MX2009014023A - Silicate-based cleaning and degreasing composition. - Google Patents

Abstract

Described is a cleaning and degreasing composition based on sodium silicate as surfactant agent, the composition also comprising components for regulating the silicate, thickeners, clearing agents, stain removers and softeners. The composition has a cleaning power twice higher than those compositions based on ADBS as a surfactant agent.

Description

"CLEANSING AND DEGREASING COMPOSITION BASED ON SILICATE " FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the techniques used in the chemical industry for the manufacture of cleaning and degreasing compositions, and more particularly, relates to a silicate-based cleaning and degreasing composition as a surfactant, which exhibits a superior performance than those Traditionally made with dodecyl-cello-sulphonic acid (ADBS) as a surfactant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is the daily tasks, it is necessary to use cleaning and degreasing compositions to remove stains, greases and dirt in general, said cleaning compositions comprise a surfactant agent that traps the dirt particles and separates them from the substrate where they are adhered. Currently, the most commonly used cleaning agents include dodecyl-cello-sulfonic acid (ADBS) as a surfactant, which have the following drawbacks: The ADBS is a derivative of petroleum and because it is increasingly scarce, its cost will increase in the future, so they are looking for substitutes for petroleum derivatives. ADBS is a contaminant.

On the other hand, it is known that silicates can also function as surfactants, however, when they dissolve they have a very basic pH of the order of 1 to 13 and are very aggressive, which is why it is not customary to use them within cleaning or degreasing compositions.

An example of a composition where sodium silicate is used as a surface active agent is described in French Patent 2,743,085, wherein the silicate is used in conjunction with a nonionic surfactant.

. Another example where sodium silicate is used as a surface active agent is described in U.S. Pat. 6,387,868, where the silicate is used with other surfactants.

Likewise, other of the problems of the prior art is that the cleaning power of ADBS-based degreasing and cleansing compositions is limited and can not remove all types of stains and filth.

Accordingly, there is a great need for roe cleansing compositions that are more environmentally friendly and have improved cleaning power, so far the compositions that include sodium silicate as the main surfactant present little application due to their aggressiveness.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the above, it has been sought to eliminate the drawbacks of the cleaning and degreasing compositions in general, developing a new silicate-based cleaning and degreasing composition, the composition is aqueous and in a first aspect of the invention comprises: a) from 1 to 50% by weight by volume of sodium silicate as surfactant, b) from 0.1 to 15% by weight per volume of at least one silicate regulator; Y, c) from 0.2 to 5% by weight per volume of at least one chelator.

This composition is generally intended for domestic use, because it is not very aggressive, where preferably, the sodium silicate is added in any of its forms either as metasilicate or sodium orthosilicate. Sodium silicate is a hard water softener, humectant and degreaser, which in pure form is highly corrosive and alkaline, due to this, to control the aggressiveness of sodium silicate, in the composition of the present invention, said regulator is used of silicate, which is preferably a mineral acid, such as sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric and / or phosphoric acid. More preferably, these acids are used from 0.1 to 3% by weight by volume in the composition.

In this sense, the silicate regulator can also be an organic substance of 18 or more carbon atoms in its molecular chain, such as an organic acid, for example oleic acid or organic substances such as starch or a cereal flour, of wheat flour or rice flour is used in a preferred way. These organic substances additionally function as thickeners of the composition and unexpectedly it was discovered that they are not destroyed by the silicate, in fact they encapsulate and control their aggressiveness.

The chelant used in this composition is selected from the group comprising aminopolycarboxylates, phosphates or polyphosphates, preferably, sodium tripolyphosphate is used as a chelator in a substantially lower amount than that used in the compositions of the prior art.

To give an attractive appearance to the composition, a lightening agent in an amount of 0.2 to 10% weight per volume of the composition can be used, said lightening agent can be a laurate.

In another order of ideas, for the user to feel that he uses a conventional product that generates foam, it can be included from 0.1 to 10% by weight by volume of a foaming agent such as the ADBS dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, which is only used for this purpose, since the function of being the surfactant agent is the sodium silicate and not the ADBS, which only generates a reduced foam.

If one wishes to increase the cleaning power of this composition, one may additionally include from 0.1 to 5% by weight by volume of at least one stain softener, which is selected from the group comprising thiner, acetone, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol and 2-Butoxy-1-Ethanol (butylcellosolve).

In a preferred embodiment, the composition further comprises 0.01 to 10% by weight per volume of a base to help attack the fats, the base is an alkali metal hydroxide, preferably sodium hydroxide.

Where appropriate, the composition of the present invention may additionally comprise from 0.1 to 5% by weight per volume of at least one polar or non-polar stain remover that is selected from the group comprising diesel, lauric alcohol, vegetable oil or glycerin.

