The ability of a polished surface to return to its original appearance after being smeared and the amount of time required to do so are two factors which tend to be rather important in the evaluation of the performance of a furniture polish composition.
Upon application onto a particular substrate surface, the polish compositions of the present invention have been observed to form a rather thin (approximately 1000 to 4000 Angstroms) generally uniform film on the substrate surface. Due to the liquid nature of the resultant films of the surface-applied emulsion polish compositions of the present invention, such films typically exhibit, to a degree, visible physical evidence of surface disturbances, otherwise referred to as surface "smears", when the surface-applied film is subjected to a rubbing action.
The term "smear recovery", as used herein, denotes not only the rate-of-recovery but also the ability of a thus "smeared" surface-applied polish film to return to its original surface appearance.
Polish compositions possessing superior smear recovery properties have long been desired. Conventional polishes, however and in particular the surface-applied films they produce lack this quality. For example, commercial polishes that use conventional silicone-containing or conventional silicone-based fluids, as well as certain conventional waxes, and certain low molecular weight organic oils as glossing agents seemingly initially tend to provide certain desirable surface-appearance values but, in fact, ultimately suffer from certain inherent disadvantages. Such conventional polishes, in particular, readily tend to show certain surface disturbances such as fingerprints and otherwise readily tend to smear.
Certain investigations discussed in the prior-art references reviewed by us have attacked these and other surface "smear" problems by attempting to produce specific smear-resistant polishes which are said to provide treated surfaces that have relatively permanent finishes. Such so-called "permanent" finishes are said to require the application of significant force before their surface properties are disturbed. While such finishes tend to provide both high gloss and smear resistant properties, it is generally more difficult to remove these so-called "permanent" finishes; and such finishes thus have the tendency to build up with multiple applications.
Smear resistant films of this type are described e.g. in U.S Pat. No. 3,847,622 to Brandl et al. The disclosed compositions of Brandl et al. contain water, wax, a mixture of organopolysiloxanes a solvent, and a water-in-oil emulsifier. Such compositions furthermore, are said to be substantially devoid of any tendency to smear or streak and are further said to be easily applied with a minimum of physical effort. Brandl et al. teach however that the use of silicones of diverse types, i.e. organopolysiloxanes, while beneficial from the standpoint of luster, gloss and durability nevertheless fail to provide appreciable mitigation of the smear problem as they view it. The emulsion polish compositions disclosed by Brandl et al. are thus said to possess a "particularly high resistance to smearing."
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,533, Schnurrbusch et al. disclose certain wax-containing surface-polish compositions which are said to be resistant to "finger-marking". Such compositions are disclosed as containing an organopolysiloxane (such as dimethylsiloxane), a wax, and a specified so-called "organosiloxane" containing an alkyl, an alkenyl, or a monocyclic aryl radical.
The present invention, in contradistinction to the prior art briefly discussed hereinabove, approaches the so-called "smear problem" in a manner which is markedly different from the approach set forth either in U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,622 to Brandl et al. or in U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,533 to Schnurrbusch et al. The present invention, in particular, enhances the smear-recovery properties of the emulsion polish compositions disclosed herein. Indeed, the unexpected and significant increase in smear recovery which is attributable to the polysiloxane copolymers of our present invention, is shown in the comparative-example data presented hereinbelow. In particular, the smear-recovery properties of the novel emulsion polish compositions disclosed herein were not recognized by any of the prior-art polish formulators whose work we reviewed
The prior-art references which we reviewed while disclosing numerous furniture polishes using polysiloxanes, thus do not teach, disclose or even suggest the novel polysiloxane copolymers of our present invention. In particular, and as mentioned above, the novel polysiloxane copolymers of our invention have been demonstrated, by comparative example, as being unexpectedly superior over prior-art polysiloxanes such as polydimethylsiloxane. Indeed, it was only through our present discovery that the surprising smear-recovery properties of the emulsion polish compositions of the present invention came to light.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,698,805 to Currie et al., for example, there are disclosed certain conventional polishes which are said to be easy to apply. Such conventional emulsion polish compositions contain a hydrocarbon-soluble organopolysiloxane having from 1 to 3 aryl, alkyl, or arylkyl radicals per silicon atom. Such emulsion polish compositions further include a hydrocarbon solvent a specified aluminum stearate compound, and water. The alkyl radicals which Currie et al. disclose are methyl, ethyl, propyl and octadecyl. The polish compositions disclosed by Currie et al., furthermore, are said to be smear-free. In contradistinction, the polish compositions of our present invention do indeed smear; but, upon being smeared, recover more rapidly than conventional compositions containing conventional polydimethylsiloxane polymers of comparable viscosity and/or weight-average molecular weight relative to the above-mentioned polymeric siloxanes disclosed herein.
