Cleaning implement comprising a modified open-cell foam

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11224328-B2
Application number	US-201715815732-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2017
Priority date	Nov 23, 2016
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cleaning implement that includes a melamine-formaldehyde foam. The melamine-formaldehyde foam includes from about 0.1 to about 5 weight % of at least one linear polymer with a number average molecular weight M n in the range from 500 to 10,000 g/mol. Additionally the present invention encompasses processes for making and methods for cleaning hard surfaces with a cleaning implement according to the present invention.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning implement comprising melamine-formaldehyde foam, wherein the melamine-formaldehyde foam comprises 0.5 weight % of at least one linear polymer with a number average molecular weight M n in the range of 4000 g/mol, wherein the linear polymer is polyethylene glycol, wherein the cleaning implement is obtained by foaming and crosslinking a mixture of a melamine-formaldehyde precondensate and the linear polymer.

2. The cleaning implement according to claim 1 , wherein the melamine-formaldehyde foam has a density in the range from about 8 to about 12 kg/m 3 .

3. The cleaning implement according to claim 1 , wherein the melamine-formaldehyde foam has a compression set after 24 hours below about 25%.

4. The cleaning implement according to claim 1 , wherein the melamine-formaldehyde foam has a Ram Pressure above about 35 N.

5. The cleaning implement according to claim 1 , wherein the melamine-formaldehyde foam is formed by the process of heating and foaming an aqueous mixture M using microwave radiation, said mixture M comprising at least one melamine-formaldehyde precondensate, at least one curative, at least one surfactant, at least one blowing agent and the at least one linear polymer.

6. The cleaning implement according to claim 5 , wherein said mixture M comprises a surfactant mixture comprising a mixture of 50 to 90 wt % of an anionic surfactant and 10 to 50 wt % of nonionic surfactants, wherein the weight percentages are each based on the total weight of the surfactant mixture.

7. The cleaning implement according to claim 5 , wherein the curative is formic acid.

8. The cleaning implement according to claim 5 , wherein the blowing agent is pentane.

9. A process of producing the cleaning implement according to claim 5 , comprising the steps of:
a) producing an aqueous mixture M comprising
100 parts by weight of the melamine-formaldehyde precondensate,
2 to 4 parts by weight of the curative,
0.2 to 5 parts by weight of a surfactant mixture,
0.1 to 5 parts by weight of at least one salt of an inorganic acid and/or of an organic carboxylic acid,
1 to 40 parts by weight of the blowing agent,
0.1 to 5 parts by weight of the at least one linear, polymer,
0 to 20 parts by weight of one or more further additives, and
25 to 60 parts by weight of water,

b) heating and foaming said mixture M using microwave radiation,
c) annealing the foam using hot air and/or nitrogen in a temperature range from 150° C. to 290° C.

10. The cleaning implement according to claim 1 , wherein the melamine-formaldehyde foam comprises a benefit agent selected from the group consisting of a detergent composition; surfactants; dyes; inks; pigments; scents; acids; bases; oils; salts; bleach; antimicrobial agents; fragrances; solvents; biocides; hydrophobicizing agents; agents influencing haptics; agents influencing the soil release behavior; formaldehyde scavengers; abrasives such as inorganic.

11. The cleaning implement according to claim 1 , further comprising a second layer.

12. A method of cleaning a hard surface comprising bringing the cleaning implement according to claim 1 into contact with a hard surface.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Pung David John
• Roberts Megan Showell
• Szeifert Johann Martin

Classifications

• C08G12/32 Primary

  Melamines · CPC title

• B32B2307/72

  Density · CPC title

• B32B2264/104

  Oxysalt, e.g. carbonate, sulfate, phosphate or nitrate particles · CPC title

• B32B29/02

  next to a fibrous or filamentary layer · CPC title

• B32B2307/732

  Dimensional properties · CPC title