MXPA06011485A - Zero to low voc glass and general purpose cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

A glass and general purpose cleaning composition is described which has zero to low volatility while providing acceptable cleaning and drying rates. The cleaning composition contains at least one low-volatile non-VOC evaporative organic solvent, at least one surfactant, an aqueous carrier and, optionally, one or more co-solvents. The composition has less than about 4%by wt. volatile organic solvent compound (VOC) content.

Description

CLEANER FOR GLASSES AND PE GENERAL PURPOSE WITH ZERO OR WITH LOW CONTENT OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS VOLATILES (VOC) Field of the invention The present invention relates to compositions for cleaning hard surfaces, including glass surfaces. The compositions contain from zero to low amounts only one or more volatile organic compounds (VOC). BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION General-purpose glass and cleaning compositions desirably have good cleaning characteristics, including good detergency, good evaporation capacity and no traces or fogging. Typically, glass and general purpose cleaners rely on the use of a combination of alcohols, highly volatile glycol ethers, low volatility glycol ethers, and surfactants, to obtain acceptable cleaning and drying rates. Highly volatile alcohols and glycol ethers, such as those used in conventional formulas, are classified as VOC, while low volatility glycol ethers and surfactants are classified as non-VOC. Thus, non-VOC solvents are called non-VOC solvents with low volatility. While to date, existing environmental government regulations allow glass and general purpose cleaners have a maximum of 6% VOC in a formulation, significantly lower levels of VOC are desirable, as is evident from the change in California regulations to allow only a maximum of 4% VOC in these formulations after December 31, 2004. Low or zero VOC levels would be beneficial for the environment, as well as would result in significant cost savings, since the use of volatile organic compounds tends to increase costs. The problem has been to provide a cleaning composition with low or no volatility, which at the same time maintains acceptable cleaning and drying rates. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a general purpose glass cleaner composition having a volatile organic compound (VOC) content of zero to low, and at the same time have acceptable cleaning and drying rates. A further primary object is to provide a cleaning composition that provides the attributes of strip-free cleaning and acceptable drying rates, while containing from zero to low level, ie from 0 to about 4% by weight, of VOC. A further primary object is to provide a general purpose glass cleaner composition that provides acceptable cleaning and drying rates in the absence of volatile organic compounds, in particular alcohols. The glassware and general purpose cleaning composition of the invention has from more than 0 to about 30% by weight of at least one non-volatile or low volatility organic compound as an evaporator solvent and from 0 to about 4% by weight of one or more solvent VOC. The solvents serve to provide acceptable rates of both cleaning and drying. The cleaning composition of the invention includes an aqueous carrier, one or more low volatility or non-volatile organic evaporative solvents, one or more surfactants, optionally one or more co-solvents, and optionally one or more adjuvants such as agent (s) pH adjuster (s), colorant (s), fragrance (s), coalescer (s) and the like. Preferably the components are included in ranges from approximately more than 0 to approximately 20% by weight of one or more low volatility or non-volatile evaporative solvents, approximately more than 0 to approximately 10% by weight of one or more surfactants, approximately from 50 to 99.9% by weight of the aqueous carrier, from 0 to approximately 30% by weight of one or more co-solvents and from 0 to approximately 5% by weight of one or more adjuvants, which could generally include approximately from 0 to approximately 0.5% by weight of colorant, from about 0 to about 1% by weight of fragrance, from about 0 to about 2% by weight of coalescent, and sufficient pH adjusting agent or agents to provide a pH from about 2 to about 13 in the composition. The cleaning composition of the invention is useful as a general surface cleaner, antibacterial cleaner, low volatility degreaser, soap residue remover, floor cleaner and the like. The cleaning composition can be dispensed by conventional means, such as in liquid, spray, aerosol or gel form, either as a concentrate or in a ready-to-use diluted form. As a concentrate, the composition can be diluted in use, for example, by mixing with water in a bucket or by application at the end of the hose. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The glass and general purpose cleaning composition of the invention has from zero to low volatility, based on the use of at least one non-VOC evaporator solvent of low volatility, such as ether or glycol ethers not VOC of low volatility, in combination with one or more surfactants that serve as cleaning agents, and an aqueous carrier, and optionally, at least one co-solvent other than the low volatility non-VOC evaporator solvent. The low volatility non-VOC evaporative solvents useful in the invention have limited solubility in water, less than % and reduce the surface tension of the composition to less than 40 dynes / cm. The surfactant preferably leaves few traces and can be amphoteric, anionic, nonionic, cationic or a mixture thereof. The surfactant agent or agents and the optional co-solvent or co-solvents provide good solubilization of the other components present in the composition, in addition to acting as a cleaning agent. The cleaning composition of the invention has a VOC content of from about 0 to about 4% by weight, preferably from about 0 to about 1% by weight, more preferably from about 0 to about 0.5% by weight, and most preferably from about 0% by weight The solvent or non-VOC low volatility evaporator solvents, preferably non-VOC glycol ethers. These provide trace-free cleaning. The non-VOC glycol ethers suitable for use in the composition of the invention, include those having a formula such as the following: wherein Ri is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms or alkenyl, optionally substituted with -OH, -OCH3, or with -OCH2CH3; and R2 is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or alkenyl substituted with -OH.

