Air drying process

Claim 2

A hydrophilic polymer having a backbone comprising at least two segments with the formula ##STR12## wherein A is a moiety terminating in the residue of an active hydrogen-containing group selected from the group consisting of alcoholic hydroxyl, thiol, amide, carboxylic acid and secondary amine with an active hydrogen atom removed, E is a moiety containing a radical having an activated olefinic unsaturation either α,β or β,γ to the activating group, m is an integer and is at least 4.

Claim 3

The polymer of claim 1 in which A has the structure --(CH 2 ) p -- O-- wherein p has a value of from 0 to 3.

Claim 4

The polymer of claim 1 wherein the group E comprises a pendant allylic grouping.

Claim 5

The polymer of claim 1 wherein the group E comprises a pendant vinyl grouping.

Claim 6

The polymer of claim 1 in which up to half of the moieties E comprise a quaternary ammonium radical in addition to the activated olefinic unsaturation.

Claim 7

The polymer of claim 1 wherein m has a value that is from 4 to 20.

Claim 8

A hydrophilic polymer having the formula ##STR13## where n is an integer from 2 to 6, m is an integer from 4 to 10, M is either absent or a group capable of activating the adjacent double bond, and R 1 and R 2 are each hydrogen or C 1 -C 4 alkyl groups.

Claim 9

A hydrophilic polymer having the formula ##STR13## where n is an integer from 2 to 6, m is an integer from 4 to 10, M is either absent or a group capable of activating the adjacent double bond, and R 1 and R 2 are each hydrogen or C 1 -C 4 alkyl groups.

Claim 10

A polymer according to claim 7 in which R 1 and R 2 are each hydrogen and M is a --CH 2 --O--CH 2 --group.

Claim 11

A hydrophilic polymer having the empirical formula ##STR14## wherein n is an integer from 2 to 6, m is an integer from 6 to 10 and Q is a moiety with the empirical formula ##STR15## wherein g is a fraction up to 0.5, Y is a halogen or a quaternary ammonium, sulfonium or phosphonium radical and R 1 and R 2 are each hydrogen or C 1 to C 4 alkyl groups.

Claim 12

A hydrophilic polymer having the empirical formula ##STR14## wherein n is an integer from 2 to 6, m is an integer from 6 to 10 and Q is a moiety with the empirical formula ##STR15## wherein g is a fraction up to 0.5, Y is a halogen or a quaternary ammonium, sulfonium or phosphonium radical and R 1 and R 2 are each hydrogen or C 1 to C 4 alkyl groups.

Claim 13

A polymer according to claim 9 in which R 1 and R 2 are each hydrogen and Y is a quaternary ammonium radical.

Claim 14

A process for enhancing inter-fiber bonding in a fibrous substrate which comprises applying to the substrate a hydrophilic polymer having a backbone comprising at least one segment with the formula ##STR16## wherein A is a moiety terminating in the residue of an active hydrogen-containing group selected from the group consisting of alcoholic hydroxyl, amide, carboxylic acid and secondary amine with an active hydrogen atom removed, E is a moiety containing a radical having an activated olefinic unsaturation either α,β or β,γ to the activating group, n is the number of adjacent, (as the term is hereinbefore defined), segments in the polymer having this formula, m is an integer, and m and n are at least one provided that where either is less than 4, the other is at least 4; and curing the polymer in the presence of oxygen.

Claim 15

A process for enhancing inter-fiber bonding in a fibrous substrate which comprises applying to the substrate a hydrophilic polymer having a backbone comprising at least one segment with the formula ##STR16## wherein A is a moiety terminating in the residue of an active hydrogen-containing group selected from the group consisting of alcoholic hydroxyl, amide, carboxylic acid and secondary amine with an active hydrogen atom removed, E is a moiety containing a radical having an activated olefinic unsaturation either α,β or β,γ to the activating group, n is the number of adjacent, (as the term is hereinbefore defined), segments in the polymer having this formula, m is an integer, and m and n are at least one provided that where either is less than 4, the other is at least 4; and curing the polymer in the presence of oxygen.

Claim 16

A process according to claim 11 in which the polymer is applied to the substrate in the form of solution in a solvent comprising from 60 to 5% by volume of water and from 40 to 95% by volume of a water soluble alcohol, said solution containing from 0.2 to 50% by weight of the polymer.

Claim 17

A process according to claim 11 in which the polymer is applied to the substrate in the form of an aqueous emulsion containing from 0.2 to 50% by weight of the polymer.

Claim 18

A process according to claim 11 in which the polymer is cured in the presence of up to 4% by weight of the polymer of a metallic drier salt.

