Cleaning surfaces
AssigneeImperial Chemical Industries PLC
InventorHarold Russell Motson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Substrates are cleaned by contacting the substrate with a cleaning composition, particularly an aqueous composition, including at least one compound of the formula (I): (R2)p—Ph—(CH2)m—COO—(AO)n—R1 (I) where R1, AO, n, M, Ph, R2 and p have defined meanings, particularly to give alkyl benzoates. Such compounds provide useful solvency to the cleaning formulations while having a relatively benign environmental profile.
Claims9
1 A method of cleaning a substrate, which includes contacting the substrate to be cleaned with a composition, particularly and aqueous composition, including at least one compound of the formula (I):
- (R2)p—Ph—(CH2)m—COO—(AO)n—R1 (I)
- where
- R1 is a C1 to C20 alkyl or alkenyl group;
- AO is an alkyleneoxy group and may vary along the (poly)alkyleneoxy chain;
- n 0 or from 1 to 100;
- m is 0, 1 or 2;
- and
- Ph is a phenyl group, which may be substituted with groups (R2)p;
- where each R2 is independently a C1 to C4 alkyl or alkoxy group;
- and p is 0, 1 or 2.
2 A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein m, n and p are all 0.
3 A method as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein R1 is a C1 to C10 alkyl group, preferably a C3 to Cs branched alkyl group.
4 A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the compound of the formula (I) is or includes iso-propyl benzoate.
5 A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 for degreasing a substrate, particularly a metal substrate, by contacting the substrate with a composition, particularly an aqueous composition, including at least one compound of the formula (I).
6 A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 for hard surface cleaning, by contacting a hard surface to be cleaned is contacted with a composition, particularly an aqueous composition, including at least one compound of the formula (I) together with a surfactant, particularly a detergent surfactant, and a builder or alkali
7 A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 for cleaning graffiti from a surface in which the surface to be cleaned is contacted with a composition, particularly an aqueous composition, including at least one compound of the formula (I) together with a surfactant.
8 A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 for stripping paint from a substrate in which a painted substrate is contacted with a composition, particularly an aqueous composition, including at least one compound of the formula (I) together with a surfactant, particularly a detergent surfactant.
9 A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 for rig cleaning in which the surface of the rig to be cleaned is contacted with an aqueous microemulsion composition including at least one compound of the formula (I) together with a surfactant, particularly a detergent surfactant.