SK80995A3 - Neutral auto-gloss emulsion for floor maintenance (i) - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns an emulsion which, in the undiluted state, has a pH between 5 and 9 and which contains, in addition to an at least partly water-insoluble polymer with a minimum film-formation temperature between 0 and 70 DEG C, an alcohol selected from the group comprising benzyl alcohol, 2-phenylethanol, 2-phenoxyethanol and mixtures thereof. The emulsion is used above all in the undiluted state.

Description

Neutral aqueous self-polishing emulsion for floor treatment (I)

Technical field

The present invention relates to a floor treatment composition which is in the form of a dispersion and is dried and self-polishing on the floor. Compositions of this kind are also referred to as self-polishing emulsions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

New, untreated floors, as well as those that are thoroughly cleaned, are currently treated for protection against contamination and damage mainly by self-polishing emulsions. These compositions, which contain wax and / or film-forming polymers in varying compositions, form continuous glossy films on the floor after drying, which act as an impurity repellent. Here, films having a high wax content can be easily polished and, if necessary, can be easily removed from the surfaces, while films which consist predominantly or entirely of film-forming polymers are particularly resistant to mechanical action. The problem, which is still not completely solved for all self-polishing emulsions, is that the emulsions, resp. dispersions must dry completely evenly on surfaces if a completely continuous protective film is to be formed. It is very often observed that the initially formed aqueous dispersion film tears upon solidification and, in certain circumstances, even contracts into individual drops, causing the resulting protective film to have a flecked appearance. This effect is particularly strong in the presently preferred dispersions with predominantly neutral pH. To achieve an improvement in this sense was one of the objects of the present invention. At the same time, the stability of the dispersions should be improved, especially when stored in a cold place.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a self-polishing water-based floor emulsion having an undiluted pH of between 5 and 9 and having at least partially water-insoluble polymers with a minimum film-forming temperature in the range of 0 to 70 ° C. and further comprising an alcohol selected from the group consisting of benzyl alcohol, 2-phenylethanol, 2-phenoxyethanol and mixtures thereof. Particular preference is given to polymer dispersions having an undiluted pH of between 6 and 9.

The new self-polishing emulsions are characterized by high storage stability, especially at low temperatures. Particularly noteworthy is the extremely uniform drying, in which virtually no breakage of the film layer is observed, so that an optically uniform and flawless layer of protective films is observed.

The polymer compounds contained in the self-polishing emulsions are those which are at least partially insoluble in water at neutral pH and have a minimum film-forming temperature in the range of about 0 to 70 ° C. These are mainly polymers which are made of ethylenically unsaturated monomers. Examples of monomers of this type are styrene, an aliphatic ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid, alcohols having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, acrylonitrile, vinyl acetate, acrylic acid and methacrylic acid. Particularly preferred are polymethacrylates of two or more monomers, which may optionally contain other monomers in smaller amounts. Most preferred are polymers containing 1 to 30 parts by weight of monomers containing carbonic acid groups, 30 to 70 parts by weight of monomers which form homopolymers having a glass temperature of less than 20 ° C, preferably an acrylic ester with C 1 -C 6 alcohols and / or a methacrylic acid ester with C 1 -C 8 alcohols and 30 to 70 parts by weight of a monomer, a homopolymer with a glass temperature higher than room temperature, preferably a methacrylic acid ester of C 1 -C 8 alcohols or styrene. If a plurality of different polymer compounds of the type mentioned above are introduced into the polymer dispersion, the film forming temperature for the said mixture should be in the range of 0 to 70 ° C. Said film forming temperatures refer to a plasticizer-free system, i. for polymers without further additives. Examples of such film-forming polymers are the following commercial product dispersions: Licomer A 41 (Hoechst), Neocryl A 349 (ICI), Primal B 527 (Rohm and Haas).

Heavy metal ions, for example zinc ions, which, when dried, contribute to the formation of particularly resistant films, may also be added to the carboxylate group-containing polymers. Examples of polymer dispersions commercially available containing metal salts are Ubatol (manufactured by Stapol), Neocryl SR 267 (manufactured by ICI), Primal B 1604 (manufactured by Rohm and Haas).

As another type of film-forming polymers that can be used together with polymethacrylates, mention should also be made of lyurethanes, which are also commercially available for this purpose. Examples of said polyurethane dispersions are Alberdingk U 210 V (manufactured by Alberdingk Boley) and Neorez 986 (manufactured by Polyvinyl).