Finally, it can also be added from 0.005 to 1% by weight per volume of an aroma. Preferably, a preservative can also be added in an amount of up to 0.2% by weight per volume such as formaldehyde.

In a second aspect of the invention, a cleaning composition with more cleaning power is provided, which comprises a) from 1 to 50% by weight by volume of sodium silicate as surfactant; b) from 0.1 to 15% in. weight per volume of at least one silicate regulator; c) from 0.1 to 5% by weight per volume of at least one spot softener; Y, d) from 0.1 to 5% by weight per volume of at least one polar or non-polar spot remover.

As noted, this composition again uses a silicate regulator, which is preferably an organic compound of 18 or more carbon atoms in its molecular chain and which encapsulates the aggressiveness of the sodium silicate, said regulator being oleic acid. either starch or a cereal flour, the latter being wheat flour or rice flour.

The stain softener is selected from the group comprising thiner, acetone, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, 2-butoxy-1-ethanol; while the stain remover is selected from the group comprising diesel, lauric alcohol, vegetable oil or glycerin.

In a preferred embodiment, the composition further comprises from 0.01 to 10% by weight per volume of a base to help attack fats, the base is an alkali metal hydroxide, preferably, sodium hydroxide.

Also, the composition may additionally comprise from 0.005 to 1% by weight per volume of a flavor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES OF THE INVENTION As mentioned, in a first aspect of the invention, it is provided. an aqueous silicate-based cleaning and degreasing composition comprising: a) from 1 to 50% by weight by volume of sodium silicate as surfactant; b) from 0.1 to 15% by weight per volume of at least one silicate regulator; Y, c) from 0.2 to 5% weight by volume of at least one chelator.

The source of sodium silicate is preferably Na2Si04 sodium metasilicate, although sodium orthosilicate, sodium disilicate, sodium pyrosilicate or other forms of sodium silicate, which is a white solid that dissolves in water directly, can be used. a very alkaline solution.

In the present invention, the sodium silicate is the surfactant salt and as indicated above is added in a high percentage, so it is very important to neutralize its aggressiveness, for which a silicate regulator is used, which is preferably an organic acid such as oleic acid or a mineral acid, such as sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric or phosphoric acid.

In connection with the above, in the composition of the present invention, said silicate regulator can be starch or a cereal flour, preferably wheat flour or rice flour is used, unexpectedly it was observed, during the development of the present invention, that these organic compounds were not destroyed by the silicate and that they encapsulated the aggressiveness of the silicate ion.

As a surfactant, the sodium silicate has a hydrophilic part which is the sodium ion, and an oleophilic part which is the silicate ion, this ion is three times more powerful than the dodecylbenzenesulfate ion, and it has been observed that the silicate has smoothing power and solvent of fat, because its polarities are much wider and behaves as a solvent and is twice as powerful as sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, comparing 1 kg of sodium silicate against 1 kg of dodecylbenzenesulfonate.

On the other hand, since the hard waters contain calcium and magnesium ions and can form insoluble salts that detract cleansing power from the composition of the present invention, there is added a chelant that is selected from the group comprising aminopolycarboxylates, phosphates or polyphosphates, preferably, sodium tripolyphosphate is used as chelator.

In relation to the above, it can be mentioned that the amount of sodium tripolyphosphate of a commercial detergent is in the order of 20% mass which causes an eutrophication and contamination of the water, in the present invention up to 5% mass is used, whereby the present invention is low in phosphate and is friendly to the environment.

To give an attractive appearance to the composition, a lightening agent that can be included in an amount of 0.2 to 10% by weight per volume is optionally used, the lightener can be a laurate, such as sodium lauryl ether sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate. , potassium, ammonium, diethanolamine or triethanolamine can also be used.

Also, for the user to feel that he uses a conventional product that generates foam, a foamer can be included in a concentration of 0.1 to 0% by weight per volume such as the ADBS dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, which is only used for this purpose, since the function of being the surfactant agent is sodium silicate. Also, during the development of the present invention, it was observed that the ADBS dissolves the oleic acid when the latter is used as a silicate regulator so that the preparation of the composition is facilitated. The use of ADBS generates a light foam that of course does not harm the environment.

However, if one wishes to increase the cleaning power of this composition, it may additionally include from 0.1 to 5% by weight by volume of a stain softener, that is, the function of the softener is to make the stains easier to remove, the softener spots is selected from the group comprising thiner, acetone, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol and 2-butoxy-1-ethanol (butylcellosolve), unexpectedly it was observed that the softeners do not attack or destroy the silicate regulating agents mainly when these are organic compounds Where appropriate, the composition of the present invention may also additionally comprise from 0.1 to 5% by weight per volume of a polar or non-polar stain remover that is selected from the group comprising diesel, tauric alcohol, vegetable oil or glycerin, is to say add a quantity of at least one of these polar removers to catch the stains of any type of material and in a wide spectrum of polarities of said stains. The use of these removers does not destroy the other ingredients of the composition in such a way that they all act synergistically as a whole.

