Method for deinking electrostatic printed wastepaper using a combination of nonionic surfactants

Abstract

Describes a deinking agent composition and a method for deinking wastepaper printed with electrostatic ink or mixtures thereof with wastepaper printed with impact ink in which a combination of nonionic surfactants are added to an alkaline slurry of paper fibers. The surfactants are a first nonionic surfactant represented by the formula:R--Ph--(OC.sub.2 H.sub.4).sub.m --(OC.sub.3 H.sub.6).sub.n --(OC.sub.4 H.sub.8).sub.p --R.sup.1and a second nonionic surfactant represented by R.sup.5 --C.sub.6 H.sub.4 O--(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.t --H, block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide or mixtures of such second nonionic surfactants. R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon group containing from 8 to 10 carbon atoms, Ph is phenylene, R.sup.1 is chloro or phenoxy, R.sup.5 is C.sub.8 -C.sub.13 alkyl, the sum of m, n, and p is a number between 1 and 10, and t is a number between 1 and 9. The deinking agent composition also contains optional nonpolar solvent(s). The ratio of first to second nonionic surfactants is selected and adjusted to provide enhanced agglomeration of electrostatic ink.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a novel deinking agent and process for removing ink, toner, or the like from printed wastepaper in the course of recycling the fiber content of the wastepaper for reuse in the manufacture of new paper. More particularly, the invention relates to a novel deinking agent and process for deinking wastepaper printed with electrostatic toners used in laser and xerographic printing processes. Still more particularly, the invention relates to a novel deinking agent and process for deinking electrostatically printed wastepaper mixed with wastepaper printed with conventional impact inks.

Recycled wastepaper has traditionally been a source of raw fiber material needed in the paper making industry. In the past, fiber from wastepaper was only employed in the production of low grade paper and paperboard products. Today, however, it is reported that reclaimed fiber comprises about 25 percent of the total fiber used to manufacture paper thereby providing an incentive for improving the quality of reclaimed paper pulp materials. In particular, recent efforts have been directed to develop techniques for effectively removing ink from waste fibers, in order to permit their use in the manufacture of high quality paper.

Conventional paper reclamation procedures include steps for converting the wastepaper to pulp and contacting the pulp with an alkaline aqueous deinking medium containing a deinking chemical. The physical pulping in an alkaline aqueous deinking medium causes the removal of ink and other impurities from the pulp fiber and produces a suspension and/or dispersion of the ink and other particles in the aqueous medium. The resulting mixture is subsequently treated to separate the suspended ink and other particles from the pulp by, for example, air sparging and flotation of the ink/deinking chemical complex followed by skimming to remove the ink and other particles from the treatment bath, filtration and subsequent water washing of the fiber mat to remove dispersed ink particles, or a combination of these treatments.

A variety of materials, particularly surfactants and mixtures of surfactants are known to be useful as deinking chemicals in such processes applied to the deinking of common wastepaper stock, i.e., newsprint, book, magazine, and ledger printed with conventional impact inks. Conventional impact inks are primarily water or oil based inks used in impact printing processes such as in offset printing or other mechanical printing processes. It is recognized, however, that conventional deinking processes have not been particularly successful in specific application to electrostatically printed wastepaper and common wastepaper stock containing the same. The difficulty encountered in the deinking of electrostatically printed wastepaper has been attributed to the character of electrostatic toner, specifically the binder, which is fundamentally different from that used in other printing processes. For example, in contrast to the common oil or resin binder of conventional impact inks, the electrostatic ink binder is typically a polymeric material such as a polyester, styrene-butadiene copolymer or styrene-acrylic copolymer, which during the printing process is fixed to the paper by the application of heat.