Indeed the concept of rapid smear recovery is not disclosed or even suggested by Currie et al. Moreover, the preferred organopolysiloxane disclosed in the Currie '805 patent, namely dimethylpolysiloxane fluid, is shown hereinbelow as being inferior to the siloxane-containing compositions of the present invention with regard to smear-recovery properties.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 2,523,281 to Currie, is directed to automobile polishes containing an organopolysiloxane having from 1 to 3 aryl, alkyl or alkaryl radicals per silicon atom. Such automobile polishes also include a hydrocarbon solvent, finely-divided silica of a specified particle size, an emulsifying agent, and water. The disclosed alkyl radicals include methyl, ethyl, propyl, and octadecyl. Disclosed in this patent, furthermore, as the preferred organo polysiloxanes, are certain dimethylpolysiloxanes which are shown hereinbelow as possessing inferior smear-recovery properties as compared to those siloxanes utilized in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
Still other patents, disclosing the use of polysiloxanes in furniture-care compositions, do not disclose the novel emulsion polish compositions of the present invention. In particular, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4.163.673 to Dechert; 4,354,871 to Sutton; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,646 to Sandvick all disclose that dimethyl polysiloxane or polydimethyl siloxane is an especially-preferred polysiloxane for use in furniture polish compositions. Such siloxanes however form no part of the novel emulsion polish compositions of the present invention.
Indeed, the prior art does not disclose or even suggest the specific poly(dimethyl)-co-poly(methylalkyl) siloxane and poly(dimethyl)-co-poly(methyl, oxygen-containing) siloxane copolymers of the present invention; nor does the prior art disclose or even suggest the unexpected smear-recovery properties of compositions containing the siloxane copolymers of the present invention.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,035 to Ona et al. discloses wax compositions comprising certain hydrocarbon ester-containing organopolysiloxanes, i.e. specified organopolysiloxanes containing at least one silicon-bonded hydrocarbon-ester group. The Ona et al. patent does not, however, teach or even suggest the usefulness of alkylene oxide polysiloxanes. Ona et al., in particular, teach away from using alkylene oxide polysiloxanes, as is shown by way of their so-called "solution D", as presented in their Example 2. That is, Ona et al., in their Example 2, specifically report that a polysiloxane having a side chain containing an alkylene oxide having the following formula EQU (CH.sub.2).sub.3 O(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.20 (C.sub.3 H.sub.6 O).sub.20 H
produced a coating on a metal panel which, after being subjected to a 20-hour water shower, was deemed to be unacceptable in luster, water-repellency and durability.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,250 to Kasprzak, there is disclosed a wax-containing and/or abrasive-containing formulation which includes a cyclodimethyl siloxane fluid and a polydiorgano siloxane polyoxyalkylene copolymer. The disclosed polish formulation may also include a specific silicon-glycol copolymer having the following formula EQU (CH.sub.3).sub.3 SiO[(CH.sub.3).sub.2 SiO].sub.x [G(CH.sub.3)SiO].sub.y Si(CH.sub.3).sub.3
wherein x has an average value of 0 to 10, y has an average value of 1 to 10, G has the formula, --D--(OC.sub.2 H.sub.4).sub.z OH, with D being an alkylene radical containing from 2 to 10 carbon atoms and z having an average value of from 6 to 20. This patent, however, does not mention smear resistance or smear recovery; nor does this patent otherwise disclose either the specific poly(dimethyl)-co-poly(methylalkyl) siloxane or poly(dimethyl)-co-poly(methyl, oxygen-containing) siloxane copolymers of the present invention.
Additionally U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,869 to Lahr et al. discloses floor polishes which are said to possess desirable so-called "leveling" properties as well as acceptable "scuff-resistance" properties. Such floor polishes comprise a wax, a modified rosin, an emulsifying agent, and a polysiloxane-oxyalkylene block copolymer having a molecular weight below about 25,000 and a polysiloxane content in the range of from about 30 to about 60 percent by weight. U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,338 to Pater also discloses a polish formulation comprising a polysiloxane-oxyalkylene block copolymer and a wax. Neither patent, however, discloses or even suggests "smear recovery", or otherwise discloses the specific poly(dimethyl)-co-poly(methylalkyl) siloxane or poly(dimethyl)-co-poly(methyl, oxygen-containing) siloxane copolymers of our present invention.
From the above discussion, it can either be implied that the smear-recovery problems associated with certain prior-art polish compositions are not appreciated or, if such problems have become recognized by those skilled in the art, it can be implied that an acceptable solution to the smear-recovery problem is still generally unknown to those skilled in the art.
Accordingly there is presently a need for polish compositions which possess rapid smear-recovery properties. One object of our invention, therefore, is to provide polish compositions for furniture and other similar household items, wherein such polish compositions exhibit rapid smear-recovery qualities.
It is yet another object of our invention to provide furniture polish compositions which may be applied and removed with a minimum of effort, and which possess not only rapid smear-recovery properties but also acceptable so-called "depth-of-gloss" characteristics as well.
The foregoing, as well as other objects, features and advantages of our invention will become more readily clear to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following summary and detailed description.