Abrasive article

Abstract

A cleaning article (100) is provided that includes a filler (108) and a netting (104) encased about the filler. The netting includes interwoven threads defining a plurality of openings and has opposing first and second major surfaces. An abrasive composite (210) is disposed on the first major surface, wherein the abrasive composite includes coarse particles dispersed in an organic binder. Compared to conventional non-scratch scrubbing pads, the provided cleaning articles exhibit significantly improved scrubbing performance while also avoiding damage to the substrate to be cleaned.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention provides cleaning articles, and more particularly, provides cleaning articles for use as cleaning articles in domestic kitchen and bathroom applications. Background Art

[0002] Cleaning articles are widely used to clean surfaces, such as household surfaces (including surfaces in the home) and vehicle surfaces. Cleaning articles are typically used with water and soap or detergent, wherein the scrubbing surface of the cleaning article is used to clean the surface. Such surfaces include dishes, utensils, glasses, cans, pans, grills, walls, floors, countertops, and vehicle surfaces and windows.

[0003] Scouring materials can be made in many forms, including nonwoven webs (e.g., the low-density nonwoven abrasive webs described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,958,593 (Hoover et al.)). Depending on their manufacturing process, the web of scouring material can be cut into individual pieces of a size suitable for hand use (e.g., the individual rectangular pads described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,958,593 (Hoover et al.)), or the web can be cut into pieces of convenient size as desired by the end user (e.g., as described in International Patent Publication No. WO 2000 / 006341 (Mateos et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,712,210 (Windisch et al.)). An example of a non-scratching cleaning article is sold by 3M Company, Saint Paul, Minnesota, under the trade name "SCOTCH-BRITE." An exemplary non-scratching cleaning article is the "SCOTCH-BRITE DOBIE Brand Cleaning Pad" available from 3M Company, Saint Paul, Minnesota, which consists of a polyurethane foam pad enclosed in a netting or mesh. Summary of the Invention

[0004] There is still room for improvement in scrubbing performance, particularly in the field of non-scratch cleaning products. The present invention provides a wrapped cleaning product having a gentle abrasive surface formed from a binder resin and a granular plastic cleaning medium dispersed therein. The provided cleaning product offers significant advantages in scrubbing performance compared to conventional scrubbing pads. Furthermore, this construction can be combined with high-loft fillers such as fibrous nonwoven webs to enhance sustainability and performance advantages.

[0005] In one aspect, a cleaning article is provided. The cleaning article includes a filler material, a netting wrapped around the filler material, the netting including interwoven threads defining a plurality of openings and having first and second opposing major surfaces, and an abrasive composite disposed on the first major surface and including coarse particles dispersed in an organic binder.

[0006] In a second aspect, a method of cleaning a substrate is provided, the method comprising wiping a cleaning article against the substrate to remove contaminants therefrom in a manner that does not appreciably scratch the substrate.

[0007] In a third aspect, a method of making a cleaning article is provided, the method comprising: providing a netting comprising interwoven threads defining a plurality of openings and having an exposed major surface; coating the exposed major surface with an abrasive composite slurry comprised of coarse particles dispersed in an organic binder precursor; curing the organic binder precursor to obtain cured abrasive composites; and wrapping and securing the netting around a filler to obtain the cleaning article, the outer surface of the cleaning article comprising cured abrasive composites. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 is a plan view of an assembled form of a cleaning article according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0009] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 a plan view of a partially disassembled form of the cleaning article;

[0010] Figure 3 yes Figures 1 to 2 An enlarged view of a component of a cleaning article.

[0011] Reference symbols used repeatedly in the specification and drawings are intended to represent the same or similar features or elements of the present disclosure. It should be understood that those skilled in the art can design many other modifications and embodiments that fall within the scope and spirit of the principles of the present disclosure. The accompanying drawings may not be drawn to scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] As used herein, the terms "preferred" and "preferably" refer to embodiments described herein that may offer certain benefits under certain circumstances. However, other embodiments may also be preferred, under the same or other circumstances. Furthermore, the recitation of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are unusable and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the invention.

[0013] As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a," "an," or "the" component may include one or more components known to those skilled in the art or their equivalents. Additionally, the term "and / or" means one or all of the listed elements or a combination of any two or more of the listed elements.

[0014] It is worth noting that the term "including" and its variations do not have a limiting meaning when appearing in the accompanying description. In addition, "a," "an," "the," "at least one," and "one or more" are used interchangeably herein. Relative terms such as left, right, forward, backward, top, bottom, side, upper, lower, horizontal, vertical, etc. may be used herein, and if so, they are from the perspective of the specific drawings. However, these terms are used only to simplify the description and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.

[0015] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment," "certain embodiments," "one or more embodiments," or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, phrases such as "in one or more embodiments," "in certain embodiments," "in some embodiments," or "in an embodiment" appearing in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Cleaning articles are described herein for household cleaning applications such as cleaning dishes and other surfaces such as countertops, walls, shower curtains, and automotive surfaces. The construction of cleaning articles can provide various performance and environmentally related advantages.

