Surface cleaner

Abstract

The present invention relates to photocatalytic compositions effective to degrade soils deposited on a surface, to reduce the accumulation of soils on a surface, and to act as an antimicrobial agent. The invention also describes methods employing said compositions, and uses thereof.

1 . A composition comprising a photocatalyst, and a metal complex sensitiser comprising a ligand with a conjugated π system, which absorbs light substantially in the visible and/or the infrared region of the spectrum, effective to deposit a functional residue of said composition on a surface.  
     
     
         2 . A composition as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the atom within said metal complex sensitiser is any one or more of the following: ruthenium, platinum, palladium, iridium, rhodium, osmium, rhenium, iron, copper, titanium and zinc.  
     
     
         3 . A composition as claimed in  claim 1  or  claim 2  wherein the metal complex sensitiser includes any one or more of the following: heterocyclic complexes which contain polypyridine, macrocyclic or phthalocyanine ligands and optionally other ligand types wherein at least one of the nitrogen groups is displaced by other donor groups  
     
     
         4 . A composition as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the sensitising agent includes any one or more of the following: ruthenium II, III or IV or mixed oxidation state chelating complexes containing nitrogen donor atoms.  
     
     
         5 . A composition as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  3  wherein the sensitising agent includes any one or more of the following: a ruthenium(II), (III), (IV) or a mixed oxidation state polypyridine complex.  
     
     
         6 . A composition as claimed in  claim 1  or  claim 2  wherein said sensitising agent includes any one or more of the following groups: terpyridyl, bipyridyl groups, phthalocyanines, phorphyrins, tetra-aza-annulenes, pyrazines, phenanthrolines and derivatives thereof and compounds with substantially similar nitrogen based ring systems.  
     
     
         7 . A composition as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said sensitising agent further includes any one or more of R 4 N+ or R 4 P+ groups wherein each R group may be the same or different and is any one or more of the following groups: hydrogen, halogen, amine, alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, heterocyclic groups, or derivatives thereof, including acid and ester derivatives, any of which may be branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted,.  
     
     
         8 . A composition as claimed either of  claim 6  and  claim 7  wherein the sensitising agent includes a terpyridyl group of general formula I shown below:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       Where at least one of R1, R2 and R3 are positively charged groups which has the general formula II shown below:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       Where R5-R7 are any one or more of the following groups: hydrogen, halogen, amine, alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, heterocyclic groups, or derivatives thereof, including acid and ester derivatives, any of which may be branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted,.  
     
     
         9 . A composition as claimed in either  claim 6  or  claim 7  wherein the sensitising agent includes a bipyridyl group of the general formula (III) shown below:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       Where R8 and R9 can be the same or different and is any one or more of the following groups: hydrogen, halogen, amine, alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, heterocyclic groups, or derivatives thereof, including acid and ester derivatives, any of which may be branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted, R2 may be the same or different from R3 and is any one or more of the following groups: hydrogen, halogen, amine, alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, heterocyclic groups, or derivatives thereof, including acid and ester derivatives, any of which may be branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted,  
     
     
         10 . A composition as claimed in either  claim 6  or  claim 7  wherein the sensitising agent includes a phthalocyanine group of molecules and derivatives thereof having the general formula (IV) shown below:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       Where each R group may be the same or different and are one or more the following groups: hydrogen, halogen, amine, alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, heterocyclic groups, or derivatives thereof, including acid and ester derivatives, any of which may be branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted,.  
     
     
         11 . A composition as claimed in  claim 6  or  claim 7  wherein the sensitising agent includes a tetra-aza-annulene group and derivatives thereof and is described by the general formula shown (V) below:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       Where R1-R4 may be the same or different and is any one or more of the following groups: hydrogen, halogen, amine, alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, heterocyclic groups, or derivatives thereof, including acid and ester derivatives, any of which may be branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted,  
     
     
         12 . A composition as claimed in any preceding claim which is a liquid.  
     
     
         13 . A composition any claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the light absorbing agent comprises no more than 50% w/v of said composition.  
     
     
         14 . A composition as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the sensitising agent comprises no more than 1% w/v of said composition.  
     
     
         15 . A composition as claimed in any one of  claims 12  to  14  which has a pH less than 7.  
     
     
         16 . A composition as claimed in any one of  claims 12  to  14  which has a pH of 7 or more.  
     
     
         17 . A composition as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  16  further comprising a doping agent.  
     
     
         18 . A composition as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the doping agent is any one or more of the following: platinum, palladium, cobalt, tungsten, chromium, silver, copper, nickel or iron, and/or compounds and complexes thereof.  
     
     
         19 . A composition as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a wetting agent which is any one or more of the following: Igepal® CA-520 [polyoxyethylene(5) isooctylphenyl ether], Igepal® CA-630 [(octylphenoxy)polyethoxyethanol], Igepal® CA-730 [polyoxyethylene(12) isooctylphenyl ether].  
     
     
         20 . A sensitising agent which includes any one or more of the following groups: terpyridyl, bipyridyl groups, phthalocyanines, phorphyrins, tetra-aza-annulenes, pyrazines, phenothralines and derivitives thereof and compounds with substantially similar nitrogen based ring systems.  
     
     
         21 . A sensitising agent as claimed in  claim 20  which further includes any one or more of R 4 N+ or R 4 P+ groups wherein each R group may be the same or different and is any one or more of the following groups: hydrogen, halogen, amine, alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, heterocyclic groups, or derivatives thereof, including acid and ester derivatives, any of which may be branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted,  
     
     
         22 . A sensitising agent as claimed in  claim 20  or  21  having one or more of the features of  claims 8  to  11 .  
     
     
         23 . The use of a sensitising agent according to the present invention for the sensitisation of a light absorbing agent on a surface such that soils present on the surface are substantially broken down and/or the rate of accumulation of such soils on a surface is significantly diminished.