Highly alkaline solvent-based degreasers and cleaners using diutan gum as the primary thickening system

Abstract

To provide a cleaning and degreasing composition including a diutan gum thickening agent, for removing scorched, polymerized and carbonized food stain with minimum manual effort.SOLUTION: The composition is a readily usable one and beneficially remains on a treated surface for a period of time sufficient to penetrate stain without drying. The composition can easily be removed with minimum manual effort such as use of low-pressure water applied to the treated surface, and beneficially does not leave residues. Methods for cleaning and degreasing a surface with the composition are also provided. Thickening systems employing the diutan gum and laponite clay are also provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Provisional Application No. 62 / 906,216, filed September 26, 2019, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates to cleaning and degreasing compositions comprising diutan gum thickener suitable for removing burnt, polymerized and carbonized food stains with minimal manual effort. The compositions described herein include ready-to-use compositions that do not require dilution or combination with other products. The compositions remain on surfaces as a result of their long adhesion time and are able to penetrate the stains without drying out over time. The compositions are easily removable with minimal manual effort, such as using low pressure water applied to the treated surface, and beneficially do not leave behind any residue. Methods of cleaning and degreasing surfaces with the compositions are also provided. A thickening system using diutan gum and silicate clay to overcome the limitations of conventional thickeners is also provided. [Background technology]

[0003] Polymerized burnt stains are difficult to remove, and this has become an increasing challenge in kitchens and other food preparation and processing facilities as a result of the increased use of non-trans fats (i.e., zero trans fats). Trans fats are defined as unsaturated fats that contain trans-isomer fatty acids.

[0004] Zero trans fat foods are defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in regulation 21 CFR 101.9(c)(2)(ii) as "foods containing less than 0.5 grams of total fat per serving." The increased use of zero trans fats in foods poses a challenge for the food industry because food processing equipment and / or environmental surfaces become contaminated with polymerized zero trans fat stains that are very difficult to clean. This is because zero trans fats are less stable than trans fats and saturated fats and are more prone to decomposition and polymerization. When these zero trans fats are left on room temperature or cold surfaces for extended periods of time and polymerize on the surface, they are very difficult to remove. Furthermore, the longer the zero trans fat stains are left to polymerize on a surface, the more difficult it becomes to remove the stain from that surface.

[0005] Surfaces requiring removal of polymerized stains may be surfaces in direct contact with food processing. Additional surfaces may become stained with zero trans fat as a result of the mist of zero trans fat released from the hot zero trans fat source. The misting of fat onto surrounding surfaces also causes these surfaces to conglomerate and polymerize over time. Also, areas where cooking occurs may concentrate the stains; that is, the zero trans fat may be baked onto cooking surfaces and then polymerize at an increased rate compared to cooler surfaces, resulting in stains that are more difficult to remove.

[0006] As an additional challenge to stain removal, zero trans fats typically bind with other food ingredients such as proteins, carbohydrates, and other fats. These also bind with the polymerized zero trans fats, resulting in difficult to remove stains and residues. Examples include frying and baking operations that use large amounts of zero trans fats and may frequently pump zero trans fats into tanks, lines, pumps, and other processing equipment that must be cleaned regularly. Cleaning such systems and equipment may take a significant amount of time as polymerization between cleanings makes the stains difficult to remove. Additionally, some operations may take a significant amount of time between cleanings, as required by certain manufacturing processes. Some applications may go days, weeks, or even months between thorough cleanings, resulting in zero trans fat contamination collecting to form polymerized zero trans fat stains that are very difficult to remove. Because such stains are so difficult to remove, in some cases it may be less expensive (and more timely) to simply replace the equipment rather than expend the manual and / or mechanical labor required to properly clean various surfaces.

[0007] To effectively penetrate and remove these types of soils, thickening compositions are required. Various thickening systems and compositions have been attempted using various materials, including, for example, polysaccharide thickeners, cellulose thickeners, and polycarboxylate thickeners. Those skilled in the art understand the need to successfully produce thickening materials that can maintain effective concentrations of active cleaning agents on target soils on vertical or inclined surfaces for extended periods of time. Such thickened cleaners must contain cooperating ingredients when manufactured that can remove soils that are resistant to conventional cleaners with short residence times. There is a critical need for thickened aqueous cleaners for degreasing applications that may be in domestic, institutional, and industrial food preparation environments. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide cleaning and degreasing compositions that include a thickening system to provide a desired viscosity.

[0009] It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide cleaning and degreasing compositions and methods suitable for removing difficult to remove soils, including soils that require long normal deposition times.

[0010] Another object of this disclosure is to formulate a thickening system that is temperature and alkaline stable, which can be included in a variety of compositions to provide the desired viscosity.

[0011] Other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the following disclosure, drawings, and appended claims. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In one embodiment, the cleaning and degreasing composition comprises diutan gum, optionally a silicate clay, at least one hydroxide alkalinity source, a solvent, and a surfactant cleaning agent, the composition having a pH greater than 7 and a viscosity of about 10-150 dynes / cm. 2In any of the embodiments, the composition is a gel. In any of the embodiments, the diutan gum is a long chain polysaccharide, the hydroxide alkalinity source is one or more alkali metal hydroxides, the solvent is an alcohol and / or an alkanolamine, and / or the surfactant detergent is an alkyl polyglycoside. In exemplary embodiments, the hydroxide alkalinity source comprises about 5% to about 50% by weight of the composition, or about 20% to about 50% by weight of the composition, wherein the diutan gum comprises about 0.01% to about 1% by weight of the composition, or about 0.1% to about 1% by weight of the composition, wherein the silicate clay comprises about 0.1% to about 2% by weight of the composition, or about 0.1% to about 0.5% by weight of the composition, wherein the surfactant detergent comprises about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of the composition, or about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of the composition, and wherein the solvent comprises about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of the composition, or about 1% to about 20% by weight of the composition. In any embodiment, at least one additional functional ingredient can be included. In some embodiments, the compositions are shelf stable at room temperature for extended periods of time, as determined by less than a 10% loss in viscosity over 8 weeks at 40°C.

[0013] In one embodiment, a method of cleaning and degreasing a surface comprises contacting a surface in need of soil removal with the cleaning and degreasing composition described herein to remove soil from the surface.

[0014] Another object of this disclosure is to formulate a thickening system comprising diutan gum and silicate clay.

