REMOVABLE ANTIMICROBIAL COATING COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING CATIONIC RHEOLOGY AGENT AND METHODS OF USE

1 . A removable antimicrobial coating composition providing residual self-sanitizing properties comprising:

v. a water soluble or water-dispersible film-forming agent;

vi. at least one cationic or nonionic antimicrobial agent;

vii. an aqueous solvent; and

viii. a cationic rheology agent.

2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said film-forming agent comprises poly(vinyl alcohol) or copolymers thereof.

3 . The composition of claim 1 wherein said antimicrobial agent comprises a quaternary ammonium compound.

4 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said antimicrobial coating composition further comprises a first surfactant at a concentration from 0.01 to 2 wt % of said antimicrobial coating composition.

5 . The composition of claim 4 , wherein said first surfactant is nonionic.

6 . The composition of claim 5 , wherein said antimicrobial coating composition further comprises a second surfactant at a concentration from 0.001 to 0.2 wt % of said antimicrobial coating composition.

7 . The composition of claim 6 , wherein said second surfactant comprises an alcohol ethoxylate.

8 . The composition of claim 3 , wherein said antimicrobial coating composition has a shear-thinning index of between 2 and 6.

9 . The composition of claim 3 wherein said antimicrobial coating composition has a shear-thinning index of between 2.5 and 4.

10 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the viscosity of said antimicrobial coating composition measured at 10° C. and at a shear rate of 1 s −1 is between 0.5 and 100 Pa·s.

11 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the viscosity of said antimicrobial coating composition measured at 10° C. and at a shear rate of 1 s −1 is between 2 and 50 Pa·s.

12 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein said cationic rheology agent comprises an acrylic polymer.

13 . The composition of claim 12 , wherein said acrylic polymer comprises functional groups of the structure:

wherein R, R′ and R″ are independently either alkyl or aryl groups or any combination thereof.

14 . The composition of claim 12 , wherein said acrylic polymer comprises functional groups of the structure:

wherein m=1 to 5.

15 . A method of providing control of microorganisms at a locus comprising the steps:

a) combining:

i) a water soluble or water-dispersible film-forming agent;

ii) at least one antimicrobial agent;

iii) an aqueous solvent;

iv) a cationic rheology agent;

to obtain a shear-thinning removable coating composition;

b) applying said coating composition to said locus, and wherein said coating composition is allowed to form a dry coating after application upon said locus.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein said locus comprises at least one surface of the article comprising a material selected from the group consisting of: metals, minerals, natural and synthetic polymers, plastics, brick, tile, ceramic, porcelain, vinyl, glass, linoleum and wood.

17 . The method of claim 15 further comprising removing said dry coating by application of an aqueous solution onto said dry coating.

18 . The process of preparing a removable, antimicrobial coating composition comprising the steps:

a. forming a suspension by combining: (i) an aqueous solvent of an electrical conductivity of 0 to 10 mS/cm and (ii) a water soluble or water-dispersible film-forming agent;

b. heating said suspension from 30 to 95° C. for at least 10 minutes;

c. adding in any order: (i) an antimicrobial agents; (ii) a cationic rheology agent; (iii) optionally, additional ingredients;

d. mixing the composition.

19 . The process of claim 18 wherein the electrical conductivity of the aqueous solution is between 0 and 1 mS/cm.

20 . The process of claim 18 , wherein said additional ingredients comprise one or more of: an antifoam agent, a first surfactant, a second surfactant, a colorant, a plasticizer and a corrosion inhibitor.