Alkaline cleaning agent with reduced mist due to the use of alkali-soluble emulsion polymer

Abstract

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. [Solution] Disclosed is an alkaline sprayable aqueous composition for cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing. Specifically, the sprayable composition includes an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, an alkalinity source, a foaming agent, and water. Advantageously, the sprayable cleaning composition reduces misting and is environmentally safe for user application. Furthermore, the composition exhibits less runoff on non-horizontal surfaces than acrylamide-based compositions.

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, disinfecting, and sterilizing. The present invention further relates to sprayable compositions, including, for example, aerosols or pump sprays, 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 settings. Various 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, typically delivered from a pressurized aerosol or pump sprayer. These types of cleaners are highly useful on a variety of surfaces because they can be delivered by spraying onto vertical, overhead, inclined, or surfaces with complex curves or intricate surfaces, while spray-on liquid cleaners can achieve substantially complete surface coverage. Acidic spray-on cleaners are also known for removing basic inorganic soils and are becoming more common.

[0004] The spraying device generates a spray pattern of the composition that contacts the target hard surface. While the majority of the composition resides on the target surface, a minor 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, which 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 can present substantial problems. Such aqueous compositions with strong basic cleaning components in the form of finely divided aerosols or mists can cause respiratory distress to users. To mitigate 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 the concentration or replacing these materials can often reduce the cleaning activity and effectiveness of the material during 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, disinfecting, and sterilization while reducing misting and therefore reducing inhalation.

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

[0006] Other attempts have been made to reduce spray mist in the 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 their high shear viscosity, which led to the formation of fish eyes, and required special equipment and additional time for production. These difficulties increased the manufacturing costs of products containing higher amounts of xanthan gum.

[0007] Other attempts to reduce misting of spray while maintaining cleaning properties have been by using acrylamide and acrylamide derivative polymers.Although these products have improved 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 serious flow problems because the polymers tend to stretch after application. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] Accordingly, it is 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 manufacturing 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 a sprayable composition that exhibits reduced misting.The sprayable cleaning composition has the advantage of exhibiting reduced flow compared to sprayable compositions containing acrylamide and acrylamide derivatives.An additional advantage is that the sprayable cleaning composition is easier and more cost-effective to manufacture than conventional techniques using high concentrations of xanthan gum.Other advantages and benefits of the present invention will become apparent in this application.

[0014] A preferred embodiment includes a sprayable cleaning composition comprising 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 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 cationic surfactants; and water, wherein 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 reduced mist sprayable cleaning composition, 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 comprising 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 which is stable at a pH of at least about 10. A sprayable cleaning composition comprising an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, an alkalinity source 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, wherein the composition is free of cationic surfactants, and water, 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-misting 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 soiling, wherein the sprayable cleaning composition comprises about 0.0035% to about 1% by weight of an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, wherein the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is in an emulsion in which the continuous phase is water or a water-miscible liquid and is stable at a pH of at least about 10. a sprayable cleaning composition comprising an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, an alkalinity source 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 cationic surfactants, and water, wherein 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 explanation 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. [Figure 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. [Figure 3] 1 shows the total particle number concentration of 0.3 to 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. [Figure 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 alkali-soluble emulsion polymers in relation to the number of food soils added to the composition. [Figure 7] Figure 7A shows the vertical foam behavior of an exemplary cleaning composition containing a control formulation plus 750 ppm of alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. Figure 7B shows the vertical foam behavior of an exemplary cleaning composition containing a control formulation plus 1000 ppm of alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. Figure 7C shows the vertical foam behavior of a control formulation without alkali-soluble emulsion polymer.

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

[0020] The present invention relates to a hard surface cleaning composition with reduced misting. The reduced misting cleaning composition 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 reduced misting sprayable cleaning composition 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 has a particle size of 60 particles / cm within the user's breathing zone. 3 Produce a total concentration of mist particles having a size of 10 microns or less.

[0021] The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to specific compositions, methods of making, and / or methods of using the compositions 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 solely 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" may include plural referents unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, all units, prefixes, and symbols may 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 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. Accordingly, the description of a range should be considered to specifically disclose all possible subranges, fractions, and individual numerical values ​​within that range. For example, a description of a range such as 1 to 6 should be considered to specifically disclose subranges such as 1 to 3, 1 to 4, 1 to 5, 2 to 4, 2 to 6, 3 to 6, etc., as well as individual numbers within that range, e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and decimals and fractions, e.g., 1.2, 3.8, 1½, and 4¾. This applies regardless of the broadness of the range.

[0023] References to elements herein are intended to include any or all of their oxidation states and isotopes. For example, a reference to 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 more readily understandable, 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 embodiments of the present invention pertain. Many methods and materials similar, modified, or equivalent to those described herein can be used to implement the embodiments of the present invention without undue experimentation, and preferred materials and methods are described herein. In describing and claiming the embodiments of the present invention, the following terminology will be used in accordance with the definitions set forth below.

