United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 4,997,682

Coco (45) Date of Patent: Mar. 5, 1991

(54) PAPER COATING COMPOSITION OTHER PUBLICATIONS
75) Inventor: Charles E. Coco, St. Louis, Mo. "Soy Protein Latex Interpolymers-Properties and
73 Assignee: Protein Technologies International, Function', Proceedings of the 1987 Coating Confer
Inc., St. Louis, Mo. ence TAPPI, pp. 133-139, (Coco), C. E.
"Ultrahigh Finish Coated Papers-Cast Coating and
(21) Appl. No.: 376,427 Other Processes", Pigmented Coating Processes for
(22) Filed: Jul. 6, 1989 Paper and Board, TAPPI Monograph No. 28, pp.
74-85, Casey, J. P.
51) Int. Cl. ............................................... B05D 3/12 "Isolated Soy Protein Binders for Paper and Paper
52) U.S.C. .................................... 427/362; 427/391; board Coatings", Protein Binders In Paper and Paper
428/511; 527/201; 527/202 board Coating, TAPPI Monograph No., pp. 75-96,
58 Field of Search ....................... 427/361, 362,391; Olson, R. A. and Hoelderle, P. T.
527/201, 202; 428/511 "Pigment Coating', Pulp and Paper Chemistry and
(56) References Cited Chemical Technology, pp. 1551-1753, 1961, Casey, J.
P.
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS "Preparation and Functional Properties of Enzymati
2,246,466 6/1941 Julian et al.......................... 260/112 cally Deamidated Soy Protein", Journal of Food Sci
2,274,983 3/1943 Hieronymus ... ... 260/112 ence, vol. 54, No. 3, 1989, pp. 598-602 (Hamada and
2,397,307 3/1946 Youtz ............... ... 260/112 Marshall).
2,712,539 7/1955 Nugent et al. . 260/123.5 "Deamidation of Food Proteins by Protease in Alkaline
2,849,334 8/1958 Hart ...................................... 17/64 pH', Journal of Agricultural Chemistry, vol. 35, 1987,
2,881,076 4/1959 Sair .......... ... 99/14 pp. 224-227, (Kato Tanaka, Matsudomi and Kobaya
2,950,214 8/1960 Smith ....... ... 117/64 shi).
3,081, 182 3/1963 Mahoney ..... ... 106/146
3,411,925 l/1968 Lauterbach .. ... 106/157 Primary Examiner-Michael Lusignan
3,694,221 9/1972 Hoer et al. .............................. 99/17 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Virgil B. Hill
4,048,380 9/1977 Blakey et al. ... ... 428/511
4,109,056 8/1978 Craig et al........... ... 428/512 (57) ABSTRACT
4,277,524 7/1981 Nakajima et al. ... 427/362 An improved process of cast coating and the coating
4,309,344 1/1982 Walsh ................... . 260/123.5 composition used therein produces a paper coating
4,352,692 10/1982 Krinski et al. ......................., 106/79
4,421,564 12/1983 Graham et al. ... ... 106/154 R which has exceptional brightness, gloss, smoothness,
4,464,296 8/1984 Jacks et al. ... ... 260/123.5 flexibility, resistance to drum adhesions and pick resis
4,474,694 10/1984 Coco et al. ... ... 260/123.5 tance. The paper coating is especially effective in cast
4,520,048 5/1985 Ranger ................................ 427/350 coating where extremely high smoothness and gloss is
4,575,477 3/1986 Werkema et al..... ... 428/537.5 essential. The paper coating composition utilizes soy
4,581,257 4/1986 Kondo et al. ....................... 427/336 protein binder which has been modified by copolymer
4,607,089 8/1986 Riley et al. .......................... 527/201 ization to add a synthetic component to modify the
4,620,992 11/1986 Nojima et al. ...................... 427/362 properties of the soy protein.
4,689,381 8/1987 Krinski et al. ...................... 527/201
4,812,550 3/1989 Erickson et al. ................... 527/201
4,824,940 4/1989 Shih ..................................... 530/377 7 Claims, No Drawings
 4,997,682 2
1.
4,812,550 has also been used for some paper coating
PAPER COATING COMPOSITION applications.
