EP3332063A1

EP3332063A1 - Method for producing paper

Info

Publication number: EP3332063A1
Application number: EP16750742.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Anton Esser; Hans-Joachim Haehnle
Original assignee: BASF SE
Current assignee: Solenis Technologies Cayman LP
Priority date: 2015-08-06
Filing date: 2016-08-04
Publication date: 2018-06-13
Anticipated expiration: 2036-08-04
Also published as: US20180216294A1; JP6779976B2; JP2018523764A; WO2017021483A1; ES2948357T3; CN107923127B; EP3332063B1; US10626558B2; CN107923127A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing paper and cardboard, having the steps of providing an aqueous suspension containing filler, at least one water-soluble amphoteric polymer, and microparticles; adding said aqueous suspension to a paper material, dewatering the obtained paper material, thereby forming sheets in the wire section, until the dry matter content of the paper sheet is at least 18 wt.%; and subsequently pressing and drying the paper sheet. The water-soluble ampoteric polymer can be obtained by copolymerizing a monomer mixture comprising a) at least one N-vinyl carboxylic acid amide of the general formula, in which R¹ and R² independently of each other represent H or C₁- to C₆-alkyl, b) at least one monoethylenically unsaturated monomer with at least one free acid group or at least one acid group in salt form, c) optionally at least one monoethylenically unsaturated monomer which differs from components (a) and (b), and d) optionally at least one compound which has at least two ethylenically unsaturated double bonds in the molecule, and subsequently partly or completely hydrolyzing the groups -CO-R¹ of the polymerisate, wherein the difference between the contents of the cationic and the anionic monomer units in mol.% absolutely maximally equals 10, in each case based on the total number of moles of all monomer units.

Description

Process for the production of paper

The invention relates to a process for producing paper and board comprising the addition of this aqueous slurry to a pulp, dewatering of the resulting pulp and subsequent pressing of the paper sheet and drying.

The production of paper is a process in which a solid phase consisting of cellulose or wood fiber and various inorganic additives is separated from an aqueous phase. The initial concentration of the solid phase in the pulp suspension (thin material) is typically in a range between 15 g / l and 1, 5 g / l. The separation of solid phase and aqueous phase takes place in several stages and can be modulated within these stages by the choice of mechanical parameters or the targeted addition of chemical additives. In the first stage, the dewatering of the paper stock takes place by spraying onto a sieve or by injection between two sieves, which are referred to as Untersieb or Obersieb depending on the relative position to the injected pulp. Depending on the design of the so-called wire section, the water is separated from the pulp solely by gravity or by a combination of gravity and centrifugal forces and drains through the openings of the sieves.

The use of chemical additives, the so-called retention and dehydrating agents, also plays an important role in drainage. These include in particular high molecular weight, slightly cationic polyacrylamides, cationic starch but also polymers based on vinylformamide and ethyleneimine. Thus, US Pat. No. 6,273,998 describes the use of vinylamine copolymers in combination with microparticles, such as bentonite, as retention agent, which is added to the paper stock in the wet-end process.

Furthermore, EP-A-950138 teaches the two-stage treatment of paper stock with a cationic polymer and microparticles and after shear in the second stage with a crosslinked anionic polymer.

WO-A-04/087818, WO-A-05/012637 and WO-A-2006/066769 describe aqueous slurries of finely divided fillers which have been treated with water-soluble amphoteric copolymers based on polyvinylamine. These slurries allow an increase in the filler content in papers while preserving the paper properties, in particular the dry strength.

The dry content reached in the wire section, in addition to the mechanical requirements of the wire section and the choice of chemical additives, depends very much on the pulp system and the basis weight of the paper web. Even if primarily efficient dewatering of the pulp is a goal, good final properties of the paper should continue to be achieved become. Too rapid dewatering can lead to a premature immobilization of the paper fibers and thus lead to poor strength properties or poor optical properties. An important property, which also depends on the dry content of the paper web, is the so-called initial wet strength INF. The wet strength and the initial wet strength of paper are to be distinguished from the initial wet texture strength because both properties are measured on papers which are moistened again to a defined water content after drying. Initial wet web strength refers to the strength of a wet paper that has never been dried. This is the strength of a wet paper, as is the case in papermaking after passing through the wire and press section of the paper machine. It typically contains about 50% water. An increase in the initial wet structural strength allows the use of higher take-off forces and thus a faster operation of the paper machine (see EP-A-0 780 513) or the use of larger amounts of filler.

WO 2009/156274 teaches the use of amphoteric copolymers obtainable by copolymerization of N-vinylcarboxamide with anionic comonomers and subsequent hydrolysis of the vinylcarboxamide as a stock additive to increase the initial wet strength of paper. The treatment is e.g. in thick stock or thin paper in the papermaking process.

Furthermore, WO 2014/029593 teaches a process for the production of high initial wet strength paper with the addition of a water-soluble amphoteric copolymer obtained by Hofmann degradation of an acrylamide- and / or methacrylamide-containing polymer and pressing the formed paper sheet in the press section at one defined solids content of> 48 wt .-%.

The object of the invention was to increase the initial wet strength of the still moist paper web prior to transfer to the dryer section in the production of paper in order to achieve higher machine speeds compared to known processes in the papermaking process.

Accordingly, there has been found a process for producing paper and paperboard comprising - providing an aqueous slurry containing filler, at least one water-soluble, amphoteric polymer and microparticles,

Add this aqueous slurry to a stock

Dewatering the resulting stock, with sheet formation in the wire section, to a dry content of the paper sheet of at least 18% by weight

- and then pressing the paper sheet and drying, wherein the water-soluble, amphoteric polymer is obtainable by copolymerizing a monomer mixture comprising a) at least one N-vinylcarboxamide of the general formula wherein R ¹ and R ² independently of one another are H or C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, at least one monoethylenically unsaturated monomer having at least one free acid group or at least one acid group in salt form optionally at least one of the components (a) and (b) different monoethylenic unsaturated monomer, and optionally at least one compound having at least two ethylenically unsaturated double bonds in the molecule, and subsequent partial or complete hydrolysis of the groups -CO-R ^{1 of} the polymer, wherein the difference in the proportions of cationic and anionic monomer units in moles, respectively based on the total number of moles of all monomer units, absolute maximum 10 mol%.

It has been found that the dry content of the paper web at the end of the wire section and before the mechanical pressing process has a great influence on the effect of the filler treatment with a multicomponent system. Depending on the area-related mass, colloquially also referred to as basis weight, the name changes for the molded body made of fiber. The aim is ² and m carton be below with paper having a basis weight of 7 g / m ² to 225 g / m, a basis weight of from 225 g / m ² to understand. Under pulp (also referred to as pulp), hereinafter understood to consist of one or more types of fibers, fillers and various excipients existing water-suspended mixture before sheet formation. By "total paper stock" is meant the paper stock after addition of all filler slurries and auxiliaries. In the case of a reference to dry total paper stock, also referred to as total paper stock (solid), this shall mean the mass resulting from the dry content determination according to DIN EN ISO 638 DE.

Fillers are provided as so-called aqueous slurry and blended with the remaining stock. In the context of this application, the term filler encompasses all pigments customarily used in the paper industry on the basis of metal oxides, silicates and / or carbonates which have a BET specific surface area of <20 m ² / g. Preference is given to pigments from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, which may be used in the form of ground (GCC) lime, chalk, marble or precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC), talc, kaolin, bentonite, satin white, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate and titanium dioxide. It is also possible to use mixtures of two or more pigments. Particularly preferred as fillers calcium carbonate is used, both in the form of ground lime, chalk and marble as well as precipitated calcium carbonate.