[0015] 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. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a graph of viscosity measurements of diutan gum in an alkaline cleaning and degreasing composition at room temperature and elevated temperatures to demonstrate the stability of diutan gum. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows a graph of viscosity measurements of xanthan gum in an alkaline cleaning and degreasing composition at room and elevated temperatures to demonstrate the stability of xanthan gum. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 shows a graph of the vertical deposition rating of various thickening systems. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a graph of vertical deposit evaluation of diutan gum and xanthan gum thickening systems using aged formulations to demonstrate the effect of stability on vertical deposit performance. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 shows a graph of performance testing using a soak test of various cleaning and degreasing compositions evaluated herein using a thickening system. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows a graph of the vibration amplitude sweep test to determine the yield point of the solutions evaluated in the examples below. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 shows a graph of a viscometric test evaluating the viscosity versus shear rate of a diutan gum thickening system. [Figure 8A] FIG. 8A shows an exemplary structure of a thickening polymer, depicting an acrylic copolymer structure (ASE polymer). [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B shows an exemplary structure of a thickening polymer, showing an acrylic polymer structure (HASE polymer). [Figure 8C] FIG. 8C shows an exemplary structure of a thickening polymer, showing a polyethylene glycol copolymer structure (HEUR polymer). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several views. Reference to the various embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The figures shown herein are presented for representative illustration of the invention, not as a limitation on the various embodiments according to the invention.

[0018] The present embodiments are not limited to a particular cleaning and degreasing composition or composition using a thickening system, which may vary and are understood by those skilled in the art. Surprisingly, it has been found that a thickening system comprising diutan gum and silicate clay can be formulated into a ready-to-use shelf-stable highly alkaline cleaning composition.

[0019] It should be further understood that all terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting in any respect or scope. For example, when used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" may include plural referents unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, all units, prefixes and symbols may be expressed in their SI recognized format. Numerical ranges recited within this specification include numbers within the defined range. Throughout this disclosure, various aspects are presented in 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 and individual numerical values ​​within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, and 5).

[0020] In order to make the present invention easier to understand, certain terms are defined first.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.Although many methods and materials similar to, modified or equivalent to those described herein can be used to practice the present invention without undue experimentation, preferred materials and methods are described herein.In describing and claiming the embodiments, the following terminology is used according to the definitions described below.

[0021] The term "about" as used herein refers to variations in numerical quantities that may occur, for example, due to common measuring and liquid handling procedures used to make concentrates or use solutions in the real world, inadvertent errors in these procedures, differences in manufacture, source, or purity of ingredients used to make the composition or carry out the method, etc. The term "about" also encompasses amounts that differ due to different equilibrium conditions for a composition resulting from a particular initial mixture. The claims include equivalents to amounts, whether or not modified by the term "about."

[0022] The terms "active" or "percent active" or "weight percent active" or "active concentration" are used interchangeably herein and refer to the concentration of those ingredients participating in cleaning expressed as a percentage minus inactive ingredients such as water or salt.

[0023] As used herein, the term "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 must 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. In one embodiment, the composition and thickening system does not include an added thickener.

[0024] The terms "comprises" and "comprising," when used in reference to a list of materials, refer to, but are not limited to, the materials so listed.

[0025] The term "pseudoplastic" when referring to fluids, such as the solutions and compositions described herein, has a viscosity that decreases as the shear rate increases.

[0026] The term "surfactant" or "surface active agent" refers to an organic compound that, when added to a liquid, changes the properties of the liquid at a surface.

[0027] The term "yield point" refers to the stress that must be applied to a fluid, such as the solutions and compositions described herein, before it begins to flow. In other words, the yield point is the initial resistance to flow under stress. With sufficient yield value, a gelled liquid will not drip or run down a vertical surface. Yield Point (dynes / cm 2 There are various methods available for measuring the modulus of elasticity (G') and the modulus of viscosity (G''). In the method described herein, the yield point is measured using an oscillatory amplitude sweep test in which an oscillatory stress or strain is increased and the corresponding changes in the modulus of elasticity (G') and the modulus of viscosity (G'') are monitored. G' represents the modulus of elasticity and reflects the elastic behavior of the material as it is deformed. G'' represents the modulus of viscosity and reflects the flow of the material during deformation. The intersection point of G' / G'' represents the transition from solid to liquid and is therefore the yield point. The term "viscosity" refers to the viscosity of the cleaning and degreasing compositions described herein as a result of the internal friction of the formulation. Viscosity is a measurement of the resistance of a fluid to deformation under shear stress and can be measured by conventional standard methods including a Brookfield Viscometer, DV-II spindle 2, 30 rpm, 20°C (about 68°F).

[0028] 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.

[0029] The methods and compositions may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the components and ingredients described herein, as well as other ingredients. 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.

[0030] Thickening Composition According to some embodiments, thickening compositions suitable for use in various formulated compositions are disclosed. Exemplary thickening compositions are shown in Table 1 by weight percent. [Table 1]

[0031] An exemplary thickening composition is a powder composition. The composition remains a powder until hydrated with water or a water-miscible solvent in the composition that requires thickening. An exemplary additional functional ingredient for inclusion in the thickening composition is a preservative system.

[0032] In some embodiments, the thickening system is suitable for adding to cleaning compositions that need to form a stable gel composition. Advantageously, the thickening system provides the composition with the desired viscosity upon hydration, without the need to add additional traditional gelling agents and / or viscosity modifiers. The thickening system can be applied to a variety of compositions, preferably those that require storage stability under alkaline conditions. However, in other embodiments, the thickening system can also be applied to thickening acidic systems.

[0033] In one embodiment, the thickening system does not include traditional polysaccharide thickeners (ie, non-diutan gum polysaccharides), cellulosic thickeners, and / or polycarboxylate thickeners.

[0034] Cleaning and degreasing compositions In some embodiments, the cleaning and degreasing compositions include a diutan gum thickener in combination with silicate clay, hydroxide alkalinity, surfactants, solvents, and other additional functional ingredients. The cleaning and degreasing compositions are beneficially provided as ready-to-use (RTU) compositions. These compositions offer formulation advantages since they can be applied to a surface and provide a thickened gel composition with the required contact time to remove difficult soils, such as burnt and polymerized soils, while not requiring dilution. Exemplary cleaning and degreasing compositions are shown in weight percent in Tables 2A-2B. [Table 2] [Table 3]

[0035] According to some embodiments, the cleaning and degreasing composition is ready to use and has a viscosity of about 10-150 dynes / cm 2The composition is a gel, which is a more viscous liquid with a yield point, but one skilled in the art can refer to the composition as either a liquid or a gel with the above yield point. Advantageously, the gel composition increases contact time on surfaces, including vertical surfaces, where traditional liquids and foams cannot retain sufficient contact time to remove difficult stains. Gels provide increased (i.e., longer) contact time due to the viscosity of the composition.

[0036] According to some embodiments, the cleaning and degreasing composition is a phase stable gel. As referred to herein, phase stability is measured by a uniform suspension of the silica clay and other components of the cleaning and degreasing composition. The composition remains in suspension without phase separation.

