Masking solutions comprising siloxane-based surfactants for using in painting operations

Abstract

This invention provides a masking material that can be used to protect an underling surface (e.g. an automobile surface) during an overcoating (e.g. painting) operation. The masking material in one embodiment includes a thickener and a pH control agent and water. The masking material can be applied to a surface that is to be protected from paint overspray or other coating processes, allowed to dry, and the surface then coated (e.g. with paint). After drying of the paint, or other coating, the masking material can removed by water washing.

1 . A method of temporarily protecting a surface in a coating operation, said method comprising: 
 a) applying a masking material to said surface, said applying resulting in a dry, substantially continuous film of said masking material, said masking material, before drying, comprising an aqueous mixture of: 
 i) a film former present in an amount ranging from about 0.15 to about 25 weight percent active ingredient;  
 ii) a siloxane-based surfactant in a concentration sufficient to allow said masking material to wet said surface; and  
 iii) a non-siloxane surfactant;  
   b) coating all or a portion of said surface with an overcoating compound, said masking material preventing said coating compound from contacting said surface; and    c) removing said masking material from said surface whereby the coating compound applied to the surface covered with the masking material is removed together with the masking material.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said masking material has a shelf life greater than two years.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said film former is an aliphatic polyol.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said film former is a polyvinyl alcohol.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said film former ranges from about 1% to about 25% weight percent of said masking material.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said film former ranges from about 3% to about 10% weight percent of said masking material.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said non-siloxane surfactant comprises an alcohol ethoxylate.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said non-siloxane surfactant comprises an oleyl alcohol ethoxylate.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said masking material further comprises a thickener.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said thickener is a xanthan gum thickener.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said thickener ranges from about 0.1 to about 1% weight percent active ingredient.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said thickener is present at about 0.4% weight percent.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said masking material further comprises a plasticizer or humectant.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said plasticizer is a simple sugar.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, and fructose.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, glycerin, sucrose, urea, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyglycerol, and glycerol.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said plasticizer is present in an amount ranging from about 0.2 to about 12 weight percent of said masking material.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said masking material further comprises a non-ionic surfactant.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said non-ionic surfactant is an alcohol ethoxylate.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said non-ionic surfactant is a tridecyl alcohol ethoxylate.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said non-ionic surfactant is present in an amount ranging from about 0.01% to about 3% weight percent of said masking material.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said masking material further comprises a pH adjuster.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said pH adjuster adjusts the pH of said composition to a basic pH.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said pH adjuster adjusts the pH of said composition to about pH 9.5.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said pH adjuster comprises a base selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, an amine, and sodium bicarbonate.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said masking material further comprises a colorant and/or a biocide.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said film former is a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA); and    said non-siloxane surfactant comprises an alcohol ethoxylate.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said non-siloxane surfactant comprises a tridecyl alcohol ethoxylate.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said film former is a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA);    said masking material further comprises a thickener;    said masking material further comprises a humectant;    said masking material further comprises a pH adjuster; and    said masking material further comprises a non-siloxane surfactant.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said masking material further comprises: 
 a biocide; and    a colorant.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein: 
 said film former is present at about 5% weight percent of said masking material;    said thickener is present at about 0.4% weight percent of said masking material;    said humectant is present at about 0.75% weight percent of said masking material; and    said pH adjuster is a base;.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said overcoating compound is paint.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said surface is a surface of a vehicle.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said surface is a surface of an automobile.  
   
   
       35 . The method of claim I, wherein said surface comprises a painted surface of a vehicle.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said surface comprises a painted surface of an automobile.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said surface comprises a bumper or trim of a vehicle.  
   
   
       38 . A masking composition for the temporary protection of a surface during a coating procedure, said masking composition comprising an aqueous solution of: 
 a film former present in an amount ranging from about 0.15 to about 25 weight percent active ingredient;    a siloxane-based surfactant in a concentration sufficient to allow said masking material to wet a painted surface of an automobile; and    a non-siloxane surfactant;    wherein said masking material has a shelf life at room temperature greater than about 1 year.    
   
   
       39 . The masking composition of  claim 38 , wherein said masking composition has a shelf life at room temperature of greater than about two years.  
   
   
       40 . The masking composition of  claim 38 , wherein said non-siloxane surfactant comprises an alcohol ethoxylate.  
   
   
       41 . The masking composition of  claim 40 , wherein said non-siloxane surfactant comprises an oleyl alcohol ethoxylate.  
   
