HK1191869A - High alcohol content foaming compositions with silicone-based surfactants - Google Patents

Description

High alcohol content foaming compositions containing silicone surfactants

The present application is a divisional application of chinese patent application No. 200680015637.1 entitled "high alcohol content foaming composition containing silicone based surfactant" filed on 3, 7, 2006, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Cross reference to related U.S. applications

This application is related to and claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/658,580, entitled high alcohol content foam composition containing silicone surfactants, filed 3/7/2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a high content of lower alcohol (C)_1-4) The composition of (a), which can be dispensed as a foam both from non-pressurized containers at low pressure and from pressurized containers obtained with aerosol packaging systems. Compositions for dispensing as a foam contain a silicone surfactant which, when mixed with air, provides a stable alcoholic foam which can be used for personal cleansing or disinfecting purposes.

Background

It is well known that compositions containing at least 60% by volume (about 52% by weight) of ethanol and/or isopropanol and/or n-propanol are antimicrobial and are therefore widely accepted for disinfection purposes. However, due to the inherent nature of alcohol, it is recognized that higher levels are better products and solutions with alcohol levels above 60% by volume are more desirable.

To avoid waste and to facilitate spreading of the composition to the desired area, the alcohol sanitizing solution is typically thickened. It is also known to use paraffin or wax, in addition to gelling agents, to achieve thickening of solutions of high alcohol concentration. Such compositions for lowering the melting point to near body temperature by the addition of lanolin are described in us patent 2,054,989. One disadvantage of gels and thickened alcohol-containing compositions of the type described above is that if they do not leave a sticky feel on the hands after use (although some do), this effect builds up after repeated use over the course of a day, making it necessary to finally wash off the thickener before continuing to use the alcoholic germicidal solution. The present invention, if used to formulate products of the above type, does not leave this feeling and does not need to be washed off after repeated use.

Generally, high alcohol content disinfecting solutions disinfect but are not clean. In order to make it both antiseptic and cleansing, so much soap needs to be added to the solution that the skin feels greasy and uncomfortable, resulting in a formulation that is almost commercially unattractive. However, as described in U.S. patent 5,629,006, the use of non-irritating skin sanitizing formulations with high levels of lower alcohols as skin cleansers has been successfully achieved by the combination of emulsifiers, surfactants and emollients.

Surfactants can be used for cleaning purposes, but also for their wetting properties, for the rapid and uniform spreading of aqueous compositions containing one or more active substances on a surface. As described in us patent 5,928,993, the use of good wetting agents clearly improves the efficiency of use of the active substance in different compositions.

Although high alcohol content antiseptic solutions have good antiseptic properties, they have an irritating odor and are generally perceived to cause skin dryness, and the present invention is also capable of reducing these properties to a desirable level.

Foam products having greater than 40% alcohol by volume are convenient and safe to use, and are desirable over conventional liquid, gel or paste composition products. Alcohol concentrations have put themselves at risk and in many applications, if dispensed as a foam, may reduce the perceived threat. Foams intended for use as skin disinfectants must be of uniform consistency, spreadability, cleansing ability, and have a pleasant feel, i.e., the ability to break down quickly when pressure is applied; all of these compositions are challenging for high lower alcohol content.

A description of an aqueous foaming skin sanitizing composition using 15 wt% alcohol as a co-solvent is illustrated in us patent 3,962,150, which does not require pressurized containers or the addition of a propellant to generate the foam.

The blowing agents used to date have not been able to produce stable foams when the liquid state has a high alcohol content without the use of other ingredients. In addition, lower alcohols are used as antifoaming agents rather than foam boosting compounds. According to Klausner, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,131,153, heterogeneous compositions are obtained if more than 64% alcohol is used. The compositions of this patent require a propellant to foam and produce foam with limited stability.

Various examples of compositions with high levels of lower alcohols that can be dispensed as a foam have been illustrated, but the concentrations of alcohols and levels of other ingredients are not suitable for the purposes of the present invention. More importantly, the use of propellant and aerosol containers to generate foam is undesirable. For example, the composition described in U.S. patent 5,906,808 discloses a product that uses emulsifying wax NF, and a combination of stearyl and cetyl alcohols, or other wax combinations, that improve the foaming properties of the composition, in combination with cetyl lactate, to produce a 0.8% chlorhexidine gluconate alcohol product.

U.S. patent 5,167,950 to Lins discloses a foaming product that requires a propellant and in which no surfactant is added as a cleaning agent. The composition disclosed in this patent is based on the use of an emulsifier system (fatty alcohol ROH containing 16-22 carbon atoms) in combination with the use of thickeners (carbomer, hydroxypropyl cellulose, etc.) to produce an antibacterial aerosol mousse having a high alcohol content. The mousse comprises alcohol, water, a polymeric gelling agent, and a surfactant system comprising a C16-C22 alcohol, an aerosol propellant, and a nonionic polyethoxylated surfactant.

Despite the work done to date, little specific knowledge has been shown about the problem of how the foam reacts and forms, and it is surprising that formulations that do not appear to foam produce the best foamed products, while other formulations that do appear to have produced foam even during manufacture do not perform at all in some non-aerosol foam dispensers. Water foams behave differently than alcohol foams.

Silicone surfactants have been used in applications where reduced surface tension and increased wettability are desired, particularly in applications where materials compatible with non-aqueous solvent systems and non-reactive with other ingredients in the composition are desired. Silicone surfactants are desirable because they can achieve relatively low surface tension levels at relatively low concentrations in the compositions of interest. Commercial examples of the advantageous exploitation of silicone surfactants to achieve low surface tension levels are crop protection products, printing inks, coatings, floor coatings, and the like. The above mentioned properties make silicone surfactants the choice for the purposes of the present invention.

