WO2001034755A1

WO2001034755A1 - Cleaning composition

Info

Publication number: WO2001034755A1
Application number: PCT/FR2000/003091
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pascal Michaud
Original assignee: Atofina
Priority date: 1999-11-10
Filing date: 2000-11-07
Publication date: 2001-05-17
Also published as: FR2800746B1; KR20020043262A; AU1646601A; CA2390656A1; NO20022158L; EP1228183A1; FR2800746A1; NO20022158D0; JP2003514103A

Abstract

The invention concerns a cleaning composition for eliminating at room temperature polysulphide sealant, tars, fuel oils and other fatty grime and/or grime adhering to hard surfaces made of metal, glass or to textiles. Said composition comprises at least a mixture of polyarylalkanes, at least an oxygenated organic solvent selected among alkylene glycol ethers, dialkylene glycol monoethers, trialkylene glycol monoethers, alkylene glycol diethers, dialkylene glycol diethers, diacetone alcohol, 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol and an aliphatic hydrocarbon or a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbons.

Description

CLEANING COMPOSITION

The present invention relates to a cleaning composition which can be used in particular for removing at room temperature polysulphide sealants, tars, fuels and other greasy or adherent soiling from hard metallic surfaces, ceramics, glass, plastics, printed circuits or of textiles.

Traditionally, these surfaces were cleaned using chlorinated solvents such as methylene chloride, 1, 1, 1-trichloroethane or 1, 1, 2-trichloro-1, 2,2-trifluoroethane but these solvents were condemned by the Montreal Protocol because of their impact on the ozone layer or because of their toxicity.

To replace these chlorinated solvents, esters such as alkyl lactates have been used. These products have the disadvantage of being smelly and corrode the surfaces to be cleaned. To remove polysulphide sealants (Thiokol) from glass or metallic surfaces, US Pat. No. 5,561,215 proposes a composition comprising at least 50% by weight of pyrrolidones and very particularly of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone.

These pyrrolidonic solvents have the drawback of being hygroscopic, which is unacceptable when the cleaning times are high, since the presence of water results in a reduction in the efficiency of said solvents. They are also smelly.

In addition, these pyrrolidonic solvents are suspected of being carcinogenic.

Also, the compositions based on pyrrolidonic solvents have a pickling effect and therefore their use is prohibitive in certain types of applications of the present invention because they attack the paint coating.

The Applicant has now found a versatile cleaning composition made up of solvents which do not have the drawbacks described above and which make it possible to effectively remove at room temperature polysulphide sealants, tars, fuels and other greasy or adherent dirt from hard metal surfaces, ceramics, glass, plastics, printed circuits or textiles. The present invention therefore relates to a cleaning composition characterized in that it comprises:

20% to 50% by weight and preferably 30% to 50% by weight of at least one mixture of polyarylalkanes; B 20% to 40% by weight and preferably 25% to 35% by weight of at least one oxygenated organic solvent chosen from monoethers of alkylene glycols, monoethers of dialkylene glycols, monoethers of trialkylene glycols, diethers alkylene glycols, diethers of dialkylene glycols, diacetone alcohol, 2-methyl-

2,4-pentanediol; and C 20% to 40% by weight and preferably 25% to 35% by weight of at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon or a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbons; A + B + C representing 100% by weight.

According to the present invention, the mixture of polyarylalkanes is a mixture which comprises products of formula (A)

in which ni and n2 = 0 or 1 and which contains products (A) such as ni + n2 = 0 and products (A) such as ni + n2 = 1.

The polyarylalkane mixture may contain product (A) with 2 rings, (methylbenzyl) xylene, and product (A) with 3 rings, which is designated by bis (methylbenzyl) xylene. This product (A) with 3 cores can be of the product such as n1 = 1 and n2 = 0, of the product such as n1 = 0 and n2 = 1 or a mixture of the latter two. The polyarylalkane mixture can also contain products such as ni = 1 and n2 = 1.

By way of illustration of such a mixture which can be used according to the present invention, mention will be made of the mixture of polyarylalkanes sold by the company ELF ATOCHEM SA under the designation JARISOL XX having a content by weight of mono and bis (methylbenzyl) xylenes greater than 99% .

