Durable and dispersible creped multi-ply tissue
The multi-ply tissue products that are both durable and dispersible may be manufactured using a creping process that employs a non-crosslinked vinyl acetate-ethylene polymer as a creping agent. The products generally have a Slosh time less than 2 minutes, such as less than about 60 seconds, such as less than about 45 seconds. Surprisingly, the foregoing Slosh times are achieved despite the tissue products having relatively high cross-machine direction (CD) wet tensile strength, such as greater than about 100 g/3″. Typically, increasing wet tensile strength, particularly wet CD tensile strength, negatively effects dispersability and increases Slosh time. Despite this trend, the multi-ply tissue products have a relatively high degree of wet strength and good dispersability.
1. A method of manufacturing a multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product comprising the steps of:
a. providing a first tissue web having a first outer surface and a second outer surface;
b. providing a heated creping surface;
c. applying a latex emulsion comprising a non-crosslinked vinyl acetate-ethylene polymer to at least the first outer surface of the first tissue web to yield a latex treated tissue web;
d. adhering the latex treated tissue web to the heated creping surface;
e. contacting the adhered tissue web with a creping blade to remove the adhered tissue web from the heated creping surface and yield a creped tissue ply;
f. conveying two or more creped tissue plies through an embossing-laminating device to yield a multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product having a geometric mean tensile strength (GMT) from 700 to 1,700 g/3″, a Durability Index from 10.0 to 18.0 and a Slosh time from 10 seconds to 2 minutes.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of applying a softening composition to the outer surface of at least one creped tissue ply, wherein the softening composition is selected from the group consisting of a polyhydroxy compound having a molecular weight of at least about 1,000 g/mol, a diamidoamine quaternary compound, an ester quaternary compound, an alkoxy alkyl quaternary compound, a benzyl quaternary compound, an alkyl quaternary compound, an imidazolinium quaternary compounds, a polysiloxane and glycerin.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the latex emulsion further an anti-blocking agent selected, from the group consisting of surfactants, silicones, waxes and polysaccharides.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of spirally winding the multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product around a core to yield a rolled tissue product.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first tissue web consists essentially of wood pulp fibers.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first tissue web has a basis weight ranging from about 10 to about 30 grams per square meter (gsm).
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product has a wet CD tensile from about 110 to about 160 g/3″.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product has a Wet/Dry Ratio from about 0.10 to about 0.15.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product has a Durability Index from 15.0 to 18.0.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product has a Stiffness Index from 4.0 to 6.0.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product has a Slosh time from about 15 to about 45 seconds.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-ply, creped and embossed tissue product has a wet burst strength from 150 to 200 gf.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the latex emulsion is applied to the first tissue web by gravure printing, spraying, flexographic printing or ink jet printing.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the latex emulsion is applied to the first tissue web in a pattern.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the pattern is a continuous pattern.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of discrete dots.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the density of discrete dots ranges from about 25 to about 35 dots per square inch (25.4 mm 2 ) of tissue web surface area.
18. The method of claim 14 wherein the pattern is a continuous reticulated pattern.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein the latex emulsion comprises a non-carboxylated latex emulsion.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein the latex emulsion comprises a carboxyl-functional latex emulsion polymer.