Antimicrobial lubricant compositions including a fatty acid and a quaternary
AssigneeEcolab Inc.
InventorsChung-Tsing Liu, Joseph C. Dirksen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Stable concentrated liquid and solid antimicrobial lubricating compositions can be formulated which include (-) 5 to 40 wt % of a C.sub.6-24 fatty acid, (-) 10 to 40 wt % of a quaternary ammonium salt, (-) an amount of an alkaline source sufficient to increase the pH of the composition to at least 8, and optionally (-) about 0.1 to 10 wt % of an amine. The balance of the liquid form of the composition constitutes water. The lubricating compositions are particularly useful on the load bearing surfaces of conveyor belts used in food preparation where a combination of effective lubricity and efficacious antimicrobial activity are necessary.
Claims29
An alkaline concentrate which forms an aqueous antimicrobial lubricant composition upon dilution, said concentrate comprising:
- (a) about 5-40 wt-% of a aliphatic monocarboxylic acid said carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of lauric acid, coconut fatty acid, tall oil fatty acid, and mixtures thereof;
- (b) about 5-20 wt-% of a water soluble quaternary ammonium salt having the formula
- (R.sup.1)(R.sup.2)(R.sup.3)(R.sup.4)N.sup.+ X.sup.-
- wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are independently selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1-16 alkyl, C.sub.1-4 hydroxyalkyl, benzyl, C.sub.1-24 alkyl benzyl, and halo benzyl, and X.sup.- is an anion capable of imparting water solubility or water dispersibility to the quaternary ammonium salt;
- (c) an amount of a source of alkalinity effective for neutralizing the monocarboxylic acid and increasing the pH of the concentrate above about 8;
- and
- (d) a balance of water wherein the lubricant is phase stable and chemically stable.
A liquid alkaline concentrate which forms an aqueous antimicrobial lubricant composition for the load bearing surface of a conveyor system upon dilution with water, said concentrate comprising:
- (a) about 5-30 wt-% of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, said carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of lauric acid, coconut fatty acid, tall oil fatty acid, and mixtures thereof;
- (b) about 5-15 wt-% of a quaternary ammonium chloride;
- (c) about 0.1-10 wt-% of an amine;
- (d) about 0.1-25 wt-% of EDTA;
- and
- (e) the balance water wherein the lubricant is phase stable and chemically stable.
A process for lubricating and reducing microbiological concentrations on the load bearing surface of a conveyor system comprising the steps of:
- (a) dispersing an alkaline concentrate of an antimicrobial and lubricating composition into sufficient water to form an aqueous antimicrobial lubricating solution, wherein (i) said antimicrobial lubricating concentrate comprises an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, said carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of lauric acid, coconut fatty acid, tall oil fatty acid, and mixtures thereof and a water soluble quaternary ammonium compound, and (ii) said antimicrobial lubricating solution comprises at least about 100-2000 ppm (w/v) of at least one fatty acid, about 200-1000 ppm (w/v) of a water soluble quaternary ammonium salt, and a balance of water;
- and
- (b) placing said antimicrobial lubricating solution onto the load bearing surface of an operating conveyor system for a period of time effective to lubricate and reduce microbial populations on the load baring surface wherein the lubricant is phase stable and chemically stable.
A solid alkaline concentrate which forms an aqueous antimicrobial lubricant composition upon dilution, said concentrate comprising:
- (a) about 5-30 wt-% of an aliphatic carboxylic acid, said carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of lauric acid, coconut fatty acid, tall oil fatty acid, and mixtures thereof;
- (b) about 5-15 wt-% of a water soluble quaternary ammonium salt having the formula
- (R.sup.1)(R.sup.2)(R.sup.3)(R.sup.4)N.sup.+ X.sup.-
- wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are independently selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1-16 alkyl, C.sub.1-4 hydroxyalkyl, benzyl, alkyl benzyl, and halo benzyl, and X.sup.- is an anion capable of imparting water solubility or water dispersibility to the quaternary ammonium salt;
- and
- (c) an amount of a source of alkalinity effective for neutralizing the monocarboxylic acid and increasing the pH of the concentrate above about 8 wherein the lubricant is phase stable and chemically stable.
A solid alkaline concentrate which forms an aqueous antimicrobial lubricant composition for the load bearing surface of a conveyor system upon dilution with water, said concentrate comprising:
- (a) about 25-40 wt-% of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, said carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of lauric acid, coconut fatty acid, tall oil fatty acid, and mixtures thereof;
- (b) about 7-15 wt-% of a quaternary ammonium chloride;
- (c) about 0.1-15 wt-% of an N-alkyl-alkylene diamine;
- and
- (d) about 0.1-25 wt-% of EDTA.
A diluted antimicrobial lubricant solution for the load bearing surface of a conveyor system comprising:
- (a) about 100-1000 ppm (w/v) coconut oil fatty acids;
- (b) about 30-200 ppm (w/v) tall oil fatty acids;
- (c) about 200-1000 ppm (w/v) of a tetra-alkyl quaternary ammonium chloride;
- (d) about 50-350 ppm (w/v) of a nonionic surfactant;
- (e) about 30-200 ppm (w/v) of a sequestrant;
- (f) about 30-200 ppm (w/v) of an amine;
- and
- (g) about 50-350 ppm (w/v) of an alcohol.
The alkaline antimicrobial lubricant concentrate composition comprising:
- (a) from about 0.1 wt-% to 10 wt-% tall oil fatty acid;
- (b) from about 5 wt-% to 30 wt-% coconut fatty acid;
- (c) from about 5 wt-% to 20 wt-% quaternary ammonium compound;
- (d) an amount of a source of alkalinity effective for neutralizing said fatting acids and increasing the pH of the composition above about 8, said alkalinity source selected from the group consisting of diethanolamine, triethanolamine, an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkali earth metal hydroxide, or mixtures thereof;
- (e) a nonionic surfactant;
- and
- (f) a balance of water wherein the lubricant is phase stable and chemically stable.
An alkaline antimicrobial lubricant concentrate composition comprising:
- (a) from about 0.1 wt-% to 10 wt-% tall oil fatty acid;
- (b) from about 5 wt-% to 30 wt-% lauric acid;
- (c) from about 5 wt-% to 20 wt-% quaternary ammonium compound;
- (d) an amount of a source of alkalinity effective for neutralizing said fatting acids and increasing the pH of the composition above about 8, said alkalinity source selected from the group consisting of diethanolamine, triethanolamine, an alkali metal hydroxide, an alkali earth metal hydroxide, or mixtures thereof;
- (e) a nonionic surfactant;
- and
- (f) a balance of water wherein the lubricant is phase stable and chemically stable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.