EP1273706A2 - Process for chemically destroying paper values or documents - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of chemically treating valuta (sic), bank notes and paper documents to modify their chemical structure during transport or stocking by vehicle or on foot . <??>A method of chemically treating valuta (sic), bank notes and paper documents to modify their chemical structure during transport or stocking by vehicle or on foot <??>The chemical treatment involves a polymerization or crosslinking of the constituent cellulose molecule of the valuta (sic), bank notes or documents by dispersion onto them of carboxylic acids, alkanoyl halides, sulfonic acids, isocyanates or phosgene.

Description

The present invention relates to a treatment method allowing a change in the chemical structure of securities, banknotes or documents paper during transport or storage, either in a vehicle, either by a man on foot and thereby creating an impossibility for criminals to be able to reuse them.

According to the invention, there is provided a chemical treatment process allowing a change in the chemical structure of securities, banknotes or paper documents during transport or storage, either in a vehicle, either by a man on foot and thereby creating an impossibility for criminals to be able to reuse them.

• . le procédé physico-chimique est une polymérisation ou une réticulation des molécules de cellulose dont les valeurs, billets de banque ou documents papier sont constitués, par dispersion sur ceux-ci d'un produit chimique ;
• le produit permettant la polymérisation ou la réticulation des molécules de cellulose est un produit chimique d'un des types suivants :

• des acides carboxyliques pour créer des esters (RCOOH),
• des halogénures d'alcanoyles pour des esters ( RCOX où X est un halogène),
• des acides sulfoniques pour des esters sulfoniques (RSO₂OH),
• des isocyanates pour des uréthannes ou carbamates (ROCN),
• du phosgène pour des carbonates.

According to other characteristics:

• . the physicochemical process is a polymerization or crosslinking of the cellulose molecules of which the values, banknotes or paper documents are made up, by dispersion on them of a chemical;
• the product allowing the polymerization or crosslinking of cellulose molecules is a chemical of one of the following types:

• carboxylic acids to create esters (RCOOH),
• alkanoyl halides for esters (RCOX where X is a halogen),
• sulfonic acids for sulfonic esters (RSO ₂ OH),
• isocyanates for urethanes or carbamates (ROCN),
• phosgene for carbonates.

Banknotes, or paper values, etc., are made with paper made from cellulose. The principle making it unusable these notes, values or documents is to create a structural change existing molecules that make up the structure of banknotes, or values. This modification of the basic molecule of cellulose is called polymerization or crosslinking of the cellulose fibrils between them.

The chemical formula for cellulose is as follows:

• des acides carboxyliques pour créer des esters (RCOOH),
• des halogénures d'alcanoyles pour des esters ( RCOX où X est un halogène),
• des acides sulfoniques pour des esters sulfoniques (RSO₂OH),
• des isocyanates pour des uréthannes ou carbamates (ROCN),
• du phosgène pour des carbonates.

This formula shows up hydroxyl functions (-OH) capable of reacting on other chemical molecules. In fact, alcohol groups, or hydroxyl groups, can react covalently with:

• carboxylic acids to create esters (RCOOH),
• alkanoyl halides for esters (RCOX where X is a halogen),
• sulfonic acids for sulfonic esters (RSO ₂ OH),
• isocyanates for urethanes or carbamates (ROCN),
• phosgene for carbonates.

In order to ensure crosslinking in two or three dimensions, each type of product must have at least two groups. These products are schematized as follows:

To avoid an intramolecular reaction of the same paper fibril, trifunctional substances will be preferred.

The crosslinking of the cellulose chains can be represented according to the following figure:

The principle of each reaction is the addition and then the elimination for form these reticular bridges.

• l'estérification,
• la formation de carbamate (uréthanne),
• la formation de carbonate.

Chemically, there are three reactions:

• esterification,
• carbamate (urethane) formation,
• carbonate formation.

The attachment of crosslinking molecules, if it is created, is irreversible because of a covalent nature. It would indeed require very strong means, such as heating in an acid medium, for example, to destroy the covalent bond. However, the means used to destroy the interaction would first cause the destruction of the cellulosic structure.

Chemical mechanisms to ensure polymerization or crosslinking are the following :

1. THE ESTERIFICATION:

Four types of products may be suitable: carboxylic acids, acid chlorides or bromides, acid anhydrides and sulfonic acids. The advantage of these last two types is to make a total and unbalanced reaction as in the case of carboxylic acids. For anhydrides, the molecule used must have two functions, capable of binding four times to the fibrils of the paper. The use of alkanoyl halides will require the use of a base such as pyridine to neutralize the hydrochloric or hydrobromic acid released by the reaction.

2. THE FORMATION OF CARBAMATES

Carbamates are better known as urethane. They are created by the action of an alcohol on an isocyanate. The paper cellulose has thousands of units, each containing at least three free alcohol functions. By reacting with a diisocyanate, crosslinking is likely to occur.

3. THE FORMATION OF CARBONATES

The action of phosgene on a diol makes it possible to polymerize the latter and to form a polycarbonate. As explained in the previous chapter, cellulose is a polyol that can crosslink and create a carbonate bridge with phosgene.

Dispersion on the securities or paper documents of one or more of the products mentioned above therefore ensures their destruction.

This or these products are for example stored in one or more tanks associated with an enclosure for receiving values.

Dispersion is controlled in a conventional manner.

Claims (3)

Chemical treatment process allowing a modification of the chemical structure of securities, banknotes or paper documents during their transport or storage, either in a vehicle or by a man on foot and thereby creating an impossibility for criminals to be able to reuse them. Chemical treatment method according to claim 1, characterized in that the physicochemical method is a polymerization or a crosslinking of the cellulose molecules of which the values, banknotes or paper documents consist, by dispersing thereon of a chemical. Chemical treatment process according to claim 2, characterized in that the product allowing the polymerization or crosslinking of the cellulose molecules is a chemical of one of the following types: carboxylic acids to create esters (RCOOH), alkanoyl halides for esters (RCOX where X is a halogen), sulfonic acids for sulfonic esters (RSO ₂ OH), isocyanates for urethanes or carbamates (ROCN), phosgene for carbonates.