CN115180974A

CN115180974A - Method for increasing the coefficient of friction of a hard surface, kit and hard surface

Info

Publication number: CN115180974A
Application number: CN202210807567.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 付灵超; 杨正
Original assignee: Ecolab USA Inc
Current assignee: Ecolab USA Inc
Priority date: 2016-05-17
Filing date: 2016-05-17
Publication date: 2022-10-14
Also published as: CN107382370A

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for increasing the coefficient of friction of a hard surface with holes, a kit for carrying out the method and a treated hard surface. The method comprises applying a gel-capable liquid composition to the hard surface, whereby at least part of the liquid composition penetrates into at least part of the pores of the hard surface, wherein the gel-capable liquid composition comprises a gel-capable substance and optionally a dispersion medium; and gelling the liquid composition capable of gelling.

Description

Method for increasing the coefficient of friction of a hard surface, kit and hard surface

The application is a divisional application of Chinese patent application with the application number of 201610325453.0, the application date of 2016, 5, and 17, and the invention name of "method, kit, and hard surface for increasing friction coefficient of hard surface".

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method of increasing the coefficient of friction (COF) of a hard surface with holes, a kit for carrying out the method and a treated hard surface.

Background

Hard surfaces such as floors, walls, countertops, etc. are often made using porous materials including ceramics, stone, and cement-based materials. Hard surfaces formed from these materials tend to be mostly fine-meshed, which gives the hard surface a rough surface. These holes increase the coefficient of friction of the hard surface, reducing the risk of slippage when it is dry.

However, when the hard surface becomes wet and/or greasy, water and/or oil can penetrate into the pores and form a thin layer of water and/or oil covering the hard surface. The coefficient of friction of the hard surface is thus significantly reduced, which increases the risk of slipping. Furthermore, there is a risk that the hard surface will remain wet and/or greasy for a longer time, since water and/or oil will penetrate into the pores. The risk of slipping is particularly high in kitchens and bathrooms, where hard surfaces such as floors tend to become wet and/or greasy.

Various methods are known in the art for increasing the coefficient of friction of hard surfaces. For example, in one method, a non-slip coating may be applied to a hard surface. The coating may contain particles or fibers that may roughen the hard surface to increase its coefficient of friction. Another method is to use an anti-slip treatment agent. Water-based liquids are commonly used which can penetrate and react with the capillary channels of the tile or stone to widen the channels. The small holes in these surfaces act as suction cups and are effectively non-slip.

Also known are methods using acidic agents that can etch into hard surfaces to further form pores. When the surface becomes wet, the pores will fill with liquid. When a person walks on the surface, a vacuum is formed in the cells, thus increasing the stiction of the floor when wet. However, the use of such acidic agents may damage the hard surface, affecting its appearance, and not all hard surfaces are suitable for the process.

Most importantly, the above methods may fail when the hard surface is wet or greasy.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for treating a hard surface to increase the coefficient of friction thereof, a kit for carrying out the method, and a treated hard surface, wherein the method and kit can increase the coefficient of friction of a hard surface, in particular a wet and/or greasy hard surface, to reduce the risk of slipping thereon.

The present inventors have found that the above problems can be overcome by applying a gel-able substance to a hard surface with holes and gelling the gel-able substance, and have completed the present invention.

More specifically, the present invention provides the following technical means. It should be understood that the technical solutions provided by the present invention may achieve or solve at least one of the advantages or technical problems described herein. It is not necessary to achieve all technical effects or solve all technical problems at the same time.

A first aspect of the invention provides a method for increasing the coefficient of friction of a hard surface with holes, comprising: applying a gel-capable liquid composition to the hard surface, whereby at least part of the gel-capable liquid composition penetrates into at least part of the pores of the hard surface, wherein the gel-capable liquid composition may comprise a gel-capable substance and optionally a dispersion medium; and gelling the liquid composition capable of gelling.

According to the studies of the present inventors, by forming a gel on a hard surface by this method, the (static/dynamic) friction coefficient of a porous hard surface, especially a wet/greasy hard surface, can be increased. Without being bound by any theory, it is believed that this is because the gel formed remains in and protrudes from at least part of the wells and the protruding gel projections roughen the hard surface increasing its coefficient of friction. Further, the gel may advantageously also absorb water and/or oil when the hard surface is wet and/or greasy.