[0037] According to some embodiments, the cleaning and degreasing compositions are shelf stable (i.e., stable compositions). Shelf stability is defined herein as no more than 10% change in viscosity over 8 weeks in storage at 40° C. Storage stability measurements indicate one year of storage stability. The cleaning and degreasing compositions are storable at room temperature and elevated temperatures that may be encountered, for example, in storage, shipping and use applications.

[0038] The cleaning and degreasing compositions have a pH of greater than about 7 to about 14. As shown in the examples provided herein, the inability to thicken and stabilize highly alkaline compositions with xanthan gum-based systems is unexpected since these are known to be the most alkaline stable thickening systems. Diutan gum

[0039] The thickening system and cleaning and degreasing composition includes a diutan gum thickener. Advantageously, diutan gum is used to suspend materials in the cleaning and degreasing composition that would not otherwise dissolve in the highly alkaline composition. As referred to herein, diutan gum is a long chain polysaccharide. Diutan gum is a water soluble biopolymer. Preferred diutan gums have high molecular weight polysaccharides, including high molecular weight natural microbial polysaccharides. In one embodiment, the molecular weight of diutan gum is about 2.5-5.5×10 6 g / mol.

[0040] The structure of diutan gum is: [ka] In the formula, R is [ka] and n is an integer from 1 to 6000, or from 1500 to 6000, or from 1900 to 5800.

[0041] Diutan gum is water-inactivated or partially water-inactivated. Commercially available diutan gums include KELCO-CRETE80, KELCO-CRETE200, KOC617, KELCO-VIS DG, and DG-F diutan gums from CP Kelco US Inc. An exemplary commercially available diutan gum is a natural high molecular weight microbial polysaccharide secreted by bacteria of the genus Sphingomonas. It is an anionic biopolymer and is composed of repeating units of b-1,3-d-glucopyranosyl, b-1,4-d-glucuronopyranosyl, b-1,4-d-glucopyranosyl, and 1,4-l-rhamnopyranosyl, as well as L-rhamnopyranosyl side chains of disaccharides attached to (1→4) linked glucopyranosyl residues. In some embodiments, the diutan gum is a powder.

[0042] Advantageously, diutan gum overcomes the compositional limitations of conventional xanthan gum. When diutan gum is included in a highly alkaline composition, it provides a stable composition. As shown in the examples described herein, in addition to thickening the system, stability is important. Conventional thickeners such as xanthan gum can thicken the composition, but such efficacy must be maintained for at least one year under storage conditions.

[0043] In some embodiments, diutan gum is included in the composition in an amount of at least about 0.01% to about 1%, about 0.1% to about 1%, about 0.1% to about 0.9%, about 0.1% to about 0.8%, about 0.1% to about 0.7%, about 0.1% to about 0.6%, or about 0.1% to about 0.5% by weight. Furthermore, without being limited in accordance with the present invention, all ranges recited are inclusive of the numbers defining the range and include each integer within the defined range.

[0044] Silicate Clay The thickening system and the cleaning and degreasing composition optionally include silicate clay, either natural or synthetic. In a preferred embodiment, the thickening system and the cleaning and degreasing composition include silicate clay. Advantageously, the silicate clay is suspended in the diutan gum in the cleaning and degreasing composition to provide a phase-stable composition with a desired viscosity. The silicate clay is particularly useful for enhancing the vertical adhesion properties of the cleaning and disinfecting composition. Commercially available silicate clays include those sold under the trade name LAPONITE by Southern Clay Products, Inc. and BYK Additives & Instruments.

[0045] In some embodiments, the silicate clay is included in the composition in an amount of at least about 0.1% to about 2%, about 0.1% to about 1%, about 0.1% to about 0.9%, about 0.1% to about 0.8%, about 0.1% to about 0.7%, about 0.1% to about 0.6%, or about 0.1% to about 0.5% by weight. Furthermore, without being limited in accordance with the present invention, all ranges recited are inclusive of the numbers defining the range and include each integer within the defined range.

[0046] Hydroxide Alkaline Source The cleaning and degreasing compositions include one or more hydroxide alkalinity sources. An effective amount of the one or more hydroxide alkalinity sources is provided to result in a composition having a pH of about 7 to about 14. In certain embodiments, the cleaning composition has a pH of about 7.5 to about 13.5. In certain embodiments, the cleaning composition has a pH of about 8 to about 13. This is particularly beneficial for obtaining a stable thickening system above the alkaline instability point of xanthan gum, about pH 12. Suitable hydroxide alkalinity sources include, for example, alkali metal hydroxides, such as sodium, lithium, or potassium hydroxide.

[0047] In some embodiments, the hydroxide alkalinity source is included in the composition in an amount of at least about 0.1% to about 50% by weight, about 1% to about 50% by weight, about 5% to about 50% by weight, about 10% to about 50% by weight, about 10% to about 50% by weight, or about 20% to about 50% by weight. Further, without being limited in accordance with the present invention, all ranges recited are inclusive of the numbers defining the range and include each integer within the defined range.

[0048] Diluent The cleaning and degreasing compositions provided as ready-to-use compositions include a diluent, such as water or a water-miscible solvent. In some embodiments, the diluent is included in the composition in an amount of at least about 0.1% to about 70% by weight, about 0.1% to about 60% by weight, about 1% to about 60% by weight, about 1% to about 50% by weight, about 10% to about 60% by weight, or about 10% to about 50% by weight. Furthermore, without being limited in accordance with the present invention, all ranges recited are inclusive of the numbers defining the range and include each integer within the defined range.

[0049] Surfactant Cleaning Agent The cleaning and degreasing composition comprises at least one surfactant cleaning agent. In one embodiment, the surfactant is any highly alkaline (i.e., pH of at least about 12) compatible surfactant, including, for example, nonionic, anionic, amphoteric and / or zwitterionic surfactants. In some embodiments, the surfactant is included in the composition in an amount of at least about 0.1% to about 20% by weight, about 0.1% to about 15% by weight, about 0.1% to about 10% by weight, about 1% to about 10% by weight, or about 1% to about 5% by weight. Furthermore, without being limited in accordance with the present invention, all ranges recited are inclusive of the numbers defining the range and include each integer within the defined range.

[0050] Nonionic Surfactants In one embodiment, the surfactant is a nonionic surfactant, i.e., a nonionic surfactant that has wetting and cleaning properties. A nonionic surfactant does not carry an isolated charge when dissolved in an aqueous medium. The hydrophilicity of a nonionic surfactant 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 bonded to the amine oxide (N→O). In general, the alkyl group may contain two lower (C1-4) alkyl groups bonded to one higher C6-24 alkyl group, or two higher alkyl groups bonded to one lower alkyl group. Furthermore, the lower alkyl group may include alkyl groups substituted with hydrophilic moieties such as hydroxyl groups, amine groups, carboxyl groups, and the like.

