GLYCOLIPID/MPG GELS

Abstract: This invention relates to an environmental friendly detergent composition useful in a gel for cleaning hard surfaces comprising glycolipid and polyalcohol.

Description: GLYCOLIPID/MPG GELS FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to an environmental friendly detergent composition useful in a gel for cleaning hard surfaces. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In industry hard surface cleaning has traditionally been carried out by high pressure foam cleaning. There are some severe safety and environmental problems by using high pressure foam cleaning such as high pH, aggressive cleaning agents, high water consumption, aerosol formation and mechanical noise. To overcome these safety and environmental problems much effort has been put into developing different hard surface cleaners in the form of gels. The gel cleaners have the advantages of giving no or insignificant aerosol formation, they have a low water consumption, and they are easy to apply: Prior to dilution the gel compositions are readily mobile liquids which are convenient for transport etc., but when diluted to working concentrations they start to thicken to a gel-like consistency, which mean that they will remain in contact with the surface or object to be cleaned for sufficient time to enable the cleansing to occur (for reference see EP 0 314 232) , so if the detergents of the gel composition are environmental friendly, the gel application method is a very safe and gentle way of cleaning hard surfaces. The cleaning gel compositions proposed until now have contained surfactants, builders and thickeners (see Research Disclosure 34045, August 1992/619) , the surfactants e.g. being benzene or naphthalene sulphate or sulphonate derivatives (see EP 0 314 232) , so there is a need for "more green" detergent gel compositions. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In this invention it is surprisingly found that a gel can be made of very environmental friendly chemicals, namely glycolipid, polyalcohols and water. Accordingly, the present invention relates to a liquid detergent composition which undergoes a viscosity increase upon aqueous dilution, comprising a) one or more glycolipids b) one or more polyalcohols c) water. DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION In this invention it is surprisingly found that a gel cleaning composition can be made of glycolipid(s) , poly- alcohol(s) and water. According to the invention the glycolipid may be a sugar or sugar alcohol fatty acid ester (as described in JP 63- 112,993) or a derivative thereof or a fatty acid monoester or a mixture of fatty acid monoesters of alkylglycoside (as described in US 5,191,071 and in US 5,200,328) or a derivative thereof. In particular the glycolipid is a fatty acid monoester of ethylglycoside, the fatty acid containing 8-22 carbon atoms, e.g. ethyl 6-O-dodecanoyl glucoside. According to the invention any polyalcohol which has two or more hydroxyl groups may be used in making the gel. Useful examples are 1,2-ethanediol, 1,2-propandiol, 1,3- propandiol, 1,2,3-propantriol, butanediols, butanetriols, pentanediols, and sugar alcohols. In particular 1,2-propandiol is preferred. The gel composition may optionally also contain other detergent ingredients such as solvents and sequestrants. The gel composition may also contain an electrolyte (e.g. sodium chloride) . It has been found that sodium chloride should be added in more than 8 % w/w in order to maintain the gel formation when the gel components are ethyl 6-0-dodecanoyl glucoside, 1,2-propandiol and water (in lower concentrations the gel formation decreases, for reference see Example 1). The gel composition may also contain one or more enzymes. The enzymes are in particular proteases (for instance Savinase* 16.0 L, Alcalase* 2.5 L, Esperase* 8.0 L or Durazym™ 16.0 L, all available from Novo Nordisk A/S) , amylases (for instance Termamyl* 300 L available from Novo Nordisk A/S) , lipases (for instance Lipolase* 100 L available from Novo Nordisk A/S) or cellulases (for instance Celluzyme 11 ' 1.0 L available from Novo Nordisk A/S) . The amount of enzyme may be dosed so that the percentage of enzyme in the finished gel will be of 0.001-10%, preferably 0.01-1%, in particular about 0.01- 0.5%. Gel Making in situ The gel is made in situ. The detergent composition comprising the glycolipid(s) and the polyalcohol(s) are diluted with water and applied to the soiled surfaces by using some kind of application system (e.g. diluted through a venturi and applied via a special lance) . The detergent composition is best applied using gel generation equipment which automatically draws in the required percentage. The required percentage of a given glycolipid and a given polyalcohol may be found as described in Example 1. Application equipment is available from for instance Scanio A/S, Blytaekkervej 4-6, DK-9000 Aalborg, Denmark. Cleaning Hard Surfaces The gel is applied to the soiled surfaces as described above. The gel will set on the surfaces within a few seconds. The gel will remain in its form even on complicated shaped equipment, vertical surfaces and ceilings and will therefore give very long contact times. Dwell times are difficult to estimate beforehand and should be determined by trial. A dwell time of 5-30 minutes may often be required. After a sufficient dwell time to allow for surfactant action the gel composition is rinsed off using a washing system. In some cases it may be necessary to use a pressure washing system to rinse off the gel composition, but often removal by gentle flushing with water is easy and all that is needed. Potential Applications The cleaning gel detergent described in this inven¬ tion may be used in all kinds of industries: in dairies, in slaughterhouses, in breweries, in sea food production units etc. It may also be used in the transport sector, for instance as a cleaning agent in car washing and for general vessel wash. Especially, the cleaning gel may be useful in removing oils (vegetable, animal and mineral) . It may also work as a general purpose cleaner in households, e.g., for cleaning windows, bathrooms and kitchens, in particular it may be useful as an efficient oven cleaner. It may also be useful for janitorial purposes such as computer cabinet cleaning etc. The cleaning gel of the present invention may also be very useful for personal care purposes, in skin, hair and dental applications, such as cleaning dentures. The invention is further illustrated in the following example which is not intended to be in any way limiting to the scope of the invention as claimed. EXAMPLE 1 Ethyl 6-0-dodecanoyl glucoside/1.2-propandiol/water gel Different formulations were made by mixing warm (about 55 β C) ethyl 6-0-dodecanoyl glucoside with 1,2-propan- diol. (The temperature of the glycolipid should be chosen so it is possible to mix the glycolipid with the polyalcohol) . Each formulation was then diluted with cold water in the interval of from 0 to 90% w/w, mixed on a whirler, and the rheology of each gel was visually evaluated. After 5 minutes the gel was transferred to a Haake viscosi eter (Haake Rotovisco, RV 3, with the sensor system MV I, operated according to Manu- facturer's instructions), and the viscosity was measured at several shear rates (after the bubbles had disappeared) . All measurements were made at room temperature. The formulations tested and the achieved results are listed in Table 1 (see below) . Influence of NaCl (0-8%) was also tested, by mixing with cold NaCl-solutions, instead of cold water. The results are listed in Table 2 (see below) . Results and discussion: The formulations prepared do not exhibit newtonian behaviour, so the viscosities of different gels are only comparable when measured at the same rotation speed. The preferred ratio between ethyl 6-0-dodecanoyl glucoside and 1,2-propandiol is 80/20. Formulation no. 2 in Table 1 is clear and has an acceptable low viscosity, like a detergent, and the formulation gives good gels when diluted to a maximum of 80% water (see no. 3 to no. 7 in Table 1) . Influence of NaCl: It can be seen from Table 2 that a NaCl- concentration from about 0.2% lowers the viscosity significantly. It can also be seen that if the gels have to contain NaCl, a concentration of about 8% is needed to maintain the viscosity (compared with no added NaCl) . At none of the NaCl-concentrations tested could an increase in the viscosity be measured. riONS with NaCl (Based on % W/W) 1.2 PRO- NaCl % Visually Viscosity Viscosity PANDI0L % Judgement (cP) (cP) n * 8 rpm n - 32 rpm 8 10527 >4125 8 5082 2747 8 5610 2970 8 6848 3630 6 5115 2071 ++++ thick "gel" 6 1370 1370 +++ "gel" 6 3135 2178 ++ thin "gel" 6 4488 2104 + like water 12 2228 1217 12 1799 1110 12 2178 1205 4 2558 unstable 4 132 50 4 83 50 4 1402 unstable 8 1353 813 8 693 413 8 1040 722 15 842 474 15 528 474 15 627 421 2 314 227 2 17 21 2 17 12 16 83 74 16 17 33 16 66 87

