022913

Abstract

The present invention relates to a modified pulp. The modified pulp according to the invention contains at least one substance a) selected from the group consisting of clays, at least one substance b) selected from the group consisting of monomeric, oligomeric or polymeric quaternary ammonium compounds and at least one substance c) selected from the group consisting of alkoxylated fatty alcohols.

The invention also relates to the use of the pulp according to the invention for the production of pulp/plastic composite materials.

Claims

1. A modified pulp comprising: at least one substance a) selected from the group consisting of clays, at least one substance b) selected from the group consisting of monomeric, oligomeric or polymeric quaternary ammonium compounds and at least one substance c) selected from the group consisting of alkoxylated fatty alcohols.

2. A modified pulp according to claim 1, wherein the substance a) is a bentonite.

3. A modified pulp according to claim 1, wherein the substance b) is selected from the group consisting of di-fatty acid residue dimethyl ammonium compounds, fatty acid residue trimethyl ammonium compounds, esterquats substituted with one or several fatty acid residues and imidazolium compounds, and mixtures thereof.

4. A modified pulp according to claim 3, wherein the length of the fatty acid residue(s) in the di-fatty acid residue dimethyl ammonium compounds, fatty acid residue trimethyl ammonium compounds, esterquats substituted with one or several fatty acid residues and imidazolium compounds of substance b) ranges from 8 to 20 carbon atoms.

5. A modified pulp according to claim 3, wherein the fatty acid residue(s) is/are selected from the group consisting of stearic acid, coconut fatty acids, tallow fatty acids and mixtures thereof.

6. A modified pulp according to claim 5, wherein the substance b) is di-tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride.

7. A modified pulp according to claim 1, wherein the substance b) is selected from the group consisting of polymers or copolymers from N,N-dialkyl aminoalkyl acrylate monomers.

8. A modified pulp according to claim 3, wherein the counterion of the quaternary ammonium compound is selected from the group consisting of halogens, chloride, CH.sub.3SO.sub.4.sup., SO.sub.4.sup.2, CH.sub.3COO.sup. and mixtures thereof.

9. A modified pulp according to claim 1, wherein the length of the fatty acid residue in substance c) ranges from 8 to 20 carbon atoms.

10. A modified pulp according to claim 1, wherein the alkoxy group in substance c) is selected from the group consisting of ethoxy and/or propoxy.

11. A modified pulp according to claim 1, characterized by the following proportions of the substances a), b) and c): substance a): <10% by weight, substance b): <10% by weight, substance c): <10% by weight.

12. A modified pulp according to claim 1, characterized by a tensile strength index (ZFI) of 8 Nm/g or less.

13. A modified pulp according to claim 1, wherein the pulp is provided in loose form or in a pressed form.

14. A modified pulp according to claim 1, wherein it is obtainable by mixing a pulp with the substances a), b) and c) in an aqueous suspension in a pulper.

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. A pulp/plastic composite material, obtainable by compounding a modified pulp according to claim 1 with a plastic.

18. A pulp/plastic composite material according to claim 17, wherein the plastic is selected from the group of consisting of thermoplastic polymers, polyethylene, polyproplyene, copolymers, and mixtures thereof.

19. A modified pulp according to claim 3, wherein the length of the fatty acid residue(s) in the di-fatty acid residue dimethyl ammonium compounds, fatty acid residue trimethyl ammonium compounds, esterquats substituted with one or several fatty acid residues and imidazolium compounds of substance b) ranges from 12 to 18 carbon atoms.

20. A modified pulp according to claim 1, wherein the length of the fatty acid residue in substance c) ranges from 10 to 18 carbon atoms.

21. A modified pulp according to claim 13, wherein the pulp provided in loose form or in a pressed form is in the form of pulp bales or pulp sheets.

22. A modified pulp according to claim 11, characterized by the following proportions of the substances a), b) and c): substance a): at least 0.3% by weight and less than 5% by weight, substance b): at least 0.5% by weight and less than 5% by weight, substance c): at least 0.5% by weight and less than 5% by weight.

Description

EXAMPLES

Determination of the Tensile Strength Index (ZFI)

[0063] The ZFI of the modified and unmodified pulps as described below was determined according to ISO 1924/3. The pulp sheets required for the determination were produced in accordance with ISO 5264-2 and ISO 5269-2, wherein the breaking-down period, in devation from the standard, was chosen to be 3,000 revolutions instead of 30,000 revolutions (which corresponds to 1 minute instead of 10 minutes).

