Reduced-mist alkaline cleaner via use of alkali-soluble emulsion polymers

Abstract

To provide reduced-misting sprayable cleaning compositions for reducing and / or eliminating exposure of users to mist or other small particles generated by spraying of the compositions.SOLUTION: Alkaline sprayable aqueous compositions for cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting are disclosed. In particular, the sprayable compositions include an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, an alkalinity source, a foaming agent, and water. Beneficially, the sprayable cleaning compositions have reduced misting and are environmentally safe for users to apply. Further, the compositions exhibit less running on non-horizontal surfaces than acrylamide-based compositions.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is related to and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 873,276, entitled "REDUCED MIST ALKALINE CLEANER VIA THE USE OF ALKALI SOLUBLE EMULSION POLYMERS," filed July 12, 2019, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present application relates to the field of sprayable compositions for cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization.The present invention further relates to sprayable compositions, including, for example, aerosol or pump spray, which provide the benefit of reduced misting and therefore reduced inhalation.The sprayable compositions use alkaline sprayable emulsion polymers. [Background technology]

[0003] Acidic and alkaline cleaning compositions for hard surfaces have been used for many years to remove stubborn soils from a variety of surfaces found in homes and institutional locations. A variety of cleaning compositions have been developed to address the tenacious organic and organic / inorganic matrix soils common to a variety of surfaces. One particularly useful form of cleaner is an aqueous alkaline cleaner that is typically delivered from a pressurized aerosol or pump spraying device. These types of cleaners have great utility on a variety of surfaces because the material can be delivered by spraying onto vertical, overhead, inclined, or surfaces with complex curved or intricate surfaces, while spray-on liquid cleaners can provide substantially complete coverage of the surface. Acidic spray-on cleaners are also known to remove basic inorganic soils and are becoming more common.

[0004] The spray device generates a spray pattern of the composition that contacts the target hard surface. The majority of the composition becomes present on the target surface, and a small portion of the sprayable composition may become an airborne aerosol or mist (e.g., an airborne mist or finely divided aerosol) consisting of small particles of the cleaning composition that may remain suspended or dispersed in the atmosphere around the site of dispersion for a period of time, such as from about 5 seconds to about 10 minutes. Such airborne mist or finely divided aerosol generated during the spraying process may present substantial problems. Such aqueous compositions having strong basic cleaning components in the form of finely divided aerosols or mist may cause respiratory distress to users. To alleviate respiratory distress, some sprayable aqueous compositions have been formulated with reduced amounts of alkaline cleaning components. Strong caustics have been replaced by bases of reduced alkalinity, such as bicarbonates, or by solvent materials. However, reducing or replacing the concentration of these materials may often reduce the cleaning activity and effectiveness of the materials in use. This necessitates the use of organic surfactants or glycol, alkyl ether, or dimethyl sulfoxide solvent materials to improve the detergent properties of the reduced alkaline materials. Despite the improvements seen in sprayable aqueous compositions, there remains a need for improved compositions that provide effective cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization while reducing misting and therefore reducing inhalation.

[0005] Developments and improvements in polymers for various uses include particulate crosslinked copolymers of acrylamide and at least 5 mole percent of a dialkylaminoalkyl acrylate, as disclosed in EP 202,780; the addition of a crosslinking agent both at the beginning and during the polymerization process under conditions such that its availability to the reaction is substantially constant throughout the process, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,725; water-soluble branched low molecular weight cationic polymers, as disclosed in EP 374,458; chain transfer agents at the end of the polymerization of DADMAC / acrylamide copolymers, as disclosed in EP 363,024; No. 4,913,775; branched cationic polyacrylamide powders such as acrylamide / dimethylaminoethyl acrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt copolymers as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,381; and water-soluble cationic, anionic, and nonionic polymers synthesized using water-in-oil emulsion, dispersion, or gel polymerization and having fast solubilization rates, higher reduction in specific viscosity as disclosed in WO2002 / 002662.

[0006] Other attempts have been made to reduce the misting of sprays in hopes of maintaining cleaning properties. Such attempts have included the use of xanthan gum due to its high extensional viscosity. See U.S. Patent No. 5,364,551. However, compositions containing xanthan gum were very difficult to process due to high shear viscosity, which formed fish eyes, and required special equipment and additional time for production. These difficulties increased the manufacturing costs of products containing more xanthan gum.

[0007] Other attempts to reduce misting of spray while maintaining cleaning properties have been through the use of acrylamide and acrylamide derivative polymers.Although these products have improved upon previous technology by providing reduced misting and facilitating processing, these compositions have their own difficulties.For example, due to the structure of these acrylamide and acrylamide derivative polymers, these compositions have significant flow problems because the polymers tend to stretch after application. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a reduced misting sprayable cleaning composition that reduces and / or eliminates user exposure to mist or other small particles generated by spraying the composition.

[0009] It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide a reduced misting product with improved processing and manufacturing requirements to reduce production costs.

[0010] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a sprayable cleaning composition with reduced misting that also exhibits reduced flow.

[0011] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a method of cleaning using a sprayable cleaning composition to treat hard surfaces while reducing the amount of mist or other small particles generated by spraying the composition.

[0012] Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The advantages of the present invention are provided by the sprayable composition that exhibits reduced misting.The sprayable cleaning composition has the advantage of exhibiting reduced flow compared to sprayable compositions that contain acrylamide and acrylamide derivatives.Another advantage is that the sprayable cleaning composition is easier and more cost-effective to manufacture than the conventional techniques that use high concentrations of xanthan gum.Other advantages and benefits of the present invention will become apparent in this application.

[0014] A preferred embodiment comprises about 0.0035% to about 1% by weight of an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer being in an emulsion in which the continuous phase is water or a water-miscible liquid and stable at a pH of at least about 10; an alkali source, the alkali source being at a concentration sufficient to neutralize the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer; about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of a foaming agent, the foaming agent comprising an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, or a combination thereof, the composition being free of a cationic surfactant; and water, the sprayable cleaning composition reduces the formation of airborne aerosol particles less than about 10 microns in size when sprayed, and a use solution of the composition has a shear viscosity of about 1 to about 500 cps. In a preferred embodiment, the sprayable cleaning composition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor, a solvent, a thickener, or a combination thereof.

[0015] A preferred embodiment includes a system for applying a sprayable cleaning composition with reduced mist generation, the system including: (a) a sprayer including a spray head connected to a spray bottle; and (b) a sprayable cleaning composition contained in the spray bottle, the spray head adapted to dispense the sprayable cleaning composition, the sprayable cleaning composition including about 0.0035% to about 1% by weight of an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer being in an emulsion in which the continuous phase is water or a water-miscible liquid and stable at a pH of at least about 10. A sprayable cleaning composition comprising an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, an alkalinity source, the alkalinity source being at a concentration sufficient to neutralize the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of a foaming agent, the foaming agent comprising an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, or a combination thereof, the composition being free of a cationic surfactant, and water, the sprayable cleaning composition reduces the formation of airborne aerosol particles less than about 10 microns in size when sprayed, and a use solution of the composition has a shear viscosity of about 1 to about 500 cps. In a preferred embodiment, the sprayable cleaning composition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor, a solvent, a thickener, or a combination thereof.

[0016] A preferred embodiment is a method of cleaning a hard surface using a sprayed, reduced mist cleaning composition comprising: (a) contacting a soiled surface with the sprayable cleaning composition; and (b) wiping the hard surface to remove the film and / or any soil, wherein the sprayable cleaning composition comprises from about 0.0035% to about 1% by weight of an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer being in an emulsion in which the continuous phase is water or a water-miscible liquid and stable at a pH of at least about 10. The sprayable cleaning composition comprises an alkali soluble emulsion polymer, an alkalinity source, the alkalinity source being at a concentration sufficient to neutralize the alkali soluble emulsion polymer, about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of a foaming agent, the foaming agent comprising an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, or a combination thereof, the composition being free of a cationic surfactant, and water, the sprayable cleaning composition reduces the formation of airborne aerosol particles less than about 10 microns in size when sprayed, and a use solution of the composition has a shear viscosity of about 1 to about 500 cps. In a preferred embodiment, the sprayable cleaning composition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor, a solvent, a thickener, or a combination thereof.

[0017] While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 shows the mist production and droplet size of a control cleaning composition that does not contain an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer and an exemplary cleaning composition of the present application that contains an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. [Diagram 2] 1 shows the total particle number concentration of particles between 0.3 and 10 microns for a control cleaning composition compared to an exemplary cleaning composition of the present application containing an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. [Diagram 3] 1 shows the total particle number concentration of 0.3-10 micron particles after 12 weeks for a control cleaning composition compared to an exemplary cleaning composition of the present application containing an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer at various temperatures. [Figure 4] 1 shows the percent stain removal of red and black stains at room temperature using a control cleaning composition compared to exemplary cleaning compositions of the present application containing various concentrations of alkali-soluble emulsion polymers. [Diagram 5] 1 shows the cleaning effectiveness of polymerized corn oil after 60 seconds using a control cleaning composition compared to exemplary cleaning compositions of the present application containing various concentrations of alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. [Figure 6] 1 shows the foam stability of a control cleaning composition compared to exemplary cleaning compositions of the present application containing various concentrations of an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer with respect to the number of food soils added to the composition. [Figure 7] Figure 7A shows the foam behavior of an exemplary cleaning composition that includes 750 ppm of an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer in addition to the control formulation, Figure 7B shows the foam behavior of an exemplary cleaning composition that includes 1000 ppm of an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer in addition to the control formulation, and Figure 7C shows the foam behavior of a control formulation that does not include an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer in a vertical plane.

