ETHYLENE-ACRYLIC ACID COPOLYMERS AS WAX ADDITIVES

A composition for coating paper comprises a wax in admixture with from 0.5 to 60% by weight of the composition of a copolymer containing 50 to 97.5% by weight of combined ethylene, 2.5 to 50% by weight of combined acrylic acid and, optionally, up to 30% by weight of a monoolefinic ester, e.g. acrylic, methacrylic, crotonic, maleic, fumaric, itaconic, aconitic, vinyl, allyl, methallyl and isopropenyl esters, preferred being ethyl and tert.-butyl acrylates and vinyl acetate. Waxes specified are paraffin, microcrystalline, montan, carnauba, candelilla, jojoba, Japan, bayberry, Chinese insect and bees waxes, ceresin, spermaceti and ozokerite. Also present in the compositions may be carbon black, clay, magnesium silicate, silica and polyethylene.ALSO:Paper is coated with a composition comprising a wax in admixture with from 0,5-60% by weight of the composition of a copolymer containing 50-97,5% by weight of combined ethylene, 2,5-50% by weight of combined acrylic acid and, optionally, up to 30% by weight of a monoolefinic ester. Waxes specified are paraffin, microcrystalline, montan, carnauba, jojoba, bayberry, Japan, Chinese insect and beeswaxes, ceresin, spermaceti and ozokerite. In Example (1) glassine paper, brown paper coated with a polyethylene-paraffin wax mixture, and milk carton stock coated with polyethylene are melt coated with compositions containing paraffin wax mixed with ethylene/acrylic acid copolymers which may contain vinyl acetate, ethyl acrylate or tert.-butyl acrylate as optional comonomers.