The composition according to the invention contains polymers in an amount of between 10 and 50% by weight, preferably between 11 and 20% by weight. These figures refer to pure polymers. If the dispersions according to the invention are prepared from the already dispersed polymers, as they have been widely marketed, the corresponding quantities are used in the preparation of the compositions according to the invention. Polyurethanes can be present in the compositions up to 15% by weight, preferably 2 to 8% by weight. In addition to the above-mentioned film-forming polymers, which form the bulk of the solids of the invention, the compositions may contain waxes in dispersed form. The wax content serves to make the resulting protective films polish to some degree. Natural and synthetic waxes may be used as waxes, which may be of natural origin, but may also be produced synthetically. Examples are polyethylene waxes, oxidized to polyethylene waxes, montanester waxes, paraffin waxes, candelilla waxes and carnauba wax. Of these, polyethylene waxes are preferably used in the present invention. The wax content may be up to 20% by weight of the composition, with those wherein 1% by weight is used. The content is preferably in the range of 1 to 10% by weight, in particular using polyethylene waxes.

The second part characterizing the invention, the self-polishing emulsion, is an aromatic alcohol selected from benzyl alcohol, 2-phenylethanol and 2-phenoxyethanol, and mixtures of these alcohols may of course also be used. These alcohols, when interacting with film-forming polymers in an aqueous neutral emulsion, appear to be responsible for the above-mentioned unexpected effects of the novel composition. Generally, small amounts of these alcohols are sufficient. Their proportion in the composition according to the invention is 0.05 to 11% by weight, preferably 1 to 5% by weight.

In addition to the abovementioned ingredients, the self-polishing emulsions of the invention may contain other active and auxiliary substances in small amounts. Examples which may be mentioned are plasticizers, emulsifiers, wetting agents, preservatives, resins, preservatives and perfume oils.

The plasticizers serve to adjust the consistency of the film, distinguishing between temporary and permanent plasticizers. Temporary plasticizers are volatile hydrophilic solvents that promote the agglomeration of polymer particles in film formation. Examples are ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, as well as glycol and polyglycol ether. Their proportion in the composition according to the invention generally does not exceed 15% by weight, preferably between 0.5 and 10% by weight. Permanent emollients are fluids that are not volatile under normal conditions, so that they can permanently affect the quality of the protective film. Examples of such plasticizers are dibutyl phthalate, tributyl phosphate, tributoxyethyl phosphate and N-methyl. These types of plasticizers are also not present in the suspensions of the invention in an amount greater than 15% by weight. Preferably, the content is 0.5 to 10% by weight.

Wetting agents and flowing agents serve to improve the wetting of the treated surface when applying a self-polishing emulsion; in addition, it facilitates dilution of the composition with water, for example when applied to a wet floor. Conventional surfactants, in particular nonionic and anionic surfactants, for example ethoxylates of long-chain alcohols or alkyl benzene sulfonates and fatty alcohol sulfates, are usable. Fluorinated surfactants are also very often used, which cause a particularly strong reduction in surface tension. The content of wetting agents and accelerators does not exceed 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the self-polishing emulsion. Preferably, the content of said substances is in the range of 0.1 to 2% by weight. The surface area can also be improved by application of a wetting resin. These resins are preferably styrene-maleic resins or known polyacrylates. Their content in the compositions generally does not exceed 5% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 2% by weight.

The preparation of the composition can be carried out according to the usual procedure. Generally, the polymer is prepared from a preformed polymer dispersion, commercially available, or a polymer dispersion in water is prepared in a known manner. If the self-polishing emulsion also contains wax, it may first be prepared in water, optionally with the addition of suitable wax emulsifiers, and then a polymer dispersion is added. Additional ingredients can then be added to the mixture with stirring. The pH of the formulation can be adjusted to the desired value in the neutral pH range (pH 5-9) with alkali or acids.

The self-polishing emulsion according to the invention is usually used undiluted: the emulsions are applied to the surfaces by means of soft materials, for example by means of a sponge or rag, evenly in the required amount. After evaporation of the water, a uniform glossy protective film remains after such treatment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In preparing the composition described below from a preformed polymer dispersion, the ingredients in Tables 1 and 2 are mixed. The numbers in the tables, unless otherwise indicated, are percentages by weight and refer to the pure active ingredients. The self-polishing emulsions 1-8 thus prepared were then tested for their cold storage stability and preservation properties.