[0019] Various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Reference to various embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The figures depicted herein are not limitations on the various embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The figures depicted herein are presented for illustrative purposes of the present invention and are not intended to limit the various embodiments according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] The present invention relates to a hard surface cleaning composition with reduced mist generation. The cleaning composition with reduced mist generation has many advantages over conventional sprayable cleaning compositions. For example, the composition reduces particulate matter and therefore reduces inhalation by the user. In one aspect of the present invention, the sprayable cleaning composition with reduced mist generation is delivered in micron-sized particles that reduce inhalation, for example, by delivering the composition in a particle size of at least about 10 microns to minimize inhalation of particles. In a further aspect, the cleaning composition solution is delivered in a particle size of at least 60 particles / cm within the breathing zone of the user. 3 Produce a total concentration of mist containing particles having a size of 10 microns or less.

[0021] The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to a specific composition, method of making, and / or method of using the composition for cleaning hard surfaces, which may vary and are understood by those skilled in the art. It should be further understood that all terminology used herein is merely for the purpose of describing specific embodiments, and is not intended to be limiting in any manner or scope. For example, when used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" can include plural referents unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, all units, prefixes, and symbols can be displayed in their SI recognized form.

[0022] Numerical ranges described herein are inclusive of the numbers defining the range and include each integer within the defined range. Throughout this disclosure, various aspects of the invention are presented in a range format. It should be understood that the description in range format is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of the invention. Thus, the description of a range should be considered to specifically disclose all possible subranges, fractions, and individual numbers within that range. For example, the description of a range such as 1-6 should be considered to specifically disclose subranges such as 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 2-4, 2-6, 3-6, etc., as well as individual numbers within that range, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and decimals and fractions, such as 1.2, 3.8, 1 and 1 / 2, and 4 and 3 / 4. This applies regardless of the breadth of the range.

[0023] References to elements herein are intended to include any or all of their oxidation states and isotopes. For example, a description of aluminum includes Al I , Al II , or Al IIIが and any reference to boron includes any of its isotopes, i.e. 6 B. 7 B. 8 B. 9 B. 10 B. 11 B. 12 B. 13 B. 14 B. 15 B. 16 B. 17 B. 18 B, and 19 Contains B.

[0024] definition In order to make the present invention easier to understand, certain terms are first defined.Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates.Many methods and materials similar, modified, or equivalent to those described herein can be used to implement the present invention without undue experimentation, and preferred materials and methods are described herein.In describing and claiming the present invention, the following technical terms are used according to the definitions described below.

[0025] As used herein, the term "about" refers to the variation of a quantity that may occur, for example, through typical measurement techniques and devices, with respect to any quantifiable variable, including, but not limited to, mass, volume, time, distance, temperature, size, length, viscosity, and conductivity. Furthermore, given the solid and liquid handling procedures used in the real world, there are certain inadvertent errors and variations that are likely to occur through differences in the manufacture, source, or purity of the components used to make the composition or perform the method, etc. The term "about" also encompasses these variations. Whether or not modified by the term "about", the claims include the equivalent to the quantity.

[0026] The terms "actives" or "percent actives" or "percent actives by weight" or "actives concentration" are used interchangeably herein and refer to the concentration of ingredients involved in cleaning expressed as a percentage minus inactive ingredients such as water or salt.

[0027] As used herein, the terms "active chlorine," "chlorine," and "hypochlorite" are all used interchangeably and are intended to mean the measurable chlorine available in the use solution as assessed by standard titration techniques known to those skilled in the art. In a preferred embodiment, the sprayable cleaning composition is chlorine-free.

[0028] As used herein, the terms "aerosol" and "mist" refer to an airborne dispersion of small particles comprising the cleaning composition that may remain suspended or dispersed in the atmosphere surrounding the cleaning site for at least 5 seconds, and more typically from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.

[0029] As used herein, the term "cleaning" refers to methods used to promote or aid in soil removal, bleaching, microbial population reduction, and any combination thereof. As used herein, the term "microorganism" refers to any non-cellular or unicellular (including colonial) organism. Microorganisms include all prokaryotes. Microorganisms include bacteria (including cyanobacteria), spores, lichens, fungi, protozoa, virinos, viroids, viruses, phages, and some algae. As used herein, the term "microbe" is synonymous with microorganism.

[0030] As used herein, the term "bactericide" refers to an agent that kills all vegetative cells, including most recognized pathogenic microorganisms, using the procedures set forth in the AOAC Use Dilution Methods, Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, paragraph 955.14 and applicable portions, 15th Edition, 1990 (EPA Guideline 91-2). As used herein, "high-level sterilization" or "high-level sterilization" refers to a compound or composition that kills substantially all living organisms, except high levels of bacterial spores, and is accomplished with a chemical pathogen-killing agent that is licensed for sale as a sterilant by the Food and Drug Administration. As used herein, the term "intermediate-level sterilization" or "intermediate-level sterilization" refers to a compound or composition that kills mycobacteria, most viruses, and bacteria, using a chemical pathogen-killing agent that is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a tuberculocide. As used herein, the term "low-level disinfection" or "low-level disinfectant" refers to a compound or composition that kills some viruses and bacteria using a chemical pathogen-killing agent registered by the EPA as a hospital disinfectant.

[0031] The term or abbreviation "EDTA 4Na+" refers to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, tetrasodium salt.

[0032] The term "hard surface" refers to solid, substantially inflexible surfaces such as countertops, tiles, floors, walls, panels, windows, plumbing fixtures, kitchen and bathroom furniture, appliances, engines, circuit boards, and dishes. Hard surfaces can include, for example, health care surfaces and food processing surfaces.

[0033] As used herein, the phrase "healthcare surface" refers to the surfaces of instruments, devices, carts, cages, furniture, structures, buildings, and the like, used as part of a health care activity. Examples of health care surfaces include surfaces of medical or dental instruments, surfaces of medical or dental devices, surfaces of electronic devices used to monitor the health of patients, and surfaces of floors, walls, or fixtures of structures in which health care occurs. Medical surfaces are found in hospitals, surgical, nursing, birthing, funeral, and clinical diagnostic rooms. These surfaces can be represented as "hard surfaces" (walls, floors, toilets, etc.), or textile surfaces, such as knitted, woven, and nonwoven surfaces (surgical garments, curtains, bed linens, bandages, etc.), or patient care equipment (respiratory equipment, diagnostic equipment, shunts, body scopes, wheelchairs, beds, etc.), or surgical and diagnostic equipment. Medical surfaces include articles and surfaces used in animal medical care.

[0034] As used herein, the phrase "food processing surface" refers to the surfaces of tools, machines, equipment, structures, buildings, etc., used as part of food processing, preparation, or preservation activities. Examples of food processing surfaces include surfaces of food processing or preparation equipment (e.g., slicing, canning, or conveying equipment including flumes), surfaces of food processing ware (e.g., cookware, dishware, washware, and bar glasses), and surfaces of floors, walls, or fixtures of structures where food processing occurs. Food processing surfaces are found and used in milking machines, food anti-spoilage air circulation systems, aseptic packaging sanitization, food refrigerator and cooler cleaners and sanitizers, dishwashing sanitization, blancher cleaning and sanitization, food packaging materials, cutting board additives, third-sink sanitization, beverage refrigerators and warmers, meat refrigerators or boiling water, automatic dish sanitizers, sanitizing gels, cooling towers, food processing antibacterial clothing sprays, and non-aqueous to low-aqueous food preparation lubricants, oils, and rinse additives.

[0035] As used herein, the term "oligomer" refers to a molecular complex composed of 1-10 monomer units. For example, dimers, trimers, and tetramers are considered oligomers. Furthermore, unless otherwise specifically limited, the term "oligomer" is intended to include all possible isomeric configurations of the molecule, including, but not limited to, isotactic, syndiotactic, and random symmetries, and combinations thereof. Furthermore, unless otherwise specifically limited, the term "oligomer" is intended to include all possible geometric configurations of the molecule.

[0036] As used herein, the term "polymer" refers to a molecular complex composed of 10 or more monomer units, and generally includes, but is not limited to, homopolymers, copolymers, such as block, graft, random and alternating copolymers, terpolymers, and higher order "x"-mers, and further includes analogs, derivatives, combinations, and mixtures thereof. Furthermore, unless otherwise specifically limited, the term "polymer" is intended to include all possible isomeric configurations of the molecule, including, but not limited to, isotactic, syndiotactic, and random symmetries, and combinations thereof. Furthermore, unless otherwise specifically limited, the term "polymer" is intended to include all possible geometric configurations of the molecule. For purposes of this patent application, successful microbial reduction is achieved when the microbial population is reduced by at least about 50%, or significantly more than that, by washing with water. The greater the reduction in the microbial population, the greater the level of protection.

[0037] As used herein, the term "disinfectant" refers to an agent that reduces the number of bacterial contaminants to a safe level as determined by public health requirements. In one embodiment, the disinfectant for use in the present invention will provide at least 99.999% reduction (reduction of 5 log order). These reductions can be evaluated using the procedures described in paragraph 960.09 and applicable sections of Germicidal and Detergent Sanitizing Action of Disinfectants, Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, 15th Edition, 1990 (EPA Guideline 91-2). According to this reference, a disinfectant should provide 99.999% reduction (reduction of 5 log order) against several test organisms within 30 seconds at room temperature, 25±2°C.

