CA2066008A1 - Foam reduction in non-aqueous, liquid, heavy-duty laundry detergent containing secondary ethoxylate nonionic surfactant - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure A low foaming non-aqueous, liquid, heavy-duty, laundry detergent contains secondary alkyl ethoxylate nonionic surfactant and a silicone defoamer composition. The order of addition of ingredients to the detergent composition affects the anti-foaming efficacy of the silicone defoamer.

Description

~066008 Background of the Invention Field of the Invention:
_ _ The present invention relates to non-aqueous, liquid, heavy-duty laundry detergents. More particularly, this invention relates to non-aqueous, liquid, heavy-duty laundry detergents containing secondary ethoxylate nonionic surfactants of reduced foaming tendency and the method of making such detergents.
Description of the Prior Art:

-Liquid, non-aqueous, heavy-duty, laundry detergent compositions are well-known in the art. For instance, compositions of that type may comprise a liquid nonionic surfactant in which are dispersed particles of a builder, as shown for instance in U.S. Patents 4,316,812; 3,630,929;
4,264,466; and British Patents 1,205,711; 1,270,040 and 1,600,981.
Liquid detergents are often considered to be more convenient to employ than dry powdered or particulate products and, therefore, have found substantial favor with consumers.
They are readily measurable, speedily dissolved in the wash water, capable of being easily applied in concentrated solutions or dispersions to soiled areas on garments to be laundered and are non-dusting, and they usually occupy less storage space.
Additionally, the liquid detergents may have incorporated in thelr formulations materials which could not stand drying operations wi~thout deterioration, which materials are often desirably employed in the manufacture of particulate detergent products. Although they 3re possessed of many advantages over unitary or particulate solid products, liquid detergents often have certain inherent disadvantages too, which have to be overcome to produce acceptable commercial detergent products.

20~0~8 Thus, some such products separate out on storage and others separate out on cooling and are not readily redispersed. In some cases, the product viscosity changes and it becomes either too thick to pour or so thin as to appear watery. Some clear products become cloudy and others gel on standing. Various techniques have been utilized to overcome the aforementioned problems. However, one continuing problem is that because of the high level of surfactant in non-aqueous, heavy-duty, laundry detergents, only low-foaming nonionics, e.g., linear alkyl ethoxylate/propoxylate nonionics, are commonly used. Such linear alkyl ethoxylate/propoxylate nonionics have certain dis~dvantagec particularly with respect to cost and biodegradability.
Secondary alkyl ethoxylate nonionics would be an attractive alternative to the linear alkyl ethoxylate/propoxylate, particularly with respect to cost, performance and biodegradability, except their foam levels are unacceptably high, especially for European washing conditions.
Summary Of The Invention Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a non-aqueous, liquid, heavy-duty, laundry detergent containing secondary alkyl ethoxylate nonionics with a low foaming tendency.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process of making a non-aqueous liquid, heavy-duty, laundry detergent containing secondary alkyl ethoxylate nonionics with a low foaming tendency.
These and other objects of the invention, as will become apparent hereinafter, may be achieved, in one embodiment, by the provision of a low-foam, non-aqueous, liquid, heavy-duty, laundry detergent comprising a detersively effective amount of a 2 ~ 8 nonionic surfactant, said nonionic surfactant comprising a ~olyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol wherein said secondary higher alkanol has 8 to 22 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is from 2 to 20 per mole of secondary higher alkanol; a viscosity-controlling and anti-gelling effective amount of a solvent selected from the group consisting of monohydric alcohols, dihydric alcohols, alkylene glycols and alkylene glycol ethers; an anti-gelling effective amount of a diacid compound selected from the group consisting of aliphatic linear dicarboxylic acids and aliphatic monocyclic dicarboxylic acids; a detergent building effective amount of at least one builder salt; an antifoaming effective amount of a colloidal silica containing silicone composition.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a low-foam, non-aqueous, liquid, heavy-duty, laundry detergent comprising a detersively effective amount of a nonionic surfactant, said nonionic surfactant comprising a polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol wherein said secondary higher alkanol has 8 to 22 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is from 2 to 20 per mole of secondary higher alkanol; a viscosity-controlling and anti-gelling effective amount of a solvent selected from the group consisting of monohydric alcohols, dihydric alcohols, alkylene glycols and alkylene glycol ethers; an anti-gelling effective amount of a diacid compound selected from the group consisting of aliphatic linear dicarboxylic acids and aliphatic monocyclic dicarboxylic acids; a detergent building effective amount of at least one builder salt;
an antifoaming effective amount of a silicone composition free of colloidal silica; prepared by the sequential steps of (a) admixing said nonionic surfactant with said silicone composition, 2~60~8 (b) admixing the admixt~re of step (a) with said solvent, (c) admixing the admixture of step (b) with said diacid compound, and (d) admixing the admixture o step (c) with the remaining ingredients.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a method of making a low-foam, non-aqueous, liquid, heavy-duty laundry detergent comprising a detersively effective amount of a nonionic surfactant, said nonionic surfactant comprising a polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol wherein said secondary higher alkanol has 8 to 22 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is from 2 to 20 per mole of secondary.higher alkanol; a viscosity-controlling and anti-gelling effective amount of a solvent selected from the group consisting of monohydric alcohols, dihydric alcohols, a'kylene glycols and alkylene glycol ethers; an ~nti-gelling effective amount of a diacid compound selected from the group consisting of aliphatic linear dicarboxylic acids and aliphatic monocyclic dicarboxylic acids; a detergent building effective amount of at least one builder salt; an antifoaming effective amount of a silicone composition free of colloidal silica; said processing comprising ~: the steps of: (a) admixing said nonionic surfactant with said silicone composition, (b) admixing said admixture of step (a) ~ with said solvent, (c) admixing said admixture of step (b) with :~ said diacid compound, and (d) admixing said admixture of step (c) ~ 25 with the remaining ingredients.
:~ Detailed Description Of The Invention The nonionic surface active agents useful in the present invention are characterized by the presence of an organic hydrophobic and an organic hydrophilic group and are typically produced by the condensation of an organic aliphatic or alkyl 2~6~0~8 aromatic hydrophobic compound with ethylene oxide (which is hydrophilic in nature). ?ractically any hydrophobic compound havin~ a carboxy, hydroxy, amido or amino group with a Cree hydrogen attached to the nitrogen can be condensed with ethylene oxide or with the ~olyhydration product thereof, i.e.
~olyethylene glycol, to form a nonionic surfactant. The length of the hydrophilic (polyoxyethylene) chain can be readily adjusted to achieve the desired balance between the hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups.
The nonionic surfactant employed is preferably a polyethoxylated secondary hi~her alkanol wherein the se,condary higher alkanol has 8 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably 9 to 18 carbon atoms, most preferably 11 to 15 carbon atoms; and wherein the number of moles o~ ethylene oxide is from 2 to 20, preferably lS 5 to 12, most preferably 7 to 9, per mole of the secondary higher alcohol. Of such materials, it is preferred to employ those wherein the secondary higher alkanol has 11 to 15 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is 7 and those wherein the secondary higher alkanol has 11 to 15 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is 9. Especially preferred is a 1:1 mixture of a polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol wherein the secondary alkanol has 11 to 15 carbon atoms and the ~number of moles of ethylene oxide is 7 and a polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol wherein the secondary alkanol has 11 to lS carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is 9.
Exemplary o~ the aforementioned nonionic surfactants are Tergitol lS-S-? and Tergitol 15-S-9 (products of Union Carbide), both of which are linear secondary alcohol ethoxylates.
The former is a condensation product of about 1 mole of a mixture of secondary higher fatty alcohols averaging 11 to lS carbon ;