Since business offices use a variety of printers, the wastepaper received at the recycling mill often contains papers printed with different types of inks. The ink from electrostatically printed papers will contaminate recycled fibers obtained from paper which was printed with conventional impact ink when conventional deinking processes are used. Electrostatic toner particles removed from the repulped fibers during the conventional deinking process are usually flat flakes and small ink particles. Paper prepared from such recycled fibers will have a high number of visible specks or dirt, i.e., ink particles having a surface area ranging from about 0.002 millimeters square to about 0.07 millimeters square. This ink particle surface area range includes TAPPI dirt defined as particles having a surface area greater than 0.04 millimeters square and Fine dirt defined as particles having a surface area less than 0.04 millimeters square. Such paper would be unsatisfactory for use except for the manufacture of low grade paper materials, e.g., low grade packaging cartons, tissue, and towels. Therefore, papers printed with electrostatic toners are not only difficult to recycle, but their presence in common wastepaper stock will reduce the quality and value of contaminated fiber produced by conventional deinking processes, as well.

Various processes have been disclosed for the removal of ink or toner from electrostatically or xerographically printed wastepaper. The use of a dual system of a toner collector and collector chemical is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,118; a process incorporating a deinking chemical used in combination with a nonionic surfactant is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,933; a composition comprising a combination of (a) aliphatic petroleum distillates, (b) alkyl-phenoxypoly-(ethyleneoxy) ethanol and (c) ethoxylated polyoxypropylene glycol is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,598; a surfactant having a hydrophile/lipophile balance from about 0.5 to 10 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,034; and a surfactant having the formula R.sub.1 -R.sub.2 -R.sub.3, wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 are each selected from the group consisting of rosin, rosin dimers, and mixtures of rosin and rosin dimers, and R.sub.2 is a polyethylene glycol is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,573.

The removal of ink or toner from electrostatically or xerographically printed wastepaper treated alone or in combination with non-electrostatically printed or conventional impact ink printed wastepaper has also been disclosed. A method utilizing a polymeric material having a glass transition temperature in the range of from about 20.degree. C. to about 70.degree. C. and a substituted polyethylene oxide compound is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,379; and the use of a mixture of one or more solvents, a nonionic surfactant, an anionic surfactant and water is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,969.

Although improvements in the deinking of electrostatically or xerographically printed wastepaper treated alone or in combination with non-electrostatically printed or conventional impact ink printed wastepaper have been achieved via the use of deinking chemicals with or without the use of collectors, as described in the prior art, further improvements in the reduction of dirt counts are desirable and have been pursued.

It has now been discovered that the deinking of electrostatically or xerographically printed wastepaper treated alone or in combination with non-electrostatically printed or conventional impact ink printed wastepaper by the novel process of the present invention results in a pulp having a lower fine dirt count than if treated by the individual components of the novel deinking agent used in the process of the invention. Reduction of the fine dirt count is achieved by agglomerating the flat flakes and small ink particles into relatively larger particles which can be removed by physical processes, e.g., centrifugation or screening, in conjunction with washing or flotation.

The process of the present invention comprises the steps of:

(a) pulping printed paper selected from the group consisting of electrostatically printed paper and a mixture of electrostatically printed paper and impact ink printed paper in an alkaline aqueous medium, thereby to produce an aqueous slurry of paper fibers and particles of electrostatic ink, (b) adding to the slurry with agitation a deinking amount of the novel deinking agent of the present invention, which comprises a first nonionic surfactant material, heretofore undisclosed for deinking, and a second deinking nonionic surfactant material(s) combined in a ratio selected and adjusted to provide enhanced agglomeration of electrostatic ink with or without the further addition of nonpolar solvent(s), (c) agitating the slurry of step (b) to agglomerate the particles of electrostatic ink, and (d) separating the agglomerated electrostatic ink particles from the aqueous slurry of paper fibers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The first deinking nonionic surfactant material may be represented by formula I:

R--Ph--(OC.sub.2 H.sub.4).sub.m --(OC.sub.3 H.sub.6).sub.n --(OC.sub.4 H.sub.8).sub.p --R.sup.1 I