However, in spite of the general acceptance of soy
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE protein based materials as adhesive binders, the soy
INVENTION protein binders have suffered some disadvantages, par
This invention relates to production of protein con ticularly when compared with casein/synthetic resin
taining paper coating compositions and particularly to combinations, in preparing adhesive binders for cast
production of paper coating compositions which find a coating. For the most part, paper coatings compositions
special utility in cast coated papers where extremely used for cast coated fancy paper have not used soy
high gloss, smoothness, flexibility, resistance to drum 10 binders. There, the state of the art binder is a combina
adhesion and pick resistance are required. Applicant is tion of casein and a synthetic adhesive such as latex.
aware of the following U.S. Patents, the disclosures of These casein/synthetic formulations have provided the
which are incorporated by reference herein. Nos. most optimum combination of smoothness, gloss and
2,274,983 runability.
2,246,466 15 Applicant has found, however, that by use of particu
2,849,334 lar combinations of coating components, applicant can
2,881,076 produce a soy protein based coating composition which
2,950,214 produces an extremely flexible, smooth and glossy
3,081, 182 coated paper. The coated paper has exceptional pick
3,411,925 20 resistance and drum release, superior to the best ca
4,048,380 sein/latex formulations. Applicant's invention requires
4,109,056 the use of a soy/synthetic graft polymer as an adhesive
4,277,524 binder and preferably includes control of the binder in
4,352,692 combination with the other coating components.
4,421,564 25 It is thus an object of applicant's invention to prepare
4,474,694 a coating composition and process suitable for coating
4,520,048 of cast coated papers having an extremely high gloss,
4,575,477 smoothness, flexibility, pick resistance and drum re
4,581,257 lease.
4,607,089 w 30
4,620,992
It is an object of applicant's invention to prepare an
4,812,550
adhesive binder from soy protein using a soy/synthetic
copolymer
In addition, information relating to cast coating tech papers which which has the ability to produce coated
niques may be found at: have extreme smoothness, flexibility,
"Soy Protein Latex Interpolymers-Properties and 35 gloss, pick resistance and drum release.
It is an object of applicant's invention to produce an
Function," Proceeding of the 1987 Coating Conference
TAPPI, pp 133-139, Coco, C. E.; adhesive binder and process which can run on conven
"Ultrahigh Finish Coated Papers-Cast Coating and tional cast coating processes and provide a high pick
Other Processes,' Pigmented Coating Processes For resistance in the coated paper.
Paper and Board, TAPPI Monograph No. 28, pp 74-85, 40 It is a further object of applicant's invention to pre
Casey, J. P. pare a coating composition using a protein copolymer
"Isolated Soy Protein Binders for Paper and Paper adhesive which combines with particular pigments to
board Coatings,” Protein Binders. In Paper and Paper produce a smooth, high gloss, flexible and pick resistant
board Coating, TAPPI Monograph No., pp. 75–96, Olson, paper.
R. A. and Hoelderle, P. T.; and 45 These and other objects of the invention will be un
"Pigment Coating," Pulp and Paper Chemistry and derstood from the following description of the pre
Chemical Technology, pp 1551-1753, 1961, Casey, J. P. ferred embodiments.
These publications are also incorporated by reference DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
herein. EMBODIMENTS
Basic coating techniques for cast coated paper are 50
well known and the use of protein adhesive binders for The present invention utilizes soy protein copolymer
coating formulations for these papers is well known in adhesive binders in combination with particular coating
the art. The use of vegetable protein adhesive binders, pigments. Preferably, the invention utilizes a graft soy
such as modified soy protein, is also known. However, copolymer, prepared as described in U.S. Pat. Nos.
the adhesive of choice for these products is typically a 55 4,607,089 and 4,812,550. This adhesive binder, prefera
casein/latex combination, due to the greater whiteness, bly used in combination with particular pigment combi
smoothness, gloss uniformity and pick release which nations, has been found effective to achieve the objects
can be obtained with casein/latex formulations.
The soy protein adhesive binders, where used in ofCast the present invention.
paper coating, are typically those prepared from iso- 60 parablecoated paper having smoothness and gloss com
lated soy protein extracted fron oil free soybean flakes proved flexibilitysuch
to any
can
paper known in the art, and im
be produced by use of applicant's
in an alkaline solution and then recovered by isoelectric invention. In particular, applicant's invention can pro
precipitation. Recovered soy protein is typically modi duce paper having properties equal to or superior to
fied by hydrolysis and other chemical treatment to pre paper produced using casein/latex adhesives. More
pare a protein adhesive material suitable for use as a 65
binder in paper coating compositions. Binders of this over, even casein/latex based coating compositions
type find many uses in the paper coating industry. Re suffer from drum adhesion and from pick. Pick is the
cently however, a modified adhesive binder, such as paper loss of the adhesion of the coating composition to the
disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,607,089; 4,620,992 and substrate during printing.
 4,997,682 4.
