Peroxide based multi-purpose cleaner, degreaser, sanitizer/virucide and associated solutions and methods for preparing the same

Abstract

A cleaning solution including: a primary solvent; a secondary solvent; an oxidizing agent, wherein the oxidizing agent includes a peroxide; a surfactant system, wherein the surfactant system includes a nonionic surfactant, a first anionic surfactant, and a second anionic surfactant; and an antioxidant, wherein the antioxidant is characterized by the structure of formula I: ##STR00001##
wherein R.sub.1-R.sub.6, are each independently selected from the group including H; OH; and an alkyl, cycloalkyl, polycycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, alkanoyl, aroyl, alkenyl, alkyl-alkenyl, alcohol, ether, ketone, carboxylic acid, acid halide, acid anhydride, ester, and/or amide group containing approximately 1 to approximately 25 carbon atom(s); wherein at least three of R.sub.1-R.sub.6 include OH; and wherein at least one of R.sub.1-R.sub.6 includes an ester.

Claims

1. A cleaning solution, consisting of: a primary solvent, wherein the primary solvent consists of water; a secondary solvent, wherein the secondary solvent is selected from the group consisting of a terpene, a cyclic terpene, orange oil, limonene, and d-limonene; an oxidizing agent, wherein the oxidizing agent consists of hydrogen peroxide; a hybrid surfactant system, wherein the hybrid surfactant system consists of a nonionic surfactant consisting of an ethoxylated alcohol, a first anionic surfactant consisting of an alkyl benzene sulfonate, and a second anionic surfactant consisting of an alkyl sulfonate; and an antioxidant, wherein the antioxidant consists of the structure of formula II: ##STR00022## wherein three of R.sub.1-R.sub.5 are OH.

2. A cleaning solution, consisting of: a primary solvent present in a concentration ranging from 75 percent to 85 percent by weight, wherein the primary solvent consists of water; a secondary solvent present in a concentration ranging from 1 percent to 5 percent by weight, wherein the secondary solvent is selected from the group consisting of a terpene, a cyclic terpene, orange oil, limonene, and d-limonene; an oxidizing agent present in a concentration ranging from 3 percent to 20 percent by weight, wherein the oxidizing agent consists of hydrogen peroxide; a hybrid surfactant system, wherein the hybrid surfactant system consists of a nonionic surfactant consisting of an ethoxylated alcohol present in a concentration ranging from 0.5 percent to 2 percent by weight, a first anionic surfactant consisting of an alkyl benzene sulfonate present in a concentration ranging from 1 percent to 2 percent by weight, and a second anionic surfactant consisting of an alkyl sulfonate present in a concentration ranging from 1 percent to 2 percent by weight; and an antioxidant present in a concentration ranging from 0.01 percent to 2 percent by weight, wherein the antioxidant consists of the structure of formula II: ##STR00023## wherein three of R.sub.1-R.sub.5 are OH.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(1) While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the structural formulas and described herein in detail several specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated. It will be understood that the structural formulas disclosed herein are intended to comprise all stereochemcial configurations regardless of graphical representations.

(2) In accordance with the present invention, peroxide based cleaning, degreasing, and sanitizing/virucidal solutions are disclosed herein that are effective, exhibit environmentally preferred characteristics for industrial, commercial, and/or residential applications, and satisfy color, odor, and/or shelf life expectations of the customer.

(3) In one embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning solution comprises: a primary solvent, a secondary solvent, an oxidizing agent, one or more surfactants, and an antioxidant.

(4) For purposes of the present disclosure, the primary solvent of the solution may comprise one or more of any one of a number of common, commercially available solvents, including polar solvents and/or non-polar solvents. Specific examples of preferred solvents include, for example, water, hexane, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, toluene, benzene, ethers, 3-methylsulfolane, glutaronitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethyl formamide, acetonitrile, polyethers including tetraglyme, alcohols including ethoxyethanol, nitriles including 3-hydroxypropionitrile, 2-methylglutaronitrile, ketones including 2-acetylbutyrolactone, cyclopentanone, cyclic esters including beta-propiolactone, gam ma-butyrolactone, gam ma-valerolactone, propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate and homogenous mixtures of the same. While specific solvents have been disclosed, for illustrative purposes only, as being suitable primary solvents, numerous other solvents that would be known to those having ordinary skill in the art having the present disclosure before them are likewise contemplated for use. Indeed, it will be understood that non-liquid or polymer type media are suitable for use in accordance with the present invention. Preferably, the primary solvent is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 60 percent by weight to approximately 99.9 percent by weight, and more preferably from approximately 75 percent by weight to approximately 85 percent by weight.

(5) In accordance with the present invention, the cleaning solution includes a secondary solvent. Suitable examples of secondary solvents include terpene, a cyclic terpene, orange oil, limonene, and/or d-limonene. Preferably, the secondary solvent is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 0.005 percent by weight to approximately 10 percent by weight, and more preferably from approximately 1 percent by weight to approximately 5 percent by weight.