2~6~8 atoms with about 7 moles of ethylene oxide, and the latter ia a condensation 2roduct o~ about 1 mole o~ a mixture of secondar~
~igher 'atty alcohols averaging 11 to 15 carbon atoms with about 9 moles of ethylene oxide. Other suitable surfactants include Tergitol 15-S-5 (a condensation product of about 1 mole of a mixture of secondary higher fatty alcohols averaging 11 to 15 carbon atoms with about 5 moles of ethylene oxide) and Tergitol 15-S-12 (a condensation product of about 1 mole of a mixture of secondary higher fatty alcohols averaging 11 to 15 carbon atoms with about 12 moles of ethylene oxide).
The polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanols of the invention may also be utilized with a minor portion of conventional nonionic surfactants, preferably less than 30% by weight of the total nonionic surfactants, most preferably less than 15%.
Such conventional nonionic surfactants include poly-lower-alkoxylated higher alkanols wherein the alkanol has 8 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms, most preferably 9 to 15 carbon atoms; and wherein the number of moles of lower alkylene oxide (of 2 or 3 carbon atoms) is Erom 2 to 20, preferably 2 to 10, most preferably 2 to 6. Of such materials, it is preferred to employ those wherein the higher alkanol is a higher fatty alcohol of 9 to 15 carbon atoms and which contain from 3 to 6 lower alkoxy qroups per mole; or a mixture of compounds wherein the higher alkanol is a higher fatty alcohol of about 16 to 18 carbon atoms and which contain from 5 to 7 lower alkoxy groups per mole and compounds wherein the higher alkanol is a higher fatty alcohol of about 9 to 12 carbon atoms and which contain from 2 to 4 lower alkoxy groups per mole. Most preferably, there is employed a 50-50 mixture (by weight) of 2Q~60~8 compounds wherein the higher alkanol is a higher fatty alcohol o~
9 to 11 carbon atoms and which contain 2.5 lower alkoxy groups ~er mole and compo ~ds wherein the higher alkanol is a higher ~atty alcohol of 16 to 18 carbon atoms and which contain 6 lower alkoxy groups per mole.
Exemplary of the aforementioned nonionic surfactants are Neodol 25-7 and Neodol 23-6.5 (products of Shell), the former being a condensation product of a mixture of about 1 mole of a higher fatty alcohols averaging about 12 to 15 carbon atoms with about 7 moles of ethylene oxide, and the latter being a condensation product of about 1 mole of a mixture of higher fatt alcohols averaging about 12 to 13 carbon atoms with about 6.5 moles of ethylene oxide, wherein the higher alcohols are primary alcohols.
Highly preferred nonionics useful in the present invention, which are similar ethylene oxide condensation products of mixtures of primary higher fatty alcohols include: Dobanol 91-5 (Shell), higher fatty alcohols averaging 9 to 11 carbons and 5 moles of ethylene oxide; Dobanol~ 91~2.5 (Shell), higher fatty alcohols averaging 9 to 11 carbons and 2.5 moles of ethylene oxide;~Dobanol 45.4 (Shell), higher fatty alcohols averaging 14 to 15 carbons and 4 moles of ethylene oxide; Nacolox~ 810-30 (Condea), higher eatty alcohols averaging 8 to 10 carbons and 3 moIes of ethylene oxide; Nacolox 1012-30 (Condea), higher fatty alcohols averaging 10 to 12 carbons and 3 moles of ethylene oxide: Dobanol 25-3 (Shell), higher fatty alcohols averaging 12 to 15 carbons and 3 moles of ethylene oxide; Aeropol 35-7 (Exxon), higher fatty alcohols averaging 13 to 15 carbons and 7 moles of ethylene oxide; Aeropol 91-3 (Exxon), higher fatty alcohols averaging 9 to 11 carbons and 3 moles of ethylene oxide;

