# US 4,400,312 A · Sulfur based metal cleaners > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,400,312 A - Document ID: US4400312A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/376,074 - Filed: 1982-05-07 - Granted: 1983-08-23 - Earliest claimed: 1982-05-07 - Assignees: Phillips Petroleum Company - Inventors: Merlin R. Lindstrom; Rector P. Louthan; Gary D. Macdonell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4400312A ## CPC - C23G 1/20: Other heavy metals - C11D 3/349: {additionally containing nitrogen atoms, e.g. nitro, nitroso, amino, imino, nitrilo, nitrile groups containing compounds or their derivatives or thio urea} - C23G 1/19: Iron or steel - C11D 3/3427: {containing thiol, mercapto or sulfide groups, e.g. thioethers or mercaptales} - C11D 3/3445: {containing sulfino groups, e.g. dimethyl sulfoxide} - C11D 3/3454: {containing sulfone groups, e.g. vinyl sulfones} - C11D 3/3481: {containing sulfur in a heterocyclic ring, e.g. sultones or sulfolanes} - C23G: CLEANING OR DE-GREASING OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY CHEMICAL METHODS OTHER THAN ELECTROLYSIS - C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL ## Abstract A novel composition and process are provided for cleaning metallic surfaces. The cleaning composition comprises an effective amount of at least one sulfur containing compound selected from the group consisting of a dialkylamino dithiocarbamic acid, a mercapto alkanone, or a trimethylene ring sulfur compound. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A composition suitable as a metallic cleaning agent comprising water and effective amounts of either a Group IA or IIA metal hydroxide and at least one sulfur containing compound selected from the group consisting of a dialkylaminoalkyl dithiocarbamic acid represented by: ##STR4## and a mercapto alkanone ##STR5## and a trimethylene ring sulfur compound represented by ##STR6## wherein R represents any alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent any alkylene radical having 1-8 and 1-4 carbon atoms each respectively, R.sup.3 represents any alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n equals 0, 1, or 2. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A composition as in claim 1 further comprising an effective amount of a surfactant. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A composition as in claim 2 wherein said dialkylaminoalkyl dithiocarbamic acid is 3-(N,N-dimethylamino)propyl carbamic acid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A composition as in claim 2 wherein said mercaptoalkanone is 2-mercaptoethyl methyl ketone. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) A composition as in claim 2 wherein said trimethylene ring sulfur compound is one selected from the group consisting of either 3-hydroxytrimethylene sulfide, 3-hydroxytrimethylene sulfoxide, or 3-hydroxytrimethylene sulfone. ### Claim 6 A composition suitable as a metallic cleaning agent comprising from about 85.0 to about 99.65 wt. % water, from about 0.1 to about 5.0 wt. % Group IA or IIA metal hydroxide, and from about 0.25 to about 10.0 wt. % of at least one sulfur containing compound selected from the group consisting of a dialkylaminoalkyl dithiocarbamic acid represented by: ##STR7## and a mercapto alkanone represented by ##STR8## and a trimethylene ring sulfur compound represented by ##STR9## wherein R represents any alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent any alkylene radical having 1-8 and 1-4 carbon atoms each respectively, R.sup.3 represents any alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n equal 0, 1, or 2. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A composition as in claim 6 further comprising from about 80.0 to 99.55 wt. % water, from about 0.1 to 5.0 wt. % surfactant, from about 0.1 to about 5.0 wt. % Group I or IIA metal hydroxide, and from about 0.25 to about 10.0 wt. % of said at least one sulfur containing compound. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A composition as in claim 7 wherein said dialkylamino alkyl dithiocarbamic acid is 3-(N,N-dimethylamino)propyl carbamic acid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A composition as in claim 7 wherein said mercaptoalkone is 2-mercaptoethyl methyl ketone. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) A composition as in claim 7 wherein said trimethylene ring sulfur compound is one selected from the group consisting of either 3-hydroxytrimethylene sulfide, 3-hydroxytrimethylene sulfoxide, or 3-hydroxytrimethylene sulfone. ### Claim 11 A process for cleaning metallic steel surfaces which comprises bringing said metallic steel surfaces into contact with a composition comprising water, and effective amounts of at least one Group IA or IIA metal hydroxide and at least one sulfur containing compound selected from the group consisting of a dialkylaminoalkyl dithiocarbamic acid represented by: ##STR10## and a mercapto alkanone represented by ##STR11## and a trimethylene ring sulfur compound represented by ##STR12## wherein R represents any alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent any alkylene radical having 1-8 and 1-4 carbon atoms each respectively, R.sup.3 represents any alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n equals 0, 1, or 2. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A process as in claim 11 comprising bringing said metallic steel surfaces into contact with a composition comprising an effective amount of a surfactant. ### Claim 13 A process for cleaning metallic steel surfaces which comprises bringing said metallic steel surfaces into contact with a composition comprising from about 85.0 to about 99.65 wt. % water, from about 0.1 to about 5.0 wt. % of Group IA or IIA metal hydroxide, and from about 0.25 to about 10.0 wt. % of at least one sulfur containing compound selected from the group consisting of a dialkylaminoalkyl dithiocarbamic acid represented by: ##STR13## and a mercapto alkanone represented by ##STR14## and a trimethylene ring sulfur compound represented by ##STR15## wherein R represents any alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represents any alkylene radical having 1-8 and 1-4 carbon atoms each respectively, R.sup.3 represents any alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n equals 0, 1, or 2. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A process as in claim 13 comprising bringing said metallic steel surfaces into contact with a composition comprising from about 80.0 to 99.55 wt. % water, from about 0.1 to 5.0 wt. % surfactant, from about 0.1 to about 5.0 wt. % Group I or IIA metal hydroxide, and from about 0.25 to about 10.0 wt. % of said at least one sulfur containing compound. ### Claim 15 A process for cleaning of brass and copper metal surfaces which comprises bringing said brass and metallic copper surfaces into contact with a composition comprising water, and an effective amount of a Group IA or IIA metal hydroxide and at least one sulfur containing compound selected from the group consisting of a mercapto alkanone represented by ##STR16## and a trimethylene ring sulfur compound represented by ##STR17## wherein R represents any alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 represents any alkylene radical having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 represents any alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n equals 0, 1, or 2. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A process as in claim 15 comprising bringing said copper and brass metallic surfaces into contact with an aqueous composition comprising an effective amount of a Group IA and IIA metal hydroxide, a surfactant and said at least one sulfur containing compound. ### Claim 17 A process for cleaning brass and copper metallic surfaces comprising bringing said brass and copper metallic surfaces into contact with a composition comprising from about 85.0 to about 99.65 wt. % water, from about 0.1 to about 5.0 wt. % Group IA or IIA metal hydroxide, and from about 0.25 to about 10.0 wt. % of at least one sulfur containing compound selected from the group consisting of a mercapto alkanone represented by ##STR18## and a trimethylene ring sulfur compound represented by ##STR19## wherein R represents an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 represents any alkylene radical having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 represents any alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n equals 0, 1, or 2. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A process as in claim 17 comprising bringing said brass and copper metallic surfaces into contact with a composition comprising from about 80.0 to 99.55 wt. % water, from about 0.1 to 5.0 wt. % surfactant, from about 0.1 to about 5.0 wt. % Group I or IIA metal hydroxide, and from about 0.25 to about 10.0 wt. % of said at least one sulfur containing compound. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A process according to claim 18 wherein said metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide.