Photo Bleach Compositions

Abstract

The present invention relates to compositions comprising a photosensitizer that can be used to provide aqueous fluids with bleaching capabilities, aqueous fluid photobleaching compositions having bleaching capabilities and processes of making and using same. Such compositions can provide bleaching and/or cleaning benefits that are similar to or better than hydrogen peroxide bleaching systems.

1 . A photobleaching composition comprising, based on total weight of said composition: 
 a.) from about 0.1% to about 50% of a water-soluble photosensitizer;    b.) from about 1% to about 99.9% of an extender; and    c.) any balance of said photobleaching composition being a material selected from an aqueous fluid, an adjunct ingredient or mixture thereof.    
   
   
       2 . A photobleaching composition according to  claim 1  comprising: 
 a.) from about 1% to about 25% of a water-soluble photosensitizer;    b.) from about 5% to about 90% of an extender.    
   
   
       3 . A photobleaching composition according to  claim 2  comprising 
 a.) from about 5% to about 20% of a water-soluble photosensitizer;    b.) from about 10% to about 50% of an extender.    
   
   
       4 . A photobleaching composition according to  claim 1  wherein said extender comprises a surfactant.  
   
   
       5 . A photobleaching composition according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 a.) said water-soluble photosensitizer is selected from the group consisting porphyrins, phthalocyanines, C 8 -C 70  aromatics, superoxide photosensitizers, and mixtures thereof;    b.) said extender is selected from the group consisting of furan, substituted furans, alkyl ethoxylates, polyethoxylates, alkyl polyethoxylates, polynuclear aromatics, imidazole, substituted imidazoles, pyrrole, substituted pyrroles, and mixtures thereof.    
   
   
       6 . The photobleaching composition of  claim 5  wherein: 
 a.) said water-soluble photosensitizer is selected from the group consisting of sulfonated zinc phthalocyanine, sulphonated aluminum phthalocyanine, silicon phthaolcyanine-di-isoPEG 384, pyrenesulfonic acid, and mixtures thereof;    b.) said extender is selected from the group consisting of alkyl ethoxylates, imidazole, 2,5 dimethyl furan, 2-Furoic acid, 3-Furoic acid, and mixtures thereof.    
   
   
       7 . The photobleaching composition of  claim 1  wherein said composition is a solid.  
   
   
       8 . The photobleaching cleaning composition of  claim 1  wherein said composition is a liquid, said liquid comprising an aqueous fluid.  
   
   
       9 . A kit comprising comprising: 
 a.) the composition of  claim 1;  and    b.) instructions for use of said composition.    
   
   
       10 . A photobleaching composition comprising: 
 a.) from about 1 ppm to about 1000 ppm of a water-soluble photosensitizer;    b.) from about 100 ppm to about 10,000 ppm of an extender; and    c.) the balance of said photobleaching compositions being an aqueous fluid, and optionally an adjunct ingredient.    
   
   
       11 . A photobleaching composition according to  claim 10  comprising: 
 a.) from about 5 ppm to about 500 ppm of a water-soluble photosensitizer;    b.) from about 200 ppm to about 5,000 ppm of an extender.    
   
   
       12 . A photobleaching composition according to  claim 11  comprising: 
 a.) from about 10 ppm to about 300 ppm of a water-soluble photosensitizer;    b.) from about 500 ppm to about 2,000 ppm of an extender.    
   
   
       13 . A photobleaching composition according to  claim 10  wherein: said extender comprises a surfactant.  
   
   
       14 . A photobleaching composition according to  claim 10  wherein 
 a.) said water-soluble photosensitizer is selected from the group consisting porphyrins, phthalocyanines, C 8 -C 70  aromatics, superoxide photosensitizers, and mixtures thereof;    b.) said extender is selected from the group consisting of furan, substituted furans, alkyl ethoxylates, polyethoxylates, alkyl polyethoxylates, polynuclear aromatics, imidazole, substituted imidazoles, pyrrole, substituted pyrroles, and mixtures thereof.    
   
   
       15 . The photobleaching composition of  claim 14  wherein: 
 a.) said water-soluble photosensitizer is selected from the group consisting of sulfonated zinc phthalocyanine, sulphonated aluminum phthalocyanine, silicon phthaolcyanine-di-isoPEG 384, pyrenesulfonic acid and mixtures thereof;    b.) said extender is selected from the group consisting of alkyl ethoxylates, imidazole, 2,5 dimethyl furan, 2-Furoic acid, 3-Furoic acid, and mixtures thereof.    
   
   
       16 . A process of making a photobleaching composition, said process comprising the step of combining a water-soluble photosensitizer, an extender and optionally a material selected from an aqueous fluid, adjunct ingredient or mixture thereof to form said photobleaching composition.  
   
   
       17 . The process of  claim 16  where said water-soluble photosensitizer, an extender and optionally a material selected from an aqueous fluid, adjunct ingredient or mixture thereof are combined in such a manner such that said water-soluble photosensitizer, an extender and optionally a material selected from an aqueous fluid, adjunct ingredient or mixture thereof are exposed to less than 1 milliwatt of light, having a wavelength absorbed by said water-soluble photosensitizer, per square meter solution surface exposed to said light and oxygen such that the resulting mixture comprises less than 1×10 −2  moles of oxygen per liter.  
   
   
       18 . A method of cleaning and/or bleaching a fabric or surface comprising the steps of; 
 a.) providing the photobleaching composition of  claim 10  with sufficient oxygen such that said photobleaching composition comprises oxygen at a level of 1×10 −9  moles per liter of said photobleaching composition and sufficient light energy to generate bleaching species; and    b.) contacting a situs with said photobleaching composition during or after said bleaching species are generated.    c.) optionally rinsing and/or washing said situs.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said light energy is, based on light having a wavelength that is absorbed by the photosensitizer employed, sufficient to yield greater than 1×10 −4  milliwatts/square meter of solution surface exposed to said light.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said light energy is provided by a light source located in or on a domestic appliance suitable for cleaning a situs.