Stable hydroalcoholic compositions

Abstract

Disclosed is a composition including a lower alcohol and water in a weight ratio of about 35:65 to 100:0, between at least 0.5% and 8.0% by weight thickener system comprised of at least two emulsifiers, each emulsifier present in at least 0.05% by weight and wherein each emulsifier is comprised of at least one hydrophobic group and at least one hydrophilic group. The composition is useful as a presurgical scrub replacement, a lotion or other hand preparation.

1 . A hydroalcoholic foam comprising:
 a hydroalcoholic solvent comprising a lower alcohol and water in a weight ratio of about 60:40 to about 95:5; wherein the lower alcohol is present in the hydroalcoholic foam in an amount of at least 60 wt-%;   a polyether/polysiloxane copolymer; and   a surfactant or emulsifier other than a polyether/polysiloxane copolymer;   wherein the total amount of surfactant or emulsifier other than polyether/polysiloxane copolymer is present in the hydroalcoholic foam in an amount of less than 5% by weight of the total foam.   
     
     
         2 . The foam of  claim 1  further comprising at least one emollient that is a wax at room temperature and at least one emollient that is a liquid at room temperature, wherein the weight ratio of wax to liquid emollients is from 5:1 to 1:5. 
     
     
         3 . The foam of  claim 1  further comprising a mixture of emollients, wherein the mixture comprises an occlusive emollient and a humectant. 
     
     
         4 . The foam of  claim 1  wherein the total amount of surfactant or emulsifier other than polyether/polysiloxane copolymer is less than 4% by weight of the total foam. 
     
     
         5 . The foam of  claim 4  wherein the total amount of surfactant or emulsifier other than polyether/polysiloxane copolymer is less than 3% by weight of the total foam. 
     
     
         6 . The foam of  claim 1  wherein the hydroalcoholic solvent comprises a lower alcohol and water in a weight ratio of about 60:40 to about 85:15. 
     
     
         7 . The foam of  claim 1  wherein the polyether/polysiloxane copolymer surfactant has the following chemical structure:
   (CH 3 ) 3 —Si—O—[Si(CH 3 )R 11 —O] x [Si(CH 3 )R 8 —O] y —Si(CH 3 ) 3  
 
 where x+y=5-400, and
 R 8  is a polyether substituted alkyl group with the structure:
   —R 9 —O(C 2 H 4 O) p (C 3 H 6 O) q R 10 ;
 
 
 
 where
 R 9  is an alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; 
 R 10  is hydrogen or an alky group of 1-22 carbon atoms; 
 R 11  is an alkyl group of 1 to 22 carbon atoms or phenyl; 
 p=2-300; and 
 q=0-100. 
 
 
     
     
         8 . The foam of  claim 1  wherein the polyether/polysiloxane copolymer is present in an amount of at least 0.8%. 
     
     
         9 . The foam of  claim 1  further comprising an antimicrobial agent distinct from the lower alcohol. 
     
     
         10 . A hydroalcoholic foam comprising:
 a hydroalcoholic solvent comprising a lower alcohol and water in a weight ratio of about 60:40 to about 95:5; wherein the lower alcohol is present in the hydroalcoholic foam in an amount of at least 60 wt-%;   a polyether/polysiloxane copolymer;   an antimicrobial agent distinct from the lower alcohol; and   optionally, a surfactant or emulsifier other than a polyether/polysiloxane copolymer;   wherein the total amount of surfactant or emulsifier other than polyether/polysiloxane copolymer, if present, is less than 5% by weight of the total foam.   
     
     
         11 . The foam of  claim 10  further comprising at least one emollient that is a wax at room temperature and at least one emollient that is a liquid at room temperature, wherein the weight ratio of wax to liquid emollients is from 5:1 to 1:5. 
     
     
         12 . The foam of  claim 10  further comprising a mixture of emollients, wherein the mixture comprises an occlusive emollient and a humectant. 
     
     
         13 . The foam of  claim 10  wherein the total amount of surfactant or emulsifier other than polyether/polysiloxane copolymer, if present, is less than 4% by weight of the total foam. 
     
     
         14 . The foam of  claim 13  wherein the total amount of surfactant or emulsifier other than polyether/polysiloxane copolymer, if present, is less than 3% by weight of the total foam. 
     
     
         15 . The foam of  claim 10  wherein the hydroalcoholic solvent comprises a lower alcohol and water in a weight ratio of about 60:40 to about 85:15. 
     
     
         16 . The foam of  claim 10  wherein the polyether/polysiloxane copolymer surfactant has the following chemical structure:
   (CH 3 ) 3 —Si—O—[Si(CH 3 )R 11 —O] x [Si(CH 3 )R 8 —O] y —Si(CH 3 ) 3  
 
 where
 x+y=5-400, and 
 R 8  is a polyether substituted alkyl group with the structure:
   —R 9 —O(C 2 H 4 O) p (C 3 H 6 O) q R 10 ;
 
 
 
 where
 R 9  is an alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; 
 R 10  is hydrogen or an alky group of 1-22 carbon atoms; 
 R 11  is an alkyl group of 1 to 22 carbon atoms or phenyl; 
 p=2-300; and 
 q=0-100. 
 