[0051] In one embodiment, the non-ionic surfactant is an alkyl polyglycoside.

[0052] Exemplary alkyl polyglycosides include, but are not limited to, alkyl polyglucosides and alkyl polypentosides. Alkyl polyglycosides are bio-based non-ionic surfactants that have wetting and cleaning properties and generally have a mixture conforming to the following structure: [ka] where R is an alkyl having 8 to 22 carbon atoms; R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 teeth, R 1 , R 2 , R 3, and R 4 --CH2CH(OH)CH2--R, provided that not all are H. 12 and H, R 12 is --OH, [ka] M is selected from the group consisting of Na, K and NH4, and [ka] wherein: R is an alkyl group having 8 to 22 carbon atoms; R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 and R 11 are independently --OH, [ka] and M is selected from the group consisting of Na, K, and NH4.

[0053] Commercially available alkyl polyglycosides may contain a blend of carbon lengths. Suitable alkyl polyglycosides include alkyl polyglycosides containing short carbon chains, such as chain lengths less than C12. In one example, suitable alkyl polyglycosides include C8-C10 alkyl polyglycosides and alkyl polyglycoside blends containing primarily C8-C10 alkyl polyglycosides. Suitable commercially available alkyl polyglycosides include Glucopon 425N, a mixture of C8-C10 and C10-C20 alkyl polyglycoside surfactants available from BASF Corporation. Amine oxides (tertiary amine oxides) have the same general formula: [ka] where the arrow is the conventional representation of a semi-polar bond and R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 R can be aliphatic, aromatic, heterocyclic, alicyclic, or a combination thereof. In general, for detergent amine oxides, R 1 is an alkyl radical of about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms; R 2 and R 3 is alkyl or hydroxyalkyl of 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or mixtures thereof; R 2 and R 3 may be linked together, for example, through an oxygen or nitrogen atom to form a ring structure, R 4 is an alkylene or hydroxyalkylene group containing 2 to 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] Anionic Surfactants In one embodiment, the surfactant is an anionic surfactant. Anionic sulfate surfactants suitable for use in the composition 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-C17 acyl-N-(C1-C4 alkyl) and N-(C1-C2 hydroxyalkyl) glucamine sulfates, and sulfates of alkyl polysaccharides such as sulfates of alkyl polyglucosides. Also included are alkyl sulfates, alkyl poly(ethyleneoxy) ether sulfates, and aromatic poly(ethyleneoxy) sulfates, such as sulfates or concentrated products of ethylene oxide and nonylphenol (usually having 1 to 6 oxyethylene groups per molecule).

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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, alkylaryl ethoxy carboxylates, alkyl polyethoxy polycarboxylate surfactants, and soaps (e.g., alkyl carboxyls). Secondary carboxylates useful in the present compositions include those that contain a carboxyl unit attached to a secondary carbon. The secondary carbon may be in the form of a ring structure, such as, for example, p-octyl benzoate, or alkyl substituted cyclohexyl carboxylates. Secondary carboxylate surfactants typically do not contain ether linkages, ester linkages, and hydroxyl groups. In addition, they usually lack a nitrogen atom in the head group (amphiphilic portion). Suitable secondary soap surfactants typically contain 11 to 13 total carbon atoms, although more carbon atoms (e.g., up to 16) may be present. Suitable carboxylates also include acyl amino acids (and salts), such as acyl glutamates, acyl peptides, sarcosinates (eg, N-acylsarcosinates), taurates (eg, N-acyltaurates, and fatty acid amides of methyl tauride). Suitable anionic surfactants include alkyl or alkylaryl ethoxy carboxylates of the formula: RO-(CHCHO). n (CH2) m -CO2X(3) where R is a C8 to C22 alkyl group or [ka] where R1 is a C4-C16 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-C16 alkyl group. In some embodiments, R is a C12-C14 alkyl group, n is 4, and m is 1. In other embodiments, R is [ka] and R1 is a C6-C12 alkyl group. In still yet another embodiment, R1 is a C9 alkyl group, n is 10, and m is 1.

[0058] Such alkyl and alkylaryl ethoxy carboxylates are commercially available. These ethoxy carboxylates are typically available as acid forms, which can be easily converted to anionic or salt forms. Commercially available carboxylates include Neodox 23-4, C12-13 alkyl polyethoxy (4) carboxylic acid (Shell Chemical), and Emcol CNP-110, C9 alkylaryl polyethoxy (10) carboxylic acid (Witco Chemical). Carboxylates are also available, for example, from Clariant, as the product Sandopan® DTC, C13 alkyl polyethoxy (7) carboxylic acid.

[0059] 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, and cocobetaine. Suitable amphoteric surfactants include cocoamidopropyl betaine and cocoaminoethyl betaine.

[0060] Additional Functional Ingredients The thickening system and / or the components of the cleaning and degreasing composition can be further combined with various functional ingredients suitable for use as disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the thickening system including diutan gum and silicate clay constitutes the majority or substantially all of the total weight of the system. For example, in some embodiments, there are few or no additional functional ingredients therein. In other embodiments, additional functional ingredients may be included in the system. The functional ingredients provide the cleaning and degreasing composition with desired properties and functionality.

[0061] In some embodiments, the cleaning and degreasing composition, including the thickening system (diutan gum and optionally silicate clay), hydroxide alkalinity, water (diluent) and surfactant cleaning agent, constitutes the majority or substantially all of the total weight of the composition. For example, in some embodiments, there are few or no additional functional ingredients present therein. In other embodiments, additional functional ingredients may be included in the composition. The functional ingredients provide desired properties and functionality to the cleaning and degreasing composition.

[0062] In this application, the term "functional ingredient" includes materials that, when dispersed or dissolved in the thickening system and / or cleaning and degreasing composition, provide beneficial properties in a particular application. Some specific examples of functional materials are described in more detail below, although the specific materials described are provided by way of example only, and a variety of other functional ingredients may be used.

[0063] In some embodiments, either or both of the thickening system and the cleaning and degreasing composition do not include additional thickening agents, examples of which include other polysaccharides, gums (e.g., xanthan gum), or thickening polymers / copolymers (e.g., acrylic polymers and / or acrylic copolymers, polyethylene glycol copolymers, polyacrylic acid, modified acrylic polymers, acrylates, etc.).

[0064] In some embodiments, the thickening system and / or the cleaning and degreasing composition may include additional functional ingredients such as soil wetting solvent systems, processing aids, optical brighteners, defoamers, anti-redeposition agents, bleaching agents, solubility modifiers, dispersants, metal protecting agents, soil anti-redeposition agents, stabilizers, corrosion inhibitors, aesthetic enhancers including builders / sequestering / chelating agents, enzymes, fragrances and / or dyes, hydrotropes or couplers, buffers, solvents, additional diluents, additional cleaning agents, and the like.

