Composition and method for producing pre-impregnated decorative base paper comprising biopolymer nanoparticles

2:

• The pre-impregnated decorative base paper of claim 1, wherein the pre-impregnated decorative base paper is obtained by impregnating a decorative base paper with an impregnating composition, comprising a petroleum based polymer latex binder and biopolymer nanoparticles.

3:

• The pre-impregnated base paper of claim 2, wherein the petroleum based latex binder is selected from the group of styrene butyl acrylate copolymers, styrene butyl actylate acrylonitrile copolymers, styrene acrylics derivate copolymers, and mixtures thereof

4:

• The pre-impregnated decorative base paper of claim 1 wherein the biopolymer nanoparticles are made up of at least 50% starch.

5:

• The pre-impregnated decorative base paper according to claim 2, wherein the weight ratio dry of biopolymer nanoparticles to petroleum based polymer(s) is in the range of 20:80 to 80:20.

6:

• The pre-impregnated decorative base paper of claim 1, wherein the average size D50 in number of the biopolymer nanoparticles is less than or equal to 1000 nm as measured by Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis.

7:

• The pre-impregnated decorative base paper of claim 4, wherein the starch is processed, at a temperature of between 40° C. and 200° C., a crosslinking agent being present during the processing, and the starch being submitted during the processing to shear forces.

8:

• The pre-impregnated decorative base paper of claim 1, wherein the molecular weight polydispersity index Mw/Mn of the biopolymer nanoparticles is less than or equal to 2 as measured by Gel Permeation Chromatography.

9:

• The pre-impregnated decorative base paper of claim 1, where the biopolymer nanoparticles comprise one or more types of starch.

10:

• A method for producing the pre-impregnated decorative base paper of claim 1, comprising impregnating a decorative base paper with an impregnating composition comprising a petroleum based latex and a dispersion of biopolymer nanoparticles.

11:

• The method of claim 10, the decorative base paper having before impregnation a Bendsten porosity ranging from 100 to 1500 mL/min.

12:

• The method of claim 10, wherein the impregnating composition comprises a petroleum based polymer latex binder and biopolymer nanoparticles, the petroleum based polymer is selected from the group consisting of styrene copolymers, styrene acrylate copolymers, styrene butyl acrylate copolymers, styrene butyl acrylate acrylonitrile copolymers, and styrene acrylics derivate, and mixtures thereof.

13:

• The method of claim 10, the viscosity of the impregnating composition at 23° C. being 150 mPa·s or less.

14:

• The method of claim 10, wherein the dry solids contents of the impregnating composition ranges from 20 to 40%.

15:

• The method of claim 10, wherein the decorative base paper is treated with a quantity of the impregnating composition such that the dry weight of the impregnating composition ranges from 10 to 25% of the weight of the decorative base paper.

16:

• The method of claim 12, wherein the dry weight ratio of biopolymer nanoparticles to the petroleum based polymer(s) is in the range of 20:80 to 80:20.

17:

• The method of claim 12, wherein the dry weight ratio of biopolymer nanoparticles to the petroleum based polymer(s) is in the range of 40:60 to 70:30.

18:

• The method of claim 12, the impregnating solution being obtained by mixing an aqueous dispersion of the biopolymer nanoparticles with the petroleum based polymer latex binder, the solid content of the biopolymer nanoparticles dispersion is 25 to 35% of the total weight of said aqueous dispersion, said aqueous dispersion being prepared by adding, 4% to 6% of urea by weight of the biopolymer nanopartieles.

The method of claim 13, the viscosity of the impregnating, composition at 23° C. being from 40 to about 100 mPa·s.

The method of claim 15, wherein the decorative base paper is treated with a quantity of the impregnating composition such that the dry weight of the impregnating composition ranges from 15 to 20% of the weight of the decorative base paper,

21:

• The method of claim 14, wherein, the dry solids contents of The impregnating composition ranges from 25 to 35%.

22:

• The method of claim 12, wherein the impregnating composition is an aqueous composition,

The method of claim 12, wherein the impregnating solution is obtained by mixing an aqueous dispersion of the biopolymer nanoparticles with the petroleum based polymer latex binder, the solid content of the biopolymer nanoparticles dispersion is 15 to 35% of the total weight of said aqueous dispersion.

24:

• The pre-impregnated decorative base paper according to claim 2, wherein the weight ratio dry of biopolymer nanoparticles to petroleum based polymer(s) is in the range of 10:60 to 70:30.

25:

• The pre-impregnated decorative base paper of claim 1, wherein the average size D50 in number of the biopolymer nanoparticles is less than or equal to 400 nm as measured by Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis.

26:

• The pre-impregnated decorative base paper of claim 4, wherein the starch is extruded at a temperature of between 40° C. and 200° C., a crosslinking agent being present during the extruding, and the starch is dissolved or dispersed in a hydroxylic solvent during the extruding, the starch being submitted during the extruding to shear forces.

27:

• The pre-impregnated decorative base paper of claim 1, wherein the molecular weight polydispersity index Mw/M of the biopolymer nanoparticles is less than or equal to 2 as measured by Gel Permeation Chromatography, with an average molecular weight of at least 1,000,000 Da.

28:

• The pre-impregnated decorative base paper of claim 1, wherein the biopolymer nanoparticles comprise one or more types of starch selected from the group consisting of a native corn starch, a tubular starch, a chemically modified starch, and mixtures thereof.

29:

• The method of claim 10. the decorative base paper baying before impregnation a Bendsten porosity ranging from 300 to 1000 mL/min.