[0017] Figure 1 and Figure 2 1 is a photograph of an exemplary cleaning article, hereinafter designated by the numeral 100. The cleaning article 100 has an outwardly facing major surface 102 formed of a netting 104. Figure 2 100, and the like. As seen in the partially disassembled view of the cleaning article 100, the netting 104 is wrapped around a filler material 108, which is shown partially received therein. The netting 104 has a mesh structure having interwoven threads defining a plurality of openings 106. The netting 104 has opposing first and second major surfaces, wherein the first major surface is coplanar with the major surface 102 of the overall cleaning article 100 and serves as a scrubbing surface.

[0018] Figure 3 is an enlarged micrograph showing the Figure 1 and Figure 2Additional features on the netting 204 of the cleaning article 200 that are not visible in FIG. Figure 3 As depicted, the netting 204 has the form of a grid with continuous diamond-shaped openings. The abrasive composites 210 are disposed on the exposed major surface 202 of the cleaning article 200. For clarity, the major surface 202 includes the surface of the netting 204 that faces in various directions and may not be aligned with the surface of the netting 204. Figure 3 The pages in the web 204 are coplanar (ie, the plane of the web 204). Here, major surfaces 202 refer to those surfaces whose normal vectors have a positive or outward component perpendicular to the plane of the web 204.

[0019] The abrasive composite 210 includes a plurality of coarse-grained particles 214 dispersed in an organic binder 212. As shown, at least some of the coarse-grained particles 214 can be exposed at the surface, or at least protrude outwardly from the surface. The abrasive composite 210 can be disposed only on the first major surface 202, or on both the exposed major surface 202 and an inwardly facing second major surface (not visible).

[0020] While not intended to be exhaustive, additional aspects of the cleaning articles 100, 200 are presented in the following sections.

[0021] The coating of the abrasive composition on the netting can be continuous or discontinuous. In some embodiments, the abrasive composition is not coated on the entire outward-facing major surface of the netting, but is coated on an area of ​​less than 100%, less than 90%, less than 80%, or even less than 70% of the outward-facing major surface of the netting. The abrasive composition can be applied to the netting based on a two-dimensional pattern. The two-dimensional pattern can be a replica pattern. The replica pattern can have discontinuous coated areas surrounded by continuous uncoated areas, or discontinuous uncoated areas surrounded by continuous coated areas. Both the coated areas and the uncoated areas can be discontinuous - for example, the netting can be coated with a series of parallel abrasive composition strips extending from one end of the cleaning article to its opposite end.

[0022] Although Figure 1 and Figure 2 The cleaning article in the embodiment is a rectangular shape, but generally speaking the cleaning article can adopt any shape that is conducive to the user to operate the cleaning article. For example, the cleaning article can have a circular or hexagonal shape in a plan view.

[0023] In various embodiments, the filler is a fiber filler. Optionally, at least one of the fiber filler and the netting is made of a sustainable material. In some embodiments, both the fiber filler and the netting are made of sustainable materials. The filler material does not need to be particularly limited. Non-fibrous fillers are also possible, for example, fillers made from open-cell polymer foam and other conventional sponge materials.

[0024] The fibrous filler can be a three-dimensional web of entangled fibers that are bonded to each other at their mutual contact points by bicomponent fibers, conjugate fibers, and / or low-melting point fibers that act as a binder component. One function of the non-bonded fibrous filler is to absorb liquid. In some embodiments, the fibrous filler has an absorptivity of at least 10 times the dry weight of the fibrous filler, particularly 15 times the dry weight of the fibrous filler, more particularly 20 times the dry weight of the fibrous filler, and most particularly 30 times the dry weight of the fibrous filler.

[0025] Advantageously, fiber fillers require less material to absorb the same or more liquid than other materials currently on the market for absorbing liquids, such as foams. Because fiber fillers require less material, cleaning products can be manufactured at a lower cost and are more sustainable than other existing products on the market. In some embodiments, the density of the fiber filler is 10 kg / m 3 Up to 30kg / m 3 , or in some embodiments, less than, equal to, or greater than 10 g / m 3 , 11g / m 3 , 12g / m 3 , 13g / m 3 , 14g / m 3 , 15g / m 3 , 16g / m 3 , 17g / m 3 , 18g / m 3 , 19g / m 3 , 20g / m 3 , 21g / m 3 , 22g / m 3 , 23g / m 3 , 24g / m 3 , 25g / m 3 , 26g / m 3 , 27g / m 3 , 28g / m 3 , 29g / m 3 or 30g / m 3 .

[0026] The non-dense layer can have any suitable density associated with the above-mentioned density ranges, such as a density of 0.05% to 20%, 0.1% to 15%, 0.2% to 10%, or in some embodiments, a density of less than, equal to or greater than 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.5%, 0.7%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, 3.5%, 4%, 4.5%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 15%, 17% or 20%.

[0027] Compared to other materials currently on the market for absorbing liquids, fiberfill can also have a lower compressive force. Therefore, the fiberfill requires less compressive force to squeeze the liquid out of the fiberfill, resulting in easier rinsing and faster drying time. In some embodiments, the fiberfill has a compressive force of 9 kgf or less, specifically 4 kgf or less, and more specifically 2 kgf or less.

