Chemiluminescent system

Abstract

An aqueous-based chemiluminescent system is provided. The system comprises an oxalate component comprising an oxalate ester and a solvent; an activator component comprising a peroxide, a catalyst, and water; a surfactant; and a fluorescer. A self-illuminating bubble-forming composition is also provided, comprising the oxalate component, the activator component, the surfactant, and the fluorescer in admixture with an aqueous bubble-forming solution.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A chemiluminescent system comprising:
 a) an oxalate component comprising an oxalate ester and a solvent;   b) an activator component comprising a peroxide, a catalyst, and water;   c) a surfactant; and   d) a fluorescer.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the oxalate ester comprises a straight chain oxalate ester selected from the group consisting of bis(2,4,5-trichloro-6-carbopentoxy-phenyl)oxalate, bis(2,4,5-trichloro-6-carbobutoxyphenyl)oxalate, bis(2,4,5-trichloro-6-carboisopentyloxyphenyl)oxalate, bis(2,4,5-trichlorophenyl)oxalate, bis(2,4,5-tribromo-6-carbohexoxyphenyl)oxalate, bis(2-nitrophenyl)oxalate, bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl)oxalate, bis(2,6-dichloro-4-nitrophenyl)oxalate, bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)oxalate, bis(3-trifluoro-methyl-4-nitrophenyl)oxalate, bis(2-methyl-4,6-dinitrophenyloxalate), bis(1,2-dimethyl-4,6-dinitrophenyl)oxalate, bis(2,4-dichlorophenyl)oxalate, bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl)oxalate, bis(2,5-dinitro phenyl)oxalate, bis(2-formyl-4-nitrophenyl)oxalate, bis(pentachloro-phenyl)oxalate, bis(1,2-dihydro-2-oxo-1-pyridyl)glyoxal, bis(2,4-dinitro-6-methyl-phenyl)oxalate and bis-N-phthalimidyl oxalate. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the oxalate ester comprises bis(2,4,5-trichloro-6-carbopentoxyphenyl)oxalate. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the oxalate ester comprises a branched chain oxalate ester selected from the group consisting of bis{3,4,6-trichloro-2-[(2-methyl-propoxy)carbonyl]phenyl}oxalate, bis{3,4,6-trichloro-2-[(phenylmethoxy-carbonyl]phenyl}oxalate, bis{3,4,6-trichloro-2-[(2,2-dimethylpropoxy)carbonyl]phenyl}oxalate and bis{3,4,6-trichloro-2-[(cyclohexylmethoxy)carbonyl]phenyl}oxalate. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the oxalate ester is present in an amount of about 3 to about 26 wt. %, based on the weight of the oxalate component. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetyl tributyl citrate, acetyl triethyl citrate, benzyl benzoate, butyl benzoate, ethyl acetate, ethyl benzoate, diethylene glycol benzoate, diethylene glycol dibenzoate, dipropylene glycol benzoate, dipropylene glycol dibenzoate, propylene glycol benzoate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate, propylene glycol and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing solvents. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the solvent comprises dipropylene glycol dibenzoate. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the solvent is present in an amount of about 74 to about 97 wt. %, based on the weight of the oxalate component. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the peroxide is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, sodium peroxide, sodium perborate, sodium pyrophosphate peroxide, urea peroxide, histidine peroxide, t-butylhydroperoxide and peroxybenzoic acid. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the peroxide comprises hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the peroxide is present in an amount of about 0.5 to about 5 wt. %, based on the weight of the activator component. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of sodium salicylate, sodium-5-fluorosalicylate sodium-5-chlorosalicylate, sodium-5-bromosalicylate, sodium trifluoroacetate, potassium salicylate, potassium pentachlorophenolate, lithium salicylate, lithium-3-chlorosalicylate, lithium-5-chloro-salicylate, lithium-3,5-dichlorosalicylate, lithium-3,5,6-trichlorosalicylate, lithium-2-chlorobenzoate, lithium-5-t-butylsalicylate, lithium trifluoroacetate, rubidium acetate, tetrabutylammonium salicylate, tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate, tetraethylammonium benzoate, tetrabutylammonium benzoate, tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate, tetraethylammonium perchlorate, tetrabutylammonium perchlorate, tetraoctyl-ammonium perchlorate, tetrabutylammonium-2,3,5-trichlorobenzoate, tetra-methylammonium trifluoroacetate, magnesium salicylate, magnesium-5-t-butylsalicylate, magnesium-3-chlorosalicylate, magnesium-3,5-dichlorosalicylate and magnesium-3,5,6-trichlorosalicylate. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the catalyst comprises sodium salicylate. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the catalyst is present in an amount of about 0.001 to about 0.05 wt. %, based on the weight of the activator component. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the water is present in an amount of about 95 to about 99.5 wt. %, based on the weight of the activator component. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the oxalate component to the activator component is in the range of about 5:1 to about 1:5, on a weight basis. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the surfactant comprises an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant or a mixture of two or more of the foregoing classes of surfactants. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of ammonium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, ammonium decyl sulfate, ammonium octyl sulfate, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate, disodium oleamide sulfosuccinate, disodium laureth sulfosuccinate, disodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate, lauryl sarcosine, cocoyl sarcosine, perfluorobutanesulfonic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluorooctanoic acid, potassium lauryl sulfate, potassium coco hydrolyzed collagen, sodium decyl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium methyl cocoyl taurate, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, sodium octyl sulfate, sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate, triethanolamine lauryl sulfate, triethanolamine laureth sulfate and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing anionic surfactants. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the cationic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, stearalkonium chloride, benzalkonium chloride, cetrimonium chloride, cetalkonium chloride, behentrimonium chloride, behentrimonium PG-trimonium chloride, dihydroxypropyl PEG-5 linoleammonium chloride, imidazolines, PEG-15 cocomonium chloride, polymethacrylamidopropyl trimonium chloride and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing cationic surfactants. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the cationic surfactant comprises lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the nonionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of phenoxyethanol, alkanolamides, PEG 20 cetostearyl ether, cetostearyl alcohol, cellulose ethers, cetyl alcohol, cocamide diethanolamine, cocamide monoethanolamine, decyl glucoside, glyceryl laurate, PEG ether of isocetyl alcohol, lauryl glucoside, cetylphenoxy-polyethoxyethanol, nonylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol, 1-(4-nonylphenyl)-1,4,7,10,13,16,19,22,25-nonaoxa-heptacosan-1-ol, octaethylene glycol monododecyl ether, octyl glucoside, oleyl alcohol, pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether, triblock copolymers of polypropylene glycol, polyglycerol polyricinoleate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate, polyalkylene oxide-modified polydimethylpolysiloxanes, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan tristearate, stearyl alcohol, octyl phenol ethoxylate and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing nonionic surfactants. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the nonionic surfactant comprises phenoxyethanol. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of aminopropionic acids, cocoamidopropyl betaine, lauramidopropyl betaine, cocoalkylamine acetates, cocoamidoalkylamino acetates, cocoalkylamine diacetates, cocoalkylamine propionates, cocoalkylamine dipropionates, cocoalkylamine hydroxypropylsulfonates, sodium cocoamidoalkylamino hydroxypropyl sulfonates, imido propionic acids, an alkyl sulfobetaine, amine oxides, N-dodecyl β-alanine, sulfamic acid, dodecylamine, polyacrylamide, lauramidopropylamine oxide and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing amphoteric surfactants. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the amphoteric surfactant comprises lauramidopropyl betaine. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the surfactant is present in an amount of about 0.1 to about 5 wt. %, based on the weight of the system. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the surfactant is present in the activator component. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an aqueous bubble-forming solution. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27  wherein one or more of the same or different surfactants are present in the activator component, the aqueous bubble-forming solution, or in both the activator component and the aqueous bubble-forming solution. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the fluorescer comprises a compound having a spectral emission in the range of about 300 to about 1,000 mμ. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the fluorescer is selected from the group consisting of rubrene, 9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene, 9,10-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-chloroanthracene, 1-chloro-9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene, 1,8-dichloro-9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene, 1,5-dichloro-9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene, 2,5-di-chloro-9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene, 5,12-bis(phenylethynyl)tetracene, 9,10-di-phenylanthracene, perylene, 2-methyl-9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene, 2-ethyl-9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene, 1,6,7,12-tetraphenoxy-N,N′-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3,4,9,10-perylene dicarboximide, 1,6,7,12-tetraphenoxy-N,N′-bis(2,5-di-t-butylphenyl)-3,4,9,10-perylene dicarboximide, 1,7-di-chloro-6,12-diphenoxy-N,N′-bis(2,6-diisopropyl-phenyl)-3,4,9,10-perylene dicarboximide, 1,6,7,12-tetra(p-bromophenoxy)N,N′-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3,4,9,10-perylene di-carboximide, 1,6,7,12-tetra(p-t-butylphenoxy)-N,N′-dineopentyl-3,4,9,10-perylenedicarboximide, 1,6,7,12-tetra(o-chlorophenoxy)-N,N′-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3,4,9,10-perylene dicarboximide, 1,6,7,12-tetra(p-chloro-phenoxy)-N,N′-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3,4,9,10-perylene dicarboximide, 1,6,7,12-tetra(p-fluoro phenoxy)-N,N′-bis(2,6-diisopropyl-phenyl)-3,4,9,10-perylene dicarboximide, 1,6,7,12-tetraphenoxy-N,N′-diethyl-3,4,9,10-perylene dicarboximide, 1,7-dibromo-6,12-diphenoxy-N,N′-bis(2-iso-propylphenyl)-3,4,9,10-perylene dicarboximide, 16,17-dihexyloxyviolanthrone, 2-ethyl-9,10-bus(phenylethynyl)anthracene, 1,4-dimethyl-9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene, bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene, N,N′-didodecyl-1,6,7,12-tetrakis(4-t-butylpenoxy)-3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboximide, N,N′-dihexadecyl-1,6,7,12-tetrakis(4-t-butylphenoxy)-3,4,9,10-perylenedicarboximide, N,N′-dioctadecyl-1,6,7,12-tetrakis(4-t-butyl phenoxy)-3,4,9,10-perylene-tetracarboximide, 9,10-bis(4-methylphenyl)-2-chloroanthracene, 9,10-bis(4-ethylphenyl)-2-chloroanthracene, 9,10-bis(4-propylphenyl)-2-chloro-anthracene, 9,10-bis(4-t-butylphenyl-2-chloro-anthracene and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing fluorescers. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the fluorescer is selected from the group consisting of 9,10-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-chloroanthracene, 9,10-diphenylanthracene, rubrene and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the fluorescer is present in the oxalate component. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the fluorescer is present in an amount of about in an amount of about 0.05 to about 0.5 wt. %, based on the weight of the system. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the system is packaged such that the oxalate component is kept separate from the peroxide component until such time that it is desired to produce a chemiluminescent effect. 
     
