Deicing composition

1. A deicing composition comprising

(i) a deicing agent selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, potassium acetate, sodium acetate, sodium formate, and potassium formate,

(ii) a native protein, wherein the native protein is not a protein as present in molasses, and

(iii) a thickener,

wherein components (ii) and (iii) are not the same.

2. The deicing composition according to claim 1 wherein the native protein is selected from the group consisting of soy based proteins, dairy based proteins, egg proteins and combinations thereof.

3. The deicing composition according to claim 1 wherein the thickener is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, salts of carboxylmethyl cellulose, guar gum, nanocellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, methylethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, propoxycellulose, methoxycellulose, ethoxycellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, lignin derivatives, polyacrylates, polymaleinates, and copolymers of polyacrylates and polymaleinates.

4. The deicing composition according to claim 1 wherein the deicing composition is

an aqueous deicing composition comprising at least 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the deicing composition, of deicing agent,

a solid deicing composition comprising at least 50% by weight, based on the total weight of the deicing composition, of deicing agent, or

a deicing composition in slurry form, comprising deicing agent in an amount higher than its saturation concentration.

5. The deicing composition according to claim 1 wherein the native protein is present in an amount of between 10 ppm and 10,000 ppm and the thickener is present in an amount of between 10 ppm and 10,000 ppm.

6. The deicing composition according to claim 1 wherein the thickener is carboxymethyl cellulose having a degree of substitution of between 0.4 and 1.0, and an average degree of polymerization of between 3000 and 8000, or a lignin derivative.

7. The deicing composition according to claim 1 wherein the deicing agent is sodium chloride.

8. The deicing composition according to claim 2 wherein the thickener is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, salts of carboxylmethyl cellulose, guar gum, nanocellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, methylethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, propoxycellulose, methoxycellulose, ethoxycellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, lignin derivatives, polyacrylates, polymaleinates, and copolymers of polyacrylates and polymaleinates.

9. A process for preparing the deicing composition according to claim 1 , the process comprising the step of spraying an aqueous treatment solution comprising the native protein and the thickener, onto the deicing agent selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, potassium acetate, sodium acetate, sodium formate, and potassium formate.

10. The process according to claim 9 wherein the deicing agent is sodium chloride and the native protein is present in the resulting deicing composition in an amount of between 10 ppm and 10,000 ppm and the thickener is present in the resulting deicing composition in an amount of between 10 ppm and 10,000 ppm.

11. The process according to claim 9 wherein the native protein is selected from the group consisting of soy based proteins, dairy based proteins, egg proteins and combinations thereof.

12. The process according to claim 9 wherein the thickener is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, salts of carboxylmethyl cellulose, guar gum, nanocellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, methylethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, propoxycellulose, methoxycellulose, ethoxycellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, lignin derivatives, polyacrylates, polymaleinates, and copolymers of polyacrylates and polymaleinates.

13. A process for deicing a surface, said process comprising

(i) the step of spreading the deicing composition according to claim 1 onto said surface; or

(ii) the steps of mixing a solid deicing agent selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, potassium acetate, sodium acetate, sodium formate, and potassium formate with an aqueous treatment solution comprising a native protein and a thickener, and spreading the thus obtained mixture onto said surface, or

(iii) the steps of preparing an aqueous solution comprising between 5% by weight and the saturation concentration of a solid deicing agent selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, potassium acetate, sodium acetate, sodium formate, and potassium formate; a native protein and a thickener and applying said mixture onto said surface, or

(iv) the steps of spreading a deicing agent selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, potassium acetate, sodium acetate, sodium formate, and potassium formate, in solid or aqueous form onto said surface and separately spreading a native protein and a thickener in solid or aqueous form onto said surface.

14. The process according to claim 13 wherein the deicing agent is sodium chloride.

15. The process according to claim 13 wherein the native protein is selected from the group consisting of soy based proteins, dairy based proteins, egg proteins and combinations thereof.

16. The process according to claim 13 wherein the thickener is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, salts of carboxylmethyl cellulose, guar gum, nanocellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, methylethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, propoxycellulose, methoxycellulose, ethoxycellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, lignin derivatives, polyacrylates, polymaleinates, and copolymers of polyacrylates and polymaleinates.

17. The process according to claim 13 wherein the surface is selected from the group consisting of non-porous asphalt road, asphalt road, porous asphalt road, concrete road, bituminous road, brick road, graveled path, cobbled road, unpaved road, and pavement.

18. The process according to claim 13 wherein between 1 and 50 g of the deicing agent, between 0.01 and 500 mg of the native protein and between 0.01 and 500 mg of the thickener is introduced per m 2 of said surface.

19. A kit of parts for use in the process according to claim 13 , the kit of parts comprising

an anti-icing composition comprising the deicing agent selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, potassium acetate, sodium acetate, sodium formate, and potassium formate as a component (a), and

either (i) an aqueous solution comprising between 0% and its saturation concentration of the deicing agent, between 10 ppm and its saturation concentration of the native protein and between 10 ppm and its saturation concentration of the thickener or (ii) a solid component comprising the native protein and the thickener as a component (b).

20. The kit of parts according to claim 19 wherein component (b) is the aqueous solution comprising between 0% and its saturation concentration of the deicing agent, between 10 ppm and its saturation concentration of the native protein and between 10 ppm and its saturation concentration of the thickener, and wherein component (a) forms between 60 and 99.99% by weight of the kit of parts and component (b) forms between 0.01% and 40% by weight of the kit of parts.