In the context of this invention, filler is to be understood as meaning particles having an average particle size (volume average) of 10 μm, preferably of 0.3 to 5 μm, in particular of up to 0.5 to 2 μm. The determination of the average particle size (volume average) of the fillers in the context of this document generally by the method of quasi-elastic light scattering (DIN-ISO 13320-1), for example, with a Mastersizer 2000 from. Malvern Instruments Ltd. Filler materials are usually a BET specific surface area of <20 m ² / g.

By aqueous slurry is meant a composition containing filler which generally has a filler content of> 5 wt., Based on the aqueous slurry. Preferably, the slurry contains 10 to 70 wt .-%, in particular 20 to

60% by weight of filler.

The aqueous slurry of the filler may also contain additional organic or inorganic adjuvants.

According to the present invention, there is provided an aqueous slurry comprising at least an inorganic filler, a water-soluble amphoteric polymer, and microparticles. The water-soluble amphoteric polymer is obtainable by copolymerization of the monomer mixture comprising the monomers a) and b) and subsequent complete or partial hydrolysis of the groups -CO-R1 of the polymer. By choosing the monomer composition and the degree of hydrolysis, it is achieved that the difference in the proportions of cationic and anionic monomer units in moles, in each case based on the total number of moles of all monomer units, is absolutely not more than 10 mol%.

The water-soluble amphoteric polymers contain the following structural units: amidine

(II) (III)

amine units

where the substituents R ¹ and R ² in the formulas II, II and VI have the meaning given in formula I and X in the formulas II and III signifies an anion, and units of ethylenically unsaturated acids of group (b) in the form of the free acids and / or in salt form.

In the hydrolysed copolymers, for example, the ratio of amidine units to amine units is 100: 1 to 1: 30, preferably 40: 1 to 1:15, particularly preferably 8: 1 to 1: 8.

In this context, cationic units are to be understood as meaning the sum of amine and amidine units, while anionic units are taken to mean the acid units which result from the copolymerization of the monomers of group (b) and which are present in the form of the free acid groups and / or Salt form present.

Examples of monomers of group (a) are open-chain N-vinylamide compounds of the formula (I), such as, for example, N-vinylformamide, N-vinyl-N-methylformamide, N-vinylacetamide, N-vinyl-N-methylacetamide, N-vinyl-N- ethylacetamide, N-vinylpropionamide and N-vinyl-N-methylpropionamide and N-vinylbutyramide. The monomers of group (a) may be used alone or in admixture in the copolymerization with the monomers of the other groups. From this group, N-vinylformamide is preferably used in the copolymerization. The copolymers to be used according to the invention contain at least one monomer of

Group (b) that is a monoethylenically unsaturated monomer having at least one free acid group or at least one acid group in salt form. The acid group may be present as a free acid group or in salt form. Preferred salts are the water-soluble salts such as alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or ammonium salts.

Suitable bases for the partial or complete neutralization of the acid groups of the monomers (b) are, for example, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal bases, ammonia, amines and / or alkanolamines. Examples of these are sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium oxide, calcium hydroxide, calcium oxide, triethanolamine, ethanolamine, morpholine, diethylenetriamine or tetraethylenepentamine.

Suitable monomers of this group (b) are, for example, monoethylenically unsaturated sulfonic acids, phosphonic acids, monocarboxylic acids and dicarboxylic acids and in each case their salts. Also suitable are monoethylenically unsaturated monoesters of phosphonic acids, monoamides of phosphonic acids, and dicarboxylic anhydrides. Suitable monomers (b) are also esters of phosphoric acid with alcohols having a polymerizable, α, β-ethylenically unsaturated double bond. In this case, one or the other two protons of the phosphoric acid group can be neutralized by suitable bases. In addition, another acid function can be esterified with alcohols which have no polymerizable double bonds.

Suitable saturated alcohols for esterifying the phosphoric acid are, for example, C 1 -C 6 alkanols, such as, for example, methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, sec-butanol, tert-butanol, n-pentanol, n-hexanol and their isomers. Suitable monomers of group (b) are, for example, monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids having 3 to 8 carbon atoms and the water-soluble salts, such as alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or ammonium salts of these carboxylic acids. This group of monomers includes, for example, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, dimethacrylic acid, ethacrylic acid, α-chloroacrylic acid, maleic acid, maleic anhydride, fumaric acid, itaconic acid, mesaconic acid, citraconic acid, glutaconic acid, aconitic acid, methylenemalonic acid, allylacetic acid, vinylacetic acid and crotonic acid. Also suitable are the dicarboxylic acid anhydrides of the abovementioned acids.

The monomers (b) furthermore include, for example, vinylsulfonic acid, allylsulfonic acid, methylthylsulfonic acid, sulfoethyl acrylate, sulfoethyl methacrylate, sulfopropyl acrylate, sulfopropyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxy-3-acryloxypropylsulfonic acid, 2-hydroxy-3-methacryloxypropylsulfonic acid, styrenesulfonic acid, acrylamidomethylenephosphonic acid, 2-acrylamido 2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, vinylphosphonic acid, N-vinylaminomethylenephosphonic acid (CH 2 = CH-NH-CH 2 -PO 3 H), vinylphosphonic acid monomethyl ester, allylphosphonic acid, allylphosphonic acid monomethyl ester, acrylamidomethylpropylphosphonic acid, (meth) acrylethylene glycol phosphate and monoesters of phosphoric acid. The aforementioned monomers (b) can be used individually or in the form of any mixtures.

If appropriate, the copolymers may contain at least one further monomer of group (c) in copolymerized form for modification. Preferably, these monomers are nitriles of α, β-ethylenically unsaturated mono- and dicarboxylic acids, such as acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile. In the hydrolysis of such copolymers, 5 ring amidines are then obtained. Further suitable monomers of group (c) are:

Esters α, β-ethylenically unsaturated mono- and dicarboxylic acids with monohydric Ci-C3o-Alka-len, C2-C3o-alkanediols and C2-C3o-amino alcohols, amides of α, β-ethylenically unsaturated monocarboxylic acids and their N-alkyl - and Ν, Ν-dialkyl derivatives, esters of vinyl alcohol and Al lylalkohol with Ci-Cso monocarboxylic acids, N-vinyl lactams, nitrogen-containing heterocycles and lactones with α, β-ethylenically unsaturated double bonds, vinyl aromatics, vinyl halides, vinylidene halides, C2-Cs monoolefins and mixtures thereof.

Examples of members of this group (c) are e.g. Methyl (meth) acrylate (the formulation

(meth) acrylate "means both methacrylate" and acrylate "), methyl ethacrylate, ethyl (meth) acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, n-butyl (meth) acrylate, isobutyl (meth) acrylate, tert-butyl

(meth) acrylate, tert-butyl methacrylate, n-ocytl (meth) acrylate, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl (meth) acrylate, ethylhexyl (meth) acrylate and mixtures thereof.