It would be highly advantageous to have an alcohol-based disinfecting formulation containing a silicone surfactant that can be dispensed as a foam under low pressure conditions and/or by aerosol packaging systems. Furthermore, it has been found that a blowing agent which can be used in a concentration which allows it to be used in products which can remain on the area to which it is applied and which do not need to be washed off or wiped off because of small residues after evaporation is highly advantageous and desirable. Thus, it would be highly advantageous to provide a foam that does not leave an uncomfortable sticky feel after use, as most commercial alcogel products are known to leave an uncomfortable sticky feel, or clog dispensing devices used to dispense the foam. In view of the fact that silicone surfactants are currently used as desirable cosmetic ingredients in creams, lotions, and other cosmetics due to their mild feel and performance after use, their use for the above-mentioned purposes is highly desirable.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides high alcohol content compositions containing surfactants/cleansers, and disinfectants/cleansers/solvents/carriers, which cause very little drying of the skin or hands of the user, and which can be dispensed as a foam from pressurized and non-pressurized system dispensing systems.

The present invention provides high alcohol content compositions that can be dispensed as a foam, easily coated on a desired surface for a particular application. The compositions of the present invention can be formulated into an antibacterial alcohol foam. When dispensed from a suitable dispenser, the foamable composition is stable and does not require the use of a propellant and pressurized container, although it can be foamed as well if used.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a foamable alcohol composition comprising:

a)C_1-4an alcohol, or a mixture thereof, in an amount exceeding about 40% by volume of the total composition;

b) hair comprising physiologically acceptable silicone surfactants effective for wetting and foaming

A foaming agent in an amount of at least 0.01% by weight of the total composition, the surfactant comprising

Lipophilic chain of silicone skeleton, the foaming agent being selected so that the foamable alcohol composition is once

Dispensed from the dispenser, i.e., mixed with air to form a foam; and

c) water in an amount to make the total composition 100 wt.%.

In one aspect of the invention, the effective silicone surfactant is present in an amount of from about 0.001 to about 10.0% by weight of the total composition, which is physiologically acceptable and therefore can be used in personal care products.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the silicone surfactant may be bis-PEG- [10-20] dimethicone, 3- (3-hydroxypropyl) -heptamethyltrisiloxane, an ethoxylated silicone surfactant, bis-PEG/PPG 18/6 dimethicone, a polyether modified polysiloxane or a polysiloxane betaine, or mixtures thereof.

The present invention also provides a foamable alcohol sanitizing composition comprising:

a)C_1-4an alcohol, or a mixture thereof, present in an amount of about 60-80% by volume of the total composition;

b) a physiologically acceptable silicone surfactant effective for wetting and foaming, present in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 10.0% by weight of the total composition, said surfactant comprising a lipophilic chain comprising an organosilicon backbone;

c) a foam stabilizer present in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 12.0 weight percent;

d) one of a humectant, an emollient, and combinations thereof, present in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 5.0 wt%; and

e) water in an amount to make the total composition 100 wt.%.

The present invention also provides a composition concentrate comprising:

a) effective silicone surfactants for wetting and foaming are present in an amount of about 0.01 to 15 weight percent of the total composition;

b) a foam stabilizer present in an amount of at least about 0.01% to about 10.0%;

c) one of a humectant, an emollient, and combinations thereof, present in the range of about 0.05% to about 5.0%; and

d) and (3) water.

The present invention also provides a foamable alcohol composition comprising:

a)C_1-4an alcohol, or a mixture thereof, in an amount exceeding about 40% by volume of the total composition;

b) an effective physiologically acceptable silicone surfactant for wetting and foaming, the surfactant comprising a lipophilic chain comprising a silicone backbone in an amount of at least 0.01% by weight of the total composition, the silicone surfactant being selected from the group consisting of bis-PEG-12 dimethicone, bis-PEG-17 dimethicone, bis-PEG-20 dimethicone, and combinations thereof; and

c) water in an amount to make the total composition 100 wt.%.

The present invention also provides a foamable alcohol composition comprising:

a)C_1-4an alcohol, or a mixture thereof, in an amount exceeding about 40% by volume of the total composition;

b) a physiologically acceptable silicone surfactant effective for wetting and foaming, said surfactant comprising a lipophilic chain comprising a silicone backbone in an amount of at least 0.01% by weight of the total composition, said silicone surfactant being selected from ethoxylated 3- (3-hydroxypropyl) -heptamethyltrisiloxane acetate; and

c) water in an amount to make the total composition 100 wt.%.

The present invention also provides a foamable alcohol composition comprising:

a)C_1-4an alcohol, or a mixture thereof, in an amount exceeding about 40% by volume of the total composition;

b) a physiologically acceptable silicone surfactant effective for wetting and foaming, the surfactant comprising a lipophilic chain containing an organosilicon backbone in an amount of at least 0.01% by weight of the total composition, the silicone surfactant being a polysiloxane betaine; and

c) water in an amount to make the total composition 100 wt.%.

The present invention also provides a method of preparing and dispensing a foam using a foamable composition, the method comprising the steps of:

a) dispensing a foamable alcohol composition from a container having a dispenser pump configured to mix air with the foamable alcohol composition in the dispensing to form a foam, the foamable alcohol composition comprising:

i)C_1-4an alcohol, or a mixture thereof, in an amount exceeding about 40% by volume of the total composition;

ii) an effective physiologically acceptable silicone surfactant for wetting and foaming, said surfactant comprising a lipophilic chain containing an organosilicon backbone in an amount of at least 0.01% by weight of the total composition; and

iii) water in an amount such that the total composition is 100% by weight.

