WO2024144565A1

WO2024144565A1 - Alkaline degreasing product

Info

Publication number: WO2024144565A1
Application number: PCT/TR2023/051274
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tuğçe KAYA ÖZTÜRK
Original assignee: Eczacibasi Tuketim Urunleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2022-12-26
Filing date: 2023-11-08
Publication date: 2024-07-04

Abstract

The subject of the invention relates to an alkaline degreasing product, which effectively removes the oils accumulating especially on the metal surfaces, wherein said product performs the degreasing action without abrading said surfaces, without generating foam on said surfaces and without causing corrosion of said surfaces and is further able to achieve said action at the temperatures lower than the temperatures at which the products used according to the state of the art are effective. The product according to the invention basically comprises at least one alkaline agent, at least one anionic surfactant, at least one nonionic surfactant, at least one amphoteric surfactant, at least one silicate and/or silicate derivative, at least one anti-foam agent, and at least one complexing and anti-precipitation agent.

Description

DESCRIPTION

ALKALINE DEGREASING PRODUCT

Subject of the Invention

The subject of the invention relates to an alkaline degreasing product, which effectively removes the oils accumulating especially on the metal surfaces, wherein said product performs the degreasing action without abrading said surfaces, without generating foam on said surfaces and without causing corrosion of said surfaces and is further able to achieve said action at the temperatures lower than the temperatures at which the products used according to the state of the art are effective.

State of the Art

Hygiene is one of the most important factors affecting the human health. As a result, it is necessary to achieve the ideal conditions of hygiene in the public spaces such as hospitals, which are visited by the people for meeting their basic needs, and also in the private spaces. The ideal conditions of hygiene are achieved through the effective cleaning of the surfaces frequently contacted by the people in such spaces. In case said surfaces are not cleaned effectively, the bacteria, virus and other pathogenic microorganisms accumulating on said surfaces spread to the skin of the people upon contact and cause the development of infections and various other health problems on the skin or in any part of the body. Consequently, the regular disinfection of the surfaces contacted by the people is the measure of first priority required to be taken for achieving the ideal conditions of hygiene and preventing the spread of the diseases.

Today, the cleaning of said areas is performed by means of the cleaning tools, which require manual use, and/or by means of the cleaning products, which comprise the chemicals with various properties. The properties of the area to be cleaned and of the contaminants present in said area, the frequency of the cleaning to be performed and the cleaning performance expected from the product are the factors determining the choice of the cleaning products to be used in the areas that require regular cleaning. It is necessary to remove without delay the residues such as oils and dirt from the tools made of iron, steel, aluminum and copper and their alloys. The inability to remove said contaminants with the proper cleaning products leads to adverse effects on the human health as well as causing damage to the tools. Hence, another factor determining the choice of the cleaning products to be used in the cleaning of such tools is the compatibility of the agents contained in the cleaning products with the surfaces to be cleaned.

According to the state of the art, the acidic, alkaline and neutral degreasing products are generally used for the removal of the oils accumulating on the metal surfaces. The alkaline degreasing products are applied on the surfaces via different methods such as spraying, dipping and ultrasonic application. Even though said products are applicable on the iron and steel surfaces via said methods, they lead to the surface abrasion in case they are applied on the metal surfaces such as those made of aluminum and brass and on the metal surfaces with similar properties. Because the products are not effective at low temperatures, the alkaline degreasing process is generally carried out at temperatures in the range of 50-95°C. Therefore, the temperature is a rather important parameter for the effective removal of the oils from the surfaces.

In order to eliminate the aforesaid drawbacks, an alkaline degreasing product, which has low crystallization tendency at low temperatures and thus is able to effectively remove also at low temperatures the oils from the surfaces of the tools made especially of iron, steel, aluminum and copper and alloys thereof, without leaving residues, without generating foam and without causing damage to said surfaces, has been developed within the scope of the invention. The product may be used also in the boilers, the frying machines and the dipping machines. Since the product according to the invention enables, owing to the synergistic action, the removal of the oils from the surfaces also at temperatures below 50°C and accordingly has maximum compatibility with the ambient conditions and with the materials, it allows many metal tools to be used for a long time without experiencing abrasion and corrosion. For instance, in an exemplary study, the oil dissolution performance of the product described within the scope of the invention was found sufficient when the cleaning performance of said product was examined at 40°C on a metal plate surface on which the oil was spread. As a result, no premature material loss is experienced and the cost saving is achieved. Further, since it is possible to clean the tools at low temperatures, the energy saving is also achieved. The product may be supplied and stored in concentrated form and may be diluted during the use. This enables the products with higher quantity of active ingridients to be stored in the storage areas and accordingly enables the product in the warehouses to be depleted after longer periods. It is also made possible to supply the desired quantity of products with less number of shipments, thereby enabling less fuel consumption and control of greenhouse gases and hence the contribution provided to the sustainability.

Object of the Invention

An object of the invention is to develop an alkaline degreasing product, which effectively removes the oils that accumulate especially on the metal surfaces, without abrading said surfaces, without generating foam on said surfaces and without causing corrosion of said surfaces, and which thus has maximum compatibility with the material type.

Another object of the invention is to develop an alkaline degreasing product, which enables the effective cleaning of the metal surfaces also at temperatures below 50°C and which thus has maximum compatibility with the ambient conditions and with the material type and provides energy savings.

Another object of the invention is to develop an alkaline degreasing product, which, although comprising a surfactant unlike the surface degreasing products used according to the state of the art, removes the oils from the metal surfaces with at least same effectiveness and without generating foam.

Another object of the invention is to develop an alkaline degreasing product, which, in addition to the properties mentioned in the other objects of the invention, features the ability of being supplied and stored in concentrated form and of being diluted during the use.

Description of the Invention

The product according to the invention basically comprises at least one alkaline agent, at least one complexing and anti-precipitation agent, at least one nonionic surfactant, at least one anionic surfactant, at least one amphoteric surfactant, at least one silicate and/or silicate derivative and at least one anti-foam agent. The finished product comprises the water in a quantity sufficient to bring the concentration to 100% (weight/weight). The pH value of the degreasing product should be in the range of 11-13. The concentration of the finished product is a value in the range of 600-900 g/L, preferably in the range of 650-850 g/L.

The product according to the invention preferably comprises the alkaline agent at a concentration of 40-60% (weight/weight). The product according to the invention comprises sodium carbonate as said alkaline agent. Sodium carbonate is also known as washing soda, soda crystals and soda ash. It is a white, water-soluble salt. It is a cheap and safe to use compound causing no damage to human body other than the allergic reactions. Sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide are preferable, since they leave no residue on the surface, provide effective cleaning even at low temperatures and facilitate the formation of a cleaning product in concentrated form, owing to their lower crystallization tendency at low temperatures compared to the other alkaline agents.

The product according to the invention preferably comprises the anionic surfactant at a concentration of 1-5% (weight/weight). Said anionic surfactant may be selected from the biodegradable sulfonic acid and its derivatives, C14-C17-sec-alkene, sodium salts and C12-C14 sodium alkyl sulfate, which have strong oil removal action and good wetting behavior.

The product according to the invention preferably comprises the nonionic surfactant at a concentration of 1-5% (weight/weight). PEG/PPG-5/2 propylheptyl ether and fatty alcohol alkoxylate, which have strong oil removal property, may be used as said nonionic surfactant.

An amphoteric surfactant exhibiting nonionic property in cases where the pH value of the product according to the invention is higher than 7 may also be used within the scope of the invention. By using this ingredient within the proper pH range, the amount of foam to be generated is balanced in the design. In this case, lauramine oxide may be preferably used as said surfactant.

The product according to the invention comprises silicate and/or silicate derivative at a concentration of 1-15% (weight/weight). Sodium silicate or derivatives thereof are preferable, because they enable an increase in the efficiency of the product, enable the oils and the dirt to be easily removed from the surfaces, prevent the development of rust stains and cause no damage to the metal surfaces. Said silicate derivative may be selected from disodium metasilicate, sodium silicate and derivatives thereof.

The product according to the invention preferably comprises the complexing and antiprecipitation agent at a concentration of 1-4% (weight/weight). This agent is used for preventing a contaminant, which has been removed from a contaminated surface of a tool being cleaned, from precipitating again on another surface of said tool that is uncontaminated. The use of the ingredient hydroxyethylidene diphosphonic acid is preferred as said complexing and anti-precipitation agent. Said preferred ingredient has a better alkaline tolerance than the other organophosphoric acids. It reacts with the metal ions and forms a complex especially in a system where it is used together with calcium ion. This ingredient exhibit strong synergistic action with the other surfactants used within the scope of the invention.

