# US 10,370,626 B2 · Reduced misting acidic cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting compositions via the use of high molecular weight water-in-oil emulsion polymers

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- Number: US 10,370,626 B2
- Document ID: US10370626B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/603,039
- Filed: 2017-05-23
- Published: 2017-11-23
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-05-23
- Assignees: Ecolab USA Inc.
- Applicants: Ecolab USA Inc.
- Inventors: Victor Fuk-Pong Man; Derrick Anderson; Paul Christian; Benjamin Crew; Xinyu Huang; Charles Allen Hodge; Amanda Ruth Blattner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370626B2

## CPC

- C11D 17/0043: {For use with aerosol devices}
- B08B 1/143: {Wipes}
- B08B 3/08: the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect
- C08J 3/05: from solid polymers
- C11D 1/66: Non-ionic compounds {(C11D1/002, C11D1/004, C11D1/008 take precedence)}
- C11D 3/042: {Acids}
- C11D 3/2075: {Carboxylic acids-salts thereof}
- C11D 3/2086: {Hydroxy carboxylic acids-salts thereof}
- C11D 3/37: Polymers {(polymeric surface-active agents C11D1/008; polysaccharides C11D3/222)}
- C11D 3/3947: {Liquid compositions}
- C11D 3/43: Solvents
- C11D 17/041: {Compositions releasably affixed on a substrate or incorporated into a dispensing means}
- B05B 11/1057: {Triggers, i.e. actuation means consisting of a single lever having one end rotating or pivoting around an axis or a hinge fixedly attached to the container, and another end directly actuated by the user}
- C08J 2333/14: of esters containing halogen, nitrogen, sulfur, or oxygen atoms in addition to the carboxy oxygen
- C08J 2333/24: Homopolymers or copolymers of amides or imides
- C08J 2339/00: Characterised by the use of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by a single or double bond to nitrogen or by a heterocyclic ring containing nitrogen; Derivatives of such polymers
- C11D 2111/14: Hard surfaces
- C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29)
- B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D)

## Abstract

Acidic sprayable aqueous compositions for cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting are disclosed. In particular, the sprayable compositions include an inverse emulsion polymer for modifying the viscosity of the composition and provide numerous benefits over dispersion polymer compositions used for rheology modification to reduce misting and respiratory inhalation of cleaning compositions. Compositions and methods of cleaning using the compositions having reduced amounts of airborne particulates of the composition during spray applications are provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sprayable acidic cleaning composition with reduced misting comprising:
(a) an effective cleaning amount of an acid source;
(b) from about 0.0001 wt-% to about 1 wt-% of a high molecular weight inverse emulsion polymer;
(c) at least one surfactant; and
(d) water;
wherein the acidic composition reduces the formation of airborne aerosol particles having a
micron size of less than about 10 when sprayed, and a use solution of the composition has a shear viscosity from about 1 to about 1000 cPs, and wherein the high molecular weight inverse emulsion polymer does not increase the shear viscosity of the composition more than about 10%.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the acid source comprises a strong mineral acid, an organic acid or a mixture thereof, and optionally further comprising an oxidizing source.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The composition of claim 2, wherein the acid source is selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid and/or a carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, benzoic acid, sorbic acid, sulfamic acid and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a pH from about 1 to about 7.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the inverse emulsion polymer is a cationic, nonionic, and/or zwitterionic polymer, and wherein the inverse emulsion polymer has a molecular weight of 1 million Da to 25 million Da and a particle size ranging from 0.1 to 10 microns.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the inverse emulsion polymer has a viscosity from 50 to 5000 cPs.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the inverse emulsion polymer is a cationic polymer selected from the group consisting of 2-(acryloyloxy)-N,N,N-trimethylethananminium (DMAEA.MCQ), diallyldimethylammonium chloride, dimethylaminoethyl acrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt, acrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt, methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride, or combinations of the same.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the inverse emulsion polymer does not increase the shear viscosity of the composition more than about 5%, and the compositions retains stability for at least about 1 year at room temperature.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the use solution of the composition has a shear viscosity from about 1 to about 200 cPs.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the surfactant is nonionic and/or amphoteric.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The composition of claim 10, wherein the surfactant is a linear alcohol ethoxylate, an amine oxide and/or cocoamido propyl betaine.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises about 1 to about 20 wt-% of the acid source, about 0.0005 to about 0.5 wt-% of the inverse emulsion polymer, about 0.1 to about 25 wt-% of the surfactant(s), and about 25 to about 99 wt-% water, and optionally further comprising a compatible solvent, additional acidulant and/or an additional functional ingredient.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The composition of claim 12, wherein the solvent is a hydroxy substituted organic solvent selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, propylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol ethyl ether, propylene glycol propyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol methyl ether, ethyl glycol butyl ether, diethylene glycol butyl ether, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the inverse emulsion polymer is formed through polymerization of monomers comprising cationic, nonionic and/or zwitterionic monomers, wherein (a) the nonionic monomer is acrylamide, methacrylamide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, N,N-diethylacrylamide, N-isopropylacrylamide, N-vinylformamide, N-vinylmethylacetamide, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxypropyl acrylate, hydroxypropyl methacrylate, N-tert-butylacrylamide, N-methylolacrylamide, or combinations thereof, (b) the cationic monomer is dialkylaminoalkyl acrylates and methacrylates and their quaternary or acid salts, or combinations thereof, and/or (c) wherein the zwitterionic monomer is N,N-dimethyl-N-acryloyloxyethyl-N-(3-sulfopropyl)-ammonium betaine, N,N-dimethyl-N-acrylamidopropyl-N-(2-carboxymethyl)-ammonium betaine, N,N-dimethyl-N-acrylamidopropyl-N-(3-sulfopropyl)-ammonium betaine, N,N-dimethyl-N-acrylamidopropyl-N-(2-carboxymethyl)-ammonium betaine, 2-(methylthio)ethyl methacryloyl-S-(sulfopropyl)-sulfonium betaine, 2-[(2-acryloylethyl)dimethylammonio]ethyl 2-methyl phosphate, 2-(acryloyloxyethyl)-2′-(trimethylammonium)ethyl phosphate, [(2-acryloylethyl)dimethylammonio]methyl phosphonic acid, 2-methacryloyloxy ethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), 2-[(3-acrylamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]ethyl 2′-isopropyl phosphate (AAPI), 1-vinyl-3-(3-sulfopropyl)imidazolium hydroxide, (2-acryloxyethyl) carboxymethyl methylsulfonium chloride, 1-(3-sulfopropyl)-2-vinylpyridinium betaine, N-(4-sulfobutyl)-N-methyl-N, N-diallylamine ammonium betaine (MDABS), N,N-diallyl-N-methyl-N-(2-sulfoethyl)ammonium betaine, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the inverse emulsion polymer is formed through polymerization of monomers selected from the group consisting of dimethylaminoethyl acrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt, dimethylaminoethyl acrylate methyl sulfate quaternary salt, dimethylaminoethyl acrylate benzyl chloride quaternary salt, dimethylaminoethyl acrylate sulfuric acid salt, dimethylaminoethyl acrylate hydrochloric acid salt, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate methyl sulfate quaternary salt, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate benzyl chloride quaternary salt, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate sulfuric acid salt, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloric acid salt, dialkylaminoalkylacrylamides or methacrylamides and their quaternary or acid salts such as acrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride, dimethylaminoethyl acrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt, dimethylaminoethyl acrylate benzyl chloride quaternary salt, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate methyl chloride quaternary salt, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate benzyl chloride quaternary salt, methacrylamidopropyl trimethylammonium chloride, dimethylaminopropyl acrylamide methyl sulfate quaternary salt, dimethylaminopropyl acrylamide sulfuric acid salt, dimethylaminopropyl acrylamide hydrochloric acid salt, methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride, dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide methyl sulfate quaternary salt, dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide sulfuric acid salt, dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide hydrochloric acid salt, diethylaminoethylacrylate, diethyl aminoethylmethacrylate, diallyldiethylammonium chloride, diallyldimethylammonium chloride, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition does not include any xanthan and/or any conventional thickeners.