The mixture of polyarylalkanes comprising products of formula (A) can be obtained by condensation of (methyl benzyl) chloride with with xylene in the presence of a Friedel and Crafts catalyst according to a process described in patent EP 0299867 B1.

According to the present invention, the monoethers of the alkylene glycols are in particular:

- C- ₂₅ propylene glycol monoethers, such as propylene glycol (PM) monomethyl ether, propylene glycol (PE) monoethyl ether, propylene glycol mono-n-propyl ether (PNP) , mono-tert.-butyl ether of propylene glycol (PTB), mono-n-butyl ether of propylene glycol (PNB) and mono-hexyl ether of propylene glycol;

- C ₃ -C ₂ ethylene glycol monoethers, such as the hexyl ether of ethylene glycol, the octyl ether of ethylene glycol and the phenyl ether of ethylene glycol.

The monoethers of the dialkylene glycols are, for example, the monomethyl ether of dipropylene glycol (DPM), the mono-n-propyl ether of dipropylene glycol (DPNP), the mono-tert.-butyl ether of dipropylene glycol (DPTB ), the mono-n-butyl ether of dipropylene glycol (DPNB), and the monohexyl ether of dipropylene glycol, the n-butyl ether of diethylene glycol (Butyl Diglycol Ether - BDG), the hexyl ether of diethylene glycol and the diethylene glycol octyl ether.

The monoethers of the trialkylene glycols are, for example, the monomethyl ether of tripropylene glycol (TPM) and the mono-n-butyl ether of tripropylene glycol (TPNB).

The diethers of the alkylene glycols are in particular:

- C ₅ -C ₂₅ propylene glycol diethers, such as propylene glycol dimethyl ether; benzyl methyl ether of propylene glycol; buyl methyl ether of propylene glycol and dibutyl ether of propylene glycol;

- C4-C25 ethylene glycol diethers, such as ethylene glycol diethyl ether and ethylene glycol dibutyl ether.

The dialkylene glycol diethers are, for example, the dimethyl ether of dipropylene glycol, the butyl methyl ether of dipropylene glycol and the dibutyl ether of dipropylene glycol.

Among these compounds, use will preferably be made of propylene glycol monoethers such as in particular the mono-n-butyl ether of propylene glycol (PNB), the mono-tert-butyl ether of propylene glycol (PTB) and the monoethers of diakylene glycols such as mono-n-butyl ether of dipropylene glycol (DPNB). According to the present invention, the aliphatic hydrocarbons or the mixtures of aliphatic hydrocarbons can be branched, cyclic linear hydrocarbons or their combinations which can contain from 6 to 24 carbon atoms, preferably 8 to 24 carbon atoms. As examples of these aliphatic hydrocarbons, mention may be made of alkanes, such as hexane, octane, decane, dodecane, hexadecane, mineral oils, paraffinic oils, decahydronaphthalene, bicyclohexane, cyclohexane, and olefins such as 1-dececene, 1-dodecene, octadecene and hexadecene. Examples of a mixture of commercially available aliphatic hydrocarbons are:

- NORPAR ™ 12, 13 and 15 (normal paraffinic solvents available from the company "EXXON CORPORATION");

- ISOPAR ™ G, H, K, L, M, V (isoparaffinic solvents available after from the company "EXXON CORPORATION");

- SHELLSOL ™ solvents (available from the company "SHELL CHEMICAL COMPANY");

- PETROSOLV ™ from CEPSA D-15/20, D-19/22, D-20/26, D-24/27, D-28/31 (cuts of flavored n-paraffins available from the company "CEPSA" );

- EXXSOL ™ hydrocarbon solvents sold by the company "EXXON CORPORATION",

- ISANE ™ hydrocarbon solvents marketed by the company TOTAL.

According to the present invention, it is preferred to use petroleum fractions or aromatized n-paraffin fractions having a distillation range ranging from 150 ° C to 310 ° C and, preferably, ranging from 185 ° C to 275 ° C.