Suitable additional monomers (c) are furthermore the esters of α, β-ethylenically unsaturated mono- and dicarboxylic acids with aminoalcohols, preferably C 2 -C 12 -aminoalcohols. These may be d-Ce-monoalkylated or -dialkylated on the amine nitrogen. As the acid component of these esters, e.g. Acrylic, methacrylic, fumaric, maleic, itaconic, crotonic, maleic, monobutyl, and mixtures thereof. Preference is given to using acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and mixtures thereof. These include, for example, N-methylaminomethyl (meth) acrylate, N-methylaminoethyl (meth) acrylate, N, N-dimethylamino-methyl (meth) acrylate, N, N-dimethylaminoethyl (meth) acrylate, N, N-diethylaminoethyl (meth ) acrylate, N, N-dimethylaminopropyl (meth) acrylate, N, N-diethylaminopropyl (meth) acrylate and

N, N-dimethylaminocyclohexyl (meth) acrylate. Suitable additional monomers (c) are furthermore acrylamide, methacrylamide,

N-methyl (meth) acrylamide (the formulation (meth) acrylamide "in each case stands for acrylamide" and for methacrylamide "), N-ethyl (meth) acrylamide, n-propyl (meth) acrylamide, N- (n-butyl) -

(meth) acrylamide, tert-butyl (meth) acrylamide, n-octyl (meth) acrylamide, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl (meth) acrylamide, ethylhexyl (meth) acrylamide and mixtures thereof. Further suitable monomers (c) are 2-hydroxyethyl (meth) acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl ethacrylate, 2-hydroxypropyl (meth) acrylate, 3-hydroxypropyl (meth) acrylate, 3-hydroxybutyl (meth) acrylate , 4-hydroxybutyl (meth) acrylate, 6-hydroxyhexyl (meth) acrylate and mixtures thereof. In addition, as further monomers (c) N- [2- (dimethylamino) ethyl] acrylamide, N- [2- (dimethylamino) ethyl] methacrylamide, N- [3- (dimethylamino) propyl] acrylamide, N- [ 3- (dimethylamino) propyl] methacrylamide, N- [4- (dimethylamino) butyl] acrylamide, N- [4- (dimethylamino) butyl] methacrylamide, N- [2- (diethylamino) ethyl] acrylamide, N- [2- (diethylamino) ethyl] methacrylamide and mixtures thereof.

Suitable monomers (c) are also N-vinyl lactams and their derivatives, e.g. may have one or more C 1 -C 6 -alkyl substituents (as defined above). These include N-vinylpyrrolidone, N-vinylpiperidone, N-vinylcaprolactam, N-vinyl-5-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N-vinyl-5-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone, N-vinyl-6-methyl-2- piperidone, N-vinyl-6-ethyl-2-piperidone, N-vinyl-7-methyl-2-ca-prolactam, N-vinyl-7-ethyl-2-caprolactam and mixtures thereof.

Also suitable are esters of vinyl alcohol and allyl alcohol with Ci-C3o monocarboxylic acids.

Also suitable as monomers (c) are N-vinylimidazoles and alkylvinylimidazoles, in particular methylvinylimidazoles such as, for example, 1-vinyl-2-methylimidazole, 3-vinylimidazole N-oxide, 2- and 4-vinylpyridine N-oxides and betaine derivatives and quaternization products of these monomers.

Further suitable additional monomers are ethylene, propylene, isobutylene, butadiene, styrene, α-methylstyrene, vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, vinyl fluoride, vinylidene fluoride and mixtures thereof.

The aforementioned monomers (c) can be used individually or in the form of any mixtures.

A further modification of the copolymers is possible by using in the copolymerization monomers (d) which contain at least two double bonds in the molecule, for example triallylamine, methylenebisacrylamide, glycol diacrylate, glycol dimethacrylate, glycerol triacrylate, pentaerythritol triallyl ether, at least two times with acrylic acid and / or Methacrylic acid esterified polyalkylene glycols or polyols such as pentaerythritol, Sobit or glucose. Also suitable are allyl and vinyl ethers of polyalkylene glycols or polyols such as pentaerythritol, Sobit o- the glucose. If at least one monomer of group (d) is used in the copolymerization, the amounts used are up to 2 mol%, for example 0.001 to 1 mol%. In a preferred embodiment, the polymerization is carried out using a monomer mixture comprising at least one monoethylenically unsaturated monomer as component (b). selected from the group consisting of monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids and dicarboxylic anhydrides, this monomer having at least one free acid group or at least one acid group in salt form. In a further preferred embodiment, a monomer mixture is used for the polymerization, the monoethylenically unsaturated monomer having at least one free acid group or at least one acid group in salt form (component (b) is selected from the group consisting of sulfonic acids, phosphonic acids, monoesters of phosphonic acids, monoamides of phosphonic acids and esters of phosphoric acid with alcohols having a polymerizable, α, β-ethylenically unsaturated double bond.

Typical water-soluble amphoteric polymers are obtainable by copolymerizing a monomer composition and subsequent partial or complete hydrolysis of the groups -CO-R ^{1 of} the polymer, wherein the monomer composition of a) 1 to 99 wt .-%, preferably 5 to 95 wt .-%, in particular from 20 to 90% by weight, based on the total weight of the monomers used for the polymerization, of at least one N-vinylcarboxamide of the general formula wherein R ¹ and R ² independently of one another are H or C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, b) 1 to 99% by weight, preferably 5 to 95% by weight, in particular 10 to 80% by weight, based on the Total weight of the monomers used for the polymerization, at least one monoethylenically unsaturated monomer having at least one free acid group or at least one acid group in salt form, preferably at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids and dicarboxylic anhydrides, c) 0 to 90 wt. %, preferably 0.1 to 85% by weight, in particular 1 to 80% by weight, based on the total weight of the monomers used for the polymerization, of at least one monoethylenically unsaturated monomer other than components (a) and (b), and d) 0 to 5 wt .-%, preferably 0.0001 to 3 wt .-%, based on the total weight of the monomers used for the polymerization, of at least one compound containing at least two ethylenically unsaturated Doppelb having indices in the molecule,

consists. For example, those water-soluble amphoteric polymers which are copolymerized by copolymerizing

a) at least one N-vinylcarboxamide of the general formula wherein R ¹ and R ² independently of one another are H or C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, at least one monomer which is selected from monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids having 3 to 8 C atoms and their water-soluble salts, such as alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and ammonium salts of these carboxylic acids optionally at least one of the components (a) and (b) different monoethylenically unsaturated monomer, and d) optionally at least one compound having at least two ethylenically unsaturated double bonds in the molecule, and subsequent partial or complete hydrolysis of the groups -CO-R ¹ from the monomers copolymerized in the copolymer (a) are available.

Particular preference is given to those water-soluble, amphoteric polymers obtainable by copolymerizing a) N-vinylformamide,

b) acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and / or their Allkalimetall- or ammonium salts, and c) optionally other monoethylenically unsaturated monomers

and subsequent cleavage of the -CO-R group from the copolymers. The hydrolysis of the polymers obtained by the process described above is carried out by known methods by the action of acids, bases or enzymes, for example hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide solution or potassium hydroxide solution. The copolymerized monomers (a) of the abovementioned formula (I) are obtained by cleavage of the -CO-R ¹ group copolymers which contain vinylamine units (VI) and / or amidine units (II-V)

(IV) (V) wherein in the amidine units (II) to (V) X is in each case an anion and the substituents R ¹ and R ² in the formulas II - VI in each case have the meaning given in formula I.

The originally anionic copolymer obtained by the hydrolysis cationic groups and thus becomes amphoteric.