[0038] The distinction between antimicrobial "-cidal" or "-static" activity, definitions describing the degree of effectiveness, and official laboratory protocols for measuring this effectiveness are considerations for understanding the relevance of antimicrobial agents and compositions. Antimicrobial compositions can affect two types of microbial cell damage. The first type is a lethal, irreversible action, resulting in the complete destruction or incapacitation of the microbial cell. The second type of cell damage is reversible, so that once the organism is freed from the agent, it can grow again. The former is called bactericidal and the latter bacteriostatic. Disinfectants and disinfectants are, by definition, agents that provide antimicrobial or bactericidal activity. In contrast, antiseptics are generally described as inhibitors or bacteriostatic compositions.

[0039] As used herein, the term "substantially free" refers to a composition that is completely devoid of the component or has such a small amount of the component that it does not affect the performance of the composition. The component may be present as an impurity or contaminant and should be less than 0.5% by weight. In another embodiment, the amount of the component is less than 0.1% by weight, and in yet another embodiment, the amount of the component is less than 0.01% by weight.

[0040] The term "viscosity" is used herein to describe the properties of the sprayable aqueous compositions for cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing according to the present invention. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, both dynamic (shear) viscosity and bulk viscosity can be used to describe the characteristics of a composition. The shear viscosity of a liquid describes its resistance to shear flow. The bulk viscosity of a liquid describes its ability to exhibit a form of internal friction that resists its flow without shear. The measurements of viscosity described herein use the physical units of poise (P) or centipoise (cPs).

[0041] As used herein, the terms "water-soluble" and "water-miscible" mean that a component (e.g., liquid or solvent) is soluble or dispersible in water at a concentration of greater than about 0.2 g / L, preferably about 1 g / L or greater, more preferably 10 g / L or greater, and most preferably about 50 g / L or greater at about 20° C.

[0042] The terms "weight percent," "wt-%," "percent by weight," "% by weight," and variations thereof, as used herein, refer to the concentration of a substance by dividing the weight of that substance by the total weight of the composition and multiplying by 100. As used herein, it is understood that "percent," "%," and the like are intended to be synonymous with "weight percent," "% by weight," and the like.

[0043] The methods and compositions of the invention can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the components and ingredients of the invention, as well as other components described herein. As used herein, "consisting essentially of" means that the methods and compositions may include additional steps, components, or ingredients, so long as the additional steps, components, or ingredients do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed methods and compositions.

[0044] Sprayable compositions with reduced misting The sprayable cleaning composition according to the present invention is suitable for packaging in a pressurized aerosol spray unit using commonly available pressure containers, aerosol valves and aerosol propellants.The sprayable cleaning composition according to the present invention can further be used in pump spray format using pump spray heads and suitable containers.Various formulations of the sprayable cleaning composition are usually applied to hard surfaces containing difficult inorganic, organic, or mixed matrix soils.Such soils include baked-on or carbonized food residues.Other surfaces may contain soils that are derived from the substantially insoluble hardness components of tap water.The sprayable cleaning composition according to the present invention quickly removes such soils due to a unique combination of ingredients that can quickly remove soils, but resists the formation of amounts of mist or aerosols that can cause respiratory distress during application.

[0045] The present invention relates to a sprayable cleaning composition with reduced mist, which comprises or essentially consists of at least an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, a foaming agent, an alkali source, a thickener, water, and additional functional ingredients. In some embodiments, the sprayable composition can be dispensed with a trigger sprayer, such as a non-low speed or low speed trigger sprayer. The sprayable composition can also be dispensed in alternative ways. The sprayable cleaning composition with reduced mist provides ease of manufacture as a result of the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer dispersing quickly into a homogeneous solution. The sprayable cleaning composition with reduced mist provides additional benefits in addition to ease of manufacture, including ease of application when using spray application, for example, due to reduced viscosity profile, which allows ease of use with a spray trigger.

[0046] The sprayable cleaning composition may be referred to as a non-Newtonian fluid. Newtonian fluids have a short relaxation time and have a direct correlation between shear viscosity and extensional viscosity (the extensional viscosity of a liquid is equal to three times the shear viscosity). Shear viscosity is a measure of the ability of a fluid to resist the movement of layers relative to each other. Elongational viscosity, also known as extensional viscosity, is a measure of the ability of a fluid to stretch elastically under elongational stress. Non-Newtonian fluids do not have a direct correlation between shear viscosity and extensional viscosity and can store elastic energy when under strain, resulting in an extensional viscosity that is exponentially greater than the shear viscosity, resulting in the effect of thickening under strain (i.e., shear thickening). These properties of non-Newtonian fluids result in a sprayable cleaning composition that has a low viscosity when not under shear, but thickens when under stress from a trigger sprayer that forms larger droplets.

[0047] In one aspect, without being limited to a particular mechanism of action according to the present invention, the sprayable cleaning composition provides a non-Newtonian fluid, resulting in a sprayable composition that has a low viscosity when not under shear and thickens when under stress from a sprayer, such as a trigger sprayer, that forms larger droplets.

[0048] In some embodiments, the sprayable cleaning composition has a relatively low shear viscosity when not under strain. In one embodiment, the shear viscosity of the sprayable cleaning composition containing an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer corresponds to the shear viscosity of water and can be referred to as a "thin liquid". In a preferred embodiment, the sprayable cleaning composition has a viscosity of about 1 cP to about 500 cP, more preferably about 1 cPs to about 250 cPs, and most preferably about 1 cPs to about 50 cPs.

[0049] In one example, the mist prevention component does not increase the shear viscosity of the cleaning composition when not under strain, and the increase in shear viscosity is generated by other components such as surfactants.In one aspect, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer does not increase the shear viscosity of the sprayable composition by more than about 10%, more than about 9%, more than about 8%, more than about 7%, more than about 6%, more than about 5%, more than about 4%, more than about 3%, more than about 2%, or more than about 1%.In comparison, to achieve the same anti-misting effect with traditional thickeners, much higher concentrations are required, causing a significant increase in the viscoelasticity of the composition, and in most cases, the spray composition as achieved according to the present invention is not possible.As those skilled in the art will understand, additional components of the sprayable composition can significantly increase the shear viscosity, such as alkali source, surfactant, etc.

[0050] The present invention provides unexpected benefits in viscosity of anti-mist compositions as a result of the soft viscoelastic composition provided by alkali-soluble emulsion polymer.These benefits are in stark contrast to the use of acrylamide and acrylamide-derived polymers currently used to provide viscoelasticity to compositions.For example, acrylamide-based compositions have flow weaknesses, but the compositions of the present invention reduce flow in addition to reducing misting.

[0051] In some embodiments, the median particle size of the sprayed solution of the reduced misting sprayable cleaning composition is large enough to reduce misting. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, particles with a droplet size of less than about 10 microns can be easily inhaled. Furthermore, particles with a droplet size of less than about 0.1 microns can be easily inhaled into the lungs. Thus, in many aspects of the present invention, the testing and evaluation of the sprayable composition according to the present invention focuses on reducing misting, particularly reducing or reducing the size of about 10 microns or less. In one aspect of the present invention, the suitable median particle size is about 11 microns or more, 50 microns or more, 70 microns or more, about 10 microns or more, about 150 microns or more, or about 200 microns or more. The suitable median particle size may depend on the composition of the ready-to-use composition (RTU). For example, a suitable median particle size for a strongly alkaline or acidic use solution may be about 100 microns or more, more specifically about 150 microns or more, more specifically about 200 microns or more. Suitable median particle size for moderately alkaline or acidic RTU may be about 11 microns or greater, preferably about 50 microns or greater, and more preferably about 150 microns or greater.

[0052] The sprayable cleaning composition preferably has a pH of from about 8 to about 14, more preferably from about 9 to about 14, and most preferably from about 12 to about 14.

[0053] The sprayable cleaning compositions according to the present invention advantageously provide stable compositions in which the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer retains stability at ambient temperatures for at least about one year, or at least about two years at ambient temperatures, as measured by the maintenance of the anti-misting properties of the cleaning composition.

[0054] Embodiment Exemplary ranges of sprayable cleaning compositions, in weight percent, are set forth in Table 1, including several optional ingredients. [Table 1]

[0055] Alkali-soluble emulsion polymer The sprayable cleaning composition with reduced mist generation comprises an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer.Preferably, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is a water-soluble modified polymer.The alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is synthesized from acid and acrylate comonomers and is prepared by emulsion polymerization.These are exemplified by the formula shown below. [ka] In the formula, x is from about 1 to about 10,000, y is from about 1 to about 10,000, R comprises a hydrogen or alkyl group, and R I contains hydrogen or an alkyl group. Preferably, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is stable at a pH of at least about 10, more preferably at least about 12, and most preferably at least about 13. Preferred alkali-soluble emulsion polymers are sold by Rohm and Haas under the trade names ACUSOL™ 810A, ACUSOL™ 835, and ACUSOL™ 842.

[0056] Alkali soluble emulsion polymers are water-based emulsions, with an oil phase (dispersed phase) dispersed in water (continuous phase). Alkali soluble emulsion polymers are not inverse emulsions. Alkali soluble emulsion polymers thicken through a non-associated mechanism. Non-associated rheology modifiers do not interact with surfactant structures, particles, or insoluble emulsion droplets. Non-associated polymers structure the continuous phase and thicken by chain entanglements. This allows them to stabilize pre-dispersed insoluble materials by slowing their movement significantly.