In one embodiment, the time interval between the step of applying the gel-able liquid composition and the step of gelling the gel-able liquid composition is less than about 30 seconds.

In another embodiment, the liquid composition capable of gelling may have a solids content of about 15 to about 50wt%, about 30 to about 44wt%, about 30 to about 35 wt%. Further, the substance capable of gelling may have an average particle size of about 5 to about 40nm, about 12 to about 27nm, about 12 to about 20nm.

In one embodiment, the step of gelling the gel-capable liquid composition comprises applying to the hard surface a gelling agent capable of gelling the gel-capable liquid composition.

The gel-able liquid composition may include silica sol (colloidal silica), and in this case, the gel-able substance is silica or concentrated silica sol, which may be mixed with a dispersion medium or diluted as necessary to be used as the gel-able liquid composition of the present invention. In addition, in one embodiment, the silica sol satisfying the requirements of the present invention may also be used as it is as the liquid composition capable of gelling of the present invention without being diluted with a dispersion medium, in which case the substance capable of gelling is silica. In one embodiment, the gel is silica gel and the gelling agent is a pH adjuster or salts.

In one embodiment, the silica sol may have a pH of from about 1.5 to about 3; the gelling agent may be an alkaline solution, such as KOH and NaOH solutions. The silica sol may have a pH of about 8.5 to about 11; the gelling agent may be an acidic solution, such as a citric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid solution. Crosslinking can be initiated by changing the pH of the silica sol.

Further, the above salt may be at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium chloride, sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium sulfate and magnesium sulfate.

The weight ratio of liquid composition capable of gelling to gelling agent applied may be from about 10:1 to about 100:1 on a solids basis.

The above-mentioned liquid composition capable of gelling further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a perfume, a pigment, a disinfecting ingredient and a surfactant.

More specifically, the method of the present invention may comprise:

applying a silica sol to a hard surface, whereby at least part of the silica sol penetrates into at least part of the pores of the hard surface, and applying an alkaline solution, an acidic solution, or a salt to the hard surface.

Destabilizing the applied silica sol by further applying the above to the silica sol, the silica sol cross-links, gels to form silica gels that are retained in at least some of the pores of the hard surface and protrude therefrom as protrusions, causing water and/or oil on the hard surface to be absorbed and increasing the coefficient of friction of the hard surface.

The hard surface may be a floor, wall or table. More specifically, the hard surface may comprise a ceramic, stone or cement-based material surface. Such hard surfaces typically have pores with a pore size of about 100 to about 5000 nm.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a kit for treating a hard surface with holes to increase its coefficient of friction, comprising:

a first container comprising a gel-capable liquid composition comprising a gel-capable substance and optionally a dispersion medium; and

a second container comprising a gelling agent capable of gelling the liquid composition capable of gelling.

The liquid composition capable of gelling may be silica sol, and the gelling agent is a pH adjuster or salts.

The weight ratio of said liquid composition capable of gelling and said gelling agent, on a solids basis, when applied to a hard surface, is from about 10:1 to about 100:1.

The liquid composition capable of gelling further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of perfumes, dyes, disinfecting ingredients and surfactants.

The kit further comprises an application device for applying the liquid composition capable of gelling. The kit may further comprise an application device for applying the gel.

Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a hard surface treated with said method or said kit, having: a hole on the surface; and a gel held in and extending from at least a portion of the well.

The treated hard surface has a coefficient of friction of 0.4 or more.

While multiple embodiments are disclosed, other aspects and embodiments of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. The detailed description and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

Drawings

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the mechanism of action of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a photograph showing the composition of the present invention cross-linked to produce a gel.

Figure 3 shows a floor tile and stopwatch used to measure a sample according to the present invention.

Fig. 4 shows an appearance diagram of a BOT 3000 friction wear tester for testing friction coefficient.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing a comparison of permeation times for various silica sols.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the effect of solids content on penetration time for compositions of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the effect of solids content on the coefficient of friction for compositions of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing the effect of average particle size on penetration time for compositions of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing the effect of average particle size on coefficient of friction for compositions used in the methods of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The various embodiments mentioned do not limit the scope of the invention. The drawings provided herein are not limiting of various embodiments according to the invention but are illustrative of the invention.