In formula I, R may be an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, preferably containing from about 8 to 10 carbon atoms, and more preferably, containing about 8 carbon atoms, Ph represents the bivalent phenylene group, --(OC.sub.2 H.sub.4).sub.m -- represents a poly(ethylene oxide) chain, --(OC.sub.3 H.sub.6).sub.n -- represents a poly(propylene oxide) chain, and --(OC.sub.4 H.sub.8).sub.p -- represents a poly(butylene oxide) chain. The order of the poly(ethylene oxide), poly(propylene oxide), and poly(butylene oxide) chains may be ordered or may be random, i.e., the poly(ethylene oxide) chain, the poly(propylene oxide) chain, and the poly(butylene oxide) chains may be in a random order in the molecule. R.sup.1 in formula I is selected from the group consisting of chloro and phenoxy, and preferably, is chloro. The letters m, n, and p are each a number of between 0 and about 10, and the sum of m, n, and p is between about 1 and 10; more preferably, m, n, and p are each a number of between 0 and about 5, and the sum of m, n, and p is between about 1 and 5; most preferably, m is about 3.

Procedures for the preparation of compounds of formula I having poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(propylene oxide) chains with a benzyl group as R.sup.1 are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,459, column 5 line 49 to column 8 line 25. The incorporation of a poly(butylene oxide) chain may be accomplished by similar methods or other methods known in the art. The preparation of compounds having phenoxy as R.sup.1 may be accomplished by use of the Williamson Synthesis described in The Merck Index, Tenth edition, published by Merck & Co., Inc., 1983, page ONR-96. The preparation of compounds having a chloro group as R.sup.1 is described in Surface Active Agents by A. M. Schwarz and J. W. Perry, Interscience Publishers, Inc., 1949, page 109. The above reference and U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,459 are herein incorporated by reference.

The second deinking nonionic surfactant material of the present invention may be selected from the group consisting of materials represented by formula II; block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide; and mixtures of such materials.

R.sup.5 --C.sub.6 H.sub.4.sub.O --(C.sub.2 H.sub.4.sub.O).sub.t --H II

In formula II, R5 may be a C.sub.8 -C.sub.13 alkyl, e.g., a member selected from the group consisting of octyl, nonyl, decyl, dodecyl, and tridecyl and t is a number of between about 1 and about 9. More particularly, R.sup.5 is a C.sub.8 -C.sub.12 alkyl and t is a number of between 1 and about 7, and most particularly, t is a number of between 1 and about 6. Compounds of formula II are typically described as ethoxylated alkyl phenols and include commercially available products such as IGEPAL.RTM. CA-210, CA-420, CA-520, CO-210, CO-420, CO-530, DM-430, and RC-520; TERGITOL.RTM. NP-4 and NP-5; and TRITON.RTM. N-42, N-57, X-15 and X-35.

The nonionic surfactant block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide may be selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated polyoxypropylene glycols and propoxylated polyoxyethylene glycols each having an average of 1 to 45 poly(ethylene oxide) units and 14 to 77 poly(propylene oxide)units. More particularly, the block copolymers have an average of 1 to 40 poly(ethylene oxide) units and 15 to 60 poly(propylene oxide)units. Commercially available block copolymer products include the PLURONIC.RTM. L and P series of surfactants, e.g., PLURONIC.RTM. L-61, PLURONIC.RTM. L-121 and PLURONIC.RTM. P-65.

Other than in the operating examples, or where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing ingredients, e.g., the ethylene oxide chain length and ratio of one ingredient to another, or processing conditions, e.g., amount of deinking agent used, pH, temperature and time of processing, used herein are to be understood as modified in all instances by the term "about".