[0065] These additional ingredients can be preformulated with the thickening system and / or the cleaning and degreasing composition, or can be added to the use solution of the cleaning and degreasing composition before, after, or substantially simultaneously with the addition of the composition to the use application.

[0066] According to some embodiments, various additional functional ingredients may be provided in the thickening system and / or cleaning and degreasing composition in an amount of about 0% to about 50% by weight, about 0% to about 45% by weight, about 0% to about 40% by weight, about 0.1% to about 40% by weight, about 0.1% to about 35% by weight, 0.1% to about 30% by weight, about 1% to about 30% by weight, about 1% to about 25% by weight, or about 1% to about 20% by weight. Further, without being limited in accordance with the present invention, all ranges recited are inclusive of the numbers defining the range and include each integer within the defined range.

[0067] Wet stain solvent In one embodiment, the cleaning and degreasing composition may include a soil wetting solvent, such as an oil, an alcohol, a glycol, and / or an alkanolamine. In one embodiment, the soil wetting solvent is an alcohol, such as benzyl alcohol. In another embodiment, the soil wetting solvent is an alkanolamine, such as monoethanolamine. In other embodiments, a combination of soil wetting solvents is included in the composition. In such embodiments, the soil wetting solvent is included in the composition in an amount of about 0.1% to about 20% by weight, about 1% to about 20% by weight, about 1% to about 15% by weight, or about 5% to about 15% by weight. Furthermore, all ranges recited are inclusive of the numbers defining the range and include each integer within the defined range, without limitation according to the present invention.

[0068] Metal Protective Agent In one embodiment, the cleaning and degreasing composition may include a metal protectant, such as a stainless steel protectant. In one embodiment, the metal protectant is an alkali metal gluconate and / or silicate. In such embodiments, the soil wetting solvent is included in the composition in an amount of about 0.1% to about 5% by weight, or about 1% to about 5% by weight. Furthermore, all ranges recited are inclusive of the numbers defining the range and include each integer within the defined range, without limitation in accordance with the present invention.

[0069] Processing Aids In one embodiment, the cleaning and degreasing composition may include a processing aid, such as a hydrotrope, coupling agent, or solubilizer, which aids in the composition's compositional stability. Any hydrotrope, coupling agent, or solubilizer may be used, provided that it does not react with other components of the composition or adversely affect the performance properties of the composition. Suitable processing aids may include polyethylene glycol.

[0070] Representative classes of hydrotropic coupling or solubilizing agents that may be used include alkyl sulfates and alkane sulfonates, linear alkyl benzene or naphthalene sulfonates, secondary alkane sulfonates, alkyl ether sulfates or sulfonates, alkyl phosphates or phosphonates, dialkyl sulfosuccinates, sugar esters (e.g., sorbitan esters), amine oxides (mono-, di-, or trialkyl), and C8-C 10 and anionic surfactants such as alkyl glucosides. In one embodiment, the processing aid is an aromatic sulfonate, such as an alkyl benzene sulfonate (e.g., xylene sulfonate) or naphthalene sulfonate, an aryl or alkaryl phosphate ester or their alkoxylated analogs having 1 to about 40 ethylene, propylene or butylene oxide units, or mixtures thereof. Other preferred hydrotropes include C6-C olefins having 1 to about 15 alkylene oxide groups (preferably about 4 to about 10 alkylene oxide groups). 24Alcohol alkoxylates (alkoxylates means ethoxylates, propoxylates, butoxylates, and copolymer or terpolymer mixtures thereof) (preferably C6-C 14 Alcohol alkoxylates; C6-C alkoxylates having 1 to about 15 alkylene oxide groups (preferably about 4 to about 10 alkylene oxide groups). 24 Alkylphenol alkoxylate (preferably C8-C 10 Alkylphenol alkoxylates; C6-C alkoxylates having 1 to about 15 glycosidic groups (preferably about 4 to about 10 glycosidic groups). 24 Alkyl polyglycosides (preferably C6-C 20 Alkyl polyglycoside; C6~C 24 Fatty acid ester ethoxylates, propoxylates or glycerides; and C4-C 12 Nonionic surfactants consisting of mono- or dialkanolamides are included. A preferred hydrotrope is sodium xylene sulfonate (SXS).

[0071] In such embodiments, the processing aid is included in the composition in an amount of about 0.001% to about 5%, about 0.01% to about 5%, about 0.01% to about 2%, or about 0.01% to about 1.5% by weight. Additionally, all ranges recited are inclusive of the numbers defining the range and include each integer within the defined range without being limited in accordance with the present invention.

[0072] How to use The cleaning and degreasing composition is suitable for cleaning hard surfaces and soiled objects that are difficult to remove greasy soils, such as polymerized / carbonized food soils. The cleaning and degreasing composition is effective for cleaning and removing soils from various surfaces and objects, such as food processing equipment, and surfaces and / or environmental surfaces surrounding such equipment that are contaminated with polymerized soils. This method is necessary to provide a safe and clean food processing environment. In some embodiments, the surfaces that require treatment with the cleaning and degreasing composition include industrial and / or consumer surfaces, including kitchen or food preparation / processing surfaces, such as oven, grill and / or fryer surfaces.

[0073] In other embodiments, surfaces requiring treatment with the cleaning and degreasing compositions include other equipment and surfaces that may come into contact with soil mists or sprays and are in more difficult to access locations, especially high and remotely located pipes, ductwork (exterior and interior), roofs and ceilings, heating, cooling and air conditioned surfaces (HVAC), product freezers and refrigerators, and many other surfaces in food production areas.

[0074] In some aspects, the method of using the cleaning and degreasing composition includes applying or contacting the composition to a surface that requires treatment (i.e., removal of greasy and difficult to remove soils). In various aspects, the composition is beneficially provided as a ready-to-use cleaning and degreasing composition that does not require dilution. In these methods, the object, surface, etc. can be worked on by contacting the object or surface with the composition. The composition can be applied using various methods for applying gels, including, for example, using a sprayer, such as a handheld trigger sprayer. In other embodiments, the composition can be applied with a hose to spray the composition even further away (e.g., 20 feet or more). In still other embodiments, the surface can be immersed or submerged in the cleaning and degreasing composition.

[0075] Without being limited to the contacting according to the present invention, the gel composition can be applied to or contacted with a surface or object by any conventional method or device for applying a gel composition to an object. For example, the surface can be wiped, brushed, sprayed, and / or immersed with the composition. The gel composition can be sprayed or lightly rubbed on the surface, the composition can be flowed on the surface, or the surface can be immersed in the composition. The contacting can be performed manually or mechanically.

[0076] The compositions are preferably applied at use concentration and do not require dilution prior to application to the surface requiring treatment.