Example Group 1

Starting Pulp

Comparative Example

[0064] A commercially available pulp of the type Sdra Green Z85 (a sulphate pulp based on softwood) was used as the starting pulp. The ZFI measured for this pulp amounted to 25.3 Nm/g. In the technical data sheet, the ZFI is indicated to be 26.

Pulp Modification

[0065] Unless indicated otherwise, in the examples indicated below, the pulp was, in each case, treated with the respective modifying substances as follows:

[0066] 66 g pulp is left to swell in 2 litres of water at room temperature and subsequently is broken down with 30000 revolutions (10 min) together with the additive chemicals.

[0067] The standard sheets were produced directly from the wet pulp as described above.

[0068] In the following tables, the percentage degree of debonding, based on the ZFI of the untreated starting pulp (25.3 Nm/g), is indicated in addition to the tensile strength index (ZFI) measured for each modified pulp.

Pulps Modified Not According to the Invention

Comparative Examples

[0069]

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Ex. % de- No. % substance a % substance b % substance c ZFI bonding C1 3 Opazil AOG 24.5 3.20 C2 1 Pitchbent K 23.8 5.93 C3 2 Pitchbent K 23.6 6.72 C4 3 Pitchbent K 23.2 8.30 C5 1.2 Arquad T 50 14.2 43.87 C6 0.5 Arquad 2T-70 11.4 54.94 C7 1 Arquad 2T-70 10.6 58.10 C8 0.5 Arquad 2C-75 12.5 50 C9 2 Plurafac LF403 17.5 30.83 C10 2 Sursol VL 18.2 28.06 C11 1 Arquad 2T-70 1 Sursol VL 9.1 64.03 C12 0.5 Arquad T 50 1 Sursol VL 9.03 64.31 C13 0.5 Arquad 2T-70 1 Plurafac LF 403 9.4 62.80 C14 0.5 Arquad 2T-70 1 Sursol VL 9 64

[0070] The products Opazil AOG and Pitchbent K are each based on bentonite.

[0071] Arquad T 50 is based on tallow trimethyl ammonium chloride.

[0072] Arquad 2T-70 is based on di-tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride.

[0073] Arquad 2C-75 is based on dicoco dimethyl ammonium chloride.

[0074] From Table 1, it is evident that the modification of the starting pulp only with substances of group a) (clays) has only a very small impact on the ZFI.

[0075] The modification with substances of group b) and group c) as well as of combinations of substances of group b) and group c) cause a stronger reduction in the ZFI, which, however, would still be too high for most applications, in particular for the further processing into pulp/plastic composite materials.

Pulps Modified According to the Invention

[0076]

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Ex. % de- No. % substance a % substance b % substance c ZFI bonding 1.1 1 Opazil AOG 1 Arquad 2T-70 1 Plurafac 5.7 77.20 LF403 1.2 1 Pitchbent K 1 Arquad 2T-70 1 Plurafac 6.15 75.69 LF403 1.3 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 1.5 Plurafac 4.7 81.20 LF403 1.4 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 1.5 Sursol VL 5.2 79.20 1.5 2 Pitchbent K 2 Arquad 2T-70 2 Plurafac 4.4 82.40 LF403 1.6 2 Pitchbent K 2 Arquad 2T-70 2 Sursol VL 4.6 81.60 1.7 1 Pitchbent K 1 Tuxol Q AHC 1 Sursol VL 6.4 74.40 1.8 2 Pitchbent K 0.5 Arquad 2C-75 3 Sursol VL 10.7 57.20 1.9 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Varisoft TA 1.5 Sursol VL 5.8 76.80 100 1.10 1 Garamite 1 Arquad 2T-70 1 Plurafac 7.5 72.22 1958 LF403 1.11 2 Nanofil 116 2 Arquad 2T-70 2 Plurafac 6.6 75.56 LF403 1.12 2 Garamite 2 Arquad 2T-70 2 Plurafac 6.96 74.22 1958 LF403

[0077] The product Garamite 1958 is a clay modified with quaternary alkyl ammonium.

[0078] The product Nanofil 116 is based on bentonite.

[0079] Tuxol Q AHC is based on di-tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride.

[0080] Varisoft TA 100 is based on distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride.