It should be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," "the," and "the" include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to a composition containing "a compound" includes a composition having two or more compounds. It should also be noted that the term "or" is generally employed in its sense including "and/or" unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Throughout this disclosure, various aspects of the invention are presented in a range format. It should be understood that the description in range format is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the description of a range should be considered to have specifically disclosed all the possible subranges within that range as well as individual numerical values. For example, a description of a range such as from 1 to 6 should be considered to have specifically disclosed sub-ranges within that range 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 numerical values such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Regardless of the breadth of the range.

The term "about" as used herein refers to deviations in numerical quantities that may occur, for example, due to typical measurement and liquid handling procedures in the real world; inadvertent errors due to these procedures; due to differences in the manufacture, source or purity of the ingredients used to make the composition or to carry out the method, and the like. The term "about" also encompasses amounts that differ due to different equilibrium conditions of the composition resulting from a particular initial mixture. Whether or not modified by the term "about," the claims include equivalents to the quantity.

As used herein, "weight percent," "wt%", "percent by weight," "percent by weight," and variations thereof refer to the concentration of a substance calculated by the weight of the substance divided by the total weight of the composition and multiplied by 100. It should be understood that "percent," "percent," and the like, as used herein, are intended to be synonymous with "weight percent," "wt%," and the like.

As used herein, the term "consisting essentially of 8230 \8230; '8230constituting' with respect to the composition means that the listed ingredients are not included with additional ingredients that, if present, would affect the properties of the composition. The term "consisting essentially of 8230a composition" may also refer to a component of a composition. For example, a gelling agent may consist essentially of two or more components, and the gelling agent may not contain any other components that would affect the effectiveness of the gelling agent (whether positive or negative). As used herein, the term "consisting essentially of 8230 \8230; '8230constituting' with respect to a process means that the listed steps are not included with additional steps (or ingredients, if included in the process), which would affect the effectiveness of the process if present.

The present invention relates generally to a method for increasing the coefficient of friction (COF) of a porous hard surface comprising: applying a gel-capable liquid composition to the hard surface, whereby at least part of the gel-capable liquid composition penetrates into at least part of the pores of the hard surface, wherein the gel-capable liquid composition comprises a gel-capable substance and optionally a dispersion medium; and gelling the liquid composition capable of gelling. The gel produced at this point is retained in at least part of the wells of the hard surface and protrudes from the wells as a protrusion.

According to the studies of the present inventors, it is considered that by applying a gel-capable liquid composition to a hard surface with pores and then gelling the gel-capable liquid composition, as shown in fig. 1, the formed gel remains in and protrudes from at least some of the pores in continuous or discontinuous areas of the hard surface, roughening the hard surface as protrusions to increase the coefficient of friction of the hard surface. Further, the gel may advantageously also absorb water and oil deposited on the hard surface when the hard surface is wet or greasy, which also helps to increase the coefficient of friction of the hard surface when the hard surface is wet and/or greasy. Since the gel formed according to the invention can absorb water and/or oil on hard surfaces, it is particularly suitable for use in areas which are prone to becoming damp, greasy, such as bathrooms, kitchens, restaurants, hotels and the like. The method of the invention can improve the condition of a hard surface at a very rapid rate (e.g., less than one minute, and further less than about 30 seconds, and even less than about 20 seconds) to rapidly increase the coefficient of friction. The "oil" as referred to herein is not particularly limited, and is an oily substance which is often encountered in kitchens, restaurants, bathrooms, and the like, such as edible oil, sesame oil, salad oil, nail polish, and other various oily substances.

The gel-able compositions for use in the methods and kits of the invention may be gelled by various well-known methods, typically by using a gelling agent, for example the gelling agent may act by: destabilizing the composition to initiate crosslinking, adjust its pH, produce further chemical reactions/physical actions, etc. to gel the liquid composition capable of gelling. The particular gelling mechanism can be selected by one skilled in the art based on the nature of the composition capable of gelling.

