Composition and recording sheet with improved optical properties

1. A recording sheet, comprising:

a paper substrate comprising a plurality of cellulosic fibers; and

a composition, comprising:

a water-soluble salt of a divalent metal;

a complexing agent having an affinity for the divalent metal; and

an optical brightening agent,

wherein said complexing agent is selected from the group consisting of organic phosphonate, phosphate, carboxylic acid, dithiocarbamate, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid salt, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid salt, diethylene-triamine-pentamethylene phosphonic acid, diethylene-triaminepentamethylene phosphonic acid salt, crown ether, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tetrasodium salt, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid trisodium salt, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium magnesium salt, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium calcium salt, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid diammonium salt, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid dipotassium salt, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tripotassium salt, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid dilithium salt, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tetramethylammonium salt, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid calcium salt, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid magnesium salt, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid aluminum salt, polyacrylic acid, polyacrylic acid salt, polysorbate, poly-4-styrene sulfonic acid salt, glycerol formal, formamidinesulinic acid, sodium hypophosphite, potassium hypophosphite, calcium hypophosphite, organic phosphonate, organic phosphate, dithiocarbamate, sorbitol, sorbic acid, cellulose ether, ionic liquids, 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium-thiocyanate, alkyl imidazoliums 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium methyl sulfate, methyl imidazolium, salts thereof, or a combination thereof.

2. The recording sheet of claim 1 , wherein the salt is calcium (II) salt.

3. The recording sheet of claim 1 , wherein the salt comprises a combination of salts of divalent metals.

4. The recording sheet of claim 1 , which further comprises starch, and wherein the complexing agent is present in an amount ranging from about 0.01 Lb/100 Lb starch to about 100 Lb/100 Lb starch.

5. The recording sheet of claim 1 , which further comprises a sizing, agent, and wherein the optical brightening agent is present in an amount ranging from about 10 to 100 pounds per 100 pounds of sizing agent.

6. A method for making the recording sheet according to claim 1 , comprising:

contacting the paper substrate comprising the plurality of cellulosic fibers; and

a composition, comprising:

the water-soluble salt of a divalent metal;

the complexing agent having an affinity for the divalent metal; and

the optical brightening agent;

to produce the recording sheet.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the contacting is carried out at a size press.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the divalent metal is selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium, barium, zinc, or a combination thereof.

9. The recording sheet of claim 1 , wherein the salt is present in an amount of about 0.02 g/m 2 to about 4 g/m 2 of the recording sheet.

10. The recording sheet of claim 1 , wherein the divalent metal is selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium, barium, zinc, or a combination thereof.

11. The recording sheet of claim 1 , wherein the complexing agent is present in an amount ranging from about 0.01 Lb/ton of recording sheet to about 100 Lb/ton of recording sheet.

12. The recording sheet of claim 1 , wherein the optical brightening agent is present in an amount ranging from about 0.005 to about 4 weight percent based on the weight of the recording sheet.