US-12624311-B2 - Multifunctional cleaner comprising a mixture of biochelants and methods of making and using same

Abstract

A metal surface cleaner comprising (i) one or more biochelants; (ii) an alkalinity source, (iii) a surfactant and (iv) a solvent. A method of treating a metal surface comprising contacting the metal surface with a composition comprising (i) one or more biochelants; (ii) an alkalinity source, (iii) a surfactant and (iv) a solvent.

Inventors

• Jason Helander
• Michael J. Pawlik
• LoongYi Tan
• Catherine Gonzalez
• Frederyk Ngantung

Assignees

• SOLUGEN, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20220517

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A metal surface cleaner, comprising: (i) at least two biochelants, wherein the at least two biochelants comprise a gluconate, glucaric acid, gluconic acid, glucuronic acid, galactonic acid, galactaric acid, an oxidation product comprising predominantly galactonic acid, galactaric acid with minor component species of n-keto-acids, C2 to C6 diacids or a combination thereof, and wherein the at least two biochelants are present in an amount of from about 30 wt. % to about 90 wt. % based on the total weight of the cleaner; (ii) an alkalinity source; (iii) a surfactant; and (iv) a solvent.
2. 2 . The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the at least two biochelants further comprise a counter cation.
3. 3 . The cleaner of claim 2 , wherein the counter cation comprises silicates, borates, aluminum, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, ferric iron, ferrous iron, ammonium, sodium, potassium, cesium, strontium, or a combination thereof.
4. 4 . The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the alkalinity source comprises an alkanolamine, an amine, alkali metal hydroxides, an alkali metal carbonate, an alkali metal silicate, or a combination thereof.
5. 5 . The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the surfactant comprises an alkyl quaternary ammonium compound, an alkyl trialkylammonium bromide, a dialkyldiethylammonium chloride, an alkyl imidazoline, a polyethoxylated alkylammonium chloride, an alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, an alkylpyridinium chloride, an alkyl diammonium pentamethyl chloride, a derivative thereof, or a combination thereof.
6. 6 . The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the surfactant comprises a carboxylate, an alkyl sulfate, an alkyl sulfonate, an alkyl aryl sulfonate, an alkyl aryl sulfate, an olefin sulfonate, a fatty acid salt, a fatty acid ester sulfonate, an alkyl ether sulfate, an alkyl ether phosphate, an alkyl phosphate ester, an alkylalcohol ethoxylate phosphate ester, an alkyl phenol ethoxylate phosphate, a phenol ethoxylate phosphate, an alkyl ether carboxylate, a dialkyl sulfosuccinate, a perfluoroalkanoic acid, a sodium alkyl sarcosinate, a derivative thereof, or a combination thereof.
7. 7 . The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the surfactant comprises an alkylamidopropyl betaine, an alkyliminodipropionate disodium, an alkylamphodiacetate disodium, an alkylampho hydroxypropyl sulfonate sodium, an alkylamidopropylhydroxysultaines, a lecithin, a derivative thereof, or a combination thereof.
8. 8 . The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the surfactant comprises an alkyl ethoxylate, an alkyl phenol ethoxylate, a sorbitan fatty acid ester, an ethoxylated sorbitan fatty acid ester, an alkyl polyglucoside, an ethoxylated alkylamine, a polyamine-ethoxylated diamine, an alkylpropoxylated amine, a fatty alcohol, an alkylamide monoethanolamine, an alkylamide diethanolamine, a alkyldialkylamine oxide, an alkylamide, an ethoxylated amide, an alkoxylated alkyl phenol, an alkoxylated alcohol, a polyol, a polyol ester, a derivative thereof, or a combination thereof.
9. 9 . The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises an aqueous fluid, a low volatility organic solvent, or a combination thereof.
10. 10 . The cleaner of claim 1 , further comprising a biocide.
11. 11 . The cleaner of claim 10 , wherein the biocide comprises an aldehyde, a quaternary ammonium cation, a brominated organic compound, a phosphonium salt, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, bleach, a derivative thereof, or a combination thereof.
12. 12 . The cleaner of claim 10 , further comprising a defoamer.
13. 13 . The cleaner of claim 12 , wherein the defoamer comprises octanol, oleic acid, a paraffinic wax, an amide wax, a sulfonated oil, an organic phosphate, a silicone oil, a mineral oil, dimethylpolysiloxane, or a combination thereof.
14. 14 . The cleaner of claim 1 , having a pH of from about 8 to about 13.
15. 15 . A method of treating a metal surface, the method comprising: contacting the metal surface with a composition comprising: (i) at least two biochelants wherein the at least two biochelants comprise a gluconate, glucaric acid, gluconic acid, glucuronic acid, galactonic acid, galactaric acid, an oxidation product comprising predominantly galactonic acid, galactaric acid with minor component species of n-keto-acids, C2 to C6 diacids or a combination thereof and wherein the at least two biochelant are present in an amount of from about 30 wt. % to about 90 wt. % based on the total weight of the cleaner; (ii) an alkalinity source; (iii) a surfactant; and (iv) a solvent.
16. 16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the metal surface comprises an amphoteric metal.
17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the amphoteric metal comprises zinc, a zinc alloy, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, or a combination thereof.
