor paper of  claim 3  wherein a silica treatment is formed using a wet treatment process; deposition of pyrogenic silica onto a pyrogenic titanium dioxide particle; by co-oxygenation of silicon tetrachloride with titanium tetrachloride, or by pyrogenically-deposited metal oxide treatments using doped aluminum alloys that result in the generation of a volatile metal chloride that is subsequently oxidized and deposited on the pigment particle. 
     
     
         22 . The décor paper of  claim 21  wherein the wet treatment utilizes soluble silicates such as sodium or potassium silicate. 
     
     
         23 . The décor paper of  claim 6  wherein the self-dispersing titanium dioxide pigment comprises first an oxide layer comprising at least about 4% Al 2 O 3  and at least about 1.5% P 2 O 5 , a second layer comprising at least about 3% SiO 2 , more preferably about 5% to 7% SiO 2 , based on the total weight of the treated pigment, followed by an outermost layer comprising at least about 3% Al 2 O 3 , and at least about 5 mmol % of the dual functional compound, based on the total weight of the treated pigment.