Detailed Description

Definition of

The term "emollient" is used herein to broadly refer to a material that maintains or improves the level of skin moisturization, suppleness, or appearance when used repeatedly.

The term "emulsifier" as used herein means a surfactant or other material added in small amounts to a mixture of two miscible liquids for the purpose of assisting in the formation and stabilization of an emulsion.

The phrase "emulsifying component" as used herein is synonymous with emulsifier defined above.

The term "emulsion" as used herein means a colloidal dispersion of one liquid in another liquid.

The term "surfactant" as used herein is an abbreviation commonly used for "surfactant", which is a descriptive term in the art for a class of materials that selectively adsorb at an interface due to containing both lipophilic and lipophobic building blocks, which adsorption typically results in a change in the surface or interfacial properties of the system.

The term "silicone surfactant" as used herein means a surfactant in which the lipophilic chain containsAn organosilicon chain, which can also be described as any silicone oxide polymer, wherein the structural units generally include: -R₂Si-O)_nWherein R is a monovalent organic group, and which imparts cleaning, wetting and foaming capabilities to compositions containing the same.

The term "foam stabilizer" as used herein means an additive that increases the amount or persistence of foam generated by the surfactant system.

The term "disinfection" as used herein means the elimination or reduction of harmful microorganisms.

The phrase "physiologically acceptable" as used herein means that the material does not normally produce irritation or toxicity when applied to the skin and that the user is receptive to application to human skin.

As used herein, "foam" means that a liquid and a gas mix to form a large number of small bubbles having a structure that lasts for an indefinite period of time.

A bubble is a gas cell surrounded by a thin film of liquid.

The term "aerosol" as used herein means a packaging and delivery system, and delivered product, in which a pressurized gas is used to push the product out for dispensing. The gas is dispensed with or without the product.

An "aerosol foam" is a foam dispensed from an aerosol packaging and delivery system as defined above.

The phrase "low pressure" as used in the context of generating foam in the present invention means, for example, about atmospheric pressure or less when the foam is dispensed from a non-pressurized container. Typically, when the foam is dispensed from an aerosol container, the foam is considered to be dispensed under a high "pressure" environment.

The present invention provides foamable alcohol compositions comprising a foamable alcohol composition having a high content of lower alcohol (C)_1-4) The silicone surfactant of (a), is capable of being dispensed as a foam under low pressure conditions from a non-pressurized container as well as through an aerosol packaging system. Disclosure of the inventionThe foam composition, when mixed with air, provides a stable foam to provide an alcoholic liquid solution that can be used for personal cleansing or sanitizing purposes that breaks when pressure is applied, such as when a user rubs his hands or when applied to a surface. All percentages provided herein are based on total weight unless otherwise specified.

The alcohol used in the present invention is a lower hydrocarbon chain alcohol, e.g. C_1-4Alcohols include methanol, ethanol, propanol, and butanol. Preferred alcohols are selected from ethanol, 2-propanol, or n-propanol, most preferably ethanol, which is accepted by health care workers as a suitable disinfectant at the correct percentage. One skilled in the art will recognize if the alcohol used in the formulation is ethanol or ethanol with other C' s_1-4One or more combinations of alcohols, ethanol is preferably denatured appropriately to meet local regulations in the target market, but for the purposes of this patent, ethanol is meant only and not specifically whether or not it has been denatured. The composition may use a single alcohol or a mixture of two or more alcohols as described to constitute the alcohol content of the composition.

In a preferred embodiment, the alcohol is present in an amount of about 40 to 90 volume percent.

An important and very surprising achievement of the present invention is to make a composition suitable for disinfection which contains more than 40% by volume alcohol and a silicone surfactant and which is capable of being dispensed as a cosmetically appealing foam by low pressure conditions and aerosol packaging systems.

The use of silicone surfactants as the primary blowing agent is a key ingredient in the composition intended to be foamed. Silicone surfactants have various interesting properties, such as low residue, ability to function in harsh chemical and thermal environments; it has an unparalleled wetting power, is generally superior to the properties of conventional surfactants, and exhibits superior surface active properties in organic solvents, which makes it widely useful in coatings, oil fields, material finishing agents, cleaning, coatings, pesticide applications, and the like.

Traditional surfaceThe active agent has a carbon chain as the hydrophobic portion of the molecule. The addition of a hydrophilic species to the carbon chain will determine the solubility and surfactant as a general type of anionic, cationic, non-ionic or amphoteric. Suitable silicone surfactants for use in the compositions disclosed herein can include, but are not limited to, phosphate esters, sulfates, carboxylates, imidazole quats, amino quats, alkyl quats, amino propionates, ethoxylates, glycerol esters, amine oxides, acetylenic alcohol derivatives, phosphates, saccharide derivatives, sulfonates, betaines, carboxyethyl sulfonates, esters, polyamides, and silicone containing chains- (R-S-O-)₂-Si-O)_n-and hydrocarbon surfactants compatible with other components used in a particular formulation.

Samples from different manufacturers and different chemical surface active groups were evaluated from different commercially available silicone surfactants. In particular, silicone polyethers, also known as dimethicone copolyols, show the best performance. Of these, the samples with both multi-side chains and linear chains showed activity, but the latter was found to give very good foaming properties. This is of interest and is unexpected because in most water-based applications, if one of the multi-pendant or linear difunctional silicone surfactants produces foam in a water-based mixture, the other does not perform well. This is consistent with the observation that the foam alcohol composition performs quite differently than the foam water-based composition.