 
     
     
         17 . The foam of  claim 10  wherein the polyether/polysiloxane copolymer is present in an amount of at least 0.8%. 
     
     
         18 . The foam of  claim 10  further comprising at least one additional emollient other than the polyether/polysiloxane copolymer. 
     
     
         19 . The foam of  claim 10  wherein the antimicrobial agent is a chlorhexidene salt. 
     
     
         20 . A hydroalcoholic foam comprising:
 a hydroalcoholic solvent comprising a lower alcohol and water in a weight ratio of about 60:40 to about 95:5; wherein the lower alcohol is present in the hydroalcoholic foam in an amount of at least 60 wt-%;   a polyether/polysiloxane copolymer; and   a mixture of emollients, wherein the mixture comprises an occlusive emollient and a humectant.   
     
     
         21 . The foam of  claim 20  wherein the mixture of emollients comprises two or more selected from the group consisting of a poly(ethylene oxide) homopolymer, a poly(alkylene oxide) homopolymer, a poly(alkylene oxide) copolymer, a polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene glycol, an alkyl phenol with 6 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain condensed with 2 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide, a mono- or di-fatty acid ester of ethylene glycol wherein the fatty acid moiety contains from 10 to 20 carbon atoms, a fatty acid monoglyceride wherein the fatty acid moiety contains from 10 to 20 carbon atoms, a polyethylene glycols of molecular weight 200 to 6000, a polyoxyethylene sorbitol, a hydrophilic wax ester, an ethoxylated glyceride, a polyoxyethylene polyol fatty acid ester, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The foam of  claim 20  wherein at least one emollient is a wax at room temperature and at least one emollient is a liquid at room temperature, wherein the weight ratio of wax to liquid emollients is from 5:1 to 1:5. 
     
     
         23 . The foam of  claim 22  wherein at least one emollient is a wax at room temperature and at least one emollient is a liquid at room temperature, wherein the weight ratio of wax to liquid emollients is from 3:1 to 1:3. 
     
     
         24 . The foam of  claim 20  further comprising an antimicrobial agent distinct from the lower alcohol. 
     
     
         25 . The foam of  claim 20  further comprising a surfactant or emulsifier other than a polyether/polysiloxane copolymer. 
     
     
         26 . The foam of  claim 25  wherein the surfactant or emulsifier comprises at least one long chain hydrocarbon of at least 18 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         27 . A hydroalcoholic foam comprising:
 a hydroalcoholic solvent comprising a lower alcohol and water in a weight ratio of about 60:40 to about 95:5;   a polyether/polysiloxane copolymer;   at least one emulsifier or surfactant other than a polyether/polysiloxane copolymer;   at least one emollient other than the polyether/polysiloxane copolymer;   wherein the total amount of surfactant or emulsifier other than polyether/polysiloxane copolymer is present in an amount of less than 5% by weight of the total foam;   wherein the emulsifier or surfactant is selected from the group consisting of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)alcohol, a derivative of a poly(ethoxylated and/or propoxylated)ester, an alkyl alcohol, an alkenyl alcohol, an ester of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyhydric alcohol, an ester of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, an ether of a polyalkoxylated derivative of a polyhydric alcohol, a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a polyalkoxylated derivative of a sorbitan fatty acid ester, and mixture thereof; and   wherein the emollient is selected from the group consisting of a poly(ethylene oxide) homopolymer, a poly(alkylene oxide) homopolymer, a poly(alkylene oxide) copolymer, a polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene glycol, an alkyl phenol with 6 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain condensed with 2 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide, a mono- or di-fatty acid ester of ethylene glycol wherein the fatty acid moiety contains from 10 to 20 carbon atoms, a fatty acid monoglyceride wherein the fatty acid moiety contains from 10 to 20 carbon atoms, a polyethylene glycols of molecular weight 200 to 6000, a polyoxyethylene sorbitol, a hydrophilic wax ester, an ethoxylated glyceride, a polyoxyethylene polyol fatty acid ester, and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
         28 . A method of controlling infection comprising disinfecting hands using a hydroalcoholic foam comprising:
 a hydroalcoholic solvent comprising a lower alcohol and water in a weight ratio of about 60:40 to about 95:5; wherein the lower alcohol is present in the hydroalcoholic foam in an amount of at least 60 wt-%; and   a polyether/polysiloxane copolymer;   wherein the foam does not detrimentally affect the tear strength of surgical gloves.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the foam further comprises an antimicrobial agent distinct from the lower alcohol. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the foam further comprises an emollient other than the polyether/polysiloxane copolymer. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the foam further comprises a surfactant or emulsifier other than polyether/polysiloxane copolymer. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the total amount of surfactant or emulsifier other than polyether/polysiloxane copolymer, if present, is less than 5% by weight of the total foam. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the surfactant or emulsifier comprises at least one long chain hydrocarbon of at least 18 carbon atoms.