[0028] In some embodiments, the fiber titer is in the range of between 2 denier and 1000 denier, specifically between 2 denier and 100 denier, and more specifically between 3 denier and 15 denier. In some embodiments, the staple length is between 30 mm and 120 mm, specifically between 40 mm and 100 mm, and more specifically between 50 mm and 60 mm.

[0029] The sustainable materials used for the fiber materials can be biodegradable, recyclable, compostable or made from recycled materials. Examples of suitable sustainable materials that can constitute the fiber filler include, but are not limited to, natural fibers, naturally derived fibers, recycled synthetic fibers and biodegradable synthetic fibers. Examples of naturally derived fibers (including naturally derived fibers from renewable sources) include, but are not limited to, rayon, rayon from bamboo, polylactide (PLA) and combinations thereof. Examples of recycled synthetic fibers include, but are not limited to, recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET), recycled nylon, combinations thereof, and may also include post-industrial and / or post-consumer materials.

[0030] Examples of biodegradable synthetic fibers include, but are not limited to, viscous fibers and melt-processable fibers such as polylactic acid (PLA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polyglycolic acid, polyesteramide, dimer acid polyamide, polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), blends of PLA / PBS, blends of PLA / dimer acid polyamide, blends of PBS / dimer acid polyamide, blends of PHA / PHB, blends of PHA / PLA, blends of PHA / PBS, any of the foregoing resins having a hydrophilic surfactant compounded into the polymer matrix, and combinations thereof. Examples of hydrophilic surfactants include, but are not limited to, polyoxyethylene cocoyl monoethanolamide, sodium salt of 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate, and a 50:50 blend of these surfactants.

[0031] In some embodiments, the fiber filler is a nonwoven web. The nonwoven filler can be made by an air-laid process or by a vertical grinding process. In the air-laid process, the nonwoven filler is made of short fibers that are curled to enhance the bulk. In some embodiments, the fibers have a length between 1 inch and 3 inches. These fibers can be provided in tightly packed "bundles" and passed through a debonder. An example of a suitable debonder is the Reiter debonder from Bracker, France. The fibers are then individualized in a fiber debonding device. An example of a suitable fiber debonding device is the Hergeth Hollingsworth carding machine from Aachen, Germany. The fibers are then transferred to an air-laid machine. An example of a suitable air-laid machine is the Rando Webber from Macedon, NY. In some embodiments, the output from the air-laid machine can be at a thickness of 25 g / m2 at a maximum of 7.6 cm (3 inches). 2 Up to 2500g / m 2 basis weight range.

[0032] In the vertical milling process, very thick, low-density webs with good compression resistance can be produced. This is achieved by forming vertical "struts" from a very flat web and folding them into vertical pleats. Vertical milling equipment is available, for example, from Struto, Jihlava, Czech Republic. Vertical milling equipment output can have a thickness between 0.5 inches and 2 inches.

[0033] Optionally, other materials may be added to the fiber filler for specific purposes, including but not limited to: grinding aids, lubricants, wetting agents, surfactants, pigments, dyes, colorants, fillers, fragrances, coupling agents, plasticizers, mild abrasives, crosslinking agents, antistatic agents, antioxidants, biocides, antifungal agents, particles, and suspending agents. Materials may be added for functional or aesthetic purposes. For example, dyes, colorants, fragrances, and particles may be used for aesthetic purposes.

[0034] Additional options and advantages associated with available nonwoven webs are described in International Patent Publication No. WO 2020 / 157659 (Truong et al.).

[0035] Netting is primarily used to clean or scrub debris from surfaces. The netting surrounds the fiber wadding and provides a flexible, abrasive surface that can be used to remove debris as it contacts and rubs against the surface, while also being breathable. This also allows liquids to be absorbed and rinsed away from the fiber wadding.

[0036] The netting may include multiple filaments and multiple monofilaments stacked on top of each other. In some embodiments, the monofilaments and the filaments may form a twisted structure. The netting includes a main chain structure and a network structure located within the main chain structure. The main chain structure of the netting is formed by multiple filaments and multiple monofilaments, and the network structure of the netting is formed by multiple filaments. The multiple filaments are arranged to extend in different predetermined directions and intersect with each other, thereby forming the main chain structure. That is, the main chain structure may be formed into a continuous polygonal shape.

[0037] The netting may be folded and wrapped around the fiberfill by any method known to those skilled in the art. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The netting is preferably stitched together as shown, or alternatively, welded or adhesively bonded, to seal any end edges of the netting along opposing edges. Preferably, the netting completely surrounds the fiber filler, completely encapsulating the filler therein. Optionally, one edge of the netting can be resealable, allowing the user to remove and replace the filler. The filler not only provides a scouring surface but also protects the relatively soft filler material from abrasion and degradation due to repeated use.

