IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,773,346
Granted Patent B2
US 11,773,346 · App. 17/649,856 · Granted Oct 3, 2023

Efficient surfactant system on plastic and all types of ware

Inventors: Janel Marie Kieffer (Saint Paul, MN); Terrence P. Everson (Saint Paul, MN); James S. Dailey (Grosse Ile, MI); Thomas Gessner (Ypsilanti, MI); Juergen Tropsch (Ludwigshafen, DE)
Assignee: ECOLAB USA INC.
C11D1/825A47L15/0007C11D1/72C11D1/79
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,773,346
App. No.
17/649,856
Granted
Oct 3, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Surfactant systems and compositions incorporating the same are disclosed for use as rinse aids on plastics and other wares. The surfactant systems and compositions include both liquid and solid formulations, along with methods of use for treating plastics and other wares. The surfactant systems and compositions provide synergistic combinations allowing lower actives in composition formulations of the plastic-compatible surfactant systems providing good sheeting, wetting and drying properties.

Claims (40)

1. A method of cleaning a surface comprising:

contacting a composition with a surface in need of cleaning, wherein the composition comprises:

(i) at least two surfactants according to the following formulas:

R 1 —O-(EO) x3 (PO) y3 —H  (A)

 wherein R 1 is a straight-chain C 10 -C 16 alkyl, wherein x 3 is from 5 to 8, and

 wherein y 3 is from 2 to 5,

R 1 —O-(EO) x4 (PO) y4 —H  (A2)

 wherein R 1 is a straight-chain C 10 -C 16 alkyl, wherein x 4 is from 4 to 6, and wherein y 4 is from 3 to 5,

R 2 —O-(EO) x1 —H  (B)

 wherein R 2 is a C 10 -C 14 alkyl with an average of at least 2 branches per residue, and wherein x 1 is from 5 to 10,

R 7 —O-(PO)y 5 (EO)x 5 (PO)y 6 —H  (D)

 wherein R 7 is a branched C 8 -C 16 Guerbet alcohol, x 5 is from 5 to 30, y 5 is from 1 to 4, and y 6 is from 10 to 20,

 wherein x is from 88 to 108, y is from 57 to 77, and z is from 88 to 108, and

 wherein x is from 15 to 25, y is from 10 to 25, and z is from 15 to 25; and

(ii) optionally an additional surfactant according to the following formulas:

R 2 —O-(EO) x2 —H  (C)

 wherein R 2 is a C 10 -C 14 alkyl with an average of at least 2 branches per residue, and wherein x 2 is from 2 to 4,

R 6 —O—(PO)y 4 (EO)x 4 —H  (E)

 wherein R 6 is a C 8 -C 16 Guerbet alcohol, wherein x 4 is from 2 to 10, and wherein y 4 is from 1 to 2, and

 wherein x is from 12 to 20, y is from 120 to 220, and z is from 12 to 20; and

wherein the contacting removes soil from the surface, reduces a microbial population on the surface, rinses the surface, or a combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises an additional functional ingredient.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the additional functional ingredient is a solidification aid, carrier, chelating agent, bleaching agent, sanitizer, defoaming agent, anti-redeposition agent, optical brightener, dye, odorant, stabilizing agent, dispersant, enzyme, corrosion inhibitor, thickener, solubility modifier, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises surfactant (A) or surfactant (A2), and surfactant (B), and optionally surfactant (C).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises surfactant (A), surfactant (B), and surfactant (D), or wherein the surfactant system comprises surfactant (A2), surfactant (B), and surfactant (D).

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises surfactant (H) or surfactant (D), and surfactant (G), and optionally surfactant (A).

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises surfactant (B) and surfactant (D), and optionally surfactant (F).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises surfactant (A) or surfactant (A2), and surfactant (D) or surfactant (H).

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a liquid concentrate or a solid.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the composition is a pressed solid or an extruded solid.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a first step of contacting the composition with water to form a use solution.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the use solution has a pH of about 8.5 or below.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the use solution has about 1 ppm to about 125 ppm of the composition.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contacting induces sheeting on the surface and increases the drying time of the surface compared to a surface not contacted with the composition.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contacting reduces spotting and filming on the surface.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microbial population comprises a bacterium, spore, lichen, fungus, protozoan, virino, viroid, virus, phage, alga, or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the soil is a food soil.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is used in a warewashing application.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the warewashing application is a low temperature warewash application, and wherein the contacting occurs at a temperature of 140° F. or less.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface is a cookware, dishware, flatware, glass, cup, glass surface, plastic surface, other hard surface, or a combination thereof.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2022
From: KIEFFER, JANEL M.; EVERSON, TERRENCE P.
To: ECOLAB USA INC.
Reel/Frame 058880/0205 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2022
From: DAILEY, JAMES S.; GESSNER, THOMAS
To: BASF CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058880/0227 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2022
From: TROPSCH, JUERGEN
To: BASF SE
Reel/Frame 058880/0285 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2022
From: BASF CORPORATION
To: BASF SE
Reel/Frame 058880/0324 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2022
From: BASF SE
To: ECOLAB USA INC.
Reel/Frame 058880/0330 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16718870 · Dec 18, 2019
Continuation 15157021 · May 17, 2016
Provisional Application 62163454 · May 19, 2015
Related Publication 20220154103A1 · May 19, 2022