[0025] As used herein, the term "about" refers to variations in 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 due to differences in the manufacture, source, or purity of the components used to make a composition or perform a method, etc. The term "about" also encompasses these variations. Whether modified by the term "about," the claims include equivalents to the quantities.

[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 a use solution as assessed by standard titration techniques known to those skilled in the art. In preferred embodiments, 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 commonly for 15 seconds to 10 minutes.

[0029] As used herein, the term "cleaning" refers to methods used to promote or aid in stain 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 "disinfectant" refers to an agent that kills all vegetative cells, including most recognized pathogenic microorganisms, using the procedures described 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 disinfection" or "high-level disinfectant" refers to a compound or composition that kills substantially all living organisms, except high levels of bacterial spores, using a chemical pathogen-killing agent licensed for sale as a sterilant by the Food and Drug Administration. As used herein, the term "intermediate-level disinfection" or "intermediate-level disinfectant" refers to a compound or composition that kills mycobacteria, most viruses, and bacteria using a chemical pathogen-killing agent 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, healthcare 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 healthcare activities. Examples of healthcare surfaces include surfaces of medical or dental instruments, surfaces of medical or dental devices, surfaces of electronic equipment used to monitor patient health, and surfaces of floors, walls, or fixtures of structures where healthcare occurs. Medical surfaces are found in hospitals, surgical, infirmary, birthing, funeral homes, and clinical diagnostic rooms. These surfaces can be typified as "hard surfaces" (walls, floors, toilets, etc.), or textile surfaces, e.g., knitted, woven, and nonwoven surfaces (surgical garments, curtains, bed linens, bandages, etc.), or patient care equipment (respirators, diagnostic equipment, shunts, body scopes, wheelchairs, beds, etc.), or surgical and diagnostic equipment. Medical surfaces include articles and surfaces used in animal healthcare.

[0034] As used herein, the phrase "food processing surface" refers to the surfaces of tools, machines, equipment, structures, buildings, and the like, 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 sanitizing, food refrigerator and cooler cleaners and sanitizers, dishwashing sanitizing, blancher cleaning and sanitizing, food packaging materials, cutting board additives, third-sink sanitizing, 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 to 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 "x"-mers, as well as 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. Greater reductions in the microbial population result in greater levels 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, disinfectants for use in the present invention will provide at least a 99.999% reduction (a 5-log reduction). 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, disinfectants should provide a 99.999% reduction (a 5-log reduction) against several test organisms within 30 seconds at room temperature, 25±2°C.

[0038] The distinction between antimicrobial "-cidal" or "-bacteriostatic" 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 lethal and irreversible, resulting in the complete destruction or incapacitation of microbial cells. The second type of cell damage is reversible, so once the organism is freed from the agent, it can grow again. The former is called bactericidal, and the latter is called 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 the component 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.

[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 understand, 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. Viscosity measurements 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., a 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 as the weight of that substance divided by the total weight of the composition multiplied by 100. As used herein, it is understood that "percent," "%," and the like are intended to be synonymous with "weight percent," "wt%," 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 of 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 of the present invention can also be used in a pump spray format using a pump spray head and a suitable container. Various formulations of the sprayable cleaning composition are typically 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 derived from the substantially insoluble hardness components of tap water. The sprayable cleaning composition of the present invention rapidly removes such soils through a unique combination of ingredients that allows for rapid soil removal while resisting the formation of mists or aerosols in amounts that could cause respiratory distress during application.

[0045] The present invention relates to a sprayable cleaning composition with reduced mist generation, comprising or consisting essentially of at least an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, a foaming agent, an alkalinity 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-slow or slow trigger sprayer. The sprayable composition can also be dispensed in alternative ways. The sprayable cleaning composition with reduced mist generation offers ease of manufacturing as a result of the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer rapidly dispersing into a homogeneous solution. In addition to ease of manufacturing, the sprayable cleaning composition with reduced mist generation offers additional benefits, including ease of application when using a spray application due to a reduced viscosity profile, which allows for ease of use with a spray trigger, for example.

[0046] Sprayable cleaning compositions can be referred to as non-Newtonian fluids. Newtonian fluids have a short relaxation time and a direct correlation between shear viscosity and extensional viscosity (the extensional viscosity of a liquid is equal to three times its shear viscosity). Shear viscosity is a measure of a fluid's ability to resist movement of layers relative to one another. Elongational viscosity, also known as extensional viscosity, is a measure of a fluid's ability 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 sprayable cleaning compositions that have a low viscosity when not under shear, but thicken when under stress from a trigger sprayer, forming 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 the 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 cP to about 250 cP, and most preferably about 1 cP to about 50 cP.