The amidine units (II) and (III) are formed by reaction of adjacent vinylamines of the formula (VI) with vinylformamide units or those of the formula IV and V by reaction of adjacent vinylamine units of the formula (VI) with acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile groups (if present in the polymer).

The hydrolysis of the copolymers is disclosed in detail, for example, in EP-B-0 672 212 on page 4, lines 38-58 and on page 5, lines 1-25 and in the examples of EP 528 409.

Preference is given to using an amphoteric polymer in which the hydrolysis was carried out in the presence of bases, preferably in the presence of sodium hydroxide solution.

Preference is given to partially and fully hydrolyzed polymers having a degree of hydrolysis of 10 mol%, preferably> 20 mol%, in particular 30 mol%. Their degree of hydrolysis is equivalent to the molar percent total content of the primary amino groups and amidine groups of the polymers based on the N-vinylcarboxamide units originally present. The amphoteric polymer contains, for example (i) 1 to 98 mol%, preferably 1 to 75 mol% of vinylcarboxamide units,

(Ii) 1 to 98 mol%, preferably 1 to 55 mol% of units of monoethylenically unsaturated sulfonic acids, phosphonic acids, phosphoric esters, derivatives thereof, or units of monoethylenically unsaturated mono- and dicarboxylic acids, their salts and dicarboxylic anhydrides,

preferably 1 to 98 mol%, preferably 1 to 55 mol% of units of at least one monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 C atoms,

(Iii) 1 to 98 mol%, preferably 1 to 55 mol% of vinylamine units of the formula (VI) and / or amidine units of the formula (II), (III), (IV) and / or (V), and

(iv) up to 50 mole% units of other monoethylenically unsaturated compounds.

Particular preference is given to containing amphoteric polymers, in particular consisting of

(i) 5 to 70 mol% vinylcarboxamide units,

(ii) 3 to 30 mole% units of monoethylenically unsaturated sulfonic acids, phosphonic acids and salts thereof, and

(Iii) 10 to 60 mol% of vinylamine units of the formula VI in salt form and optionally amidine units of the formula (II) and / or (III).

According to a further embodiment, amphoteric polymers are particularly preferably containing, in particular consisting of

5 to 70 mol% of vinylcarboxamide units,

5 to 45 mole% units of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, salts and mixtures thereof, and

10 to 60 mol% of vinylamine units of the formula VI in salt form and / or amidine units of the formula (II) and / or

Of particular technical importance are, according to all the aforementioned embodiments, those amphoteric copolymers which contain copolymerized as component (a) N-vinylformamide.

The preparation of the water-soluble amphoteric polymers is carried out by customary methods known to the person skilled in the art. Suitable methods are e.g. in EP-A-0 251 182, WO-A-94/13882 and EP-B-0 672 212, to which reference is hereby made. Furthermore, reference is made to the preparation of the water-soluble amphoteric polymers described in WO-A-04/087818 and WO-A-05/012637.

The preparation of the water-soluble amphoteric polymers can be carried out by solution, precipitation, suspension or emulsion polymerization. Preference is given to solution polymerization in aqueous media. Suitable aqueous media are water and mixtures of water and at least one water-miscible solvent, for example an alcohol, such as methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, etc.

The polymerization temperatures are preferably in a range of about 30 to 200 ° C, more preferably 40 to 1 10 ° C. The polymerization is usually carried out under atmospheric pressure, but it can also proceed under reduced or elevated pressure. A suitable pressure range is between 0.1 and 5 bar.

The acid group-containing monomers (b) are preferably used in the salt form. The pH is preferably adjusted to a value in the range of 6 to 9 for copolymerization. By using a standard buffer or by measuring the pH and corresponding addition of acid or base, the pH can be kept constant during the polymerization. To prepare the polymers, the monomers can be polymerized with the aid of radical-forming initiators.

As initiators for the radical polymerization, the peroxo and / or azo compounds customary for this purpose can be used, for example alkali or ammonium peroxydisulfates, diacetyl peroxide, dibenzoyl peroxide, succinyl peroxide, di-tert-butyl peroxide, tert-butyl perbenzoate, tert-butyl perpivalate, tert-butyl peroxy-2-ethylhexanoate, tert-butyl permalate, cumene hydroperoxide, diisopropyl peroxydicarbamate, bis (o-toluoyl) peroxide, didecanoyl peroxide, dioctanoyl peroxide, dilauroyl peroxide, tert-butyl perisobutyrate, tert-butyl peracetate, Di-tert-amyl peroxide, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, azo-bis-isobutyronitrile, azo-bis (2-amidonopropane) dihydrochloride or 2-2'-azobis (2-methyl-butyronitrile). Also suitable are initiator mixtures or redox initiator systems, such as e.g. Ascorbic acid / iron (II) sulfate / sodium peroxodisulfate, tert-butyl hydroperoxide / sodium disulfite, tert-butyl hydroperoxide / sodium hydroxymethanesulfinate, H2O2 / CUI.

To adjust the molecular weight, the polymerization can be carried out in the presence of at least one regulator. As a regulator, the usual compounds known in the art, such as sulfur compounds, for. Mercaptoethanol,

2-Ethylhexylthioglycolat, thioglycolic acid, sodium hypophosphite, formic acid or dodecyl mercaptan and Tribromchlormethan or other compounds which act regulating the molecular weight of the polymers obtained are used.

The average molecular weight M _{w of} the water-soluble amphoteric polymer is, for example, at least 10,000, preferably at least 100,000 daltons and in particular at least 500,000 daltons. The molecular weights of the polymers are then, for example, 10 000 to 10 million, preferably 100 000 to 5 million (determined, for example, by light scattering on their unhydrolyzed precursor). This molar mass range corresponds, for example, to K values of 5 to 300, preferably 10 to 250 (determined according to H. Fikentscher in 5% strength aqueous sodium chloride solution at 25 ° C. and a polymer concentration of 0.1% by weight). Further constituents of the aqueous slurry are microparticles.

The microparticle can have both organic or inorganic character. Suitable polymeric microparticles include anionic, cationic or amphoteric organic microparticles. These organic polymers have limited solubility in water and may be crosslinked. Organic microparticles have unswollen particle size of less than 750 nm. Anionic organic microparticles, such as described in US 6,524,439, are obtainable by hydrolysis of an acrylamide polymer microparticle or by polymerization of anionic monomers such as (meth) acrylic acid and its salts, 2-acrylamido 2-methylpropanesulfonates, sulfoethyl (meth) acrylates, vinylsulfonic acid, styrenesulfonic acid, maleic acid or other dibasic acids or their salts and mixtures thereof.

These anionic monomers can furthermore be copolymerized with nonionic monomers, such as (meth) acrylamide, N-alkylacrylamides, Ν, Ν-dialkylacrylamides, methyl (meth) acrylate, acrylonitrile, N-vinylmethylacetamide, N-vinylmethylformamide, vinyl acetate, N- vinylpyrrolidone and mixtures thereof.

Cationic organic microparticles, as described, for example, in US Pat. No. 6,524,439, are obtainable by polymerization of monomers such as diallyldialkylammonium halides, acryloxyalkyltrimethylammonium chlorides, (meth) acrylates of dialkylaminoalkyl compounds, their salts and their quaternary compounds, and of monomers such as N, N Dialkylaminoalkyl (meth) acrylamides, (meth) acrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chlorides and Ν, Ν-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate, their acids or quaternary salts or the like.

