Water soluble polymer powder formulation having improved dispersing properties

1. A storage stable cellulose ether formulation which disperses in water without forming lumps, comprising:

a) a cellulose ether at least partially crosslinked with a crosslinker having a first reactive moiety and a second reactive moiety, wherein said first reactive moiety is an aldehyde and said second reactive moiety is selected from the group consisting of aldehyde, silanol, isocyanate, halomethyl, alkyl tosylate ether, epoxide, and combinations thereof; and

b) a solid water soluble acid selected from the group consisting of amino acids, partially neutralized polycarboxylic acids, and combinations thereof, wherein said solid water soluble acid has a pKa of 4.2 to 6 and is present in the storage stable cellulose ether formulation in a range of from more than 1 to about 20 wt % of the formulation.

2. The formulation of claim 1 , wherein said cellulose ether is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), water soluble ethylhydroxyethyl cellulose (EHEC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose (CMHEC), hydroxypropylhydroxyethyl cellulose (HPHEC), methylcellulose (MC), methylhydroxypropyl cellulose (MHPC), methylhydroxyethyl cellulose (MHEC), carboxymethylmethylcellulose (CMMC), hydrophobically modified carboxymethylcellulose (HMCMC), hydrophobically modified hydroxyethyl cellulose (HMHEC), hydrophobically modified hydroxypropyl cellulose (HMHPC), hydrophobically modified ethylhydroxyethyl cellulose (H M EH EC), hydrophobically modified carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose (HMCMHEC), hydrophobically modified hydroxypropylhydroxy ethyl cellulose (HMHPHEC), hydrophobically modified methyl cellulose (HMMC), hydrophobically modified methylhydroxypropyl cellulose (HMMHPC), hydrophobically modified methylhydroxyethyl cellulose (HMMHEC), hydrophobically modified carboxymethylmethyl cellulose (HMCMMC), cationic hydroxyethyl cellulose (cationic HEC) and cationic hydrophobically modified hydroxyethyl cellulose (cationic HMHEC).

3. The formulation of claim 1 , wherein said partially neutralized polycarboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of adipic acid, aldaric acid, citric acid, isocitric acid, tartaric acid, oxalic acid, malonic acid, maleic acid, itaconic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, pimelic acid, suberic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, phathalic acid, aconitic acid, propane- 1,2,3 tricarboxylic acid, trimethic acid, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, and combinations thereof.

4. The formulation of claim 3 , wherein said partially neutralized polycarboxylic acid is partially neutralized citric acid.

5. The formulation of claim 1 containing from about 0.01to about 8 weight percent of said crosslinker.

6. The formulation of claim 5 containing from about 0.01 to 5weight percent of said crosslinker.

7. The formulation of claim 1 comprising 50 to 99 weight percent of said crosslinked cellulose ether.

8. The formulation of claim 1 , wherein said crosslinker comprises glyoxal.

9. The formulation of claim 1 , wherein said partially neutralized polycarboxylic acid is capable of providing said crosslinked cellulose ether solubility stability after being stored at a temperature of 60° C. for at least 3 days.

10. The formulation of claim 1 , wherein said partially neutralized polycarboxylic acid is capable of providing said crosslinked cellulose ether solubility stability after being stored at a temperature of 60° C. for at least 10 days.

11. The formulation of claim 1 , wherein solid water soluble acid is monosodium citrate.

12. A method of thickening a water-based system comprising, adding a desired amount of a dry blend to a water-based system, said dry blend comprising:

(a) 50 to about 99 weight percent of an at least partially crosslinked cellulose ether comprising 0.01 to about 8 weight percent of a crosslinker having a first reactive moiety and a second reactive moiety, wherein said first reactive moiety is an aldehyde and said second reactive moiety is selected from the group consisting of aldehyde, silanol, isocyanate, halomethyl, alkyl tosylate ether, epoxide, and combinations thereof; and

(b) from more than 1 to about 20 weight percent of an acid selected from the group consisting of partially neutralized polycarboxylic acids, amino acids, and combinations thereof, wherein said acid has a pKa of 4.2 to 6.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said crosslinker is glyoxal.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein said water-based system is a paint.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said dry blend is added to a pigment grind.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the acid is monosodium citrate.

17. A storage stable cellulose ether formulation which disperses in water without forming lumps comprising:

a) an at least partially crosslinked cellulose ether, wherein said at least partially crosslinked cellulose ether comprises a crosslinker having a first reactive moiety and a second reactive moiety, wherein said first reactive moiety is an aldehyde and said second reactive moiety is selected from the group consisting of aldehyde, silanol, isocyanate, halomethyl, alkyl tosylate ether, epoxide, and combinations thereof; and

b) a partially neutralized polycarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of adipic acid, aldaric acid, citric acid, isocitric acid, tartaric acid, oxalic acid, malonic acid, maleic acid, itaconic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, pimelic acid, suberic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, phathalic acid, aconitic acid, propane- 1,2,3 tricarboxylic acid, trimethic acid, and combinations thereof, wherein said partially neutralized polycarboxylic acid is present in the storage stable cellulose ether formulation in a range of from more than 1 to about 20 wt % of the formulation.

18. The formulation of claim 17 , wherein the partially neutralized polycarboxylic acid is monosodium citrate.