Patent GB-1388871-A (GB)
Title: Cleaning and treating compositions
IPC: C11D3/26
Filed: 1972-03-07
Abstract: 1388871 Cleaning compositions for waterproofing textiles MINNESOTA MINING & MFG CO 7 March 1972 [8 March 1971] 10655/72 Heading C5D [Also in Division D1] A water-dilutable, alkaline cleaning and treating composition which is capable of removing soil and stains from a substrate and imparting water repellancy to the substrate, and which is stable while enclosed within a container, comprises, in an aqueous medium: (a) at least one detergent which is water-dispersable at concentrations of at least 0À1 weight per cent, (b) at least one water-dispersable organic acid or salt thereof, which is free of fluorinated aliphatic radicals and which forms hydrophobic, water-insoluble zinc and zirconium salts below pH 8, (c) at least one water-dispersible Lewis base capable of only temporarily maintaining the composition at or above pH 8 when the composition is exposed to the atmosphere under conditions of use, and (d) at least one zinc or zirconium co-ordination complex which is waterdispersible at or above pH 8 and which provides sufficient zinc or zirconium ions below pH 8 to combine substantially all of the acidic radicals present in the composition. The composition may further contain an oil repellancy and soil resistance imparting component (e) which is at least one fluorochemical compound which is water-dispersible at or above pH 8 but not water-dispersible below pH 8, which is capable of imparting water and oil repellancy and soil resistance to a substrate, and which has the general formula (R<SP>f</SP>) a -X-(A) b , where R<SP>f</SP> represents a fluoroaliphatic radical, X represents a linking group which is less electro-negative than a -CF 2 - group, A represents an acid group, and a and b are each integers of 1 or more, the acid or its zinc or zirconium salts being water-insoluble below pH 8, and additionally a binder. The composition may be used in a process which comprises the steps of (i) contacting a substrate with the composition; (ii) allowing removal of the soil and stains to be effected; (iii) allowing the pH of the composition to fall below 8, and (iv) drying the substrate. On exposure of the composition to the atmosphere, the Lewis base gradually loses its ability to maintain the composition at or above pH 8, e.g. by evaporation. The preferred Lewis bases are ammonia, morpholine and volatile alkylamines. Preferably the Lewis base is used in conjunction with a water-dispersible salt, e.g. ammonium carbonate which, together with the Lewis base, forms a buffer system. The ligand in the coordination complex may be ammonia, morpholine or an amino acid, e.g. alanine or glycine. The co-ordination complex and the buffer system may be prepared in a single medium, e.g. by mixing ammonium carbonate, concentrated ammonia, zinc oxide and water. The waterdispersible organic acid or its salt may be a fatty acid (1-8 C) or a carboxyl-bearing polymer, e.g. derived from a styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer. The detergent may be anionic or nonionic. The exemplified detergents are ammonium dodecanoxy-polyethyleneoxyethyl sulphate, sodium xylene sulphonate, an ammonium salt of a sulphate ester of an alkylphenoxy poly-(ethyleneoxy) ethanol, sodium lauryl sulphate and a copolymer of hydrophobic polyoxypropylene and hydrophilic polyoxyethylene (M.W. 8750). The exemplified fluorochemical compounds are perfluoroalkyl sulphonamido-N-alkyl-N-alkyl carboxylates or zinc salts thereof, monoperfluoroalkyl sulphonamido N-alkyl-N-alkyl mono- or di-hydrogen phosphate, perfluoroalkyl amido-N-alkyl carboxylates, perfluoro alkyl carboxylates and an ammonium salt thereof. Exemplified binders include gelatin and casein but polyvinyl pyrrolidone and polyvinyl alcohol may be used. The compositions may be used for cleaning and treating textile substrates, e.g. nylon or acrylic carpets and upholstery, and also non-textile substrates, e.g. metal, ceramic or plastered surfaces.