[0038] Although not required, the netting can be coupled to the non-bonded fiberfill by using adhesives, clamps, sealing, sewing, or welding. In some embodiments, the netting is in the form of a sleeve that is folded and wrapped around the fiberfill and sewn to itself to secure the filler within the netting, such as Figure 1 As shown. Netting can be composed of any material known in the art that can be formed into a flexible grid structure and used to scrub substrates. Scrubbing ability can be enhanced by the material used or the form, shape, and cut of the netting material. For example, the netting can include gaps, grooves, protrusions, or other textures to optimize scrubbing performance in a given cleaning application.

[0039] The provided cleaning articles are preferably non-scratching, meaning that they do not scratch the surface being cleaned. In these embodiments, the roughness of the netting is sufficient to adequately clean the surface while minimizing any scratching of the surface. In some embodiments, the cleaning articles have a Schiefer scratch rating of 3.5 or less, 3 or less, 2.5 or less, or 2 or less.

[0040] In some embodiments, the netting is made of sustainable materials. That is, the netting can be biodegradable, recyclable, compostable or made of recycled materials. In some embodiments, the netting can be made of recycled plastics such as plastic bottles. Examples of suitable sustainable materials that can constitute the netting include, but are not limited to, natural fibers, natural source fibers, recycled synthetic fibers, or biodegradable synthetic fibers. Natural fibers (including natural source fibers derived from renewable resources) can include bamboo, sisal, flax, hemp, rayon, rayon derived from bamboo, polylactide (PLA), and combinations thereof.

[0041] Examples of recycled synthetic fibers include, but are not limited to, recycled polyesters (such as recycled polyethylene terephthalate), recycled nylon, combinations thereof, and may also include post-industrial and / or post-consumer materials. Examples of biodegradable synthetic fibers include, but are not limited to, viscose fibers and melt-processable fibers such as polylactic acid (PLA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polyglycolic acid, polyesteramide, dimer acid polyamide, polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), blends of PLA / PBS, blends of PLA / dimer acid polyamide, blends of PBS / dimer acid polyamide, blends of PHA / PHB, blends of PHA / PLA, blends of PHA / PBS, all of the foregoing resins with a hydrophilic surfactant compounded into the polymer matrix, and combinations thereof. Examples of hydrophilic surfactants include, but are not limited to, polyoxyethylene cocoyl monoethanolamide, sodium salt of 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate, and a 50:50 blend of these surfactants.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment, the abrasive composite is a composite structure comprising coarse-grained particles retained in a binder. The binder is preferably an organic binder. The abrasive composite can be made by curing or otherwise hardening a precursor slurry comprising the coarse-grained particles dispersed in a curable organic binder precursor. The organic binder precursor is curable to obtain a thermosetting polymer.

[0043] Organic binder precursors include curable phenol formaldehydes, acrylate monomers, (meth)acrylated polyurethanes, (meth)acrylated epoxy resins, ethylenically unsaturated free radical polymerizable compounds, aminoplast derivatives having α,β-unsaturated carbonyl side groups, isocyanurate derivatives having at least one side acrylic acid group, and isocyanate derivatives of vinyl ethers having at least one side acrylic acid group, and mixtures and combinations thereof.

[0044] (Meth)acrylated polyurethanes include di(meth)acrylates of hydroxyl-terminated, isocyanate-extended polyesters or polyethers. Examples of commercially available acrylated polyurethanes include those available from Cytec Industries, West Paterson, New Jersey, as CMD 6600, CMD 8400, and CMD 8805. (Meth)acrylated epoxy resins include di(meth)acrylates of epoxy resins, such as the diacrylate of bisphenol A epoxy resin. Examples of commercially available acrylated epoxy resins include those available from Cytec Industries, as CMD 3500, CMD 3600, and CMD 3700.

[0045] Ethylenically unsaturated free radical polymerizable compounds include monomeric and polymeric compounds containing carbon atoms, hydrogen atoms, and oxygen atoms, and optionally nitrogen and halogens. Oxygen atoms or nitrogen atoms, or both, are typically present in ethers, esters, polyurethanes, amides, and urea groups. Ethylenically unsaturated free radical polymerizable compounds typically have a molecular weight of less than 4,000 g / mol and are typically esters made by reacting a compound containing a single aliphatic hydroxyl group or multiple aliphatic hydroxyl groups with an unsaturated carboxylic acid, such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, crotonic acid, isocrotonic acid, and maleic acid.

[0046] Examples of ethylenically unsaturated free radical polymerizable compounds include methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, styrene, divinylbenzene, vinyltoluene, ethylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene glycol methacrylate, hexanediol diacrylate, triethylene glycol diacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, glycerol triacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate, pentaerythritol methacrylate, and pentaerythritol tetraacrylate. Other ethylenically unsaturated resins include monoallyl, polypropylene, and polymethallyl esters and carboxylic acid amides, such as diallyl phthalate, diallyl adipate, and N,N-diallyl adipamide. Other nitrogen-containing compounds include tris(2-acryloyloxyethyl)isocyanurate, 1,3,5-tris(2-methacryloyloxyethyl)-s-triazine, acrylamide, n-methacrylamide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, n-vinyl pyrrolidone, and n-vinyl piperidone.