Preferably, R i is an optionally substituted alkyl of 3 to 6 carbon atoms, or alkenyl, and R 2 is a linear alkyl or branched from 2 to 4 monosubstituted carbon atoms or alkenyl.

More preferably, R 1 is a linear or branched alkyl of 3 to 6 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or monosubstituted, and R 2 is a linear or branched alkyl of 2 to 4 monosubstituted carbon atoms. Most preferably, R-i is a linear n-alkyl of 3 to 4 carbon atoms or a linear n-alkyl of 6 unsubstituted carbon atoms, or -CH2CHCH3, I OH and R2 is CH2CH2OH c -CS2CHCH3. I OH Suitable non-VOC glycol ethers include tripropylene glycol n-propyl ether, diethylene glycol n-hexyl ether, dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether, and propylene glycol phenyl ether. The preferred non-VOC glycol ether for inclusion in the cleaning composition is ethylene glycol n-hexyl ether, also known as hexyl cellosolve. Other compounds suitable for use as a non-VOC low volatility evaporator solvent include, without limitation, non-VOC glycol ethers, esters, polyhydric alcohols, amines, or other organic compounds with limited solubility in water, that is, less than 20 5, and serve to reduce the surface tension of the aqueous composition to less than 40 dynes / cm. These solvents generally serve to provide cleaning for most oils, grease and dirt. Additional specific examples of non-VOC evaporative solvents that are suitable for use include: (1) esters such as diethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate; (2) polyhydric alcohols such as 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol (octanediol), diethylene glycol, and (3) amines with limited solubility in water, ie, less than 20%, and serve to reduce the surface tension of the aqueous composition at less than 40 dynes / cm. The non-VOC low volatility evaporator solvent is preferably present in an amount in a range from about 0.1 to about 20% by weight, more preferably from about 0.1 to about 5% by weight, and most preferably from about 0.1 to about 1. % by weight. Other solvents in addition to the low volatility non-VOC evaporator solvent may be included in the cleaning composition of the invention. Suitable co-solvents for use include non-VOC and VOC type glycol ethers, aliphatic alcohols and polyhydric alcohols, ketones, acids and amines. The cosolvent or co-solvents may be partially or totally soluble in water. These co-solvents serve to control the drying and application properties. These co-solvents can also Provide additional cleaning for most oils, grease and dirt. When the co-solvent is a non-VOC solvent of low volatility, this solvent has either a different water solubility or a different stress reduction capacity, when compared to the non-VOC low volatility evaporator solvent. Specific examples of co-solvents other than the non-VOC glycol ether evaporative solvents described above, which are also suitable for use, include (1) glycol ethers and non-VOC and VOC glycols, such as tripropylene glycol methyl ether, ether n diethylene glycol butyl, triethylene glycol methyl ether, triethylene glycol ethyl ether, triethylene glycol n-butyl ether, ethylene glycol n-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol n-butyl ether, and propylene glycol n-propyl ether; (2) non-VOC and VOC esters such as methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, dipropylene glycol methyl ether acetate; (3) non-VOC and VOC polyhydric and aliphatic alcohols, such as isopropanol, propylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, hexylene glycol; (4) non-VOC and VOC ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, cyclohexanone, diacetone alcohol; (5) non-VOC and VOC acids, such as acetic acid, lactic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, 2-ethylbutyric acid; and (6) non-VOC and VOC amines, such as alkanolamines, for example, monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, n-amylamine, diethylamine and combinations thereof. These co-solvents are preferably present in a amount from 0 to about 30% by weight, more preferably from about 0 to about 5% by weight, and most preferably from about 0 to about 1% by weight of the cleaning composition. Necessarily, if a VOC compound is used as a co-solvent, this compound is present in an amount such that the composition has less than about 4% by weight of VOC content. U or more surfactants may be present in the composition of the invention to provide cleaning and solubilization of the other components present in the composition. The surfactant agent or agents can be amphoteric, anionic, nonionic, cationic or a mixture thereof. Preferably, these surfactants are selected from surfactant compounds that leave few traces. The one or more surfactants are present in a range from about 0 to about 10% by weight, more preferably from about 0 to about 0.6% by weight. Suitable amphoteric surfactants for use include, for example, betaines, alkyl imidazolines, coco-amopropropionates, or combinations thereof. A preferred surfactant agent is sodium cocoamodipropionate (also known as cocoimidazoline carboxylate) as sold under the trade name MACKAM 2 CSF.

When an amphoteric surfactant is used, the amphoteric surfactant is preferably used under alkaline conditions to make the anionic portion of the amphoteric compound active. Suitable anionic surfactants for use include alkyl sulfates, alkyl benzene sulfonates, α-olefin sulphonates, alkyl taurates, alkyl sacrosinates, alkyl diphenyloxide disulfonates, naphthalene alkyl sulfonates, alkyl ether sulfates, sulfonates alkyl ether, sulfosuccinates, and other anionic surfactants as they are known for use in cleaning compositions. Surfactants are typically available as their alkali metal, alkaline earth salts and ammonium salts. Preferred surfactants are linear alkyl sulfates of 8 to 16 carbon atoms, alkyl sulfonates of 8 to 16 carbon atoms, alkylbenzene sulfonates of 8 to 16 carbon atoms and alkyl diphenyloxide disulfonates of 8 to 16 carbon atoms. carbon. The most preferred surfactants for use in the composition of the invention are decyl sulfophenoxy benzene / disodium salt of oxybis decyl benzene sulfonic acid (as sold under the tradename COWFAX C10L surface active agent), and sodium octane sulfonate, sodium dodecylsulfonate , and sodium lauryl sulfate. Suitable nonionic surfactants for use in the cleaning composition include alkoxylated alcohols, alkoxylated ether phenols, silicone-based compounds such as silicone and glycol copolymers, and semi-polar nonionics such as trialkyl amine oxides. Preferred nonionics are ethoxylated (EO) and / or propoxylated (PO) alcohols, such as alcohols EO and / or PO of 6 to 16 carbon atoms with about 2 to 10 moles of EO or PO, or 1 to 10 moles of EO and 1 to 10 moles of PO, per mole of alcohol; or alkyl phenols EO, PO and EO / PO. Cationic surfactants are also available for inclusion, both for their cleaning ability and under appropriate selection, antibacterial and germicidal characteristics, for example, quaternary ammonium compounds. Examples of useful cationic surfactants include N-alkyl trimethylammonium chloride, and dimethyl dicoxide quaternary ammonium chloride. The aqueous carrier is preferably water in an amount of from about 30 to about 99.5% by weight, more preferably from about 90 to about 99.5% by weight and most preferably from about 95 to about 99.5% by weight. A further component that may be present advantageously in the glass or general purpose zero to low VOC cleaners of the invention is a polymer or copolymer, most notably an acrylic polymer or copolymer. It has been found that the presence of a (co) polymer Acrylic in the formulas of the invention provides water runoff properties to the cleaned surfaces with the formulas of the invention containing the acrylic copolymer. An example of a suitable acrylic copolymer for use is POLIQUART AMPHO 1491, as sold by Cognis Corporation. The POLUQUART AM PHO 149 (CASR No. 192003-74-0) is the sodium salt of the polymer with ethyl 2-propenoate and N, N, N-trimethyl-3 - ((2-methyl-1-oxo) chloride. -2-propenyl) amino) -1 -propanaminium. One or more adjuvants may be present to improve the cleaning and / or aesthetic qualities of the cleaning composition. Suitable adjuvants include pH adjusting agents, hydrotropes, fragrances, dyes or colorants, preservatives, antibacterial agents, thickeners, and the like, as are known for use in cleaning compositions. Adjuvants are typically present in low amounts, for example, below 5% by weight. Suitable agents for pH adjustment include acids, conventional bases, and their salts, such as alkanolamines of 2 to 4 carbon atoms, ammonia, alkali metal hydroxides, silicates, borates, carbonates, bicarbonates, citrates, citric acid, or mixtures of they. Preferred examples of pH adjusting agents include ammonium hydroxide and monoethanolamine. Monoethanolamine can also provide cleaning. The cleaning composition of the invention preferably has a pH in the range of 2 or more, more preferably in the range from about 9 to about 13, and much more preferably from about 10 to about 1 .5. The pH adjusting agent is added in an appropriate amount to achieve the proper pH. EXAMPLES The following examples of a glassware and general purpose cleaning composition are provided as illustrative of the present invention. Example 1 Ingredients% by weight Soft water 98.1926 Color 0.0074 Hexyl Cellosolve 0.60 Ammonium hydroxide (28-30%) 0.30 Propylene glycol 0.25 Monoethanolamine 0.20 MACKAM 2CSF 0.40 Fragrance 0.05 VOC content = 0.2% 100% Example 2 Ingredients% by weight Soft water 98.0426 Hexyl Cellosolve 0.60 Ammonium hydroxide (28-30%) 0.30 Propylene glycol 0.25 Monoethanolamine 0.20 MACKAM 2CSF 0.40 Colorant 0.0074 Fragrance 0.5 Surfactant DOWFAX C10L 0.15 VOC content = 0.2% 100% Example 3 Ingredients% by weight Soft water 97.9926 Hexil Ceilosolve 0.60 Ammonium hydroxide (28-30%) 0.30 Propylene glycol 0.25 Monoethanolamine 0.40 MACKAM 2CSF 0.40 Colorant 0.0074 Fragrance 0.05 VOC content = 0.4% 100% Example 4 Ingredients% by weight Soft water 97.5926 Hexil Cellosolve 0.60 Ammonium hydroxide (28-30%) 0.30 Propylene glycol 0.25 Monoethanolamine 0.40 MACKAM 2CSF 0.40 Colorant 0.0074 Fragrance 0.05 Anionic surfactant '0.40 VOC content = 0.4% 100% * Sodium octane sulfonate or sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, or sodium lauryl sulfate. Example 5 Ingredients% by weight Soft water 94.4426 Hexyl Cellosolve 0.60 Isopropanol anhydrous 3.00 MACKAM 2CSF 0.60 Surfactant DOWFAX C10L 0.15 Monoethanolamine 0.60 Ammonium hydroxide 0.30 Fragrance 0.05 Colorant 0.0074 VOC content = 3.6% 100% Example 6 Ingredients% by weight Soft water 94.2426 Hexyl Cellosolve 0.60 Isopropanol anhydrous 3.00 MACKAM 2CSF 0.60 Surfactant DOWFAX C10L 0.15 POLYQUART AMPHO 149 * 0.20 Monoethanolamine 0.60 Propylene glycol 0.25 Ammonium hydroxide 0.30 Fragrance 0.05 Colorant 0.0074 VOC content = 3.6% 100% * Aqueous solution of an acrylic copolymer. Eiem plo 7 Ingredients% by weight Soft water 96.1426 Hexyl Cellosolve 0.60 Isopropanol anhydrous 1.50 MACKAM 2CSF 0.30 Surface active agent DOWFAX C1 0L 0.15 Sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate 0.15 Monoethanolamine 0.40 Sodium octane sulfonate 0.15 Propylene glycol 0.25 Ammonium hydroxide 0.30 Fragrance 0.05 Colorant 0.0074 Content of VOC = 1 .9% 1 00% As will be evident to a connoisseur of the subject, You can make various modifications within the scope of the previous description. Such modifications, which are within the capacity of a person skilled in the art, form part of the present invention are included in the appended claims.

Claims (20)

1. CLAIMS 1 . A hard surface cleaning composition, containing: (a) an effective amount of at least one non-VOC volatile organic evaporator solvent having limited solubility in water of less than 20% and reducing the surface tension of the composition to less than 40 dynes / cm; (b) an effective amount of at least one surfactant that is amphoteric, anionic, nonionic, cationic or a mixture thereof, (c) optionally, an effective amount of at least one cosolvent that is different from (a) and when said co-solvent is a non-VOC volatile solvent, said co-solvent has at least a different water solubility or a different surface tension reduction capacity from said solvent of (a); and (d) an aqueous carrier; further characterized in that said composition has less than about 4% by weight volatile organic compound (VOC) content.