     
         35 . A self-illuminating bubble-forming composition comprising the ingredients:
 a) an oxalate component comprising an oxalate ester and a solvent;   b) an activator component comprising a peroxide, a catalyst and water;   c) a surfactant;   d) a fluorescer; and   e) an aqueous bubble-forming solution.   
     
     
         36 . The composition of  claim 35  wherein the bubble-forming solution contains a compound selected from the group consisting of a quaternary ammonium salt, a betaine, a hydroxyalkyl cellulose, phenoxyethanol, hydantoin, glycerin, triethanolamine, a C 1 -C 4  alkyl paraben, a phenyl ester and mixtures of two or more of the foregoing compounds. 
     
     
         37 . The composition of  claim 36  wherein the quaternary ammonium salt comprises lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride. 
     
     
         38 . The composition of  claim 36  wherein the hydroxyalkyl cellulose comprises hydroxyethyl cellulose. 
     
     
         39 . The composition of  claim 36  wherein the betaine comprises lauramidopropyl betaine. 
     
     
         40 . The composition of  claim 35  wherein the bubble-forming solution is present in an amount of about 70 to about 95 wt. %, based on the weight of the composition. 
     
     
         41 . A self-illuminating bubble formed by combining the ingredients set forth in  claim 35  and thereafter contacting the resultant combined ingredients with a bubble-forming device. 
     
     
         42 . The composition of  claim 35  which is packaged such that the oxalate component is kept separate from the peroxide component until such time that it is desired to produce a self-illuminating bubble. 
     
     
         43 . The composition of  claim 35  wherein one or more of the same or different surfactants are present in the activator component, the aqueous bubble-forming solution or in both the activator component and the aqueous bubble-forming solution. 
     
     
         44 . The composition of  claim 35  further comprising a water-soluble polymer. 
     
     
         45 . A packaged self-illuminated bubble-forming system comprising:
 (I) a composition comprising the ingredients:
 a) an oxalate component comprising an oxalate ester and a solvent; 
 b) an activator component comprising a peroxide, a catalyst and water; 
 c) a surfactant; 
 d) a fluorescer; and 
 e) an aqueous bubble-forming solution, wherein (i) one or more of the same or different surfactants are present in the activator component, the aqueous bubble-forming solution or in both the activator component and the aqueous bubble-forming solution; and 
   (II) means for making a self-illuminated bubble by combining ingredients a)-e).