AU635107B2

AU635107B2 - A main wash detergent composition

Info

Publication number: AU635107B2
Application number: AU70253/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Emery George Philomena Cornelissens; Johnannes Pronk
Original assignee: Sara Lee DE NV
Current assignee: Sara Lee DE NV
Priority date: 1990-02-05
Filing date: 1991-02-05
Publication date: 1993-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 2011-02-05
Also published as: NO910422L; NO910422D0; AU7025391A; NL9000272A; EP0445852A1

Description

63510 I"s COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 0o 0 o0 o o o0 o o 0 a 0 0 0 0 t0 0 NAME ADDRESS OF APPLICANT: Sara Lee/DE N. V.

Keulsekade 143 3532 AA Utrecht The Netherlands NAME(S) OF INVENTOR(S): TO BE ADVISED ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON Patent Attorneys 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

000 o 0 0, 00 <3 0 S0 0 0 00 0 0 0 04, 0)r COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: A main wash detergent composition The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- I i- i i la- The invention relates to a phosphate-free laundry detergent composition in powdered form comprising a. a builder system based on 1. at least 20 wt.% soluble silicate (based on the detergent composition) in an Na20/SiO 2 ratio less than or equal to 1/2, 2. sodium carbonate and/or sodium bicarbonate b. 0.5 to 10 wt.% anionic polymer c. anionic and/or non-ionic surfactant, and d. if desired, conventional additives.

Conventional laundry detergent compositions are based on a builder system consisting of, sodium carbonate and/or sodium bicarbonate, optionally in combination with silicates. These silicates are mainly insoluble, poorly soluble or slowly soluble silicates such as sodium aluminosilicate and metasilicate. Since the combination of soda and silica generally gave rise to incrustation, the content thereof was reduced, while furthermore the use of anionic polymers was introduced. The latter also had a positive effect on the reduction of incrustation.

German patent application 38 25 858 discloses a phosphate-containing detergent composition having incorporated therein a metasilicate and an acrylic acid (co)polymer.

The use of the known insoluble or poorly soluble silicates has the drawback that this material is relatively expensive, while furthermore it is rather detrimental to the environment. Moreover, the use thereof leads to fibre incrustation.

Surprisingly, it has been found possible to manufacture a phosphate-free detergent composition starting from the combination of sodium carbonate and/or S 25 sodium bicarbonate with at least 20 wt.% soluble silicate, without any problems with S incrustation, there being obtained an 921222,q:\oper\ee,70253SARREL..

i. L excellent primary and secondary detergency. Since insoluble or poorly soluble silicates are not used, the drawbacks observed in the prior art do not occur.

The invention therefore relates to a\ia -w-s detergent compositioncomprising a. a builder system based on 1. at least 20 wt.% soluble silicate (based on the detergent composition) in an Na20O/SiO 2 ratio less than or equal to 1/2, 2. sodium carbonate and/or sodium bicarbonate b. 0.s to 10 wt.% anionic polymer c. anionic and/or non-ionic surfactant, and d. if desired, conventional additives.

An essential component of the detergent composition according to the invention is formed by the soluble silicate preferably having a solubility of at least 2 g/l in demiwater.

The amount thereof is preferably at least 25 wt.%.

The soluble silicate has an Na 2 O/SiO 2 ratio less than or equal to 1/2 and is preferably selected from the group consisting of disilicate, trisilicate and laminar silicate.

The detergent composition according to the invention also contains a polymeric component. This polymeric component consists of at least one anionic polymer and has, in combination with the builder system based on soda and soluble silicate, the surprising effect that the incrustation is optimally reduced.

0 0, Although a product completely free from phosphorus compounds is preferred, the detergent composition may also -30 contain a phosphonate in another embodiment of the invention.

This phosphonate may be present in amounts of 0.1 to 5 wt.%, based on the weight of the detergent composition. Preferably, the content is not more than 1 The effect of the phosphonate is that the incrustation is reduced even more strongly, while also a bleaching agent optionally present is stabilised.