2. 2. A hard surface cleaning composition containing (a) more than 0 to about 4% by weight of at least one organic solvent evaporator of low volatility and / or high volatility, which has limited solubility in water of less than 20%, and reduces the surface tension of the composition to less than 40 dynes / cm; (b) more than 0 to about 5% by weight of at least one surfactant which is amphoteric, anionic, nonionic, cationic or a mixture thereof; (c) from 0 to about 30% by weight of at least one co-solvent that is different from (a), and when said co-solvent is a non-VOC volatile solvent, said co-solvent has at least one different water solubility or a surface tension reduction capacity different from said solvent of (a); and (d) the aqueous carrier residue; further characterized in that said composition has less than about 4% by weight volatile organic compound (VOC) content.
3. 3. The hard surface cleaning composition of claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that said at least one low volatility non-VOC organic evaporator solvent is a glycol ether having a formula wherein R-i is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or alkenyl optionally substituted with -OH, -OCH3, or with -OCH2CH3; and R2 is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or alkenyl substituted with -OH.
4. 4. The hard surface cleaning composition of any of claims 1 to 3, further characterized because said surfactant is amphoteric.
5. 5. The hard surface cleaning composition of claim 4, further characterized in that said surfactant is disodium cocoamodipropionate.
6. The hard surface cleaning composition of claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that said at least one organic solvent of low volatility evaporator is ethylene glycol n-hexyl ether.
7. The hard surface cleaning composition according to claim 5, further characterized in that said at least one non-VOC organic solvent of low volatility is n-hexyl ether of ethylene glycol.
8. 8. The hard surface cleaning composition according to any of claims 1 to 3, further characterized in that said at least one surfactant agent of (b) contains an amphoteric surfactant and an anionic surfactant.
9. 9. The hard surface cleaning composition according to claim 8, further characterized in that said amphoteric surfactant is disodium cocoamodipropionate and said anionic surfactant is a sulfate and / or sulfonate compound.
10. 10. The hard surface cleaning composition according to claim 9, further characterized in that said at least one volatile organic evaporator solvent is n-hexyl ether of ethylene glycol
11. 1 1. The cleaning composition for hard surfaces according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that said composition has a pH of 2 or more.
12. 12. The cleaning composition for hard surfaces according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that said composition has a pH from 2 to
13. 13. The cleaning composition for hard surfaces according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized also because said at least one co-solvent of (c) is propylene glycol.
14. 14. The hard surface cleaning composition according to any of claims 1 to 5, further characterized in that said at least one co-solvent of (c) is monoethanolamine.
15. 15. The hard surface cleaning composition according to any of claims 1 to 4 and 8 to 9, further characterized in that said at least one co-solvent of (c) is isopropanol.
16. The cleaning composition for hard surfaces according to claim 1, which further contains a polymer or a copolymer.
17. The cleaning composition for hard surfaces according to claim 1 6, further characterized in that said polymer or copolymer is an acrylic polymer or copolymer
18. 18. A hard surface cleaning composition containing (a) more than 0 to about 4% by weight of at least one organic solvent of low volatility and / or high volatility evaporator having limited solubility in water of less than 20% and reducing the surface tension of the composition at less than 40 dynes / cm; (b) more than 0 to about 5% by weight of at least one surfactant which is amphoteric, anionic, nonionic, cationic or a mixture thereof; (c) from 0 to about 30% by weight of at least one co-solvent that is different from (a) and when said co-solvent is a non-VOC solvent of low volatility, said co-solvent has at least one different water solubility or a surface tension reduction capacity different from said solvent of (a); (d) a polymer or a copolymer; and (e) the remainder of an aqueous carrier; wherein said composition has less than about 4% by weight volatile organic compound (VOC) content.
19. 19. A hard surface cleaning composition according to claim 18, further characterized in that said polymer or copolymer is an acrylic polymer or copolymer.
20. 20. A hard surface cleaning composition according to claim 18, further characterized in that said The solvent of (a) is a glycol ether, said at least one surfactant agent of (b) includes an amphoteric surfactant and an anionic surfactant, said at least one co-solvent of (c) includes an aliphatic alcohol, a glycol and an alkanolamine.