[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 embodiment, 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 conventional thickeners, much higher concentrations are required, causing a significant increase in the viscoelasticity of the composition, which in most cases does not allow the spray composition to be achieved according to the present invention. As those skilled in the art will understand, additional components of the sprayable composition, such as alkalinity sources and surfactants, can significantly increase the shear viscosity.

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

[0051] In some embodiments, the median particle size of the expelled solution of a sprayable cleaning composition with reduced misting is large enough to reduce misting. As those 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. Therefore, in many aspects of the present invention, testing and evaluation of sprayable compositions according to the present invention focuses on reducing misting, particularly reducing or eliminating the size of particles below about 10 microns. In one aspect of the present invention, suitable median particle sizes are 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 (RTU) composition. 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, and 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 remains stable 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 prepared by emulsion polymerization. These are exemplified by the formula shown below. [ka] wherein 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 aqueous emulsions in which an oil phase (dispersed phase) is dispersed within water (continuous phase). Alkali-soluble emulsion polymers are not inverse emulsions. Alkali-soluble emulsion polymers thicken via a non-associative mechanism. Non-associative rheology modifiers do not interact with surfactant structures, particles, or insoluble emulsion droplets. Non-associative polymers structure the continuous phase and thicken through chain entanglements. This allows them to stabilize pre-dispersed insoluble materials by significantly slowing their movement.

[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 greater than 10 cps and less than about 150 cps, more preferably greater than 10 cps and less than about 100 cps, and most preferably greater 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 present 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 includes an alkalinity source. The alkalinity source is useful because alkali-soluble polymers are soluble in alkaline environments and the polymers swell upon neutralization. This has been found to result in a more viscous composition, improving sprayability and reducing misting. The amount of alkalinity is preferably that amount required to neutralize the alkali-soluble polymer.

[0061] Suitable alkalinity sources include inorganic alkalinity sources, 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, and polyphosphates (e.g., tripolyphosphates). Silicates include all common silicates used in cleaning, such as metasilicates and silicates. Alkali or alkaline earth metals include components such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and barium. It should be understood that improved cleaning compositions can be achieved by utilizing various mixtures of alkalinity sources.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, the alkalinity source is an inorganic alkali metal base. In a more preferred embodiment, the alkalinity source is an alkali metal hydroxide. The sprayable cleaning composition may contain, for example, sodium hydroxide. The inorganic alkali content of the spray-on cleaner of the present invention is preferably derived from sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, which is available in both liquid (aqueous solution of about 10 to 60% by weight) or solid (powder, flakes, or pellets) 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 with various particle sizes and shapes.

[0063] Suitable alkalinity sources include, but are not limited to, organic alkalinity sources containing nitrogen bases. Organic alkalinity sources 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. The use of significant proportions of monoethanolamine, monopropanolamine, and the like can 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 alkalinity source is an organic monoethanolamine.

[0064] In a more 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 a concentration sufficient to neutralize the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. In a preferred embodiment, the amount of alkalinity source in the sprayable cleaning composition is from about 0.1% to about 15% by weight, more preferably from about 0.5% to about 10% by weight, and most preferably from 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 present 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, preferably at a concentration of from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight, more preferably from about 0.1% to about 5% by weight, and most preferably from about 0.5% to about 2.5% by weight in the sprayable cleaning composition.

[0069] Suitable foaming agents can include a variety of 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 sprayable cleaning compositions because they are incompatible with 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 alkyl polysaccharide sulfates such as acyl-N-(C1-C4 alkyl) and -N-(C1-C2 hydroxyalkyl) glucamine sulfates, and sulfates of alkyl polyglucosides. Also included are alkyl sulfates, alkyl poly(ethyleneoxy) ether sulfates, and aromatic poly(ethyleneoxy) sulfates, such as the sulfates or concentrates of ethylene oxide and nonylphenol (typically having 1 to 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 substitution.

[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, alkylaryl 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 attached to a secondary carbon. The secondary carbon may be in a ring structure, as in, for example, p-octyl benzoic acid or alkyl-substituted cyclohexyl carboxylates. Secondary carboxylate surfactants typically do not contain ether linkages, ester linkages, or hydroxyl groups. Furthermore, they typically 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 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 C to C 22 is an alkyl group, or [ka] and R 1 is C4~C 16In some embodiments, R 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 C6 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 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 Carboxylate, such as the product Sandopan® DTC, C 13 Alkylpolyethoxy(7)carboxylic acids are also available from Clariant.

[0076] Nonionic surfactants Nonionic surfactants do not possess a discrete electric charge when dissolved in an aqueous medium. Their hydrophilicity 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 their alkoxylated derivatives. Particularly suitable amine oxides include tertiary amine oxide surfactants, which typically contain three alkyl groups attached to the amine oxide (N→O). Generally, 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, or carboxyl groups.

