CA2200049A1

CA2200049A1 - Tissue paper treating agent, process for producing tissue paper by using said treating agent and its use

Info

Publication number: CA2200049A1
Application number: CA002200049A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Harald Elstner; Peter Von Paleske; Walter Hill
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Essity Germany GmbH
Priority date: 1994-09-16
Filing date: 1995-09-12
Publication date: 1996-03-21
Also published as: WO1996008601A1; PL183481B1; EP0803012A1; DE59506319D1; EP0803012B1; CZ77897A3; NO971198L; FI971103A; AU3566295A; GR3031031T3; PL319139A1; SK32497A3; HU220737B1; ES2136307T3; NO971198D0; HUT77476A; FI971103A0; ATE181754T1

Abstract

A polysiloxane-containing treating agent for tissue paper products contains 25 to 95 parts by weight of polyethylene glycol and/or glycerine liquid at room temperature, 5 to 75 parts by weight polysiloxane and 0 to 25 parts by weight water with respect to 100 parts by weight of said mixture. Also disclosed is a process for applying said medium on a tissue paper web and its use.

Description

2 ~ 4 9 Treatment Medium for Tissue PaPer, Method of M~k; nq Tis~ue PaPer U~inq the Treatment Medium and It~ U~e The current invention relates to a treatment medium for increasing the softness of tissue paper, a process for producing tissue paper and products made of it using this treatment medium as well as the use of the treatment medium.
Softness is an important property of tissue products such as handkerchiefs, cosmetic towels, toilet paper, napkins, and also hand towels or kitchen towels and describes the feeling the tissue paper produces when it comes into contact with skin.
As described in the Wochenblatt fur Papierfabrikation [Weekly Newsletter for Paper Manufacturing], no. 11/12, 1988, p. 435 in the article "Weichheit und Weichmachen von Hygiene-Tissue" ~Softness and Softening of Hygienic Tissue], although the term softness is in fact generally understood, it is extremely hard to define since there are no physical analysis methods, and because of this, there is also no recognized industry norm as a st~n~rd for classifying various grades of softness.
In order to really be able to detect softness, it must be determined by means of a subjective method, i.e. it is determined by means of a so-called panel test in which a number of trained test people make a comparative assessment.

Softness can be subdivided by its main characteristics, surface softness and crush softness:
Surface softness describes the sensation felt when lightly caressing the surface of the tissue sheet with the fingertips.
Crush softness is understood to be the sensory impression produced by a compressed tissue during the process of compressing it with the hands.
The usual steps taken to produce or improve the softness of a tissue paper can be divided into three main categories:
1. Choice of raw materials, in particular of the cellulose, 2. Technical machine steps (e.g. beating, sheet formation, drying, and creping, smoothing), and 3. Chemical additives and auxiliary materials.
Tissue papers require different properties depending on their intended use. Kitchen towels and to a greater degree, hand towels, require high absorbency and strength, particularly strength when wet, in order to meet the demands of the consumer. In other products such as handkerchiefs or facial tissues, softness of the surface and very favorable smoothness are outst~n~;ng properties, which in addition to strength, determine the usefulness of these products. In toilet papers, a combination of dry strength in addition to favorable softness and appearance of thickness are decisive in usefulness and consumer acceptance.
For the paper maker, it is a particular challenge to bring the different, often conflicting influence factors into a particular balance in order to constitute from these the Qptimal combinations of properties dem~n~ed by the consumer for the end products sought.

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It is a sign of the times that improving softness is one of the most important demands for the paper maker today and cuts across all product areas in the field of hygiene -articles. Properties like softness of a tissue product are determined in their basic development by means of the manufacturing process and the choice of raw materials and auxiliary materials, as has already been discussed above.
Independent of its different variants, the tissue manufacturing process includes the following technical process steps: Suspension of the fibrous material in water, gradual addition of chemical additives for deliberately influencing product properties and the course of the process, activation of the fiber surfaces to develop the strength potential of the fibrous raw material by means of mechanical treatment such as beating in a refiner, sheet formation by depositing the fibers in oriented or randomly oriented fashion on one or between two endlessly revolving wires of the paper making machine while at the same time ~...Jving most of the dilution water until dry contents between 12 and 35% are reached, and drying of the primary fibrous web formed in one or a number of steps using mechanical and thermal methods until a final dry content of approximately 93 to 97~ is reached. The steps which are the most relevant for the production of tissue additionally include the creping process, which in the conventional process exerts the ~om;n~nt influence on the properties of the finished tissue product. In the dry creping process predom;n~ntly in use today, with the above-mentioned final dry content of the raw tissue paper, the creping occur~ on a drying cylinder that normally has a diameter of 4.5 to 6 m, the so-called yankee cylinder, with the aid of a creping ductor. In older processes with lesser d~m~n~ on tissue quality, the wet creping process is also used, which progresses similarly to the dry creping process, 2 ~

but at lower dry contents below 80%, usually from approximately 55 to 65~ dry content, with a subsequent drying on ensuing drying cylinders of a drier section until the final dry content is achieved. In a subsequent step, the creped, completely dried raw tissue paper (raw tissue) is rolled onto a carrying core into a so-called reel or, cut longitll~; n~l ly, is rolled onto sleeves into master rolls and is available in this form for further processing into finished products.
To produce multi-ply tissue papers, such as handkerchiefs, toilet paper, hand towels, or kitchen towels, in many cases, an intermediary step is carried out with the so-called doubling in which usually the raw wadding (raw tissue) is unwound in a number of reels that corresponds to the desired number of plies of the finished product and is wound onto a common, multi-ply master roll. Frequently a smoothing or calibration in double roller or multi-roller smoothing calenders is included in this processing step.
The smoothing (calibration), though, can also be carried out in the tissue manufacturing r~ch;ne after the drying and creping has been carried out, directly before the tissue is put on rolls.
The refining process, for example into folded products such as handkerchiefs or cosmetic towels (facials) is carried in subsequent, separate work cycles in special processing machines built for the purpose, which include processes such as repeat smoothing of the tissue, edge embossing, partially combined with a gluing over its entire area or at certain points to produce a ply adhesion of the individual plies (raw tissue) to be bonded to one another as well as longitudinal cutting, folding, cross cutting, depositing and combining of a number of individual towels and packing them into so-called towel packs or special decorat~ve boxes as well as combining them into larger multi-packs or bundles. In lieu of the edge embossing, ply adhesion can also be produced by means of milling, as is customary e.g. with cosmetic towels.
In addition to the described, conventional tissue manufacturing process, particularly in the USA, and today in increasing quantities in Europe as well, modified processing techniques are used that, by means of a particular type of drying inside the tissue machine, achieve an improvement of the specific volume and thus an improvement of the crush softness of the tissue manufactured in this ~-nner These processes, which exist in various subclasses, are called TAD
(Through Air Drying) processes (through flow drying). Their feature is that before the final contact drying on the yankee cylinder, the "primary" fibrous web leaving the sheet formation is pre-dried to a dry content of approx. 80% by virtue of the fact that hot air is blown through the fibrous web. The fibrous web is supported and conveyed by means of an air-permeable wire or belt during its transport over the surface of an air-permeable, rotating cylinder drum. By structuring the support wire or the belt, an arbitrary pattern can be produced in zones that are compressed and loosened by means of deformation in the moist state, which zone~ lead to increased, average, specific volumes and in connection with this, to an increase in the crush softness without the strength of the fibrous web falling below the level required for the intended use. A further possibility for influencing strength and softness in raw tissue production is comprised in the use of a layering in which a specially constructed headbox builds up the primary fibrous web to be constituted in the form of materially dissimilar layers of fibrous material, which are jointly supplied to the sheet formation as a stream of material. In the use of layering, fibrous webs comprised of two, three, or more layers belong to the prior art, for example DE 43 47 499-C.