2 ~

and Nacolox~ 1618-60 (Condea), higher fatty alcohols averaging 16 ~o 18 carbons and 6 moles of ethylene oxide.
Also useful in the present compositions as a component o~ the nonionic detergent are higher molecular weight nonionics, such as Neodol 45-11, which are similar ethylene oxide condensation products of higher fatty alcohols, with the higher ~atty alcohol being of 14 to 15 carbon atoms and the number of ethylene oxide groups per mol being about 11. Such products are also made by Shell Chemical Company. Another preferred class of useful nonionics are represented by the commercially well known class of nonionics which are the reaction product of a higher linear alcohol and a mixture of ethylene and propylene oxides, containing a mixed chain of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, terminated by a hydroxyl group. Examples include the nonionics sold under the Plurafac trademark of aASF, such as Plurafac RA30, Plurafac RA40 (a C13-Cls fatty alcohol condensed with 7 moles propylene oxide and 4 moles ethylene oxide), Plurafac D25 (a C13-C15 fatty alcohol condensed with 5 moles propylene oxide and 10 moles ethylene oxide), Plurafac B26, and Plurafac RA50 (a mixture : 20 of equal parts Plurafac D25 and Plurafac RA40).
Generally, the mixed ethylene oxide-propylene oxide fatty alcohol condensation products represented by the general formula RO~C3H6O)p(C2H4O)qH~
wherein R is a straight or branched primary or secondary aliphatic hydrocarbon, preferably alkyl or alkenyl, especially preferably alkyl, of from 6 to 20, preferably 10 to 18, especially preferably 12 to 18 carbon atoms, p is a number of up to 14, preferably 3 to 8, and q is a number of up to 14, 2 ~ 8 preferably 3 to 12, can be advantageously used, iow gelling temperatures are desired.
Furthermore, the compositions of this invention include an organic solvent or diluent wnicn can runction as a viscosity control and gel-inhibiting agent for liquid nonionic surface active agents. Lower (C1-C~ aliphatic alcohols and glycols, such as ethanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol, hexylene glycol and the like have been used for this purpose. Polyethylene glycols, such as PEG 400, are also useful diluents. Alkylene glycol ethers, such as the compounds sold under tne trademarks, Carbopol and Carbitol which have relatively short hydrocarbon chain lengths (C2-C~) and a low co~tent of ethylene oxide ~about 2 to 6 EO units per molecule) are especially useful viscosity control and anti-gelling solvents in the compositions of this invention. This use of the alkylene glycol ethers is disclosed in the commonly assigned copending application Serial No.
687,815, filed December 31, 1984, to T. Ouhadi, et al. the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Suitable glycol ethers can be represented by the following general formula Ro(CH2CH20~H
where R is a C2-C8, preferably C2-C5 alkyl group, and n is a number of from about 1 to 6, preferably 1 to 4, on average.
Specific examples of suitable solvents include ethylene glycol monoethyl ether C2NS-o-cH2cH2oH)~ diethylene glycol monobutyl ether (C4H9-O-~CH2CH20)2~), tetraethylene glycol monooctyl ether (C8H17-O-(CH2CH20)4H~, tripropylene glycol monomethyl ether (CH3-O-(CH (CH3)CH20)30, etc. Diethylene glycol monobutyl ether is especially preferred.

2~01~8 Another useful anti-gelling agent which is included as a minor component o~ the liquid phase, is an aliphatic linear or ~liphatic monocyclic dicarboxylic acid, such as the C6 to C12 alkyl and alkenyl derivatives of succinic acid or maleic acid, and the corresponding anhydrides or an aliphatic monocyclic dicarboxylic acid compound. The use of these compounds as anti-gelling agents in non-aqueous liquid heavy duty built laundry detergent compositions is disclosed in the commonly assigned, allowed copending application Serial No. 756,334, filed July 18, 1985, the disclosure of which- is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.
Briefly, these gel-inhibiting compounds are aliphatic linear or aliphatic monocyclic dicarboxylic acid compounds. The aliphatic portion of the molecule may be saturated or ethylenically unsaturated and the aliphatic linear portion may be straight or branched. The aliphatic monocyclic molecules may be saturated or may include a single double bond in the ring.
Furthermore, the aliphatic hydrocarbon ring may have 5- or 6-carbon atoms in the ring, i.e. cyclopentyl, cyclopentenyl, cyclohexyl, or cyclohexenyl, with one carboxyl group bonded directly to a carbon atom in the ring and the other carboxyl group bonded to the ring through a linear alkyl or alkenyl group.
The aliphatic linear dicarboxylic acids have at least about 6 carbon atoms in the aliphatic moiety and may be alkyl or alkenyl having up to about 14 carbon atoms, with a preferred range being from about 8 to 13 carbon atoms, especially preferably 9 to 12 carbon atoms. One of the carboxylic acid groups (-COOH) is preferably bonded to the terminal (alpha) carbon atom of the aliphatic chain and the other carboxyl group is preferably bonded to the next adjacent (beta) carbon atom or 2 0 ~ 8 it may be spaced two or three carbon atoms from the ~-posi~ion, i.e. on the ~- or ~- carbon atoms. The preferred aliphatic dicarboxylic acids are the ~, ~dicarboxylic acids and the corresponding anhydrides, and especially preferred are derivatives of succinic acid or maleic acid and have the general formula:

Rl-C(H)m-C~ Ri~l(H)m~C \

=c or ~ 0 (H)n~C~C ~---__ OH (H)n-C-C ~=~

wherein Rl is an alkyl or alkenyl group of from about 2 to 10 carbon atoms, preferably 7 to 10 carbon atoms, especiall~
preferably 8 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein n=l and m=0, when --- is a double bond and n=2 and m=l, when --- is a single bond.
The alkyl or alkenyl group may be straight or branched.
The straight chain alkenyl groups are especially preferred. It is not necessary that Rl represent a single alkyl or alkenyl group and mixtures of different carbon chain lengths may be present depending on the starting materials for preparing the dicarboxylic acid.
The aliphatic monocyclic dicarboxylic acid may be either 5- or 6-membered carbon rings with one or two linear aliphatic groups bonded to ring carbon atoms. The linear aliphatic groups shouId have at least about 6, preferably at least about 8, especially preferably at least about 10 carbon atoms and, in total, up to about 22, preferably up to about 18, especially preferably up to about 15 carbon atoms. When two aliphatic carbon atoms are present attached to the aliphatic ring they are preferably located para- to each other. Thus, the preferred aliphatic cyclic dicarboxylic acid compounds may be represented by the following structural formula:

2 ~

R3~ R2-C~OH

/ COOH
5where -T- represents -CH2~ H=, =CH-, -CH2-CH2- or -CH=C~-;
R2 represents an alkyl or alkenyl group of from 3 to 12 carbon atoms; and R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl or alkenyl group of f rom 1 to 12 carbon atoms, --- represents a double or single bond depending on the nature of the group T, with the proviso that the total number of carbon atoms in R2 and R3 is from about 6 to about 22.
Preferably -T- represents -CH2-CH2- or -CH=CH-, especially preferably -CH=CH-.
R2 and R3 are each preferably alkyl groups of from about 3 to about 10 carbon atoms, especially from about 4 to about 9 carbon atoms, with the total number of carbon atoms in R2 and R3 being from about 8 to about 15. The alkyl or alkenyl groups may be straight or branched but are preferably straight : chains.
The invention detergent composition may also include water soluble detergent builder salts. Typical suitable builders : . ~ :
include, for example, those disclosed in U.S. Patents 4,316,812, 4,264,466, and 3,630,929. Water-soluble inorganic alkaline builder salts which can be used alone with the detergent compound or in admixture with other builders are alkali metal carbonate, borates, phosphates, polyphosphates, bicarbonates, and silicates.
(Ammonium or substituted ammonium salts can also be used.) Specific examples of such salts are sodium tripolyphosphate, 2 0 ~

sodium carbonate, sodium tetraborate, so~ium pyrophosphatP, potassium pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium tripolyphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium sesquicarbonate, sodium mono and diorthophosphate, and potassium 5 bicarbonate. Sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) is especially preferred. The alkali metal silicates are useful builder salts which also ~unction to make the composition anticorrosive to washing machine parts. Sodium silicates of Na2O/SiO2 ratios of from 1.6/1 to 1/3.2 especially about 1/2 to 1/2.8 are preferred.
Potassium silicates of the same ratios can also be used.
Another class of builders useful herein are the water-insoluble aluminosilicates, both of the crystalline and amorphous type. Various crystalline zeolites (i.e. alumino-silica~ are described in British Patent 1,504,168, U.S. Patent 4,409,136 and Canadian Patents 1,072,835 and 1,087,477, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference for such descriptions. An example of amorphous zeolites useful herein can be found in Belgium Patent 835,351 and this patent too is incorporated herein by reference.
The zeolites generally have the formula:
~ M2O)x-(Al2o3)y~(sio2)z.wH2o wherein x is 1, y is from 0.8 to 1.2 and preferably 1, z is from 1.; to 3.5 or higher and preferably 2 to 3 and W is from 0 to 9, preferably 2.5 to 6 and M is preferably sodium. A typical zeollte is type A or similar structure, with type 4A particularly preferred. The preferred aluminosilicates have calcium ion exchange capacities of about 200 milliequivalents per gram or greater, e.g. 500 meqig-Other materials such as clays, particularly of thewater-insoluble types, may be useful adjuncts in compositions of this invention. Particularly useful is bentonite. This material 2 ~ S ~

is primarily montmorillonite which is a hydrated aluminum silicate in which about 1/6th of the aluminum atoms may be replaced by magnesium atoms and with which varying amounts of hydrogen, sodium, potassium, calcium, etc., may be loosely combined. The bentonite in its more purified form (i.e. free from any grit, sand, etc.) suitable for detergents invariably contains at least 50% montmorillonite ~nd thus its cation exchange capacity is at least about 50 to 75 meq. per 100 g. of bentonite. Particularly preferred bentonite are the Wyoming or Western U.S. bentonites which have been sold as Thixo-jels 1, 2, 3 and 4 by Georgia Kaolin Co. These bentonites are known to soften textiles as described in British Patent 401,413 to Marriott and British Patent 461,221 to Marriott and Dugan.
Examples of organic alkaline sequestrant builder salts whlch can be used alone with the detergent or in admixture with other organic and inorganic builders are alkali metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium, aminopolycarboxylates, e.g. sodium and potassium ethylene diaminetetraacetate (EDTA), sodium and potassium nitrilotriacetates (NTA) and triethanolammonium N-(2-hydroxyethyl)nitrilodiacetates. Mixed salts of these polycarboxylates are also suitable.
Other suitable builders of the organic type include carboxymethylsuccinates, tartronates and glycollates. Of special value are the polyacetal carboxylates. The polyacetal carboxylates and their use in detergent compositions are described in 4,144,226; 4,315,092 and 4,146,495. Other patents on similar builders include 4,141,676; 4,169,934; 4,201,858:

4,204,852; 4,224,420; 4,225,685; 4,226,960; 4,233,422; 4,233,423;
4,302,564 and 4,303,777. Also relevant are European Patent Application Nos. 0015024; 0021491 and 0063399.