The deinking agent of the present invention comprises a mixture of (i) a first nonionic surfactant material represented by formula I and (ii) a second deinking nonionic surfactant material as defined herein in a ratio of (i):(ii) that results in the enhanced agglomeration of electrostatic ink particles. Enhanced agglomeration is defined herein as an increase in the amount of agglomerated electrostatic ink particles as measured by a corresponding reduction in the fine dirt count of paper prepared from the deinked wastepaper. The ratio of surfactant (i) to surfactant (ii) may range, for example, from 1:100 to 100:1, as long as the fine dirt count of paper made from wastepaper deinked with the combination of surfactants is lower than the "expected" fine dirt count if surfactants (i) and (ii) were used individually. The "expected" fine dirt count is calculated by taking the sum of the fine dirt count results for each individual surfactant (i) and (ii) multiplied by the percentage of each surfactant in the combination.

The ratio of surfactant (i) to surfactant (ii) preferably ranges from 1:100 to 1:1 and more preferably ranges from 1:50 to 1:1, and most preferably ranges from 1:30 to 1:1, the total amount of the components being equal to 100 percent of the deinking agent. More particularly, when surfactant (ii) is either a block copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide or an ethoxylated alkyl phenol represented by formula II, the preferred ratio of surfactant (i) to surfactant (ii) ranges from 1:20 to 1:1 and more preferably ranges from 1:10 to 1:2.

The deinking agent of the present invention may also contain a nonpolar solvent (iii), preferably having a flash point, determined by the most appropriate procedure described in ASTM Methods D 56, D 93, or D 3278, of greater than 125.degree. F. (51.7.degree. C.), and more preferably greater than 140.degree. F. (60.degree. C.). Suitable solvents include mineral spirits available as SHELL.RTM. Sol 140 HT; de-aromatized aliphatics available as EXXSOL.RTM. D-60, D-80, D-110, and D-130; isoparaffins available as ISOPAR.RTM. L, M and V; normal paraffins available as NORPAR.RTM. 12, 13 and 15; and branched alcohols such as hexyl, isoheptyl, isooctyl, and isononyl alcohols available as EXXAL.RTM. 6, 7, 8, and 9, respectively. The ratio of the deinking surfactants of the present invention comprising the combination of surfactants (i) and (ii) to nonpolar solvent (iii) preferably ranges from 20:1 to 1:2, and more preferably ranges from 10:1 to 1:1, the total amount of the components being equal to 100 percent of the deinking agent.

The deinking process of the present invention comprises the steps of pulping the electrostatically printed wastepaper or a mixture of electrostatically printed and non-electrostatically printed wastepaper, such as conventional impact ink printed wastepaper, into a slurry of paper fibers in an aqueous medium having an alkaline pH of preferably from 7.5 to 11.5, and more preferably from 9.5 to 11; optionally adding to the pulping apparatus or to the resulting slurry of paper fibers, with agitation, a suitable collector in an amount preferably of from 0.01 to 5.0 weight percent of the dry pulp fiber, and more preferably, from 0.02 to 3.0 weight percent; adding to the slurry of paper fibers, with agitation, a deinking amount, i.e., preferably from 0.1 to 5.0 weight percent of the dry pulp fiber, and more preferably, from 0.2 to 3.0 weight percent, of the deinking agent of the present invention; continuing the agitation, preferably for between 5 and 60 minutes, more preferably, for between 15 to 60 minutes, and most preferably, for between 30 to 60 minutes, while preferably maintaining a temperature of 120.degree. F. (48.9.degree. C.) to 175.degree. F. (79.4.degree. C.), and more preferably a temperature of 140.degree. F. (60.degree. C.) to 175.degree. F. (79.4.degree. C.) ; and separating the agglomerated electrostatic ink particles or the combination of the electrostatic and nonelectrostatic ink particles from the aqueous paper fiber slurry.

Pulping of the wastepaper may be effected using any conventional process and apparatus. Typically, wastepaper is treated in a so called hydropulper which produces an aqueous slurry of fibers. Such pulp slurries typically contain from 3 to 20 weight percent and usually from 4 to 12 weight percent of paper based on the weight of the dry fiber relative to the total weight of the slurry. The pH of the fiber slurry in the hydropulper is typically adjusted to an alkaline pH of from 7.5 to 11.5 with a suitable alkaline reagent, such as sodium hydroxide.