While trying different surfactants, mixtures of two or more were evaluated to find out if there was any identifiable synergy to optimize use and foam performance. While some synergy may be confirmed, it has been found that the particular bifunctional silicone surfactant bis-PEG 10-20 dimethicone is best when used alone. The notation bis-PEG [10-20] denotes all bis-PEG compounds having 10-20 repeating oxyethylene groups. The same applies to all other components. In particular, bis-PEG 12 dimethicone and/or bis-PEG 20 dimethicone and/or bis-PEG 17 dimethicone are preferred along with ethoxylated 3- (3-hydroxypropyl) -heptamethyltrisiloxane acetate, polyether modified polysiloxanes and polysiloxane betaines which show promising results but are inferior to dimethicone.

In a preferred embodiment of the composition, the effective silicone surfactant may be a physiologically acceptable bis-PEG- [10-20] dimethicone, ethoxylated 3- (3-hydroxypropyl) -heptamethyltrisiloxane acetate, polyether modified polysiloxane or polysiloxane betaine, or mixtures thereof, in an amount of about 0.01 to about 10.0% by weight of the total composition.

It has surprisingly been found that despite the properties of silicone surfactants there is little or no information regarding their use either under low pressure conditions or via aerosol packaging systems for the production of foamable products with high alcohol content.

Furthermore, in order to obtain a high alcohol content product capable of generating foam even without using a pressurized container or propellant, it is desirable that the surface tension value be as low as possible, so that the pressure required to generate this foam by means of a hand pump and mechanical means may be sufficient.

During the development of the present invention, it was unexpectedly found that relatively stable, rapid foam collapse could be obtained with ethanol alone and silicone surfactants up to 80% v/w, whereas the results obtained with conventional surfactants at higher percentages were not even somewhat similar and no foam could be obtained at all.

To obtain a commercially suitable formulation (a formulation that can last for a sufficiently long time for the purpose of disinfection applications), it is one of the following methods to reduce the amount of silicone surfactant used while using other auxiliary ingredients, such as secondary surfactants, emulsifiers, foam stabilizers, fragrances, and similar ingredients used in cosmetics, aerosols, cosmetics, personal care products, and the like. One commercial product obtained using emulsifiers and polyethoxylated fatty acid surfactants is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5, 167,950 and 6,090,395, both of which are incorporated herein by reference, while other examples use a combination of different foam stabilizers to achieve similar results.

Secondary surfactants useful in the compositions of the present invention include other silicone surfactants, fluorosurfactants, alkyl glycosides, poly (ethoxylated and/or propoxylated) alcohols, poly (ethoxylated and/or propoxylated) esters, derivatives of poly (ethoxylated and/or propoxylated) alcohols, derivatives of poly (ethoxylated and/or propoxylated) esters, alkyl alcohols, alkenyl alcohols, esters of polyhydric alcohols, ethers of polyhydric alcohols, esters of polyhydric alcohol polyalkoxylated derivatives, ethers of polyhydric alcohol polyalkoxylated derivatives, sorbitol fatty acid esters, polyalkoxylated derivatives of sorbitol fatty acid esters, betaines, sulfobetaines, imidazoline derivatives, amino acid derivatives, lecithins, phospholipids, certain amine oxides and sulfoxides, and mixtures thereof, are present in an amount of about 0.10 to about 5 weight percent.

The preferred betaine is cocamidopropyl betaine. A preferred alkyl glycoside is coco glycoside. Preferred fluorosurfactants are DEA C8-18 perfluoroalkylethyl phosphate; another preferred fluorosurfactant is C6-16 perfluoroalkylethyl ammonium phosphate. Preferred polyethoxylated fatty alcohols are polyethoxylated stearyl alcohol (21 moles of ethylene oxide) and polyethoxylated stearyl alcohol (2 moles of ethylene oxide), and combinations of the two.

The fluorosurfactant that can be included can be amphoteric polytetrafluoroethylene acetyl propyl betaine (CF)₃CF₂(CF₂CF₂)_nCH₂CH₂(OAc)CH₂N⁺(CH₃)₂CH₂COO^-) Wherein n is 2-4; an ethoxylated nonionic fluorosurfactant having the structure: RfCH₂CH₂O(CH₂CH₂O) xH, wherein Rf ═ F (CF)₂CF₂) y, x ═ 0 to about 15, and y ═ 1 to about 7; an anionic phosphate fluorosurfactant having the structure: (RfCH)₂CH₂O)_xP(O)(ONH₄)_yWherein Rf ═ F (CF)₂CF₂)zX-1 or 2, y-2 or 1, x + y-3, and z-1 to about 7.

The composition may include a biocide. The following antimicrobial agents are provided as non-limiting examples of antimicrobial agents suitable for use in the present invention and may include chlorhexidine salts, iodine, complexed forms of iodine, parachlorometaxylenol, triclosan, hexachlorophene, phenol, behenyl alcohol, surfactants containing long chain hydrophobic groups and quaternary groups, hydrogen peroxide, silver salts, silver oxide, other quaternary ammonium salts, and mixtures thereof.

The preferred antimicrobial agent in the compositions of the present invention is chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) present in an amount of about 0.10 to about 4.0% by weight. Another preferred biocide is didecyldimethyldiammonium chloride present in an amount of about 0.05 to 5% by weight. Another preferred biocide is benzalkonium chloride present in an amount of about 0.05 to 5 weight percent. Another preferred biocide is 0.05 to 15 weight percent behenyl alcohol.

It would be desirable if the amount of ingredients used were small enough to not leave a sticky feel to the composition after evaporation after single or multiple use, while maintaining a concentration of at least 60% by volume ethanol or n-propanol or 70% by volume isopropanol, such a composition would be useful as an alcoholic hand cleanser/disinfecting foamable composition.