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A liquid detergent composition which undergoes a viscosity increase upon aqueous dilution, comprising a) one or more glycolipids 5 b) one or more polyalcohols c) water. 2. A liquid detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the glycolipid is a sugar fatty acid ester, a derivative of a sugar fatty acid ester, a sugar alcohol fatty loacid ester, a derivative of a sugar alcohol fatty acid ester, a fatty acid monoester of an alkylglycoside or a derivative of a fatty acid monoester of an alkylglycoside. 3. A liquid detergent composition according to claim 2, wherein the glycolipid is a fatty acid monoester of isethylglycoside, the fatty acid containing 8-22 carbon atoms. 4. A liquid detergent composition according to claim 3, wherein the glycolipid is ethyl 6-0-dodecanoyl glucoside. 5. A liquid detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the polyalcohol is a diol. 20 6. A liquid detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the diol is selected from the group consisting of ethanediol, propandiol, butanediol and propanediol. 7. A liquid detergent composition according to claim 6, wherein the diol is 1,2-propandiol.

Inventors: OLESEN TINE, OLESEN, TINE
Applicants: NOVONORDISK AS, OLESEN TINE, NOVO NORDISK A/S, OLESEN, TINE
Application year: 1995
Main classification: C11D1
IPC codes: C11D1, C11D3, C11D7, C11D17