Coated paper and paperboard structures

Abstract

A coated paper or paperboard structure includes a paper or paperboard substrate and a basecoat applied to the paper or paperboard substrate to yield a basecoat outer surface. The basecoat includes a water-soluble polymer binder and pigment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A coated paper or paperboard structure comprising:
 a paper or paperboard substrate; and   a coating applied to the paper or paperboard substrate to yield a coating outer surface, the coating comprising:
 water-soluble polymer binder; and 
 pigment, 
 wherein the coating is latex-free. 
   
     
     
         2 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the water-soluble polymer binder consists of one or more natural water-soluble polymers. 
     
     
         3 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the water-soluble polymer binder comprises a plant-based protein. 
     
     
         4 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the water-soluble polymer binder comprises a carbohydrate. 
     
     
         5 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the water-soluble polymer binder comprises a polysaccharide. 
     
     
         6 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the water-soluble polymer binder comprises a starch. 
     
     
         7 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the pigment comprises an inorganic pigment. 
     
     
         8 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the pigment comprises calcium carbonate. 
     
     
         9 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the pigment comprises kaolin clay. 
     
     
         10 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the pigment comprises a pigment blend of calcium carbonate and a platy clay. 
     
     
         11 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the coating further comprises a crosslinker. 
     
     
         12 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the coating further comprises at least one of a glyoxal-based crosslinker and a zirconium-based crosslinker. 
     
     
         13 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the coating further comprises a humectant. 
     
     
         14 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the coating further comprises a humectant in form of one or more of glycerin and sorbitol. 
     
     
         15 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the coating further comprises a humectant in an amount of 1% to 30% by weight of the amount of water-soluble polymer binder. 
     
     
         16 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the coating further comprises a humectant in an amount of 5% to 30% by weight of the amount of water-soluble polymer binder. 
     
     
         17 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the coating further comprises a humectant in an amount of 5% to 15% by weight of the amount of water-soluble polymer binder. 
     
     
         18 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the coating further comprises a humectant in an amount of 15% to 25% by weight of the amount of water-soluble polymer binder. 
     
     
         19 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the coating is applied to the paper or paperboard substrate at a coat weight, per side, in a range of 3 to 12 pounds per 3000 square feet of the paper or paperboard substrate. 
     
     
         20 . The coated paper or paperboard structure of  claim 1  wherein the coating applied to the paper or paperboard substrate comprises at least one of a basecoat and a topcoat.