The addition of water to the alcohol produces a more stable foam while reducing the amount of silicone surfactant required to foam the product. For example, a stable foam is produced with 0.5-1.0% silicone surfactant and 50-60% by volume alcohol in water to provide an alcohol liquid solution, which foam does not collapse easily and produces a stable puff that does not fall off even when inverted, and does not collapse until pressure is applied (e.g., when rubbing on both hands or on a surface), whereas if the percentage of alcohol used is greater than 65% by weight, a level of surfactant of up to 5% is required.

The foamable hydroalcoholic compositions of the present invention are more suitably prepared depending on the silicone surfactant used, using as secondary surfactant a mild, non-irritating surfactant widely used in the cosmetic industry, such as cocamidopropyl betaine or fluorosurfactants such as DEA C8-18 perfluoroalkylethyl phosphate or C6-16 perfluoroalkylethyl ammonium phosphate.

In order to stabilize the foam, attempts have been made to obtain good results with foam stabilizers and emulsifying ingredients which allow the product to be dispensed in the foam even without a propellant and/or pressurized container system.

Examples of compatible foam stabilizers that may optionally be used include monoglycerol lactate, cationic emulsifiers, quaternized stearin phospholipid complexes, hydroxystearamidopropyl triamine salts, lactic acid monoglycerides, food emulsifiers such as glycerol monostearate, behenyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, cetyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, propylene glycol monostearate, glycols, sodium stearyl lactylate, silicone waxes, encapsulated oils, microencapsulated mineral oils.

A preferred foam stabilizer in the foamable compositions of the present invention is cetyl betaine. Another preferred foam stabilizer is glycerin. Another preferred foam stabilizer is cetyltrimethylammonium chloride and behenyltrimethylammonium chloride.

Examples of humectants and/or emollients that may be used in the present formulations include lanolin; vinyl alcohol; polyvinylpyrrolidone and a polyol selected from glycerol, propylene glycol, glyceryl oleate and sorbitol; coco glycoside or a fatty alcohol selected from cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol and palmityl alcohol; cetyl alcohol; ceteareth 20; and combinations thereof, present in an amount of about 5%. Lipid layer enhancers such as mixtures of alkyl glycosides and glyceryl oleate, or PEG-200 hydrogenated palmitate, or dihydroxypropyl PEG-5 linoleammonium chloride or PEG-7 cocoglyceride may be included in the composition.

The composition is formulated to be dispensed as a foam from a non-pressurized dispenser containing a dispenser pump for mixing the composition with air and dispensing the foam therefrom. Alternatively, the composition may be packaged in an aerosol container and dispensed under high pressure conditions.

The present invention is unique in that it can be dispensed as a foam by the manual low pressure dispensing system described above, however, the composition can alternatively be dispensed under a high pressure system.

The composition may include about 3-20% by weight of the total composition of an aerosol propellant for the pressurized discharge of foam. The aerosol propellant includes propane, carbon dioxide, butane, dichlorodifluoromethane, dichlorotetrafluoroethane, octafluorocyclobutane, 1, 1, 1, 2-tetrafluoroethane, 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 3-heptafluoropropane, and 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3-hexafluoropropane. When stored in metal containers containing propellants, the formulation may include from 0.1 to 5% by weight of the total composition of corrosion inhibitors such as sorbic acid, benzoic acid, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate.

The composition may include an acid or base to adjust the pH of the composition. When an acid is used to adjust the pH, the acid may be hydrochloric acid, citric acid, and phosphoric acid, and when a base is used to adjust the pH, the base is sodium sesquicarbonate.

The compositions may also include components such as organic resins and colloids, lower alkanolamides of higher fatty acids, short chain diols and/or triols, perfumes, colorants, other emollients, ultraviolet absorbers, solvents, emulsifiers, foam stabilizers or mixtures of such stabilizers, suspending agents, buffers, conditioning agents, antioxidants, antimicrobials, pharmaceutically active ingredients, and combinations thereof.

The composition may also include a preservative in an amount of about 0.01-5% by weight of the total composition.

The present inventors have very surprisingly found that it is possible to produce mixed alcohol foams comprising the silicone surfactants disclosed herein and the fluorosurfactants disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application serial 10/952474 filed on 9/29 of 2004 and PCT publication WO 2005/030917a1, the resulting foams exhibiting interesting synergy relating to foam quality.

While both types of surfactants at the two extreme concentrations covered by alcohol concentration produced more and better foam as the alcohol concentration approached 40%, and produced less-quality foam that did not persist at concentrations above 80%, the very interesting finding was that the observed foam quality produced by the fluorosurfactant was different from that obtained with the silicone surfactant.

With the pump used in the examples, the compositions using fluorosurfactants are described as aerated "quick" breaking up the foam, disappearing within seconds depending on the amount of alcohol and the percentage of surfactant used, while foams using silicone surfactants have a distinctive appearance that is more dense and sometimes more uniform in appearance because there may appear to be more bubbles making the appearance unnecessarily "whiter" but more stable because the bubbles last longer.

The distinction is better observed when samples of the same percentage of alcohol are compared side-by-side, and although it is clear that with fluorosurfactant, the foam appears to be more voluminous and "better" when it is just dispensed, this visual advantage is only observed for the first few seconds, as the foam breaks rather rapidly into smaller volumes more like the foam obtained with silicone surfactants. The most important difference appears to be how long the foam containing only silicone surfactant lasts compared to the duration of the foam containing only fluorosurfactant.

It should also be noted that one major difference with one surfactant or the other (fluorosurfactant versus silicone surfactant) is that the fluorosurfactant lowers the surface tension to a lower level than the reduction in surface tension achieved with the silicone surfactant alone, and therefore compositions containing only silicone surfactant typically require a higher percentage of silicone surfactant to achieve similar results.

