Soft tissue having reduced hydrogen bonding

• US 8,834,679 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2012
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, JeongKyung, Yang, SeungRim, Qin, Jian, Calewarts, Deborah Joy
• Primary Examiner(s): HUG, JOHN ERIC
• Application Number:
  US13/726,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20140178660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 162/9, 162/72, 162/74, 162/158, 162/164.6, 162/168.5, 162/185, 162/187, 162/182, 162/183, 819/0, 891/9
• US Class Current: 162/164.6
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/364 Cyanuric acid; Isocyanuric acid; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2101/06 cellulosic
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/10 Processes in which the treating agent is dissolved or dispersed in organic solvents; Processes for the recovery of organic solvents thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 9/005 organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 11/16 modified by a particular after-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/07 Nitrogen-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/11 Halides
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/22 Agents rendering paper porous, absorbent or bulky
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 23/04 Addition to the pulp; After-treatment of added substances in the pulp
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 23/76 characterised by choice of auxiliary compounds which are added separately from at least one other compound, e.g. to improve the incorporation of the latter or to obtain an enhanced combined effect D21H17/18, D21H17/70, D21H23/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 27/002 Tissue paper; Absorbent paper D21H21/22, D21H27/02, D21H27/20 take precedence; toilet paper A47K10/00; absorbent pads for physiological fluids A61L15/16; making on paper-making machines D21F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/689 Hydroentangled nonwoven fabric

Abstract

The present invention provides a modified cellulosic fiber having reduced hydrogen bonding capabilities. The modified fiber formed in accordance with the present invention may be useful in the production of tissue products having improved bulk and softness. More importantly, the modified fiber is adaptable to current tissue making processes and may be incorporated into a tissue product to improve bulk and softness without an unsatisfactory reduction in tensile.

Claims

1. A method of forming a high bulk tissue web comprising the steps of mixing cellulosic fiber and a first organic solvent to form an fiber slurry, adjusting the pH of the fiber slurry with a caustic agent to a pH greater than about 9.0 thereby forming a alkaline fiber slurry;

adding a cyanuric halide having general Formula (I) in the presence of a second organic solvent;

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the caustic agent is selected from the group consisting hydroxide salts, carbonate salts and alkaline phosphate salts.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cyanuric halide is cyanuric chloride.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetone, DMSO, DMF, acetonitrile, alcohols, polyalcohols, polyalcoholic ethers, pyridine, sulfolane, N-methyl pyrrolidinone and dioxane.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the alkaline fiber slurry has a fiber consistency from about 5 to about 30 percent solids.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of cellulosic fiber to cyanuric halide is from about 5:

0.1 to about 5;

1.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adding a cyanuric halide is carried out at a pH from about 9 to about 10 and at a temperature from about 0 to about 40°

C.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the cellulose fiber is either bleached northern softwood kraft pulp or bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the washed modified cellulosic fiber has a nitrogen content of at least about 0.2 weight percent.