In one embodiment, the time interval between the step of applying the gel-able liquid composition and the step of gelling the gel-able liquid composition is less than about 30 seconds to allow the gel-able substance to sufficiently penetrate into a majority of the pores of the hard surface. If the interval between the two steps exceeds about 30 seconds, the process becomes tedious and the waiting time becomes too long to provide a satisfactory process experience. The lower limit of the time interval is not particularly limited and depends mainly on the time required for the substance capable of gelling to permeate into the pores of the hard surface, which can be measured by the method described below. Generally, the time interval should be more than about 5 seconds, and if the time interval is less than about 5 seconds, sometimes the substance capable of gelling does not sufficiently penetrate into the micropores, and sufficient gelling is not produced in the subsequent gelling step, which may result in a friction coefficient-increasing effect that is difficult to satisfy.

The gel-able liquid composition may comprise a gel-able substance and optionally a dispersion medium for dispersing the gel-able substance.

In one embodiment, the gel-able liquid composition contains silica sol, and in this case, the gel-able substance may be silica or concentrated silica sol, and the gel-able liquid composition may be mixed with a dispersion medium and diluted as necessary, and then used as the gel-able liquid composition of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that where the gel-able substance comprises a silica sol, a further dispersion medium is not necessarily necessary since the silica sol itself is in a dispersed state. In this case, the silica sol may be used as it is as the liquid composition capable of gelling according to the present invention as long as the silica sol satisfies the requirements of the present invention. Of course, the silica sol may be further dispersed in a dispersion medium and used as a liquid composition capable of gelation. The dispersion medium is not particularly limited as long as the silica can be kept in a colloidal state. Dispersing agents well known in the art may be used without particular limitation, such as water. Silica sols are suspensions of fine, amorphous particles (e.g., spherical particles) of nanoscale silica in which the silica is suspended in a liquid phase. In one embodiment, the liquid composition capable of gelling comprises a silica sol and further water, if desired. In one embodiment, the liquid composition capable of gelling is a silica sol.

The gellable material may have an average particle size of about 5 to about 40nm (in the case where the gellable material is or comprises a silica sol, this refers to the average particle size of the silica it contains). If the particle diameter is less than this range, rapid penetration can be obtained, but it may be difficult to form protrusions protruding from the hard surface, and thus the friction coefficient increasing effect is insufficient. If the particle diameter is larger than this range, the penetration into the pores in the hard surface becomes slow, and the penetration into the pores having a small pore diameter in the hard surface may be difficult, which may decrease the bonding strength between the formed protrusions and the pores in the hard surface, and decrease the friction coefficient increasing effect. In one embodiment, the substance capable of gelling has an average particle size of about 12 to about 27 nm. By limiting the average particle diameter to this range, a short penetration time (less than 30 seconds) and a higher friction coefficient increasing effect (about 0.4 or more) can be obtained. In one embodiment, the substance capable of gelling has an average particle size of 12 to 20nm. By having an average particle size in this range, a faster penetration time (less than 20 seconds) and a good balance of penetration time and resulting coefficient of friction can be obtained. The average particle size can be measured by a nitrogen adsorption method, the specific surface area is measured by the nitrogen adsorption method, and then the average particle size is calculated according to a sphere specific surface area formula.

The liquid composition capable of gelling may have a solids content of about 15 to about 50 wt%. If the solid content exceeds the above range, the content of the substance capable of gelling is too high, resulting in a long time (sometimes even more than about 1 minute of permeation time) required for permeation into the pores of the hard surface and failure to maximize the friction coefficient-increasing effect due to excessive gel formation on the hard surface. Conversely, if the solid content is less than this range, the friction coefficient-increasing effect will be reduced. In one embodiment, the composition capable of gelling has a solids content of about 30 to about 44wt%, by limiting the solids content to this range, a fast penetration time (less than about 30 seconds) and a higher coefficient of friction lifting effect (greater than 0.4) can be obtained. In yet another embodiment, the composition capable of gelling has a solids content of about 30 to about 40wt% or about 30 to about 35 wt%. By having a solid content in this range, a faster penetration time (less than about 20 seconds) and a higher coefficient of friction (up to 0.45) enhancement effect can be obtained. In the case where the liquid composition capable of gelling is a silica sol, the solid content refers to the solid content of the silica sol applied to the hard surface.

Advantageously, the solids content and/or particle size of the gel-able liquid composition may be selected to adjust the penetration of the gel-able liquid composition into the pores of the hard surface and the coefficient of friction of the hard surface after gelation. The liquid composition capable of gelling penetrates into the hard surface in a relatively short time, so that the hard surface can be treated efficiently, and the treated hard surface has a high coefficient of friction to significantly reduce the risk of slip.