[0077] Amine oxides (tertiary amine oxides) have the corresponding general formula: [ka] where the arrow is a conventional representation of a semipolar bond and R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 R may be aliphatic, aromatic, heterocyclic, alicyclic, or a combination thereof. Generally, for the amine oxides of interest, R 1 is an alkyl radical of about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms, and R 2 and R 3 is alkyl or hydroxyalkyl of 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or a mixture thereof; R 2 and R 3 can be bonded to each other, for example, via an oxygen or nitrogen atom, to form a ring structure, and 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. amine oxide, octadecyldimethylamine oxide, dodecyldipropylamine oxide, tetradecyldipropylamine oxide, hexadecyldipropylamine oxide, tetradecyldibutylamine oxide, octadecyldibutylamine 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 have either anionic or cationic groups, as discussed above in the section on anionic or cationic surfactants. Anionic groups include carboxylates, sulfates, sulfonates, phosphonates, etc., while cationic groups typically include compounds with amine nitrogens. Many amphoteric surfactants also contain ether oxide or hydroxyl groups to 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.

[0080] solvent In a preferred embodiment, the sprayable cleaning composition can optionally include a solvent, which, if present in the sprayable cleaning composition, is preferably present 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 a mild, pleasant odor, 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, butanol, isobutanol, benzyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, and mixed ethylene-propylene ethers. Glycol ethers include lower alkyl (C methyl ether, C ethyl ether, C propyl ... 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 thickener. If included in the sprayable cleaning composition, the thickener is preferably at a low concentration to avoid some of the processing and manufacturing difficulties that can arise from the use of certain thickeners. If included, the thickener is preferably present in an amount 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 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 enhancers. A variety of well-known organic thickener materials are known in the art. In alternative embodiments according to the present invention, where low concentrations 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 capabilities.

[0084] Substantially soluble organic thickeners can be used to provide thixotropy to the compositions of the present invention.Preferred thickeners have a 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, cocodiethanolamide, cocomonoethanolamide, stearic acid diethanolamide, ethoxylated cellulose, hydroxyethylstyrylamide, oleic acid diethanolamide, stearic acid monoethanolamide, cetyl alcohol, sterol alcohol, polyacrylamide thickeners, ethanol glycol distearate, xanthan compositions, sodium alginate and alginate products, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, and other similar aqueous thickeners with a significant proportion of water solubility.

[0085] Exemplary thickening agents include xanthan gum derivatives. Xanthan is an extracellular polysaccharide of Xanthomonas campestras. It is produced by fermentation of corn sugar or other corn sweetener by-products. Xanthan contains a polybeta-(1→4)-D-glucopyranosyl backbone 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 various known covalent crosslinkers reactive with the hydroxyl functional groups of larger polysaccharide molecules, and can also be crosslinked using divalent, trivalent, or polyvalent 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 metal cations. Known organic crosslinkers can also be used.

[0086] water The sprayable cleaning composition further comprises water. Distilled, deionized, or reverse osmosis water is preferred, but any water source can be used. 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, alkalinity source, foaming agent, and water constitutes a majority, or even substantially all, of the total weight of the composition. For example, in some embodiments, few or no additional functional components are disposed therein. In other embodiments, one or more of the above optional components, 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 ingredient provides the composition with desired properties and functionality. For purposes of this application, the term "functional ingredient" includes materials that, when dispersed or dissolved in an aqueous use solution, provide beneficial properties in a particular use. Some specific examples of functional materials are discussed in more detail below, although the specific materials discussed are provided merely as examples, 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 an organic or inorganic sequestrant or a mixture of sequestrants. Organic sequestrants 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 sequestrant with the formulation salt base, the most preferred sequestrants are organic sequestrants such as sodium gluconate.

[0091] The present invention also incorporates sequestering agents containing materials such as complex phosphate sequestrants, including sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and the like, and mixtures thereof. The phosphates that make up the sodium condensed phosphate hardness sequestrants function as water softeners, detergents, and detergent builders. Alkali metal (M) linear and cyclic condensed phosphates have a molar ratio of MO:PO of about 1:1 to 2:1 and higher. Typical polyphosphates of this class are the preferred sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium metaphosphate, and the corresponding potassium salts of these phosphates, as well as mixtures thereof. The particle size of the phosphate is not critical; any commercially available, micronized or granular, product can be used.