4 ~
._ By means of suitable raw material selection in the conduits of the headbox discharge nozzle which determine the layering, for example the use of eucalyptus fibers on the side of the web oriented toward the surface of the yankee cylinder, the surface softness can be significantly increased which benefits products made using raw tissue manufacturing.
It is furthermore known to use chemicals in the form of applying a lotion to the-raw tissue during the raw tissue manufacturing process, plying, or subsequent processing, for the purpose of iu~Lu~ing softness. In cosmetic usage, the term "lotion" i~ generally understood to include aqueous or aqueous/alcoholic preparations with emulsifying substances.
In particular, the use of aqueous solutions or emulsions of polyhydroxy compounds such as glycol or polyethylene glycol or the use of polysilox~n~s is described for the purpose of improving tissue softness. Up till this point, though, it has not been known that a significant increase in softness can be produced as a synergy effect of mixing a polysiloxane with a polyethylene glycol in an aqueous emulsion.
The use of polysiloxanes as treatment mediums for improving tissue softness is described in the patent literature. However, it has not been previously disclosed that a significant increase in softness can be produced as a synergy effect of the use of a mixture of a polysiloxane with a polyhydroxy compound, e.g. polyethylene glycol or glycerine in aqueous emulsion, as a treatment medium for tissue. WO 90/09807 relates to a tissue product which comprises at least one tissue layer, wherein this tissue product contains 0.1 to 5 weight percent in solids of a silicone compound. In this instance, for example, this is preferably an aqueous emulsion and/or solution of~these silicone compounds. US patent 4,950,545 logically follows from this patent application.

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-EP 0 347 154-A relates to a tissue paper with a basic weight of 10 to 65 g/m2 and a density of no more than 0.6 g/ml, wherein this paper contains cellulose fibers and a poly~iloxane material, wherein the quantity of polysiloxane is at least 0.004% in relation to the dry (fiber) weight of this fibrous web. The subject of US patent 5,059,282 that follows from this is correspondingly limited to a tissue paper with a basic weight of 10 to 65 g/m2 and a density of no more than 0.6 g/ml, wherein this paper contains cellulose fibers and an effective content of a polysiloxane material, wherein the polysiloxane mentioned is uniformly applied to the outwardly directed faces of the tissue paper, wherein this effective content of polysiloxane is 0.004% to 2~ in relation to the dry (fiber) weight of the tissue paper, wherein this polysiloxane has a viscosity of 25 centistokes and more, and after an aging period of two weeks after its production, has a wetting time of no more than 2 minutes. A
manufacturing process for a paper of this kind is the subject of EP 347 153-A or the corresponding US patent 5,215,626.
WO 93/02252 relates to a manufacturing process for soft tissue paper with the order of operations of a sheet formation from an aqueous suspension (wet laying) of cellulose fibers to form a fibrous web (web material~, drying of the web material by increasing the temperature of the web material to at least 43~C, creping of the web material at a temperature of at least 43~C, treatment of the web material at a temperature of at least 43~C with a sufficient quantity of a polysiloxane so that 0.004% to 0.75% of this polysiloxane remains in this web material in relation to the dry (fiber) weight of this tissue paper, wherein this tissue paper has~-a basic weight of 10 to 65 g/m2 and a density of less than 0.6 g/m3. According to a 4 ~

preferred embodiment, a water soluble tenside can be added, among other things, at the same time as the polysiloxane.
This subject i8 also described in US 5,059,282-A.
W0 94/05857 relates to a process for applying a chemical paper manufacturing additive to a dry tissue paper web (tissue paper web material, raw tissue), wherein this process is characterized in that it includes the following steps:
The provision of a dry tissue paper web material, the dilution of a chemical paper manufacturing additive with a suitable solvent to constitute a diluted chemical solution, the application of this diluted chemical solution on a heated transfer surface, the partial evaporation of the solvent by means of the transfer surface to form a film that contains this paper manufacturing additive, and the transfer of the film from the heated transfer surface to the surface of the tissue web material, also characterized in that a sufficient quantity of the chemical paper manufacturing additive is produced in such a way that in relation to the dry (fiber) weight of this tissue web material, 0.004 to 2'~
of this chemical paper manufacturing additive re~-; n~ in this tissue web material. Preferably this paper manufacturing additive is understood to mean softening agents and mixtures of them, preferably softening agents that are selected from lubricants, plastifying agents, and mixtures of them, wherein these lubricants are polysiloxanes. If a chemical softening agent is desired that is intended to serve primarily as a plastifying agent, then it can be selected from a group of chemicals that among other things, includes polyethylene glycol, for example polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 400. US
5,246,546-logically follows from this patent application.
DE 28 00 132-A relates to a soft, flexible skin cleansing article with a web that has a wiping surface 4 ~

and a low density wiping zone, wherein the wiping surface represents a border of the low density wiping zone, the low density wiping zone is dirt permeable and has a number of hollow spaces disposed in and under the surface, and wherein the low density wiping zone is treated with approximately 10 to 150% lipophilic cleansing emollient in relation to the weight of the web. Among other things, the term lipophilic cleansing emollient also includes silicone oils and nonionic tensides.
DE 34 20 940-C relates to a means for cleansing and wiping the circllr~n~l region, cont~;n;ng at least one oil selected from the group of plant oils, ~n;~l oils, and ~ynthetic oils, characterized in that it contains a silicone oil as an additional component.
EP 0 459 501-A relates to a process for reducing the static load and the damage during a wet-on-wet printing process, which is characterized in that a silicone polymer emulsion that has a particle size of greater than 200 nm, a cationic tenside, and a nonionic tenside are deposited on the paper.
Furthermore, there are known patents, for example US 5,312,522-A, that describe the use of a mixture of polyethylene glycol with quaternary amines (cationic tensides) as a treatment medium.
Thus DE 034 47 499-C relates to a non-drying cleansing towel, which is characterized in that an emulsion is deposited on a carrier material, which emulsion is comprised of at least one moisture regulator, preferably polyethylene glycol, and at least one other fluid substance.