[0057] Preferably, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer has an equivalent weight of from about 50 to about 300, more preferably from about 75 to about 275, and most preferably from about 100 to about 250, where equivalent weight is a measurement in grams of dry polymer neutralized with 1 equivalent (40 grams) of NaOH.

[0058] Preferably, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is a free-flowing liquid. In one embodiment, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer has a viscosity of preferably more than 10 cps and less than about 150 cps, more preferably more than 10 cps and less than about 100 cps, and most preferably more than 10 cps and less than about 25 cps.

[0059] An effective amount of alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is provided in the cleaning composition to provide a ready-to-use reduced misting composition having a lower concentration than conventional viscosity-modifying polymers. Advantageously, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is highly concentrated for dilution systems, while maintaining viscoelasticity even for such highly concentrated formulations. In a preferred embodiment of the sprayable cleaning composition, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is preferably at a concentration of about 0.0035% to about 1% by weight, more preferably about 0.005% to about 0.5% by weight, and most preferably about 0.05% to about 0.2% by weight.

[0060] Alkaline Source The sprayable cleaning composition comprises an alkalinity source. The alkalinity source is useful because the alkali-soluble polymer is soluble in an alkaline environment and the polymer swells upon neutralization. It has been found that this results in a more viscous composition, improving sprayability and reducing misting. The amount of alkalinity is preferably the amount required to neutralize the alkali-soluble polymer.

[0061] Suitable sources of alkalinity include inorganic sources of alkalinity, including but not limited to alkali or alkaline earth metal borates, silicates, carbonates, hydroxides, phosphates, and mixtures thereof. Phosphates should be understood to include all phosphate materials in the broad class, such as phosphates, pyrophosphates, polyphosphates (such as tripolyphosphates). Silicates include all the common silicates used in cleaning, such as metasilicates, silicates, etc. Alkaline or alkaline earth metals include components such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, barium, etc. It should be understood that a cleaner composition can be improved by utilizing various mixtures of alkalinity sources.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, the source of alkalinity is an inorganic alkali metal base. In a further preferred embodiment, the source of alkalinity is an alkali metal hydroxide. The sprayable cleaning composition may, for example, contain sodium hydroxide. The inorganic alkali content of the spray-on cleaner of the present invention is preferably derived from sodium or potassium hydroxide, which can be used in both liquid (aqueous solution of about 10-60% by weight) or solid (powder, flake or pellet) form. Preferably, the preferred form of the alkali metal base is commercially available sodium hydroxide, which can be obtained in aqueous solution at a concentration of about 50% by weight, and in various solid forms of various particle sizes and shapes.

[0063] Suitable sources of alkalinity include, but are not limited to, organic sources of alkalinity, including nitrogen bases. Organic sources of alkalinity are often strong nitrogen bases, including, for example, ammonia, monoethanolamine, monopropanolamine, diethanolamine, dipropanolamine, triethanolamine, tripropanolamine, and the like. One importance of using monoalkanolamine compounds relates to the solvent properties of liquid amines. Substantial proportions of monoethanolamine, monopropanolamine, and the like can be used to provide substantial alkalinity, but can also be combined with other materials of the present invention to provide substantial solvent power. In a preferred embodiment, the source of alkalinity is an organic monoethanolamine.

[0064] In a further preferred embodiment, the alkalinity source is a combination of an inorganic alkali and an organic alkali. The sprayable cleaning composition may, for example, include a combination of an inorganic alkali, such as sodium hydroxide, and an organic nitrogen base, such as ethanolamine.

[0065] The suitable concentration of the alkalinity source can depend on the alkalinity source used and its active concentration, and thus will be sufficient to neutralize the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. In a preferred embodiment, the amount of the alkalinity source in the sprayable cleaning composition is about 0.1% to about 15% by weight, more preferably about 0.5% to about 10% by weight, and most preferably about 1% to about 7% by weight.

[0066] Corrosion Inhibitors In a preferred embodiment, the sprayable cleaning composition can optionally include a corrosion inhibitor. If included in the sprayable cleaning composition, the corrosion inhibitor is preferably at a concentration of from about 0.01% to about 5% by weight, more preferably from about 0.1% to about 3% by weight, and most preferably from about 0.25% to about 2.5% by weight.

[0067] Preferred corrosion inhibitors include, but are not limited to, sodium gluconate, sodium glucoheptonate, and mixtures thereof.

[0068] Foaming Agent The sprayable cleaning composition preferably includes a foaming agent, which is preferably present in the sprayable cleaning composition at a concentration of about 0.1% to about 10% by weight, more preferably about 0.1% to about 5% by weight, and most preferably about 0.5% to about 2.5% by weight.

[0069] Suitable foaming agents can include various surfactants that provide foaming properties, including anionic, nonionic, amphoteric, and zwitterionic surfactants. However, it has been found that cationic surfactants should not be included in the sprayable cleaning composition, since they are not compatible with the alkali-soluble emulsion polymers.

[0070] Anionic Surfactants Anionic sulfate surfactants suitable for use in the present compositions include alkyl ether sulfates, alkyl sulfates, linear and branched primary and secondary alkyl sulfates, alkyl ethoxy sulfates, fatty oleyl glycerol sulfates, alkylphenol ethylene oxide ether sulfates, C5-C 17 Included are the acyl-N-(C1-C4 alkyl) and -N-(C1-C2 hydroxyalkyl) glucamine sulfates, as well as the sulfates of alkyl polysaccharides, such as the sulfates of alkyl polyglucosides. Also included are the alkyl sulfates, alkyl poly(ethyleneoxy)ether sulfates, and aromatic poly(ethyleneoxy)sulfates, such as the sulfates or concentrated products of ethylene oxide and nonylphenol (usually having 1-6 oxyethylene groups per molecule).

[0071] Anionic sulfonate surfactants suitable for use in the present compositions also include alkyl sulfonates, linear and branched primary and secondary alkyl sulfonates, and aromatic sulfonates with or without substituents.

[0072] Anionic carboxylate surfactants suitable for use in the present invention include carboxylic acids (and salts) such as alkanoic acids (and alkanoates), ester carboxylic acids (e.g., alkyl succinates), ether carboxylic acids, and the like. Such carboxylates include alkyl ethoxy carboxylates, alkyl aryl ethoxy carboxylates, alkyl polyethoxy polycarboxylate surfactants, and soaps (e.g., alkyl carboxyls). Secondary carboxylates useful in the present compositions include those containing a carboxyl unit connected to a secondary carbon. The secondary carbon may be in a ring structure, for example, as in p-octyl benzoic acid, or as in alkyl substituted cyclohexyl carboxylates. Secondary carboxylate surfactants typically do not contain ether linkages, ester linkages, and hydroxyl groups. Additionally, they typically lack a nitrogen atom in the head group (amphiphilic portion). Suitable secondary soap surfactants typically contain 11-13 total carbon atoms, although more carbon atoms (e.g., up to 16) may be present. Suitable carboxylates also include acylamino acids (and salts), such as, for example, acyl glutamates, acyl peptides, sarcosinates (eg, N-acylsarcosinates), taurates (eg, N-acyltaurates and fatty acid amides of methyl tauride).

[0073] Suitable anionic surfactants include alkyl or alkylaryl ethoxy carboxylates of the formula: RO-(CH2CH2O) n (CH2) m -CO2X(3) In the formula, R is C8 to C 22 is an alkyl group, or [ka] and R 1 is C4~C 16R is an alkyl group, n is an integer from 1 to 20, m is an integer from 1 to 3, and X is a counterion such as hydrogen, sodium, potassium, lithium, ammonium, or an amine salt such as monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, or triethanolamine. In some embodiments, n is an integer from 4 to 10 and m is 1. In some embodiments, R is a C8 to C 16 In some embodiments, R is an alkyl group. 12 ~C 14 It is an alkyl group, n is 4, and m is 1.

[0074] In other embodiments, R is [ka] and R 1 is C6~C 12 In yet another embodiment, R 1 is a C9 alkyl group, n is 10, and m is 1.

[0075] Such alkyl and alkylaryl ethoxy carboxylates are commercially available. These ethoxy carboxylates are usually available in the acid form, which can be easily converted to the anionic or salt form. Commercially available carboxylates include Neodox 23-4, C 12-13 Carboxylates, such as the products Sandopan® DTC, C9 alkylaryl polyethoxy (4) carboxylic acid (Shell Chemical), and Emcol CNP-110, C9 alkylaryl polyethoxy (10) carboxylic acid (Witco Chemical). 13 Alkylpolyethoxy(7) carboxylic acids are also available from Clariant.

[0076] Nonionic Surfactants Nonionic surfactants do not carry a discrete charge when dissolved in an aqueous medium. The hydrophilicity of nonionic surfactants is provided by hydrogen bonding with water molecules. Suitable nonionic surfactants include alkoxylated surfactants, EO / PO copolymers, capped EO / PO copolymers, alcohol alkoxylates, capped alcohol alkoxylates, mixtures thereof, and the like. Further suitable nonionic surfactants include amine oxides, phosphine oxides, sulfoxides, and alkoxylated derivatives thereof. Particularly suitable amine oxides include tertiary amine oxide surfactants, which typically contain three alkyl groups attached to the amine oxide (N→O). In general, the alkyl groups may contain two lower (C1-4) alkyl groups combined with one higher C6-24 alkyl group, or two higher alkyl groups combined with one lower alkyl group. Furthermore, the lower alkyl groups may include alkyl groups substituted with hydrophilic moieties such as hydroxyl groups, amine groups, carboxyl groups, and the like.