In the liquid composition capable of gelling, the dispersion medium may be present in an amount of about 50 to about 85wt%, about 56 to about 70wt%, about 65 to about 70 wt%.

Wherein, when the composition capable of gelling is a silica sol, the silica sol should be in a stable form before being applied to a hard surface. This can be achieved by adjusting the pH. For example, in one embodiment, the silica sol is stabilized at an acidic pH. Examples of suitable acidic pH are from about 1.5 to about 3. In another embodiment, the silica sol is stabilized at an alkaline pH. Examples of suitable basic pH are from about 8.5 to about 11. Examples of suitable silica sols include, but are not limited to: akzo Nobel R301 (30% solid content, average particle diameter 10nm, ph =10.5, obtained from Akzo Nobel corporation); akzo Nobel R900 (34% solids, average particle size 20nm, ph=3.0, available from Akzo Nobel corporation); ludox CL-P (41% solids, mean particle size 22nm, pH =4, from Grace); ludox AM (30% solids, average particle size 12nm, ph =9, available from Grace corporation); nalco1050 (solid content 50%, average particle size 20nm, ph =9, available from Nalco corporation); nalco 2327 (40% solids, average particle size 20nm, ph =9.3, available from Nalco corporation); nalco 1034A (34% solids, mean particle size 20nm, ph =2.8, available from Nalco). Although a (concentrated) silica sol is exemplified herein as an example of a substance capable of gelation, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a silica sol satisfying the requirements of the present invention may be used as a composition capable of gelation without being diluted with a dispersing agent, or may be used as a composition capable of gelation after being further diluted with a dispersing medium as necessary.

In one embodiment, the silica sol is converted to a silica gel (silica gel). Advantageously, silica gel is able to absorb water and oil on hard surfaces, reducing the risk of slippage.

As mentioned above, the silica sol may be converted to a gel using any suitable method. Typically, the gelling reaction involves a crosslinking reaction resulting from destabilizing the colloidal suspension, which can be achieved by adding a suitable gelling agent. The gelling agent is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately selected depending on the type of the substance capable of gelling used. For example, the gelling agent may be a pH adjuster or a salt, such as a basic pH adjuster.

In one embodiment, once the silica sol is applied to a hard surface, it is converted to silica gel by changing its pH. For example, when the silica sol is stable at a pH of about 1.5 to about 3, it can be converted to a silica gel by adding an alkaline solution to the silica sol applied to the hard surface. Known bases can be used without particular limitation, and suitable bases include sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and the like. The alkaline solution may have a concentration of about 0.01 to about 0.1 g/ml.

In an alternative embodiment, when the silica sol is stable at a pH of about 8.5 to about 11, it may be converted to silica gel by adding an acid solution to the silica sol. Known acids may be used without particular limitation, and suitable acids include citric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid. The acid solution may have a concentration of about 0.01 to about 0.1 g/ml. Further, the pH range suitable for converting the silica sol into silica gel using an acidic or basic solution is not limited to the above. The silica sol can be gelled using acidic or basic solutions over a wide pH range.

In one embodiment, once the silica sol is applied to the hard surface, the silica sol is converted to a silica gel by applying a salt solution to the silica sol. Suitable salts include potassium chloride, sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and the like, and may be used alone or in combination without limitation. The salt may be provided in the form of an aqueous solution having a concentration of 0.01 to 0.1 g/ml.

In one embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the respective weights of the gel-capable composition and the gelling agent applied may vary depending on the respective types and solids contents of the gel-capable composition and the gelling agent, the material or atmospheric temperature of the hard surface, and the like. In general, however, the weight ratio of the gel-capable composition to the gelling agent applied may be from about 10:1 to about 100:1 on a solids basis. If the weight ratio is less than this range, the gelling agent may be excessive, and the amount of the substance capable of gelling may be insufficient, resulting in failure to obtain a sufficient friction coefficient-improving effect. On the other hand, if the weight ratio is higher than the above range, the amount of the substance capable of gelling may be excessive, and thus sufficient crosslinking may not be performed to cause gelling, and a sufficient friction coefficient-improving effect may not be obtained.