[0047] Useful aminoplast resins have at least one pendant α,β-unsaturated carbonyl group per molecule or per oligomer. These unsaturated carbonyl groups can be acrylate, methacrylate, or acrylamide-type groups. Examples of such materials include N-methylolacrylamide, N,N'-oxydimethylenebisacrylamide, ortho- and para-acrylamidomethylated phenols, acrylamidomethylated novolac resins, and combinations thereof. These materials are further described in U.S. Patents Nos. 4,903,440 and 5,236,472 (both to Kirk et al.).

[0048] Isocyanurate derivatives having at least one pendant acrylic acid group and isocyanate derivatives having at least one pendant acrylic acid group are further described in US Patent No. 4,652,274 (Boettcher et al.) An example of an isocyanurate material is triacrylate of tris(hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate.

[0049] Compounds that generate a source of free radicals upon exposure to actinic electromagnetic radiation (e.g., ultraviolet or visible electromagnetic radiation) are generally referred to as photoinitiators. Examples of photoinitiators include: benzoin and its derivatives such as α-methylbenzoin; α-phenylbenzoin; α-allylbenzoin; α-benzylbenzoin; benzoin ethers such as benzyldimethylketal, benzoin methyl ether, benzoin ethyl ether, and benzoin n-butyl ether; acetophenone and its derivatives such as 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-1-propanone and 1-hydroxycyclohexylphenyl ketone; 2-methyl-1-[4-(methylthio)phenyl]-2-(4-morpholinyl)-1-propanone; and 2-benzyl-2-(dimethylamino)-1-[4-(4-morpholinyl)phenyl]-1-butanone.

[0050] Other useful photoinitiators include, for example, neopentanoin ethyl ether, anisole ethyl ether, anthraquinone (e.g., anthraquinone, 2-ethylanthraquinone, 1-chloroanthraquinone, 1,4-dimethylanthraquinone, 1-methoxyanthraquinone, or benzanthraquinone), halomethyl triazines, benzophenones and their derivatives, iodonium and sulfonium salts, titanium complexes such as bis(eta..sub.5-2,4-cyclopentadien-1-yl)-bis[2,6-difluoro-3-(1H-pyrrol-1-yl)phenyl]titanium; halonitrobenzenes (e.g., 4-bromomethylnitrobenzene), and mono- and bis-acylphosphines. Combinations of photoinitiators may be used. One or more spectral sensitizers (e.g., dyes) may be used with the photoinitiator, for example, to increase the sensitivity of the photoinitiator to a particular source of actinic radiation.

[0051] The initiator, such as a photoinitiator, can be present in any amount effective to cure the curable binder precursor. Typical amounts are 0.1% to 5% by weight of the total organic binder, or in some embodiments, less than, equal to, or greater than 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.7%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, 3.5%, 4%, 4.5%, or 5%, although larger or smaller amounts may also be used.

[0052] In some embodiments, silane treatment can help promote adhesion between the binder and certain coarse particles. To promote bonding between the organic binder and the coarse particles, a silane coupling agent can be included in the slurry of the coarse particles and the organic binder precursor; typically in amounts of 0.01 to 5 weight percent, 0.01 to 3 weight percent, or 0.01 to 1 weight percent, although other amounts can also be used, depending on the size and composition of the coarse particles.

[0053] The silane coupling agent may include, for example, methacryloxypropylsilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, vinyltri(2-methoxyethoxy)silane, 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyltrimethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane and γ-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane, allyltriethoxysilane, diallyldichlorosilane, divinyldiethoxysilane and m-, p-phenylenylethyltrimethoxysilane, dimethyldiethoxysilane, dihydroxydiphenylsilane, triethoxysilane Silane, trimethoxysilane, triethoxysilanol, 3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyltrimethoxysilane, methyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriacetoxysilane, methyltriethoxysilane, tetraethyl orthosilicate, tetramethyl orthosilicate, ethyltriethoxysilane, amyltriethoxysilane, trichloroethylsilane, amyltrichlorosilane, phenyltrichlorosilane, phenyltriethoxysilane, methyltrichlorosilane, methyldichlorosilane, dimethyldichlorosilane, dimethyldiethoxysilane and mixtures thereof.

[0054] Optionally, the organic binder precursor (and therefore also the organic binder) may optionally contain additives such as, for example, colorants, grinding aids, fillers, wetting agents, dispersants, light stabilizers and antioxidants.

[0055] For consumer household applications, such as kitchen and bathroom applications, the coarse particles are preferably organic in nature. Useful organic coarse particles have sufficient hardness and surface roughness to serve as a gentle scrubbing surface during scrubbing without damaging softer substrates. To provide adequate scrubbing performance and avoid damage to the surface being cleaned, the coarse particles may have a Mohs hardness of 1 to 5, 1 to 4, 2 to 3, or in some embodiments, less than, equal to, or greater than 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, or 5.

[0056] The organic coarse particles are typically polymer particles, shaped organic particles, shaped inorganic particles, and combinations thereof. The polymer particles may be made of polyolefins, polycarbonates, poly(meth)acrylates, polyesters, polyureas, melamines, or copolymers or blends thereof.