[0077] In one embodiment, the composition is applied to a surface and remains in contact with the soil to penetrate and remove the soil. In some embodiments, the contacting step is from a few minutes to a few hours, preferably at least 10 minutes, at least 20 minutes, at least 30 minutes, or at least 60 minutes. In some embodiments, the contacting step is from a few minutes to a few hours, preferably at least 10 minutes, at least 20 minutes, at least 30 minutes, or at least 60 minutes, and the contacting is a vertical adhesion of the composition on the surface. The cleaning and degreasing composition advantageously provides sufficient viscosity to provide vertical adhesion to allow such contact time between the composition and the soil. Advantageously, the cleaning and degreasing composition minimizes dripping, sagging, descending, and / or other movement of the composition under the influence of gravity (i.e., vertical adhesion). As will be evident to one skilled in the art, the duration of the contact time will depend on the amount and tenacity of the soil.

[0078] In some embodiments, the method can optionally include a final rinse and / or sanitizing step to remove residual cleaning and degreasing composition and soil before using the device for food preparation. In one embodiment, the step of removing soil is a rinse step to remove cleaning and degreasing composition and soil. Advantageously, the embodiment of the method of removing soil requires only minimal manual labor. In one embodiment, the removal of soil does not require mechanical agitation (e.g., scrubbing) due to the effectiveness of the cleaning and degreasing composition penetrating the soil under contact time that is a result of the viscosity of the stable thickened composition. As referred to herein, minimal manual labor can include wiping the soil and composition off the surface and / or washing the soil and composition off the surface.

[0079] Methods of Making the Composition The cleaning and degreasing composition can be made by using diutan gum granules (such as a powder) with a non-solvent, such as a miscible non-aqueous liquid (i.e., alcohol or glycol) or a non-miscible liquid (i.e., vegetable oil or mineral oil). The diutan gum is slurried in the non-aqueous liquid and poured into stirred water to combine into the composition. Advantageously, dispersing the diutan gum minimizes the formation of fish eyes, clumps, or non-dehydrated particles, resulting in a shorter total hydration time.

[0080] In an embodiment for providing a thickening composition to a cleaning composition, such as a cleaning and degreasing composition, the thickening composition is made by combining diutan gum granules (such as a powder) with silicate clay and any other additional functional ingredients. In one embodiment, the thickening composition is provided as a non-liquid (granule, powder, flowable powder, etc.) that is combined with a liquid composition. In one embodiment, the thickening composition can be made by feeding a non-solvent, such as a miscible non-aqueous liquid (i.e., alcohol or glycol) or an immiscible liquid (i.e., vegetable oil or mineral oil), to the thickening composition. The thickening system is then slurried in the non-aqueous liquid and poured into stirred water to combine into the composition.

[0081] The compositions and methods of use described herein are not limited with respect to the method of making the thickening compositions and / or the cleaning and degreasing compositions. EXAMPLES

[0082] The embodiments of the present invention are further defined in the following non-limiting examples. It should be understood that these examples, while showing specific embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration only. From the above description and these examples, those 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.

[0083] The cleaning and degreasing compositions shown in Tables 3A and 3B are used in the examples. Exemplary structures of various thickening polymers are shown in Figure 8, where Figure 8A shows an acrylic copolymer structure of formula D (ASE polymer), Figure 8B shows an acrylic polymer structure of formula E and formula F (HASE polymer), and Figure 8C shows a polyethylene glycol copolymer structure of formula G (HEUR polymer). [Table 4] [Table 5]

[0084] Example 1 Various cleaning and degreasing compositions were evaluated to compare the diutan gum thickener with other thickeners (e.g., acrylic copolymers, polyethylene glycol copolymers, polyacrylic acid, modified acrylic polymers, acrylates, etc.). The compositions in Table 3, including Formulations A1-A3, which use the thickening compositions described herein, are compared with other conventional thickeners (Formulations B-L). The viscosities of the formulations were measured using conventional standard methods (Brookfield Viscometer, DV-II spindle 2, 30 rpm, 20°C (approximately 68°C). ° F) was used for the measurement.

[0085] Formulations A1-A3, which use diutan gum thickener, provided clear solutions and yet had desirable viscosities that allowed for dispensing as ready-to-use compositions.

[0086] The viscosity of the formulations containing diutan gum was generally increased compared to formulation B containing a conventional xanthan gum thickener. Formulation B containing 0.2% to 0.6% weight concentrations of xanthan gum was able to produce a clear solution with the required viscosity. However, it failed to provide long-term stability at 40° C. The viscosity of comparative formulation B with 0.6% xanthan gum was not suitable for ejection and lacked long-term storage stability, with a 44% viscosity loss after 8 weeks at 40° C. This viscosity is insufficient for use on surfaces requiring vertical adhesion time due to lack of residence time.

[0087] Formulations C-L do not result in phase stable compositions, have no measurable viscosity, stability, and sometimes fail to achieve a phase stable solution. Formulation C, containing Laponite EP clay at 0.2% to 2.0% weight concentration, was also evaluated as a primary thickener, but this formulation was not phase stable. At high concentrations of electrolyte, the rheology of the clay is inhibited and visible liquid separation is observed. Beneficially, this is eliminated by suspending the Laponite EP with diutan gum, as shown in formulation A3. By combining diutan gum with Laponite clay (formulation A3), a phase stable formulation with the desired viscosity was achieved, where the Laponite clay is used to enhance the vertical adhesion properties of the composition.

[0088] Example 2 The stability of diutan gum was compared to that of the conventional thickener xanthan gum. Stability was measured by the maintenance of viscosity (or loss of viscosity) of the composition over time at both room temperature and 40° C. Viscosity measurements were obtained as described in Example 1. FIG. 1 shows a stability test of Formulation A1 (0.15 wt. % diutan gum) over a 4-week period. Stability measurements require no more than a 10% change in viscosity over the measurement period at 40° C. A viscosity loss of no more than 10% at 8 weeks at 40° C. is the threshold for one-year shelf-stable shelf life. FIG. 1 shows that diutan gum in Formulation A1 maintained its viscosity over 8 weeks at both room temperature and 40° C., with only slight loss in viscosity (less than about 10% change in viscosity).

[0089] Next, the stability of xanthan gum was compared over the same 8-week period. Figure 2 shows that formulation B, with 0.6 wt% xanthan gum, is not a stable formulation, even at 2 weeks, with a viscosity drop of about 10% at 40°C. When tested up to 8 weeks, the drop in viscosity is much more significant, with a drop of over 40%. This lack of stability is surprising, since xanthan gum formulations are intended to be the most alkaline stable of conventional thickeners. However, the results in Figure 2 show that at elevated temperatures, the viscosity of xanthan gum drops by almost 20% by the third week, indicating that the formulations containing high alkali are not stable at elevated temperatures.