4 ~
.._ It is furthermore known to use an anionic tenside, a nonionic tenside, or mixtures of them as softeners in the manufacture of soft tissue paper.
EP 03 47 177-A relates to a proce~s for manufacturing soft tissue paper, which includes the following steps:
Sheet formation from an aqueous suspension (wet laying) of cellulose fibers to form a fibrous web, application of a sufficient quantity of a water soluble, non-cationic tenside in such a way that in relation to the dry (fiber) weight of this tissue paper, 0.01 to 2~ of this non-cationic tenside is retained by the web, wherein this application is carried out at a fiber consistency of 10 to 80~ as well as the drying and creping of the web, wherein this tissue paper has a basic weight of 10 to 65 g/m2 and a density of less than 0.6 g/m3.
EP 0607796-A relates to a nonwoven that contains an organosilicone compound, wherein the impL~ve~ent is comprised in that the organosilicone compound contains 45 to 98 wt.~ of a water soluble or water dispersible polyether polysiloxane, wherein the polyether groups are 30 to 100 mol.~ comprised of ethoxylene units and propoxylene units as residue and the polysiloxane block contains 10 to 100 siloxane units, 1 to 20 wt.~ of a water soluble or water dispersible organopolysiloxane with at least one ~r~on; um group, which is attached to the carbon atom, and 1 to 20 wt.~ water or a water soluble alkylene glycol.
The object of the present invention is to prepare a polysiloxane-containing treatment medium for tissue paper products for improving softness, wherein it is irrelevant which of the raw tissue manufacturing and processing methods described above has been used to make the tissue product according to the invention. A treatment medium of this kind is obtained through a mixture of t~ ~ 4 ~ -particular quantities of at least one polyhydroxy compound, excepting natural or chemically modified natural polymers, in particular a polyethylene glycol that i8 fluid at room temperature and/or glycerine as a further component, a percentage of a polysiloxane as well as possibly up to 25 weight percent water. The application of a mixture of this kind surprisingly leads to a considerably improved softness of tissue products (synergy effect) in comparison to a purely polysiloxane application as well as in comparison to a pure application of polyethylene glycol or glycerine.
Consequently, the subject of the present invention is a polysiloxane-containing treatment medium for tissue paper products, in particular in the form of a lotion, that is characterized in that it contains 25 to 95 parts by weight of at least one polyhydroxy compound, excepting natural or chemically modified natural polymers, in particular at least one polyethylene glycol that i8 fluid at room temperature and/or glycerine, 5 to 75 parts by weight polysiloxane, and 0 to 35 parts by weight water in relation to 100 parts by weight of this mixture.
In the context of the current compound, the polyhydroxy compound is understood to mean a low molecular or macromolecular organic compound that contains two or more hydroxy groups in the molecule. By definition, these polyhydroxy compounds, which are also called polyols, include polyvalent alcohols such as glycerine, polyethylene glycols, pentaerythrite, sugar alcohols such as tetride, Pentite, hexite, etc., in particular, threite, erythrite, adonite, arabite, xylitol, dulcitol, mannitol, and sorbitol, carbohydrates such as D(+)-glucose, D(+)-fructose, D(+)-galactose, D(+)-mannose, L-gulose, saccharose, galactose, or maltose, and synthetic polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol.

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_ An arbitrary water soluble and/or water dispersible compound that is fluid, pasty, or waxy at room temperature (20~C) can be used as a polysiloxane component. The 'polysiloxane component used for the purposes of the current invention includes polymers, oligomers, copolymers, and other polyronoreric siloxanes. The term polysiloxane is understood below to mean any polymeric, oligomeric, or other multiple monomeric siloxane material. Furthermore, the polysiloxane material can have a linear-structure, a branched structure, or a cyclical structure.
According to a preferred embodiment, the polysiloxane component has ~onor~ric siloxane units with the following structure:

I

(1) ------ Si -- O ------R

wherein R1 and R2 are the ~ame or different for each r~nor-ric siloxane unit and each is an alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, cycloalkyl, halogenated hydrocarbon or other type of group. Each of these groups can be substituted or unsubstituted. Rl and R2 groups of each particular ~o~or~ric unit can differ from the corresponding functional groups of the next attached monoreric unit.
Furthermore, these groups can be straight chained as well as branched, or can have a cyclical structure. Furthermore and independently of each other, the groups Rl and R2 can be other silicone groups, but are not limited to siloxanes, polysiloxanes, and polysilanes' The groups Rl and R2 can furthermore contain a large number of organically functional groups, for example alcohol, carbonic acid, and amino-functional groups.

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-The degree and type of substitution produce the relative degree of softness, silky feel, and hydrophilic nature that is imparted to the tissue paper structure. In general, the degree of softness and of silky feel, which is produced among other things by the polyRiloxane, increaRes provided that the hydrophilic nature of the substituted polysiloxane component decreases. Amino-functional polysilo~Anes and polyether polysiloxanes are particularly preferable as the polysiloxane component in the treatment medium according to the invention.
Preferable polysiloxanes include linear organo-polysiloxane compounds with the following general formula Rl R7 Rg R4 (2) R2 - Si - O [- Si - O I l_ Si - O I - Si - R5 R3 R8 a R1o b R6 where independently of one another, the Rl to Rg groups are respectively C1 to C1~ unsubstituted alkyl or aryl groups and R1o is an arbitrarily substituted Cl to C10 alkyl or aryl radical. Preferably, each R1 to Rg group, independently of the others, is a Cl to ClO unsubstituted alkyl group. It is known to an expert in this field that it makes no great difference whether for example Rg or R1o is the substituted group. Preferably the mol ratio of b to (a+b) is between 0 and 20%, preferably between 0 and 10~, and in particular between 1 and 5%.
According to a particularly preferable embodiment, R
to Rg are methyl groups and Rlo is a substituted-or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl, or alkenyl group. Materials of this kind are generally referred to here as -polydimethylsiloxanes, which have a particular functionality as they are used in the current instance. E-xamples of this kind of polydimethylsilox~nes can be: polydimethylsiloxanes such as Dow Corning~ 200 fluid, polydimethylcyclosilanes such as Dow Corning~ 344 and 345, polydimethylsiloxane having an Rlo alkyl hydrocarbon group and a polydimethylsiloxane with one or more amino, carboxyl, hydroxyl, ether, polyether, aldehyde, ketone, amide, ester, thiol, and/or other R10-functional groups, including alkyl and alkenyl analogs of thi~ kind of functional groups. For example, an amino-functional alkyl group such as Rlo can be an amino-functional or an ~;no~lkyl-functional polydimethylsiloxane. The exemplary numbering of these polydimethylsiloxanes does not mean that others that are not specifically mentioned here are excluded from this.
The vi~cosity of the polysilo~ne~ used as a component in the treatment medium according to the invention can vary over a wide range, as long as the polysiloxane rer-; n-q fluid and can be liquefied for use in the treatment medium according to the invention for application to the tissue paper. This is under~tood for example to be viscosities of 25 x 10-6 m2/s to 20,000,000 x 10-6 m2/s or even higher. In this connection, viscosities of 15,000 x 10-6 m2/s to 3,400,000 x 10-6 m2/s are preferable. As a component of a treatment medium according to the invention, highly viscous polysilo~n~ that are not pourable in and of themselves can be applied in an effective ~nner to tissue paper by virtue of the fact that for example, the polysiloxane component is dissolved according to the invention in PEG, glycerine, water, or a mixture of them, emulsified together with a tenside, or the polysiloxane, provided that it is not soluble in PEG, glycerine,-or water, is dissolved by means of a solvent such as hexane.