3
Drum adhesion occurs on the casting drum. In drum Applicant's coating composition preferably uses clay
adhesion, the coating loses adhesion to the paper sub and calcium carbonate pigments in combination with
strate, in local areas, and adheres to the casting drum as the soy copolymer binder, though other conventional
small particles. As the casting drum revolves, these pigments may be used. Applicant's coating process
particles accumulate additional coating material and produces a flexible, high gloss, smooth coated paper
leave voids in the paper surface. The voids result in a having superior aesthetic and optical qualities required
coated paper which is rough, porous and has low gloss. for fancy papers of the type described. In particular,
Drum adhesion is particularly associated with high applicant's coating composition produces a coated
latex content in the coating formulation. The latex com paper having substantially no drum adhesion and no
ponent is essential in conventional formulations, since 10 pick. The clay and calcium carbonate, which have been
the latex is needed to impart flexibility to the coated found effective to combine with copolymer binders,
paper produced by the casting process. However, with may each be present at levels between about 10% to
conventional formulations it has not been practical to 90% by weight of the total pigment present in the coat
use coating formulations in which the latex component ing composition of the invention. The copolymer binder
15 may be present at between about 10% to 25% by weight
is above 60% of the total binder, if that much. At this
high level of latex, too much latex contacts the hot of the pigment.
surface of the casting drum. Since the latex is thermo The invention may be further understood by refer
plastic in nature, it melts and adheres to the casting ence to the following examples.
drum resulting in drum adhesion, as described above. 20 EXAMPLE 1.
This feature, drum adhesion, of conventional coating
formulations, severely limits the amount of latex which A cast coating composition was prepared from the
can be used in the coating formulation and limits the following formulation:
flexibility, smoothness and gloss which can be imparted 90 parts by weight clay
by latex addition. 25
10 parts by weight calcium carbonate
Applicant has found that by using a soy/synthetic 0.2 parts by weight dispersant
copolymer the latex component of the binder, as part of 0.1 parts by weight defoamer
the copolymer, can be increased to as much as 80% of U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,089 (RP535)(82% synthetic moiety)
the binder. As a result, the coating composition formed 0.5 parts by weight release agent
from the binder has extraordinary resistance to drum 30 The above coating composition was suspended in room
adhesion and has exceptional gloss, flexibility, smooth temperature water (58% solids), the pH was adjusted to
ness and pick resistance. 9.4 and the aqueous composition was coated utilizing a
Pick resistance is believed to result from the segrega cast coating process. The coat weight was 20 pounds
tion or separation of the adhesive and other components per ream. The web speed was about 250 feet per minute.
in the coating formulation during the coating and dry 35 After coating, the coated paper from the process was
ing process itself. To counteract this effect, various subjected to tests of its gloss, color, smoothness and
dispersants and additives are typically added to coating pick resistance. The results of those tests are given in
formulations to keep the coating components uniformly Table 1. The coated paper was examined and judged to
dispersed in the coating composition during coating and have high flexibility.
drying of the paper web. These techniques have been EXAMPLE 2
effective to make casein/latex combination binders the
best known in the art to date. For comparison, a casein/latex cast coating composi
Applicant has found that by using a soy copolymer, tion was prepared from the following formulation:
of the type described in the patents noted above, prefer 90 parts by weight clay
ably in combination with particular pigments, coating 45 10 parts by weight calcium carbonate
formulations can be produced which overcome the 0.2 parts by weight dispersant
limitations of casein/latex based coating formulations. 0.1 parts by weight defoamer
Applicant is able to produce cast coated paper having 10 parts by weight casein
high gloss, high flexibility, high color (whiteness), high 6 parts by weight latex
smoothness and can substantially eliminate coating pick, 50 0.5 parts by weight release agent
as determined by standard tests. The above coating composition was suspended in room
Applicant has found that the use of a protein/syn temperature water (58% solids) the pH was adjusted to
thetic copolymer unexpectedly increases the synthetic 9.4 and the aqueous composition was coated utilizing a
(latex) component which can be incorporated in the cast coating process. The coat weight was 20 pounds
binder (and coating composition formulation). In the 55 per ream. The web speed was approximately 250 feet
copolymer binder it is believed that the synthetic or per minute. After coating, the coated paper from the
latex moiety is surrounded or protected by the protein process was then subjected to tests of its gloss, color,
shell. As a result, the synthetic moiety is held out of smoothness and pick resistance. The results of those
contact with the casting drum. To a substantial degree tests are given in Table 1. The coated paper was exam
only the protein moiety contacts the casting drum. Con 60 ined and judged to have high flexibility.