The samples were stored at 0-3 ° C for 12 weeks to assess cold stability. During this time, the samples were removed from the refrigerator every week and evaluated visually after reaching room temperature. Visible signs of instability were precipitates, deposits, clumps, and viscosity changes. The evaluation proceeded according to the following scale: 0 uniform, homogeneous sample isolated clusters or sediment after 12 weeks isolated clusters or sediment after 3 weeks medium clusters or sediment after 3 weeks strong clusters or sediment after 3 weeks very strong clusters or sediment after 3 weeks

Retention of properties was determined by practical use on a black untreated PVC surface. For this, 10 ml of the test suspension were distributed evenly over a PVC area of 30 x 60 cm by hand in each test. The apparatus consisted of a velor fabric stretched in a frame with an effective area of 20 x 5.5 cm. After drying, the appearance of the surface was assessed visually according to the following scale:

without bands poorly visible uniform bands clearly visible bands significant uneven bands significant irregular deposits

Table 1

Example 1 2 3 4 Sodium benzoate 0.05 - - - Chloroacetic acid amide 0.1 - - - tributoxyethyl 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 Phthalic acid dibutyl ether 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 Polyacrylate MFT 72 “C * 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 Polyurethane (Neorez 986) 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 Polyethylene dispersion 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 Acrylic-styrene copolymer MFT 55 'C' 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5 Zonyl FSJ (fluorine containing surfactant) 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 ethylene glycol 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 perfume 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 2-phenoxyethanol - 2.0 - - 2-phenylethanol - - 1.0 - Water to 100 to 100 to 100 to 100 PH value 8.7 8.7 8.7 8.7 Storage stability at 0-3 ° C 3 0 0 0 Change properties 4 0 0 0

Note .:

MFT = minimum film-forming xep'lot

Table 2

Example

Sodium benzoate 0.05 - - - Chloroacetic acid amide 0.1 - - - tributoxyethyl 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 Phthalic acid dibutyl ether 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 Polyacrylate MFT 53 ° C * 14 14 14 14 Polyethylene dispersion 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 Zonyl FSJ (fluorine containing surfactant) 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 ethylene glycol 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 perfume 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 2-phenoxyethanol - 2.0 - - 2-phenylethanol - - 1.0 - Water to 100 to 100 to 100 to 100 PH value 8.7 8.7 8.7 8.7 Storage stability at 0-3 ' Change properties 3 C 3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0

The results of the tests clearly show that the self-polishing emulsions 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 of the present invention have unusually advantageous properties over compositions 1 and 5 which are not the subject of the invention.

Claims (8)

PATENT CLAIMS Neutral aqueous self-polishing emulsion for the treatment of flooring, characterized in that it has a pH of between 5 and 9, containing at least partially insoluble polymeric compounds having a lowest film-forming temperature of between 0 and 70 ° C, or a mixture of more polymeric compounds, undiluted; having the aforementioned properties and an alcohol from the group of benzyl alcohol, 2-phenylethanol, 2-phenoxyethanol and mixtures thereof. Self-polishing emulsion according to claim 1, characterized in that the pH in the undiluted state is between 6 and 9. Self-polishing emulsion according to either of Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it contains film-forming polymers in the range of 10 to 50% by weight, preferably in the range of 11 to 20% by weight. Self-polishing emulsion according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it additionally contains 1 to 20% by weight of a wax selected from the group of polyethylene waxes, oxidized polyethylene waxes, montanester waxes, paraffin waxes, natural waxes and mixtures thereof. A self-polishing emulsion according to claim 4, characterized in that it contains 1 to 10% by weight of polyethylene waxes. Self-polishing emulsion according to any one of claims 1 to 6 5, characterized in that it contains polymethacrylate as a film-forming substance. A self-polishing emulsion according to any one of claims 1 to 15 6, characterized in that it contains 0.05 to 11% by weight, preferably 1 to 5% by weight, of one of the 10 alcohols from the group of benzyl alcohol, 2-phenylethanol, 2-phenoxyethanol and mixtures thereof. Use of a self-polishing emulsion according to claims 1 to 11 7 in the undiluted state for floor treatment.