In a particular embodiment, the method of the invention may comprise the steps of:

applying a silica sol to a porous hard surface, whereby at least part of the silica sol penetrates into at least part of the pores of the hard surface, and

gelling the silica sol to form a silica gel. The gel thus formed is retained in and protrudes from at least part of the pores of the hard surface to absorb water and oil and increase the coefficient of friction of the hard surface.

In a more specific embodiment, the method of the invention may comprise the steps of: applying a silica sol to a porous hard surface, whereby at least part of the silica sol penetrates into at least part of the pores of the hard surface; and applying an alkaline solution, an acidic solution, or a salt to the hard surface.

In a more specific embodiment, the method of the invention comprises the steps of:

applying an alkaline solution to the hard surface. Thereby crosslinking at least part of the silica sol to form a silica gel, and the formed gel is retained in and protrudes from at least part of the pores to absorb oil and moisture and increase the coefficient of friction of the hard surface.

In the method according to the present invention, the liquid composition capable of gelling may further comprise other ingredients capable of imparting various possibly desired properties to the liquid composition of the present invention. Examples of such other ingredients include, but are not limited to: at least one of essence, pigment, disinfecting component and surfactant.

The methods described herein can be used to treat any hard surface with holes. The hard surface may be a porous hard surface. The hard surface may be a floor, wall or table, etc., where a higher coefficient of friction is desired. The hard surface may be formed of ceramic, stone, cement-based materials. Suitable ceramic materials include ceramic tiles (glazed or unglazed), tiles and porcelain. Suitable stone materials include marble, slate, granite, and laminated sandstone. Suitable cementitious-based materials include: concrete, cement, and terrazzo. The method of the invention can treat any hard surface. For example, the hard surface can be a surface (e.g., floor, wall, counter, etc.) of a kitchen, laboratory, abattoir, workshop, washroom and bathroom, fast food restaurant, hotel, etc. In one embodiment, the hard surface is a floor in a kitchen or bathroom.

As mentioned above, the present invention also provides a kit for treating a hard surface to increase its coefficient of friction. The kit comprises a first container comprising a gel-capable liquid composition comprising a gel-capable substance and optionally a dispersion medium; and a second container containing a gelling agent capable of gelling the liquid composition capable of gelling.

In one embodiment, the liquid composition capable of gelling is a silica sol (colloidal silica).

In one embodiment, the gelling agent is a pH adjusting agent or salt.

When applied to a hard surface, the weight ratio of the liquid composition capable of gelling and the gelling agent is from about 10:1 to about 100:1, on a solids basis, as described above.

In one embodiment, the kit further comprises an application device for applying the liquid composition, and the kit may further comprise an application device for applying the gel. The above-mentioned application devices may be identical or different. Examples of application devices include, but are not limited to: a spray device, a roller device, a mop or a rag.

Another aspect of the invention provides a hard surface treated with said method or said kit comprising: a hole on the surface; and a gel held in and extending from at least a portion of the well. The hard surface may have oil and/or water thereon prior to being untreated. The treated hard surface has a coefficient of friction of 0.30 or more, 0.40 or more, 0.42 or more. A hard surface with the above mentioned coefficient of friction may significantly reduce the risk of skidding of a person walking on it.

While various embodiments are disclosed and described, other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description herein. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. For example, although the composition capable of gelling is described above as a liquid composition, it may be in a solid form instead of a liquid form, or may be a separate component instead of a composition form, as long as it is capable of forming a gel.

Examples

Embodiments of the present invention are further illustrated in the following non-limiting examples. It should be understood that these examples, while indicating certain embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only. From the above discussion and these examples, one skilled in the art can ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the embodiments of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions. Accordingly, various modifications of the embodiments of the present 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.

Measurement method

The measurement methods of various parameters described in the present specification and examples are explained here.

Method for measuring permeation time

The tiles were cleaned with deionized water (and detergent if necessary) and then placed in an oven to dry for 12 hours to ensure complete removal of water. Then 1 drop of the liquid to be tested was added to the floor tile using a 1ml pipette. The time was recorded visually with a stopwatch from the time the drop contacted the tile until the drop was visually observed to completely penetrate the tile. The floor tile used in the test method and a stopwatch are shown in fig. 3.