[0081] From Table 2, it is evident that, with a combination of the substances of groups a), b) and c), significantly lower tensile stregths and thus a much higher degree of debonding can be achieved than with the substances alone or only in a combination of two of the substances. Particularly the use of clays of group a), which, intrinsically, produce hardly any effect on their own, seems to significantly improve the effect of a combination of substances of the groups b) and c).

[0082] As is likewise evident from Table 2, with the combination according to the invention of substances a), b) and c), tensile strength indices of 8 Nm/g or less can be achieved, which renders the pulps modified according to the invention excellently suitable for further processing into pulp/plastic composite materials.

Example Group 2

Starting Pulp

[0083] A commercially available pulp of the type Suzano (a sulphate pulp based on eucalyptus, bleached) was used as the starting pulp. The ZFI measured for this pulp amounted to 22.4 Nm/g.

[0084] In each case, the pulp modification occurred as described for example group 1.

[0085] The results are summarized in the following Table 3:

TABLE-US-00003 Ex. % de- No. % substance a % substance b % substance c ZFI bonding 2.1 2 Papercol PF 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 2 Plurafac 7.53 66.41 LF403 2.2 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 2 Sursol VL 5.06 77.43 2.3 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 2 Marlosol 5.34 76.18 TA3030 2.4 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 2 Marlowet 5.24 76.63 4702 2.5 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 2 Emulan P 6.46 71.19 2.6 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 2 Hoesch SH 6.47 71.14 55/95 PF 2.7 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 2 Plurafac 5.50 75.47 LF403 2.8 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Varisoft TA 2 Plurafac 6.57 70.70 9100 LF403 2.9 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arosurf PA842 V 2 Plurafac 5.10 77.25 LF403 2.10 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Praepagen TQ 2 Plurafac 5.87 73.82 LF403 2.11 2 Pitchbent K 2 Praepagen TQ 2 Plurafac 5.83 74.00 LF403 2.12 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad HTB-75 2 Plurafac 6.64 70.38 LF403 2.13 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Armeen HAT 2 Plurafac 7.53 66.41 LF403 2.14 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Armeen T 2 Plurafac 5.46 75.65 LF403 2.15 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Varisoft TA 2 Sursol VL 5.48 75.56 100 2.16 2 Pitchbent K 2 Arosurf PA842 V 2 Marlosol 5.55 75.25 TA3030 2.17 2 Pitchbent K 3 Praepagen TQ 2 Emulan P 5.95 73.46 2.18 2 Pitchbent K 3 Praepagen TQ 2 Marlosol 5.24 76.63 TA3030 2.19 2 Pitchbent K 0.75 Arquad 2T-70 2 Plurafac 9.02 59.77 LF403 2.20 2 Pitchbent K 1 Arquad 2T-70 2 Plurafac 8.76 60.93 LF403 2.21 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 1 Plurafac 12.93 42.33 LF403 2.22 2 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 1.5 Plurafac 9.08 59.50 LF403 2.23 0.75 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 2 Plurafac 5.57 75.16 LF403 2.24 0.5 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 2 Plurafac 5.82 74.04 LF403 2.25 0.4 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 2 Plurafac 5.73 74.44 LF403 2.26 0.3 Pitchbent K 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 2 Plurafac 5.54 75.29 LF403 2.27 2 Opazil 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 2 Plurafac 5.80 74.13 LF403 2.28 2 Papercol PF 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 2 Plurafac 7.53 66.41 LF403 2.29 2 Laviofloc 1.5 Arquad 2T-70 2 Plurafac 5.31 76.32 P2G LF403 Marlosol TA3030 is based on ethoxylated isotridecanol. Marlowet 4702 is based on an oleic acid polyethylene glycol diester. Emulan P is based on ethoxylated C12-C14 alcohols. Hoesch SH 55/95 is based on an oleylcetyl-5,5-polyglycol ether. Arosurf PA 842 V is based on a 2-C17-unsaturated alkyl-1-(2-C18-unsaturated amidoethyl)-4,5-dihydro-N-methyl imidazolium salt. Praepagen TQ is based on a triethanolamine di-esterquat methosulphate comprising essentially C16/C18 saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Arquad HTB-75 is based on C16-18-alkyl dimethyl ammonium chlorides. Armeen HAT and Armeen T are each based on tallow amines. Papercol PF and Laviofloc P2G are each based on bentonite.