ENHANCED MELTING POINT RINSE AID SOLIDS

• US 20110108068A1
• Filed: 01/18/2011
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kieffer, Janel M., Man, Victor F.
• Application Number:
  US13/008,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20110108068A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/25.2
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/008 Polymeric surface-active agents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/146 Sulfuric acid esters
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/72 Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0047 Detergents in the form of bars or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0052 Cast detergent compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0026 Low foaming or foam regulating compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/046 Salts
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/323 urea or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3707 Polyethers, e.g. polyalkyleneoxides

Abstract

The present invention is a method of preparing and using solid rinse aid compositions. The solid rinse aid composition generally includes a sulfate salt or sulfated surfactant, urea or polyethylene glycol as solidification agents and an effective amount of a surfactant wherein the composition is prepared by extruding. The surfactant may include at least one of an alcohol ethoxylate compound. The solid rinse aid composition may also incorporate a preservative system including sodium bisulfate. The solid rinse aid composition may be phosphate-free, aminocarboxylate-free, and GRAS if desired.

Claims

1. A method of preparing a solid rinse aid composition comprising the steps of,

(a) preparing a composition, the composition comprising

(i) sulfate salts or sulfated surfactant or combinations thereof,

(ii) a hardening agent comprised of urea or polyethylene glycol,

(iii) less than 5 weight percent free water, and

(iv) surfactant;

wherein a combined amount of sodium sulfate or sulfated surfactant and hardening agent is sufficient to solidify the composition; and

(b) extruding the composition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the combined amount of sodium sulfate or sulfated surfactant and hardening agent in the composition is in the range of 40 to 50 wt %.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the surfactant in the composition is comprised of two or more surfactants in addition to any sulfated surfactant.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the surfactant in the composition is comprised of at least one alcohol ethoxylate.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition is comprised of a sulfate salt and polyethylene glycol as the hardening agent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises at least one of a preservative, pH adjuster, or dye or any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises:

18-30 wt % sodium sulfate or sulfated surfactant;

18-30 wt % hardening agent;

up to 5 wt % water; and

up to 70 weight percent surfactant comprising one or more alcohol ethoxylates.

8. The method of preparing the solid rinse aid composition of claim 1 wherein the composition additionally comprises:

bisulfate; and

one or more inorganic or organic acids;

wherein the total amount of bisulfate and one or more inorganic or organic acids is sufficient to provide a use solution having a pH less than 5.0 when the solid rinse aid composition is diluted at 10-500 parts of the solid rinse aid composition per million parts of aqueous diluent.

9. The method of preparing the solid rinse aid composition of claim 1 wherein the composition is substantially free of phosphate and aminocarboxylate.

10. The method of preparing the solid rinse aid composition of claim 1 wherein the melting point of the composition is in the range of 100 to 130°

F.

11. The method of preparing the solid rinse aid composition of claim 1 wherein the sulfated surfactant or sulfate salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium ethyl hexyl sulfate, sodium linear octyl sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, and sodium sulfate.

12. The method of preparing the solid rinse aid composition of claim 1 wherein the hardening agent is comprised of polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight of 4,000 or less.

13. A method for rinsing a substrate surface, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a solid rinse aid composition, comprising;

(i) sulfate salt or a sulfated surfactant, or a combination thereof;

(ii) a hardening agent consisting of urea or polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of at least 2000 or a combination thereof, wherein a combined amount of sulfate and hardening agent is sufficient for solidification of the rinse aid composition;

(iii) up to 5 weight percent water; and

(iv) surfactant;

(b) extruding the composition;

(c) diluting the solid rinse aid composition with an aqueous diluent to provide a use solution, the use solution having a pH of less than 7.0 and greater than 5.0; and

(d) applying the aqueous use solution to the substrate surface.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the combined amount of sulfate salt or sulfated surfactant and hardening agent in the composition is in the range of 40 to 50 wt %.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the surfactant in the composition is comprised of at least one alcohol ethoxylate

16. The method of rinsing a solid substrate of claim 13 wherein the composition additionally comprises:

bisulfate; and

one or more inorganic or organic acids;

wherein the total amount of bisulfate and one or more inorganic or organic acids is sufficient to provide a use solution having a pH less than 5.0 when the solid rinse aid composition is diluted at 10-500 parts of the solid rinse aid composition per million parts of aqueous diluent.

17. The method of rinsing a solid substrate of claim 13 wherein the composition is substantially free of phosphate and aminocarboxylate.

18. The method of rinsing a solid substrate of claim 13 wherein the rinse aid composition has a melting point of the composition is in the range of 100 to 130°

F.

19. A method of increasing the melting point of solid rinse aid or solid detergent composition, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a composition comprising;

(i) at least 24 weight percent of a hardening agent comprised of polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight of at least 2000 or urea,

(ii) at least 18 weight percent of a sulfate salt or a sulfated surfactant, or a combination thereof,

(iii) at least 25 weight percent of a surfactant in addition to any sulfated surfactant, if any,

(iv) less than 5 weight percent free water; and

(b) extruding the solid composition.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the combined amount of sodium sulfate or sulfated surfactant and hardening agent in the composition is in the range of 42 to 52 wt %.