Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Liquid composition
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-25
2003-06-24
Webb, Gregory E. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Liquid composition
C510S408000, C510S365000, C510S417000, C510S418000, C134S038000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06583101
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to organic concentrates that can be diluted to form aqueous organic dispersions useful in removing polymeric films and organic soils. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of certain solvent blends for forming aqueous dispersions of water-activated materials. These dispersions are useful for removing soils and films from a variety of common substrates including fabrics, porous surfaces and hard surfaces. Further, the aqueous diluted composition can be used to remove organic soils or polymeric films from woven and non-woven fabrics and from hard surfaces such as metal surfaces, floor surfaces, wood surfaces, vinyl surfaces, etc. The aqueous organic materials of the invention are surprisingly effective in removing stubborn crosslinked resistant films or organic layers from a variety of substrates. The aqueous organic materials can be manufactured in the form of a non-aqueous concentrate and used as an aqueous dispersion after dilution.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The removal of polymeric films and organic soils from a variety of substrates has been a goal of many investigators for many years. In large part, such investigations have focused on films or soils that are formed on fabric materials such as woven and non-woven fabrics and on hard surfaces such as metal, wood, concrete, vinyl, composite, etc. These polymeric films typically include natural products such as protein and cellulosics, synthetic polymers such as linear or crosslinked acrylics, urethanes, etc. Fabrics and hard surfaces, both porous and nonporous, can be covered with materials intentionally or unintentionally contacted or applied to the locus. Intentionally applied materials include floor finishes, paints, lacquers, adhesives, graffiti, oxidized or polymerized food soils, photoresist, etc. Such materials are generally organic polymeric materials that can also be crosslinked using isocyanate, aziridine, air-oxidation, silane or epoxy chemistries. Woven and non-woven fabrics can be soiled in food processing. Fabrics can be soiled in industrial chemical processing such as in the use of photoresists (exposed and unexposed) in making printed circuit boards or integrated circuits. In large part, one important aspect of the invention is focused on the removal of such crosslinked and non-crosslinked polymeric materials from a variety of substrates in a variety of processes such as hard surface cleaning, floor stripping, laundry, etc.
Stripping compositions for removing paint, lacquer, floor finish, alkyd paints are also well known. Common strippers are commonly either aqueous alkaline solutions, aromatic hydrocarbon liquids such as xylene blends, methylene chloride (CH
2
Cl
2
) or aqueous CH
2
Cl
2
dispersions, dispersions of fluorocarbon surfactants and a variety of other materials. These strippers are useful, but can pose operating and environmental unpleasantness, inconvenience or hazard.
Laundry cleaners are commonly manufactured by combining organic and inorganic materials to form formulations comprising detergents, builders, defoamers and a variety of other ingredients that typically modify the surface energy in the soil to promote soil release and cleaning properties. These compositions tend to be primarily directed to changing the nature of the interface environment between the soil and the fabric. Specialty laundry strippers, solvents and other systems are known in unique cleaning systems.
We have found, for example, Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,787, which teaches a polymer stripper used in aqueous form comprising an inorganic basic material, an alkanol amine, a lower alkanol and a propylene glycol ether. Ward et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,108, teach an organic polymer stripper composition comprising an aromatic hydrocarbon and an organic sulfonic acid material. The Ward et al. materials are non-aqueous strippers. Doscher, U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,969, discloses a liquid solvent comprising a low toxicity, low vapor pressure solvent based on organic carbonate compositions. Horn et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,887, disclose a polymeric stripper composition based on fluorine chemistry containing an inorganic base, a water soluble fluoride composition and organic solvents. Van Eenam, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,080,831 and 5,158,710, disclose aqueous degreaser compositions comprising a variety of organic solvents, surfactants, inorganic bases and other components. The Van Eenam materials are formulated in clear aqueous composition requiring a surfactant material that balances the nature of the solvents in the aqueous composition and also requires the presence of an inorganic base, sequestrant and inorganic builder material to enhance cleaning degreasing efficacy. Appropriate balance of materials in the Van Eenam system is indicated by a clear solution or a clear, transparent microemulsion in the presence of water. Van Eenam, U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,710, exemplifies cleaner/degreaser materials containing 1-phenoxy-2-propanol, an alcohol amine base, a silicate base and an anionic sulfonate surfactant material. These materials in admixture are critical to achieve the cleaning results required by Van Eenam. Van Eenam, WO 91/09104, published Jun. 27, 1991, exemplifies a cleaner/degreaser comprising 1-phenoxy-2-propanol combined with a fatty diethanol amide surfactant material optionally combined with a monoethanolamine aqueous base. Van Eenam also discloses the use of acrylic and other thickeners and materials that enhance viscosity and cleaning. Van Eenam, U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,848, teaches stable compositions comprising a sparingly soluble organic solvent, a thickener typically comprising a clay or a polymeric material, and an organic or inorganic base. Further, Van Eenam, U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,341, discloses similar compositions to the previous Van Eenam patent except that these materials are described as substantially non-aqueous, contain much less than 10 wt % water and include a solubilizing anionic or nonionic surfactant component such as an alkyl benzene sulfonic acid, an alcohol ethoxylate surfactant, an aliphatic phosphate ester, etc. The Van Eenam patents typically set the use level of the compositions of the invention at or below the solubility of the compositions ingredients in the aqueous media used in the Van Eenam disclosure.
Conventional concentrated, water-soluble dilutable cleaner/degreaser compositions typically comprise substantially water soluble organic solvents such as ethylene glycol monobutylether, diethylene glycol monobutylether, ethyl diethylene glycol monoethylether, other related cellosolves or carbitols, isopropyl alcohol in combination with anionic nonionic surfactants and conventional adjuvants such as chelants, builders, perfumes, dyes, pH, modifiers, etc. Typically such materials require in the following formulation motif, a builder, a base, an adjuvant such as a chelator or thickener, etc. for activity:
TABLE 1
Conventional Cleaner/Degreaser Formula
Ingredient
Wt %
Water-soluble solvent
2-10
Inorganic Builder
10-25
Organic or Inorganic Base
0.1-10
Thickener
0-5
Surfactant (anionic
onionic)
10-25
Adjuvants
0.1-5
Water
Balance
Other conventional cleaner/degreaser emulsion compositions are typically water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsions in which the organic solvent is substantially water insoluble. Such emulsions can contain insoluble materials such as toluene, orthodichlorobenzene or mixtures thereof with emulsifier compositions. Other available emulsions can comprise xylene, kerosene, mineral spirits, benzene, naphthalene, sulfonates, emulsified with various surfactants to form dispersions in aqueous media. Illustrative such available compositions are marketed under the tradenames: Brulin 512®, Spartan WRD-60®, Betco Emulsifiable Solvent Degreaser®, Amrepjel-sol® and Boisactusol®. These emulsions are inherently water insoluble organic solvents, typically a hydrocarbon solvent emulsified with a surfactant coupler in the solvent component. In large part, the prior art is typically non-aqueous or uses an aqueous medium as a c
De Fields Scott I.
Levitt Mark D.
Man Victor F.
Rabon Reid
Smith Kim R.
Ecolab Inc.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Webb Gregory E.
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