These cationic monomers can furthermore be copolymerized with nonionic monomers, such as (meth) acrylamide, N-alkylacrylamides, Ν, Ν-dialkylacrylamides, methyl (meth) acrylate, acrylonitrile, N-vinylmethylacetamide, N-vinylmethylformamide, vinyl acetate, N- vinylpyrrolidone and mixtures thereof.

Amphoteric organic microparticles are obtainable by polymerizing at least one anionic monomer and at least one cationic monomer and optionally one or more nonionic monomers as described above for the other microparticles.

The polymerization of the monomers into microparticles is typically carried out in the presence of a multifunctional crosslinker. Such crosslinkers are described, for example, in US Pat. No. 6,524,439, and have at least two double bonds or one double bond and one reactive group or two reactive groups. Exemplary its N, N-methylene bis (meth) acrylamide, Polyethyleneglycoldi (meth) acrylate, N-vinylacrylamide, Divinylbenzene, Trial lylammoniumsalze, N-Methylallylacrylamideglycidyl (meth) acrylate, .Acrolein, Methylolacrylamide, dialdehydes such as glyoxal, Diepoxyverbindungen and called epichlorohydrin.

The multifunctional crosslinker is used in an amount that gives a sufficiently crosslinked polymer. Thus, at least 4 ppm of multifunctional crosslinkers can be used per mole of monomers. Preference is given to using an amount of from 4 to 6000 ppm, particularly preferably from 20 to 4000 ppm, and in particular from 40 to 2000 ppm, of multifunctional crosslinking agent to one mole of monomer. To adjust the molecular weight, the polymerization can be carried out in the presence of at least one regulator. Such polymerizations for producing polymer particles are described, for example, in US Pat. Nos. 5,961,840, 5,919,882, 5,171,808 and 5,167,766.

As a regulator, the usual compounds known in the art, such as sulfur compounds fertilize, z. For example, mercaptoethanol, 2-ethylhexyl thioglycolate, thioglycolic acid, sodium hypophosphite, formic acid or dodecyl mercaptan and Tribromchlormethan or other compounds which act regulating the molecular weight of the polymers obtained, are used.

Polymerization to a microparticle usually takes place by means of inverse emulsion polymerization or inverse microemulsion polymerization and is generally known to the person skilled in the art. Such polymerizations are described, for example, in US 2003/0192664 (page 6), the teaching of which is expressly incorporated by reference.

The preparation of the microparticles is usually by means of

a) preparing a W / O emulsion having an oil phase as a continuous phase and an aqueous discontinuous phase by emulsifying an aqueous solution of the monomers in a hydrocarbon in the presence of a surfactant and b) carrying out a free radical polymerization. Preference is given to anionic organic microparticles, in particular copolymers of acrylamide and one or more anionic monomers.

Preferred anionic organic microparticles have unswollen an average particle diameter of <750 nm, preferably of <500 nm, in particular in the range of 25 to 300 nm.

The anionic organic microparticles preferably contain

0-99 parts by weight of a nonionic monomer

1 - 100 parts by weight of an anionic monomer

in each case based on the total weight of all monomers.

The anionic organic microparticles are particularly preferred

10 - 90 parts by weight of a nonionic monomer 10 - 90 parts by weight of an anionic monomer

in each case based on the total weight of all monomers.

The anionic organic microparticles are particularly preferred

20-80 parts by weight of a nonionic monomer

20-80 parts by weight of an anionic monomer

in each case based on the total weight of all monomers.

The anionic organic microparticles have a charge density of at least 2 meq / g. A charge density in the range from 2 to 18 meq / g, preferably from 3 to 15 meq / g, in particular from 5 to 12 meq / g, is suitable.

Inorganic microparticles, in contrast to inorganic fillers which have a BET specific surface area of <20 m ² / g, have a BET specific surface area of> 100 m ² / g (BET measurement (DIN ISO 9277: 2003-05). ,

Suitable inorganic microparticles are preferably bentonite, colloidal silicic acid, silicates and / or calcium carbonate. Bentonite is generally understood to be phyllosilicates which are swellable in water. These are mainly the clay mineral montmorillonite and similar clay minerals such as nontronite, hectorite, saponite, sauconite, beidellite, allevardite, lllite, halloysite, attapulgite and sepiolite. These sheet silicates are preferably activated prior to their application, i. into a water-swellable form by treating the phyllosilicates with an aqueous base such as aqueous solutions of caustic soda, potassium hydroxide, soda or potash.

Bentonite in the form treated with sodium hydroxide solution is preferably used as the inorganic microparticle. The platelet diameter of the water-dispersed bentonite in the treated with sodium hydroxide solution, for example, 1 to 2 μηη, the thickness of the platelets is about 1 nm. Depending on the type and activation of the bentonite has a specific surface area of 150 to 800 m ² / g. Typical bentonites are described, for example, in EP-B-0235893. In the papermaking process, bentonite is added to the cellulosic suspension, typically in the form of an aqueous bentonite slurry. This bentonite slurry may contain up to 10% by weight of bentonite. Normally, the slurries contain about 3 to 5 wt .-% bentonite.

As colloidal silica, products from the group of silicon-based particles, silica microgels, silica sols, aluminum silicates, borosilicates, polyborosilicates or zeolites can be used. These have a specific surface area of 200-1000 m ² / g and an average particle size distribution of 1-250 nm, normally in the range 40-100 nm. The preparation of such components is described, for example, in EP-A-0041056, EP-A-0185068 and US Pat US-A-5176891. Clay or kaolin is a hydrous aluminum silicate with a platelet-like structure. The crystals have a layer structure and an aspect ratio (diameter to thickness ratio) of up to 30: 1. The particle size is at least 50% less than 2 μηη.

In the case of inorganic microparticles, a weight ratio of fillers to anoranic microparticles of at least 30: 1 is preferably selected.

The aqueous slurry generally has a solids content of> 3 wt .-%, preferably> 8 wt .-%, in particular 12 wt .-%, based on the aqueous Änschlämmung. The proportion of microparticles in the aqueous slurry is, for example

0.01 - 1 wt .-% based on filler (solid). Preference is given to a microparticle content of

0.05-0.6% by weight based on the filler (solid).

The proportion of the water-soluble, amphoteric polymer is generally from 0.01 to 1 wt .-%, preferably 0.05 to 0.6 wt .-% based on the filler (solid).

Preference is given to aqueous slurries comprising, preferably consisting of water, 5-70% by weight of filler based on the aqueous slurry, and 0.001-1% by weight of water-soluble amphoteric polymer and 0.01-1% by weight of microparticles, in each case based on Filler (solid).

Preference is given to slurries in which the ratio of water-soluble amphoteric polymer / microparticles is 5: 1 to 1: 5, preferably 3: 1 to 1: 3. According to the invention, the aqueous slurry is metered into a pulp.

The paper stock used can be any of the fibers of coniferous and hardwoods commonly used in the paper industry, e.g. Pulp, bleached and unbleached pulp and pulps from all annual plants. Wood pulp includes, for example, groundwood, thermo-mechanical pulp (TMP), chemo-thermo-mechanical pulp (CTMP), pressure ground,

Semi-pulp, high yield pulp and Refiner Mechanical Pulp (RMP). As pulp, for example, sulphate, sulphite and soda pulps come into consideration. Preferably, unbleached pulp, also referred to as unbleached kraft pulp, is used. Suitable annual plants for the production of paper materials are for example rice, wheat, sugar cane and kenaf. Waste paper may also be used to make the pulps, either alone or blended with other pulps. For example, the waste paper can come from a deinking process. But it is not necessary that the waste paper to be used is subjected to such a process. Furthermore, it is also possible to assume fiber blends of a primary material and recycled coated broke. According to the invention, the aqueous slurry is added to an aqueous suspension of fibers. Preferably, this is done in the absence of other process chemicals commonly used in papermaking. The water-soluble, amphoteric polymers can be added in the papermaking process, for example in an amount of from 0.01 to 1.00% by weight, based on dry fiber.

