Cleaning agent for cleaning polymer processing equipment, method for producing it and its use

1. A cleaning agent for cleaning polymer processing equipment, wherein the cleaning agent comprises

i) a thermoplastic resin and

ii) a foaming agent selected from alkali metal and ammonium bicarbonates, and wherein the cleaning agent does not contain any abrasive agent or chain scission catalyst.

2. The cleaning agent according to claim 1 , wherein the foaming agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, sodium sesquicarbonate and potassium sesquicarbonate.

3. The cleaning agent according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic resin is selected from the group consisting of polyvinylchlorides, polyamides, polyacrylates, polystyrols, polyethylene terephthalates, polybutylene terephthalates, polymethyl methacrylates, and polyolefins.

4. The cleaning agent according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises 0.1 to 40% by weight of the foaming agent based on the total weight of the cleaning agent.

5. The cleaning agent according to claim 1 , wherein the foaming agent is present in the form of particles having an average particle size in the range of 0.1 to 4 mm.

6. The cleaning agent according to claim 1 , wherein the foaming agent is present in the form of coated particles.

7. The cleaning agent according to claim 6 , wherein the coated particles have a coating selected from the group consisting of alkali metal carbonates, fatty acids, fatty acid salts and any combination thereof.

8. The cleaning agent according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning agent is a mixture comprising particles of thermoplastic resin and particles of foaming agent.

9. The cleaning agent according to claim 8 , wherein the cleaning agent is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate granules having an average particle size in the range of 1.5 to 3.5 mm and HDPE granules.

10. The cleaning agent according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning agent is in the form of particles comprising the thermoplastic resin and the foaming agent.

11. The cleaning agent according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning agent further comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of binding agents that bind together the foaming agent with the thermoplastic resin, stabilizers, processing aids, anti-blocking agents, antistatic agents, antioxidants, lubricants, pigments, surfactants, plasticizers, and any combination thereof.

12. The cleaning agent according to claim 11 , wherein the binding agent is selected from the group consisting of amide wax, maleated ethylene wax, maleated propylene wax, microcrystalline wax, oxidized wax, paraffin wax, petroleum wax, and polyethylene wax.

13. A method for producing the cleaning agent of claim 1 , which comprises the steps of

a) mixing particles of the thermoplastic resin with particles of the foaming agent; or

b) compounding the thermoplastic resin with the foaming agent to obtain particles comprising the thermoplastic resin and the foaming agent.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein in step b) the compounding is conducted by hot or cold compression molding.

15. A method for cleaning polymer processing equipment or any component thereof, comprising using the cleaning agent of claim 1 .