[0057] The shaped particles can be made of molded polymer or polymer composite material.Shaped particles as herein described can include any suitable material or combination of materials.For example, the shaped particles can include the reaction product of the polymerizable mixture comprising one or more polymerizable resins.The one or more polymerizable resins are selected from phenolic resins, urea-formaldehyde resins, polyurethane resins, melamine resins, epoxy resins, bismaleimide resins, vinyl ether resins, aminoplast resins (which can include side chain α, β unsaturated carbonyls), acrylate resins, acrylated isocyanurate resins, isocyanurate resins, acrylated polyurethane resins, acrylated epoxy resins, alkyd resins, polyester resins, drying oils or their mixtures.The polymerizable mixture can include any number of additional components, such as plasticizers, acid catalysts, crosslinking agents, surfactants, soft abrasives, pigments, catalysts or antimicrobial agents.

[0058] The predetermined shape can be replicated, for example, from a mold cavity used to form the shaped coarse grain particles. In embodiments where the shaped coarse grain particles are formed in a mold cavity, the predetermined geometric shape can substantially replicate the mold cavity used to form the shaped abrasive particles. In examples where the shaped coarse grain particles are formed by extrusion, the shaped coarse grain particles can also replicate the shape of the die. If the shaped coarse grain particles are formed by an additive manufacturing process, the shaped coarse grain particles can also replicate the shape present in a program, such as a computer-aided design (CAD) program. Here, shaped coarse grain particles do not refer to comminuted coarse grain particles of random size, such as formed by a mechanical comminution operation.

[0059] Examples of shaped abrasive particles are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,142,531 (Adefris et al.), in which shaped abrasive particles are obtained by molding an abrasive sol-gel in a polypropylene mold cavity in the shape of an equilateral triangle. For non-scratching applications, relatively soft shaped abrasive particles can also be used, as described in U.S. Pat. Publication No. 2021 / 122959 (Mevissen et al.).

[0060] The coarse particles may have a number average particle size of from 50 microns to 1000 microns, from 100 microns to 500 microns, from 150 microns to 400 microns, or in some embodiments, less than, equal to, or greater than 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 150, 170, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, or 1000 microns.

[0061] The coarse-grain particles may have any suitable coating amount. Preferably, the coating amount is within a suitable range to ensure that the coated netting retains sufficient flexibility while achieving mechanical and / or adhesive fixation of the coarse-grain particles to the organic binder. The coarse particles may be coated in an amount of from 10 gsm to 200 gsm, from 15 gsm to 175 gsm, from 20 gsm to 150 gsm, or in some embodiments, less than, equal to, or greater than 10 gsm, 15 gsm, 20 gsm, 25 gsm, 30 gsm, 35 gsm, 40 gsm, 45 gsm, 50 gsm, 60 gsm, 70 gsm, 80 gsm, 90 gsm, 100 gsm, 125 gsm, 150 gsm, 175 gsm, 200 gsm, 250 gsm, 300 gsm, 350 gsm, 400 gsm, 450 gsm, or 500 gsm. In some embodiments, the coarse grain particles may comprise from 10% to 70% by weight, or in some embodiments, less than, equal to, or greater than, in each case, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, or 70% by weight, relative to the total weight of the abrasive composite.

[0062] Further details suitable for use with the provided abrasive composites are described in International Patent Publication No. WO 2021 / 111327 (Liu et al.).

[0063] The cleaning product according to the present disclosure can be prepared, for example, by a process comprising the following sequential and optionally consecutive steps.

[0064] First, the netting is coated with an abrasive composite precursor slurry to coat one or both major surfaces of the netting, such as by spraying, roller coating, or dipping. If desired, the precursor slurry can coat the entirety of one or both major surfaces. Alternatively, the netting can be masked so that the precursor slurry only coats a portion of one or both major surfaces of the netting. In some embodiments, the coating can be applied according to a two-dimensional pattern, thereby forming a replica pattern of abrasive islands, or conversely, a replica pattern of non-abrasive islands. Given that the netting itself has multiple openings, the abrasive coating area can be limited to the area where the unmasked area overlaps the struts of the netting.

[0065] Then, as an optional step, the composite assembly can be subjected to ultrasonic vibration to ensure that the abrasive composite precursor slurry is well coated on the wire. Suitable ultrasonic devices are well known in the art and can include, for example, commercially available ultrasonic processing generators equipped with a horn, a knife, a blade, or a plate. As used herein, the term "ultrasonic" refers to a vibration frequency greater than 20,000 Hz. Examples of commercially available suitable ultrasonic devices include those available from Branson Ultrasonics, Danbury, Connecticut, USA.

[0066] Finally, the curing binder precursor can be exposed to enough actinic electromagnetic radiation to cause curing.Suitable actinic (for example, ultraviolet and / or visible light) electromagnetic radiation source is well known in the art, and comprises for example low, medium and / or high pressure mercury lamp, laser, microwave driven lamp and xenon flash lamp.Exposure conditions depend on lamp type, intensity and exposure duration usually, and are within the capabilities of those skilled in the art.For some initiators, curing can also be induced by chemical means or by applying heat.Curing produces finished product cleaning products, wherein the abrasive composite with scrubbing surface is arranged on the outward main surface of cleaning products.