2~66~8 Since the compositions of this invention are generally highly concentrated, and, therefore, may be used at relatively low dosages, it is desirable to supplement any phosphate builder (such as sodium tripolyphosphate~ with an auxiliary builder such as a polymeric carboxylic acid having high calcium binding capacity to inhibit incrustation which could otherwise be caused by formation of an insoluble calcium phosphate. Such auxiliary builders are also well known in the art.
The invention detergent compositions also include a silicone defoaming composition. Such silicone defoamant compositions include: Dow Corning DB-100 also known as Dow Corning antifoam 1400; Thompson-Hayward AFlOOIND and Union Carbide SAG100. --2 0 ~

The physical stability of the suspension of thedetergent builder compound or compo~nds and any other suspended additive, such as sleaching agent, etc., in the liquid vehicle may be improved ~y the presence o~ a stabilizing agent such as an aluminum salt of a higher fatty acid.
The preferred higher aliphatic fatty acids will have from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, more preferably from about 10 to 20 carbon atoms, and especially preferably from about 12 to 18 carbon atoms. The aliphatic radical may be saturated or unsaturated and may be straight or branched. As in the case of the nonionic surfactants, mixtures of fatty acids may also be used, such as those derived from natural sources, such as tallow fatty acid, coco fatty acid, etc.
ExampIes of the fatty acids from which the aluminum salt stabilizers can be formed include, decanolc acid, dodecanoic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, eicosanoic acid, tallow fatty acid, coco fatty acid, mixtures of these acids, etc. The aluminum salts of these acids are generally commercially available, and are preferably used in the triacid form, e.g. aluminum stearate as aluminum tristearate ~;~ Al(C17H35cOO)3- The monoacid salts, e.g. aluminum monostearate, Al(OH)2(C17H3sCOO) and diacid salts, e.g. aluminum distearate, Al~OH)~C17H3sCOO)2, and mixtures of two or three of the mono-, di- and triacid aluminum salts can also be used. It is most preferred, however, that the triacid aluminum salt comprises at least 30%, preferably at least 50%, especially preferably at least 80% of the total amount of aluminum fatty acid salt.
The aluminum-salts, as mentioned above, are commercially available and can be easily produced by, for example, saponifying a fatty acid, e.g. animal fat, stearic acid, 2 ~

etc., followed by treat~ent of the resulting soap with alum, alumina, etc. It is presumed that the aluminum salt increases the wettability of the solid surfaces by the non-ionic surfactant, which allows the suspended particles to more easily remain in suspension.
The increased physical stability is manifested by an increase in the yield stress of the composition by as much as about 500% or more, for example, in the case of aluminum stearate by up to about 1000%, as compared to the same composition without the aluminum stearate stabilizing agent. As described above, the higher is the yield stress, the higher is the apparent viscosity at low shear rate and the better is the physical stability.
Only very small amounts of the aluminum salt stabilizing agent are required to obtain the significant improvements in physical stability. For example, based on the total weight of the composition, suitable amounts of the aluminum salt are in the range of from about 0.1% to about 3%, preferably from about 0.3% to about 1%.
In addition to its action as a physical stabilizing agent, the aluminum salt has the additional advantages over other physical stabilizing agents that it is non-ionic in character and is compatible with the non-ionic surfactant component and does not interfere with the overall detergency of the composition; it exhibits some anti-foaming effect it can function to boost the activity of fabric softeners, and it confers a longer relaxation time to the suspensions.
While the aluminum salt alone is effective in its physical stabilizing action, further improvements may be achieved in certain cases by incorporation of other known physical stabilizers, such as, for example, an acidic organic phosphorus 2~6~

compound having an acidic -POH group, such as a partial ester of phosphorous acid and an alkanol.
The acidic organic phosphorus compound may be, for instance, a partial ester of phosphoric acid and an alcohol such as an alkanol which has a lipophilic character, having, for instance, more than 5 carbon atoms, e.g. 8 to 20 carbon atoms.
A specific example is a partial ester of phosphoric acid and a C16 to Clg alkanol tEmpiphos 5632 from Marchon), it is made up of about 35~ monoester and 65~ diester.
The inclusion of quite small amounts of the acidic organic phosphorus compound makes the suspension significantly more stable against settling on standing but remains pourable, presumably, as a result of increasing the yield value of the suspension, while, for the low concentration of stabilizer, e.g.
below about 1%, its plastic viscosity will generally decrease.
It is believed that the use of the acidic phosphorus compound may result in the formation of a high energy physical bond between the -POH portion of the molecule and the surfaces of the inorganic polyphosphate builder so that these surfaces take on an organic character and become more compatible with the nonionic surfactant.
The acidic organic phosphorus compound may be selected from a wide variety of materials, in addition to the partial esters of phosphoric acid and alkanols mentioned above. Thus, one may employ a partial ester of phosphoric or phosphorous acid with a mono or polyhydric alcohol such as hexylene glycol, ethylene glycol, di- or tri-ethylene glycol or higher polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, glycerol, sorbitol, mono or diglycerides of fatty acids, etc. in which one, two or more of the alcoholic OH groups of the molecule may be esterified 2~6~

