Method of forming a binding agent for solidification matrix

• US 7,598,218 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2008
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Inventors: Lyon, Scott P., Skadsberg, Ross M., Stolte, Roger L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ogden, Jr.; Necholus
• Application Number:
  US12/211,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20090018049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 510/451
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 11/0082 one or more of the detergent ingredients being in a liquefied state, e.g. slurry, paste or melt, and the process resulting in solid detergent particles such as granules, powders or beads
• 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 17/0073 Tablets
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/33 Amino carboxylic acids

Abstract

Material, composition, and manufacturing method alternatives for a solidification matrix that may be used, for example, in solid cleaning compositions, or other technologies. In at least some embodiments, the solidification matrix includes a binding agent that is formed by the use of MGDA, or a salt or derivative thereof, and water to produce a solid binding agent. In some embodiments, the MGDA and water combines and can solidify to act as a binder material or binding agent dispersed throughout a solid composition that may contain other functional ingredients that provide the desired properties and/or functionality to the solid composition.

Claims

1. A method of forming a solid composition, the method comprising:

forming a solid binding agent consisting of MGDA and water, wherein the MGDA and water are admixed to form the binding agent, and the binding agent hardens to a solid form within about 1 minute to about 2 hours.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mole ratio of water to MGDA present to form the binding agent is in the range of about 0.3:

1 to about 5;

1.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mole ratio of water to MGDA present to form the binding agent is in the range of about 0.5:

1 to about 4;

1.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mole ratio of water to MGDA present to form the binding agent is in the range of about 0.6:

1 to about 3.8;

1.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the water used in creating the binding agent is present in the composition in the range of up to about 25 wt. % of the total composition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the water used in creating the binding agent is present in the composition in the range of about 2 to about 20 wt. % of the total composition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the MGDA used in creating the binding agent is present in the composition in the range of up to about 98 wt. % of the total composition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the MGDA used in creating the binding agent is present in the composition in the range of about 5 to about 50 wt. % of the total composition.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition is formed into a solid mass having a weight in the range of 50 grams or less.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition is formed into a solid mass having a weight in the range of 50 grams or greater.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition is formed into a solid mass having a weight in the range of 500 grams or greater.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition is formed into a solid mass having a weight in the range of 1 kilogram or greater.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition is cast into a solid shape.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition is extruded into a solid shape.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition is formed into a solid shape.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the solid is in the form of a pellet.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the solid composition is in the form of a solid block formed within a container.