A suitable collector may be added to the hydropulper or to the resulting pulp slurry under agitation. The collector may be added prior to, in conjunction with or immediately after the addition of the deinking agent of the present invention. Suitable collectors that may be used are those having solubility properties similar to the toners used in electrostatic inks so that the toners are slightly soluble in the collector. Collectors may also be described in terms of their glass transition temperature. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,379 at column 3, lines 37 to 45. Suitable collectors are polymeric materials having a glass transition temperature in the range of from 20.degree. C. to 95.degree. C.; and may be selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyurethanes, polypropylene, polyacrylates, polystyrene, polyesters, and styrene-acrylate copolymers. Preferably, the collector is a polystyrene. Contact of the pulp with the collector and deinking agent is maintained for a time sufficient to agglomerate the toner or ink particles into discrete masses or globules. Depending on the ink loading on the wastepaper, contact time may vary from as little as five minutes to one hour. Collecting chemicals that enhance the overall agglomeration process, such as the substituted polyethylene oxide materials specified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,379, or the collecting chemicals identified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,118, the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference, may also be added with the collector individually or as components of the deinking agent.

After the wastepaper has been substantially reduced to individual paper fibers, i.e., pulp, the deinking agent of the present invention is added to the alkaline aqueous pulp slurry with agitation. Agitation is continued for from 5 to 60 minutes while maintaining a temperature of from 120.degree. F. (48.9.degree. C.) to 175.degree. F. (79.4.degree. C.) to allow the formation of agglomerates of electrostatic ink or toner particles, with or without the addition of a suitable collector and collecting chemical, and for the dispersion of non-electrostatic inks in the aqueous medium.

Separation of electrostatic ink or toner agglomerates is typically accomplished by taking advantage of two physical properties of the agglomerates; namely, density and size. Processes such as centrifugation and screening are most effective in removing the agglomerates of electrostatic toner or ink. Flotation ink separation processes that generally involve passing a stream of air bubbles through an aqueous slurry of fibers may also be effective if the size of the agglomerate is less than about 250 microns.

When the wastepaper is a mixture of electrostatically printed and non-electrostatically printed wastepaper, such as conventional impact ink printed wastepaper, conventional methods of flotation or washing, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,459, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, may be used in addition to the centrifugation or screening ink separation processes.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a deinking agent comprising a synergistic combination of a nonionic surfactant material of formula I and an ethoxylated alkyl phenol, such as TERGITOL.RTM. NP-5, is added to an aqueous slurry of paper fibers prepared from electrostatically printed paper in a hydropulper and the slurry maintained in the hydropulper with agitation at a pH of about 9.5 and a temperature of about 140.degree. F. (60.degree. C.). The treated slurry is mixed for 30 minutes. Afterwards, the agglomerated ink particles are removed by centrifugation, thereby to produce a pulp suitable for use in making writing grade paper.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a polymeric collector of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,379 and a deinking agent comprising a combination of the nonionic surfactant material of formula I, PLURONIC.RTM. L-81, and a nonpolar solvent are added to an aqueous slurry of paper fibers, e.g., a slurry prepared from 70 weight percent. electrostatically printed paper and 30 weight percent conventional impact ink printed paper, maintained in the hydropulper with agitation at a pH of about 10 and a temperature of about 150.degree. F. (65.6.degree. C.). The treated slurry is mixed for about 30 minutes. Afterwards, the agglomerated and dispersed ink particles are removed by flotation and centrifugation, thereby to produce a pulp suitable for use in making writing grade paper.

It is of course to be understood that the method of this invention may be practiced batchwise or continuously. Also, the aqueous pulp slurry may contain other additives commonly used in deinking operations, e.g., other surfactants, bleaches, brighteners, softeners, defoamers, dispersants, chelating agents and the like.