The term “flavored cuts” denotes cuts that do not contain single-core aromatics such as toluene and benzene.

PETROSOLV ™ from "CEPSA" will be used in particular, and in particular the D-24/27 cut having a distillation range from 240 ° C to 270 ° C and the D-20/26 cut having a distillation range ranging from 185 ° C to 265 ° C.

The composition according to the invention can also contain at least one perfume. The composition of the present invention can be applied to the surfaces to be cleaned using a brush, a cloth, by spraying, by dipping. Optionally, ultrasonic equipment can be used.

The composition according to the invention has the advantage of being versatile. It makes it possible to quickly remove, at room temperature, different types of soiling such as mastics, fuels, tars and, in general, all fatty soils adhering to very diverse substrates (glass, metal surfaces ...) .

The following examples illustrate the invention.

EXAMPLES

CLEANING OF POLYSULFIDE MASTICS

Products used:

Sealants:

- PR 1776;

- PR 1436 G (NA), hereinafter PR 1436;

- PR 1422 Class B (NA), hereinafter PR 1422.

These sealants, marketed by the company "Le Joint Français" are in the form of two components, one of the components is based on liquid polysulphide resin, the other component consists of a hardener.

By mixing the two components at room temperature, the liquid polysulphide resin polymerizes more or less slowly to give a sealant.

Solvents:

- Mixture of mono- and bis (methylbenzyl) xylenes sold by the company ELF ATOCHEM S.A. under the designation JARYSOL XX, hereinafter XX. This mixture comprises approximately 85% by weight of (methylbenzyl) xylenes and approximately 15% by weight of bis (methylbenzyl) xylenes.

- The mono-n-butyl ether of propylene glycol, (hereinafter PNB),

- 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol, hereinafter HG,

- CEPSA petroleum cut D24 / 27, hereinafter 24/27 which is a mixture of dearomatized n-paraffins having a distillation range from 240 ° C to 270 ° C.

Cleaning protocol - Cloth test:

The sealants are applied to aluminum plates of dimensions 40 mm x 20 mm previously cleaned and degreased with boiling ethanol. The cleaning compositions according to the present invention obtained by simple cold mixing of the constituents are tested at room temperature with a cloth on sealants after polymerization times designated in Table 1 by TP of 1 hour, 2 hours and 20 hours.

All sealants used are fully cured (polymerized) after 20 hours and not completely cured after 1 and 2 hours.

The results are reported in Table 1.

The evaluation is only visual and a score is given between 1, 2 or 3:

1: means: no action of the cleaning composition,

2: means: partial cleaning,

3: means: the surface is completely cleaned.

In Table 1, we have also reported the cleaning results obtained with butyl lactate (LB), solvent used in the prior art, the solvents taken separately, used in the cleaning compositions according to the invention and a binary mixture XX / HG.

In this table 1, the percentage of the constituents in the compositions is a percentage by weight. NC means not in accordance with the invention.

TABLE 1

Cleaning of dirt with enriched raw fuel:

The enriched crude fuel is a mixture of heavy fuel enriched with 20% by weight of Fontainebleau sand and 20% by weight of carbon black. Solvents used:

- XX

- GNP

- HG

- 24/27

- CEPSA petroleum cup D20 / 26, hereinafter 20/26, which is a mixture of dearomatized n-paraffins having a distillation range from 185 ° C to 265 ° C.

Cleaning protocol:

A 40 mm x 20 mm stainless steel plate is degreased with methylene chloride or 1, 1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane (141b), then weighed.

This plate is then coated by coating it with a flexible plastic spatula of approximately 1 g weighed with precision of enriched fuel.

50 g of the cleaning composition to be tested are introduced into a tall form beaker of useful volume equal to 50 ml, fitted with a magnetic bar, and then the stainless steel plate coated with enriched fuel is introduced and stirred at 400 rpm. / min, then the weight loss of the drained plate is noted at 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 minutes.

The weighing operation takes 20 seconds.

