Aldehyde-functionalized polymers

Abstract

A composition for enhancing the dewatering of a paper sheet on a paper machine and a method for using the composition is disclosed. The composition comprising one or more aldehyde-functionalized polymers comprising amino or amido groups wherein at least about 15 mole percent of the amino or amido groups are functionalized by reacting with one or more aldehydes and wherein the aldehyde functionalized polymers have a molecular weight of at least about 100,000. The method comprising adding the composition to the paper machine at a dosage of about 0.05 lb/ton to about 15 lb/ton, based on dry fiber.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A composition comprising: (i) one or more aldehyde-functionalized polymers comprising amino and/or amido groups wherein at least about 15 mole percent of the amino and/or amido groups are functionalized by reacting with one or more aldehydes and (ii) at least about 60 70 to 80 mole percent of the one or more aldehydes remain unreacted, wherein the amount of unreacted aldehyde is based on an amount used to functionalize the amino or amido groups. 
     
     
       2. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aldehyde-functionalized polymers are selected from the group consisting of: one or more aldehyde-functionalized polyamines; one or more aldehyde-functionalized polyamides; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       3. The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the aldehyde-functionalized polyamide is selected from the group consisting of: an aldehyde-functionalized polymer comprising 100 mole percent of one or more nonionic monomers; an aldehyde-functionalized copolymer comprising about 5 to about 99 mole percent of one or more acrylamide monomers and about 95 mole percent to about 1 mole percent of one or more cationic, anionic, or zwitterionic monomers, or any mixture thereof; and any combinations of the foregoing. 
     
     
       4. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aldehyde-functionalized polymer is an aldehyde-functionalized amphoteric polymer comprising up to about 40 mole percent of one or more cationic monomers and up to about 20 mole percent of one or more anionic monomers. 
     
     
       5. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aldehyde-functionalized polymer is an aldehyde-functionalized amphoteric polymer comprising about 5 to about 10 mole percent of one or more cationic monomers and about 0.5 to about 4 mole percent of one or more anionic monomers. 
     
     
       6. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aldehyde-functionalized polymer is an aldehyde-functionalized zwitterionic polymer comprising about 1 to about 95 mole percent of one or more zwitterionic monomers. 
     
     
       7. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aldehyde-functionalized polymer is an aldehyde-functionalized zwitterionic polymer comprising about 1 to about 50 mole percent of one or more zwitterionic monomers. 
     
     
       8. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aldehyde-functionalized polymer is an aldehyde-functionalized copolymer comprising about 50 to about 99 mole percent of one or more acrylamide monomers and about 50 to about 1 mole percent of one or more cationic monomers. 
     
     
       9. The composition of  claim 8 , wherein at least about 20 mole percent of the amide groups have reacted with aldehyde. 
     
     
       10. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aldehyde-functionalized polymer is a copolymer comprising about 50 to about 99 mole percent of one or more acrylamide monomers and about 50 to about 1 mole percent of one or more cationic monomers wherein the copolymer is functionalized with glyoxal. 
     
     
       11. The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the cationic monomer is a diallyl-N,N-disubstituted ammonium halide monomer. 
     
     
       12. The composition of  claim 11 , wherein about 20 to about 50 mole percent of the amide groups of the copolymer have reacted with glyoxal. 
     
     
       13. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least 60 mole percent of the one or more aldehydes remain unreacted. 
     
     
       14. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aldehyde-functionalized polymer has a molecular weight of at least 100,000 g/mole. 
     
     
       15. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aldehyde-functionalized polymer is a copolymer comprising about 70 to about 99 mole percent of acrylamide and about 1 to about 30 mole percent of diallyldimethylammonium chloride. 
     
     
       16. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein about 20 to about 26 mole percent of the amino and/or amide groups of the copolymer have reacted with aldehyde. 
     
     
       17. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aldehydes are selected from the group consisting of: formaldehyde; paraformaldehyde; glyoxal; glutaraldehyde; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       18. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein from about 15 mole percent to 23 mole percent of the amino and/or amido groups are functionalized. 
     
     
       19. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein from about 20 mole percent to 26 mole percent of the amino and/or amido groups are functionalized. 
     
     
       20. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein from about 22 mole percent to 30 mole percent of the amino and/or amido groups are functionalized. 
     
     
       21. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein from about 20 mole percent to about 50 mole percent of the amino and/or amido groups are functionalized. 
     
     
       22. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein from about 60 mole percent to 70 mole percent of the one or more aldehydes remain unreacted. 
     
     
       23. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein from about 70 mole percent to 80 mole percent of the one or more aldehydes remain unreacted. 
     