An important advantage of mixing two surfactants in the same composition is that silicone surfactants provide longer lasting effect, while fluorosurfactants are better tolerated at high alcohol levels, so when used in admixture, this combination improves foam quality better than either alone under certain conditions.

The combination of surfactants enables the desired foam effect to be achieved without exceeding the solubility limit of either surfactant, while at the same time taking advantage of the distinct and specific properties of the respective foams produced.

The combined advantages of silicone surfactants and fluorosurfactants increase with increasing alcohol concentration, which is desirable for improving microbial efficacy.

The following non-limiting examples are set forth to illustrate various preferred embodiments, but are not to be construed in any way as limiting the scope of the invention.

Examples

Examples 1 to 12 are prepared to illustrate the ability to produce alcohol based disinfecting formulations that can be dispensed as a foam with different surfactants and solutions of water and 50% ethanol. Examples 13 to 16 illustrate that increasing the concentration of silicone surfactant produces a foam containing 40% ethanol. Examples 17 to 32 show that increasing the concentration of ethanol containing different silicone surfactants produces foam. Examples 33 to 36 demonstrate that increasing the concentration of silicone surfactant at 62% ethanol produces acceptable foam. Examples 37 to 52 illustrate the ability to generate foam with different surfactants and 70 volume% isopropanol solution. All parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated.

In comparison, it has also been found that, for example, even the use of cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) alone at 40% ethanol and 3% CAPB does not produce as good results as those produced with 60% ethanol by volume, with a lower percentage (less than 1.0%) of silicone surfactant used. Cocamidopropyl betaine does not give any acceptable foam above the above alcohol percentages, while alcohol contents below 60% by volume make it unsuitable for use in cleaning solutions. At the same time, the solution left an unacceptable feel (e.g., a slimy, sticky feel) after the alcohol had evaporated, indicating a high surfactant level. Advantageously, the use of the present compositions is perceived as neither greasy nor practically comfortable, making the present invention suitable for many different applications.

The following examples are intended to evaluate the foaming capacity of different silicone surfactant groups containing different combinations of ethanol, n-propanol and isopropanol. It was also used to assess the effect on after-use feel and foam quality of certain emollients and moisturizers, lipids, and other cosmetically desirable ingredients of the type used in hand cleanser products without cleansing. Certain ingredients with antibacterial properties were also added to reevaluate their effect on foam quality and feel after use.

Examples 53 to 293 have a total alcohol content of 61 to 75% by weight. The best foam was obtained with ethanol alone as the alcohol, while the next best foam was a combination of ethanol and n-propanol, with the amount of n-propanol being 10%. The worst foam was obtained with isopropanol and/or n-propanol alone. Also interesting is the fact that the surfactant which only produces the best efficacy with ethanol is different from the surfactant which produces the best efficacy with the other two alcohols. More specifically, PEG-17-dimethicone and bis-PEG/PPG 18/6 dimethicone were found to produce better efficacy with n-propanol and/or isopropanol than bis-PEG 12-dimethicone. If different alcohols are used, the combination of different silicone surfactants appears to act synergistically to promote foaming, and the preferred silicone for the combination of alcohol emollient and other ingredients is in the bis-PEG [10-20] dimethicone silicone surfactant when the final addition of another alcohol destroys the foaming capacity of the particular silicone surfactant.

Combinations of silicone surfactants and other surfactants were also attempted; different experiments have shown that although acceptable foam quality improvements can be found when using other surfactants, for many surfactants the sensation of sliminess after use without a cleansing product is unacceptable. However, the above-described compositions combining silicone and fluorosurfactants show improvements that can very advantageously reduce the percentage of silicone surfactant in the formulation to an optimum percentage in view of the desired results of cost and other efficacy.

While some cosmetic ingredients, such as coco glycoside, glyceryl oleate, when present in the composition appear to reduce foam quality, if the effect of the feel after use is beneficially enhanced, foam quality may be improved by increasing the percentage of surfactant present and/or adding a foam stabilizer to the composition.

It is also interesting to find that when a higher percentage of silicone surfactant present in the composition is observed to increase foam quality, the increased amount of silicone surfactant present must be considerable before improvement is observed. For example, the foam quality achieved at 1% is clearly less good than 1.5%, but much better than 2%, while the foam quality achieved with 3% or 4% is very similar, while 5% is much better than just 3%.

The quality of the dispensed foam may be dependent on the characteristics of the pump mechanism that dispenses the foam from the bottle. For example, for a pump of the same volume bottle, the foam mass for a smaller spray volume of 0.75 ml is better than the foam mass for a larger spray volume of 1.5 ml. The ejection volume refers to the amount of liquid dispensed when the pump is operating.

From the above examples, it can be concluded that these examples clearly indicate how the technique of foaming alcohol differs from that of foaming water-based compositions in more than one respect, and that the combination of foaming devices/mechanisms used, depending on the combination of ingredients ideal for the final formulation, can produce unexpected results.

The following are some more specific examples of compositions followed by formulations of hand/skin cleansing foamable compositions that produce alcohol/silicone surfactants; more than one foamable sanitizing composition, all with only alcohol as the sole sanitizing ingredient, while others use added antimicrobial agents such as chlorhexidine digluconate or didecyldimethyldiammonium chloride, benzalkonium chloride, behenyl alcohol, and the like.

Example 294

Alcoholic hand-cleaning foamable disinfecting compositions

0.01-5.0％^*Silicone surfactants (first order surfactants)

0.01-1.0% cocamidopropyl betaine (secondary surfactant)

0.05-1.0% cetyl betaine (foam stabilizer)

0.10-1.5% of an emulsifier fatty alcohol ROH containing 16-22 carbon atoms or a well-functioning combination contained in the final formulation

60-70 vol.% ethanol

Q.S. water

● preferably is bis-PEG- [10-20] dimethicone, ethoxylated 3- (3-hydroxypropyl) -heptamethyltrisiloxane acetate, bis-PEG/PPG 18/6 dimethicone, acetate, polyether modified polysiloxane or polysiloxane betaine, or mixtures thereof.