[0092] Dyes / Odors Various dyes, odorants including perfumes, and other aesthetic enhancers 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's 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 Company, Newark, NJ), 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 compositions of the present invention can be made by mixing the components in an aqueous diluent using commonly available containers and mixing equipment. Advantageously, no special manufacturing equipment is required to produce cleaning compositions using alkali-soluble emulsion polymers. A preferred method for producing the cleaning compositions of the present invention involves introducing the components into a stirred mixing vessel. In one embodiment, a certain amount of alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, foaming agent, water, and then the alkaline component are mixed. In one embodiment, deionized water is used. When a conventional thickener such as xanthan gum is included, additional processing steps may be required depending on the concentration of the additional thickener. This additional processing step may include processing through an inductor funnel or similar device to ensure proper dispersion of the thickener and minimize the formation of fisheyes.

[0095] Advantageously, the use of alkali-soluble emulsion polymers to produce cleaning composition solutions does not significantly increase the viscosity of the cleaning composition or exceed the solubility limit of the cleaning composition, thereby eliminating the need for lengthy, energy-intensive dissolution (or conversion of the polymer into solution). In one embodiment, the alkali-soluble emulsion polymers are easily incorporated into cleaning compositions, resulting in clear, low-viscosity solutions. In one embodiment, dissolution times are less than 10 minutes, or less than 5 minutes for a homogeneous solution, and preferably less than 3 minutes for a homogeneous solution, compared with 30 minutes to several hours for conventional thickeners such as xanthan gum. When 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 less than about 30 minutes.

[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, which require about 8 to 24 hours or more. Furthermore, the cleaning compositions can be produced using in-line mixing or on-site blending, providing significant manufacturing advantages not available with conventional reduced-misting compositions. Such manufacturing advantages are particularly important, as various sprayable hard-surface compositions requiring reduced-misting formulations and having short-term stability benefit from the improved ease of manufacturing afforded by the method of producing the cleaning compositions of the present invention.

[0097] How to use Sprayable cleaning compositions can be used to remove stubborn stains from a variety of surfaces. For example, sprayable compositions can be used in institutional, food and beverage, healthcare, vehicle care, pest control, 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. Additional applications may include, for example, laundry and textile cleaning and bleaching, carpet cleaning and bleaching, vehicle cleaning and bleaching, in-place cleaning, window cleaning, air fresheners or air fresheners, industrial or household cleaners, and antibacterial cleaning. Advantageously, alkali-soluble emulsion polymer-containing cleaning compositions provide rapid diffusion of active cleaning agents into stains as a result of the thin, liquid-like viscosity of the cleaning compositions according to the present invention.

[0098] The sprayable cleaning composition can be used in any environment where it is desirable to reduce the amount of suspended particles in 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 increases in median droplet size and reduces mist or aerosol. In one embodiment, the sprayable use solution generates 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 typically applied to hard surfaces containing difficult soils, such as inorganic, organic, or mixed matrix soils. Such soils include baked-on or carbonized food residues. Other surfaces may contain soils derived from the substantially insoluble hardness components of tap water. The improved cleaning composition of the present invention rapidly removes such soils because the detergent possesses a unique combination of alkali-soluble emulsion polymers that allows for rapid soil removal but resists the formation of amounts of mist or aerosol that could cause respiratory distress 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 inhalation of the use solution.

[0101] The cleaning composition can also be dispensed using a slow-trigger sprayer, such as one available from Calmar. A typical momentary trigger sprayer includes a discharge valve at the nozzle end of the discharge conduit. A resilient member, such as a spring, holds the discharge valve in a closed position. When the fluid pressure in the discharge valve exceeds the force of the resilient member, the discharge valve opens, dispersing the fluid. The typical discharge valve on a stock trigger sprayer is a throttle valve, allowing 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 to produce a well-defined particle size. In one example, the 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 commercially 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 that are dispensed.Cleaning compositions containing surfactant systems can work synergistically with slow-trigger sprayers to significantly increase droplet size beyond that expected based on the components alone.

[0102] When sprayed, cleaning compositions using alkali-soluble emulsion polymers exhibit reduced misting and atomization. The reduction in drift, misting, and atomization can be determined from the droplet size of the applied solution, with an increase in droplet size indicating reduced misting and atomization. Reduced inhalation can also be measured indirectly by reduced aerosol mass collection from large-volume 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, and preferably about 200 microns or more. Several methods for determining droplet size include, but are 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 also provides a liquid solution with sufficiently large droplets on the target surface, advantageously adhering to vertical surfaces for a certain period of time. Cleaning compositions applied to vertical surfaces usually run off the surface due to gravity. The cleaning composition solution can advantageously adhere to vertical surfaces for a long period of time. That is, even after a certain period of time, a larger amount of the current cleaning composition still remains on the vertical surface compared to compositions that do not contain 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 can also be delivered using a pressurized aerosol or aerosol pump sprayer. In pressurized aerosol applications, the composition of the present invention is mixed with an aerosol propellant and packaged in a metal pressurized container. Typical propellants include lower alkanes such as propane, butane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and various fluorocarbons. Pressurized aerosol containers typically include a spray head, a valve, and a dip tube that reach the opposite end of the container, ensuring the entire contents of the container are dispensed by the action of the propellant. When the valve is opened (depressed), the propellant pressure forces the liquid into the dip tube and through the aerosol spray head. At the spray head outlet, the shape of the aerosol valve generates a spray pattern that directs the material toward the soiled surface. Aerosol containers, dip tubes, propellants, and spray valves are well-understood commercial technologies. Pump sprayers typically consist of a container, a spray head, a valve, a pump, and a dip tube. When the pump is activated, a piston moves within a cylinder filled with the composition of the present invention. The piston's movement forces the composition through the aerosol valve, depositing the spray on the soiled surface. Once the piston has reached its full travel, it is returned to its original position by spring action, allowing additional spray material to be filled into the cylinder through the valve opening. When the piston is pushed through the cylinder again, the valve closes, preventing solution from flowing out of the cylinder. Pump sprays can deliver significant amounts 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. [Example]

