Method of making a surface size composition

1. A method of making a size composition for the surface sizing of paper, board and the like, comprising the steps of:

(1) forming a pigment fraction by premixing together (a) a mineral material, which mainly comprises talc particles and/or other phyllosilicate particles, and (b) a binder, wherein the binder is a synthetic polymer and/or a latex; and thereafter

(2) mixing a size fraction comprised of a water-soluble principal component, and the pigment fraction to thereby form the size composition, wherein the ratio of the pigment fraction to the size faction, calculated as dry matter, is 10/90 to 90/10.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the size fraction comprises a surface size.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble principal component includes starch, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose, glucomannan, protein, or mixtures thereof.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the size composition is prepared by mixing the pigment fraction into the size fraction.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the size composition is prepared by mixing the size fraction into the pigment fraction.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the size fraction comprises at least one additional component selected from the group consisting of a mineral material, a hydrophobification agent, and an anti-foaming agent.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the principal component of the size fraction is starch, polyvinyl alcohol and/or carboxymethyl cellulose.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the mineral material of the pigment fraction is phyllosilicate having a purity degree of 90 to 100% and a particle size of 90% below 40 μm.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the mineral material of the pigment fraction comprises talc particles, and the proportion of talc particles of the mineral material is at least 50%.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the proportion of talc particles of the mineral material is >90%.

11. A method according to claim 1 , wherein

the mineral material of the pigment fraction comprises talc particles, and

the proportion of talc, calculated as dry matter, of the amount of the pigment fraction is >10%.

12. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the proportion of talc is >30%.

13. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the proportion of talc is >50%.

14. A method according to claim 11 , 12 or 13 , wherein the proportion of talc is <95%.

15. A method according to claim 11 , 12 or 13 wherein the proportion of talc is <85%.

16. A method according to claim 11 , 12 or 13 wherein the proportion of talc is <70%.

17. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the pigment fraction to the size fraction, calculated as dry matter, is 20/80 to 80/20.

18. A method according to claim 17 , wherein the ratio of the pigment fraction to the size fraction, calculated as dry matter, is 20/80 to 50/50.

19. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the binder in the pigment fraction is a synthetic polymer.

20. A method according to claim 19 , wherein the synthetic polymer is styrene butadiene, acrylate, styrene acrylate or polyvinylacetate latex.

21. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the binder in the pigment fraction is:

(1) a polymer which contains styrene or butadiene as its principal component,

(2) a polymer which contains as its principal components monomers which contain an acryl or allyl group, wherein the monomers may additionally contain acid or ester groups, or may be amides of acrylic or methacrylic acid or derivatives thereof, and/or

(3) a polymer which contains as its principal components vinyl ester monomers.

22. A method according to claim 21 , wherein the said monomers include:

an n-, iso- or tert-alkyi ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid, where the alkyl group comprises 1 to 20 carbon atoms,

a diester of acrylic or methacrylic acid and ethylene or propylene glycol as a crosslinking component;

allylglycidyl ether or diacetone acrylamide as a crosslinking component; or

2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid as an ionicity-increasing component.

23. A method according to claim 21 , wherein the polymer which contains a vinyl ester monomers as its principal components is vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate, vinyl butyrate, vinyl benzoate, vinyl-2-ethyl hexanoate, vinyl stearate and vinyl esters of versatinic acid.

24. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the binder in the pigment fraction is a biodegradable compound.

25. A method according to claim 24 , wherein the biodegradable compound is selected from:

polymers based on starch, lactic acid and polyhydroxybutyrate/valerate, of

polyesters of various organic di- or tri-acids with alcohols having functionality of two or higher.

26. A method according to claim 25 , wherein the organic di- or tri-acid is adipic, maleic or citric acid, and the alcohol having functionality of two or higher is ethylene, propylene and neopentyl glycol, pentarythritol or glycerol.

27. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the readymade, pre-mixed pigment fraction further comprises a hydrophobification agent in an amount sufficient to achieve a desired liquid absorption in the surface-sized paper, board or the like.

28. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the pigment fraction to the size fraction, calculated as dry matter, is 10/90 to 80/20.

29. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the pigment fraction to the size fraction, calculated as dry matter, is 10/90 to 50/50.

30. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of water-soluble principal component in the size fraction, calculated as dry matter is at least 70%.