Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-14
2001-07-24
Gupta, Yogendra N. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06265365
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a roller wash composition for cleaning the cylinder, polymer plate and other soiled parts of printing machines when using water-based printing inks. The wash composition can, furthermore, be used as a filling medium in ultrasound baths.
The cleaning of printing machines when using water-based printing inks requires specially formulated cleaning compositions. The wash compositions available on the market, based on aqueous alcoholic solutions of surface-active substances and glycol ethers, have the disadvantage that their cleaning power is too low, that they attack the metal of the machine components, and/or that their biodegradability is poor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a cleaning composition which as well as cleaning the printing machine effectively has none of the above disadvantages.
A roller wash composition has surprisingly now been found for the cleaning of the cylinder, polymer plate and other soiled parts of printing machines which is characterized in that it comprises
5-80% by weight
of dihydric or polyhydric
alcohols or glycol ethers,
0.05-5% by weight
of surfactants
0.5-10% by weight
of water-miscible organic
solvents or solvent mixtures, and
0.1-4% by weight
of pH regulators,
0-0.005% by weight
of one or more biocides, and
0-80% by weight
of water
The wash composition of the invention is very suitable for cleaning polymer and rubber plates and for washing the inking units of printing machines. Furthermore, it is outstandingly suitable for removing dried-on ink from all parts of printing machines.
In the case of stubborn ink soiling it is recommended that the wash composition be used in concentrated form. The wash composition of the invention is, however, of infinite miscibility with water. Normally it is mixed with water in a ratio of from 1:1 to 2:1.
The wash composition is suitable both for manual use and for flushing the ink supply systems of gravure and flexographic printing machines.
A further advantage is that the wash composition is biodegradable.
An essential constituent of the wash composition is the surfactant employed, which is present in amounts of from 0.05 to 5% by weight, preferably from 0.5 to 2% by weight and, in particular, from 0.5 to 1% by weight, based on the wash composition.
The surfactants are preferably synthetic, organic, surface-active, detergent substances, which can be anionic, amphoteric, ampholytic, zwitterionic, nonionic or cationic in nature, or else a mixture of the said surfactants.
The anionic detersive base materials are by far the most important in this context. Many such detergents are described in “Surface Active Agents and Detergents”, Vol. II by Schwartz, Perry and Berch (1958, Interscience Publishers, Inc.). The most common surfactants can also be read about in all of the major reference works of chemistry (e.g. Römpp, Beilstein, etc.). Any detergent suitable for the purpose can be used as the anionic surfactant. Normally, the surfactants based on anions comprise, for example, fatty alcohol sulfates, paraffin sulfonates, fatty acid condensation products and alkylbenzenesulfonates and alkylbenzenephosphonates, or alkyl sulfates and alkyl phosphates. The anionic surfactants are preferably sodium salts. Potassium, ammonium and triethanol-ammonium salts are often used in liquid compositions. The alkyl radicals are preferably straight-chain and possess preferably from 12 to 16 carbon atoms.
Synergistic combinations including, in particular, fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers have proved suitable as the basis of many compositions.
Suitable nonionic base materials are condensation products of lipophilic components and lower alkylene oxides or polyalkyleneoxy units. Preference is given to the use, for example, of the abovementioned fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, the alkylphenol polyglycol ethers, or else fatty acid alkyl amides.
It is also possible to use cationic surfactants, examples being aliphatic quaternary ammonium salts. The substances known as builders are likewise known to the person skilled in the art, and can be organic or inorganic in nature, water-soluble or insoluble. It is preferred to use substances such as polyphosphates, e.g. pentasodium triphosphate, carbonates or bicarbonates, e.g. potassium or sodium carbonate, zeolites, e.g. zeolite A, polycarboxylates, e.g. sodium salts of the copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid, or else borates and silicates, e.g. sodium sheet silicate.
Preferred surfactants are selected from the group consisting of fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, alkanesulfonates, alkyl ethoxylates and alkylbenzenesulfonates. These surfactants are obtainable commercially and are marketed for example under the brand names Marlipal®, Marlon® and Marlopon® by the company Hüls.
The solvent component must be tailored to the respective components in the roller wash composition. For the preparation it is possible not only to use water but all organic solvents which are readily miscible or emulsifiable with water. Suitable organic solvents are monohydric aliphatic alcohols, such as those having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, examples being ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol and n-butanol, or ketones with varying alkane chains, or glycol ethers, such as propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol or polyether diols, such as polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol or polyols, such as aliphatic triols having 2 to 6 carbon atoms, such as trimethylolethane, trimethylolpropane, glycerol, 1,2,4-butanetriol, 1,2,6-hexanetriol and penta-erythritol, and all other solvents from other classes of compound, or mixtures of the abovementioned solvents, which are listed in Karsten, Lackrohstoff-tabellen, 9th edition 1992.
The roller wash composition preferably contains from 0.5 to 10% by weight, in particular from 2 to 5% by weight, based on the wash composition, of monohydric alcohols having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, such as ethanol, 1-propanol and isopropanol, for example. An additional preferred consituent of the wash composition are the dihydric and polyhydric alcohols, which are present in a proportion of from 5 to 80% by weight, preferably from 5 to 45% by weight and, in particular, from 20 to 40% by weight.
As a further component, the wash composition preferably contains from 0 to 80% by weight of water, with particular preference from 40 to 80% by weight and, in particular, from 60 to 70% by weight.
Depending on the nature of the printing ink, neutral or alkaline roller wash compositions are required. It is therefore advisable to add neutralizing agents and/or pH regulators. Particularly suitable are bases, such as urea, urea derivatives, ammonia, amino alcohol, alkali metal hydroxides, such as KOH or NaOH, or amines, preferably low molecular mass organic amines, for example.
The base or pH regulator is added in an amount such that the pH of the roller wash composition is from about 7.5 to 13, preferably from 8 to 12. The wash composition generally contains from 0.1 to 4.0% by weight of a pH regulator, preferably from 1 to 3% by weight and, in particular, from 2 to 3% by weight.
Primary amino alcohols such as 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, for example, can also be added to the roller wash composition. The amino alcohols have the function of regulating the pH and are used in amounts of from 0.01 to 10% by weight, preferably from 0.5 to 5% by weight and, in particular, from 0.5 to 2% by weight.
In many cases it is advisable to add an emulsifier. Particularly suitable are emulsifiers based on alkanesulfonates, or alkyl ethoxylates, as described, for example, by Karsten, Lackrohstofftabellen, 9th edition, 1992, pp. 586-588.
In addition to the abovementioned components, the roller wash composition may additionally include biocides in amounts of from 0 to 0.005% by weight, preferably from 0.001 to 0.005% by weight. All biocides known to the person skilled in the art are suitable—such as those known, for example, from Karsten, Lackrohstofftabellen, 9th Edition, 1992, Preservative
Herget Gerhard
Husseini Brigitte
Smolka Rudiger
Gupta Yogendra N.
Merck Patent Gesellschaft mit
Millen White Zelano & Branigan P.C.
Petruncio John M
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