[0077] Amine oxides (tertiary amine oxides) have the corresponding general formula: [ka] where the arrow is the conventional representation of a semi-polar bond and R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 R may be aliphatic, aromatic, heterocyclic, alicyclic, or a combination thereof. In general, for the amine oxides of interest, R 1 is an alkyl radical of about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms; R 2 and R 3 is an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or a mixture thereof; R 2 and R 3 can be linked together, for example, via an oxygen or nitrogen atom to form a ring structure, R 4is an alkylene or hydroxyalkylene group containing 2-3 carbon atoms and n ranges from 0 to about 20. Amine oxides can be generated from the corresponding amine and an oxidizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide. The classification of amine oxide materials can depend on the pH of the solution. On the acid side, amine oxide materials can protonate and simulate the properties of cationic surfactants. At neutral pH, amine oxide materials are nonionic surfactants, and on the alkaline side, they exhibit anionic properties.

[0078] Useful water-soluble amine oxide surfactants are selected from octyl, decyl, dodecyl (lauryl), isododecyl, coconut, or tallow alkyl di-(lower alkyl)amine oxides, specific examples of which are octyl dimethylamine oxide, nonyl dimethylamine oxide, decyl dimethylamine oxide, undecyl dimethylamine oxide, dodecyl dimethylamine oxide, iso-dodecyl dimethylamine oxide, tridecyl dimethylamine oxide, tetradecyl dimethylamine oxide, pentadecyl dimethylamine oxide, hexadecyl dimethylamine oxide, heptadecyl dimethylamine oxide, and the like. amine oxide, octadecyl dimethylamine oxide, dodecyl dipropylamine oxide, tetradecyl dipropylamine oxide, hexadecyl dipropylamine oxide, tetradecyl dibutylamine oxide, octadecyl dibutylamine oxide, bis(2-hydroxyethyl)dodecylamine oxide, bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-dodecoxy-1-hydroxypropylamine oxide, dimethyl-(2-hydroxydodecyl)amine oxide, 3,6,9-trioctadecyldimethylamine oxide, and 3-dodecoxy-2-hydroxypropyldi-(2-hydroxyethyl)amine oxide.

[0079] Amphoteric surfactants Suitable amphoteric surfactants contain both acidic and basic hydrophilic moieties in their structure and can be either anionic or cationic groups as just described in the section on anionic or cationic surfactants. Anionic groups include carboxylates, sulfates, sulfonates, phosphonates, etc., while cationic groups usually include compounds with amine nitrogens. Many amphoteric surfactants also contain ether oxide or hydroxyl groups that enhance hydrophilicity. Preferred amphoteric surfactants of the present invention include surfactants with cationic amino groups combined with anionic carboxylate or sulfonate groups. Examples of useful amphoteric surfactants include sulfobetaine, N-coco-3,3-aminopropionic acid and its sodium salt, n-tallow-3-amino-dipropionic acid disodium salt, 1,1-bis(carboxymethyl)-2-undecyl-2.-imidazolinium hydroxide disodium salt, cocoaminobutyric acid, cocoaminopropionic acid, cocoamidocarboxyglycinate, cocobetaine. Suitable amphoteric surfactants include cocoamidopropyl betaine and cocoaminoethyl betaine.

[0080] solvent In a preferred embodiment, the sprayable cleaning composition can optionally include a solvent, which, if included in the sprayable cleaning composition, is preferably at a concentration of from about 0.01% to about 10% by weight, more preferably from about 0.1% to about 7% by weight, and most preferably from about 0.5% to about 4% by weight.

[0081] Preferred solvents include, but are not limited to, lower alkanolamines, lower alkanols, lower alkyl ethers, lower alkyl glycol ethers, and mixtures thereof.These materials are colorless liquids with mild, pleasant odors, are excellent solvents and coupling agents, and are generally miscible with the cleaning compositions of the present invention.Further useful examples of solvents include lower alkanolamines, methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, and butanol, isobutanol, benzyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, mixed ethylene-propylene ethers. Glycol ethers include lower alkyl (C 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 19 ... 1~8 Preferred lower alkanolamines include, but are not limited to, monoethanolamine, monopropanolamine, diethanolamine, dipropanolamine, triethanolamine, tripropanolamine, and mixtures thereof.

[0082] Thickener In a preferred embodiment, the sprayable cleaning composition can optionally include a thickening agent. If included in the sprayable cleaning composition, the thickening agent is preferably at a low concentration to avoid some of the processing and manufacturing difficulties that may arise from the use of certain thickening agents. If included, the thickening agent is preferably about 0.01% to about 10% by weight, more preferably about 0.1% to about 7% by weight, and most preferably about 0.5% to about 5% by weight.

[0083] Preferred thickeners include, but are not limited to, small amounts of xanthan gum and / or other additional polymers as thickeners or viscosity agents.Various well-known organic thickener materials are known in the art.In alternative embodiments according to the present invention where low levels of thickeners are used in combination with alkali-soluble emulsion polymers, natural polymers or gums derived from plant or animal sources are preferred.Such materials are often large polysaccharide molecules with significant thickening capacity.

[0084] Substantially soluble organic thickeners can be used to provide thixotropy to the compositions of the present invention.Preferred thickeners have some significant proportion of water solubility to facilitate easy removal.Examples of soluble organic thickeners include, for example, carboxylated vinyl polymers such as polyacrylic acid and its sodium salt, boric acid, diethanolamide, coco diethanolamide, coco monoethanolamide, stearic acid diethanolamide, ethoxylated cellulose, hydroxyethyl styrylamide, oleic acid diethanolamide, stearic acid monoethanolamide, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, polyacrylamide thickeners, ethanol glycol distearate, xanthan compositions, sodium alginate and alginate products, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, and other similar aqueous thickeners that have a significant proportion of water solubility.

[0085] Exemplary thickening agents include xanthan gum derivatives. Xanthan is an extracellular polysaccharide of Xanthomonas campestras. Xanthan is made by fermentation based on corn sugar or other corn sweetener by-products. Xanthan contains a poly beta-(1→4)-D-glucopyranosyl backbone chain similar to that found in cellulose. Aqueous dispersions of xanthan gum and its derivatives exhibit novel and remarkable rheological properties. Low concentrations of the gum have relatively high viscosities, allowing for economical use and application. Xanthan gum solutions exhibit high pseudoplasticity, i.e., rapid shear thinning, generally understood to be instantly reversible, occurs over a wide range of concentrations. Non-shear materials have viscosities that are considered pH-independent and temperature-independent over a wide range. Preferred xanthan materials include crosslinked xanthan materials. Xanthan polymers can be crosslinked with a variety of known covalent reactive crosslinkers that are reactive with the hydroxyl functional groups of the larger polysaccharide molecules, and can also be crosslinked using divalent, trivalent, or multivalent metal ions. Such cross-linked xanthan gels are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,782,901, which is incorporated herein by reference. Suitable cross-linking agents for xanthan materials include Al +3 , Fe +3 , Sb +3 , Zr +4 , and other transition metals, etc. Known organic crosslinkers can also be used.

[0086] water The sprayable cleaning composition further comprises water. Any water source can be used, although distilled, deionized, or reverse osmosis water is preferred. If the water source is hard, it is preferred to also include a chelating or sequestering agent. Water is preferably added in an amount of about 50% to about 99% by weight of the sprayable cleaning composition, more preferably about 55% to about 98% by weight, and most preferably about 60% to about 98% by weight.

[0087] Further functional ingredients The components of the composition may be further combined with various functional components. In some embodiments, the composition comprising the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, the alkalinity source, the foaming agent, and the water constitutes a large amount, or even substantially all, of the total weight of the composition. For example, in some embodiments, little or no additional functional components are disposed therein. In other embodiments, one or more of the optional components described above, including but not limited to corrosion inhibitors, solvents, and / or thickeners, may be included in the sprayable cleaning composition.

[0088] In other embodiments, additional functional ingredients may be included in the composition. The functional ingredients provide the composition with desired properties and functionality. For the purposes of this application, the term "functional ingredient" includes materials that provide beneficial properties in a particular use when dispersed or dissolved in an aqueous use solution. Some specific examples of functional materials are discussed in more detail below, but the specific materials discussed are provided by way of example only, and a variety of other functional ingredients may be used. For example, many of the functional materials described below relate to materials used for hard surface cleaning. However, other embodiments may include functional ingredients for use in other applications.

[0089] In some embodiments, the compositions may include additional functional ingredients including, for example, solubility modifiers, stabilizers, sequestering and / or chelating agents, fragrances and / or dyes, hydrotropes or couplers, buffers, hard surface cleaning adjuncts, etc. Exemplary hard surface cleaning adjuncts may include suds boosters, suds suppressors (if needed), preservatives, antioxidants, pH adjusters, co-solvents, and other useful and well understood material adjuncts.

[0090] Sequestering Agents The cleaning composition may contain organic or inorganic sequestering agents or mixtures of sequestering agents.Organic sequestering agents such as sodium citrate, alkali metal salts of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), tetrasodium dicarboxymethylglutamate (GLDA), EDTA, alkali metal gluconates, polyelectrolytes such as polyacrylic acid, etc. may be used herein.Due to the compatibility of the sequestering agent with the formulation salt base, the most preferred sequestering agent is an organic sequestering agent such as sodium gluconate.