Example 295

Alcoholic hand cleanser foamable disinfecting composition concentrate

0.1-5.0％^*Physiologically acceptable silicone surfactants, (primary surfactants)

0.001-12.0% of 1, 3-butanediol, 2-butoxyethanol, or glycerin (foam stabilizer)

0.05-5.0% coco glucoside, glyceryl oleate (humectant, emollient, etc.)

60-70 vol% ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol or combination thereof

Q.S. water

● preferably is bis-PEG- [10-20] dimethicone, ethoxylated 3- (3-hydroxypropyl) -heptamethyltrisiloxane acetate, bis-PEG/PPG 18/6 dimethicone, acetate, polyether modified polysiloxane or polysiloxane betaine, or mixtures thereof.

Example 296

Alcoholic hand-cleaning foamable disinfecting compositions

0.01-5.0％^*Silicone surfactants (first order surfactants)

0.01-1.0% fluorosurfactant and or other silicone surfactants or mixtures (secondary surfactants)

0.05-1.0% of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (foam stabilizer)

0.05-1.0% behenyltrimethylammonium chloride (foam stabilizer)

0.10-1.5% dihydroxypropyl PEG-5 linoleyl ammonium chloride, glyceryl oleate, PEG-200 hydrogenated glyceryl palmitate, behenyl PG-triammonium chloride, PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate, or a combination of emollients, lipids and moisturizers contained in the final formulation that perform well

1-10% of n-propanol

60-70 vol.% ethanol

Q.S. water

● preferably is bis-PEG- [10-20] dimethicone, ethoxylated 3- (3-hydroxypropyl) -heptamethyltrisiloxane, bis-PEG/PPG 18/6 dimethicone, acetate, polyether modified polysiloxane or polysiloxane betaine, or mixtures thereof.

Example 297

Alcoholic hand-cleaning foamable disinfecting compositions

0.01-5.0％^*SiliconeSurfactant (first class surfactant)

0.05-1.0% of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (foam stabilizer)

0.05-1.0% behenyltrimethylammonium chloride (foam stabilizer)

0.10-1.5% dihydroxypropyl PEG-5 oleylammonium chloride, glyceryl oleate, PEG-200 hydrogenated glyceryl palmitate, behenyl PG-triammonium chloride, PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate or a combination of emollients, lipids and moisturizers contained in the final formulation which function well

1-10% of n-propanol

60-70 vol.% ethanol

Q.S. water

● preferably is bis-PEG- [10-20] dimethicone, 3- (3-hydroxypropyl) -heptamethyltrisiloxane, ethoxylate, bis-PEG/PPG 18/6 dimethicone, acetate, polyether modified polysiloxane or polysiloxane betaine, or mixtures thereof.

Example 298

Alcoholic hand-cleaning foamable disinfecting compositions

0.01-5.0％^*Silicone surfactants (first order surfactants)

0.01-1.0% fluorosurfactant and or other silicone surfactants or mixtures (secondary surfactants)

0.05-1.0% of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (foam stabilizer)

0.05-1.0% behenyltrimethylammonium chloride (foam stabilizer)

0.10-1.5% dihydroxypropyl PEG-5 oleylammonium chloride, glyceryl oleate, PEG-200 hydrogenated glyceryl palmitate, behenyl PG-triammonium chloride, PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate or a combination of emollients, lipids and moisturizers contained in the final formulation which function well

60-70 vol.% ethanol

Q.S. water

● preferably is bis-PEG- [10-20] dimethicone, 3- (3-hydroxypropyl) -heptamethyltrisiloxane, ethoxylated, bis-PEG/PPG 18/6 dimethicone, acetate, polyether modified polysiloxane or polysiloxane betaine, or mixtures thereof.

Example 299

Alcoholic hand-cleaning foamable disinfecting compositions

0.01-5.0％^*Silicone surfactants (first order surfactants)

0.05-1.0% of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (foam stabilizer)

0.05-1.0% behenyltrimethylammonium chloride (foam stabilizer)

0.10-1.5% dihydroxypropyl PEG-5 linoleyl ammonium chloride, glyceryl oleate, PEG-200 hydrogenated glyceryl palmitate, behenyl PG-triammonium chloride, PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate or a combination of emollients, lipids and moisturizers contained in the final formulation that perform well

60-70 vol.% ethanol

Q.S. water

● preferably is bis-PEG- [10-20] dimethicone, 3- (3-hydroxypropyl) -heptamethyltrisiloxane, ethoxylated, bis-PEG/PPG 18/6 dimethicone, acetate, polyether modified polysiloxane or polysiloxane betaine, or mixtures thereof.

Example 300

Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) and alchol hand-cleaning foamable disinfecting composition

Addition to formulations 294, 295, 296, 297, 298 or 299

Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) 0.50-4.0%

Example 301

Didecyldimethyldiammonium chloride and alcohol hand cleanser foamable disinfecting composition

Addition to formulations 294, 295, 296, 297, 298 or 299

0.01-5.0% didecyl dimethyl diammonium chloride

Example 302

Benzenemethylammonium chloride and alcohol hand cleanser foamable disinfecting composition

Addition to formulations 294, 295, 296, 297, 298 or 299

0.01-5.0% benzalkonium chloride

Example 300

Behenyl alcohol and alcohol hand cleansing foamable sanitizing compositions

Addition to formulations 294, 295, 296, 297, 298 or 299

0.01-5.0% behenyl alcohol

The preparation of the compositions of the invention described herein is simple, as most of the ingredients are liquids. When waxy ingredients are to be used, they may be preferably blended into the water portion by heating to 40-45 ℃ and then cooling when mixed, or added to the alcohol in the "cold state" at room temperature before any other ingredients are added, and mixed until fully blended before the remainder of the ingredients are added according to the present composition.

