Alkanolamine-stabilized dispersed rosin sizing agents and their preparation

1 . A rosin sizing composition that is an aqueous and oil emulsion of rosin stabilized with an alkanolamine rosin salt.

2 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the alkanolamine in the salt is triethanolamine.

3 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the alkanolamine resin salt is present in an amount of between 0.0033 to 0.011 moles per 100 grams of aqueous phase of the composition.

4 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the rosin is composed of rosin and rosin adduct in which the adduct is the reaction product of rosin and an acidic compound containing the group

in which the adduct comprises 1% to 20% by weight of total rosin content.

5 . Process for preparing an oil-in-water emulsion, which comprises

a) taking a mixture of

i) an organic phase of a rosin, and

ii) an aqueous phase of an alkanolamine,

The amount of alkanolamine being sufficient to provide a stable dispersion when step b) is carried out.

b) homogenizing the resulting mixture in a) to obtain particles of having a mean particle size between 0.3 and 1.5 micron.

6 . Process of claim 5 in which the amount of alkanolamine present is sufficient to generate 0.0033 to 0.011 moles alkanolamine salt per 100 grams of aqueous phase.

7 . Process of claim 5 wherein the rosin contains an adduct that is the reaction product of rosin and an acidic compound containing the group

8 . The process of claim 5 wherein the alkanolamine is triethanolamine.

9 . The process of claim 5 in which the organic phase of rosin material is molten rosin.

10 . Process of claim 5 in which the organic phase is rosin dissolved in an organic solvent.

11 . Paper made by a process that includes adding the product of claim 1 to a slurry of cellulosic fibers.

12 . Paper made by a process that includes surface coating a product of claim 1 onto paper just prior to a drying step.