18. 18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the composition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor selected from the group consisting of phosphates, chromates, dichromates, silicates, borates, tungstates, molybdates, and arsenates.
19. 19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the composition further comprises a defoamer.
20. 20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the defoamer comprises octanol, oleic acid, a paraffinic wax, an amide wax, a sulfonated oil, an organic phosphate, a silicone oil, a mineral oil, dimethylpolysiloxane, or a combination thereof.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a 35 U.S.C. § 371 national stage application of PCT/US2022/029617 filed May 17, 2022, and entitled “Multifunctional Cleaner and Methods of Making and Using Same,” which claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/189,399 filed May 17, 2021, and entitled “Multifunctional Cleaner and Methods of Making and Using Same,” each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not applicable. FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to compositions and methods for treatment of metal surfaces. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for treatment of amphoteric metal surfaces. BACKGROUND Hydrogen degradation of the structural properties of solids, referred to as embrittlement, is a fundamental problem in materials physics. Despite intense studies, the definitive mechanism of hydrogen embrittlement of metals remains poorly understood. Four general mechanisms have been proposed: (i) formation of a hydride phase; (ii) enhanced local plasticity; (iii) grain boundary weakening and (iv) blister and bubble formation. The underlying atomic processes and relative importance of the four mechanisms remain uncertain, and it is likely that a combination of these processes may contribute to embrittlement simultaneously. Some aqueous-based commercial cleaners for metal surfaces have utilized chelating agents such as phosphonates, ethylenediamine, EDTA and other carboxylic and/or carboxylate compounds (including gluconates) to help with the sequestering of cations (such as hard water salts), with the intent of producing more effective cleaning compositions. However, surface cleaners with chelating agent additives are typically formulated as alkaline or acidic compositions. SUMMARY Disclosed herein is a metal surface cleaner comprising (i) one or more biochelants; (ii) an alkalinity source, (iii) a surfactant and (iv) a solvent. Also disclosed herein is a method of treating a metal surface comprising contacting the metal surface with a composition comprising (i) one or more biochelants; (ii) an alkalinity source, (iii) a surfactant and (iv) a solvent. DETAILED DESCRIPTION As noted above, surface cleaners with chelating agent additives are often formulated as alkaline or acidic compositions. The use of alkaline cleaners on amphoteric metal surfaces (e.g., aluminum) has been shown to contribute to hydrogen embrittlement. This has commercial significance, for example, aluminum has widespread use in the construction of power lines, high-rise buildings, aircraft components, spacecraft components, and ships, for example. In order to mitigate the potential deleterious effects associated with hydrogen embrittlement development, many of the cleaners are formulated using organic solvents. These organic-solvent containing cleaners are characterized by a high volatile organic content and/or incorporate organic compounds that require special personal protective equipment such as respirators during application. Thus, there exists an ongoing need for compositions that effectively clean metal surfaces (e.g. aluminum) while reducing the use of organic solvents and the occurrence of hydrogen embrittlement. Disclosed herein are compositions for removing contaminants from one or more metal surfaces. In an aspect, the composition for removing contaminants from metal surfaces is an alkaline formulation or has a pH value of greater than about 7. In another aspect, the composition for removing contaminants from a metal surface effectively removes one or more contaminants from said surface when the composition, the surrounding environment or both have an alkaline pH. Hereinafter, the removal of one or more contaminants from a metal surface is referred to as cleaning the metal surface, and a composition that cleans a metal surface under alkaline conditions is termed a surface alkaline cleaner (SAC). In an aspect, the SAC is used in to clean a surface containing aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Although this disclosure makes reference to the utility of the SAC in the cleaning of a metal surface comprising aluminum or an aluminum alloy, it is contemplated the SACs disclosed herein may be applied to any metal surface for which it functions to remove contaminants. In an aspect, the surface comprises a wrought alloy. Herein a wrought alloy refers to a form of aluminum alloy having aluminum as the predominant metal. In an alternative aspect, the surface comprises a cast aluminum. Herein cast aluminum refers to aluminum containing larger percentages of alloying elements when compared to wrought aluminum. In some aspects, the metal surface may comprise an amphoteric metal. Amphoteric metals herein refer to metals that can act as both an acid and a base. In an aspect, the amphoteric metals comprise beryllium, aluminum, zinc, tin, lead, oxides ther