US2907649A

US2907649A - Aluminum cleaning composition

Info

Publication number: US2907649A
Application number: US676365A
Authority: US
Inventors: Berkeley Bernard; Petersen Arthur
Original assignee: Commonwealth Products Inc
Current assignee: Commonwealth Products Inc
Priority date: 1957-08-05
Filing date: 1957-08-05
Publication date: 1959-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 1976-10-06

Description

gives unsatisfactory results.

United States Patent f 2,907,649 ALUMINUM CLEANING COMPOSITION :Bernard Berkeley, Hempstead, and Arthur Petersen, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignors to Commonwealth Products, Inc, Kalamazoo, Mich., a corporation of Michigan No Drawing. Application August 5, 1957 Serial No. 676,365

4 Claims. c1, 51-304 is useful for cleaning and polishingalurninum articles and. which maybe used without danger by unskilled persons with completely satisfactory results.

Aluminum and its alloys used in cookware become stainedand discolored during normal use in the preparation of foodstuffs. Mechanical removal of stains and discolorations with scouring powders or with soap and steel wool is laborious and time-consuming and very often Further, such cleaning procedures completely fail to remove discolorations if the surface is irregular, roughened or pitted. I, [It is known that aluminum can be cleaned by surfacerenewing chemical type cleaners. For example, it is known to clean aluminum by applying inorganic or or- -is undesirable for many purposes, such as from a housewifes viewpoint. Further, the use of such cleaners usually is comparatively time consuming and in manyinstances necessitates special cleaning techniques which makes such cleaners less than completely satisfactory, particularly, for home use.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved acid-abrasive type of aluminum cleaning composition primarily adaptable for use with aluminum cooking utensils.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved acid-abrasive type of aluminum cleaning composition which will effectively remove discolorations from aluminum surfaces, particularly aluminum cooking utensils, and which will impart a high lustre to the cleaned surface and which, after such cleaning is completed, will leave a protective film on such surface.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved acid-abrasive type aluminum cleaning composition which will not be harmful to the users clothing or person and which may be conveniently used by unskilled persons following conventional, well understood techniques for cleaning utensils.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those acquainted with aluminum cleaning compositions upon reading the following description.

We have discovered that a composition consisting of acid producing materials such as oxalic acid and sodium bifluoride will speedily brighten discolored aluminum when applied to the aluminum and dissolved in water. By incorporating in the acid producing materials a fatty acid or material capable of forming a fatty acid in acid 2,907,649 Patented Oct. 6, 1959 solution, and an abrasive, the matte effect created by the acid can be reduced and a high lustre can be imparted to the aluminum surface. a

The acid producing materials preferably include a strong dibasic organic acid and an acid salt of a metal fluoride. The preferred organic acid is oxalic acid. Maleic acid also appears suitable. The acid salt of a metal fluoride is preferably sodium or potassium bifluoride. Potassium or sodium fluoride may also be used but with less satisfactory results.

In order to produce a lustrous finish on the aluminum surface it is essential to provide a substance capable of supplying fatty acid in acid solution. The preferred fatty acid supplying substance is a powdered alkali soap particularly a tallow base, sodium soap such as powdered Ivory soap, available from Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. However, other soap bases having a high proportion, as at least about 40% of saturated fatty acids are also suitable. It is preferred that the soap base include primarily fatty acids ranging from C upwards and that the soap be solid at room temperature.

The abrasive used in the composition may be any one of a variety of finely ground abrasives, usually 200 mesh or smaller, such as feldspar, tripoli, diatomaceous earth, silica etc. A preferred abrasive is feldspar (200 mesh), available from Ball Mining Co.; Bates (West Paris), Maine.

It is desirable, though not essential to incorporate in the cleaning composition a small amount, as 1% by weight, of a wetting agent. A composition containing suchan agent shows increased wetting and surface action and also improved chemical cleaning properties. A suitable wetting agent is a sodium alkyl aryl sulfonate composition available from National Aniline Division, Allied Chemical & Dye Corporation, New York 6, New York.

A range of compositions for accomplishing speed chemical cleaning action and formation of a high gloss on an aluminum surface is as follows:

Parts by weight The above ingredients are powders at room temperature. The composition is manufactured by mixing the powdered ingredients in a powder mixer or similar apparatus until the mixture is uniform.