with the phosphorous acid. The alcohol may be a non-ionic surfactant such as an ethoxylated or ethoxylatedpropoxylated higher alkanol, higher alkyl phenol, or higher alkyl amide. The -POH group need not be bonded to the organic portion of the molecule through an ester linkage; instead it may be directly bonded to carbon (as in a phosphonic acid, such as a polystyrene in which some of the aromatic rings carry phosphonic acid or phosphinic acid groups; or an alkylphosphonic acid, such as propyl or laurylphosphonic acid) or may be connected to the carbon through other intervening linkages (such as linkages through O, S or N atoms). ~referably, the carbon:phosphorus atomic ratio in the organic phosphorus compound is at least abou 3:1, such as 5:1, 10:1, 20:1, 30:1 or 40:1.
Further improvements in the rheological properties of the liquid detergent compositions can be obtained by including in the composition a small amount of a nonionic surfactant which has been modified to convert a free hydroxyl group thereof to a moiety having a free carboxyl group, such as a partial ester of a nonionic surfactant and a polycarboxylic acid.
The free carboxyl group modified nonionic surfactants, which may be broadly characterized as polyether carboxylic acids, function to lower the temperature at which the liquid nonionic forms a gel with water. The acidic polyether compound can also decrease the yield stress of such dispersions, aiding in their dispensibility, without a corresponding decrease in their stability against settling. Suitable polyether carboxylic acids contain a grouping of the formula:
R2~0cH2cH2tptocH-cH2tq-y-z-cooH

2f~6~0~

wherein R2 is hydrogen or methyl, Y is oxygen or sulfur, Z is an ~rganic linkage, p is a positive number of from about 3 to about ,0 and q is zero or a positive number ~f up to 10. Specific examples include the half-ester of Plurafac RA30 with succinic anhydride, the half ester of Dobanol 25-7 with succinic anhydride, etc. Instead of a succinic acid anhydride, other polycarboxylic acids or anhydrides may be used, e.g. maleic acid, maleic anhydride, glutaric acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, phthalic acid, phthalic anhydride, citric acid, etc.
Furthermore, other linkages may be used, such as ether, thioether or urethane linkages, formed by conventional reactions. For instance, to form an ether linkage, the nonionic surfactant may be treated with a strong base (to convert its OH group to an ONa group for instance) and then reacted with a halocarboxylic acid such as chloroacetic acid or chloropropionic acid or the corresponding bromo compound. Thus, the resulting carboxylic acid may have the formula R-Y-Z-COOH where R is the residue of a nonionic surfactant (on removal of a terminal OH), Y is oxygen or sulfur and Z represents an organic linkage such as a hydrocarbon group of, say, one to ten carbon atoms which may be attached to the oxygen (or sulfur) of the formula directly or by means of an intervening linkage such as an oxygen-containing linkage, e.g. a O or O , etc.
-CO- -C-NH-The polyether carboxylic acid may be produced from a polyether which is not a nonionic surfactant, e.g. it may be made by reaction with a polyalkoxy compQund such as polyethylene glycol or a monoester or monoether thereof which does not have the long alkyl chain characteristic of the nonionic surfactant.

20~60a8 Thus, R may have the formula R2 Rl(ocH-cH2)n-where R2 is hydrogen or methyl, R1 is alkylphenyl or alkyl or other chain terminating group and "n" is at least 3 such as 5 to 25. When the alkyl of Rl is a higher alkyl, R is a residue of a nonionic surfactant. As indicated above, Rl may instead be hydrogen or lower alkyl (e.g. methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl) or lower acyl (e.g. acetyl, etc.). The acidic polyether compound if present in the detergent composition, is preferably added dissolved in the nonionic surfactant. Various other detergent additives or adjuvants may be present in the detergent product t give it additional desired properties, either of functional or aesthetic nature. Thus, there may be included in the formulation, minor amounts of soil suspending or anti-redeposition agents, e.g. polyvinyl alcohol, ~atty amides, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxy-propyl methyl cellulose; optical brighteners, e.g. cotton, polyamide and polyester brighteners, for example, stilbene, triazole and benzidine sulfone compositions, especially sulfonated substituted triazinyl stilbene, sulfonated naphthotriazole stilbene, benzidene sulfone, etc., most preferred are stilbene and triazole combinations.
Bluing agents such as ultramarine blue; enzymes, preferably proteolytic enzymes, such as subtilisin, bromelin, papain, trypsin and pepsin, as well as amylase type enzymes, lipase type enzymes, and mixtures thereof; bactericides, e.g.
tetrachlorosalicylanilide, hexachlorophene; fungicides; dyes;
pigments ~water dispersible); preservatives; ultraviolet absorbers; anti-yellowing agents, such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, complex of C12 to C22 alkyl alcohol with C12 to Clg 2 ~ 8 alkylsulfate, pH modifiers and pH buffer~; color safe bleaches and perfume.
The bleaching agents are classified broadly for convenience, as chlorine bleaches and oxygen bleaches. Chlorine bleaches are typified by sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), potassium dichloroisocyanurate (59% available chlorine), and trichloroisocyanuric acid (95% available chlorine). Oxygen bleaches are preferred and are represented by percompounds which liberate hydrogen peroxide in solution. Preferred examples include sodium and potassium perborates, percarbonates, and perphosphates, and potassium monopersulfate. The perborates, particularly sodium perborate monohydrate, are especially preferred.
The peroxygen compound is preferably used in admixture with an activator therefor. Suitable activators which can lower the effective operating temperature of the peroxide bleaching agent are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent 4,264,466 or in column 1 of U.S. Patent 4,430,244, the relevant disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Polyacylated compounds are preferred activators; among these, compounds such as tetraacetyl ethylene diamine (nTAEDn) and pentaacetyl glucose are particularly preferred.
Other useful activators include, for example, ~acetylsalicylic acid derivatives, ethylidene benzoate acetate and its salts, ethylidene carboxylate acetate and its salts, alkyl and alkenyl succinic anhydride, tetraacetylglycouril (nTAGUn), and the derivatives of these. Other useful classes of activators are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patents 4,111,826, 4,422,950 and 3,661,789.

