AU662536B2

AU662536B2 - Fabric softening composition

Info

Publication number: AU662536B2
Application number: AU19680/92A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Graham Andrew Turner
Original assignee: Unilever PLC
Current assignee: Unilever PLC
Priority date: 1991-07-15
Filing date: 1992-07-15
Publication date: 1995-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 2012-07-15
Also published as: EP0523922A3; CA2073517C; EP0523922A2; KR950009498B1; IN176962B; MY110512A; CA2073517A1; JPH05195434A; ES2092051T3; KR930002597A; ZA925272B; JP3061223B2; AU1968092A; HU209946B; EP0523922B1; PL295287A1; CZ218392A3; BR9202670A; GB9115255D0; PL170236B1

Description

AU ST RA L IA P~ATENTS ACT 1990 ORIGiNAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION t *t.

I t 1* I I 1 I 1 4 I LI 4, 4 6

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6004 4 I @4 o 44041 STANDARD PATENT TITLE OF INVENTION FABRIC SOFTENING COMPOSITION Name and Address of Applicant: UNILEVER PLC of Unilever House, Blackfriars, London EC4P 413Q, England 41 o 4 1 *04 4 0444 44 00 4 4,4 0 0 @4) L4~ 44 4* 4 o 4 The following statement a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 1 C3416 FABRIC SOFTENING COMPOSITION The present invention relates to fabric softening compositions, in particular the invention relates to aqueous dispersions of biodegradable fabric softening compositions -comprising a water insoluble cationic fabric softening agent and a nonionic stabilising agent suitable as rinse-added fabric softener compositions.

o 10 Rinse added fabric softener compositions are well known.

Typically such compositions contain a water insoluble quaternary ammonium fabric softening agent dispersed in water at a level of softening agent up to 7% by weight in 0 °which case the compositions are considered dilute, or at 15 levels from 7% to 50% in which case the compositions are considered concentrates. In addition to softening, fabric softening compositions desirably have other benefits. One *is the ability to confer soil release properties to i° fabrics, particularly those woven from polyester fibres.

2 S One of the problems associated with fabric softening compositions is the physical instability of such compositions when stored. This.problem is accentuated by having a concentrated composition and by storage at low or 25 high temperatures.

Concentrates and storage stability at low or high temperature are however desired by the consumer. Physical instability manifests as a thickening on storage of the composition to a level where the composition is no longer pourable and can even lead to the formation of an irreversible gel. The thickening is very undesirable since the composition can no longer be conveniently used.

i s r-3 r/x i I -2 C3 416 in the past physical stability of rinse added fabric softener compositions has been improved by the addition of viscosity control agents or anti-gelling agents. For example in EP 13780 (Procter Gamble) viscosity control agents are added to certain concentrated compositions.

The agents may include Clo- 18 fatty alcohols. More recently in EP 280550 (Unilever) it has been proposed to improve the physical stability of dilute compositions comprising biodegradable, ester-linked quaternary ammoniumn compounds and fatty acid by the addition of nonionic surfactants.

C Ci i: 20 t C With concentrated compositions comprising biodegradable ester-linked quaternary amrmoniumn compounds the problem of physical instability is More acute than -with traditional quaternary ammoniumn compounds.

In EP 0 040 562 (Lesieur Cotelle) a nonionic emulsifier/stabiliser is. added to concentrate' comprising, an ester-linked quaternary anoniuin compound to form a viscous gei. The stabiliser is a C 12 alchol ethoxylated with 9 molecules of ethylene oxide. The degree of branching of the alcohol is -not, however, mentioned.

ii

I

*1 Certain nonionic stabilising agents not only stabili'se' concentrated compositions comprising biodegradable quaternary ammonium -compounds but are. also environmentally friendly, in that they show acceptable biodegradability and are not substantially toxic in aquatic systems.

we have found that the high temperature stability of compositions containing biodegradable quaternary ammoiium compounds may be improved by the use of selected nonionic stabilising agents.

I-

-4 C3416 A preferred type of ester-linked quaternary ammonium material for use in the compositions according to the invention can be represented by the formula:

OOCR

2 (Rj) 3 N (CH 2 n CH

CH

2

OOCR

2 wherein each R, group is independently selected from C,_ 4 alkyl, alkenyl or hydroxyalkyl groups; and wherein each R 2 group is independently selected from C8- 28 alkyl or alkenyl groups; A second preferred type of quaternary ammonium material can be represented by the formula:

R

RI-N-- (CH,)n 25 I I

(CH

2 2 T- R 2 t wherein Ri, n and R 2 are as defined ah..-e, o O0 II II T is or and n is an integer from SPreferred materials and their method of preparation are, for example, described in US 4 137 180 (Lever Brothers).