Method for measuring friction coefficient

The coefficient of friction of the floor tile to be tested was determined using a BOT 3000 digital friction abrasion tester (obtained from Regan Sci, USA) in accordance with ANSI/NFSI B101.1, B101.3 of the American national standards institute. During testing, the BOT 3000 is set to be in a static friction coefficient testing mode, then the floor tile is placed on a floor tile test piece, a test key is pressed, and the floor tile test piece automatically runs until friction coefficient reading is obtained.

The specific test steps are as follows:

preparing floor tiles, and measuring the friction coefficient of the floor tiles in a dry state by using the BOT 3000 digital friction abrasion tester, wherein the friction coefficient is 0.5;

immersing the whole floor tile into deionized water and refined plant oil of the golden dragon fish in sequence, taking out the floor tile, horizontally placing the floor tile after no liquid drops on the floor tile, and measuring the friction coefficient of the floor tile in a wet state by using BOT 3000;

then, each sample (silica sol) described below was immersed in a rag for one minute to completely soak the solution; then taking out the rag from the sample, and completely wiping the surface of the floor tile by using the fully wetted rag; after the tile had completely absorbed the visual inspection of the test sample, the tile surface was similarly further wiped with a wipe saturated with a cross-linking agent using 10wt% citric acid solution if the sample pH was greater than 7 and using 1wt% naoh solution if the sample pH was less than 7;

and the friction coefficient after treatment is measured.

The above-mentioned coefficient of friction was measured three times repeatedly, and the average value thereof was taken as a measured value, wherein the coefficient of friction in a wet state of the floor tile was about 0.21.

Example 1: gelation test of silica Sol

To this silica sol was added a 10% citric acid solution in a mass ratio of 20: 1 using a silica sol Nalco 2327 (available from Nalco). Referring to fig. 2, it can be observed that the silica sol is converted to silica gel after a few seconds.

Example 2: silica sol infiltration experiment

The permeation time was measured using each of the following commercially available silica sols. The commercial silica sol used and the resulting penetration times are shown in table 1 below and in figure 5.

TABLE 1

Trade name	Solid content (wt%)	Average particle diameter (nm)	pH	Penetration time (seconds)
					Ludox CL-P	41	22	4	21
Ludox AM	30	12	9	3
					Akzo R900	34	20	3	16
Nalco 1050	50	20	9	50
					Nalco 2327	40	20	9.3	19
Nalco 1034A	34	20	2.8	16
					Nalco 13573	27	20	3	5

Example 3: influence of the solids content on the penetration time and the coefficient of friction

In this example, various commercial silica sols of different solids contents were tested, with the average particle size controlled at 20nm, to study the effect of the solids content on the penetration time and coefficient of friction.

The silica sol samples used were:

nalco13573 (20 nm, solids content: 27wt%, pH 3, from Nalco Corp.); ludox PG-E (20 nm, solids content: 30% by weight, pH 9, from Grace); akzo Nobel R900 (20 nm, solids content: 34wt%, pH 3 from Akzo Nobel); nalco 2327 (20 nm, solids content: 40wt%, pH 9.3, from Nalco corporation); nalco1050 (20 nm, solids content: 50wt%, pH 9 from Nalco).

The penetration time and the friction coefficient improving effect were measured according to the above-mentioned measuring methods, respectively. The test results are shown in table 2 and fig. 6 and 7, respectively.

TABLE 2

Example 4: influence of particle size on penetration time and coefficient of friction

In this example, a variety of commercial silica sols of varying average particle size were tested, with the solids content fixed in the range of about 30wt% to about 40wt%, to investigate the effect of average particle size on penetration time and coefficient of friction.

The silica sol samples used were:

akzo Nobel WV33 (5 nm, solids content: 30wt%, pH 8, available from Akzo Nobel); akzo Nobel R301 (10 nm, solids content: 30wt%, pH 10.5, available from Akzo Nobel); akzo Nobel R900 (20 nm, solids content: 34wt%, pH 3, available from Akzo Nobel R900 Co.); ludox CL-P (22 nm, solids content: 41wt%, pH 4, from Grace); nalco 13184 (25 nm, solids content: 31wt%, pH 9.3, available from Nalco corporation); nalco DVSZN004 (30 nm, solid content: 40wt%, pH 9.5, available from Nalco).

The penetration time and the friction coefficient improving effect were measured according to the above-mentioned measuring methods, respectively. The test results are shown in table 3 and fig. 8 and 9, respectively.