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._ Special methods for applying the polysiloxane component to tissue paper are discussed below.
The above-mentioned polysiloxane components are described for example in US 2,826,551-A, US 3,964,550-A, US
4,364,837-A, US 4,395,454-A, US 4,950,545-A, US 4,921,895-A, and British patent 849433. Furthermore, the monograph "Silicon Compounds", pp. 181 - 217, published by Petrarch Systems, 1984, contains an extensive listing and description of this kind of polysiloxanes.
According to another preferred embodiment, as the polysiloxane component in the treatment mediums according to the invention, polyether silo~nes can be used which have the general, average formula:

13) R12 - sio - [ - sio - ] I sio - I si - Rl2 a b in which Rl2 groups in the molecule are the same or different and an alkyl group with 1 to 12 carbon atoms or a polyether group (CnH2nO)X R13, wherein R13 i8 a hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, or acyl group and n has a numerical value from 2 to 2.7 and x has a numerical value from 2 to 200, with the stipulation that at least one of the R12 groups in the average molecule is a polyether group; a has a numerical value from 0 to 98, b has a numerical value from 0 to 98, and a + b i~ 8 to 98. R12 can be an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms or a polyether group. However, the requirement must be met that at least one R12 in the average molecu~e is a polyether group. Preferably 2 to 5 of the R12 groups are polyether groups and -the rem~;n;ng Rl2 groups then signify an alkyl group, wherein the methyl group is particularly preferable. The alkyl group, though, can also have up to 12 carbon atoms.
In this manner, it i~ possible to vary the properties of the treatment medium and to thus improve work on tissue paper products. The polyether groups correspond to the formula (CnH2nO)XRl3. The index n has a numerical value from 2 to 2.7. In general, the ether group is comprised of a number of ethoxylenes and possibly propoxylene groups. If the index n i8 2, then the polyether group is comprised exclusively of ethoxylene units. If the numerical value of n increa8es, then the percentage of propoxylene groups likewise increase~. The numerical value of n = 2.7 means that 70% of the polyether groups are propoxylene groups.
The index x signifies the number of alkoxylene units.
Thi~ value is an average numerical value since a mixture of the products of varying chain lengths us usually obtained in the synthesis of polyethers. The index x has a numerical value from 2 to 200 and is preferably disposed between 10 and 50. Polyether groups with an average molecular weight of 600 to 4,000 are preferable. The index a signifies the number of methylsiloxane units that are carried by the R12 group. The index b corresponds to the number of dimethyl-siloxane units. While a and b can asRume a value from 0 to 98, the requirement must be met that the sum of a + b has a value of 8 to 98. If a = 0, then the polyether group or groups are connected on the end. The siloxanes with positive values for a are modified by means of the Rl2 side ch~in~. Siloxanes in which the R12 groups are disposed in the side chain are preferable. The R13 group can be hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl or also acyl. Preferably, R13 is a hydrogen atom. If Rl3 is an alkyl group, then low alkyl group~ having 1 to 4 carbon atoms are preferable.

The acetyl group is the preferred acyl group.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the polysiloxane component according to the invention has the following formula.

(4) Rl4 - SiO - sio - si - Rl4 I I I
CH3 CH3 c CH3 wherein Rl4 is a group with the formula (5) - Rls - N~ - Rl8 ~ X

R

in which R15 i8 a divalent hydrocarbon group whose carbon chain i8 interrupted by an oxygen atom, Rl6, Rl7, and Rl8 are the same or different and represent alkyl groups having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, of which one of the groups Rl6, Rl7, and Rl8 is a -(CH2) 3 NHCORlg group in which Rlg has an alkyl group with 7 to 17 carbon atoms and X- has a monovalent anion and c has a numerical value from 5 to 100. Rl5 is a divalent hydrocarbon group, for example the group having the formula -CH2-C(OH)H-CH2-O-(CH2)3-. The Rl6, Rl7, and Rl8 groups can be the same or different and are alkyl groups having 1 to 18 carbon atoms. However, one of the above-mentioned groups Rl6~ Rl7, and Rl8 can also signify a (CH2)3 NHCORlg group.
If the Rl6, Rl7, and R1~ groups are alkyl group~, then they have 1 to 18 carbon atoms. Rl4 groups are particularly preferable in which two of the above-mentioned Rl6, Rl7, and Rl8 groups have 1 to 4 carbon atoms and the third group has ~Q~ ~4~
-up to 18 carbon atoms. If one of the Rl6, R17, and Rl8 groups i8 a (CH2) 3 NHCORlg group, then the Rlg group is an alkyl group with 7 to 17 carbon atoms. X~ i8 a monovalent anion, in general an acetate group. However, X can also be an anorganic group such as Cl-.
The index "c" indicates the number of dimethylsiloxy units in the linear siloxane and has a numerical value from 5 to 100 and preferably from 10 to 80. Of the above-mentioned silo~nes~ this kind of polydimethylsiloxanes as well as for example polyether groups, alkyl groups, and polydimethylsilo~nes modified with quaternary or betaine groups, in particular nitrogen groups.
Particularly preferable polysilo~n~s are the organically modified silo~nes, which have distinct surface and interface activity in aqueous and organic systems, and are sold under the name Tegopren~ by Th. Goldschmidt AG.
These are polyethersilox~ne~, as sold by Th.
Goldschmidt AG in the company brochure "Tegopren~
Information", undated, under the trade names Tegopren~ 3012, Tegopren~ 3020, Tegopren~ 3021, Tegopren~ 3022, Tegopren~
3070, Tegopren~ 5830, Tegopren~ 5840, Tegopren~ 5842, Tegopren~ S843, Tegopren~ 5847, Tegopren~ 5851, Tegopren~
5852, Tegopren~ 5863, Tegopren~ 5873, Tegopren~ 5878, Tegopren~ 5884, and Tegopren~ 7006 and usually have average cloud points in the range of 25~C to 71~C, as well as modified siloxanes in the form of Tegopren-silicone quaternaries and betaines, as sold under the names Tegopren~
6920, Tegopren~ 6922, and Tegopren~ 6950.
In the context of the current invention, the term ti~sue paper or for short, tissue, is understood to mean all types of creped papers produced from aqueous dispersion that have a weight per unit area between 10 and 65 g/m2.

