Appeal No. 2000-1006
Application 08/974,148
based solutions, most organic materials are insoluble in water
and cannot be removed by simply washing them in water. Id. at
lines 11-15.
According to appellant, the present invention provides
a method of cleaning solid surfaces to remove adherent water
insoluble organic materials that do not ionize in water using a
water-based cleaning solution. Specification, page 2, lines 21-
25; claim 1. The aqueous cleaning solution consists essentially
of an oxidant and a pH adjusting agent. The oxidant is added in
an amount sufficient to convert the water insoluble organic
materials to an ionized form having a charge which is the same
charge as that of the solid surface. Claim 1. According to
appellant, this causes the organic residue to be repelled from
the surface being cleaned. Specification, page 5, lines 1-5.
The pH adjusting agent is added in an amount sufficient to
provide a pH either greater than or less than the isoelectric
point (“IEP”) of the solid surface, depending on whether the
insoluble organic material is an acid type, or a basic type,
respectively. Claim 1. The reason for this is explained in the
Specification as follows:
5
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