Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-14
2003-04-15
Hardee, John (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
06548465
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is directed to a dry cleaning composition, more specifically, to a siloxane fluid based composition, for use in dry cleaning and to a dry cleaning process using the composition.
BACKGROUND
Current dry cleaning technology uses perchloroethylene (“PERC”) or petroleum-based materials as the cleaning solvent. PERC suffers from toxicity and odor issues. The petroleum-based products are not as effective as PERC in cleaning garments.
Cyclic siloxanes have been reported as spot cleaning solutions, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,930, and as dry cleaning fluids in dry cleaning machines, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,942,007. Other patents disclose the use of silicone soaps in petroleum solvents, see JP 09299687, and the use of silicone surfactants in super critical carbon dioxide solutions has been reported, see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,705 and Chem. Mark. Rep., Dec. 15, 1997, 252(24), p. 15. Non-volatile silicone oils have also been used as the cleaning solvent requiring removal by a second washing with perfluoroalkane to remove the silicone oil, see JP 06327888.
Numerous other patents have issued in which siloxanes or organomodified silicones have been present as addenda in PERC or petroleum based dry cleaning solvents, see, for example, WO 9401510; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,911,853; 4,005,231; 4,065,258.
There is a continued interest in providing an additive or additives to enhance the cleaning ability of silicone based dry cleaning solvents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a dry cleaning composition, comprising a volatile siloxane and one or more aminofunctional siloxanes.
In a second aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for dry cleaning comprising contacting an article with a composition comprising a volatile siloxane and an aminofunctional siloxane.
The process of the present invention exhibits improved performance, such as for example, removal of water soluble stains from the article, for example a garment, being cleaned. The process of the present invention also exhibits improved performance for removal of soluble stains, including oil stains and grease stains.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In a preferred embodiment, the composition comprises, based on 100 parts by weight (“pbw”) of the composition, from greater than 90 pbw to 99.999 pbw, more preferably from 92 pbw to 99.9 pbw and even more preferably from 95 pbw to 99.5 pbw of the volatile siloxane and from 0.001 pbw to less than 10 pbw, more preferably from 0.01 pbw to 8 pbw and even more preferably from 0.1 pbw to 5 pbw of the aminofunctional siloxane or siloxanes. The volatile siloxane may be linear, branched, cyclic, or a combination thereof. The composition optionally further comprises water, preferably from 0.01 pbw to 15 pbw, more preferably from 0.1 pbw to less than 12 pbw and even more preferably from 0.2 pbw to 10 pbw of water. Preferably, the composition does not include siloxane resins or crosslinking agents. The composition optionally further comprises acid in amounts sufficient to protonate the amino functionality of the aminofunctional silicone.
In a preferred embodiment, the water may be added as “free” water or may be delivered by an emulsion containing other components such as siloxanes, hydrocarbons, surfactants, or other suitable additives. If the water is delivered by an emulsion, the emulsion may be prepared by either homogenization of the components or by mechanically stirring the mixture.
Compounds suitable as the linear or branched, volatile siloxane solvent of the present invention are those containing a polysiloxane structure that includes from 2 to 20 silicon atoms. Preferably, the linear or branched, volatile siloxanes are relatively volatile materials, having, for example, a boiling of below about 300° C. point at a pressure of 760 millimeters of mercury (“mm Hg”).
In a preferred embodiment, the linear or branched, volatile siloxane comprises one or more compounds of the structural formula (I):
M
2+y+2z
D
x
T
y
Q
z
(I)
wherein:
M is R
1
3
SiO/
1/2
;
D is R
2
R
3
SiO
2/2
;
T is R
4
SiO
3/2
;
and Q is SiO
4/2
R
1
, R
2
, R
3
and R
4
are each independently a monovalent hydrocarbon radical; and
x and y are each integers, wherein 0≦x≦10 and 0≦y≦10 and 0≦z≦10.
Suitable monovalent hydrocarbon groups include acyclic hydrocarbon radicals, monovalent alicyclic hydrocarbon radicals, monovalent and aromatic or fluoro containing hydrocarbon radicals. Preferred monovalent hydrocarbon radicals are monovalent alkyl radicals, monovalent aryl radicals and monovalent aralkyl radicals.
As used herein, the term “(C
1
-C
6
)alkyl” means a linear or branched alkyl group containing from 1 to 6 carbons per group, such as, for example, methyl, ethyl, propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, preferably methyl.
As used herein, the term “aryl” means a monovalent unsaturated hydrocarbon ring system containing one or more aromatic or fluoro containing rings per group, which may optionally be substituted on the one or more aromatic or fluoro containing rings, preferably with one or more (C
1
-C
6
)alkyl groups and which, in the case of two or more rings, may be fused rings, including, for example, phenyl, 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, 2-isopropylmethylphenyl, 1-pentalenyl, naphthyl, anthryl, preferably phenyl.
As used herein, the term “aralkyl” means an aryl derivative of an alkyl group, preferably a (C
2
-C
6
)alkyl group, wherein the alkyl portion of the aryl derivative may, optionally, be interrupted by an oxygen atom, such as, for example, phenylethyl, phenylpropyl, 2-(1-naphthyl)ethyl, preferably phenylpropyl, phenyoxypropyl, biphenyloxypropyl.
In a preferred embodiment, the monovalent hydrocarbon radical is a monovalent (C
1
-C
6
)alkyl radical, most preferably, methyl.
In a preferred embodiment, the linear or branched, volatile siloxane comprises one or more of, hexamethyldisiloxane, octamethyltrisiloxane, decamethyltetrasiloxane, dodecamethylpentasiloxane, tetradecamethylhexasiloxane or hexadecamethylheptasiloxane or methyltris(trimethylsiloxy)silane. In a more highly preferred embodiment, the linear or branched, volatile siloxane of the present invention comprises octamethyltrisiloxane, decamethyltetrasiloxane, or dodecamethylpentasiloxane or methyltris(trimethylsiloxy)silane. In a highly preferred embodiment, the siloxane component of the composition of the present invention consists essentially of decamethyltetrasiloxane.
Suitable linear or branched volatile siloxanes are made by known methods, such as, for example, hydrolysis and condensation of one or more of tetrachlorosilane, methyltrichlorosilane, dimethyldichlorosilane, trimethylchlorosilane, or by isolation of the desired fraction of an equilibrate mixture of hexamethyldisiloxane and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane or the like and are commercially available.
Compounds suitable as the cyclic siloxane component of the present invention are those containing a polysiloxane ring structure that includes from 2 to 20 silicon atoms in the ring. Preferably, the linear, volatile siloxanes and cyclic siloxanes are relatively volatile materials, having, for example, a boiling point of below about 300° C. at a pressure of 760 millimeters of mercury (“mm Hg”).
In a preferred embodiment, the cyclic siloxane component comprises one or more compounds of the structural formula (II):
wherein:
R
5
, R
6
, R
7
and R
8
are each independently a monovalent hydrocarbon group; and
a and b are each integers wherein 0≦a≦10 and 0≦b≦10, provided that 3≦(a+b)≦10.
In a preferred embodiment, the cyclic siloxane comprises one or more of, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane, tetradecamethylcycloheptasiloxane. In a more highly preferred embodiment, the cyclic siloxane of the present invention comprises octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane or decamethylcyclopentasiloxane. In a highly preferred embodiment, the cyclic siloxane component of the composition of the pre
Perry Robert J.
Riccio Donna Ann
Ryan Larry D.
General Electric Company
Hardee John
Wheelock Kenneth S.
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