~ 0 ~ 8 The bleach activator usually interacts with the peroxygen compound to form a peroxyacid bleaching agent in the wash water. It is ?referred to include a sequestering agent of high complexing power to inhibit any undesired reaction between such peroxyacid and hydrogen peroxide in the wash solution in the presence of metal ions. Preferred sequestering agents are able to form a complex with Cu2~ ions, such that the stability constant (pK~ of the complexation is equal to or greater than 6, at 25C, in water, of an ionic strength of 0.1 mole~liter, pK
being conventionally defined by the formula: pK = -log K where represents the equilibrium constant. Thus, for example, the pK
values for complexation of copper ion with NTA and EDTA at the stated conditions are 12.7 and 18.8, respectively. Suitable sequestering agents include, for example, in addition to those mentioned above diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DETPA);
diethylene triamine pentamethyl phosphonic acid (DTPMP); and ethylene diamine tetramethylene phosphonic acid (EDITEMPA).
In order to avoid loss of peroxide bleaching agent, e.g. sodium perborate, resulting from enzyme-induced decomposition, such as by catalase enzyme, the compositions may additionally include an enzyme inhibitor compound, i.e. a compound capable of inhibiting enzyme-induced decomposition of the peroxide bleaching agent. Suitable inhibitor compounds are disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,606,990, the relevant disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Of special interest as the inhibitor compound, mention can be made of hydroxylamine sulfate and other water-soluble hydroxylamine salts. In the preferred nonaqueous compositions of this invention, suitable amounts of the hydroxylamine salt inhibitors can be as low as about 0.01 to 0.4%. Generally, 20~60~

however, suitable amounts of enzyme inhibitors are u? to ~bout 15~, for example, 0.1 to 10%, by weight of the co~position.
In a ~referred form of the invention, the mixture of liquid ingredients and solid ingredients is subjected to an attrition type of mill in which the particle sizes of the solid ingredients are reduced to less than about 10 microns, e.g. to an average particle size of 2 to 10 microns or even lower (e.g. 1 micron). Preferably less than about 10%, especially less than about 5% of all the suspended particles have particle sizes greater than 10 microns. Compositions whose dispersed particles are of such small size have improved stability against separatio or settling on storage. It is found that the acidic polyether compound can decrease the yield stress of such dispersions, aiding in their dispensibility, without a corresponding decrease in their stability against settling, It has been found that the order of addition of materials to the mixture will affect the properties of the mixture, especially the defoamer efficacy. More particularly, silicone defoamers which do not contain colloidal silica must be pre-mixed into the nonionic surfactant before the solvent and di~acid in order to retain their anti-foaming properties.
Silicone defoamers that do contain colloidal silica are relatively unaffected by order of addition.
Accordingly, for silicone defoamers which do not contain colloidal silica, the nonionic surfactant is first admixed with the silicone composition, this admixture is then admixed with the solvent, that admixture is then admixed with the diacid, and the resultant admixture can then be blended with the remaining ingredients.

2~g~8 In the grinding operation, it is preferred that the proportion of solid ingredients be high enough (e.g. at least about 40% such as about 50~) that the solid particles are in contact with each other and are not substantially shielded from one another by the liquid. Mi~lls which employ grinding balls (ball mills) or similar mobile grinding elements have given very good results. Thus, one may use a laboratory batch attritor having 8 mm diameter steatite grinding balls. For larger scale work a continuously operating mill in which there are 1 mm or 1.5 mm diameter grinding balls working in a very small gap between a stator and a rotor operating at a relatively high speed (e.g. a CoBall mill) may be employed; when using such a mill, it is desirable to pass the blend of liquids and solids first through a mill which does not effect such fine grinding (e.g. a colloid mill) to reduce the particle size to less than 100 microns (e.g.
to about 40 microns) prior to the step of grinding to an average particle diameter below about 10 microns in the continuous ball mill.
In the preferred heavy duty liquid detergent compositions of the invention, typical proportions (based on the total composition, unless otherwise specified) of the ingredients are as follows:
nonionic surfactant, within the range of about 20 to 70 wt %, preferably about 22 to 60 wt %
solvent, up to 20 wt % with the weight ratio of nonionic surfactant to solvent in the range of from 100:1 to 1:1, preferably up to 15 wt % with the weight ratio of nonionic surfactant to solvent in the range of from 50:1 to 2:1;
diacid, within the range of about 0 to 30 wt %, preferably 1.5 to 15 wt %;