I

Apart from the above-mentioned components, the detergent composition may also contain other conventional components such as filler, bleach system, enzyme, dye, optical brightener, perfume, hydrotrope, fabric softener, soap, antiredeposition agent etc. The amounts and exact nature of these components are not critical. The components conventional in detergent compositions may be used in normal amounts. In general, the amount of these components, with the exception of the filler and the water, range from 0.5 to 10 If a filler is used, the amount thereof preferably ranges from i to Preferably, however, no filler is used. The amount of free water in the system is preferably kept as low as possible. Conventional amounts range from 0.1 to 5 wt.%.

The anionic polymer is used in an amount of from So s -eo o to /o 5 to 10 The anionic polymer preferably used is a polymer with sulphonate groups, more in particular a polymer or copolymer of styrene sulphonic acid and/or vinyl sulphonic %o 0 acid. Moreover, there may be present a polymer selected from the group of polymers and copolymers of acrylate, methacrylate and/or maleate. Such a polymer is used in an amount of from to 10 wt.%.

The washing-active component is preferably a non-ionic surfactant, selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide adducts of fatty "J5 alcohols, in combination with an anionic surfactant such as dodecyl benzenesulphonate and/or a fatty acid soap. The amount of washing-active substance, i.e. the amount of anionic and non-ionic surfactant together is most preferably at least based on the weight of the detergent composition.

30 The detergent composition is Ga f in powdered form andobtaine-d by spray-drying all or a portion of the components to an average particle size of from 0.1 to mm, preferably to particles having an average size of from 0.3 to 1.4 mm. In case not all components are spray-dried, the rest of the components can be atomized onto the spray-dried granules. It is also possible, however, to mix the components -4in dry condition, or to spray-dry a portion and to mix the resulting granules with the rest of the components.

The overall makeup of the detergent composition according to the invention is preferably: a. a builder system based on 1. at least 20 wt.% soluble silicate (based on the detergent composition), 2. 5 to 20 wt.% sodium carbonate and/or sodium bicarbonate, b. 0.5 to 10 wt.% anionic polymer c. 5 to 20 wt.% anionic and/or non-ionic surfactant, and d. 0.5 to 50 wt.% conventional additives.

It is preferred that the content of the builder system based on the anhydrous product ranges from 25 to 90 It is further preferred that the content of the surfactant based on the anhydrous product ranges from 5 to 40 wt.%.

The pH of the detergent composition according to the invention is preferably 10-12 as 1 wt.% solution in water having a hardness of 14 DH, preferably 10 to 11.

The invention will now be illustrated by some examples.

EXAMPLE 1 A powdered detergent composition having an average particle size of about 1.0 mm was manufactured by spraying the major part of the components, with the S" exception of the enzyme, the perfume and the perborate. These were added later.

The resulting product had the following composition: S28.6 wt.% sodium disilicate wt.% soda 2.4 wt.% Sokalan CP 7 (copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic acid) 0.3 wt.% Dequest (phosphonate) 20.0 wt.% sodium perborate.4 aq.

5.2 wt.% sodium soap 5.7 wt.% sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate 1.0 wt.% Lutensol. 7 EO 22.6 wt.% sodium sulphonate wt.% water 0.6 wt% carboxymethyl cellulose 11A V 0.2 wt.% DMS-X (optically bright) 0.3 wt.% protease 0.2 wt.% perfume This product was tested on laundry soiled in the household in a bundle test in comparison with the same amount (180 g) of regular main wash detergent composition on the basis of SAS (sodium aluminosilicate) and with the same amount of main wash detergent composition on the basis of STP (phosphate).

Both at 600 and at 90C an equal primary detergency and incrustation was obtained, while at both temperatures the product according to the invention showed less redeposition.

EXAMPLE 2 and Comparative Example Two powdered detergent compositions having an average particle size of about 1.0 mm were manufactured by spraying the major portion of the components, with the exception of the enzyme, the perfume and the perborate. These were added later.

The resulting products had the composition given in Table 1.

These detergent compositions were tested in order to determine the degree of incrustation. On cotton the comparative product with metasilicate showed an ash residue after clay test of On polyester cotton this was For the composition according to the invention these values were respectively 2.8% 215 and 2.2%.