The results are reported in Table 2. In this Table 2, the efficiency E expressed in% is calculated after each reading (weighing) according to the formula (I): m1 - m2

E = x 100 (I) m1 - mO

in which: mO is the weight in grams of the clean plate (freshly cleaned), m1 is the weight in grams of the plate coated with enriched fuel, m2 is the weight in grams of the plate at time t.

Efficiency corresponds to the amount of dirt removed. Negative numbers mean that soiling retains solvent (solvent retention), resulting in m2> m1.

In Table 2, we have also reported the cleaning results obtained with the solvents taken separately used in the composition according to the invention and with binary compositions not in accordance with the invention.

In Table 2, the percentage of the constituents in the compositions is a percentage by weight. NC means not in accordance with the invention.

TABLE 2

BITUMEN CLEANING

The bitumen used is a 300 bitumen which is the end of the distillation of crude oil and corresponds to mixtures of saturated and saturated hydrocarbons of high molecular weight.

Products used:

- XX

- GNP

- 24/27 Cleaning protocol:

A 40 mm x 20 mm stainless steel plate is degreased with CH ₂ CI ₂ or 141b and then weighed.

Bitumen 300 and the plate are placed in an oven at 110 ° C. for 30 minutes before coating the plate.

The bitumen plate 300 is coated by soaking and allowed to drain for 48 hours in the open air under a fume cupboard.

50 g of the cleaning composition to be tested are introduced into a high form beaker with a useful volume equal to 50 ml fitted with a magnetic bar, then the stainless steel plate coated with bitumen 300 is introduced and the mixture is stirred at 400 rpm. min then the weight loss of the plate is noted at 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 min.

The results are reported in Table 3.

In this table 3, the efficiency E, expressed in% is determined after each weighing according to the formula (I) given above.

The percentage of the constituents in the composition is a percentage by weight. NC means not in accordance with the invention.

TABLE 2

Claims

1. Cleaning composition characterized in that it comprises:

20% to 50% by weight of at least one mixture of polyarylalkanes;

B 20% to 40% by weight of at least one organic oxygenated organic solvent chosen from monoethers of alkylene glycols, monoethers of dialkylene glycols, monoethers of trialkylene glycols, diethers of alkylene glycols, diethers of dialkylene glycols, diacetone alcohol, 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol; and

C 20% to 40% by weight of at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon or a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbons; A + B + C representing 100% by weight.

2. Composition according to claim 1, characterized in that: A represents 30% to 50% by weight,

B represents 25% to 35% by weight, C represents 25% to 35% by weight, A + B + C representing 100% by weight.

3. Composition according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the mixture of polyarylalkanes is a mixture which comprises products of formula (A):

in which ni and n2 = 0 or 1 and which contains products A such as ni + n2 = 0 and products A such as ni + n2 = 1.

Composition according to Claim 3, characterized in that the mixture of polyarylalkanes is a mixture having a weight content of mono- and bis (methylbenzyl) xylenes greater than 99%.

5. Composition according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that component B is a monoether of an alkylene glycol.

6. Composition according to claim 5, characterized in that the monoether of an alkylene glycol is the mono-n-butyl ether of propylene glycol (PNB) or the mono-tert-butyl ether of propylene glycol (PTB).

7. Composition according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the compound B is a monoether of a dialkylene glycol.

8. Composition according to claim 7, characterized in that the monoether of a dialkylene glycol is the mono-n-butyl ether of dipopylene glycol (DPNB).

9. Composition according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that component B is 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol.

10. Composition according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that component C is a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbons.

11. Composition according to claim 10, characterized in that the mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbons is a section of de-aromatized n-paraffins having a distillation range ranging from 150 ° C to 310 ° C.

12. Composition according to claim 11, characterized in that the cut of aromatized n-paraffins has a distillation range ranging from 240 ° C to 270 ° C.

13. Composition according to claim 11, characterized in that the cut of aromatized n-paraffins has a distillation range ranging from 185 ° C to 265 ° C.

14. Application of a composition according to one of claims 1 to 13 for removing polysulphide sealants, tars or fuels from hard metal surfaces, ceramics, glass, plastics from printed circuits, textiles.