Efficient surfactant system on plastic and all types of ware

• US 10,550,354 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2016
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kieffer, Janel Marie, Everson, Terrence P., Dailey, James S., Gessner, Thomas, Tropsch, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Eashoo, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Asdjodi, M. Reza
• Application Number:
  US15/157,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20160340612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0007 Washing phases
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/72 Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/79 Phosphine oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/825 Mixtures of compounds all of which are non-ionic

Abstract

Surfactant systems and compositions incorporating the same are disclosed for use as rinse aids on plastics and other wares. The surfactant systems and compositions include both liquid and solid formulations, along with methods of use for treating plastics and other wares. The surfactant systems and compositions provide synergistic combinations allowing lower actives in composition formulations of the plastic-compatible surfactant systems providing good sheeting, wetting and drying properties.

Claims

1. A surfactant system comprising:

(i) a nonionic alcohol alkoxylate according to the following formula;

R¹—

O-(EO)_x3(PO)_y3—

H 

 

(A)

wherein R¹ is a straight-chain C₁₀-C₁₆ alkyl, wherein x₃ is from 5 to 8, and wherein y₃ is from 2 to 5,

(ii) a nonionic alcohol alkoxylate according to the following formula;

R²—

O-(EO)_x1—

H 

 

(B)

wherein R² is C₁₀-C₁₄ alkyl with an average of at least 2 branches per residue, and wherein x₁ is from 5 to 10, and

(iii) at least one nonionic alcohol alkoxylate according to the following formulas;

R¹—

O-(EO)_x4(PO)_y4—

H 

 

(A2)

wherein R¹ is a straight-chain C₁₀-C₁₆ alkyl, wherein x₄ is from 4 to 6, wherein y₄ is from 3 to 5;

or

R²—

O-(EO)_x2—

H 

 

(C)

wherein R² is C10-C14 alkyl with an average of at least 2 branches per residue, and wherein x₂ is from 2 to 4, wherein the nonionic alcohol alkoxylates of the surfactant system comprise from 10 to 60 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (A), from 15-40 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (B), and from 15-40 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (C).

2. The surfactant system of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional surfactant polymer from the group consisting of the following formulae:

R⁷—

O—

(PO)_y5(EO)_x5(PO)_y6 

 

(D)

wherein R⁷ is a branched C₈-C₁₆ Guerbet alcohol, x₅ is from 5 to 30, y₅ is from 1 to 4, and y₆ is from 10 to 20,

R⁶—

O—

(PO)_y4(EO)_x4 

 

(E)

wherein R⁶ is a C₈-C₁₆ Guerbet alcohol, wherein x₄ is from 2 to 10, and wherein y4 is 1 or 2, 1 to 2,

3. The surfactants systeom of claim 1, wherein the nonionic alcohol alkoylates of the surfactant system comprises 40 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (A), 20 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (B), and 40 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (A2).

4. The surfactant system of claim 1, wherein the nonionic alcohol alkoxylate of the surfactant system comprises from 30 to 45 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (A), from 20 to 40 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (B), and from 20 to 40 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (C).

5. The surfactant system of claim 4, wherein the weight ratio of the nonionic alcohol alkoxylate of the surfactant system comprises from 40 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (A), from 40 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (B), and 20 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (C).

6. The surfactant system of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the nonionic alcohol alkoxylates is about 40/40 (A/B) to about 60/40 (A/B).

7. The surfactant system of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the nonionic alcohol alkoxylates is about 30/30/40 (A/B/C) to about 45/45/15 (A/B/C).

12. A method for rinsing a surface comprising:

providing a biodegradable surfactant system composition according to claim 1;

contacting the surfactant system with water to form a use solution; and

applying the use solution to a surface in need of rinsing,

wherein the use solution has a pH of 8.5 or below and provides from about 1 ppm to about 125 ppm surfactant system actives.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of reducing the contact angle of the surfactant system composition by at least about 5°

compared to the contact angle of a commercially-available rinse aid composition to induce sheeting and result in a faster drying time of the surface.

8. A surfactant system comprising:

at least one nonionic alcohol alkoxylate according to the following formulas A or A2;

R¹—

O-(EO)_x3(PO)_y3—

H 

 

(A)

wherein R¹ is a straight-chain C₁₀-C₁₆ alkyl, wherein x₃ is from 5 to 8, and wherein y₃ is from 2 to 5, or

R¹—

O-(EO)_x4(PO)_y4—

H 

 

(A2)

wherein R¹ is a straight-chain C₁₀-C₁₆ alkyl, wherein x₄ is from 4 to 6, and wherein y₄ is from 3 to 5, and

a nonionic alcohol alkoxylate according to the following formula;

R²—

O-(EO)_x1—

H 

 

(B)

wherein R² is C₁₀-C₁₄ alkyl with an average of at least 2 branches per residue, and

wherein x₁ is from 5 to 10; and

a nonionic Guerbet alcohol alkoxylate according to the following formula;

R⁷—

O—

(PO)_y5(EO)_x5(PO)_y6 

 

(D)

wherein R⁷ is a branched C₈-C₁₆ Guerbet alcohol, x₅ is from 5 to 30, y5 is from 1 to 4, and y₆ is from 2 to 4, wherein the nonionic alcohol alkoxylates of the surfactant system comprise from 10 to 60 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (A), from 15-40 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (B), and from 5-70 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (D).

9. The surfactant system of claim 8, further comprising at least one additional surfactant polymer from the group consisting of the following formulae:

R²—

O-(EO)_x2—

H 

 

(C)

wherein R² is C₁₀-C₁₄ alkyl with an average of at least 2 branches per residue, and wherein x₂ is from 2 to 4,

R⁶—

O—

(PO)_y4(EO)_x4 

 

(E)

wherein R⁶ is a C₈-C₁₆ Guerbet alcohol, wherein x₄ is from 2 to 10, and wherein y4 is from 1 to 2,

10. The surfactant system of claim 8, wherein the weight ratio of the nonionic alcohol alkoxylate of the surfactant system comprises from 15 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (A or A2), 15 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (B), and 70 parts by weight of the alcohol alkoxylate according to formula (D).

11. The surfactant system of claim 8, wherein the ratio of the nonionic alcohol alkoxylates is about 30/30/40 (A or A2/B/D) to about 45/45/10 (A or A2/B/D).