[0091] The present invention can also incorporate sequestrants containing materials such as complex phosphate sequestrants including sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and the like, and mixtures thereof. Sodium condensed phosphate hardness sequestrant component phosphates act as water softeners, detergents, and detergent builders. Alkali metal (M) linear and cyclic condensed phosphates have molar ratios of M2O:P2O5 of about 1:1 to 2:1 and above. Exemplary polyphosphates of this class are the preferred sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium metaphosphate, and the corresponding potassium salts of these phosphates, and mixtures thereof. The particle size of the phosphate is not critical, and any micronized or granular commercially available product can be used.

[0092] Dyes / Odors Various dyes, odorants, including fragrances, and other aesthetic enhancing agents may be included in the composition. Examples of suitable commercially available dyes include Direct Blue 86 (available from Mac Dye-Chem Industries, Ahmedabad, India), Fastusol Blue (available from Mobay Chemical Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA), Acid Orange 7 (available from American Cyanamid Company, Wayne, NJ), Basic Violet 10 and Sandolan Blue / Acid Blue 182 (available from Sandoz, Princeton, NJ), Acid Yellow 23 (available from Chemo GmbH, Regenstauf, Germany), Acid Yellow 17 (available from Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, MO), Sap Green and Metanil Yellow (available from Keystone Aniline and Chemical, Chicago, IL), Acid Blue 9 (available from Emerald Hilton Davis, LLC, Cincinnati, OH), Hisol Fast Red and Fluorescein (Capitol Color and Chemical Examples of suitable fluoride-soluble fluoride-soluble fluoride include, but are not limited to, fluoride fluoride 25 (available from Ciba Specialty Chemicals Corporation, Greenboro, NC), and Acid Green 25 (available from Ciba Specialty Chemicals Corporation, Greenboro, NC).

[0093] Examples of suitable fragrances or flavorings include, but are not limited to, terpenoids such as citronellol, aldehydes such as amylcinnamaldehyde, jasmines such as C1S-jasmine or jasmal, and vanillin.

[0094] Manufacturing method The cleaning composition according to the present invention can be made by mixing the components in the aqueous diluent using commonly available containers and mixing equipment. Advantageously, no special manufacturing equipment is required to produce the cleaning composition using the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. A preferred method for producing the cleaning composition of the present invention includes introducing the components into a stirred production vessel. In one embodiment, an amount of the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, the foaming agent, water, and then the alkaline component are mixed. In one embodiment, deionized water is used. If a conventional thickening agent such as xanthan gum is included, further processing steps may be required depending on the concentration of the further thickening agent. This further processing step may include processing through an inductor funnel or similar device to ensure proper dispersion of the thickening agent and minimize the formation of fish eyes.

[0095] Advantageously, the use of the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer to generate the cleaning composition solution does not require long, energy-intensive dissolution (or conversion of the polymer into solution) as a result of not significantly increasing the viscosity of the cleaning composition or exceeding the solubility limit of the cleaning composition. In one embodiment, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is easily mixed into the cleaning composition, resulting in a clear, low-viscosity solution. In one embodiment, the dissolution time is preferably less than 3 minutes for a homogeneous solution, compared to less than 10 minutes, or less than 5 minutes for a homogeneous solution, and 30 minutes to several hours for a conventional thickener such as xanthan gum. If a conventional thickener such as xanthan gum is included, additional processing time may be required depending on the concentration of the thickener added. This additional processing time is preferably less than about 1 hour, more preferably less than about 45 minutes, and most preferably about 30 minutes or less.

[0096] As a result of the rapid dissolution or conversion of the polymer into solution, highly concentrated cleaning compositions can be produced in large batch volumes in less than about one hour, compared to conventional reduced misting compositions that require about 8-24 hours or more. Additionally, the cleaning compositions can be produced using in-line mixing or on-site blending, providing significant manufacturing benefits not available with conventional reduced misting compositions. Such manufacturing benefits are particularly important as a variety of sprayable hard surface compositions that require reduced misting formulations and have short-term stability will benefit from the improved ease of manufacturing afforded by the method of producing the cleaning compositions of the present invention.

[0097] How to use The sprayable cleaning composition can be used to remove stubborn stains from various surfaces. For example, the sprayable composition can be used in institutional applications, food and beverage applications, health care applications, vehicle care applications, pest control applications, and laundry applications. Such applications include, but are not limited to, kitchen and bathroom cleaning and bleaching, general purpose cleaning and bleaching, surface cleaning and bleaching (especially hard surfaces), industrial or household cleaners, and antibacterial cleaning applications. Further applications can include, for example, laundry and textile cleaning and bleaching, carpet cleaning and bleaching, vehicle cleaning and bleaching, in-place cleaning, glass window cleaning, air freshener or fragrance, industrial or household cleaners, and antibacterial cleaning. Advantageously, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer-containing cleaning composition provides a rapid diffusion rate of active cleaning agent into the stain as a result of the thin liquid like viscosity of the cleaning composition according to the present invention.

[0098] Sprayable cleaning compositions can be used in any environment where it is desirable to reduce the amount of suspended particles of the composition during spray application.Without being limited to the mechanism of the present invention, in one embodiment, when the sprayable ready-to-use solution is dispensed, the solution has an increased median droplet size and reduces mist or aerosol.In one embodiment, the sprayable use solution produces little or no small particle aerosol.

[0099] The sprayable cleaning composition of the present invention can be used in a pump spray format using a pump spray head and a suitable container. The material is usually applied to hard surfaces that contain difficult soils, inorganic, organic, or mixed matrix. Such soils include baked-on or charred food residues. Other surfaces may contain soils that are derived from the substantially insoluble hardness components of tap water. The improved cleaning composition of the present invention quickly removes such soils because the cleaning agent has a unique combination of alkali-soluble emulsion polymers that can quickly remove soils but resists the formation of amounts of mist or aerosols that can cause respiratory discomfort during application.

[0100] The present cleaning composition may be a ready-to-use cleaning composition that can be applied with a temporary trigger sprayer. The ready-to-use composition does not need to be diluted before being applied to a surface. Examples of temporary trigger sprayers include stock temporary trigger sprayers (i.e., non-slow trigger sprayers) available from Calmar. Suitable commercially available temporary trigger sprayers include the Calmar Mixor HP1.66 output trigger sprayer. The alkali-soluble emulsion polymer of the cleaning composition increases the median particle size of the dispensed cleaning composition and reduces the inhalation of the use solution.

[0101] The cleaning composition may also be dispensed using a slow-trigger sprayer, such as those available from Calmar. A typical momentary trigger sprayer includes a discharge valve at the nozzle end of the discharge end of the discharge passage. A resilient member, such as a spring, holds the discharge valve in a closed position. When the fluid pressure in the discharge valve is greater than the force of the resilient member, the discharge valve opens and disperses the fluid. A typical discharge valve on a stock trigger sprayer is a throttle valve that allows the user to control the actuation speed of the trigger sprayer. The actuation speed of the discharge valve determines the flow rate, with higher speeds resulting in smaller droplets. A slow-trigger sprayer may contain a two-stage pressure-rise discharge valve assembly that adjusts the user's pump stroke speed and produces a well-defined particle size. In one example, a two-stage pressure-rise discharge valve may include a first valve with a high pressure threshold and a second valve with a lower pressure threshold, so that the discharge valve opens and closes at the beginning and end of the pumping process. Examples of slow-trigger sprayers are available from Calmar and are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,522,547 and 7,775,405, which are incorporated herein in their entirety.Slow-trigger sprayers can reduce the drift, mist and atomization of cleaning compositions, and reduce the amount of small droplets dispensed.The cleaning compositions containing surfactant systems can work synergistically with slow-trigger sprayers to increase droplet size significantly more than would be expected based on components alone.

[0102] When sprayed, cleaning compositions using alkali-soluble emulsion polymers have reduced misting and atomization. Reduced drift, misting, and atomization can be determined from the droplet size of the applied solution, and an increase in droplet size indicates reduced misting and atomization. Reduced inhalation can also be measured indirectly by reduced aerosol mass collection from bulk air sampling. Increasing droplet size also reduces inhalation of the used solution. Preferably, the median droplet size is about 10 microns or more, about 50 microns or more, about 70 microns or more, about 100 microns or more, about 150 microns or more, preferably about 200 microns or more. There are several methods for determining droplet size, including, but not limited to, adaptive high-speed cameras, laser diffraction, and phase Doppler particle analysis. Commercially available laser diffraction instruments include Spraytec available from Malvern and Helos available from Sympatec.

[0103] When sprayed, the cleaning composition using alkali-soluble emulsion polymer further provides a liquid solution with droplets large enough on the target surface to beneficially adhere to vertical surfaces for a period of time. The cleaning composition applied to a vertical surface usually runs down the surface due to gravity. The solution of the cleaning composition can beneficially adhere to the vertical surface for a long period of time. That is, even after a period of time, a larger amount of the current cleaning composition still remains on the vertical surface compared to a composition that does not include a surfactant system. This increased adhesion time allows the surface to be exposed to the cleaning composition for a longer period of time, potentially resulting in better cleaning. The cleaning composition can be easily removed by wiping.