The present invention is more particularly described in the following example which is intended as illustrative only, since numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

EXAMPLE

The paper used in the present Example comprised 81/2 by 11 inch (21.59 by 27.95 centimeters) sheets printed on one side with a specific electrostatic ink or toner in a uniform test pattern using a laser printer or copier. Each printed sheet contained approximately 3.3 weight percent of ink or toner. The various inks and toners used were as follows: (a) SAVIN.RTM. 5020 Toner, (b) CANON.RTM. NP-6000/7000/8000 Series Toner, (c) HEWLETT-PACKARD.RTM. 92295A Toner, (d) KODAK EKTAPRINT.RTM. K Toner, (e) KODAK EKTAPRINT.RTM. L Toner, (f) KODAK COLOREDGE.RTM. Toner Magenta, (g) KODAK COLOREDGE.RTM. Toner Cyan.

The furnish used for pulping consisted of 300 grams of printed paper. This mixture of electrostatically printed paper was composed of 60 grams each of paper printed with electrostatic inks (a), (b) and (c); 40 grams each of paper printed with inks (d) and (e); and 20 grams each of paper printed with inks (f) and (g).

A one-gallon Maelstrom laboratory pulper made by the Adriondack Machine Company was used to pulp the furnish according to the following procedures: 4,100 grams of tap water and 30 grams of a 10 weight percent sodium hydroxide solution were added to the laboratory pulper and heated to 60.degree. C.; 300 grams of the above described furnish was added to the pulper; and pulping was conducted until the paper was completely defibered, which took about 15 minutes. The resulting pulp had a consistency of 6.8 percent.

After pulping, the pulp was divided into 400 gram batches in separate beakers fitted with temperature probes. The pulp in the beakers was stirred at 600 rpms and heated to 70.degree. C. Specific test chemicals were added at a concentration of about 1 percent, based on the dry weight of the test pulp, to each of the beakers except for one beaker which was designated an untreated control. After the addition of test chemicals, the pulp in each of the beakers (including the untreated control) was stirred for 30 minutes while maintaining the pulp temperature at 70.degree. C.

The resulting pulp slurry was made into three handsheets in accordance with TAPPI Method T-205 om-88. The handsheets prepared from each pulp sample were evaluated for dirt count using the scanner-based paper image analyzer PIA-2000 by Applied Vision Systems, Inc., a computerized image analysis system. Prior to testing, the calibration of the image analyzer was checked using the standard chart supplied with the system. The entire area on both sides of three 6 inch (15.24 centimeters) diameter handsheets was scanned to generate the Total Dirt Count and the TAPPI Dirt Count. The Total Dirt Count is the sum of the TAPPI Dirt Count, i.e., the number of particles having a surface area greater than 0.04 millimeter square and the Fine Dirt Count, i.e., the number of particles having a surface area less than 0.04 millimeter square. The Fine Dirt Count was calculated by subtracting the TAPPI Dirt Count from the Total Dirt Count. The effectiveness of the agglomeration process was determined by monitoring the reduction in the Fine Dirt Count since agglomerated ink was not removed during the processing of the samples.

The test chemicals used to treat the pulp are listed in Table 1. Many are commercially available materials. Included in Table 1 is a chemical description and examples of commercially available products. The test chemicals, and mixtures of test chemicals are reported as weight percentages. Results of the deinking studies are reported as Fine Dirt Count and are listed in Table 2.