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According to thé invention, the term tissue papers covers the entire realm of creped raw papers, also called raw tissue, in particular the area of dry-creped raw tissue papers, independently of whether single or multi-ply, as well as all single or multi-ply end products made of these creped raw papers, such as handkerchiefs, facial and cosmetic towels, toilet papers, kitchen towels, hand towels, and napkins. Furthermore, the term tissue paper must be seen as independent of the fiber raw material to be used, in particular independent of whether the fiber raw material is produced exclusively or pre~o~;n~ntly of true celluloses in accordance with the sulfate or sulfite process, or is used in a mixture with chemo-thermo-mechanical wood materials (CTMP), or whether the fiber raw material used is derived from a secondary fiber preparation process and therefore the fiber raw material required for tissue production is entirely or partially comprised of "recycled fibers".
In order to distinguish from so-called web materials (no~ ovens), it should be noted that while the pre~o~;n~nt use of natural, that is plant-based cellulose fibers that have been broken down by the paper manufacturer is indeed characteristic for the production of tissue paper, a proportional use of cellulose fibers that have been modified through conversion in a range from 10 to 50~ or even a use of plastic fibers suited to paper manufacture in a proportion of 10 to 30~ falls under the above-mentioned definition of the term tissue. A use of the treatment medium according to the invention can be analogously transferred beyond the realm of tissue manufacturing to corresponding areas of the nonwovens field and the textiles field.
According to a preferred embodiment of the current invention, the binary, polysiloxane-cont~;n;ng X ~ 4 ~ --treatment medium according to the invention can be comprised of 5 to 75 parts by weight (or wt.%) of at least one above--mentioned polysiloxane and 25 to 95 parts by weight (or wt.~) of the above-mentioned polyethylene glycol. In this treatment medium, though, it is preferable to use 10 to 70 parts by weight polysiloxane, in particular 40 to 60 parts by weight polysiloxane, and as a further component, 30 to 90 parts by weight, but in particular 40 to 60 parts by weight of the above-mentioned fluid polyethylene glycol.
According to another preferred embodiment of the current invention, the treatment medium is comprised of 5 to 75 parts by weight (or wt.%) of at least one polysiloxane and 25 to 95 parts by weight (or wt.%) glycerine. In this case, a treatment medium i8 also preferable that has 10 to 70 parts by weight, preferably 40 to 60 parts by weight of at least one poly~iloxane, and 30 to 90 parts by weight, in particular 40 to 60 parts by weight glycerine.
Polyethylene glycol and glycerine can be exchanged in arbitrary amounts in the treatment mediums according to the invention. But mixtures of polyethylene glycol and glycerine can also be used, in particular for economic reasons, wherein for example the mixture proportions come to 20 to 80 wt.% or parts by weight, preferably 30 to 70 wt.
or parts by weight of the above-mentioned polyethylene glycol and 20 to 80 wt.~ or parts by weight, preferably 30 to 70 wt.~ glycerine.
According to a preferred embodiment of the current invention, the treatment medium according to the invention contains 30 to 90 parts by weight of at least one polyhydroxy compound, in particular of at least one polyethylene glycol that is fluid at room temperature and/or a glycerine, 10 to 70 parts by weight p-olysiloxane, and 1 to 30 parts by weight water in relation to 100 parts by weight of this mixture.

-In this connection, it is particularly preferable that a ternary treatment medium of this kind-contains 20 to 70 parts by weight of at lea~t one polyhydroxy compound, in particular at least one polyethylene glycol that is fluid at room temperature and/or a glycerine, 30 to 70 parts by weight polysiloxane and 5 to 25 parts by weight water in relation to 100 parts by weight of thi~ mixture.
According to a preferred embodiment, in addition to the two organic components, water is an additional component.
The treatment mediums according to the invention are then comprised of 5 to 75 parts by weight of at least one polysiloxane, 25 to 95 parts by weight of at least one polyhydroxy compound, in particular of the above-mentioned polyethylene glycol, and 1 to 30 parts by weight water in relation to 100 part~ by weight of the above-mentioned mixture.
With this ternary mixture that has polyethylene glycol as one of the components, a mixture i8 used that is comprised of 30 to 90, in particular, though, 40 to 60 parts by weight polyethylene glycol, 10 to 70 parts by weight, preferably 40 to 60 parts by weight polysiloxane, and preferably 5 to 25 parts by weight water in relation to 100 parts by weight of these two above-mentioned components.
Furthermore, it is particularly preferable to use 15 to 24, preferably 17 to 22 parts by weight water per 100 parts by weight polyethylene glycol.
According to another preferred embodiment that has glycerine as one of the components, it is preferable to use an at first binary mixture of 30 to 90, in particular, though, 40 to 60 parts by weight glycerine, 10 to 70 parts by weight, preferably 40 to 60 parts by weight polysiloxane, and 1 to 30 parts by weight, preferably 5 to 25 parts by weight water in relation to 100 parts by weight of the two mixtures mentioned above. Moreover, it is particularly preferable to use 23 to 32 parts by weight, preferably 25 to 4 ~
-30 part~ by weight water per 100 parts by weight glycerine.
In addition to~these above-mentioned components, the treatment medium according to the invention can contain, as additional ingredients, cosmetic substances with special properties as well as other, conventional auxiliary materials. In this connection, for example active substances for the skin should be mentioned, which are based on vit~m; n~ or plant extracts, such as extracts of horse chestnut seeds, birch, arnica, cAms~;le, or even bisabolol, carob, cucumber, aloe vera, or hamamelis, which are in part also known because of their astringent and therapeutic action.
Other materials that should be mentioned in this connection are skin care ~ubstances, for example sorbitan fatty acid esters and ethoxylated homologous compounds of glycerine, esters from ethoxylated fatty alcohols, fatty alcohol alkanolamides, ethoxylated fatty alcohols, ethoxylated wool fat alcohols, glycerine monostearate, stearic acid, cetylstearyl alcohol, vaseline, and lanolin.
In addition to lanolin itself, lanolin derivatives can also be used, such as lanolin alcohols or wool wax alcohols, which Union Car~ide, Inc. sells, in combination with mineral oils, under the name Amerchol0. For example, the series 400, BL, C, CAB, U9, L99, L111, L500, and RC are known in this connection. Other lanolin derivatives are the acetylated lanolins as well as hydrophilic lanolin derivatives, for example lanolin polyoxyethylene compounds.
Hydrotropic solubilizers for fatty substances, such as polyalcohol ethers and ethoxylated fatty alcohols can be used as other additives for the treatment medium according to the invention.
Another group, which can be used as an additive component in the treatment medium according to the invention is the group of quaternary ~mon; um compounds, in particular, though, quaternary ammonium salts of the kind 4 ~
'_ disclosed for example in US patents 5,312,522, 5,397,435, -5,405,501, and 5,427,696, as well as the international patent applications WO 95/11344, WO 95/11343, WO 95/01478, WO 95/01479, WO 94/29521, WO 94/29520, WO 94/16143, and WO
94/19381. Furthermore, the usual type of scents can be added, which are selected from scents that are natural, identical to the natural, or synthetic, wherein the corresponding aromatics are preferable. For example, these can be citrus oils such as lemon oil, bergamot oil, orange oil, petitgrain oil, conifer oils, cut hay fragrance compounds or blossom oils such as rose, jasmine, lilac, lavender, as well as synthetic aromatics based on menthol, etc. An overview is given by Ullman Enzyklopadie der technischen Chemie tUllman's Encyclopedia of Technical Chemistry], vol. 20, pp. 190 - 185.
Furthermore, correspon~;ng anorganic pigments or organic colorants of the kind that are usually used in tissue paper manufacturing can also be added together with the treatment medium according to the invention. In this connection, not least for ecological reasons as well, colorants that are physiologically harmless and non-irritating to the skin are preferable, particularly the corresponding natural colorants. The treatment medium according to the invention can contain all of the above-mentioned additives and auxiliary materials, both individually and in combination.
The above-described treatment medium for tissue paper products is deposited in an application quantity in the range from 0.01 to 15 weight percent, preferably 0.5 to 10 weight percent, most preferably 2 to 6 weight percent with regard to the dry weight of the fibers.
Preferably a single or multi-ply, preferably at least two-ply and especially preferably, a three or four-ply, embossed or non-embossed tissue paper is used as the carrier material on which the treatment medium is intended to be 4 ~

