Composition and method for road-film removal

• US 6,339,054 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ZEP Ip Holding, LLC (Zep Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Inventors: OʼConnor, Cathleen, Hei, Robert D., Klos, Terry J., Besse, Michael E., Man, Victor Fuk-Pong, Levitt, Mark D., Hoyt, Jerry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gupta, Yogendra N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Webb, Gregory E.
• Application Number:
  US09/461,861
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: C11/D.162, C11/1.12, C11/1.32, 510/131, 510/384, 510/504, 510/159, 510/414, 510/235, 510/237, 510/417, 510/423, 510/499, 510/495, 424/486
• US Class Current: 510/241
• CPC Class Codes: C09G 1/02 containing abrasives or grinding agents abrasives as such C09K3/14; polishing of semi-conductors H01L
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/14 derived from aliphatic hydrocarbons or mono-alcohols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/22 derived from aromatic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/62 Quaternary ammonium compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/65 Mixtures of anionic with cationic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/14 Hard surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/33 Amino carboxylic acids

Abstract

A concentrate and a ready-to-use or diluted formulation for an aqueous vehicle cleaner can remove a wide range of different types of traffic film using either low pressure application, hand pressure application, water jet spray apparatus, clean-in-place systems or other manual or mechanical washing systems. The compositions may comprise, for example, one or more solutions that each or collectively contain or comprises:

a) at least one anionic surfactant;

b) at least one poly[oxyalkylene] ammonium cationic surfactant; and

c) an alkaline agent.

Optional additional ingredients may comprise at least one polycarboxylic acid chelating agent (preferably an aminocarboxylic acid chelating agent), at least one non-ionic or amphoteric surfactant, at least one hydrotrope, inorganic and/or organic acids and at least one silicate. The alkaline agent may provide a pH (when the finished product is diluted to 0.5 to 5% by weight in water) will be between about 9 to 13. The concentrate may be provided as a one-part or two part solution. Certain formulations have been found to be shelf stable as one-part concentrate or ready-to-use solutions, even with significantly different properties amongst the components. The compositions of the invention are also used in cleaning processes for surfaces, especially vehicle surfaces in car wash systems. The compositions are used in such processes where there are single or multiple liquid application steps.

Claims

1. An aqueous solution at a pH between 1.0 and 13 comprising:

a) at least one anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of linear alkyl benzyl sulfonates, alpha olefin sulfonates, alkyl sulfates and secondary alkane sulfonates,

b) at least one poly(oxyalkylene) ammonium cationic surfactant of the formula

 

wherein

R, R¹ and R² are independently selected from lower alkyl groups, R³ comprises a polyoxyalkylene chain of a general formula selected from the group consisting of;

 

wherein n is from 1 to 60, m is from 0 to 30, the ratio of n/m is greater than 4 and m+n is between 3 and 60, and X comprises an anion, and

c) at least one material selected from the group consisting of an alkaline agent and an acidulating agent.

2. The aqueous solution of claim 1 wherein the solution has a pH of at least 8.5 but less than 11.5 and additionally comprises at least one polycarboxylic acid chelating agent.

3. The aqueous solution of claim 2 containing at least one additional additive selected from the group consisting of an aminocarboxylic acid chelating agent, a nonionic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant, and a silicate.

4. The solution of claim 2 comprising a concentrated cleaning solution wherein said chelating agent comprises at least one polycarboxylic acid chelating agent, and said solution additionally comprises at least one of the following:

e) from about 1×

10<sup>−

2</sup>% to 25% by weight of said solution of at least one anionic surfactant,

f) from about 1×

10<sup>−

2</sup>% to 25% by weight of the solution of at least one nonionic or amphoteric surfactant, and

g) from about 5×

10<sup>−

2</sup>% to 5% by weight of the concentrate solution of at least one silicate.