TABLE 1______________________________________DEINKING CHEMICALS TESTED______________________________________ 1. Untreated Control 2. Isopar .RTM. L (C.sub.11 -C.sub.13 isoparaffinic hydrocarbons) 3. Octyl phenol alkoxylated with about 3 moles of ethylene oxide and chloro capped 4. Pluronic .RTM. L-61 (block copolymer of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide). 5. Pluronic .RTM. L-121 (block copolymer of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide). 6. Pluronic .RTM. P-65 (block copolymer of porpylene oxide and ethylene oxide). 7. Octyl phenol alkoxylated with about 5 moles of ethylene oxide, e.g., Igepal .RTM. CA-520 and Macol .RTM. OP-5. 8. Nonyl phenol alkoxylated with about 1.5 moles of ethylene oxide, e.g., Igepal .RTM. CO-210. 9. Nonyl phenol alkoxylated with about 6 moles of ethylene oxide, e.g., Igepal .RTM. CO-530 and Nacol .RTM. NP-6.10. Dodecyl phenol alkoxylated with about 5.5 moles of ethylene oxide, e.g., Igepal .RTM. RC-520.11. Beta .RTM. CDI B279, a commercial product available from PaperChem, Inc. Jacksonville, Florida.______________________________________ TABLE 2______________________________________DEINKING CHEMICAL FINE DIRT COUNT______________________________________1 118,3682 17,6693 48,8864 90,0425 83,6706 123,7067 80,1478 4,1109 88,13910 97,15311 10,18895% (4), 5% (3) 115,30180% (4), 20% (3) 49,48460% (4), 40% (3) 16,54965% (4), 30% (2), 5% (3) 20,77965% (4), 5% (2), 30% (3) 15,58170% (5), 30% (3) 18,97460% (5), 30% (2), 10% (3) 17,13650% (5), 30% (2), 20% (3) 6,31770% (6), 30% (3) 49,75660% (6), 30% (2), 10% (3) 61,55450% (6), 30% (2), 20% (3) 48,11480% (7), 20% (3) 18,16965% (7), 30% (2), 5% (3) 21,39830% (7), 40% (2), 30% (3) 1,08795% (8), 5% (3) 2,22980% (8), 20% (3) 3,88160% (8), 40% (3) 3,52230% (8), 40% (2), 30% (3) 7,19845% (8), 40% (2), 15% (3) 9,72065% (8), 5% (2), 30% (3) 6,35065% (8), 30% (2), 5% (3) 2,37075% (8), 10% (2), 15% (3) 3,60995% (9), 5% (3) 46,54970% (9), 30% (3) 16,63665% (9), 30% (2), 5% (3) 28,36830% (9), 40% (2), 30% (3) 9,14480% (10), 20% (3) 21,19265% (10), 30% (2), 5% (3) 27,67230% (10), 40% (2), 30% (3) 4,838______________________________________

The results in Table 2 indicate that the combinations of treatment chemicals 2 through 10 demonstrated enhanced agglomeration by producing lower fine dirt counts than the individually tested treatment chemicals except for the combination of �95% (4) and 5% (3)! . The combination of �95% (4) and 5% (3)! did not demonstrate enhanced agglomeration because the resulting Fine Dirt Count of the combination (115,301) was greater than the expected amount (87,984), which was calculated by adding 95% of the Fine Dirt Count of (4) and 5% of the Fine Dirt Count of (3). There was at least one combination in each group of the treatment chemical combinations, except in the case of Treatment Chemical 6, that demonstrated improved performance over that of Treatment Chemical 11, which is BETZ.RTM. CDI B279.

The present invention has been described with reference to specific details of certain embodiments thereof, it is not intended that such details should be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention except insofar as they are included in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A method of deinking printed paper selected from the group consisting of electrostatically printed paper and a mixture of electrostatically printed paper and impact ink printed paper comprising the steps of:

(a) pulping such printed paper in an alkaline aqueous medium, thereby to produce an aqueous slurry of paper fibers and particles of electrostatic ink,

(b) adding to said slurry with agitation a deinking amount of the deinking agent comprising in combination,

(i) a first nonionic surfactant material represented by the formula:

R--Ph--(OC.sub.2 H.sub.4).sub.m --(OC.sub.3 H.sub.6).sub.n --(OC.sub.4 H.sub.8).sub.p --R.sup.1

wherein R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon group containing from 8 to 10 carbon atoms, Ph is the bivalent phenylene group, R.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of chloro and phenoxy, m, n, and p are each a number of between 0 and 10, and the sum of m, n, and p is between 1 and 10; and