(6) In one embodiment of the present invention, the oxidizing agent comprises a peroxide, such an inorganic peroxide (e.g., hydrogen peroxide) and/or an organic peroxide. Other examples of oxidizing agents include electron accepting compounds, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, peroxydisulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and peroxymonosulfuric acid. Preferably, the oxidizing agent is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 0.005 percent by weight to approximately 25 percent by weight, and more preferably from approximately 3 percent by weight to approximately 20 percent by weight.

(7) For purposes of the present disclosure, the antioxidant comprises 6-Hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid and/or the structure of formula I:

(8) ##STR00013##
wherein R.sub.1-R.sub.6, are each independently selected from the group consisting of H; OH; and an alkyl, cycloalkyl, polycycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, alkanoyl, aroyl, alkenyl, alkyl-alkenyl, alcohol, ether, ketone, carboxylic acid, acid halide, acid anhydride, ester, and/or amide group containing approximately 1 to approximately 25 carbon atom(s); wherein at least three of R.sub.1-R.sub.6 comprise OH; and wherein at least one of R.sub.1-R.sub.6 comprises an ester. More preferably, R.sub.2-R.sub.4 each comprise OH and R.sub.6 comprises an ester group containing approximately 3 to approximately 7 carbon atom(s).

(9) In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the antioxidant comprises the structure of formula II:

(10) ##STR00014##
wherein three of R.sub.1-R.sub.5 comprise OH. One specific example of a suitable antioxidant comprises the structure of formula III:

(11) ##STR00015##
Preferably, the antioxidant is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 0.0001 percent by weight to approximately 5 percent by weight, and more preferably from approximately 0.01 percent by weight to approximately 2 percent by weight.

(12) For purposes of the present disclosure the cleaning solution comprises a surfactant system that preferably comprises: (1) a nonionic surfactant, (2) a first anionic surfactant, and (3) a second anionic surfactant.

(13) Preferred nonionic surfactants include those represented by the structure of formula IV:
R.sub.1O(CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.nH(IV)
wherein R.sub.1 comprises a hydrophobic portion of the nonionic surfactant obtained from a linear alcohol having carbon lengths ranging from approximately 12 to approximately 15; and wherein n comprises an integer ranging from approximately 7 to approximately 10, and wherein n represents the average moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol. Preferred examples of nonionic surfactants include ethoxylated alcohols. Preferably, the nonionic surfactant is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 0.01 percent by weight to approximately 5 percent by weight, and more preferably from approximately 0.5 percent by weight to approximately 2 percent by weight.

(14) In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first anionic surfactant comprises a sulfonate, including, but not limited to, alkyl benzene sulfonate. Other suitable first anionic surfactants comprise the structure of formula V:

(15) ##STR00016##
wherein R.sub.1-R.sub.10, are each independently selected from the group consisting of H; OH; and an alkyl, cycloalkyl, polycycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, alkanoyl, aroyl, alkenyl, alkyl-alkenyl, alcohol, ether, ketone, carboxylic acid, acid halide, acid anhydride, ester, and/or amide group containing approximately 1 to approximately 25 carbon atom(s); and wherein n comprises an integer ranging from approximately 5 to approximately 15.

(16) More preferably, the first anionic surfactant comprises the structure of formula VI:

(17) ##STR00017##
wherein n comprises an integer ranging from approximately 5 to approximately 15. One specific example of a first anionic surfactant comprises the structure of formula VII:

(18) ##STR00018##
Preferably, the first anionic surfactant is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 0.01 percent by weight to approximately 5.0 percent by weight, and more preferably from approximately 1.0 percent by weight to approximately 2.0 percent by weight.

(19) For purposes of the present disclosure, the second anionic surfactant preferably comprises a sulfonate, such as, but not limited to, an alkyl sulfonate. Preferably, the second anionic surfactant comprises the structure of formula VIII:

(20) ##STR00019##
wherein R.sub.1-R.sub.5, are each independently selected from the group consisting of H; OH; and an alkyl, cycloalkyl, polycycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, alkanoyl, aroyl, alkenyl, alkyl-alkenyl, alcohol, ether, ketone, carboxylic acid, acid halide, acid anhydride, ester, and/or amide group containing approximately 1 to approximately 25 carbon atom(s); wherein n comprises an integer ranging from approximately 2 to approximately 15; and wherein X comprises an alkali metal ion. More preferably, the second anionic surfactant comprises the structure of formula IX:

(21) ##STR00020##
wherein n comprises an integer ranging from approximately 2 to approximately 15; and wherein X comprises an alkali metal ion. One specific example of the second anionic surfactant comprises the structure of formula X:

(22) ##STR00021##
Preferably, the second anionic surfactant is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 0.5 percent by weight to approximately 5.0 percent by weight, and more preferably from approximately 1.0 percent by weight to approximately 2.0 percent by weight.

(23) It will be further understood that any reference to compounds disclosed herein includes salts and/or solvates of the same.

(24) The foregoing description merely explains and illustrates the invention and the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.