Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – With halogen – nitrogen – oxygen – or phosphorus containing...
Reexamination Certificate
1997-04-29
2001-08-21
Hardee, John (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
With halogen, nitrogen, oxygen, or phosphorus containing...
C510S504000, C510S488000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06277805
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a stable, alkaline liquid hard-surface cleaning composition which contains a quaternary ammonium disinfectant and selected dicarboxylate sequestrants.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Alkaline liquid hard-surface cleaning compositions, including those which contain hard water sequestrants, are well known. The alkalinity provides improved grease cleaning properties but often necessitates the use of sequestrants. In alkaline compositions, divalent cations, e.g., Mg
++
, Ca
++
, react with carbonates and other anionic species in hard water and form solid precipitates. These precipitates can form on hard surfaces thus appearing as a visible film, or within alkaline concentrates when diluted with hard tap water prior to use. Sequestrants (e.g., phosphates, EDTA, polycarboxylates) are incorporated into alkaline hard-surface cleaning compositions to help prevent formation of these insoluble salts. The sequestrants bind to the hard water cations to thus prevent the formation of insoluble hard water precipitates.
Acidic, liquid, hard-surface cleaning and disinfecting compositions are also well known. These compositions are commonly used to clean and disinfect hard bathroom surfaces. Unlike alkaline compositions, these acidic compositions can contain quaternary ammonium disinfectants. Quaternary ammonium disinfectants are not typically compatible with hard water sequestrants in alkaline compositions. Acidic compositions do not require a sequestrant since divalent hard water cations do not readily form solid precipitates in acidic environments, e.g., there are insufficient amounts of anionic species in the acidic compositions to react with the divalent cations to form solid precipitates. Without sequestrants in the compositions, quaternary ammonium disinfectants can be more easily incorporated into the acidic hard-surface cleaning compositions. However, the quaternary ammonium disinfectant contributes to filming and streaking, and acidic compositions are less effective than alkaline compositions in cleaning greasy dirt.
Given the foregoing, there is a need to provide a stable, alkaline liquid hard-surface cleaning composition which contains both a quaternary ammonium disinfectant and a sequestrant. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide such a composition. It is a further object to provide such a composition which also does not cause filming or streaking on hard surfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an alkaline liquid hard-surface cleaning composition comprising (1) from about 0.001% to about 15%, preferably from about 0.005% to about 10% by weight of a C
4
to C
7
dicarboxylate sequestrant, which has at least one hydroxyl group; (2) from about 0.005% to about 10%, preferably from about 0.005% to about 5% by weight of a quaternary ammonium disinfectant; (3) from about 0.001% to about 15% by weight of a zwitterionic or nonionic detergent surfactant, or a mixture thereof; a pH of from about 8.5 to about 13; (4) from about 15% to about 98% by weight of water; and (5) from 0 to about 60%, preferably from about 5% to about 20%, by weight of an organic solvent having a hydrogen bonding parameter of less than about 7.7. The composition can be used to provide streak-free cleaning and disinfecting of hard surfaces. The quaternary ammonium disinfectant is neither inactivated nor precipitated by the selected dicarboxylate sequestrants. It is well known that quaternary ammonium disinfectants are not normally compatible with sequestrants in alkaline hard-surface cleaners and that such disinfectants and sequestrants cause excessive filming and streaking of hard surfaces.
All ratios, parts and percentages herein are based on weight unless otherwise specified.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The alkaline liquid hard-surface cleaning composition of the present invention contains a unique combination of a quaternary ammonium disinfectant and a selected dicarboxylate sequestrant.
Sequestrant
Surprisingly, the selected dicarboxylate sequestrants for use in the alkaline liquid composition of the present invention do not precipitate or inactivate quaternary ammonium disinfectants. We tested mono-, di- and tricarboxylates, and well-known sequestrants (e.g., phosphates, EDTA, DTPA, polycarboxylate polymers) for sequestering ability and compatibility with quaternary ammonium disinfectants in alkaline compositions. Only the C
4
-C
7
dicarboxylates having at least one hydroxyl group, described herein, exhibited good sequestering properties and good filming and streaking properties and were chemically stable in the presence of a quaternary ammonium disinfectant in an alkaline composition.
To demonstrate the compatibility of the selected dicarboxylate sequestrants herein with quaternary ammonium disinfectants, the following tests were conducted. Several alkaline solutions (pH 9.8) were prepared, each having the following formula but a different “Test Material” (see Table 1 for description of Test Materials).
Ingredient
wt. %
Isopropanol
30
Butoxypropanol
15
Monoethanolamine
2.5
C
10
-C
14
fatty acyl-
0.8
amidopropylene (hydroxypropylene)
sulfobetaine
Mixture of n-alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl
0.5
ammonium chloride and n-alkyl
dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride
Test Material
0.1
Water
q.s.
About 100 ml of each alkaline solution was diluted with 400 ml of 14 gpg (grain per gallon) tap water, heated to 120° F. for up to 72 hours, and visually observed for precipitate formation (all observed precipitates actually occurred within about five hours). The particular alkaline solutions identified with an (*) in Table 1 were associated with hard water precipitates only, e.g., the Test Material was compatible with the quaternary ammonium compound but could not sequester hard water cations. All other precipitates observed during testing were largely due to incompatibility between the Test Material and the quaternary ammonium disinfectant in the alkaline solution. Test results are set forth below in Table 1.
TABLE 1
Precipitation within
Alkaline solution identified by Test Material therein
72 hr at 120
—F
Monocarboxylic Acids
Butanoic acid
Yes*
CH
3
(CH
2
)
2
CO
2
H
Pentanoic acid CH
3
(CH
2
)
3
CO
2
H
Yes*
Hexanoic acid CH
3
(CH
2
)
6
CO
2
H
Yes*
Octanoic acid CH
3
(CH
2
)
6
CO
2
H
Dicarboxylic Acids Compatible with Quarternary
Ammonium Disinfectant
Butanedioic (Succinic) Acid CO
2
H(CH
2
)
2
CO
2
H
No
Pentanedioic (glutaric) acid
No
CO
2
H(CH
2
)
3
CO
2
H
Hexanedioic (adipic) acid
No
CO
2
H(CH)
4
CO
2
H
1,7-hepatanedioic (pimelic) acid
No
CO
2
H(CH
2
)
5
CO
2
H
Carboxylic Acids not Compatible with Quaternary
Ammonium Disinfectant
Methanedicarbonic(malonic acid)
Yes
CO
2
HCH
2
CO
2
H
Octanedioic acid (suberic) acid
Yes
CO
2
H(CH
2
)
6
CO
2
H
1,7-heptanedicarboxylic (azelaic acid)
Yes
CO
2
H(CH
2
)
7
CO
2
H
2-hydroxy-1,2,3-propane-tricarboxylic (citric) acid
Yes
CO
2
HCH
2
C(OH)(CO
2
H)CH
2
CO
2
H
Other Sequestrants not Compatible with
Quaternary Disinfectant
Sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP)
Yes
Potassium tripolyphosphate (KTPP)
Yes
Phosphonate
Yes
Ethylendiaminetriacetic acid (EDTA)
Yes
Diethylenediaminetriacetic acid (DTPA)
Yes
*Sokalan ®-CP9
Yes
Polyacrylate (avg. MW 1000)
Yes
*polycarboxylate copolymer, available from BASF Corp., Parsippany, NJ.
As shown in Table 1, only the C
4
-C
7
dicarboxylates sequestered hard water cations and were compatible with the quaternary ammonium disinfectant. Although the monocarboxylates were compatible with the quaternary ammonium disinfectant, they did not sequester hard water cations. All other Test Materials formed solid precipitates with the quaternary ammonium disinfectants, these other Test Materials included C
3
, C
8
and C
9
dicarboxylates; tricarboxylates (citric acid); phosphates; EDTA and DTPA; and polycarboxylate polymers (Sokalan®-CP9, polyacrylate).
The alkaline liquid composition of the present invention comprises from about 0.001% to about 5%, preferably from about 0.01% to about 2.5%, more preferably from about 0.02% to about 1.0%, by weight of
Hardee John
Hemm Erich D.
Roof Carl J.
The Procter & Gamble Co.
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