[0106] Preferred embodiments of the invention described herein are illustrated in the following non-limiting examples. While these examples indicate particular embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that they are 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 invention and can make various changes and modifications to the embodiments of the invention to adapt them to various uses and conditions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, various modifications of the embodiments of the invention, in addition to those shown and described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall 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 Output 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 observation obtained 5 seconds after spraying. The results of the spray pattern test are shown in Figure 1. Observations for each cleaning composition were as follows:

[0109] The control sample produced a very fine spray and high mist with very small droplets, with the droplet spray spreading across the entire sheet. The very fine mist / spray had a wide spray pattern and significant respiratory irritation upon inhalation.

[0110] Formula A produced a uniform spray with large droplet size, with the majority of the spray localized in the center. This formula produced the least number of small spray droplets across the sheet. Thus, comparing Formula A with the control, the addition of the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer helped reduce misting of the composition or the amount of suspended particulate matter during spray application, thereby reducing respirability 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 a control composition. Micron size of particles 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 present 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 spraying into a shower stall. The following test method used a TSI OPS device equipped with Aerosol Instrument Manager (AIM) software.

[0113] The OPS was connected to a power source and computer. The OPS cap was removed 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 mist returns to the user spraying the cleaning formulation for a particular cleaning application after contact with 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 dosing height of an average adult dispensing the cleaning composition into the shower stall. For the testing in 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. Additional shower stall dimensions included 54 inches from the floor to the spray nozzle, 55 inches from the floor to the air inlet, 80 inches from the floor to the top of the curtain, and a 58-inch width (shower stall). The shower stall walls were thoroughly wetted with water. Before testing the sample, an initial air measurement was taken and recorded.

[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 with water again 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, and the OPS collected data for the sample formulation. During the test, drafts were prevented to prevent particles from dispersing from the test area and interfering with sample collection. For each sample formulation, data collection was acquired five times, with the highest particle count used as the data point for the sample formulation.

[0115] After each sample formulation is tested, the shower stall is aired out using a fan or by opening the door to the area, exposing to air 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 alkali-soluble emulsion polymers in alkaline compositions to ensure that the alkali-soluble emulsion polymers do 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 and provide 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 a control composition without the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. Furthermore, Figure 3 shows that the compositions containing the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer remained stable at low particle size over 12 weeks of storage at various temperatures. Beneficially, the data demonstrate that the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is a highly effective rheology modifier, significantly reducing misting or return particles in the 0.3 to 10 micron range. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the formulations of the present application exhibited excellent stability after 12 weeks at elevated temperatures.

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

[0120] Red and black stain tests were conducted to evaluate the amount of stain removal achieved by cleaning compositions containing alkali-soluble emulsion polymers. Black oily stains (hereinafter "black stains") contain carbon-based components that mimic the stains commonly found on floors and hard surfaces in various environments. Red stains (hereinafter "red stains") contain edible fats and proteins to mimic food stains commonly found in food preparation and eating areas. Cleaning efficiency is determined by calculating the change in reflectance from 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 black pigment dispersion, and about 37.5 grams of Black Charm Ball Clay.

[0123] Tiles soiled with red stain were prepared, and tiles soiled with black stain were also prepared. The back grooved surface of several 3" x 3" white vinyl tiles was soiled with approximately 0.75 grams of 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 likely allowed 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 dipping 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., with a synthetic sponge. A 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 a damp synthetic sponge at approximately 2 pounds of pressure for 16 cycles, rotating the tile 90 degrees every four cycles to allow a full 360-degree rotation for red-stained tiles, and 40 cycles for black-stained tiles, rotating the tile 90 degrees every 10 cycles to allow a full 360-degree rotation. 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 room temperature red and black stain tests are shown in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 4, the compositions of the present application demonstrated comparable 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 are still able to migrate to the surface and work effectively.