Typical application rates are, for example, 0.1 to 10 kg, preferably 0.3 to 4 kg of the water-soluble, amphoteric polymer, per ton of a dry pulp. In most cases, the amounts of amphoteric polymer used 0.5 to 2.5 kg of polymer (solid), per ton of dry pulp.

In the process of the invention, the process chemicals commonly used in papermaking can be used in the usual amounts, e.g. Retention aids, dehydrating agents, other dry strength agents such as, for example, starch, pigments, foams, optical brighteners, defoamers, biocides and paper dyes. These substances are preferably added to the paper stock only after the treatment according to the invention of the fibrous material.

Schematically, a paper machine consists of the successive units: headbox, wire section, press section and dryer section. The dewatering effect within the wire section is achieved by mechanical forces (gravity, centrifugal force). In addition, hydrodynamic measures are also used. These usually lead to a vacuum on the screens. These measures are particularly useful when the drainage has reached a degree at which first capillary effects in the wet paper texture play a role.

According to the invention, sheet formation takes place in the wire section up to a dry content of the paper sheet of at least 18% by weight, preferably 19% by weight, in particular 20% by weight. The sheet formation in the wire section preferably takes place up to a dry content of the paper sheet of at most 25% by weight. According to a preferred variant, the sheet formation takes place in the wire section up to a dry content of the paper sheet in the range of 19 to 22 wt .-%.

In the press section, the wet nonwoven fabric is doffed onto the press felt by a suction cup (suction roll or static vacuum element). The task of the press felt is the transport of the fibrous web by press nips of various modifications. Depending on the design of the press section and the composition of the paper stock, the dry content of the web is up to a maximum of 55% by weight. The dry content increases with the pressure exerted on the continuous paper web in the press. The printing and thus the dry content of the paper web can be varied over a relatively large range in many paper machines. The method according to the invention enables a tear-free operation of the paper machine. The paper web or paper sheet produced in the process shows a significantly increased initial wet structural strength. The percentages in the examples are by weight unless otherwise specified.

EXAMPLES The degree of hydrolysis of the water-soluble amphoteric polymers was determined by enzymatic analysis of the formic acid / formates released during the hydrolysis (test set from Boehringer Mannheim).

The structural composition of the polymers was calculated from the monomer mixture used, the degree of hydrolysis and the ratio of vinylamine / amidine determined by ¹³ C-NMR spectroscopy. The composition ratio is in mol% unless otherwise specified.

The determination of the dry content is carried out in accordance with DIN EN ISO 638 DE using the heating cabinet method. The dry content of the paper sheet is the ratio of the mass of a sample which has been dried at a temperature of (105 ± 2) ° C under defined conditions to a constant mass, to the mass of the sample before drying. The dry content is given as percentage by mass. By analogy with the determination of the dry content of the paper sheet, the determination of the dry content of the total paper stock and the pulp. This results in the indication total paper pulp (solid) or pulp (solid).

The K values were measured according to H. Fikentscher, Cellulose Chemistry, Vol. 13, 48-64 and 71-74 under the particular conditions indicated. The figures in parenthesis indicate the concentration of the polymer solution and the solvent.

Solid contents of the polymers were determined by distributing 0.5 to 1.5 g of the polymer solution in a 4 cm diameter tin cover and then drying in a circulating air drying cabinet at 140 ° C. for two hours. The ratio of the mass of the sample after drying under the above conditions to the mass during sampling gives the solids content of the polymer.

Ash content: ISO 2144

By the average molecular weight M _w is meant, in the preceding and hereinafter, the mass-average molecular weight M _w , as can be determined by light scattering. The molecular weight was determined on the unhydrolyzed precursor. Used ingredients:

Bentonite (Hydrocol ^® from. BASF)

Colloidal Silica (EKA NP from Akzo Nobel)

Acrylamide-containing structured anionic microparticles (TELIOFORM ^® M300 from BASF.) Retention agent: Percol ^® 540 BASF SE) Company cationic polyacrylamide in the form of a 1 wt .-% solution

Production of slurries A1 - A16

The following amphoteric polymers were used to make slurries.

Table 1: Water-soluble amphoteric polymers used

Slamming A1

0.7 g of a 12 wt .-% aqueous solution of the polymer P1 were placed in a beaker and then diluted with 30 g of water. Subsequently, 150 g of a 20% by weight suspension of precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) in water was added. During the addition of the PCC slurry and then the mixture was stirred using a Heiltof stirrer at 1000 revolutions per minute (rpm). About 30 seconds after the addition of the PCC slurry, a 1 wt% slurry of bentonite (Hydrocoll from BASF) was added while the agitator was running. The added amount of the Berntonite slurry was calculated so that the proportion of bentonite (solid) corresponds to 0.3% by weight, based on PCC (solid). After another 30 seconds, the speed of the Heiltof stirrer was reduced to 200 rpm. The bentonite slurry was prepared in accordance with the recommendations in the Technical Bulletin (Hydrocoll) for use as microparticles to aid in flocculation processes. This applies in particular to sufficient swelling of the Ben- tonite before use. The pH of the mixture is then adjusted to 8.5. Slurry A2 - A8

The procedure was as for the preparation of slurry A1, wherein the polymers specified in Table 1 P2 to P6 and microparticles were used, the quantities or However, concentrations were maintained. Slurry 6 was made with ground calcium carbonate instead of precipitated calcium carbonate. The compositions of the prepared slurries are shown in Table 2.

Table 2: Preparation of the slurries

PCC: precipitated calcium carbonate

GCC: ground calcium carbonate

Slurry A9

0.7 g of a 12 wt .-% aqueous solution of the polymer P6 were placed in a beaker and then diluted with 30g of water. Subsequently, 150 g of a 20% by weight suspension of precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) in water was added. During the addition of the PCC slurry and then the mixture was stirred by means of a Hertof stirrer at 1000 revolutions per minute (rpm). About 30 seconds after the addition of the PCC slurry, a 1% strength by weight solution of an acrylamide-containing structured anionic micropolymer (Telioform M300 from BASF) was added while the agitator was running. The added amount of the micropolymer solution was calculated so that the solid content of the micropolymer in the PCC slurry was 0.07 wt% of the solid PCC content. After another 30 seconds, the speed of the Heiltof stirrer was reduced to 200 rpm and left until further use of the slurry. The pH of the mixture was then adjusted to 8.5.

Slurry A10

The procedure was as for the preparation of slurry A9, with the difference that instead of polymer P6 now polymer P2 was used.