Claim 19

A process according to claim 11 in which the polymer is applied to the substrate at a rate of from 5 to 50 kilos per metric ton.

Claim 20

A process according to claim 11 in which the substrate is a cellulosic substrate.

Claim 21

A process according to claim 11 in which the polymer is one having the empirical formula: ##STR17## where n is an integer from 1 to 6, m is an integer from 4 to 10, M is either absent or a group capable of activating the adjacent double bond and R 1 and R 2 are each hydrogen or C 1 -C 4 alkyl groups.

Claim 22

A process according to claim 11 in which the polymer is one having the empirical formula: ##STR18## wherein n is an integer from 1 to 6, m is an integer from 6 to 10 and Q is a moiety with the empirical formula ##STR19## wherein g is a fraction up to 0.5, Y is a halogen or a quaternary ammonium radical and R 1 to R 2 are each hydrogen or C 1 to C 4 alkyl groups.

Claim 23

A process for improving the wet strength of a paper substrate which comprises treating the substrate with from 15 to 30 kilograms per metric ton of substrate of a composition comprising a hydrophilic polymer having the formula ##STR20## wherein A is a moiety terminating in the residue of an active hydrogen-containing group selected from the group consisting of alcoholic hydroxyl, amide, carboxylic acid and secondary amine with the active hydrogen atom removed, E is a moiety containing a radical having an activated olefinic unsaturation either α,β or β,γ to the activating group, n is the number of adjacent, (as the term is hereinbefore defined), segments in the polymer having this formula; m is an integer, and m and n are at least one provided that where either is less than 4, the other is at least 4; said composition comprising the polymer and a methanol/water solvent in which the volume ratio of methanol to water is from 95:5 to 40:60 and the weight ratio of polymer to solvent is from 0.5:99.5 to 20:80.

Claim 24

A process for improving the wet strength of a paper substrate which comprises treating the substrate with from 15 to 30 kilograms per metric ton of substrate of a composition comprising a hydrophilic polymer having the formula ##STR20## wherein A is a moiety terminating in the residue of an active hydrogen-containing group selected from the group consisting of alcoholic hydroxyl, amide, carboxylic acid and secondary amine with the active hydrogen atom removed, E is a moiety containing a radical having an activated olefinic unsaturation either α,β or β,γ to the activating group, n is the number of adjacent, (as the term is hereinbefore defined), segments in the polymer having this formula; m is an integer, and m and n are at least one provided that where either is less than 4, the other is at least 4; said composition comprising the polymer and a methanol/water solvent in which the volume ratio of methanol to water is from 95:5 to 40:60 and the weight ratio of polymer to solvent is from 0.5:99.5 to 20:80.

Claim 25

A process according to claim 19 in which the polymer is present as an emulsion in the methanol/water solvent.

Claim 26

A process according to claim 19 in which the composition applied to the substrate contains from 0.001 to 0.01% by weight of a metallic drier salt.

Claim 27

A process for improving the wet strength of a paper substrate which comprises treating the substrate with from 15 to 30 kilos per metric ton of a hydrophilic polymer having the empirical formula ##STR21## wherein n is an integer from 1 to 6, m is an integer from 6 to 10 and Q is a moiety with the empirical formula ##STR22## wherein g is a fraction up to 0.5, Y is a halogen or a quaternary ammonium radical and R 1 and R 2 are each hydrogen or C 1 to C 4 alkyl groups; said polymer being added in the form of a composition comprising from 0.5 to 20% by weight of the polymer and from 99.5 to 80% by weight of a solvent comprising from 80 to 50% by volume of methanol and correspondingly from 20 to 50% by volume of water, said composition further containing from 0.001 to 0.01% by weight of a carboxylic acid salt of a metal selected from cobalt and manganese.

Claim 28

A process for improving the wet strength of a paper substrate which comprises treating the substrate with from 15 to 30 kilos per metric ton of a hydrophilic polymer having the empirical formula ##STR21## wherein n is an integer from 1 to 6, m is an integer from 6 to 10 and Q is a moiety with the empirical formula ##STR22## wherein g is a fraction up to 0.5, Y is a halogen or a quaternary ammonium radical and R 1 and R 2 are each hydrogen or C 1 to C 4 alkyl groups; said polymer being added in the form of a composition comprising from 0.5 to 20% by weight of the polymer and from 99.5 to 80% by weight of a solvent comprising from 80 to 50% by volume of methanol and correspondingly from 20 to 50% by volume of water, said composition further containing from 0.001 to 0.01% by weight of a carboxylic acid salt of a metal selected from cobalt and manganese.