Fine Particle Size Lime Slurries and Their Production

• US 20070265407A1
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CIBA Specialty Chemicals Water Treatments Limited (BASF SE)
• Original Assignee: CIBA Specialty Chemicals Water Treatments Limited (BASF SE)
• Inventors: Reynolds, Valerie, Cockcroft, Robert, Symes, Kenneth, Singh, Michael, Donnelly, Simon, Northfleet, Christina, Herren, Fritz, McCann, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,740,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 526/312
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 220/56 Acrylamide; Methacrylamide
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/22 Proteins
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/35 Polyalkenes, e.g. polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/37 Polymers of unsaturated acids or derivatives thereof, e.g. polyacrylates
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/18 Reinforcing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/20 Wet strength agents

Abstract

A polymer comprising i) a synthetic polymeric component that has been formed from an ethylenically unsaturated water-soluble or potentially water-soluble monomer and an ethylenically unsaturated monomer carrying a reactive group, wherein the reactive group is directly reactive with a cellulose binding domain protein; and ii) a protein component consisting of a cellulose binding domain protein, wherein the cellulose binding domain protein. The polymer is particularly suitable as a dry strength resin in a paper making process. It can also be used as a wet strength resin, internal sizing agent or surface sizing agent.

Claims

1. A polymer comprising

i) a synthetic polymeric component that has been formed from an ethylenically unsaturated water-soluble or potentially water-soluble monomer and an ethylenically unsaturated monomer carrying a reactive group, wherein the reactive group is directly reactive with a cellulose binding domain protein;

and

ii) a protein component comprising a cellulose binding domain protein,

2. A polymer according to claim 1 in which the reactive group is selected from the group consisting of epoxides, isocyanates, amido methylol groups.

3. A polymer according to claim 1 in which the cellulose binding domain protein is obtainable from Clostridium cellulovorans, Cellulomonas fimi. Trichoderma reesei and M. Bispora.

4. A polymer according to claim 1 in which the synthetic polymeric component is formed from a monomer blend comprising at least one water-soluble or potentially water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer;

and up to 10 mole % ethylenically unsaturated monomer carrying a reactive group.

5. A polymer according to claim 1 in which the synthetic polymeric component is formed from a monomer blend comprising acrylamide and glycidyl methacrylate.

6. A polymer according to claim 1 in which the synthetic polymeric component has a weight average molecular weight of below one million.

7. A mixture comprising

i) a synthetic polymeric component that has been formed from an ethylenically unsaturated water-soluble or potentially water-soluble monomer and an ethylenically unsaturated monomer carrying a reactive group,

wherein the reactive group is directly reactive with a cellulose binding domain protein;

and

ii) a protein component comprising a cellulose binding domain protein,

8. A mixture according to claim 7 including in which the reactive group is selected from the group consisting of epoxides, isocyanates, amido methylol groups.

9. A method of preparing a polymer comprising a synthetic polymeric component and a protein component comprising a cellulose binding domain protein in which the cellulose binding domain protein has been covalently bonded to the synthetic polymeric component through one or more reactive groups present on the synthetic polymeric component comprising;

a) providing a solution of a synthetic polymeric component that has been formed from an ethylenically unsaturated water-soluble or potentially water-soluble monomer and an ethylenically unsaturated monomer carrying a reactive group, wherein the reactive group is directly reactive with a cellulose binding domain protein

b) forming a solution of the cellulose binding domain protein;

c) combining the synthetic polymeric component of step (a) with a solution of the cellulose binding domain protein of step (b) to form a reaction mixture; and

d) subjecting the reaction mixture to reaction conditions for sufficient time to allow the cellulose binding domain protein to become associated with the synthetic polymeric component.

10. A method according to claim 9 in which the reactive group is selected from the group consisting of epoxides, isocyanates, amido methylol groups.

11. (canceled)

12. A method of improving the strength of paper produced in a paper making process which process comprises providing a cellulosic suspension comprising cellulosic fibres and optionally fillers, including a dry strength resin, and then dewatering the cellulosic suspension on a wire or mesh to form a sheet and drying the sheet,

in which the dry strength resin is a polymer comprising

i) a synthetic polymeric component that has been formed from an ethylenically unsaturated water-soluble or potentially water-soluble monomer and an ethylenically unsaturated monomer carrying a reactive group, wherein the reactive group is directly reactive with a cellulose binding domain protein;

and

ii) a protein component comprising a cellulose binding domain protein, wherein the cellulose binding domain protein is covalently bonded to the synthetic polymer component through one or more of the reactive groups.

13. A method according to claim 12 in which the reactive group is selected from the group consisting of epoxides, isocyanates, amido methylol groups.

14. (canceled)

15. A method of improving the wet strength of paper produced in a paper making process which process comprises providing a cellulosic suspension comprising cellulosic fibres and optionally fillers, including a wet strength resin, and then dewatering the cellulosic suspension on a wire or mesh to form a sheet and drying the sheet,

in which the wet strength resin is a polymer comprising

i) a synthetic polymeric component that has been formed from an ethylenically unsaturated water-soluble or potentially water-soluble monomer and an ethylenically unsaturated monomer carrying a reactive group, wherein the reactive group is directly reactive with a cellulose binding domain protein;

and

ii) a protein component comprising a cellulose binding domain protein,

wherein the cellulose binding domain protein is covalently bonded to the synthetic polymer component through one or more of the reactive groups.

16. A method according to claim 15 in which the reactive group is selected from the group consisting of epoxides, isocyanates, amido methylol groups.

17. (canceled)

18. A method of internally sizing paper produced in a paper making process which process comprises providing a cellulosic suspension comprising cellulosic fibres and optionally fillers, including internal sizing agent, and then dewatering the cellulosic suspension on a wire or mesh to form a sheet and drying the sheet,

in which the internal sizing agent is a polymer comprising

i) a synthetic polymeric component that has been formed from an ethylenically unsaturated water-soluble or potentially water-soluble monomer and an ethylenically unsaturated monomer carrying a reactive group, wherein the reactive group is directly reactive with a cellulose binding domain protein;

and

ii) a protein component comprising a cellulose binding domain protein,

wherein the cellulose binding domain protein is covalently bonded to the synthetic polymer component through one or more of the reactive groups.

19. A method according to claim 18 in which the reactive group is selected from the group consisting of epoxides, isocyanates, amido methylol groups.

20. (canceled)

21. A method of surface sizing paper applying an surface sizing agent to the surface of a formed cellulosic sheet, in which the surface sizing agent is a polymer comprising:

i) a synthetic polymeric component that has been formed from an ethylenically unsaturated water-soluble or potentially water-soluble monomer and an ethylenically unsaturated monomer carrying a reactive group, wherein the reactive group is directly reactive with a cellulose binding domain protein; and

ii) a protein component comprising a cellulose binding domain protein,

wherein the cellulose binding domain protein is covalently bonded to the synthetic polymer component through one or more of the reactive groups.

22. A method according to claim 21 in which the reactive group is selected from the group consisting of epoxides, isocyanates, amido methylol groups.