TABLE 3

	Particle size (nm)	Penetration time (seconds)	Coefficient of friction
				Akzo Nobel WV33	5	1	0.32
Akzo Nobel R301	10	3	0.38
				Akzo Nobel R900	20	19	0.43
Ludox CL-P	22	21	0.45
				Nalco 13184	25	26	0.41
Nalco DVSZN004	30	35	0.43

From the above, it is clear that the process of the invention can significantly increase the coefficient of friction of wet, greasy hard surfaces, reducing the risk of people slipping when walking on them, wherein the coefficient of friction can be increased to above 0.4 and a fast handling is possible, in particular by using agents having a particle size range of 12-27nm and a solids content of 30-44 wt.%.

The invention can be widely applied to various hard surfaces in various environments such as kitchens, bathrooms, washrooms, restaurants, hotels and the like.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the coefficient of friction of a hard surface with holes, comprising:

applying a gel-capable liquid composition to the hard surface, whereby at least part of the gel-capable liquid composition penetrates into at least part of the pores of the hard surface, wherein the gel-capable liquid composition consists of: a substance capable of gelling and optionally a dispersion medium, and optionally at least one additive selected from fragrances, pigments, disinfecting ingredients and surfactants; and

gelling the gel-capable liquid composition to produce a gel, the gel being retained in at least part of the pores of the hard surface and protruding from the pores as protrusions;

wherein the gel-able liquid composition has a solids content of 30-44wt%, the gel-able substance having an average particle size of 12-27 nm; and the substance capable of gelling is silica or silica sol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said hard surface is wet and/or greasy, and said gel can absorb water and/or oil.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the time interval between the step of applying the gel-able liquid composition and the step of gelling the gel-able liquid composition is less than 30 seconds.

4. A process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the solids content of the gelable liquid composition is between 30 and 40wt%.

5. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the substance capable of gelling has a mean particle size of between 12 and 20nm.

6. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of gelling the gelable liquid composition comprises applying a gelling agent to the hard surface, which gelling agent is capable of gelling the gelable liquid composition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the gel is comprised of silica gel.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the gelling agent comprises a pH adjusting agent or salt.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the silica sol has a pH of between 1.5 and 3; the gelling agent comprises an alkaline solution.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the silica sol has a pH of between 8.5 and 11; the gelling agent comprises an acidic solution.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the salt comprises at least one of potassium chloride, sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium sulfate, and magnesium sulfate.

12. The process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the weight ratio of the applied liquid composition capable of gelling to the gelling agent is between 10:1 to 100:1.

13. the method of claim 1, comprising:

applying a silica sol to the hard surface, whereby at least part of the silica sol penetrates into at least part of the pores of the hard surface, and

applying an alkaline solution, an acidic solution, or a salt to the hard surface.

14. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the hard surface comprises a floor, wall, or countertop.

15. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the hard surface comprises a ceramic, stone or cement-based material surface.

16. A kit for treating a hard surface with holes to increase its coefficient of friction, comprising:

a first container comprising a liquid composition capable of gelling, the liquid composition capable of gelling consisting of: a substance capable of gelling and optionally a dispersion medium, and optionally at least one additive selected from fragrances, pigments, disinfecting ingredients and surfactants; wherein the gel-able liquid composition has a solid content of 30 to 44wt%, the gel-able substance has an average particle diameter of 12 to 27nm, and the gel-able substance is silica or silica sol; and

a second container comprising a gelling agent capable of gelling the gel-capable liquid composition to produce a gel retained in at least part of the wells of the hard surface and protruding from the wells as protrusions.

17. The kit of claim 16, wherein the gelling agent comprises a pH adjusting agent or salt.

18. Kit according to any one of claims 16 to 17, wherein the weight ratio of the liquid composition capable of gelling and the gelling agent, measured as solids content, when applied to a hard surface is between 10:1 and 100:1.

19. Kit according to any one of claims 16 to 17, wherein the kit further comprises an application device for applying the gelable liquid composition and/or an application device for applying the gelling agent.

20. A hard surface treated using the method of any one of claims 1 to 15 or the kit of any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the treated surface comprises:

a hole on the surface; and

a gel held in at least part of the well and protruding from the well as a protrusion.

21. The hard surface according to claim 20, wherein the treated hard surface has a coefficient of friction of 0.4 or more.