Slurry A1 1

9 g of a 1% strength by weight slurry of bentonite (Hydrocoll from BASF) were initially charged in a beaker. The bentonite slurry was used in accordance with the recommendations in the Technical Bulletin (Hydrocoll) for use as microparticles to support flocculation. prepared. Subsequently, 150 g of a 20% by weight suspension of precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) in water was added. The ratio of the solid content of bentonite to PCC in the resulting slurry was 3 to 1000. During the addition of the PCC slurry and thereafter, the mixture was stirred by means of a Heiltof stirrer at 1000 revolutions per minute (rpm). About 30 seconds after the addition of the PCC slurry, 21 g of a 0.4% strength by weight aqueous solution of the polymer P6 were added while the agitator was running. After a further 30 seconds, the speed of rotation of the Heiltof stirrer was reduced to 200 rpm and left until further use of the slurry. The pH of the mixture was then adjusted to 8.5.

Slurry A12 - A14

The procedure was as for preparing slurry A1 1, wherein the polymers P and microparticles given in Table 1 were used, but the amounts or concentrations were retained. Slurry A16 was prepared with ground calcium carbonate instead of precipitated calcium carbonate. The compositions of the prepared slurries are shown in Table 3.

Table 3: Preparation of the slurries

PCC: precipitated calcium carbonate

Slurry A15

21 g of a 0.1% strength by weight solution of an acrylamide-containing structured anionic micropolymer (M300 from BASF) was initially charged in a beaker. Subsequently, 150 g of a 20% strength by weight suspension of precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) in water were added. The ratio of solid components of micropolymer to PCC in the resulting slurry was 0.7 to 1000. During the addition of the PCC slurry and then the mixture was stirred by means of a Heiltof stirrer at 1000 rpm. About 30 seconds after the addition of the PCC slurry, 21 grams of a 0.4 wt% aqueous solution of polymer P6 was added while the agitator was running. After a further 30 seconds, the speed of rotation of the Heiltof stirrer was reduced to 200 rpm and left until further use of the slurry. The pH of the mixture was then adjusted to 8.5.

Slurry A16

The procedure was as for the preparation of slurry A15, with the difference that instead of polymer P6 now polymer P2 was used. Slurry A17 (not according to the invention)

The procedure was as for the preparation of slurry A1, with the difference that no microparticles were added.

Slurry A18 (not according to the invention)

The procedure was as for the preparation of slurry A2, with the difference that no microparticles were added. Slurry A19 (not according to the invention)

The procedure was as for the preparation of slurry A1 1, with the difference that no water-soluble, amphoteric polymer was added.

Pretreatment of the pulp suspension

A mixture of bleached birch sulphate and bleached pine sulphate was blotted open in a ratio of 70/30 at a solids concentration of 4% by weight in the laboratory pulper until a freeness of 29-32 was reached. The pH of the pulp was in the range between 7 and 8. The milled material was then diluted by addition of water to a solids concentration of 0.8 wt .-%. An optical brightener (blank PSG) and a cationic starch (HiCat 5163 A) were then added to the diluted pulp.

The digestion of the cationic starch was previously carried out as a 10 wt .-% starch slurry in a jet cooker at 130 ° C and 1 minute residence time. The metered amount of the optical brightener was 0.3 wt .-% commercial goods, based on total paper stock (solid). The dosage of the cationic starch was 0.8% by weight of starch (solid), based on the total paper stock (solid).

Preparation of paper sheets by the process according to the invention:

In order to determine the behavior of the above-described aqueous slurries in the preparation of filler-containing papers, in each case 500 ml of the diluted paper stock suspension were added and metered to this one of the filler slurries described in the Examples and Comparative Examples and a cationic polyacrylamide (Percol) as Re - tentatives. The metered amount of the retention agent was 0.01 wt .-% percol based on total paper stock (solid). The amount of filler slurry dosed to the stock suspension was adjusted by means of several preliminary tests so that the ash content of the paper stock and slurry made paper sheets was 25% by weight.

For comparison, sheets were prepared, each of about 25 wt .-% of an untreated PCC ^'s and 25 wt .-% of an untreated ^GCC' s included. The production of the paper sheets with a weight per unit area of 100 g / m 2 was carried out on a dynamic sheet former from TechPap France. The paper stock suspension was sprayed onto a sieve that was clamped in a vertical, rapidly rotating drum is. The drainage and sheet formation in this system, in addition to the leaf structure mainly determined by the centrifugal forces within the rotating drum. By varying the rotational speed of the drum, the centrifugal force acting on the resulting sheet structure can also be varied. The result is a variation of the foliar dewatering which leads to a variation of the dry content in the wet paper structure. What is meant here is the dry content of the wet paper structure immediately after removal from a water-permeable support (screen), which is clamped in the drum of the dynamic sheet former.

The number of revolutions of the drum was varied in 5 stages between 600 and 1100 revolutions per minute, whereby dry contents in the range between 14 Gew. -% and 21 Gew. -% can be adjusted. The amount of filler added for sheet formation must be adjusted slightly upward as the number of revolutions of the drum increases, as filler retention decreases with increasing dewatering. A small portion of the still-wet leaf structure is used to directly determine the dry content after removal of the wet paper sheet from the screen of the dynamic sheet former.

Application testing:

Determination of initial wet texture strength

The wet strength and the initial wet strength of paper are to be distinguished from the initial wet texture strength because both properties are measured on papers which are moistened again after drying to a defined water content. The initial wet strength is an important parameter in the assessment of non-permanent wet-strength papers. A dried and then rewetted paper has a very different wet strength than a wet paper which is present just after passing through the wire and press section of a paper machine.

The determination of the initial wet structure strength on the wet paper takes place in each case according to the Voith process (see M.Schwarz and K. Bechtel "Initial structural strength in sheet formation", in Wochenblatt fur Papierfabrikation 131, pages 950-957 (2003) No. 16 For this purpose, the wet sheets after pressing in the static press were chipped onto a plastic backing and transferred to a cutting pad, then the test strips were cut out of the sheet with a defined length and width and pressed under constant pressure until the desired dry content For the examination of the paper sheets obtained according to the examples given above, four dry contents each in the range between 42% and 58% were set From these values, the initial wet texture strength at 50% dry content was determined by means of an adaptation method described in the above reference. The actual Me Initial wet strength was measured on a vertical tensile testing machine with a special tensile tester

Clamping device. The force determined in the tractor was converted into the area-mass-independent so-called INF index. For a detailed description of the clamping device, the measuring procedure, the determination of the dry content in the paper and the data processing, the reference cited above can be used. The results of the tests are shown in Table 4

Table 4

Example of sticking Dry content before INF (50%) index

Press [% by weight] [Nm / g]

Reference PCC 1 PCC untreated 14.6 1, 8

Reference PCC 2 PCC untreated 15.3 1, 7

Reference PCC 3 PCC untreated 17,1 2.1

Reference PCC 4 PCC untreated 18.6 1, 9

Reference PCC 5 PCC untreated 19.5 1, 7

Reference GCC 6 GCC untreated 14.9 2.1

Reference GCC 7 GCC untreated 16.1 2.0

Reference GCC 8 GCC untreated 17.8 1, 8

Reference GCC 9 GCC untreated 18.6 1, 7

Reference GCC 10 GCC untreated 19.4 1, 9

1 1 14.8 2.4

2 1 15,7 2,2

3 1 17.2 2.4

4E 1 18.3 3.9

5E 1 19.5 4.2

6 2 15.3 2.2

7 2 16.8 2.4

8 2 17,5 2,5

9E 2 18,2 3,6

10E 2 19.4 3.9

1 1 3 15,5 1, 9

12 3 16,2 2,3

13 3 17.6 2.6

14E 3 18.4 3.4

15E 3 20,1 3,8

16 4 15.3 2.1

17 4 15.9 2.1

18 4 17.4 2.4

19E 4 18.5 3.6

20E 4 19.7 3.8

21 5 14.9 2.1

22 5 16.3 2.4

23 5 17.2 2.3

24E 5 18.9 3.6

25E 5 19.8 3.7 Example of sticking Dry content before INF (50%) index

Press [% by weight] [Nm / g]