[0104] The cleaning composition may also be dispensed using a pressurized aerosol or aerosol pump spray. In pressurized aerosol applications, the composition of the present invention is mixed with an aerosol propellant and packaged in a metal high-pressure container. Typical propellants include lower alkanes such as propane, butane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and various fluorocarbons. Pressurized aerosol containers usually include a spray head, a valve, and a dip tube that reach the opposite end of the container, ensuring that the entire contents of the container are dispensed by the action of the propellant. When the valve is opened (depressed down), the pressure of the propellant forces the liquid into the dip tube and through the aerosol spray head. At the spray head outlet, the shape of the aerosol valve creates a spray pattern that directs the material to the soiled surface. Aerosol containers, dip tubes, propellants, and spray valves are well understood commercial technologies. Pump spray devices usually consist of a container spray head valve pump and dip tube. When the pump is activated, a piston moves in a cylinder filled with the composition of the present invention. The movement of the piston forces the composition through the aerosol valve, and the spray deposits on the soiled surface. Once the piston has reached its full travel, it is returned to its original position by spring action, allowing an additional amount of spray material to be charged into the cylinder through the valve opening. When the piston is pushed again through the cylinder, the valve closes, preventing the solution from flowing out of the cylinder. Pump spraying can deliver a significant amount of material to the soiled surface.

[0105] All publications and patent applications in this specification are indicative of the level of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. All publications and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. EXAMPLES

[0106] Preferred embodiments of the present invention described herein are illustrated in the following non-limiting examples. These examples, while showing specific embodiments of the present invention, should be understood to be given by way of illustration only and are non-limiting. From the above description and these examples, one skilled in the art can ascertain the essential features of the present invention, and can make various changes and modifications to the embodiments of the present invention to adapt it to various applications and conditions without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, in addition to those shown and described herein, various modifications of the embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

[0107] Example 1 Spray test. The spray pattern test was designed to visually evaluate the suitability of the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer for formulating alkaline cleaning compositions with reduced misting for spray applications, compared to a control (heavy duty degreaser without alkali-soluble emulsion polymer). The various formulations are shown in Table 2 below. [Table 2]

[0108] Each sample was sprayed using the same spray head (a temporary trigger sprayer available from Calmar (Calmar Mixor HP1.66 Power Trigger Sprayer)). All sprays were made from a distance of 14 inches from the paper target. Spraying was initiated parallel to the horizontal relative to the bench surface and 2-3 spray trigger pulls were completed with image capture for observations obtained 5 seconds after spraying. The results of the spray pattern testing are shown in Figure 1. Observations for each cleaning composition were observed as follows:

[0109] The control sample produced a very fine spray and high mist with very small droplets, the droplet spray spread across the entire sheet, the very fine mist / spray had a broad spray pattern and significant respiratory irritation as a result of inhalation.

[0110] Formulation A produced a uniform spray with large droplet size, with most of the spray localized in the center. This formulation produced the least number of small spray droplets across the sheet. Thus, comparing Formulation A with the control, the addition of alkali-soluble emulsion polymer helps reduce the misting or amount of suspended particulate matter of the composition during spray application, thereby reducing respiration of the cleaning composition.

[0111] Example 2 TSI OPS Particle Size Test. Particle size analysis of cleaning composition solutions containing alkali-soluble emulsion polymers was performed against control compositions. Particle micron size to confirm reduced inhalation was performed using TSI particle analysis.

[0112] The control formulations were evaluated against compositions containing alkali-soluble emulsion polymers according to the invention on a TSI OPS (Optical Particle Sizer) particle size analyzer to determine the mass and number count of the spray mist for each formulation sample after being sprayed in a shower stall. The following test method used a TSI OPS device equipped with Aerosol Instrument Manager (AIM) software.

[0113] The OPS is connected to a power source and computer. The OPS is capped to allow air to pass through the inlet at a rate of 1 L / min and placed within the "breathing zone" of the shower stall. As referred to herein, the breathing zone refers to the area where the mist returns to the user spraying the cleaning formulation for a particular cleaning application after contacting the surface requiring cleaning. To simulate the breathing zone, a bucket was placed on a cart and the OPS was raised to an appropriate height and positioned to mimic the administration height of an average adult administering the cleaning composition into a shower stall. In the testing of this example, the "breathing zone" for the exemplary test was established as approximately 55 inches high and 37.5 inches from the shower wall to the location of the OPS device. Supplementary dimensions of the shower stall included 54 inches from floor to spray nozzle, 55 inches from floor to air inlet, 80 inches from floor to top of curtain, and 58 inches wide (shower stall). The shower stall walls are thoroughly wetted with water. An initial measurement of the air is taken and recorded before testing the sample.

[0114] A Calmar Mixor HP trigger sprayer was used for each sample formulation and sprayed before each test to ensure priming. The shower stall walls were thoroughly wetted again with water before applying the sample formulation. While the sample formulation was being sprayed into the shower stall, the OPS was turned on and data collection began. Each sample formulation was sprayed 40 times around the shower stall while the OPS collected data for the sample formulation. During testing, prevent drafts to prevent particles from dispersing from the test area and interfering with sample collection. For each sample formulation, data collection was obtained five times and the highest particle count was used as the data point for the sample formulation.

[0115] After each sample formulation is tested, air the shower stall by using a fan or opening the door to the area to air out any particles previously sprayed with the sample formulation. The remaining sample formulations are tested using the same procedure.

[0116] Various formulations were used to evaluate the stability of various cleaning composition solutions containing the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer in an alkaline composition to ensure that the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer does not degrade during storage and / or shipping.

[0117] Samples of each test formulation, including the control and Formulation A, were generated as shown in Table 2 of Example 1 above. The results are shown in Figure 2, which provides measurements of the total number of particles in the breathing zone (0.3-10 micron misted particle analysis) and the total concentration of undesirable micron-sized mist generated by the tested formulations according to the following examples. As shown in Figure 3, Formulation A was further aged at various temperatures to measure the total particle count and stability of the composition after 12 weeks at various temperatures (room temperature, 40°C, and 50°C).

[0118] The figure shows that the addition of the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer reduced the number of undesirable small particle sizes compared to the control composition without the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows that the composition containing the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer remained stable at low particle size over 12 weeks of storage at various temperatures. Beneficially, the data shows that the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is a highly effective rheology modifier as it significantly reduces misting or return particles in the range of 0.3 to 10 microns. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the formulations of the present application showed excellent stability after 12 weeks at elevated temperatures.

[0119] Example 3 Gardner Abrasion Test. The amount of stain removal / cleaning effectiveness was evaluated for the compositions of the present application in comparison to the control formulation. The compositions tested included the control formulation from Example 2, as well as the control formulation + 750 ppm of alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, and the control formulation + 1000 ppm of alkali-soluble emulsion polymer.

[0120] Red and black stain tests were conducted to evaluate the amount of stain removal achieved by the cleaning composition containing the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. Black oily stain (hereinafter "black stain") contains carbon-based components to mimic the stains commonly found on floors and hard surfaces in various environments. Red stain (hereinafter "red stain") contains edible fats and proteins to mimic the food stains commonly found in food preparation and eating areas. Cleaning efficiency is determined by calculating the change in reflectance from the colorimeter readings.

[0121] The red stain was prepared from lard, oil, protein, and iron(III) oxide (for coloring): Approximately 30 grams of lard was mixed with approximately 30 grams of corn oil, approximately 15 grams of powdered whole egg, and approximately 1.5 grams of Fe2O3.

[0122] The black stain was prepared with about 50 grams of mineral spirits, about 5 grams of mineral oil, about 5 grams of motor oil, about 2.5 grams of the black pigment dispersion, and about 37.5 grams of Black Charm Ball Clay.

[0123] Tiles stained with red stain were prepared, and tiles stained with black stain were also prepared. The back grooved surface of several 3"x3" white vinyl tiles were stained with approximately 0.75 grams of the stain using a 3" sponge brush. The tiles were allowed to dry overnight at room temperature. In the case of the red stain, this incubation period appears to have caused the bonds holding the triglycerides and proteins together in the stain to crystallize and begin to interconnect. The next day, the tiles were placed in a dip tray containing approximately 200 grams of the test composition for approximately 1 minute for the red stain and approximately 2 minutes for the black stain.

[0124] The stain removal test was performed using a Gardco Cleanability Tester Model D10V available from Paul N. Gardner Company Inc., using a synthetic sponge. The dry synthetic sponge was saturated with approximately 80 grams of the test composition. The tiles were placed in a Gardco tray with the tile's texture parallel to the direction of sponge movement. The tiles were scrubbed with the damp synthetic sponge at approximately 2 pounds of pressure for 16 cycles, rotating the tile 90 degrees every 4 cycles to allow a full 360 degree rotation for red stained tiles, and for black stained tiles, rotating the tile 90 degrees every 10 cycles to allow a full 360 degree rotation, and scrubbing for 40 cycles. The tiles were then rinsed with tap water and allowed to dry overnight at room temperature. The percent reflectance change for stain removal was calculated according to the following formula:

number

[0125] The results of the red and black stain tests at room temperature are shown in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 4, the compositions of the present application showed equal or superior cleaning effectiveness on both red and black stains compared to the control formulation that did not contain the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. The results indicate that the inclusion of the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer does not interfere with stain removal and that the chemicals can still migrate to the surface and act effectively.

[0126] Example 4 Corn Oil Removal Test Method. The speed of soil removal / cleaning effectiveness was evaluated using the polymerized grease soil test, specifically the corn oil removal test method. This test was conducted to demonstrate the increased soil attack speed achieved by compositions containing alkaline components. The speed of cleaning indicates the ability of the cleaning composition to penetrate polymerized soils via relative soil removal over a set time period.

