Patent ID: 11959046
Assignee: ECOLAB USA INC.
Field: Basic materials chemistry (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C | IPC C

Claim 0:
1. A method of creating a protective coating on an alkali metal hydroxide-containing solid block, comprising:
preparing a detergent composition mixture comprising at least 15 wt-% alkali metal hydroxide selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and combinations thereof;
forming the detergent composition mixture into a solid block having an exterior surface and a weight of at least 1 kilogram;
applying a carbon dioxide atmosphere comprising at least 60% carbon dioxide to the exterior surface of the solid block and allowing an outermost layer of the alkali metal hydroxide and carbon dioxide to react; and
rotating the solid block at least once to allow the carbon dioxide to react with the alkali metal hydroxide until a water-soluble carbonate-containing layer forms on all sides of the exterior surface of the solid block.