Methods and compositions for papermaking

Abstract

A self-stabilized glyoxalated polyacrylamide (gPAM) resin composition is disclosed. The gPAM resin composition consists essentially of an aqueous reaction product of a cationic polyacrylamide (cPAM) prepolymer and glyoxal carried out in an aqueous reaction mixture having a total solids of less than a critical concentration of the gPAM resin and a pH of at least about 7.5. The cPAM prepolymer comprises a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of at least about 5,000 Da and a cationic monomer content of at least about 4, alternatively at least about 10 mol %. The reaction product is prepared without addition of any acid. The gPAM resin composition maintains a substantially single phase for a stability period of at least about 1 day after preparation, without the addition of any acid or other stabilizing compounds. Methods of preparing and using the gPAM resin composition are also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.