[0090] Example 3 The vertical adhesion of diutan gum was evaluated using the following test procedure. 1. Clean the stainless steel panel (6''x6'') with a soft sponge and dish soap to remove excess dirt and oil. Rinse thoroughly with deionized water and allow to air dry. 2. Hang the panels vertically 3. Place an empty container on the weighing balance directly below the panel and zero the balance. This will be used to collect and measure all the product coming down from the panel. 4. Spray the chemical onto the panel, ensuring the panel is completely covered with the handheld trigger sprayer. Record the total amount of product used to spray (amount of product dispensed). All formulations were sprayed using a Talco Economist 300ES trigger sprayer, part number 110416. 5. Start the timer 6. Monitor the amount of product collected in the container within specific times, e.g., 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes. 7. Calculate the amount of product remaining on the panel at a particular time in %. A = total amount of product dispensed (g) B = product (g) collected in container at time x Amount of product remaining in panel at time X = ((AB) / A*100)

[0091] The formulations evaluated were B (0.2% and 0.6% by weight xanthan gum), A1 (0.15% by weight diutan gum), A3 (0.2% by weight diutan gum), A2 (0.15% by weight diutan gum and 0.2% by weight xanthan gum), and A3 (0.2% by weight diutan gum, 0.3% by weight Laponite EP clay). All formulations were tested immediately after preparation (storage stability was not a factor in the results shown in Figure 3). The results are shown in Figure 3, where the vertical adhesion is evaluated by the amount of product (% remaining) remaining on the panel over the measurement period (0 to 30 minutes). The results show that formulation A3 (0.2% by weight diutan gum, 0.3% by weight Laponite EP clay), which includes the thickening system described herein, provides the best vertical adhesion beyond 30 minutes. In many applications, an adhesion time of at least 30 minutes is required for the cleaning and degreasing composition to penetrate difficult to remove soils. Thus, various thickening systems that provide only 5-10 minutes of vertical deposition do not provide sufficient contact time for cleaning and degreasing effectiveness.

[0092] The results clearly show that diutan gum is superior to the xanthan gum formulation at both 0.2% and 0.6% wt concentrations in the highly alkaline composition. The formulation containing diutan gum provides slow shedding of the composition from vertically sticky surfaces, which is a desirable attribute to provide sufficient contact time for cleaning and degreasing benefits. As shown in Figure 3, the vertical adhesion rating of diutan gum is superior to the xanthan gum formulation.

[0093] Further results in Figure 3 further show that increasing the diutan gum provides enhanced vertical adhesion, even with a small increase from 0.15 wt% to 0.2 wt%. Additionally, the incorporation of Laponite clay into the formulation also enhances vertical adhesion. Diutan gum outperforms the xanthan gum thickening system both alone and in combination with Laponite clay.

[0094] Of note, these formulations were prepared and then applied to the surface. This evaluation did not factor in the storage stability of the compositions. Therefore, additional testing will be performed to further demonstrate the effect of formulation stability on vertical adhesion evaluation.

[0095] Example 4 Using the test procedure outlined in Example 3, additional vertical adhesion of diutan gum was evaluated to demonstrate the effect of formulation stability on adhesion. The results are shown in Figure 4, which shows a comparison of Formula B (0.6% xanthan gum) and Formula A1 (0.15% diutan gum) on a vertical surface. The xanthan gum was aged at high temperature (40°C) for 6 weeks before carrying out the adhesion evaluation, and the results showed that it lost its viscous properties, i.e., time-dependent shear thinning, and then did not adhere effectively to the vertical surface. This is shown by the much greater decrease in the amount of product that adheres to the surface of the aged Formula B over time (i.e., the 30-minute mark, which is the commercial threshold for the desired time for detergent to contact the surface). Again, this example shows that the vertical adhesion evaluation of diutan gum is superior to the xanthan gum formulation.

[0096] Example 5 A cleaning efficacy soak test was also performed using the following test procedure. 1. Prepare the chemical to be tested. 2. Measure the initial weight of the dry soiled panel prior to soak testing. Run two or three replicates for each chemical tested. The soil was a grease / protein soil baked onto the panel at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 hours. 3. Weigh out 200 g of chemical for each replicate and place it into a shallow plastic Tupperware container or other plastic container in which the test specimen is placed flat and level while completely immersed in the chemical. 4. Place each specimen in its own plastic container / solution to be tested. Do not reuse chemicals more than once. Allow specimen to soak for 30 minutes. 5. Remove the stainless steel panel from the chemicals using metal tongs and rinse with DI water in the sink for 1 minute. The water pressure of the DI water is controlled so that the water pressure applied to the specimen is very low. 6. Allow the specimen to dry overnight. 7. Weigh the final weight of the dried panels and calculate the average stain removal percentage for each chemical tested.

[0097] The results are shown in Figure 5, where formulations A1, A2, and A3 were evaluated against the negative control (DI water) and showed approximately 50-100% soil removal (when statistical significance was considered).

[0098] Example 6 Formulation A1 (0.15% diutan gum) was further evaluated using an oscillatory amplitude sweep test and a viscosity measurement test. The viscosity measurement test confirmed that the cleaning and degreasing composition was a consistent pseudoplastic solution (i.e., the viscosity decreased as the shear rate increased), which offers the advantage that the composition remains a pumpable thickened composition (low shear rate). As referred to herein, shear rate is the gradient of velocity in a flowing material, measured in reciprocal seconds, with units of 1 / s or s -1 It is.

[0099] Vibration amplitude sweep tests allow finding the yield point of the solution. Tests were performed at a constant frequency of 1hz and an initial stress of 0.02 Pa, ranging from a minimum strain of 0.001 to a maximum strain of 10. The results are seen in the form of log-log plots of the elastic modulus (G') and viscous modulus (G'') as a function of the vibration stress, as shown in Figure 6. The yield point of formulation A1 is given by G' / G'' (dynes / cm 2 , 1 Pascal unit is 10 dynes / cm 2 ) is calculated as 2.754 Pa or 27.54 dynes / cm 2 It is.

[0100] Viscosity Test: Viscosity vs. Shear Rate Viscosity tests measure the viscosity response over a range of strain rates or shear stresses at controlled rates or under controlled stress conditions. Figure 7 shows that diutan gum exhibits shear thinning behavior. 0.15% diutan gum in Formulation A1 has a viscosity of about 4500 cP at very low shear rates, simulating excellent storage conditions and low likelihood of settling. At high shear rates, the viscosity drops to less than 30 cP, making it easy to spray and pump. This example shows that Formulation A1 is a pseudoplastic fluid with a decreasing viscosity as the shear rate increases, as shown in Figure 7.

[0101] Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with its detailed description, it should be understood that the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Other embodiments, advantages, and modifications are within the scope of the following claims. Additionally, the contents of all patent publications discussed above are incorporated by this reference in their entirety.