sequently the synthetic moiety does not overheat, melt EXAMPLE 3
or adhere to the surface of the casting drum. The co
polyner may contain as much as 80% synthetic moi A cast coating composition was prepared from the
eties the 20% soy moiety is still sufficient to protect the following formulation:
synthetic elements from the casting drum surface. How 65 10 parts by weight clay
ever, the 80% synthetic provides flexibility enhance 90 parts by weight calcium carbonate
ment, smoothness and gloss equivalent to 80% free 0.2 parts by weight dispersant
latex, and providing resistance to pick. 0.1 parts by weight defoamer
 4,997,682
5
15 parts by weight soy synthetic interpolymer, U.S. Pat. TABLE 1-continued
No. 4,607,089 (RP535)82% synthetic moiety) Example Example Example Example .
0.5 parts by weight release agent 2 3 4
The above coating composition was suspended in room Ink Gloss
5 IGT pick
95 94 88 86
temperature water (58% solids), the pH was adjusted to Oe 175 O 135
(cm/sec)
9.4 and the aqueous composition was coated utilizing a
cast coating process. The coat weight was 20 pounds
per ream. The web speed was about 250 feet per minute. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
After coating, the coated paper from the process was 10 various changes may be made in the invention as dis
then subjected to tests of its gloss, color, smoothness closed without departing from the spirit of the inven
and pick resistance. The results of those tests are given tion. The invention is not to be limited to the specifics of
the disclosed embodiments, which are for purposes of
in Table 1. The coated paper was examined and judged illustration, but rather is to be limited only by the scope
to have high flexibility. 15 of the appended claims and their equivalents.
EXAMPLE 4 I claim:
1. A method of producing a cast coated paper having
For comparison, a casein/latex cast coating composi high gloss, flexibility, smoothness, brightness, resistance
tion was prepared from the following formulation: to drum adhesion and pick resistance comprising pre
10 parts by weight clay 20
paring an aqueous paper coating composition contain
90 parts by weight calcium carbonate ing paper coating pigments and an adhesive binder, the
0.2 parts by weight dispersant adhesive binder consisting essentially of a soy protein
0.l parts by weight defoamer synthetic graft copolymer, having a synthetic moiety of
10 parts by weight casein between about 60-80% of the copolymer, the synthetic
moiety being substantially surrounded by the protein
0.5 parts by weight release agent 25
moiety of the copolymer, the combination of pigment
6 parts by weight latex and adhesive binder being effective to product a high
The above coating composition was suspended in room gloss, flexible, smooth, bright and substantially pick free
temperature water (58% solids), the pH was adjusted to cast coated paper when coated on a paper web substrate
9.4 and the aqueous composition was coated utilizing a 30 and being effective to substantially reduce drum adhe
cast coating process. The coat weight was 20 pounds sion, the protein moiety of the polymer protecting the
per ream. The web speed was about 250 feet per minute. synthetic moiety of the copolymer and substantially
After coating, the coated paper from the process was reducing the contact of the synthetic moiety with a
then subjected to tests of its gloss, color, smoothness casting drum during curing, coating a paper web sub
and pick resistance. The results of those tests are given 35
strate with the aqueous paper coating composition plac
in Table 1. The coated paper was examined and judged ing the coated paper web in contact with a casting drum
to have high flexibility. and curing the coated paper web substrate to form a
finished cast paper.
TABLE 1. 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the copolymer is a
Example Example Example Example 40
graft copolymer of a conjugated diene and a vinyl aryl
2 3 4 monomer polymerized on a soy protein shell.
20 Gloss 60 45 43 36
3. The process of claim 1 wherein the synthetic moi
75 Gloss 92 85 85 83 ety of the copolymer is about 80% by weight of the
Hunter Color L 91.5 91 95 95 copolymer.
(Whitness) 45 4. The process of claim 1 wherein the copolymer is a
Hunter Color a 0.6 0.6 0.15 0.15 butadiene-styrene copolymer.
(red/green) 5. The process of claim 4 wherein the finished paper
Hunter Color b 3.7 3.7 2.8 3.0 is a cast coated paper.
(blue/yellow) 6. The process of claim 4 wherein the butadiene-sty
Parker Smoothness 0.80 0.93 0.80 0.93 rene moiety is about 80% by weight of the copolymer.
(S-5) 50
Parker Smoothness 0.67 0.73 0.67 0.73 7. A coated paper product produced by the method
(S-10) of claim 1.
k k k k k
K & N (% loss) 31 37 10 16

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