     
       24. A method of enhancing the dewatering of a paper sheet on a paper machine, the method comprising adding about 0.05 lb/ton to about 15 lb/ton, based on dry fiber, of the composition of  claim 1  to the paper machine. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim  25  24, further comprising adding said composition to (i) wet end locations used for conventional wet end additives and/or (ii) at or prior to the press section. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 24 , further comprising spraying said composition onto the paper sheet prior to press dewatering. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 24 , wherein about 0.5 lb/ton to about 3 lb/ton, based on dry fiber, of said composition is added to the paper machine. 
     
     
       28. A method of enhancing a papermaking process, the method comprising adding the composition of  claim 1  in the papermaking process. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28 , further comprising adding said composition in the papermaking process at a wet end location. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 28 , further comprising adding said composition to a thin stock in the papermaking process. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 28 , further comprising adding said composition to a thick stock in the papermaking process. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 28 , further comprising adding said composition in the papermaking process after formation of a paper sheet. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 28 , further comprising adding said composition in the papermaking process prior to press dewatering. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 28 , further comprising adding about 0.05 lb/ton to about 15 lb/ton, based on dry fiber, of said composition in the papermaking process. 
     
     
       35. A composition comprising one or more aldehyde-functionalized polymers comprising amino and/or amido groups, the amino and/or amido groups are functionalized by reacting with one or more aldehydes with the initial molar ratio of the aldehydes to amino and/or amido groups being 0.8 to 1.0, wherein at least about 70 to 80 mole percent of the one or more aldehydes remain unreacted and the amount of unreacted aldehyde is based on an amount used to functionalize the amino or amido groups. 
     
     
       36. The composition of claim 35, wherein the aldehyde-functionalized polymers are selected from the group consisting of: one or more aldehyde-functionalized polyamines; one or more aldehyde-functionalized polyamides; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       37. The composition of claim 35, wherein the aldehyde-functionalized polymer is an aldehyde-functionalized amphoteric polymer comprising up to about 40 mole percent of one or more cationic monomers and up to about 20 mole percent of one or more anionic monomers. 
     
     
       38. The composition of claim 35, wherein the aldehyde-functionalized polymer is an aldehyde-functionalized zwitterionic polymer comprising about 1 to about 95 mole percent of one or more zwitterionic monomers. 
     
     
       39. The composition of claim 35, wherein at least about 20 mole percent of the amino and/or amido groups have reacted with aldehyde. 
     
     
       40. The composition of claim 35, wherein the aldehyde-functionalized polymer has a molecular weight of at least 100,000 g/mole. 
     
     
       41. The composition of claim 35, wherein the aldehydes are selected from the group consisting of: formaldehyde; paraformaldehyde; glyoxal; glutaraldehyde; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       42. The composition of claim 35, wherein from about 22 mole percent to 30 mole percent of the amino and/or amido groups are functionalized. 
     
     
       43. A method of enhancing the dewatering of a paper sheet on a paper machine, the method comprising adding about 0.05 lb/ton to about 15 lb/ton, based on dry fiber, of the composition of claim 35 to the paper machine. 
     
     
       44. The method of claim 43, further comprising adding said composition to (i) wet end locations used for conventional wet end additives and/or (ii) at or prior to the press section. 
     
     
       45. The method of claim 43, further comprising spraying said composition onto the paper sheet prior to press dewatering. 
     
     
       46. The method of claim 43, wherein about 0.5 lb/ton to about 3 lb/ton, based on dry fiber, of said composition is added to the paper machine. 
     
     
       47. A method of enhancing a papermaking process; the method comprising adding the composition of claim 35 in the papermaking process. 
     
     
       48. The method of claim 47, further comprising adding said composition in the papermaking process at a wet end location. 
     
     
       49. The method of claim 47, further comprising adding said composition to a thin stock in the papermaking process. 
     
     
       50. The method of claim 47, further comprising adding said composition to a thick stock in the papermaking process. 
     
     
       51. The method of claim 47, further comprising adding said composition in the papermaking process after formation of a paper sheet. 
     
     
       52. The method of claim 47, further comprising adding said composition in the papermaking process prior to press dewatering. 
     
     
       53. A composition comprising: (i) one or more aldehyde-functionalized polymers comprising amino and/or amido groups wherein from 22 mole percent to 30 mole percent of the amino and/or amido groups are functionalized by reacting with one or more aldehydes and (ii) at least about 70 to 80 mole percent of the one or more aldehydes remain unreacted, wherein the amount of unreacted aldehyde is based on an amount used to functionalize the amino or amido groups.