Hydrophilic fibers containing substantive polysiloxanes and tissue products made therefrom

• US 7,147,752 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation), Metalseat SRL
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Shannon, Thomas Gerard, Flugge, Lisa Ann, Moline, David Andrew, Burghardt, Dale Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmer, Marc S.
• Application Number:
  US10/741,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20040144507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 162/164.4
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/1018 comprising a pad, i.e. a cushion-like mass of soft material, with or without gripping means
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/1027 Tissues, i.e. thin applicator sheets
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 11/001 Table napkins
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/0208 Tissues; Wipes; Patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/898 containing nitrogen, e.g. amodimethicone, trimethyl silyl amodimethicone or dimethicone propyl PG-betaine
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 19/00 Preparations for care of the skin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/02 characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer layer formed of metallic wires B32B15/02; layer formed of natural mineral fibres B32B19/02; layer formed of wood fibres B32B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 9/005 organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 11/20 Chemically or biochemically modified fibres

Abstract

The present invention is polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers comprising pulp fibers, and a polysiloxane. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers have a polysiloxane content of about 0.4 percent or greater by weight of dry pulp fibers, a silicone retention factor of about 0.6 or greater, and an initial water drop absorption value of about 180 seconds or less.

Claims

1. Polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers comprising:

a) pulp fibers; and

,

b) a hydrophobic polysiloxane; and

c) a hydrophilic polysiloxane;

wherein the polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers have a polydialkylsiloxane content of about 0.4 percent by weight of dry fibers or greater, a silicone retention factor of about 0.6 or greater and an initial water drop absorption value of about 180 second or less.

2. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein the polydialkylsiloxane content is about 0.6 percent by weight of dry pulp fibers or greater.

3. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein the polydialkylsiloxane content is about 0.8 percent by weight of dry pulp fibers or greater.

4. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein the initial water drop absorption value is about 30 seconds or less.

5. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein the initial water drop absorption value is about 10 seconds or less.

6. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein the polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers further comprises non-treated pulp fibers.

7. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein the polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers are once dried.

8. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic polysiloxane is a functional polysiloxane having the general structure of:

9. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 8, wherein each R¹–

R⁹ moiety comprises independently a C₁ or higher alkyl group, aryl group, ester, substituted amide, or mixture thereof.

10. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 8, wherein the R¹⁰ moiety comprises en amino functional moiety.

11. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 10, wherein the amino functional moiety is selected from a primary amine, secondary amine, tertiary amine, quaternary amine, unsubstituted amide, and mixtures thereof.

12. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 10, wherein the R¹⁰ moiety is —

R²⁰—

NH—

R²¹—

NH₂ where R²⁰ and R²¹ are C₂ or higher linear or branched alkyl groups.

13. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic polysiloxane is has a general structure of:

14. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 13, wherein each R⁰–

R⁹ moiety comprises independently a C₁ or higher alkyl group, aryl group, ether, polyether or polyester group, or mixtures thereof.

15. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 13, wherein each R⁷ and R⁸ is CH₃.

16. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 13, wherein R¹⁰ comprises an amino functional moiety selected from a primary amine, secondary amine, tertiary amine, quaternary amine, unsubstituted amide, and mixtures thereof.

17. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 13, wherein R¹¹ comprises a polyether functional group having the formula:

—

R¹²—

(R¹³—

O)_a—

(R¹⁴O)_b—

R¹⁵

wherein;

each R¹², R¹³, and R¹⁴ comprises independently branched C_1-4 alkyl groups, linear C_1-4 alkyl

groups, or mixtures thereof;

R¹⁵ comprises H, C_1-30 alkyl group, or mixtures thereof; and

,

a and b are integers of from about 1 to about 100.

18. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein each polysiloxane has a viscosity at 25°

C. of about 25 centipoise or greater.

19. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein each polysiloxane has a viscosity at 25°

C. of about 200 centipoise or greater.

20. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein the pulp fibers are selected from the group consisting essentially of:

softwood kraft pulp fibers;

hardwood kraft pulp fibers;

synthetic cellulosic fibers;

or, mixture thereof.

21. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein the pulp fibers comprise hardwood kraft pulp fibers.

22. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein the polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers have a water drop test value of about 180 seconds or less after aging at 85°

C. for 24 hours.

23. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein the polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers have a water drop test value of about 30 seconds or less after aging at 85°

C. or 24 hours.

24. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein the polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers have a nit count of about 10 or less.

25. The polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1, wherein the polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers have a nit count of about 2 or less.

26. A single or multi-ply tissue product containing the polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1.

27. A wiping product containing the polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers of claim 1.

28. The single or multi-ply tissue product of claim 26, wherein the tissue product containing the polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers comprises blended sheets.

29. The single or multi-ply tissue product of claim 26, wherein the tissue product containing the polysiloxane pretreated pulp fibers comprises layered tissue sheets.

30. The single or multi-ply tissue product of claim 26, wherein the tissue product is a facial tissue, a bath tissue, or a towel product.

31. The single or multi-ply tissue product of claim 26, wherein the tissue product has a polydialkylsiloxane content of about 0.15% by weight of dry pulp fibers or greater.