applied. The individual paper sheets can be mechanically attached to each other through edge embossing or milling, glued over it~ entire area or at certain points, or can also connected to each other in another way. Furthermore, a weight per unit area range of 10 to 40 g/m2, preferably 14 to 30 g/m2, in particular 15 to 25 g/m2, most preferably 15.5 to 17.5 g/m2 has turned out to be preferable for the individual sheets. In particular applications, though, heavier or lighter papers with weight per unit area ranges from 8 to 65 g/m2 have turned out to be useful.
According to another preferred embodiment, the carrier material can also be wet bonded, wherein the usual wet strength agent that i8 harmless from a health standpoint is used, such as epichlorohydrin resin, urea formaldehyde resin, melamine formaldehyde resin, and cros~-linked cationic polyalkylene ~m; ne~ .
In a preferred embodiment, the treatment medium, which exists in the form of an emulsion, can be deposited on the carrier material with any arbitrary roller and spray application process or in an impregnation process. In this connection, attention must always be paid that a separation of the emulsion cannot occur, i.e. that during depositing, the components of the treatment medium must be thoroughly mixed in order to prevent a separation. This occurs, for example, by means of high sheer forces produced, for example, by rapid agitators, frequent recirculation, or via a thorough ultrasound mixing.
The treatment medium, which can be used to achieve a noticeably improved softness of tissue products can be used in an extremely broad range of product fields. It has turned out to be particularly advantageous to use on napkins, toilet paper, hand towels, kitchen towels, handkerchiefs, cosmetic towels and makeup Le~ vdl towels, for example.

4 ~
-The above-mentioned composition of the treatment medium is calculated so that at the atmospheric humidities that normally prevail in the ~nnll~l mean, during the period of use by the consumer, skin irritations cannot arise due to water content (drying out due to the hygroscopic properties of polyethylene glycol or glycerine), even with long-term use. Also, a reclosable package that is sealed against water vapors is no longer necessary.
The conditioning solution can be added both in the wet section of a tissue paper machine (wadding machine), at the end of the wire section, before or inside the press section (mechanical water removal), i.e. at solids contents between 20 and 50~ as well as in the drier section disposed after the press section at solids contents of 40 to 97~ dry fiber weight. Charge points on the transfer wire/belt, e.g.
before the web transfer in a TAD apparatus as well as the supplying onto the moist fibrous web after its transfer onto the transport (dry) felt are the prior art in a conventional one or two-ply tissue manufacturing machine. Moreover, it is also prior art to supply conditioning chemicals in the spray application onto the yankee cylinder.
It is preferable to add the treatment medium in the tissue manufacturing machine by means of spray application onto the pope reel winder to form a film of treatment medium and to subsequently transfer it onto the tissue sheet during the reeling process - wherein usually the already creped 'tissue sheet", as a result of the previous drying process on the yankee cylinder, still has a residual temperature between 20~C and approximately 70~C, which is favorable for the distribution of the treatment medium and its penetration into the raw tissue -, onto the contact surface of the single-ply tissue sheet with the surface of the carrying drum of the pope reel winder. In addition to a spray application via a nozzle bar, the 22~ 4Q
_ use of spinning rotors or brush assemblies can also be considered as well as the indirect transfer of a film of treatment medium via roller application devices. The application can also occur directly on the tissue paper sheet. It is particularly preferable to add the treatment medium inside the combiner or inside the processing machine, on the outer plies of the sheet that has been combined into a multi-ply sheet, before or during the calibration/smoothing. The most preferred is the application of the treatment medium onto the single-ply or multi-ply sheet inside the processing machine.
The current invention, therefore, relates to a process for manufacturing soft tissue paper products, which is characterized in that a treatment medium of the kind mentioned above has been applied or deposited in a quantity of 0.01 to 15~ onto the tissue sheet inside the wire press section and/or drier section or outside the ti6sue making machine in the combiner or processing machine, that is, at a fiber density of 20 to 97~ with regard to the dry fiber weight of the sheet and after the application, the fibrous web undergoes a resmoothing.
According to a preferred embodiment, the tissue paper products are obt~;ne~ in such a way that a polysiloxane-containing treatment medium of the type mentioned above is applied in a quantity of 0.01 to 15~ onto the tissue sheet or the fibrous web following the drier section in the tissue paper machine and particularly preferably, inside the combiner or inside the processing machine and after the application, the fibrous web undergoes a resmoothing. It is particularly preferable, though, if the above-mentioned polysiloxane-cont~;n;ng treatment medium is applied in a quantity of 0.5 to 10~ to the single-ply sheet at a fiber density of 35 to 97~ with regard to the dry fiber weight of the single-ply sheet. It is particularly preferable to use a multi-ply sheet as the tissue sheet and to apply the 4 ~