[0126] Example 4 Corn Oil Removal Test Method. The speed of soil removal / cleaning effectiveness was evaluated using a 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 cleaning composition's ability 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. The soiled panel was placed 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 polymerized soil panel 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 plus 750 ppm alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, and the control formulation plus 1000 ppm alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. The results of the corn oil removal test method after 60 seconds are shown in Figure 5.

[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 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 a foam stability cylinder rotating device, the foam stability of various cleaning compositions was evaluated in the presence of soil.This test was carried out to determine the effect of the presence of soil on the foam stability of each detergent composition.The compositions tested included the control formulation from Example 2, the control formulation + 750 ppm of alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, and the control formulation + 1000 ppm of 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. 3. The soil was liquefied by placing it on a hot plate at 200°F to produce a homogenous liquid. 4. All cylinders were stopped and placed in the foam cylinder device and tightened firmly. 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. The "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 formulation containing the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer demonstrated 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 plus 750 ppm of alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, and the control formulation plus 1000 ppm of alkali-soluble emulsion polymer. Each test product was sprayed onto polymerized corn oil coupons at room temperature in three sprays. Initial foam behavior was monitored visually, and photographs of each test composition were taken 5 seconds after spraying for visual observation. Images are shown in Figures 7A, 7B, and 7C.

[0134] As shown in Figures 7A-7C, the foam behavior of the compositions of the present application demonstrated complete coverage of the surface at a thickness suitable for beneficially achieving vertical adhesion to vertical surfaces. Even after 5 seconds, the current cleaning agent remained on the vertical surface. These results demonstrate 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 in place 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. As shown in Example 2, the alternative polymers were added to the control formulation. The results are shown in Table 3, observing the compatibility of the polymer inclusions and the spray pattern of the polymers. [Table 3]

[0136] The results in Table 3 demonstrate 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 approximately 13.5, and ACUSOL™ 830 had stability issues. However, in slightly less alkaline formulations, this alkali-soluble polymer would be expected to be suitable for sprayable cleaning compositions. Despite this, other alkali-soluble emulsion polymers have demonstrated compatibility with sprayable cleaning compositions. Therefore, the inclusion of the polymers of the present application demonstrates significant and unexpected benefits in both solubilization and mist reduction in heavy-duty degreaser compositions, providing beneficial properties for use in sprayable alkaline compositions.

[0137] Example 8 Conductivity tests were performed to confirm the emulsion nature of the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer (i.e., aqueous emulsion, not inverse emulsion). 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 electrode was 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 readings stabilized. The 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 obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims. Examples of embodiments of the present disclosure are listed in the following items [1] to

[20] . [1] 1. A sprayable cleaning composition comprising: about 0.0035% to about 1% by weight of an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, said alkali-soluble emulsion polymer being in an emulsion wherein the continuous phase is water or a water-miscible liquid, said alkali-soluble emulsion polymer being stable at a pH of at least about 10; an alkalinity source, the alkalinity source being at a concentration sufficient to neutralize the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer; about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a foaming agent, the foaming agent comprising an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, or a combination thereof, and the composition being free of a cationic surfactant; 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. [2] 10. The composition of claim 1, wherein the alkalinity source comprises an organic, alkali metal hydroxide, and the alkalinity source is at a concentration of about 0.1% to about 15% by weight. [3] 3. The composition of claim 1 or 2, 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. [4] The alkali-soluble emulsion polymer has the following structure: [ka] wherein 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 4. The composition of claim 1, wherein R 1 is a methyl group, R 2 is a methyl group, and R 3 is a methyl group. 5. The composition of claim 1, wherein R 1 is a methyl group, and R 2 is a methyl group. [5] The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the composition has a pH of about 12 to about 14. [6] 6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer has a viscosity greater than 10 cps and less than about 200 cps. [7] 7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is stable at a pH above about 13. [8] 8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor at a concentration of about 0.01% to about 5% by weight. [9] 9. The composition of claim 8, wherein the corrosion inhibitor comprises sodium gluconate, sodium glucoheptonate, and mixtures thereof.

[10] The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the composition further comprises a solvent at a concentration of about 0.01% by weight to about 10% by weight.

[11] 11. The composition of claim 10, 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.

[12] 10. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a thickener at a concentration of about 0.01% to about 10% by weight.

[13] 13. The composition of claim 12, wherein the thickening agent comprises xanthan gum and is at a concentration of about 0.01% to about 5% by weight.

[14] 1. 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 13 contained in the spray bottle, wherein the spray head is adapted to dispense the sprayable cleaning composition.

[15] 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the cleaning composition is generated in-line or in situ by combining the alkalinity source, alkali-soluble emulsion polymer, foaming agent, and water, and dissolution requires less than 10 minutes to form a homogeneous solution.