The cleaning composition is applied to the aluminum surface to be cleaned by sprinking the powder upon the surface. The surface may be wetted with water before and/or after the powder is applied thereto. The acid producing chemicals of the wetted cleaning composition attack the aluminum surface to effect the desired cleaning thereof. Immediately after application or after a time lapse of a few seconds, if desired, the surface is rubbed in order to enhance the cleaning action and to impart a lustrous finish to the surface. The cleaning composition is then rinsed off the surface.

While the phenomena involved in the use of the cleaning composition are not completely understood, it is believed that the acid producing materials when wet with water not only attack and remove the aluminum oxide num soap thereon.

layer stains and discolorations from the aluminum surface but also react with the soaps to liberate fatty acids. These fatty acids react with the clean aluminum surface when said surface is rubbed to form a coating of alumi- The aluminum soap coating tends .to prevent reformation of a tarnish layer on the surface. The foregoing suggestions as to the reactions involved in the use of the cleaning composition, while believed to 'be correct, are offered solely for purpose of providing one possible explanation of the phenomena involved.

It is tobe understood that the invention is not dependent upon the correctness of these suggestions and, therefore, the invention should be interpreted accordingly.

Minor amounts of other ingredients may be incorporated-in the cleaning composition for special purposes. For example, afoaming agent may be incorporated in the composition'to provide a sudsy product. Also, an ingredien-t may-be added for the purpose of preventing caking, if such is necessary or desirable.

Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein for illustrative purposes, it will be understood that the invention includes such modifications or variations thereof as lie within the scope ofthe appended claims.

We claim:

1. A powdered aluminum cleaning composition, consisting essentially of about 1-20 parts by weight oxalic acid, about 1-20 parts by weight sodium bifluoride, about 1-20 parts of weight of a soap capable of liberating fatty acids in acid solution, at least about 40% of the fatty acids being saturated, and about 9639 parts by weight of finely ground abrasive.

2. A method of cleaning an aluminum surface, including the steps: wetting said surface with water; applying to said surface a powdered cleaning composition consisting essentially of between about 1 and about 20 parts by weight oxalic acid between about 1 and about 20 parts by Weight sodium bifluoride, between about 1 and about 2 0 parts of weight of asoap capable of liberating fatty acids in acid solution, at least about of the fatty acids being saturated, and between about 96 and about 39 parts by weight of finely ground abrasive and rubbing said surface to remove tarnish, stains and discolorations from said aluminum surface and to impart a high lustre thereto.

3. An acid-abrasive composition for cleaning aluminum ware comprising from 1-20'parts by weight of a fluoride salt selected from the group consisting of sodium bi-fluoride, potassium bifiuoride,'sodium fiuoride'and potassium fluoride; from 1-20 parts by weight of a strong organic acid selected from the group consisting of oxalic acid and maleic acid; from 1-20 parts by weight of a fatty acid supplying substance, said substance being capable of liberating fatty acids in acid solution, at least about 40% of the fatty acids being saturated; and from about 96-39 parts by weight of finely ground abrasive.

4. An acid abrasive composition for cleaning aluminum ware comprising from 1-20 parts by weight of a fluoride salt selected from the group consisting of sodium bifluoride, potassium bifluoride, sodium fluoride and potassium fluoride; from 1-20 parts by weight of oxalic acid; from 1-20 parts by weight of a soap capable of liberating fatty acids in acid solution, at least about 40% of the fatty acids being saturated; and from about96-39 parts by weight of finely ground abrasive.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 190,407 Bertram May 8, 1877 978,747 Higgins Dec. 13, 1910 1,240,544 Damon Sept. "18, 1917 1,890,214 Churchill Dec. 6, 1932 2,112,632 Montgomery Mar. 29, 1938 2,571,690 Dobbelmann et a1. Oct. 16, 1951 2,628,199 Lowenheim Feb. 10, 1953

Claims

1. A POWDERED ALUMINUM CLEANING COMPOSITION, CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF ABOUT 1-20 PARTS BY WEIGHT OXALIC ACID, ABOUT 1-20 PARTS BY WEIGHT SODIUM BIFLUORIDE, ABOUT 1-20 PARTS OF WEIGHT OF A SOAP CAPABLE OF LIBERATING FATTY ACIDS IN ACID SOLUTION, AT LEAST ABOUT 40% OF THE FATTY ACIDS BEING SATURATED, AND ABOUT 96-39 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF FINELY GROUND ABRASIVE.