[0067] Finished product cleaning products can be used for any application in multiple household and commercial cleaning applications. Advantageously, can use cleaning products to rub relatively soft substrates to remove pollutants therefrom in the mode of oscillation or circular scrubbing motion and can not obviously scratch substrate.The substrate to which cleaning products are applicable comprises non-stick cookware surface, laminated sink, work surface, painted surface and may be easy to other surfaces of scraping.The common household items that can obtain effective cleaning by the cleaning products provided comprise dish, utensil, glass, jar, dish, grill, wall, floor, work surface and vehicle.

[0068] As a further option, the non-abrasive web backing may include loops woven into the back of the abrasive article that allow for a loop-and-loop attachment system, enabling the cleaning article to be attached to a separate cleaning tool.

[0069] Example

[0070] The objects and advantages of the present disclosure are further illustrated by the following non-limiting examples, but the specific materials and amounts thereof, as well as other conditions and details, recited in these examples should not be construed to unduly limit the present disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated, all parts, percentages, ratios, etc. in the examples are by weight. Where applicable, brand names and trademarks are indicated in all capital letters.

[0071] Table 1: Materials

[0072]

[0073]

[0074] Test Method

[0075] Cleansing effect

[0076] The cleaning efficacy test was conducted in a manner generally similar to the food soil removal test method described in the examples of U.S. Patent No. 5,626,512 (Palaikis et al.). A 10.1 cm 18-gauge stainless steel panel was coated with a food soil mixture consisting of 120 grams of whole milk, 120 grams of cream cheese, 20 grams of flour, and 100 grams of granulated sugar. The coated panel was baked in an oven at 230°C for 14 minutes. The above coating and curing process was repeated three times to obtain a uniform coating on the panel. An acceptable food soil coating amount should be at least 0.25 grams to 0.45 grams. The coated panel was then moistened with 4% aqueous dishwashing liquid and mounted on the lower turntable of a Schiffer abrader (Frazier Co., Hagerstown, MD, United States). A 6.3 cm sample was placed on the food soil-coated panel. The sample cleaning article was saturated with water, centered, and then mounted on the upper turntable of the Schiffer abrasion tester. A force of 2.27 kg was applied for 50 or 75 cycles until the coated panel was clean. The cleaning rate efficacy (grams per 100 seconds (g / 100 sec)) and the percentage of food soil removed were calculated and recorded. The percentage of food soil removed was determined by dividing the weight (in grams) of the food soil content removed after 50 or 75 cycles by the initial weight (in grams) and multiplying by 100.

[0077] Scratch evaluation

[0078] The Schiffer scratch test was performed to evaluate the relative abrasiveness of the sample cleaning article. The test was performed in a manner generally similar to the Schiffer cut test described in the examples of U.S. Patent No. 5,626,512 (Palaikis et al.). The sample cleaning article was cut into circular samples (8.25 cm in diameter). The test was performed with a sample rotating 5000 revolutions at 250 rpm under a load of 2.25 kg, with water applied to the surface of a circular acrylic workpiece (10.16 cm in diameter) at a rate of 40 to 60 drops per minute. The results were given as a visual rating or an average value of the visual ratings of three samples, with 1 to 5 defining the scratch pattern left on the acrylic disc. The Schiffer scratch visual rating was defined as follows: 1) no visible scratches, 2) slight scratches, 3) slight scratches with a clear pattern, 4) severe scratches covering a portion of the entire workpiece, and 5) severe scratches covering the entire workpiece.

[0079] Examples 1 to 4 (EX1 to EX4) and Comparative Examples 1 to 10 (CE1 to CE10)

[0080] Coating compositions (C1-C4) were prepared by shear mixing together the amounts defined in Table 2 (in weight %) for 1 hour until homogeneous.

[0081] Table 2: Coating composition (wt%)

[0082] C1 C2 C3 C4 resin 51.3 51.3 46.3 43.3 Lotion 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 additive 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 surfactants 1.45 1.45 1.45 1.45 Particle 1 0.0 0.0 0.0 28.1 Particle 2 0.0 20.7 0.0 0.0 Particle 3 20.7 0.0 25.1 0.0 water 26.5 26.5 27.1 27.1

[0083] Cleaning article samples were made by spraying the composition onto Netting 1 or Netting 2 and wrapping the coated netting around a fiberfill. The basis weight of the added coating ranged from 160 gsm to 325 gsm. The sample construction is as defined in Table 3. The fiberfill was made using a vertically stacked nonwoven process using PET fibers.