A polar stain remover means that it is compatible with water and that it can be dissolved by the same, while a non-polar stain remover means that it is not compatible with water, but it can be dissolved by organic compounds that are used as silicate controllers.

Finally, it is also possible to add 0.005 to 1% by weight per volume of a flavor to make it pleasant, as well as a preservative, for example formaldehyde.

The physical appearance of this composition is aqueous, translucent, has no color, although it can be added a dye, has a specific gravity of about 1.20, is soluble to 100% water, has a pH: 7 and a viscosity at 25 ° C of 20 cps.

However, when adding stain softeners or stain remover, the composition also has an aqueous appearance, translucent above 25 ° C and opaque below 25 ° C, a specific gravity of 1.21 and a viscosity at 25 of 20. cps.

As mentioned, in a second aspect of the invention there is provided a cleaning composition with more power, generally intended for industrial use, which comprises: a) from 1 to 50% by weight by volume of sodium silicate as surfactant b) from 0.1 to 15% by weight per volume of at least one silicate regulator; c) from 0.1 to 5% by weight per volume of at least one spot softener; Y, d) from 0.1 to 5% by weight per volume of at least one polar or non-polar spot remover.

As noted, this composition also uses a regulator of the silicate ions to encapsulate them, likewise, said organic thickener is starch, or a cereal flour, the latter being wheat flour or rice flour.

Because more cleaning power is required in this composition, the stain softener and the polar or non-polar stain remover are used, of which the stain softener is selected from the group comprising thiner, acetone, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol , 2-Butoxy-1-Ethanol. While the polar stain remover is selected from the group comprising diesel, lauric alcohol, vegetable oil or glycerin.

In a preferred embodiment, additional 0.01 to 10% by weight per volume of a base is added to attack the fats and that is also used to thicken the composition, the base is a hydroxide of an alkali metal, preferably sodium hydroxide.

Also, this solution may optionally comprise from 0.005 to 1 parts by volume of a flavor.

The appearance of this composition is aqueous and opaque, with a white color, a smell of the solvent remover or stain softener used in the formulation, it has a specific gravity of 1.5, and it is soluble to 100% water, it can present a certain volatility due to the softener or stain remover used in its formulation, has a viscosity of 20cps at 25 ° C.

In general, it can be mentioned that the cleaning composition of the present invention is inert for garments and hands and highly biodegradable, which does not damage or disturb the hand, which also generates a cleaning twice as high compared with sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, kilo per kilo. The composition of the present invention can be used to remove heavy dirt and stains in garments, eliminate cochambre stuck in walls and hoods of kitchens, and to remove the grease stuck in the engines of automobiles.

One of the advantages resulting from the silicate used in the present invention is that it is cheaper than ADBS, since silicate abounds in the earth's crust An ecological advantage of the present invention is that apart from its high biodegradability, it generates a third less foam than commercial detergents, this makes the rinsing of clothes completely eradicated in the washing machine, saving half the water used in a wash conventional.

In this sense, the foam of traditional detergents, leaves the clothes rough, because the traditional detergents are of basic pH, being necessary to rinse with softener, however, the composition of the present invention used to wash clothes generates low foam. For example, if the composition is added to the wash water and the rinse is scheduled, the garment comes out with a softness that is felt noticeably when used.

Moreover, the silicate does not enter the food chain of microorganisms that gives the eutrophication, the product contains less than 5% weight of phosphates that is very reduced according to the commercial detergent with 11%. Its low foam is of great help to reduce the pollution generated by foam on the banks of wastewater rivers that reach the communities near the rivers with the air.

Likewise, it has been observed that the composition of the present invention allows to remove "graffiti" when applying the composition directly on the paint, in such a way that when carving the graffiti with a fiber, the paint detaches and can be removed from it by means of a wet sieve.

The preparation of the composition of the present invention is simple since in a first step the sodium silicate, the polyphosphates and, where appropriate, the soda are dissolved, once these ingredients are dissolved, the silicate regulators, the lightening agent, the foaming and, where appropriate, the aroma.

