Detergent film

Abstract

A pliant, self-sustaining film formed by evaporation of water from a solution comprising water; a nonionic detergent; an alkylene maleic anhydride copolymer; and a small amount of an alkali hydroxide is capable upon dissolving in water of providing a highly effective detergent solution.

Description

This invention relates to detergent solutions and aims to provide means for obtaining such solutions in facile, economical and compact form.

The use of detergents packaged in various forms such as powders, solutions, sprays, and the like has reached voluminous proportions in the present day marketplace. And while these forms have achieved their purpose in affording the user many choices in his goal to clean various surfaces, their very popularity has raised problems. Among these problems are those associated with inventorying, shipping, shelving and ultimately disposing of the containers in which these detergents are provided. The bulky nature of them as now dispensed seeks relief so that their valuable attributes can be retained and their demands upon space and cost to the manufacturer, the user and the ecosystem can be ameliorated.

It is an object of this invention to provide detergents in precursor form of relatively small size thus diminishing demand upon space.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a detergent in precursor form which is easily produced and readily handled.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a detergent in precursor form which substantially alleviates the above mentioned problems of the detergent trade.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a detergent in a form which is readily reconstituted with water to give a solution suitable for manifold cleaning purposes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a detergent composition that is safe to substantially all surfaces in high concentrations for short periods of time if applied directly to a surface moistened with water.

The foregoing objects and shortcomings of the present day detergent cleaner art in respect of facility, economy and compactness are satisfied through the instant invention which presents a pliant, self-sustaining film susceptible by dissolving in water of forming a highly effective detergent solution. The film of this invention occupies considerably less space than those forms of detergent commonly found in the trade. Also, since it is consumed through its dissolution in water, disposal of it is nil; thus entirely removing any concern for disposing of unwanted containers and their inherent effect upon the environment.

In accordance with the concept underlying this invention it has been found that a pliant, self-sustaining film offering all the requisites and desiderata of an effective detergent cleaner which is particularly effective for removing dirt, greases, fats, foods and similar oil-base soils when dissolved in water can be readily produced using agents known and recognized in the detergent field.

In practice a solution comprising water, a nonionic detergent of the class consisting of ethoxylated alkyl phenols, preferably an ethoxylated nonyl or octyl phenol containing from 9 to 10 mols of ethylene oxide repeating units; a resin of the alkylene maleic anhydride type such as a methyl vinyl ether maleic anhydride copolymer or ethylene maleic anhydride copolymer, preferably the former; and a small amount of an alkaline agent such as an alkali hydroxide, preferaby sodium hydroxide is composed and briefly heated at elevated temperature, about 195.degree.F, for a short time period, about 30 minutes, during which interaction between the nonionic and the polymer occurs resulting in partial esterification of the carboxyl groups of the copolymer. The mixture is allowed to cool; then cast upon a suitable surface and allowed to dry either spontaneously or by supplying hot air to the exposed surface. Examples of surfaces which will release the film are glass, plastic treated surfaces such as polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride and Teflon. The film prepared as just described can be of any desired thickness. It can be readily stripped from the receiving surface and cut to any desired dimension. For example, a film having a thickness of about 18 mils and an area of about 18 square inches when dissolved in one gallon of water provides an effective detergent solution.

More specifically illustrative of a composition from which a film of this invention is produced is the following embodiment:

Ingredient Parts ______________________________________ Water 83 Ethoxylated Nonyl Phenol (9-10 mols ethylene 10 oxide) Methyl vinyl ether maleic anhydride copolymer 4 Sodium hydroxide solution (20% w/w) 3 ______________________________________

In the preparation of this composition the ethoxylated nonyl phenol is dissolved in the water held at about 100.degree.F. followed by addition of the methyl vinyl ether maleic anhydride copolymer advantageously with agitation. The sodium hydroxide is then added and the mixture heated to a temperature of about 195.degree.F. Heating is continued for a further brief time period, about 30 minutes, and the mixture allowed to cool becoming clear during the cooling stage. The pH at this time is about 4.0-4.4. It is then poured onto a suitable substrate and permitted to spontaneously lose water by evaporation to the atmosphere whereby a pliant, non-tacky, self-sustaining film having a residual water content of about 2% by weight results. A segment of this film readily dissolves in lukewarm water to yield an effective detergent solution.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A pliant, non-tacky, self-sustaining film having a water content of about 2% by weight and formed by casting upon a receptive surface to permit evaporation of water from a solution consisting of about 83 parts of water, 10 parts of an ethoxylated nonyl phenol having from 9-10 mols of ethylene oxide, 4 parts of methyl vinyl ether maleic anhydride copolymer, and about 3 parts of a 20% w/w sodium hydroxide solution; said solution being heated to about 195.degree.F. for about thirty minutes, then cooled to the point of clarity at which the pH is about 4.0-4.4.