treatment medium in a quantity of 1 to 7~ to at least one of the outer plies of the multi-ply sheet at a fiber density of more than 90~ with regard to the dry fiber weight. It is particularly preferable to apply the treatment medium in a quantity of 3 to 6% to ~he multi-ply tissue sheet.
Within the scope of the above-mentioned process, it is preferable that the resmoothing is carried out by means of at least one pass of the tissue sheet through a gap of a pair of rollers, in which a roller having a steel surface is associated with an opposing roller having a steel, plastic, paper, or rubber surface, but preferably a plastic surface.
Preferably, thi8 i8 carried out in 8uch a way that the resmoothing occurs by means of a double passage of the tissue sheet through a gap of a pair of rollers in which first, a roller having a steel surface is associated with an opposing roller having a plastic surface and then in mirror image fashion, a roller having a plastic surface is associated with an opposing roller having a steel surface.
The resmoothing of the tissue sheet following the depositing of the treatment medium therefore usually occurs in such a way that the tissue sheets sprayed on both sides are conducted through a smoothing calender. This smoothing calender is generally comprised of two smooth rollers having steel surfaces (steel rollers), whose surfaces are for the most part hard chrome plated. These rollers are hydraulically or pneumatically pressed together or for calibration, are driven with a gap. This means that one or both of the rollers is in a stationary position. The second or opposing roller is pressed against a stop so that the two steel rollers cannot touch, but remain at a particular, measurable and reproducible distance from each other. The tissue sheets conveyed through this gap are compressed to the gap thickness and are smoothed in the course of this.
In so doing, the structural constitution of the surface is stan~rdized, i.e. a uniform thickness i8 produced.

4 ~

Consequently, a smoothing occurs by means of an evening out of the surface in connection with a hG...oye~lizing of the thickness profile within the premise of as low a volume loss as possible.
Normal influence factors on smoothing are the line force, the surface temperature of the partially heated rollers, the nip width, and the nip number (number of smoothing calenders). An over~iew of this can be found in the articles in "apr Europen, 3 (1991), pp. 121 to 123, "J.J.A. Rodal Tappi Journaln, vol. 76, no. 12, pp. 63 to 74, and the overview by E. Wei~hun and H. Holik, in "Das Papier"
[Paper], vol. 38 (1984), no. lOA.
In lieu of the two steel rollers that make up the smoothing calender, a so-called soft smoothing calender can also be used. In this connection, a steel roller having a plastic surface is pressed against a smooth steel roller. A
smoothing calender of this kind is supplied, for example, by Kusters Maschinen GmbH. These soft smoothing calenders are known as MAT online smoothing calenders, among other things.
Another soft smoothing calender having a steel roller and an opposing roller having a plastic surface is the NIPCO-MAT
smoothing calender from ~ n~ Kusters Maschinenfabrik, Krefeld (see Wochenblatt der Papierfabrikation [Weekly Newsletter of Paper Manufacturing] 13/91, pp. 491 to 498.
Rollers of this kind are described in detail in DE 3445890 and EP 0273185.
Furthermore, in lieu of the two steel rollers that make up the smoothing calender, a smoothing calender can also be used where in combination with a steel roller or steel opposing roller, a roll-er or opposing roller is used which has a rubber or paper surface.
An overview of conventional resmoothing processes is given by German patent 1804418, German patent disclosure 2455895, German patent 2528803, EP 0033559-A, USP 2,179,057, USP 3,337,388, British patent 827735, as well as German 4 ~

patents 822228 and 1045783.
The current invention finally relates to the use of the above-mentioned polysiloxane-cont~ n; ng treatment medium for softening tissue paper products, in particular handkerchiefs, cosmetic towels, makeup .em~v~l towels, napkins, toilet paper, hand towels, and kitchen towels.
The current invention is explained in detail below in conjunction with exemplary embodiments.
Example 1:
In the laboratory, a treatment solution comprised of 32 weight percent polyethylene glycol, molecular weight 200, 60 weight percent of the polysiloxane Tegopren~ 3021, a polyethersiloxane from Th. Goldschmidt AG, which compound has a cloud point of 38~C, as well as 8% water thoroughly stirred in a quantity of 6%, was sprayed onto the paper handkerchief (finished product) with a weight per unit area of approximately 4 x 15.5 g/m3 at a dry fiber content of 92 to 97~ dry fiber weight, and the paper handkerchief underwent a resmoothing. The application wa~ carried out symmetrically on the external surfaces of this finished towel. The product thus obtained was labeled A.
Exam~le 2:
The application process according to example 1 was repeated, but in lieu of a ternary mixture, a binary mixture of 50 weight percent polyethylene glycol, molecular weight 200 and 50 weight percent of the polysiloxane according to example 1 was used. The sample thus obtained was labeled B.

PCT/EP95jo3588 -29-4 ~
-ComParison Test 1:
~ The process according to example 1 was repeated, but in lieu of the ternary mixture according to the invention, the pure polysiloxane according to example 1 was applied in a quantity of 6~ and the product thus obtained was labeled C.
~s~r~rison Test 2:
The proceRs according to example 1 was repeated, but in lieu of the ternary mixture according to the invention, a pure polyethylene glycol with the molecular weight 200 was applied in a quantity of 6~. The product thus obtained was labeled D. All the towels from examples 1 and 2 as well as the comparison tests 1 and 2 were reproducibly resmoothed in a 2-roller (steel/plastic) ~moothing calender under identical conditions (speed, temperature, compression).
The tactile properties of the products A and B
according to the invention were compared with the corresponding tactile results of the comparison products C
(pure polysiloxane) and D (pure polyethylene glycol) (PEG) and these product~ were evaluated within the framework of a so-called panel test (in accordance with the "M~nll~l on Sensory Testing Methods", ASTM, Special Technical Publication 434, p. 22; "Testform D-Ranking Methods - Rank Order", Elevents Printing, Feb. 1993). In so doing, the increasing softness, defined here as the sum of surface softness and crush softness was assessed by a group of 9 people according to the following process:
The paper handkerchiefs to be tested were folded in half twice so that the test person could not recognize the samples and in each instance, the same external side is presented for evaluation. The towels folded thus were given to the test people with instructions to 4 ~

take the folded towels between the thumb, the ball of the thumb, and the finger and to test them with regard to surface softness and crush softness by rubbing and crushing them and then to lay the towels in a row according to increasing subjective perception of ~uality. The samples were evaluated in the order from 1, i.e. the best, to 4, i.e. the worst.
In the test, it turned out that 7 out of the 9 test people described the products A and B according to the invention as very good with regard to softness and described them as definitely softer than the comparison products C and D. In contrast, only one of the 9 test people found product D to be softer than product A according to the invention, and one of the 9 test people found the comparison product C
to be softer than the products A and B according to the invention. The panel test furthermore demonstrates that the products A and D according to the invention are significantly better in regard to crush softness and surface softness than the comparison products C and D.
The results of this panel test are reproduced in the following table:

4 ~

, ~ # ~ ~I

a~
#

~' # ~ ' r #
_ # S~ ~ ' #

# ~ --I ~r N

~1 # N ~1 ,y O O O O
~ ~ ~ ~ O O
s~ m -i , ~ ~ ~

.
' C
~0 3 0 ~ m ~ m C O m C~ o~ I o ~,~
o ~ 0 o n q~ u~
o ~ ~ : ~ ~s, m ; ~, - ~ C
p, ~ ~ X ~ ~ ~
m -i In addition to this first in-house panel test, an independent consumer test was carried out with 160 people.
On this occasion, samples having a lotion composition of polyethylene glycol/polysiloxane/water at a ratio of 72/10/18 with a 3% application quantity were judged to be definitely softer than a corresponding comparison sample with pure siloxane. Here, in turn, the polyfiiloxane described in example 1 was used as the polysiloxane and the polyethylene glycol described in example 1, having a molecular weight of 200, was used as the polyethylene glycol.

Claims

1. A polysiloxane-containing treatment medium for tissue paper products, in particular in the form of a lotion, characterized in that it is comprised of 25 to 95 parts by weight of at least one polyhydroxy compound, excepting natural or chemically modified natural polymers, in particular at least one polyethylene glycol that is fluid at room temperature and/or a glycerine, 5 to 75 parts by weight polysiloxane, and 0 to 35 parts by weight water in relation to 100 parts by weight of this mixture.

2. The treatment medium according to claim 1, characterized in that it is comprised of 30 to 90 parts by weight of at least one polyhydroxy compound, in particular at least one polyethylene glycol that is fluid at room temperature and/or a glycerine, 10 to 70 parts by weight polysiloxane, and 1 to 30 parts by weight water in relation to 100 parts by weight of this mixture.

3. The treatment medium according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it is comprised of 30 to 70 parts by weight of at least one polyhydroxy compound, in particular at least one polyethylene glycol that is fluid at room temperature and/or a glycerine, 30 to 70 parts by weight polysiloxane, and 5 to 25 parts by weight water in relation to 100 parts by weight of this mixture.

4. The treatment medium according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it is comprised of 5 to 75 parts by weight of at least one polysiloxane and 25 to 95 parts by weight of a polyethylene glycol that is fluid at room temperature.

5. The treatment medium according to claim 4, characterized in that it is comprised of 10 to 70 parts by weight, in particular 40 to 60 parts by weight of at least one polysiloxane and 30 to 90 parts by weight, in particular 40 to 60 parts by weight of the polyethylene glycol.

6. The treatment medium according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is comprised of 5 to 75 parts by weight of at least one polysiloxane and 25 to 95 parts by weight glycerine.

7. The treatment medium according to claim 6, characterized in that it is comprised of 10 to 70 parts by weight, in particular 40 to 60 parts by weight of at least one polysiloxane and 30 to 90 parts by weight, in particular 40 to 60 parts by weight glycerine.

8. The treatment medium according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the first component is comprised of 20 to 80, preferably 30 to 70 parts by weight of the above-mentioned polyethylene glycol and 20 to 80 parts by weight, preferably 30 to 70 parts by weight of the above-mentioned glycerine.

9. The treatment medium according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the polysiloxane has a viscosity of 25 x 10-6 m2/s to 20,000,000 x 10-6 m2/s.

10. The treatment medium according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the polysiloxane is a polydimethylsiloxane which if necessary, has at least one betaine group, in particular a tetraalkyl ammonium group, in its side chain.

11. The treatment medium according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the polysiloxane is a polyethersiloxane, in particular having average cloud points in the range from below 25°C up to 71°C.

12. The treatment medium according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it furthermore contains cosmetic substances with special properties, for example skin care substances and/or active substances for the skin based on plant extracts and/or scents.

13. The treatment medium according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it furthermore contains auxiliary substances such as quaternary ammonium compounds and/or solubilizers and/or wet strength agents.

14. A process for manufacturing tissue paper products, characterized in that a polysiloxane-containing treatment medium according to claims 1 to 13 is applied in a quantity of 0.01 to 15% to the fibrous web or the "tissue sheet" inside the wire/press section and/or drier section, that is, at a fiber density of 20 to 97%
with regard to the dry fiber weight of the sheet, and after application, the fibrous web undergoes a resmoothing.

15. A process for manufacturing tissue paper products, characterized in that a polysiloxane-containing treatment medium according to claims 1 to 13 is applied in a quantity of 0.01 to 15% to the fibrous web or the tissue sheet after the drier section in the tissue paper machine and in a particularly preferred manner, inside the combiner or inside the processing machine, and after application, the sheet undergoes a resmoothing.

16. The process according to claim 15, characterized in that the polysiloxane-containing treatment medium is applied in a quantity of 0.05 to 10% at a fiber density of 35 to 97% in relation to the dry fiber weight of the single-ply sheet.

17. The process according to claims 14 to 16, characterized in that the tissue sheet is a multi-ply sheet and the treatment medium is applied in a quantity of 1 to 7% to at least one of the outer plies of the multi-ply sheet at a fiber density of more than 90% in relation to the dry fiber weight.

18. The process according to claim 17, characterized in that the treatment medium is applied in a quantity of 3 to 6% to the multi-ply tissue sheet on both outer plies.

19. The process according to claims 15 or 16, characterized in that the depositing of the treatment medium takes place in the tissue making machine by means of spray application onto the pope reel winder in order to produce a film of the treatment medium and to subsequently transfer it to the tissue sheet during the roll-up process.

20. The process according to claims 14 and 15, characterized in that the resmoothing is carried out by means of at least one pass of the tissue sheet through a gap of a roller pair in which one roller having a steel surface is associated with an opposing roller having a steel, plastic, paper, or rubber surface, preferably a plastic surface.

21. The process according to claims 14 and 15, characterized in that the resmoothing is carried out by means of a double passage of the tissue sheet through a gap of a roller pair in which first, a roller having a steel surface is associated with an opposing roller having a plastic surface and then, in mirror image fashion, a roller having a plastic surface is associated with an opposing roller having a steel surface.

22. The process according to claims 14 to 21, characterized in that the depositing of the treatment medium onto the fibrous web is carried out within the framework of a conventional tissue manufacturing process.

23. The process according to claims 14 to 21, characterized in that the depositing of the treatment medium onto the fibrous web is carried out within the framework of a through flow drying process or a TAD
process.

24. The use of the treatment medium according to claims 1 to 13 for the treatment of tissue paper products, in particular handkerchiefs, cosmetic towels, makeup removal towels, napkins, toilet paper, and kitchen towels.