The composition of the present invention will be more clearly illustrated by means of the examples that are described below, which are presented for illustrative purposes only, but not limiting thereof, said examples the following: Examples 1 to 4: Four cleaning compositions were prepared for domestic use, According to the ingredients listed in Table 1, the quantities are ratios in weight by volume TABLE 1 Ingredient Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Cleaning Cleaning Cleaning Cleaning General Use with General with General General Foam Foam Sodium metasilicate 1 1 5 5 1 1 Thickeners Starch 4 4 4 4 Oleic acid PH regulator Sulfuric acid 1 1 1 1 Mineral Acid Chelator 0 1 .5 1.5 Sodium Tripolyphosphate 1 -5 Clarifying Lauryl ether sulfate 0 5 3 1 .5 sodium Sparkling ADBS 0 6 9 0.1 Softener Stains 0.1 0.1 0 0 Acetone Remover spots 0.1 0 0 0 Diesel Base 0 0.06 0.1 0 Soda Conservative 0 0 0.1 0 Formaldehyde Aroma 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 Examples 5 and 6: The following cleaning compositions were prepared for industrial use, according to the ingredients and percentages weight by volume mentioned in table 2 TABLE 2 All the prepared compositions showed excellent cleansing power when they were intended for the use mentioned in tables 1 or 2.

Even though preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described and exemplified, it should be emphasized that numerous modifications to it are possible, such as the selection of lighteners, stain softeners, stain removers, etc. Therefore, the present invention should not be considered as restricted except by what is required by the prior art and by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (29)

1. CLAIMS 1. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, characterized in that it comprises: a) from 1 to 50% by weight of sodium silicate as surfactant; b) from 0.1 to 15% by weight of at least silicate regulator; and c) from 0.2 to 5% by weight per volume of at least one chelator. 2. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to claim 1, characterized in that the sodium silicate is ortho or sodium metasilicate. 3. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said silicate regulator is a mineral acid. 4. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to any of claim 3, characterized in that said mineral acid is selected from the group comprising sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and phosphoric acid. 5. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the silicate regulator is an organic compound of 18 or more carbon atoms in its molecular chain. 6. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to claim 5, characterized in that the regulator is selected from the group comprising oleic acid, a starch or a flour of a cereal. 7. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said chelating agent is selected from the group comprising aminopolycarboxylates, phosphates or polyphosphates. 8. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to claim 7, characterized in that said chelating agent is sodium tripolyphosphate. 9. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it additionally comprises from 0.2 to 10% by weight per volume of at least lightening. 10. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to claim 9, characterized in that the lightening is a laurate. 1. A cleaning and degreasing composition according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it additionally comprises from 0.1 to 0% by weight per volume of a foaming agent. 12. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to claim 1, characterized in that said foaming agent is dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid ADBS. 13. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to any of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it additionally comprises from 0.1 to 5% by weight per volume of at least one stain softener. 14. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to claim 13, characterized in that said stain softener is selected from the group comprising thiner, acetone, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol and 2-Butoxy-1-Ethanol 15. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to any of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it additionally comprises: from 0.1 to 5% by weight by volume of at least one stain remover. 16. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to any of claims 15, characterized in that said stain remover is selected from the group comprising diesel, lauric alcohol, vegetable oil or glycerin. 17. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to any of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that it additionally comprises from 0.01 to 10% by weight per volume of at least one base. 18. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to any of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that it additionally comprises from 0.005 to 1% by weight per volume of a flavor. 19. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to any of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that. further comprises a conservator. 20. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, characterized in that it comprises: a) from 1 to 50% parts by volume of sodium silicate as surfactant; b) from 0.1 to 15 parts by volume of at least one silicate regulator; c) from 0.1 to 5 parts by volume of at least one stain softener; and, d) from 0.1 to 5 parts by volume of at least one stain remover. twenty-one - . 21 - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to claim 20, characterized in that the sodium silicate is ortho or sodium metasilicate. 22 -. 22. A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to claim 20 or 21, characterized in that the silicate regulator is an organic compound of 18 or more carbon atoms in its molecular chain. 2. 3 - . 23 - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to claim 22, characterized in that the silicate regulator is selected from the group comprising oleic acid, starch or a cereal flour. 24. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to any of claims 20 to 23, characterized in that said stain softener is selected from the group comprising thiner, acetone, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol or 2-butoxy-1-ethanol. 25 -. 25 - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to any of claims 20 to 24, characterized in that said polar stain remover is selected from the group comprising diesel, lauric alcohol, vegetable oil or glycerin. 26. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to any of claims 20 to 25, characterized in that it additionally comprises 0.01 to 10% by weight per volume of at least one base. 27. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to claim 26, characterized in that said base is hydroxide of an alkali metal. 28. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to claim 27, characterized in that said base is a sodium hydroxide. 29. - A cleaning and degreasing composition, according to any of claims 20 to 28, characterized in that it additionally comprises from 0.005 to 1% by weight per volume of a flavor.