   
       42 . The masking composition of  claim 38 , wherein said film former is an aliphatic polyol.  
   
   
       43 . The masking composition of  claim 38 , wherein said film former is a polyvinyl alcohol.  
   
   
       44 . The masking composition of  claim 43 , wherein said film former ranges from about 1% to about 25% weight percent of said masking material.  
   
   
       45 . The masking composition of  claim 43 , wherein said film former ranges from about 3% to about 10% weight percent of said masking material.  
   
   
       46 . The masking composition of  claim 38 , wherein said masking material further comprises a thickener.  
   
   
       47 . The masking composition of  claim 46 , wherein said thickener is a xanthan gum thickener.  
   
   
       48 . The masking composition of  claim 46 , wherein said thickener ranges from about 0.1 to about 1% weight percent active ingredient.  
   
   
       49 . The masking composition of  claim 46 , wherein said thickener is present at about 0.4% weight percent.  
   
   
       50 . The masking composition of  claim 38 , wherein said masking material further comprises a plasticizer or humectant.  
   
   
       51 . The masking composition of  claim 50 , wherein said plasticizer is a simple sugar.  
   
   
       52 . The masking composition of  claim 50 , wherein said plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, and fructose.  
   
   
       53 . The masking composition of  claim 50 , wherein said plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, glycerin, sucrose, urea, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyglycerol, and glycerol.  
   
   
       54 . The masking composition of  claim 53 , wherein said plasticizer is present in an amount ranging from about 0.2 to about 12 weight percent of said masking material.  
   
   
       55 . The masking composition of  claim 46 , wherein said non-siloxane surfactant is a non-ionic surfactant.  
   
   
       56 . The masking composition of  claim 55 , wherein said non-ionic surfactant is present in an amount ranging from about 0.01% to about 3% weight percent of said masking material.  
   
   
       57 . The masking composition of  claim 46 , wherein said masking material further comprises a pH adjuster.  
   
   
       58 . The masking composition of  claim 57 , wherein said pH adjuster adjusts the pH of said composition to a basic pH.  
   
   
       59 . The masking composition of  claim 57 , wherein said pH adjuster adjusts the pH of said composition to about pH 9.5.  
   
   
       60 . The masking composition of  claim 57 , wherein said pH adjuster comprises a base selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, an amine, and sodium bicarbonate.  
   
   
       61 . The masking composition of  claim 38 , wherein said masking material further comprises a colorant and/or a biocide.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said film former is a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA); and    said non-siloxane surfactant comprises a non-ionic surfactant.    
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said non-siloxane surfactant comprises an alcohol ethoxylate.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said non-siloxane surfactant comprises a tridecyl alcohol ethoxylate.  
   
   
       65 . The masking composition of  claim 38 , wherein: 
 said film former is a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA);    said masking material further comprises a thickener;    said masking material further comprises a humectant;    said masking material further comprises a pH adjuster; and    said masking material further comprises a non-siloxane surfactant.    
   
   
       66 . The masking composition of  claim 65 , wherein said masking material further comprises: 
 a biocide; and    a colorant.    
   
   
       67 . The masking composition of  claim 65 , wherein: 
 said film former is present at about 5% weight percent of said masking material;    said thickener is present at about 0.4% weight percent of said masking material;    said humectant is present at about 0.75% weight percent of said masking material; and    said pH adjuster adjusts the pH of said composition to a basic pH.    
   
   
       68 . The composition of  claim 67 , wherein said pH adjuster adjusts the pH of said composition to about pH 9.5.  
   
   
       69 . The composition of  claim 67 , wherein said pH adjuster comprises a base selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, an amine, and sodium bicarbonate.  
   
   
       70 . A kit for temporarily protecting a surface, said kit comprising: 
 a container containing a masking material according  claim 38;  and    instructional materials teaching the use of said masking composition for temporarily protecting a surface during an overcoating operation or during mechanical handling.    
   
   
       71 . Advertising materials comprising an audio or audiovisual presentation teaching the use of a container containing a masking material according to  claim 38  in a painting operation.  
   
   
       72 . (canceled)  
   
   
       73 . An article of manufacture comprising one or more surfaces coated with a masking composition, said composition, before drying being a masking composition according to  claim 38 .  
   
   
       74 . The article of manufacture of  claim 73 , wherein said article of manufacture is an automobile or a component of an automobile.