Paper coating or binding formulations and methods of making and using same
A paper coating or binding formulation comprises an aqueous polymer dispersion comprising a copolymer obtained by polymerization of an unsaturated monomer and a carbohydrate derived compound and a tetrasulfonate-based fluorescent whitening agent. The carbohydrate derived compound can be selected from the group consisting of dextrins, maltodextrins, and mixtures thereof. Methods of preparing a paper coating or binding formulation and improving the whitening properties of paper are also provided. Furthermore, paper including a copolymer obtained by polymerization of an unsaturated monomer and a carbohydrate derived compound and a tetrasulfonate-based fluorescent whitening agent is also disclosed.
1. A paper coating or binding formulation, comprising:
an aqueous polymer dispersion comprising a copolymer prepared by polymerizing about 58% by weight of styrene, about 38% by weight of butadiene, and about 4% by weight of itaconic and/or (meth)acrylic acid, in the presence of about 15% to about 45% by weight of a carbohydrate-derived compound having a dextrose equivalent (DE) of about 10 to about 35, based on the total weight of the styrene, the butadiene, and the itaconic and/or (meth)acrylic acid; and
a tetrasulfonate-based fluorescent whitening agent.
2. The formulation according to claim 1 , wherein the carbohydrate-derived compound is selected from the group consisting of dextrins, maltodextrins, and mixtures thereof.
3. The formulation according to claim 1 , wherein the DE of the carbohydrate-derived compound is from about 12.5 to about 25.
4. The formulation according to claim 1 , wherein the DE of the carbohydrate-derived compound is from about 15 to about 20.
5. The formulation according to claim 1 , wherein the weight average molecular weight of the carbohydrate-derived compound is from about 3,000 to about 20,000.
6. The formulation according to claim 1 , wherein the weight average molecular weight of the carbohydrate-derived compound is from about 5,000 to about 17,000.
7. The formulation according to claim 1 , wherein the carbohydrate-derived compound is soluble in water at room temperature in an amount of greater than about 40% by weight.
8. The formulation according to claim 1 , wherein the copolymer is derived from about 15 to about 35 percent by weight of the carbohydrate-derived compound based on the total monomer weight.
9. The formulation according to claim 1 , wherein the copolymer is derived from about 15 to about 40 percent by weight of the carbohydrate-derived compound based on the total monomer weight.
10. The formulation according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous polymer dispersion comprises a disperse phase and an aqueous phase and the carbohydrate-derived compound provided in the copolymer is present in the disperse phase.
11. The formulation according to claim 1 , wherein said fluorescent whitening agent is not activated.
12. The formulation according to claim 1 , wherein the formulation is substantially free of polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and water-insoluble starches.
13. The formulation according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous polymer dispersion further comprises a hexasulfonate-based fluorescent whitening agent.
14. A method of preparing a paper coating or binding formulation, comprising:
polymerizing a mixture of about 58% by weight of styrene, about 38% by weight of butadiene, and about 4% by weight of itaconic and/or (meth)acrylic acid, in the presence of about 15% to about 45% by weight of a carbohydrate-derived compound having a dextrose equivalent (DE) of about 10 to about 35, based on the total weight of the styrene, the butadiene, and the itaconic and/or (meth)acrylic acid, in an aqueous medium to produce a copolymer in an aqueous polymer dispersion, and
mixing the aqueous polymer dispersion with a tetrasulfonate-based fluorescent whitening agent.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the carbohydrate-derived compound is selected from the group consisting of dextrins, maltodextrins, and mixtures thereof
16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the DE of the carbohydrate-derived compound is from about 12.5 to about 25.
17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the weight average molecular weight of the carbohydrate-derived compound is from about 3,000 to about 20,000.
18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said polymerizing step comprising first mixing an aqueous solution of a carbohydrate-derived compound at room temperature comprising greater than about 40% by weight of the carbohydrate-derived compound with the styrene, butadiene, and itaconic and/or (meth)acrylic acid and polymerizing the mixture to form the copolymer.
19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the copolymer is derived from about 15 to about 35 percent by weight of the carbohydrate-derived compound based on the total monomer weight.
20. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said fluorescent whitening agent is not activated.
21. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the formulation is substantially free of polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and water-insoluble starches.
22. A method of improving the whitening properties of paper; comprising:
providing an aqueous polymer dispersion comprising a copolymer prepared by polymerizing about 58% by weight of styrene, about 38% by weight of butadiene, and about 4% by weight of itaconic and/or (meth)acrylic acid, in the presence of about 15% to about 45% by weight of a carbohydrate-derived compound having a dextrose equivalent (DE) of about 10 to about 35, based on the total weight of the styrene, the butadiene, and the itaconic and/or (meth)acrylic acid;
mixing the aqueous polymer dispersion with a tetrasulfonate-based fluorescent whitening agent to produce a paper coating or binding formulation; and
applying the formulation as a coating to paper.
23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein said providing step comprises polymerizing the styrene, butadiene, and itaconic and/or (meth)acrylic acid and a carbohydrate-derived compound having a dextrose equivalent (DE) of about 10 to about 35, in an aqueous medium to produce the copolymer.
24. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the carbohydrate-derived compound is selected from the group consisting of dextrins, maltodextrins, and mixtures thereof.
25. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the DE of the carbohydrate-derived compound is from about 12.5 to about 25.
26. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the weight average molecular weight of the carbohydrate-derived compound is from about 3000 to about 20,000.
27. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the carbohydrate-derived compound is soluble in water at room temperature in an amount of greater than about 40% by weight.
28. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the copolymer is derived from about 15 to about 35 percent by weight of the carbohydrate-derived compound based on the total monomer weight.
29. The method according to claim 22 , wherein said fluorescent whitening agent is not activated.
30. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the formulation is substantially free of polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone and water-insoluble starches.
31. Paper comprising a fiber matrix and a binder composition comprising a copolymer prepared by polymerizing about 58% by weight of styrene, about 38% by weight of butadiene, and about 4% by weight of itaconic and/or (meth)acrylic acid, in the presence of about 15% to about 45% by weight of a carbohydrate-derived compound having a dextrose equivalent (DE) of about 10 to about 35, based on the total weight of the styrene, the butadiene, and the itaconic and/or (meth)acrylic acid; and a tetrasulfonate-based fluorescent whitening agent.
32. Paper according to claim 31 , wherein the carbohydrate-derived compound is selected from the group consisting of dextrins, maltodextrins, and mixtures thereof.
33. Paper according to claim 31 , wherein the DE of the carbohydrate-derived compound is from about 12.5 to about 25.
34. Paper according to claim 31 , wherein the weight average molecular weight of the carbohydrate-derived compound is from about 3,000 to about 20,000.
35. Paper according to claim 31 , wherein the carbohydrate-derived compound is soluble in water at room temperature in an amount of greater than about 40% by weight.
36. Paper according to claim 34 , wherein the copolymer is derived from about 15 to about 32 percent by weight of the carbohydrate-derived compound based on dry polymer weight.
37. Paper according to claim 31 , wherein the fluorescent whitening agent is not activated.
38. Paper according to claim 31 , wherein the binder is substantially free of polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and water-insoluble starches.
39. Paper according to claim 31 , wherein the binder is provided as a coating layer on a paper substrate.