Abstract: The present invention provides compositions for treating cellulosic materials, and in particular for sizing paper or waterproofing textiles containing as active ingredient a cyclic imide N-substituted by an hydrophobic acyl group and at least 10% by weight based on the cyclic imide of an aliphatic acid. Preferred acids contain from 14 to 26 carbon atoms and are preferably saturated monobasic acids. Preferably the compositions contain from 25 to 125% by weight of aliphatic acid based on the cyclic imide. The compositions are suitable for sizing aqueous paper pulp, and especially bleached sulphate pulp.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions for treating cellulosic materials, and in particular for sizing paper or waterproofing textiles with a reactive agent. The reactive agent is a cyclic imide substituted by an aliphatic hydrophobic group and N-substituted by an electron-withdrawing group. Preferably, the composition contains a non-aromatic cyclic imide N-substituted by a long chain acyl group, e.g. N-stearoyl-4-cyclohexene-1,2-dicarboximide. Aqueous emulsions of the imides preferably contain a retention aid such as acrylamides and may be used particularly suitably to size aqueous paper pulp even under mildly alkaline conditions.