5. The solution of claim 4 wherein said polycarboxylic acid chelating agent comprises an amine polycarboxylic acid.

6. The solution of claim 4 wherein said polycarboxylic acid chelating agent comprises a polycarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of DTPA, EDTA and HEDTA.

7. The aqueous solution of claim 1 containing at least one additional additive selected from the group consisting of an aminocarboxylic acid chelating agent, a nonionic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant, and a silicate.

8. The solution of claim 1 comprising a concentrated cleaning solution comprising:

a) from about 0.002% to 50% by weight of said concentrated solution of at least one chelating agent for multivalent metal cations,

b) from about 0.01% to 25% by weight of said concentrated solution of at least one anionic surfactant,

c) from about 0.01% to 20% by weight of said concentrated solution of at least one cationic surfactant, and

d) from about 0.25% to 12% by weight of an alkaline agent.

9. The aqueous solution of claim 1 at a pH of greater than 8.5 but less than 11.5 additionally comprising a chelating agent selected from the group consisting of trisodium nitrilotriacetate, the sodium salt of diethanol glycine, the sodium salt of ethanol diglycine, the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid and mixtures thereof.

10. The aqueous solution of claim 9 additionally comprising a non-ionic surfactant.

11. The aqueous solution of claim 10 wherein said non-ionic surfactant comprises an alkoxylated amine.

12. The aqueous solution of claim 1 further comprising from 3 to 4000 parts per million of an alcohol alkoxylate.

13. The aqueous solution of claim 12 wherein said alcohol alkoxylate comprises an alcohol ethoxylate propoxylate.

14. The aqueous solution of claim 13 wherein the alcohol ethoxylate propoxylate comprises a C₁₂-C₁₅ alcohol.

15. An aqueous solution at a pH between 1.0 and 13 comprising:

a) at least one anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of linear alkyl benzyl sulfonates, alpha olefin sulfonates, alkyl sulfates and secondary alkane sulfonates,

b) at least one poly(oxyalkylene) ammonium cationic surfactant of the formula

 

wherein

R, R¹ and R² are independently selected from lower alkyl groups,

R³ comprises a polyoxyalkylene chain, and X comprises an anion,

c) at least one material selected from the group consisting of an alkaline agent and an acidulating agent, and

d) a combination of phosphoric acid and an organic acid.

16. The solution of claim 15 wherein the organic acid is oxalic acid.

17. The solution of claim 16 wherein the solution has a pH of at least 8.5 but less than 11.5 and further comprises at least one polycarboxylic acid chelating agent.

18. The solution of claim 17 wherein the solution comprises

a) from about 0.002% to 50% by weight of a chelating agent,

b) from about 0.01% to 25% by weight of an anionic surfactant,

c) from about 0.01% to 20% by weight of a cationic surfactant, and

d) from about 0.25% to 12% by weight of an alkaline agent.

19. An aqueous solution at a pH between 1.0 and 13 comprising:

a) at least one anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of linear alkyl benzyl sulfonates, alpha olefin sulfonates, alkyl sulfates and secondary alkane sulfonates,

b) at least one poly(oxyalkylene) ammonium cationic surfactant of the formula

 

wherein

R, R¹ and R² are independently selected from lower alkyl groups,

R³ comprises a polyoxyalkylene chain, and X comprises an anion,

c) at least one material selected from the group consisting of an alkaline agent and an acidulating agent, and

d) from 3 to 4000 parts per million of a C₁₂-C₁₅ alcohol ethoxylate propoxylate comprising an approximate ration of 5 ethylene oxide units for each 4 propylene oxide units.

20. The aqueous solution of claim 19 wherein the solution has a pH of at least 8.5 but less than 11.5 and comprises:

a) from about 0.002% to 50% by weight of a chelating agent,

b) from about 0.01% to 25% by weight of an anionic surfactant,

c) from about 0.01% to 20% by weight of a cationic surfactant,

d) from about 0.25% to 12% by weight of an alkaline agent.