26 6 15,8 2,2

27 6 16.5 2.3

28 6 17.3 2.7

29E 6 18.7 4.1

30E 6 19.5 4.5

31 7 15,2 2,3

32 7 16.6 2.3

33 7 17,4 2.6

34E 7 18.6 3.5

35E 7 19.4 3.8

36 8 14.5 1, 9

37 8 15.3 2.4

38 8 16.8 2.4

39E 8 18.3 3.6

40E 8 19.5 3.7

41 9 15.6 2.1

42 9 16.4 2.1

43 9 17.3 2.2

44E 9 18.3 3.6

45E 9 19.6 3.5

46 10 15,6 1, 8

47 10 16.4 2.1

48 10 17,3 2,3

49E 10 18.7 3.4

50E 10 19.6 3.7

51 1 1 15.7 2.2

52 1 1 16.4 2.2

53 1 1 17.7 2.4

54E 1 1 18,6 3,6

55E 1 1 19.9 3.7

56 12 14,8 2,2

57 12 16.1 2.3

58 12 17.1 2.6

59E 12 18.2 3.5

60E 12 18.9 3.8

61 13 15.2 2,3

62 13 16.7 2.4

63 13 17,6 2,7

64E 13 18,6 3,8 Example of sticking Dry content before INF (50%) index

Press [% by weight] [Nm / g]

65E 13 19.4 4.0

66 14 15.3 2.1

67 14 16.4 2.3

68 14 17,3 2,3

69E 14 18.4 3.5

70E 14 19.3 3.9

71 15 14.8 2.0

72 15 15.6 2.1

73 15 16.9 2.4

74E 15 18.4 3.5

75E 15 19.1 3.5

76 16 15,4 1, 8

77 16 16.6 2.1

78 16 17.6 2.4

79E 16 18.4 3.3

80E 16 19.6 3.6

81 17 16.1 2.2

82 17 16.9 2.2

83 17 17,3 2,3

84 17 18.7 2.3

85 17 19.8 2.4

86 18 15.7 2.1

87 18 16.4 2.4

88 18 17.2 2.3

89 18 18.4 2.5

90 18 19.3 2.4

91 19 15,6 2,2

92 19 16.7 2.1

93 19 17.8 2.4

94 19 18,6 2,2

95 19 19.7 2.3

All examples according to the invention are marked with an "E" in the table.

The following conclusions can be drawn from the data listed in Table 4:

The examples carried out according to the invention show a markedly increased wet fat index INF (50%) of the leaves. If the dry content is significantly lower, the INF (50%) index is only slightly above that of an untreated filler slurry. Reference Examples PCC 4 and PCC5 and Reference Examples GCC9 and GCC10 demonstrate that setting the dry content above 18% by weight alone (in this case, by adjusting the rotational speed of the dynamic sheet former) without additional treatment of the filler slurry with a 2-component system does not result in any significant increase in the INF (50%) index.

Examples 84, 85, 89, 90, 94 and 95 show that treatment of the filler with only the water-soluble amphoteric polymer or only the microparticles also does not produce an effect when exceeding the dry content above 18%.

Claims

claims

1. Method for producing paper and cardboard comprising

providing an aqueous slurry containing filler, at least one water-soluble, amphoteric polymer and microparticles,

Add this aqueous slurry to a stock

Dewatering the resulting stock, sheet forming in the wire section, to a dry content of the paper sheet of at least 18% by weight and then pressing and drying the paper sheet, wherein the water-soluble, amphoteric polymer is obtainable by copolymerizing a monomer mixture comprising a) at least one N -Vinylcarbonsäureamid the general formula wherein R ¹ and R ² independently of one another are H or C to C 6 -alkyl, b) at least one monoethylenically unsaturated monomer having at least one free acid group or at least one acid group in salt form c) optionally at least one of the components (a) and (b and d) optionally at least one compound having at least two ethylenically unsaturated double bonds in the molecule, followed by partial or complete hydrolysis of the groups -CO-R ^{1 of} the polymer, the difference between the proportions of the cationic and the anionic Monomer units in moles, in each case based on the total number of moles of all monomer units, is absolutely not more than 10 mol%.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the filler is calcium carbonate.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the monomer mixture of a) 5 to 95 wt .-%, based on the total weight of the monomers used for the polymerization, of at least one N-vinylcarboxamide of the general formula wherein R 1 and R 2 independently of one another are H or C 1 - to C 6 -alkyl, b) from 5 to 95% by weight, based on the total weight of the monomers used for the polymerization, of at least one monoethylenically unsaturated monomer having at least one free acid group or at least one C) 0 to 90 wt .-%, based on the total weight of the monomers used for the polymerization, at least one of the components (a) and (b) different monoethylenically unsaturated monomer, and d) 0 to 5 wt. %, based on the total weight of the monomers used for the polymerization, of at least one compound which has at least two ethylenically unsaturated double bonds in the molecule.

A process according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the water-soluble, amphoteric polymer is obtainable by copolymerizing a) N-vinylformamide,

b) at least one monoethylenically unsaturated monomer selected from acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, alkali metal salts of acrylic acid and / or methacrylic acid and ammonium salts of acrylic acid and / or methacrylic acid, and

c) optionally other monoethylenically unsaturated monomers and subsequent partial or complete hydrolysis of the groups -CO-R ¹ of the polymer, wherein the difference of the proportions of cationic and anionic monomer units in mol, each based on the total moles of all monomer units completely up to 10 mol% is.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the water-soluble amphoteric polymer

(i) from 1 to 98 mole% vinylcarboxamide units,

(ii) 1 to 98 mol% of units of monoethylenically unsaturated sulfonic acids, phosphoric acids, phosphoric esters, derivatives thereof, or units of monoethylenically unsaturated mono- and dicarboxylic acids, their salts and dicarboxylic acid anhydrides,

(iii) 1 to 98 mole% of vinylamine units and / or amidine units, and

(iv) up to 50 mole% units of other monoethylenically unsaturated compounds

A method according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 5, wherein the water-soluble amphoteric polymer

(i) 5 to 70 mol% vinylcarboxamide units,

(ii) 5 to 45 mol% of units selected from acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, salts of acrylic acid and salts of methacrylic acid and

(iii) 10 to 60 mole% units of vinylamine units and optionally amidine units

contains.

A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the microparticles are a copolymer of acrylamide and one or more anionic monomers.

Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the microparticles are inorganic microparticles selected from bentonite, colloidal silicic acid, silicates and calcium carbonate.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the proportion of microparticles in the aqueous slurry 0.01 to 1 wt .-% based on the filler.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the proportion of the water-soluble, amphoteric polymer 0.01 to 1 wt .-%, based on the filler.

1 1. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the aqueous slurries

Water, 5 - 70 wt .-% of filler based on the aqueous slurry, and 0.001 - 1 wt .-% of water-soluble amphoteric polymer based on the filler and 0.01 - 1 wt .-% microparticles based on filler.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 1 1, wherein the sheet formation takes place in the wire section to a dry content of the paper sheet of at least 19 wt .-%.