(ii) a second deinking nonionic surfactant material selected from the group consisting of:

a) nonionic surfactant represented by the formula, R.sup.5 --C.sub.6 H.sub.4.sub.O --(C.sub.2 H.sub.4.sub.O).sub.t --H, wherein R.sup.5 is a C.sub.8 -C.sub.13 alkyl, and t is a number of between 1 and 9;

b) nonionic surfactant block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated polyoxypropylene glycols and propoxylated polyoxyethylene glycols each having an average of 1 to 45 poly(ethylene oxide) units and 14 to 77 poly(propylene oxide)units; and

c) mixtures of said second nonionic surfactant,

wherein the ratio of said first nonionic surfactant material

(i) to the second deinking nonionic surfactant material

(ii) being selected and adjusted to provide enhanced agglomeration of electrostatic ink,

(c) agitating the slurry of step (b) to agglomerate the particles of electrostatic ink, and

(d) separating the agglomerated electrostatic ink particles from the aqueous slurry of paper fibers.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon group of 8 carbon atoms, R.sup.1 is chloro, m is 3; R.sup.5 is a C.sub.8 -C.sub.12 alkyl, and t is a number of between 1 and 6.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein a non-polar solvent (iii) having a flash point higher than 125.degree. F. is included with the deinking agent, and the ratio of said deinking agent comprising the combination of (i) and (ii) to non-polar solvent (iii) ranges from 20:1 to 1:2.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein from about 0.2 to about 3.0 weight percent of deinking agent, based on the weight of the dry pulp fiber, is used.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the pH of the pulped slurry is from 7.5 to 11.5, the temperature at which deinking is performed is from 120.degree. F. to 175.degree. F., and the agitation in step (c) is continued for between 5 and 60 minutes.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a non-polar solvent (iii) having a flash point higher than 125.degree. F. is included with the deinking agent, and the ratio of said deinking agent comprising the combination of (i) and (ii) to non-polar solvent (iii) ranges from 20:1 to 1:2.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein from 0.2 to 3.0 weight percent of deinking agent, based on the weight of the dry pulp fiber, is used.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the pH of the pulped slurry is from 7.5 to 11.5, the temperature at which deinking is performed is from 120.degree. F. to 175.degree. F., and the agitation in step (c) is continued for between 5 and 60 minutes.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein a chemical collector having solubility properties similar to the electrostatic ink is added in an amount of from 0.01 to 5.0 weight percent based on the weight of the dry pulp fiber, said collector being a polymeric material having a glass transition temperature in the range of from 20.degree. C. to 95.degree. C.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the collector is added in an amount of from 0.02 to 3.0 weight percent, based on the weight of the dry pulp fiber, said collector being selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyacrylate, polystyrene, polyester and styrene-acrylate copolymer.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein from 0.2 to 3.0 weight percent of deinking agent, based on the weight of the dry pulp fiber, is used.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the pH of the pulped slurry is from 7.5 to 11.5, the temperature at which deinking is performed is from 120.degree. F. to 175.degree. F., and the agitation in step (c) is continued for between 5 and 60 minutes.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein a chemical collector having solubility properties similar to the electrostatic ink is added in an amount of from 0.01 to 5.0 weight percent based on the weight of the dry pulp fiber, said collector being a polymeric material having a glass transition temperature in the range of from 20.degree. C. to 95.degree. C.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the collector is added in an amount of from 0.02 to 3.0 weight percent, based on the weight of the dry pulp fiber, said collector being selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyacrylate, polystyrene, polyester and styrene-acrylate copolymer.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the collector is polystyrene.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) includes a separation process step selected from the group consisting of flotation, centrifugation, screening, washing and a combination of said separation process steps.