[0084] Table 3: Cleaning product samples

[0085] EX1 EX2 EX3 EX4 coating C1 C2 C3 C4 mesh Web 1 Web 2 Web 2 Web 2

[0086] The samples were tested for cleaning efficacy and scratch evaluation, and the results are shown in Table 4 (75 cycles), Table 5 (50 cycles), and Table 6. Comparative Example 1 (CE1) was Netting 2 without the coating composition. Comparative Example 2 (CE2) was a non-scratch cleaning pad from HEB (San Antonio, Texas, United States). Comparative Example 3 (CE3) was a SCOUR DDDY ARMORTEC brand mesh scrubbing pad from Scrub Daddy (Pennsauken, NJ, United States). Comparative Example 4 (CE4) was a SCOTCH-BRITE DOBIE brand scrubbing pad from 3M Company (St. Paul, MN, United States). Comparative Example 5 (CE5) was a SCOTCH-BRITE brand non-scratch scrubbing pad from 3M Company (3M Company). Comparative Example 6 (CE6) is a SCOTCH-BRITE brand non-scratch scrubbing sponge from 3M Company. Comparative Example 7 (CE7) is a SCOTCH-BRITE brand stainless steel scrubbing pad from 3M Company. Comparative Example 8 (CE8) is a SCOTCH-BRITE brand heavy-duty scrubbing product from 3M Company. Comparative Example 9 (CE9) is a SCOURDADDY brand steel mesh from Scrub Daddy. Comparative Example 10 (CE10) is an XTRACT brand Net Disc 310W, Grade 320 from 3M Company. Comparative Examples 1-9 performed similarly to Examples 1-4 in the scratch evaluation test (i.e., received a rating of 2).

[0087] Table 4: Cleaning efficacy test results (75 cycles)

[0088]

[0089] Table 5: Cleaning efficacy test results (50 cycles)

[0090]

[0091] Table 6: Scratch evaluation test results

[0092] Rating EX1 2 EX2 2 EX3 2 EX4 2 EX5 5

[0093] All references, patents, and patent applications cited in the above-mentioned patent applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety in a consistent manner. In the event of any inconsistency or conflict between the incorporated references and the present application, the information in the foregoing description shall prevail. The foregoing description, which is provided to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the present disclosure as protected by the claims, should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure, which is defined by the claims and all equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A cleaning product, comprising: filler; and a netting wrapped around the filler material, comprising interwoven wires defining a plurality of openings, and having opposing first and second major surfaces; and An abrasive composite disposed on the first major surface includes coarse-grained particles dispersed in an organic binder.

2. The cleaning article of claim 1 wherein the coarse particles comprise organic coarse particles.

3. The cleaning article of claim 2, wherein the organic coarse particle comprises a polyolefin, a polycarbonate, a poly(meth)acrylate, a polyester, a polyurea, a melamine, or a copolymer or blend thereof.

4. A cleaning article according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the coarse particles are shaped particles.

5. A cleaning article according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the coarse particles have a number average particle size of from 50 microns to 1000 microns.

6. The cleaning article of claim 5, wherein the coarse particles have a number average particle size of 150 microns to 400 microns.

7. A cleaning article according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the coarse particles have a coating weight of from 10 gsm to 500 gsm.

8. The cleaning article of claim 7 wherein the coarse particles have a coating weight of 100 gsm to 300 gsm.

9. The cleaning article of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the coarse particles are present in an amount of 10% to 70% by weight relative to the total weight of the abrasive composites.

10. The cleaning article of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the organic binder comprises a thermosetting polymer.

11. The cleaning article of claim 10, wherein the thermosetting polymer is made by polymerizing phenol formaldehyde, acrylate monomers, (meth)acrylated polyurethanes, (meth)acrylated epoxy resins, ethylenically unsaturated free radical polymerizable compounds, aminoplast derivatives having pendant α,β-unsaturated carbonyl groups, isocyanurate derivatives having at least one pendant acrylic acid group, and isocyanate derivatives of vinyl ethers having at least one pendant acrylic acid group, and mixtures and combinations thereof.

12. The cleaning article of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the netting, filler, or both comprise a material that is biodegradable, recyclable, or made from recycled material.

13. The cleaning article of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the filler comprises a fibrous nonwoven web.

14. The cleaning article of claim 13, wherein the fibrous nonwoven web comprises an airlaid nonwoven web, a vertically laid nonwoven web, or a combination thereof.

15. The cleaning article of claim 13 or 14, wherein the fibrous nonwoven web comprises recycled polyester.

16. The cleaning article of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the filler comprises fibers having a denier of 2 to 1000 denier.

17. The cleaning article according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the filler has a mass fraction of 10 kg / m 3 Up to 30kg / m 3 density.

18. A method for cleaning a substrate, the method comprising: The cleaning article of any one of claims 1 to 17 is rubbed against the substrate to remove contaminants therefrom in a manner that does not appreciably scratch the substrate.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the substrate comprises a dish, a utensil, a glass, a jar, a pan, a grill, a wall, a floor, a countertop, or a vehicle.

20. A method of making a cleaning article, the method comprising: providing a netting comprising interwoven threads defining a plurality of openings and having an exposed major surface; coating the exposed major surface with an abrasive composite slurry comprised of coarse-grained particles dispersed in an organic binder precursor; curing the organic binder precursor to obtain a cured abrasive composite; as well as The netting is wrapped and secured around the filler to obtain the cleaning article, the outer surface of which includes the cured abrasive composites.

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