Water-Free Surface Sizing Composition and Method for Treating a Paper Substrate with Same

Abstract

Water-free compositions suitable for application as a surface size to a cellulosic substrate, and methods of applying the water-free compositions to the surface of a cellulosic substrate.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A water-free surface sizing composition comprising at least one alkenyl succinic anhydride and at least one biosolvent. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition has a viscosity of from about 25 cPs to about 100 cPs. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one alkenyl succinic anhydride comprises an alkenyl succinic anhydride having an alkenyl group of from 16 to 20 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one alkenyl succinic anhydride comprises an alkenyl succinic anhydride selected from the group consisting of hexadecenyl succinic anhydride, octadecenyl succinic anhydride, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biosolvent comprises at least one of biodiesel, dipentene, limonene, a fatty acid ester, and a fatty acid amide. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biosolvent comprises a fatty acid ester. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the fatty acid ester has an aliphatic chain of from 8 to 18 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the fatty acid ester is selected from the group consisting of methyl caprylate, methyl laurate, methyl oletate, methyl palmitate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biosolvent comprises an N,N-dimethyl fatty acid amide. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the N,N-dimethyl fatty acid amide has an aliphatic chain of at least one of 8 and 10 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the fatty acid amide is at least one of dimethylcaprylamide and N,N-dimethylcapramide. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one alkenyl succinic anhydride is present in the composition at a concentration of from about 1 wt % to about 80 wt %. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biosolvent is present in the composition at a concentration of from about 20 wt % to about 99 wt %. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one alkenyl succinic anhydride comprises an alkenyl succinic anhydride having an alkenyl group of from 16 to 20 carbon atoms and is present in the composition at a concentration of from about 1 wt % to about 80 wt %, wherein the at least one biosolvent comprises at least one of biodiesel, dipentene, limonene, a fatty acid ester, and a fatty acid amide and is present in the composition at a concentration of from about 20 wt % to about 99 wt %, and wherein the composition has a viscosity of from about 25 cPs to about 100 cPs. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one alkenyl succinic anhydride comprises an alkenyl succinic anhydride having an alkenyl group of from 16 to 20 carbon atoms and is present in the composition at a concentration of from about 40 wt % to about 70 wt %, wherein the at least one biosolvent comprises at least one of biodiesel, limonene and dipentene and is present in the composition at a concentration of from about 20 wt % to about 99 wt %, and wherein the composition has a viscosity of from about 25 cPs to about 100 cPs. 
     
     
         16 . A method of treating a paper substrate having a surface, the method comprising:
 spraying the composition of  claim 1  onto the surface of the paper substrate, thereby forming a treated substrate; and   heating the treated substrate.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the paper substrate is selected from the group consisting of: recycled liner, virgin liner, partially recycled liner, medium paper, fine paper, chipboard, folding carton, kraftpak paper, paperboard, and bag paper. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the paper substrate was subjected to an internal sizing treatment prior to the spraying. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the internal sizing treatment comprises applying at least one of alkyl ketene dimer and alkeny succinic anhydride. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the composition is sprayed at from about 0.2 gram to about 10 grams per square meter of surface of the paper substrate.