The active ingredient may be pre-dissolved in water, by methods well known to any person skilled in the art. If a particular formulation with preferred percentages of the different components cannot be adjusted to give the desired foam quality, the characteristics of the dispensing mechanism can be modified to improve the foam quality, e.g. the type and characteristics of the less mentioned foaming pumps, such as changing the gas/liquid ratio, the screen size at the nozzle, can be adjusted in a manner obvious to the person skilled in the art.

The compositions described herein provide improved alcohol-based disinfecting products over commercial compositions containing high alcohol concentrations, and the fact that they are capable of foaming without the use of a propellant or pressurized container, although it will be appreciated that the use of a propellant may in some cases improve the properties of the resulting foam.

Depending on the concentration of alcohol and the application of the particular composition, the foam produced varies widely, forming foam species that break out rather rapidly, which are stable enough to be spread completely over the skin without undue waste or effort.

The present formulation is first made into a concentrate containing only some of the components that can be carried and then combined with the remaining components. For example, the concentrate may include a) an effective silicone surfactant present in an amount of at least 0.01% by weight of the total about 0.01 to 15.0% for wetting and foaming, a foam stabilizer including at least about 0.01 to about 10.0%, one of a humectant, emollient, and combinations thereof present in a range of about 0.05% to about 5.0%; and water.

The composition concentrate can then be used to compose an alcohol disinfectant composition by adding: a) alcohol C_1-4Or mixtures thereof, present in an amount of about 60 to 80 volume percent of the total composition; and b) water in an amount such that the total composition is 100% by weight.

Due to the nature and component quality of the base composition in relation to the alcohol concentration, an advantageous application of the invention is alcohol sanitizing skin/hand compositions as foamable products, such embodiments being described above. However, the invention is suitable for the preparation of products for a wide variety of sterilization applications, and it will be appreciated that other embodiments may be used and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

It is therefore intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace such variations and equivalents. It is to be noted that the following products can be produced with alcohol/silicone surfactants: medicated foams, sunscreen foams, hand cream foams, brushless shaving cream foams, bath oil foams, dry hair shampoo foams, make-up removal foams, analgesic massage foams, hair grooming foams and antiperspirant hair cleansing foams, antiperspirant foams, hair conditioner foams.

The terms "comprising," "including," and "comprising," as used herein, are to be construed as inclusive and open-ended, and not exclusive. In particular, the terms "comprises," "comprising," and variations thereof, when used in the specification including the claims, mean inclusion of a particular feature, step, or component. These terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has set forth the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments illustrated. The scope of the invention is defined by all embodiments encompassed by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Citations

U.S. patent document

2,054,9899/1936 Moore.................................167/58

3,131,1534/1976 Klausner..............................252/305

3,962,1506/1976 Leonard et al.........................252/542

4,440,6534/1984 James et al...........................252/8．55

5,167,950 12/1992 Lins..................................424/47

4,956,170 09/1990 Lee...................................514/772．1

5,629,0065/1997 Minh et al............................424/405

5,906,8085/1999 Osborne，et al........................424/43

5,928,9937/1999 .............................504/116

5,951,993 09/1999 Scholz et al..........................424/405

6,090,395 07/2000 Asmus et al...........................424/401

6,610,315 08/2003 Scholz et al..........................424/415

6,623,744 09/2003 Asmus et al...........................424/401

6,562,360 05/2003 Scholz et al..........................424/405

Other publications

Myers，Drew；“Surfactant Science and Technology”，second edition，DrewMyers，VCH Publishers，New York，1992

Claims (7)

1. A composition concentrate, comprising:

a) an effective physiologically acceptable silicone surfactant for wetting and foaming, said surfactant comprising a lipophilic chain containing a silicone backbone in an amount of about 0.01 to 15.0% by weight of the total composition;

b) a foam stabilizer present in an amount of at least about 0.01% to about 10.0%;

c) one of a humectant, an emollient, and combinations thereof, in an amount of from about 0.05% to about 5.0%; and

d) and (3) water.

2. The composition concentrate according to claim 1, wherein the effective silicone surfactant is a physiologically acceptable bis-PEG-20 dimethicone, bis-PEG-17 dimethicone, bis-PEG-12 dimethicone, ethoxylated 3- (3-hydroxypropyl) -heptamethyltrisiloxane acetate, polyether modified polysiloxane or polysiloxane betaine, or mixtures thereof.

3. The composition concentrate according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the foam stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of glycerin, cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, behenyltrimethylammonium chloride, and combinations thereof.

4. A composition concentrate according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the moisturizers and emollients are selected from the group consisting of coco glycoside, glyceryl oleate, or PEG-200 hydrogenated palmityl glyceride, or dihydroxypropyl PEG-5 linoleammonium chloride or PEG-7 coco glyceride, and combinations thereof, at a level of no greater than 5%.

5. The composition concentrate according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, which constitutes an alcohol disinfecting composition by adding:

a)C_1-4an alcohol, or a mixture thereof, in an amount of about 60 to 80% by volume of the total composition;

b) water, which makes the total composition 100% by weight.

6. The composition concentrate according to claim 5, wherein said C is_1-4The alcohol is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, and combinations thereof.

7. The composition concentrate according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which is prepared by mixing the components and then heating the concentrate to about 30-80 ℃ before shipping the concentrate.