Protective masking solutions comprising thixotropic film formers

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 solution of: 
 i) a thixotropic thickener present in an amount ranging from about 0.15 to about 5 weight percent active ingredient; and  
 ii) a pH control to adjust pH of said masking material from about pH 7.5 to about pH 9.5;  
   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 coating is performed before said masking material is dried.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said coating is performed after said masking material is dried.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said overcoating compound is paint.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said surface is a surface of a vehicle.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said surface is a surface of an automobile.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said surface comprises a painted surface of an automobile.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said surface comprises a bumper or trim of a vehicle.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said thixotropic thickener is a thickener selected from the group consisting of Carbopol™ EP-1, and Albucril ESP.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pH control comprises a base.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pH control comprises a base selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, an amine, and sodium bicarbonate.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said masking material further comprises a surfactant.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said masking material further comprises a surfactant present in an amount effective to produce a coating that lays out smoothly in a substantially continuous film of the painted surface of an automobile.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said surfactant is present at less than about 1 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said surfactant comprises a non-ionic surfactant.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said surfactant comprises an alcohol ethoxylate.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said surfactant comprises TOMADOL™ 91-6 and TRITON™ DF-16.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said masking material further comprises a viscosity control.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said viscosity control is a salt.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said viscosity control comprises sodium sulfate.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said viscosity control ranges up to about 2.0 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said masking material further comprises an alcohol.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said alcohol is a straight chain alcohol.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said alcohol is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, methanol, and propanol.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said alcohol is present in a concentration ranging up to about 20 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said masking material further comprises a biocide.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said biocide ranges up to about 0.2 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said biocide comprises Kathon LX 14.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said masking material further comprises a humectant.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said humectant ranges up to about 5 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said humectant comprises polyethylene glycol.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said masking material further comprises a flash corrosion inhibitor.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said flash corrosion inhibitor comprises up to about 0.01 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said flash corrosion inhibitor comprises ammonium benzoate.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said masking material further comprises: 
 a surfactant;    a flash corrosion inhibitor;    a viscosity control;    an alcohol; and    a humectant.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein: 
 said thixotropic thickener ranges from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material;    said pH control is sufficient to set the pH of said masking about pH 7.5 to about pH 9.5;    said surfactant comprises less than about 1 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material;    said flash corrosion inhibitor comprises from about 0 to about 0.2 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material;    said viscosity control comprises a salt ranging from about 0 to about 2 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material;    said alcohol comprises from about 0 to about 20 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material; and    said humectant comprises from about 0 to about 5 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein: 
 said thixotropic thickener is EP-1;    said pH control is sodium hydroxide;    said surfactant is a nonanionic surfactant;    said flash corrosion inhibitor is ammonium benzoate;    said viscosity control agent is sodium sulfate;    said alcohol is ethanol; and    said humectant is polyethylene glycol.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein: 
 said thixotropic thickener ranges from about 1 to about 2 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material;    said pH control is sufficient to set the pH of said masking about pH 8.5 to about pH 9.5;    said surfactant comprises less than about 0.5 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material;    said flash corrosion inhibitor comprises less than about 0.01 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material;    said viscosity control comprises less than about 0.15 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material;    said alcohol comprises less than about 0.4 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material; and    said humectant comprises less than about 0.15 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material.    
     
     
         39 . A masking composition for the temporary protection of a surface during a coating procedure, said masking composition comprising an aqueous solution of: 
 i) a thixotropic thickener present in an amount ranging from about 0.15 to about 5 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition; and    ii) a pH control to adjust pH of said masking composition from about pH 7.5 to about pH 9.5.    
     
     
         40 . The composition of  claim 39 , wherein said thixotropic thickener is a thickener selected from the group consisting of CARBOPOL™ EP1, and Albucril ESP.  
     
     
         41 . The composition of  claim 39 , wherein said pH control comprises a base.  
     
     
         42 . The composition of  claim 39 , wherein said pH control comprises a base selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, an amine, and sodium bicarbonate.  
     
     
         43 . The composition of  claim 39 , wherein said masking composition further comprises a surfactant.  
     
     
         44 . The composition of  claim 39 , wherein said masking composition further comprises a surfactant present in an amount effective to produce a coating that lays out smoothly in a substantially continuous film of the painted surface of an automobile.  
     
     
         45 . The composition of  claim 44 , wherein said surfactant is present at less than about 1 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material.  
     