Preferably these materials comprise small amounts of the corresponding monoester as described in US 4 137 180 for I II 1 5 C3416 example 1-tallowoxy, 2-hydroxytrimethyl ammonium propane chloride.

Preferably the level of ester linked quaternary ammonium compounds is at least 1% by weight of the composition, more preferably, more than 3% by weight of the composition; especially interesting are concentrated compositions which comprise more than 7% of ester-linked quaternary ammonium compound. The level of ester-linked quaternary ammonium compounds is preferably between 1% and 80% by weight, more preferably 3% to 50%, most preferably 8% to t it Suitable nonionic stabilisers which can be used include the condensation products of C, C 2 primary or secondary S 15 predominantly linear alcohols with 10 or more moles of ethylene oxide, preferably 15 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide. The alcohols may be saturated or unsaturated. .In: particular Genapol T-150, Genapol T-200,,'Genapo1 C-200all ex Hoeschst AG, Lutensol AT18 ex BASF, Genapol 1C-10 j 20 Genapol C-150 Genapol T-350 ex Hoechst. Dobanol 91-2.5, Dobanol 91-5, Dobanol 91-6, Dobanol 91-8 ex Shell.

Preferably the nonionic stabiliser has an HLB of between 10 and 20, more preferably 12 and Preferably, the level of nonionic' stabiliser'is within the range of from 0.1 to 10% by weight, more-preferably from to 5% by weight, most preferably from 1 to 4% by weight. The mole ratio of the quaternary ammoniumn compound to the nonionic stabilising agent is within the range from 40:1 to about 1:1, preferably within the range from 18:1 to about 3:1.

The composition can also contain fatty acids for example C C, 2 alkyl or alkenyl monocarboxylic acids or polymers i 3_ thereof. Preferably saturated fatty acids are used, in W o0 -6 C3416 particular, hardened tallow C 16 18 fatty acids. Preferably the fatty acid is non-saponifiea, 'more preferably the fatty acid is free for example oleic acid, lauric acid or tallow fatty acid.

The level of fatty acid material is preferably more than 0.1% by weight, more preferably more than'0.2% by-weight.

Especially preferred are concentrates comprising from to 20% by weight of fatty acid, more preferably i% to by weight. The weight ratio of quaternary ammonium.

material to fatty acid material is preferably from 10:1 to j 1:10.

The compositions of the invention preferably have a pH of' 15 more than more preferably between 2 and The composition can also contain one or more optional ingredients, selected from non-aqueous solvents, pp buffering agents, perfumes, perfume carriers fluorescers 20 colourants, hydrotropes, antifoaming agents, Santiredeposition agents, enzymes, optical brighteningagents, opacifiers, anti-shrinking agents, anti-wrinkle agents, anti-spotting agents, germicides, fungicides, 7 j!anti-oxidants, anti-corrosion. agents, drape i.parting agents, antistatic'agents and ironing aids. The composition may also contain nonioric fabric softening agents such as lanolin and derivatives thereof.

The invention will now be illustrated by the followizg non-limiting examples. In the examples all percentages are expressed by weight, I r 7 C3416 Example I Liquid fabric softening compositions were made as follows.

The cationic fabric softening agent, fatty acid (and nonionic stabilising agent where appropriate) were premixed and heated together to form a cleat melt. The molten mixture thus formed was added to water at 70 0 C to 0 C over a period of at least one minute, with constant stirring to form a dispersion.

e It The viscosity of the compositions was measured by Haake rotoviscometer following 1 and 3 months storage at ambient temperature or at 370C.

S The Krafft point' was measured by preparing a 1% solution of the nonionic stabilising agent in distilled water and storing the solution at 5 0 C for 5 days. The solution was then heated gradually with stirring until the solution became clear. The temperature at which the solution became clear was taken as the Krafft point.

o o g 7K I 8 C3 416 Composition HT TMAPC' Fatty Acid' Tallow 11E0 3 Tallow 15E0 4 Tallow 18E0 5 Tallow 20E0 6 Coco lOE0 7 Arosurf 66-e10 8 Water and Minors Vi-scosity at 110s 'ImPa s 15 1 month Ambient 1 month 37 0

C

3 months Ambient 3 months 37 0

C

A B C D E F G 11.58 .L.93 11 .58 1.93 11.58 1 .93 11.58 1 .93 11.58 11.58 1.93 1.93 11.58 1.93 Balance------ A B C. D E F G 4* 4 r 41 1.4 B B *44* I4~b

B

04 4 4 *4494 4 164 161 178 175 87 427 72 735 .7 44 4 41 39 38 B 4 441.

