Micell Technologies, Inc.

David F Cauble, Jr

James B McClain

Timothy J Romack

James P DeYoung

Bernadette Storey-Laubach

A method for dry-cleaning articles such as fabrics and clothing in carbon dioxide. The article includes a stained portion or region, which is pretreated with a pretreatment composition prior to initiating the cleaning cycle. The pretreatment step is followed by contacting the pretreated article to be cleaned with a liquid dry cleaning composition for a time sufficient to clean the article. The liquid dry-cleaning composition comprises a mixture of carbon dioxide, a surfactant, and an organic co-solvent. After the contacting step, the article is separated from the liquid dry cleaning composition. The pretreatment composition, in a preferred embodiment, comprises at least one of (a) a surfactant; (b) d-limonene, and (c) a C12-C15 alkane co-solvent. Preferably the pretreatment composition comprises at least two, and in some particularly preferred embodiments, the pretreatment composition comprises all three, of the aforesaid ingredients.

Pre-treatment methods and compositions for carbon dioxide dry cleaning

A method for dry-cleaning articles such as fabrics and clothing in carbon dioxide comprises contacting an article to be cleaned with a liquid dry cleaning composition for a time sufficient to clean the fabric. The liquid dry-cleaning composition comprises a mixture of carbon dioxide, a surfactant, and an organic co-solvent. After the contacting step, the article is separated from the liquid dry cleaning composition. The method is preferably carried out at ambient temperature. The surfactant is preferably one that does not contain a CO,-philic group. The organic co-solvent is preferably an alkane and has a flash point above 140&deg; F.

Dry cleaning methods and compositions

A liquid composition useful for suspending and dispensing a solid particulate comprises carbon dioxide, a surfactant, an organic co-solvent, and the solid particulate to be suspended. The composition may optionally contain water. The composition is useful as a propellant in an aerosol container for spraying the solid particulate from the container.

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Charlotte, NC, United States of America

David F Cauble, Jr