     
         46 . The composition of  claim 44 , wherein, wherein said surfactant comprises a non-ionic surfactant.  
     
     
         47 . The composition of  claim 46 , wherein, wherein said surfactant comprises an alcohol ethoxylate.  
     
     
         48 . The composition of  claim 46 , wherein said surfactant comprises TOMADOL™ 91-6 and TRITON™ DF-16.  
     
     
         49 . The composition of  claim 39 , wherein said masking composition further comprises a viscosity control.  
     
     
         50 . The composition of  claim 49 , wherein said viscosity control is a salt.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said viscosity control comprises sodium sulfate.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said viscosity control ranges up to about 2.0 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition.  
     
     
         53 . The composition of  claim 39 , wherein said masking composition further comprises an alcohol.  
     
     
         54 . The composition of  claim 53 , wherein said alcohol is a straight chain alcohol.  
     
     
         55 . The composition of  claim 53 , wherein said alcohol is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, methanol, and propanol.  
     
     
         56 . The composition of  claim 53 , wherein said alcohol is present in a concentration ranging up to about 20 weight percent active ingredient of said masking material.  
     
     
         57 . The composition of  claim 39 , wherein said masking composition further comprises a biocide.  
     
     
         58 . The composition of  claim 57 , wherein said biocide ranges up to about 0.2 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition.  
     
     
         59 . The composition of  claim 57 , wherein said biocide comprises Kathon LX 14.  
     
     
         60 . The composition of  claim 39 , wherein said masking composition further comprises a humectant.  
     
     
         61 . The composition of  claim 60 , wherein said humectant ranges up to about 5 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition.  
     
     
         62 . The composition of  claim 60 , wherein said humectant comprises polyethylene glycol.  
     
     
         63 . The composition of  claim 39 , wherein said masking composition further comprises a flash corrosion inhibitor.  
     
     
         64 . The composition of  claim 63 , wherein said flash corrosion inhibitor comprises up to about 0.01 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition.  
     
     
         65 . The composition of  claim 63 , wherein said flash corrosion inhibitor comprises ammonium benzoate.  
     
     
         66 . The composition of  claim 39 , wherein said masking material further comprises: 
 a surfactant;    a flash corrosion inhibitor;    a viscosity control;    an alcohol; and    a humectant.    
     
     
         67 . The composition of  claim 66 , wherein: 
 said thixotropic thickener ranges from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition;    said pH control is sufficient to set the pH of said masking about pH 7.5 to about pH 9.5;    said surfactant comprises less than about 1 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition;    said flash corrosion inhibitor comprises from about 0 to about 0.2 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition;    said viscosity control comprises a salt ranging from about 0 to about 2 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition;    said alcohol comprises from about 0 to about 20 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition; and    said humectant comprises from about 0 to about 5 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition.    
     
     
         68 . The composition of  claim 67 , wherein: 
 said thixotropic thickener is EP-1;    said pH control is sodium hydroxide;    said surfactant is a nonionic surfactant;    said flash corrosion inhibitor is ammonium benzoate;    said viscosity control agent is sodium sulfate;    said alcohol is ethanol; and    said humectant is polyethylene glycol.    
     
     
         69 . The composition of  claim 68 , wherein: 
 said thixotropic thickener ranges from about 1 to about 2 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition;    said pH control is sufficient to set the pH of said masking about pH 8.5 to about pH 9.5;    said surfactant comprises less than about 0.5 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition;    said flash corrosion inhibitor comprises less than about 0.01 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition;    said viscosity control comprises less than about 0.15 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition;    said alcohol comprises less than about 0.4 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition; and    said humectant comprises less than about 0.15 weight percent active ingredient of said masking composition.    
     
     
         70 . A kit for temporarily protecting a surface, said kit comprising: 
 a container containing a masking material according to any of  claims 39  to  69 ; 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 any of  claims 39  to  69  in a painting operation.  
     
     
         72 . The advertising materials of  claim 71 , wherein said audio or audiovisual presentation comprises a medium selected from the group consisting of an audio tape, a compact disk, a video tape, a DVD, a view master, a slide show, an mpeg file, and a powerpoint presentation.  
     
     
         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 any of  claims 39  to  69 .  
     
     
         74 . The article of manufacture of  claim 73 , wherein said article of manufacture is an automobile or a component of an automobile.