II

TABLE 1 Comparison Invention 25.68 sodium disilicate 25.68 sodium metasilicate 25.68 25.68 sodium bicarbonate 2.05 2.05 Sokalan CP 7 (copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic acid) 0.15 0.15 Dequest (phosphonate) 13.70 13.70 sodium perborate.4 aq.

8.0 sodium soap 8.0 8.0 sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate 6.8 6.8 TAED 1.87 1.87 Lutensol. 7 EO 1.0 carboxymethyl cellulose 0.2 0.2 DMS-X (optically bright) 0.5 protease 0.2 0.2 perfume 6.17 6.17 balance (water etc.) 00-.r 04 4 or 00 '-25 B5 I: o EXAMPLE 3 A compact powdered detergent composition was manufactured by mixing the components. The resulting product had the composition given in Table 2. This detergent composition was tested in order to determine the degree of incrustation. On cotton the product showed an ash residue after clay test of On polyester cotton this was 1.4%.

1 TABLE 2 37 .0 10.8 4.6 1.8 7.7 10.8 6.2 3.1 0.9 0.2 0.2 10.2 sodium disilicate sodium carbonate sodium bicarbonate Sokalan CP 7 (copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic acid) Dequest (phosphonate) sodium perborate.4 aq.

sodium soap sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate

TAED

Lutensol. 7 EO carboxymethyl cellulose DMS-X (optically bright) protease perfume balance (water etc.) C) C) C) Ca CC)) .4 ro C

Claims

1. A phosphate-free laundry detergent composition in powdered form comprising a. a builder system based on 1. at least 20 wt.% soluble silicate (based on the detergent composition) in an Na20/SiO 2 ratio less than or equal to 1/2,

2. sodium carbonate and/or sodium bicarbonate b. 0.5 to 10 wt.% anionic polymer c. anionic and/or non-ionic surfactant, and d. if desired, conventional additives. 2. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in claim 1, in which the conventional additives are selected from the group consisting of filler, bleach system, enzyme, dye, optical brightener, perfume, water, hydrotrope, fabric softener, soap, antiredeposition agent and combinations thereof.

3. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in claim 1 o: 2, in which the soluble silicate has a solubility of at least 2 g/l in demiwater.

4. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in any one of claims 1-3, in which the soluble silicate is selected from the group consisting of disilicate, trisilicate and laminar silicate. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in any one of claims 1-4, which also contains a phosphonate.

6. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in any one of claims 1-5, in which the anionic polymer contains sulphonate groups.

7. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in claim 6, in which the polymer s a polymer or copolymer of styrene sulphonic acid and/or vinyl sulphonic acid. 921222,q:\oper\ee,70253SARRES,8 -9-

8. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in any one of claims 1-7, in which there is also present a polymer selected from the group of polymers and copolymers oi .crylate, methacrylate and/or maleate.

9. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in any one of claims 1-8, in which the content of the anionic polymer ranges from 1.0 to 7 wt.%. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in any one of claims 1-9, in which the surfactant is a non-ionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide adducts of fatty alcohols, in combination with an anionic surfactant such as dodecyl benzene sulphonate.

11. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in any one of claims 1-10, in which the builder system is based on 20 to 60 wt.% soluble silicate, 5 to 20 wt.% sodium carbonate and/or sodium bicarbonate and 0.5 to 10 wt.% anionic polymer.

12. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in any one of claims 1-11, in which the content of the builder system based on the anhydrous product ranges from to 90 wt.%.

13. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in any one of claims 1-12, in which the content of the surfactant based on the anhydrous product ranges from to 40 wt.%.

14. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in any one of claims 1-13, consisting of a powdered material having an average particle size of from 0.1 to mm. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in any one of claims 1-14, having o 30 a pH, as 1 wt.% solution in water having a hardness of 14 dh, of 10-12. 921222,q:\oper\ee,70253SARRES,9 I_)

16. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in any one of claims 1-14, having a pH, as 1 wt.% solution in water having a hardness of 14 dh, of 10-11.

17. A laundry detergent composition as claimed in any one of claims 1-16, in which 1 to 50 wt.% filler is present.

18. A main wash detergent composition as claimed in claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the Examples. DATED this 22nd day of December, 1992. SARA LEE/DE N. V. By Its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE "J 921222,q:\ope'\ee,70253SARPRES,1 i I