444

I

44 4 44 444 *4 4~ B B B B 20 Kraf ft point 0

C

Clear phase at 1% concentration in water between 25 *0 0 C-and*45 0

C.

45 <5 <5 35 No Yes Yes Yes No' Yes

LIA

r 9 C3416 Notes 1. HT TMAPC is a 1,2 dihardened tallowyloxy-3-trimethylammonio propane chloride ex Hoescht.

2. is hardened tallow fatty acid, Pristerine 4'916 ex Unichema.

3. is tallow alcohol ethylene oxide.

ethoxylated with 11 moles pf *r t 8 rr 8. 1 j 4. is tallow alcohol ethoxylated with 15 moles of ethylene oxide.

5. is tallow alcohol ethylene oxide.

6. is tallow alcohol ethylene oxide.

ethoxylated with 18 moles of ethoxylated with 20 mbles of

I

aE 4 7. is coco alcohol ethoxylated with 10 moles of ethylene oxide.

8. is isostearic alcohol ethoxylated with 10 n~oes of ethylene oxide.

These results show that addition of selected nonionic stabilising agents to compositions comprising ester linked quaternary ammonium compounds counteracts destabilisation at high temperature to give stable concentrated compositions.

To show that the Krafft point is critical a composition similar to B was prepared with Genapol T-110 a narrow range tallow alcohol ethyoxylate, ethoxylated with 2i ~C 10 C3 416 11 moles ethylene oxide. This has a Kraf ft point <5 0 C. and gave a sLable product. Other ethoxylates with Krafft points <5 0 C have also. been tested and all give stable products, in contrast to ethoxylates with higher Kraf ft points.

p4g~ C, C 4

Claims

1. A fabric softening composition comprising at least 1% by weight of a water insoluble cationic fabric softening agent and a nonionic stabilising agent wherein the water insoluble cationic fabric softening agent is a quaternary ammonium material which comprises a compound having two C 12 28 alkyl or alkenyl groups connected to the quaternary nitrogen atom via an ester link characterised in that the nonionic stabilising agent is selected from predominantly linear C 8 to C 22 alcohols alkoxylated with 10 or more moles of alkylene oxide and the nonionic stabilising agent has a clear phase at a 1% concentration in water somewhere in the range of 0°C and 45°C and a Krafft point less than 300C.

2. A composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the nonionic stabilising agent has a Krafft point less than

3. A composition as claimed in claim 1 or clai-m.2 wherein the composition comprises from 0.1 to 10% by weight of the nonionic stabilising agent.,:

4. A composition as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the composition also comprises more than 0.1% by weight of a fatty acid material. C LL o C

5. A composition as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the composition comprises from 3% to 50% by weight of the quaternary ammonium material, from to 5% by weight of the nonionic stabilising agent. and from 0.5 to 20% by weight of fatty acid material. -1 ji -12- C3416 EP

6. A composition as claimed in any preceding claim wherein. the nonlonic stabilising agent has an HLB of between' 10 and

7. Process for making a liquid fabric softening comiposition as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 comprising the steps of 11 mixing and heating the cationic fabric softening agent and nonionic stabilising agent to. form a melt and ii. dispersing the melt in water. a I a t f~ a D AT ED D)I k Signed for and on behalf of UNILEVER PLC Unile Irall Limited s~ 5 B. FJNE,-pan ecret 4.I a a 0 O SO 0 0 0 *Ii I6 13 C3416 ABSTRACT A fabric softening composition comprising at least 1% by weight of a water insoluble cationic fabric softening agent and a nonionic stabilising agent wherein the water insoluble cationic fabric softening agent .i a quaternary ammonium material which comprises a compound having two C,2-2 alkyl or alkenyl groups connected to the quaternary nitrogen atom via an ester link wherein the nonionic stabilising agent is selected from predominantly linear C, to C, 2 alcohols alkoxylated with 10 or more moles of alkylene oxide and the nonionic stabilising agent has a clear phase at a 1% concentration in water somewhere in c the range of 0°C and 45 0 C and a Krafft point less than 30 0 C. C; r L ICC 44 44 *r 4*4 4