[16] 1. A method of cleaning a hard surface using an atomized, reduced-mist cleaning composition, comprising: (a) contacting a soiled surface with a sprayable cleaning composition according to any one of claims 1 to 13; (b) wiping said hard surface to remove film and / or any dirt.

[17] The cleaning composition produces a total concentration of mist of particles having a size of 10 microns or less per cm 3 60 particles / cm within the occupant's breathing zone, measured in total particles per cm 3 17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

[18] 18. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein the applying step uses a trigger sprayer.

[19] 19. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the stain is a greasy or fatty stain.

[20] 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the surface is a non-horizontal surface and the cleaning composition exhibits less flow on the surface than an acrylamide-based sprayable cleaning composition.

Claims

1. 1. A sprayable cleaning composition, said composition comprising: an alkali-soluble emulsion polymer at a concentration of 0.0035% to 1% by weight based on the total weight of the composition, said alkali-soluble emulsion polymer having the structure: 【Chemistry 1】 wherein x is 1 to 10,000, y is 1 to 10,000, R comprises hydrogen or an alkyl group, and R Ｉ comprises hydrogen or an alkyl group, said alkali-soluble emulsion polymer being in an emulsion having an aqueous continuous phase, said aqueous continuous phase being water or a water-miscible liquid, said alkali-soluble emulsion polymer being stable at a pH of at least 13, and said alkali-soluble emulsion polymer not being hydrophobically modified; an alkalinity source at a concentration of 0.1% to 7% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, the alkalinity source being sufficient to neutralize the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer; a foaming agent at a concentration of 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. % based on the total weight of the composition, wherein the foaming agent is selected from a nonionic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, or a combination thereof, and the composition is free of a cationic surfactant; a thickening agent comprising xanthan gum at a concentration of 0.01% to 5% by weight based on the total weight of the composition; water, The sprayable cleaning composition is a non-Newtonian fluid that has a shear viscosity of 1 to 500 cPs measured when not under strain, but thickens under strain to reduce the formation of airborne aerosol particles less than 10 microns in size when sprayed.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the alkalinity source comprises an organic, alkali metal hydroxide.

3. 3. The composition of claim 1 or 2, wherein the foaming agent comprises a betaine, a sultaine, an amine oxide, an alkyl polyglucoside, or a mixture thereof.

4. The composition of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the composition has a pH of 12 to 14.

5. The composition of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer has a viscosity greater than 10 cps and less than 200 cps.

6. The composition of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the alkali-soluble emulsion polymer is stable at a pH above 13.

7. The composition of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the composition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor at a concentration of 0.01% to 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.

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

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

10. 10. The composition of claim 9, 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.

11. 1. 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 10 contained in the spray bottle, wherein the spray head is adapted to dispense the sprayable cleaning composition.

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

13. 1. A method of cleaning a hard surface using an atomized, reduced-mist cleaning composition, comprising: (a) contacting a soiled surface with a sprayable cleaning composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10; (b) wiping said hard surface to remove film and / or any dirt.

14. The cleaning composition produces a total concentration of mist of particles having a size of 10 microns or less per cm ３ 60 particles / cm within the occupant's breathing zone, measured in total particles per cm ３ is as follows:

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the total concentration is measured as follows: (1) Connect a TSI Optical Particle Sizer (OPS) device with Aerosol Instrument Manager (AIM) software to a power source and computer; (2) Remove the cap of the OPS to allow air to pass through the air inlet at a rate of 1 L / min and place the OPS within the breathing zone of the shower stall, where the breathing zone is established as a height of 55 inches and a distance of 37.5 inches from the shower wall to the location of the OPS device. The shower stall dimensions include: 54 inches from the floor to the spray nozzle, 55 inches from the floor to the air inlet of the OPS, 80 inches from the floor to the top of the curtain, and a width of 58 inches; (3) thoroughly wetting the shower stall walls with water before spraying the sample formulation; (4) While the sample formulation is being sprayed into the shower stall, power on the OPS and begin data collection; (5) Spray the sample formulation around the shower stall 40 times and collect data on the sample formulation with the OPS. Avoid drafts during testing; (6) Data collection is taken five times and the highest particle count is used as the data point for the sample formulation.

15. 15. The method of claim 13 or 14, wherein the contacting step uses a trigger sprayer.

16. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the stain is a greasy or fatty stain.

17. the surface is a non-horizontal surface and the cleaning composition exhibits less flow on the surface than an acrylamide-based sprayable cleaning composition; 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the flow is measured as follows: (1) Spray the test composition onto the vertical surface of a polymerized corn oil coupon in three sprays at room temperature; (2) Photograph the test composition 5 seconds after spraying and visually observe the flow on the vertical surface.

Images