High alkaline detergent composition with enhanced scale control

Abstract

A detergent composition for preventing scale on various surfaces includes a threshold system, a caustic and a surfactant system. The threshold system includes a sulfonate/acrylate copolymer, an acrylate homopolymer and a phosphonoalkane carboxylic acid with a sulfonate/acrylate copolymer to acrylate homopolymer weight ratio of between about 2:1 to about 1:2. The pH of the detergent composition is between about 10 and about 13.

1 . A threshold system for preventing scale on various surfaces, the threshold system comprising:
 (a) a sulfonate/acrylate copolymer;   (b) an acrylate homopolymer, wherein a weight ratio of sulfonate/acrylate copolymer to acrylate homopolymer is between about 2:1 and about 1:2; and   (c) a phosphonoalkane carboxylic acid.   
   
   
       2 . The threshold system of  claim 1 , wherein the threshold system has a sulfonate/acrylate copolymer to acrylate homopolymer weight ratio of about 1:1 or greater. 
   
   
       3 . The threshold system of  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of acrylate hompolymer to phosphonoalkane carboxylic acid is between about 4:1 and 1:4. 
   
   
       4 . The threshold system of  claim 1 , wherein the phosphonoalkane carboxylic acid constitutes between about 1% and 50% by weight of the threshold system. 
   
   
       5 . The threshold system of  claim 1 , wherein the sulfonate/acrylate copolymer comprises one of a copolymer of acrylic acid and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid having a molecular weight of about 4500 and a copolymer of acrylic acid and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid having a molecular weight of about 5000. 
   
   
       6 . The threshold system of  claim 1 , wherein the acrylate homopolymer comprises a homopolymer of acrylic acid having a molecular weight of about 2000. 
   
   
       7 . The threshold system of  claim 1 , wherein the phosphonoalkane carboxylic acid comprises one of 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid and a phosphino polycarboxylic acid having a molecular weight of about 3600. 
   
   
       8 . A detergent composition comprising:
 (a) an alkalinity source constituting between about 1% and about 75% by weight of the composition;   (b) a surfactant system constituting between about 0.05% and about 25% by weight of the composition; and   (c) a threshold system constituting between about 0.0005% and about 30% by weight of the composition;   (d) wherein the threshold system comprises a sulfonate/acrylate copolymer, an acrylate homopolymer and a phosphonoalkane carboxylic acid and wherein the phosphonoalkane carboxylic acid constitutes between about 0.1% to about 5% by weight of the composition; and   (e) wherein the detergent composition has a pH of at least about 10.   
   
   
       9 . The detergent composition of  claim 8 , wherein the threshold system has a sulfonate/acrylate copolymer to acrylate homopolymer weight ratio of between about 2:1 and about 1:2. 
   
   
       10 . The detergent composition of  claim 8 , wherein the threshold system has a sulfonate/acrylate copolymer to acrylate homopolymer weight ratio of about 1:1 or greater. 
   
   
       11 . The detergent composition of  claim 8 , wherein the threshold system has an acrylate hompolymer to phosphonoalkane carboxylic acid weight ratio of between about 4:1 and 1:4. 
   
   
       12 . The detergent composition of  claim 8 , wherein the detergent composition has a pH of between about 10 and about 13. 
   
   
       13 . The detergent composition of  claim 8 , wherein the detergent composition has a phosphonoalkane carboxylic acid concentration of between about 0.01% and about 5.0% by weight. 
   
   
       14 . The detergent composition of  claim 8 , wherein the detergent composition is in the form of a solid block. 
   
   
       15 . A method of removing scale during a wash cycle, the method comprising:
 (a) mixing a threshold system comprising a sulfonate/acrylate copolymer, an acrylate homopolymer and a phosphonoalkane carboxylic acid;   (b) mixing the threshold system with an alkalinity source and a surfactant system to form a detergent composition;   (c) diluting the detergent composition at a dilution ratio of between about 1:10 and about 1:10,000 to form a use solution; and   (d) contacting the use solution with a substrate to be cleaned;   (e) wherein a temperature of the wash cycle is between about 140 degrees and 185 degrees Fahrenheit.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the use solution has a pH of about 10 or greater. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising casting the detergent composition into a solid block prior to diluting the detergent composition. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising mixing the sulfonate/acrylate copolymer and acrylate homopolymer at a weight ratio of between about 2:1 and about 1:2. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the detergent composition has a phosphonoalkane carboxylic acid concentration of between about 0.0001% and about 0.02% by weight. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein applying the use solution to a substrate comprises applying the use solution to one glass and plastic.