### Claim 17

A system for applying sprayable acidic cleaning composition producing reduced misting upon spraying, the system comprising:
(a) a sprayer comprising a spray head connected to a spray bottle; and
(b) an aqueous, ready-to-use cleaning composition contained by the spray bottle and the spray head adapted to dispense the aqueous composition;
wherein the cleaning composition comprises an effective cleaning amount of an acid
source; from about 0.0001 wt-% to about 1 wt-% of a high molecular weight inverse emulsion polymer; at least one surfactant; and water,
wherein the cleaning composition produces a total concentration of misting of particles
having a micron size of 10 or less within a breathing zone of a user of less than or equal to 60 particles/cm3, and wherein the composition has a shear viscosity from about 1 to about 1000 cPs, and wherein the high molecular weight inverse emulsion polymer does not increase the shear viscosity of the composition more than about 10%.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the cleaning composition is produced in-line or in situ by combining the acid source, high molecular weight inverse emulsion polymer, surfactant(s), and water, and wherein the dissolution requires less than 10 minutes to form a homogenous solution.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the sprayer is a low velocity sprayer.

### Claim 20

A method of cleaning a hard surface using a sprayed, reduced misting, aqueous cleaning composition comprising:
(a) contacting a soiled surface with an aqueous cleaning composition comprising an
effective cleaning amount of an acid source; from about 0.0001 wt-% to about 1 wt-% of a high molecular weight inverse emulsion polymer; at least one surfactant; and water, wherein the cleaning composition produces a total concentration of misting of particles having a micron size of 10 or less within a breathing zone of a user of less than or equal to 60 particles/cm3, and wherein the composition has a shear viscosity from about 1 to about 1000 cPs, and wherein the high molecular weight inverse emulsion polymer does not increase the shear viscosity of the composition more than about 10%; and
(b) wiping the hard surface to remove the treating film and any soil.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the aqueous cleaning composition produces a total concentration of misting of particles having a micron size of 10 or less within a breathing zone of a user as measured in total number of particles per cm3 of 60 particles/cm3 or fewer.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the applying step uses a trigger sprayer.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein said soil is a soap scum, or hard water scale.