[0127] procedure: Panel preparation 1. A 3"x5" panel of 304 stainless steel was prepared for testing using the following procedure. 2. A clean polyurethane foam sponge was coated with corn oil (0.12 g). 3. Preheat oven to 362°F for at least 30 minutes. 4. Place the soiled panel as horizontally as possible in an aluminum pan on the center rack of a preheated oven for 25 minutes, rotating the panel once at 10, 15, and 20 minutes and removing it after 25 minutes. 5. Remove the plate of polymerized stain and allow to cool to room temperature. 6. Place the panel with the polymerized soil on a flat surface and add 6-7 drops of the test formulation and record the time it takes to completely remove the polymerized soil.

[0128] The test compositions evaluated included the control formulation from Example 2, as well as the control formulation + 750 ppm alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, and the control formulation + 1000 ppm alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. The results of the corn oil removal test method after 60 seconds are shown in FIG.

[0129] As shown in Figure 5, both the control and control + alkali-soluble emulsion polymer compositions are able to effectively penetrate and remove the stain after 60 seconds. These results indicate that the addition of the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer not only results in smaller particle size and mist, but the composition containing the polymer also maintains effective stain removal.

[0130] Example 5 Using foam stability cylinder rotating device, evaluate the foam stability of various cleaning compositions in the presence of soil.This test is carried out to determine the effect of the presence of soil on the foam stability of each detergent composition.The compositions tested include the control formulation from Example 2, as well as the control formulation + 750 ppm alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, and the control formulation + 1000 ppm alkali-soluble emulsion polymer.

[0131] procedure: 1.40 mL of the test formulation was added to a 250 mL graduated cylinder. The process was repeated for each formulation to be tested. 2. Allow all cylinders and test solutions to come to room temperature. This step is important because the warmer the solution, the higher the foam height will be. 3. The soil was liquefied by placing on a 200°F hot plate to produce a homogenous liquid. 4. All cylinders were stopped and placed into the foam cylinder device and tightened tightly. 5. The cylinder was rotated at 30 rpm for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, the initial foam height (mL of foam) was recorded by measuring the difference between the foam height and the liquid height. 6. Using a disposable pipette, two drops of the test soil were added dropwise to the center of the cylinder, being careful not to allow the soil to drip down the sides of the cylinder. 7. The cylinder was rotated at 30 rpm for 2 minutes and the foam height was recorded. Two more drops of test soil were added using a disposable pipette. After each soil addition, the cylinder was rotated at 30 rpm for 2 minutes and the foam height was measured.

[0132] The results of the foam stability test are shown in Figure 6. "Number of food soils added" corresponds to the number of drops of soil added during the test. As shown in the figure, the addition of the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer did not adversely affect the foam in the presence of the soil. In fact, as the number of food soils added increased, the formulations containing the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer showed superior foam stability compared to the control.

[0133] Example 6 Foam Behavior. Various cleaning compositions were further evaluated to monitor the foam behavior of the compositions on a vertical surface. The compositions evaluated included the control formulation from Example 2, as well as the control formulation + 750 ppm of alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, and the control formulation + 1000 ppm of alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. Each test product was sprayed on a polymerized corn oil coupon at room temperature in three sprays. The initial foam behavior was visually monitored, and a photograph of each test composition was taken 5 seconds after spraying for visual observation. The images are shown in Figures 7A, 7B, and 7C.

[0134] As shown in Figures 7A-7C, the foam behavior of the composition of the present application showed complete coverage of the surface with a thickness suitable for beneficially achieving vertical adhesion to the vertical surface. Even after 5 seconds, the current cleaning agent remains on the vertical surface. These results indicate that the addition of an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer maintains good foam behavior on vertical surfaces.

[0135] Example 7 The inclusion of alternative polymers in the compositions of the present application instead of the alkali-soluble emulsion polymers of the present application was evaluated. Alternative polymers such as hydrophobically modified alkali-soluble emulsion polymers (HASE) and hydrophobically modified ethoxylated urethane polymers (HEUR) were evaluated. Examples of HASE polymers include polymers such as Acusol 805S, Acusol 820, and Acusol 823. Examples of HEUR polymers include polymers such as Acusol 880. Alternative polymers were added to the control formulation as shown in Example 2. The results are shown in Table 3, observing the compatibility of the polymer inclusion and the spray pattern of the polymer. [Table 3]

[0136] The results in Table 3 show that, compared to the alkali-soluble emulsion polymers of the present application, other types of polymers, including HASE and HEUR polymers, were not compatible for inclusion in alkaline-based heavy-duty degreaser compositions. Furthermore, ACUSOL™ 830 is only stable in pH environments between 6.5 and 12.5. The sprayable cleaning composition embodiment in this example was prepared at a pH of about 13.5, and ACUSOL™ 830 had stability issues. However, in a slightly less alkaline formulation, this alkali-soluble polymer is expected to be suitable for sprayable cleaning compositions. Despite this, other alkali-soluble emulsion polymers have shown compatibility for sprayable cleaning compositions. Thus, the inclusion of the polymers of the present application shows excellent and unexpected benefits in both solubilization and mist reduction in heavy-duty degreaser compositions, resulting in beneficial properties for use as sprayable alkaline compositions.

[0137] Example 8 Conductivity testing was performed to confirm the emulsion nature (i.e., aqueous emulsion, not inverse emulsion) of the alkali soluble emulsion polymers. ACUSOL™ 810A was compared to a known inverse emulsion polymer (Nalco 625). The conductivity of Nalco 625 and ACUSOL™ 810A was measured using a Thermo Scientific Orion Star A215 benchtop pH / conductivity meter. Readings were completed at room temperature. The electrodes were prepared according to the manual. The sensor was rinsed with distilled water, gently blotted with lint-free tissue to remove excess water, and placed in the sample. Measurements were taken when the reading water was stable. Results are shown in Table 4. [Table 4]

[0138] The results show that ACUSOL™ 810A is an oil-in-water emulsion and not an inverse emulsion like Nalco 625 due to the high conductivity of the ACUSOL™ 810A emulsion solution.

[0139] The invention being thus described, it will be apparent that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as departures from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. 1. A sprayable cleaning composition, said composition comprising: 0.0035% to 1% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, wherein the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is in an emulsion having an aqueous continuous phase, the continuous phase being water or a water-miscible liquid, and the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is stable at a pH of at least 10; an alkalinity source, the alkalinity source being at a concentration sufficient to neutralize the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer; 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. % of a foaming agent, based on the total weight of the composition, wherein the foaming agent comprises an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, or a combination thereof, and the composition is free of a cationic surfactant; and water, 1. A sprayable cleaning composition, wherein the sprayable cleaning composition reduces the formation of airborne aerosol particles less than 10 microns in size when sprayed, and wherein a use solution of the composition has a shear viscosity of 1 to 500 cPs.

2. The alkali-soluble emulsion polymer has the following structure: 【Chemistry 1】 10. The sprayable cleaning composition of claim 1, wherein x is from 1 to 10,000, y is from 1 to 10,000, R comprises hydrogen or an alkyl group, and R I comprises hydrogen or an alkyl group.

3. The composition described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the alkalinity source comprises an alkali metal hydroxide, and the alkalinity source has a concentration of 0.1% to 15% by weight based on the total weight of the composition.

4. A composition described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the foaming agent comprises a betaine, a sultaine, an amine oxide, an alkyl polyglucoside, a sulfated anionic surfactant, a sulfonated anionic surfactant, or a mixture thereof.

5. A composition described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the composition has a pH of 12 to 14.

6. A composition described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the composition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor at a concentration of 0.01 wt% to 5 wt% based on the total weight of the composition.

7. The composition of claim 6, wherein the corrosion inhibitor comprises sodium gluconate, sodium glucoheptonate, and mixtures thereof.

8. A composition described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the composition further comprises a solvent at a concentration of 0.01% by weight to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the composition.

9. The composition of claim 8, wherein the solvent comprises a hydroxy-substituted organic solvent selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, propylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol ethyl ether, propylene glycol propyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol methyl ether, ethyl glycol butyl ether, diethylene glycol butyl ether, and monoethanolamine, monopropanolamine, diethanolamine, dipropanolamine, triethanolamine, tripropanolamine, and mixtures thereof.

10. A composition described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the composition further comprises a thickener at a concentration of 0.01% to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the composition.

11. The composition described in claim 10, wherein the thickener comprises xanthan gum, and the xanthan gum is at a concentration of 0.01% to 5% by weight based on the total weight of the composition.

12. The composition of claim 1, wherein the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is not hydrophobically modified.

13. A system for applying a reduced-mist sprayable cleaning composition, comprising: (a) a sprayer including a spray head connected to a spray bottle; (b) the sprayable cleaning composition of any one of claims 1 to 12 contained in the spray bottle, wherein the spray head is adapted to dispense the composition.

14. A method for producing a sprayable cleaning composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12, the method comprising combining the alkalinity source, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, the foaming agent, and water in-line or in situ, the method requiring less than 10 minutes to dissolve and form a homogeneous solution.

15. A method for cleaning a hard surface, comprising: (a) contacting a soiled surface with the sprayable cleaning composition of any one of claims 1 to 12 by spraying; (b) wiping said hard surface to remove film and / or any dirt.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the median particle size of the sprayed composition is 10 microns or greater.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the median particle size reduces inhalation.

18. A method described in any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the contacting step uses a trigger sprayer.

19. A method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the total concentration of mist produced by the cleaning composition having a size of 10 microns or less as measured by an optical particle sizer is 60 particles / cm3 or less within the breathing zone of a user when measured as a total number of particles per cm3.

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