[0102] The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or in the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, which may be presented in a particular form or in terms of means for performing a disclosed function, or a method or process for achieving a disclosed result, may be utilized to realize the invention in diverse forms thereof, either separately or in any combination of such features, as appropriate. Examples of embodiments of the present disclosure are listed in the following items [1] to

[26] . [1] Diutan gum and Optionally, a silicate clay; at least one hydroxide alkalinity source; Surfactant cleaning agent and At least one solvent; A cleaning and degreasing composition comprising: The composition has a pH greater than 7 and a viscosity of about 10 to 150 dynes / cm 2 The cleaning and degreasing composition is a ready-to-use composition having a yield point of [2] 2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is a gel. [3] 3. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the diutan gum is a long-chain polysaccharide. [4] 4. The composition according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the hydroxide alkalinity source is one or more alkali metal hydroxides. [5] 5. The composition of claim 4, wherein the hydroxide alkalinity source is sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. [6] 6. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the solvent is an alcohol and / or an alkanolamine. [7] 7. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surfactant cleaning agent is an alkyl polyglycoside. [8] 8. The composition of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the hydroxide alkalinity source constitutes about 5% to about 50% by weight of the composition, or about 20% to about 50% by weight of the composition, the diutan gum constitutes about 0.01% to about 1% by weight of the composition, or about 0.1% to about 1% by weight of the composition, the silicate clay constitutes about 0.1% to about 2% by weight of the composition, or about 0.1% to about 0.5% by weight of the composition, the surfactant detergent constitutes about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of the composition, or about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of the composition, and the solvent constitutes about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of the composition, or about 1% to about 20% by weight of the composition. [9] 9. The composition according to any one of items 1 to 8, further comprising at least one additional functional ingredient.

[10] 10. The composition of claim 9, wherein the additional functional ingredients comprise processing aids, solubility modifiers, dispersants, metal protecting agents, stabilizers, builders / sequestering / chelating agents, aesthetic enhancers, additional highly alkaline compatible surfactants, or combinations thereof, and constitute from about 0.1% to about 40% by weight of the composition.

[11] 11. The composition of claim 10, wherein the metal protecting agent is an alkali metal gluconate and / or silicate and the processing aid is a hydrotrope or polyethylene glycol.

[12] 12. The composition of claim 11, wherein the processing aid is sodium xylene sulfonate and / or polyethylene glycol.

[13] 13. The composition according to any one of items 1 to 12, wherein the composition is shelf-stable at room temperature for an extended period of time, as determined by less than 10% loss in viscosity at 40° C. over a period of 8 weeks.

[14] 1. A method for cleaning and degreasing a surface, the method comprising: (a) contacting a surface in need of soil removal with the cleaning and degreasing composition according to any one of items 1 to 13; (b) removing the soil from the surface.

[15] Item 15. The method according to item 14, wherein removing the soil is a rinsing step to remove the cleaning and degreasing composition and the soil.

[16] 16. The method of claim 15, wherein removing the soil does not require mechanical agitation.

[17] 17. The method according to any one of items 14 to 16, wherein the contact time is at least 20 minutes, or at least 30 minutes.

[18] Item 18. The method of item 17, wherein the contact time is a normal attachment contact time.

[19] Item 18. The method of item 17, wherein the contact time is an immersion contact time.

[20] 20. The method according to any one of items 14 to 19, wherein the composition is not diluted before contacting the surface.

[21] 21. The method according to any one of items 14 to 20, wherein the surface in need of treatment is a kitchen or food preparation / processing surface.

[22] 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the surface is an oven, grill and / or fryer surface.

[23] 23. The method according to any one of items 14 to 22, wherein the composition is applied by means of a sprayer or a hose.

[24] 24. The method according to any one of items 14 to 23, wherein the composition is not diluted before contacting the surface.

[25] Diutan gum and Silicate clay and A thickening system comprising:

[26] The system has a thermal conductivity of about 10 to 150 dynes / cm 2 26. The system according to item 25, suitable for combination with an acid or alkaline composition to provide a yield point of

Claims

1. Diutan gum and at least one hydroxide alkalinity source; A surfactant cleaning agent; At least one solvent; a hydrotrope comprising an aromatic sulfonate; A diluent; A cleaning and degreasing ready-to-use composition comprising: The composition has a pH greater than 7 and a viscosity of 10 to 150 dynes / cm ２ A cleaning and degreasing composition having a yield point of

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a gel.

3. 3. The composition of claim 1 or 2, wherein the hydroxide alkalinity source is one or more alkali metal hydroxides.

4. 4. The composition of claim 3, wherein the hydroxide alkalinity source is sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.

5. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the solvent is an alcohol and / or an alkanolamine.

6. A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the surfactant cleaning agent is an alkyl polyglycoside.

7. 7. The composition of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the hydroxide alkalinity source comprises 5% to 50% by weight of the composition, the diutan gum comprises 0.01% to 1% by weight of the composition, the surfactant detergent comprises 0.1% to 20% by weight of the composition, and the solvent comprises 0.1% to 20% by weight of the composition.

8. The composition of any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising at least one additional functional ingredient.

9. 10. The composition of claim 8, wherein the additional functional ingredients comprise additional processing aids, solubility modifiers, dispersants, metal protecting agents, stabilizers, builders / sequestering / chelating agents, aesthetic enhancers, additional highly alkaline compatible surfactants, or combinations thereof, and comprise from 0.1% to 40% by weight of the composition.

10. 10. The composition of claim 9, wherein the metal protecting agent is an alkali metal gluconate and / or silicate and the additional processing aid is polyethylene glycol.

11. 11. The composition of claim 10, wherein the hydrotrope is sodium xylene sulfonate.

12. The composition of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the composition is shelf stable at room temperature for an extended period of time as determined by a viscosity loss of less than 10% over 8 weeks at 40°C.

13. 1. A method for cleaning and degreasing a surface, the method comprising: (a) contacting a surface requiring soil removal with a cleaning and degreasing composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12; (b) removing the soil from the surface.

14. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein removing the soil is a rinsing step to remove the cleaning and degreasing composition and the soil.

15. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein removing the soil does not require mechanical agitation.

16. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the contact time is at least 20 minutes.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the contact time is a normal attachment contact time.

18. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the contact time is an immersion contact time.

19. The method of any one of claims 13 to 18, wherein the composition is not further diluted before contacting the surface.

20. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 19, wherein the surface requiring treatment is a kitchen or food preparation / processing surface.

21. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the surface is an oven, grill and / or fryer surface.

22. The method of any one of claims 13 to 21, wherein the composition is applied by means of a sprayer or a hose.

23. The method of any one of claims 13 to 22, wherein the composition is not further diluted before contacting the surface.

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