The product according to the invention preferably comprises the anti-foam agent, preferably in powder form, at a concentration of 1-3% (weight/weight). Since a water-based design is performed, a water-soluble agent is used. By the use of the anti-foam agent at a proper ratio, the surface tension of the design is reduced and the product is thus prevented from generating foam. The anti-foam agent may be selected from dimethyl polysiloxane, stearates and glycols. Owing to comprising the ingredients at the proper ratios intended for preventing and balancing the generation of foam, the product provides foam control and enables efficient and high quality cleaning.

In a preferred embodiment, the product according to the invention comprises at least one alkaline agent at a concentration of 40-60%, preferably 50% (weight/weight); at least one silicate and/or silicate derivative at a concentration of 1-15%, preferably 2% (weight/weight); at least one anionic surfactant at a concentration of 1-5%, preferably 5% (weight/weight); at least one nonionic surfactant at a concentration of 1-5%, preferably 3% (weight/weight); at least one amphoteric surfactant at a concentration of 1-3%, preferably 1% (weight/weight); at least one anti-foam agent at a concentration of 1-3%, preferably 2% (weight/weight); and at least one complexing and anti-precipitation agent at a concentration of 1-4%, preferably 4% (weight/weight). The finished product comprises the water in a quantity sufficient to bring the concentration to 100% (weight/weight).

The product according to the invention is preferably white in color.

Most of the surface cleaning products currently in use basically comprise the similar ingredients. The newly developed products, such as the product according to the invention, will be distinguished from the known products by the types and quantities of the ingredients with similar properties they contain, as determined according to the properties of the surfaces where the products are to be applied, by the other ingredients, which are present in the products in addition to the main ingredients and which are intended to confer the additional desired properties to the products according to the properties of the surfaces where the products are to be applied, and by the synergistic action produced when all the ingredients are combined. The technical effect provided by the invention being the subject of the present application is likewise produced only upon the combination of the specified quantities of the specified alternatives of the ingredients described in the previous paragraphs. In case one of the ingredients is different, it will not be possible to produce the desired level of action and the technical problem will remain unsolved.

The product according to the invention is preferably a detergent. The product is preferably supplied for use in the lightproof packages in order to ensure that its chemical and physical properties are not deteriorated.

The subject of the invention further relates to a method for applying on a surface an alkaline degreasing product, which effectively cleans said surfaces without abrading the same, without generating foam on the same and without causing the corrosion of the same. The method comprises the step of applying the product preferably on the surfaces at a temperature in the range of 40-95°C, particularly on the surfaces at a temperature in the range of 40-49°C or 50- The product according to the invention is preferably applied on the surfaces made of metal, particularly on the surfaces made of iron, steel, aluminum or brass or the alloys of said metals.

The product according to the described invention comprises at least one alkaline agent, which has low crystallization tendency at low temperatures and thus is able to effectively remove the oils from the surfaces of especially the metal tools, without leaving residues, without generating foam and without causing damage to said surfaces. Since the product according to the invention has maximum compatibility with the ambient conditions and with the materials for the alkaline degreasing processes required to be performed at low temperatures and enables the oils to be removed from such surfaces also at temperatures below 50°C, it enables many metal tools to be used for a long time without experiencing damage. As a result, no premature material loss is experienced and the cost saving is achieved. Further, since it is possible to clean the tools at lower temperatures, the energy saving is also achieved. Owing to comprising the ingredients at the proper ratios intended for preventing and balancing the generation of foam, the product provides foam control and enables efficient and high quality cleaning.

Claims

1. A degreasing product, which effectively cleans the surfaces without abrading said surfaces, without generating foam on said surfaces and without causing corrosion of said surfaces, characterized in that the degreasing product comprises

• at least one alkaline agent,

• at least one anionic surfactant,

• at least one nonionic surfactant,

• at least one amphoteric surfactant,

• at least one silicate and/or silicate derivative,

• at least one complexing and anti-precipitation agent, and

• at least one anti-foam agent.

2. A degreasing product according to Claim 1 characterized in that the degreasing product comprises the alkaline agent at a concentration of 40-60% (weight/weight).

3. A degreasing product according to Claim 1 characterized in that the degreasing product comprises the alkaline agent at a concentration of 50% (weight/weight).

4. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product comprises the anionic surfactant at a concentration of 1- 5% (weight/weight).

5. A degreasing product according to any one of Claims 1-3 characterized in that the degreasing product comprises the anionic surfactant at a concentration of 5% (weight/weight).

6. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product comprises the nonionic surfactant at a concentration of 1- 5% (weight/weight).

7. A degreasing product according to any one of Claims 1-5 characterized in that the degreasing product comprises the nonionic surfactant at a concentration of 3% (weight/weight).

8. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product comprises the amphoteric surfactant at a concentration of 1-3% (weight/weight).

9. A degreasing product according to any one of Claims 1-7 characterized in that the degreasing product comprises the amphoteric surfactant at a concentration of 1% (weight/weight).

10. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product comprises at least one silicate and/or silicate derivative at a concentration of 1-15% (weight/weight).

11. A degreasing product according to any one of Claims 1-9 characterized in that the degreasing product comprises silicate and/or silicate derivative at a concentration of 15% (weight/weight).

12. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product comprises the complexing and anti-precipitation agent at a concentration of 1-4% (weight/weight).

13. A degreasing product according to any one of Claims 1-11 characterized in that the degreasing product comprises the complexing and anti-precipitation agent at a concentration of 4% (weight/weight).

14. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product comprises the anti-foam agent at a concentration of 1-3% (weight/weight).

15. A degreasing product according to any one of Claims 1-13 characterized in that the degreasing product comprises the anti-foam agent at a concentration of 2% (weight/weight).

16. A degreasing product according to Claim 1 characterized in that the degreasing product comprises at least one alkaline agent at a concentration of 40-60% (weight/weight), at least one anionic surfactant at a concentration of 1-5% (weight/weight), at least one nonionic surfactant at a concentration of 1-5% (weight/weight), at least one amphoteric surfactant at a concentration of 1-3% (weight/weight), at least one complexing and anti-precipitation agent at a concentration of 1-4% (weight/weight), at least one silicate and/or silicate derivative at a concentration of 1-15% (weight/weight), and at least one anti-foam agent at a concentration of 1-3% (weight/weight).

17. A degreasing product according to Claim 1 characterized in that the degreasing product comprises at least one alkaline agent at a concentration of 50% (weight/weight), at least one anionic surfactant at a concentration of 5% (weight/weight), at least one nonionic surfactant at a concentration of 3% (weight/weight), at least one amphoteric surfactant at a concentration of 1% (weight/weight), at least one complexing and antiprecipitation agent at a concentration of 4% (weight/weight), at least one silicate and/or silicate derivative at a concentration of 15% (weight/weight), and at least one anti-foam agent at a concentration of 2% (weight/weight).

18. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product comprises sodium carbonate as the alkaline agent.

19. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product comprises at least one anionic surfactant selected from sulfonic acid and its derivatives, C14-C17-sec-alkene, sodium salts and C12-C14 sodium alkyl sulfate.

20. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product comprises PEG/PPG-5/2 propylheptyl ether and/or fatty alcohol alkoxylate as the nonionic surfactant.

21. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product comprises lauramine oxide as the amphoteric surfactant.

22. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product comprises at least one silicate derivative selected from disodium metasilicate, sodium silicate or sodium silicate derivatives.

23. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product comprises preferably hydroxyethylidene diphosphonic acid as the complexing and anti-precipitation agent.

24. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product comprises at least one anti-foam agent selected from dimethyl polysiloxane, stearates and glycols.

25. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the anti-foam agent is in powder form.

26. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product comprises at least one pH regulating agent in a quantity enabling the pH value of said product to be brought into the pH range of 11-13.

27. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product is white in color.

28. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product additionally comprises the water in a quantity sufficient to bring the concentration to 100% (weight/weight).

29. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the degreasing product is a detergent.

30. A degreasing product according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the surface is made of metal.

31. A degreasing product according to any one of Claims 1-29 characterized in that the surface is made of iron or steel or aluminum or brass or the alloys of said metals.

32. A method for applying on the surfaces an alkaline degreasing product, which effectively cleans said surfaces without abrading the same, without generating foam on the same and without causing the corrosion of the same, characterized in that the method of application comprises the step of applying the product on the surfaces at a temperature in the range of 40-95°C.

33. A method of application according to Claim 32 characterized in that the product is applied on the surfaces at a temperature in the range of 40-49°C.

34. A method of application according to Claim 32 characterized in that the product is applied on the surfaces at a temperature in the range of 50-95°C.

35. A method of application according to any one of Claims 32-34 characterized in that the surface is made of metal.

36. A method of application according to any one of Claims 32-34 characterized in that the surface is made of iron or steel or aluminum or brass or the alloys of said metals.