Fluorescing gel formulations and their applications

• US 8,835,874 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2011
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sun, Xin, Mohs, Thomas R., Wegner, Joseph R., Levitt, Mark, Lentsch, Steven E., Burns, Nicole
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOOSALIS, FANI POLYZOS
• Application Number:
  US13/267,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20120085931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 250/459.1, 250/492.1, 252/301.21
• US Class Current: 250/459.1
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/0041 Optical brightening agents, organic pigments
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/0091 Complexes with metal-heteroatom-bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/08 Cellulose derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/28 Alkyl ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 5/00 Compositions of polysaccharides or of their derivatives not provided for in groups C08L1/00 or C08L3/00
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/025 non-luminescent particle coatings or suspension media
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/06 containing organic luminescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/64 Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/643 non-biological material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/061 Sources

Abstract

Fluorescing gel formulations are disclosed for monitoring cleaning of a surface. The fluorescing gel formulations are stable, fluoresce under UV light, and do not leave a mark after drying and removal. The compositions include an oppositely charged complexing agent which is used in combination with an anionic or cationic optical brightener. In some embodiments, the compositions include a cationic optical brightener with no complexing agent.

Claims

1. A composition for determining whether a surface has been cleaned comprising:

a cationic or anionic optical brightener, an oppositely charged complexing agent in an amount from about 0.001 to 10 weight percent, and optionally a thickening agent from about 0 to 5 weight percent.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said optical brightener is an anionic optical brightener and the complexing agent is cationic.

3. The composition of claim 2, wherein:

the surfactant is a nonionic surfactant;

the cationic complexing agent is a quaternary diol;

the solvent is an alcohol;

the anionic optical brightener fluoresces under ultraviolet radiation; and

the preservative is an isothiazolinone derivative.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said optical brightener is cationic and said complexing agent is anionic.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein said cationic or anionic optical brightener comprises from about 0 to about 5 weight percent of the composition, and the oppositely charged complexing agent comprises from about 0.001 to about 7 weight percent with the remainder being water.

6. The composition of claim 5, wherein:

the surfactant is an alcohol alkoxylate;

the cationic complexing agent is dialkyloyl ethyldimonium salt;

the solvent is isopropyl alcohol;

the anionic optical brightener is distyrylbiphenyl derivative; and

the preservative is chloro methyl isothiazolin.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein said complexing agent is selected from the group consisting of:

surfactants, modified celluloses, modified guar, modified acrylic compounds, modified urethane, PVP, and ethoxycarboxylates.

8. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a solvent.

9. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a surfactant.

10. The composition of claim 1 comprising:

a. to 20 weight % surfactant;

b. 0.01 to 7 weight % complexing agent,

c. to 40.0 weight % solvent;

d. to 5.0 weight % optical brightener;

e. 0 to 2.5 weight % thickening agent;

with the remainder being water.

11. The composition of claim 1, further comprising 0.05 to 0.5 weight % preservative.

12. The composition of claim 1, wherein the thickening agent is in an amount from about 0 to about 2.5 weight %.

13. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is substantially transparent after application to a surface.

14. The composition of claim 1, wherein the viscosity of the composition is suitable for application with a felt tipped pad or foam applicator pad.

15. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is removable from a surface using water.

16. The composition of claim 1, Wherein the composition is visible in the presence of ultraviolet radiation after application to a surface.

17. A method for determining if a surface has been cleaned, the method comprising:

applying the composition of claim 1 to a target site on an environmental surface, and determining if any of the transparent indicator material remains on the target site after one or more opportunities to clean the environmental surface thereby providing a measurable cleanliness result.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the composition includes the step of allowing at least a portion of the applied composition to dry.

19. The method of claim 1, further including the step of exposing the target site to UV radiation so that any remaining composition will fluoresce.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein applying the composition includes the step of allowing at least a portion of the applied composition to dry.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said surface is a food surface.

22. The method of claim 19, further including the step of exposing the target site to UV radiation so that any remaining composition will fluoresce.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein said surface is a food surface.

24. A method for determining if a surface has been cleaned, the method comprising:

applying the composition of claim 1 to a target site on a surface to be cleaning and determining if any of the transparent indicator material remains on the target site after one or more opportunities to clean the surface thereby providing a measurable cleanliness result.

25. A composition for monitoring a cleaned surface comprising:

0.001 to 10.0 weight % surfactant;

0.001 to 40 weight % solvent;

0.01 to 7 weight % cationic dye/optical brightener, which fluoresces under ultraviolet radiation;

0.07 to 0.3 weight % preservative;

with the remainder being water.