20~6~8 builder salt(s), within the range of about 10 to 60 wt %, preferably 20 to 50 wt ~; and silicone defoamant composition, within the range of about 0.5 to 1.5 wt %.
; The aluminum salt of the higher aliphatic fatty acid may be present in an amount of at least 0.1~, preferably from about 0.1 to about 3%, more preferably from about 0.3 to about 1%.
The polyether carboxylic acid gel-inhibiting compound, may be present in an amount of up to an amount to supply in the range of about 0.5 to 10 parts (e.g. about 1 to 6 parts., such as about 2 to 5 parts) of -COOH (M.W. 45) per 100 parts of blend of such acid compound and nonionic surfactant. Typically, the amount of the polyether carboxylic acid compound is in the range of about 0.01 to 1 part per part of nonionic surfactant, such as about 0.05 to 0.6 part, e.g. about 0.2 to 0.5 part;
Acidlc organic phosphoric acid compound, as anti-settling agent; up to 5%, for example, in the range of 0.01 to 5%, such as about 0.05 to 2~, e.g. about 0.1 to 1~.
Suitable ranges of the optional detergent additives are: enzymes - 0 to 2%, especially 0.7 to 1.3%; corrosion inhibitors - about 0 to 40~, and preferably 5 to 30%; thickening ~, ~
agent and dispersants -~ 0 to 15%, for example 0.1 to 10%, preferably 1 to 5%; soil suspending or anti-redeposition agents and~anti-yellowing agents - 0 to 10%, preferably 0.5 to 5%;
colorants, perfumes, brighteners and bluing agents total weight % to about 2% and preferably 0% to about 1%; pH modifiers and pH
buffers - 0 to 5%~ preferabIy 0 to 2%; bleaching agent - 0% to ; about 40% and preferably 0% to about 25%, for example 2 to 20~;
bleach stabilizers and bleach activators 0 to about 15%, 2~66~08 bleach stabilizers and bleach activators 0 to about 1i%, preferably 0 to 10%, for example, 0.1 to 8~, enzyme-inhibitors - 0 to 15~, tor example, 0.01 to 15%, preferably 0.1 to 10%;
sequestering agent of high complexing power, in the range of up to about 5, preferably 1/4 to 3%, such as about 1/2 to 2~. In the selections of the adjuvants, they will be chosen to be compatible with the main constituents of the detergent composition.
In this application, all proportions and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated. In the examples, atmospheric pressure is used unless otherwise indicated.
It is understood that the foregoing detailed description is given merely by way of illustration and that variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Example 1 The compositions set forth in Table 1 were prepared and Ross-Miles foam heights for each system were determined, the results are set forth in Table 2.

20~6~08 Table_l j Run NABLD _ontrol ~ 3 ISurfactant 36.5(1) 33(2) 32(2) 32(2) ¦Butyl Carbitol ' 10 10 10 10 Diacid(3) , 2 2 2 2 Na TriDolYPhos~hate I 29.5 33 33 ' 33 Na Perborate Monohydrate I 9 _ 9 9 9 !TAED _ , 4.5 4.5 _ 4.5 4.5 Defoamer ¦ - - 1 0(4) 1 0(5) . __ . _ Minor A ditives g.s. 9-5- 9 5 __ g.s.
(1) Lutensol 400 (BASF) - a linear ethylene oxide/propylene oxide nonionic (2) 1:1 mixture of Tergitol 15-S-7 and Tergitol 15-S-9 (3) (4? Dow-Corning DB-100 (5) Thompson-Hayward AF-IND-100 Table 2(1) Run Ross-Miles Foam Height (mm) 0 Min. 5 Min . . j Control 1105 _ 11 - as-so _ __. ._ (1) Room Temp.; 0.5~ sol'ns.; 300 ppm European Hardness 20~0~8 The tests indicate superior ~oam inhibition and foam breaking for the two formulations with antifoams (A and B) despite the increased foaming exhibited by the Control as compared to the conventional formulation (NABLD) Additionally, side-by-side Miele machine wash tests confirmed that (a) foam levels were acceptable in the defoamer-containing products during the wash cycle, and (b) foam levels in the cold-water rinse cycles (where residual surfactant generates high foam levels) were noticeably less dense for products with defoamers.
Example 2 Compositions having the formulation shown in Table 3 were prepared by a "Post-Addition" technique and a "Pre-Addition' technique.
Table 3 Ingredient %
_~ (by wt) Surfactant(l) 74 Cosolvent(2) 21 Diacid(3) 4 ~ Defoamer I ~ (1) 1:1 mixture of Tergitol 15-S-7 and Tergitol- 15-S-9 (2) (3) (The post-addition technique comprised admixing the surfactant, cosolvent and diacid; and then mixing in the defoamer.
The pre-addition technique comprised admixing the surfactant and the defoamer; then mixing in the cosolvent; and then mixing in the diacid.) 2 ~ 8 The Ross-Miles foam height was then determined for each of the compositions according to Table 3. The results are shown in Table 4.
Table 4 Ross-Miles Foam Height (mm) ¦ Defoamer ¦ Post-Addition Pre-Addition l l O Min. 1 5 Min. O Min. 5 Min.
! . , ¦ SAG 10(1) ' 95 1 75 25 15 i SAG 47(2) _ ~ 100 , 40 25 17 SAG 100(3) ; 90 35 10 0 SAG 471(4) 75 15 40 15 SENTRY(5) 95 45 15 15 (1) (2) (3j (4) (S)

Claims (60)

1. A low-foam, non-aqueous, liquid, heavy-duty, laundry detergent comprising:
a detersively effective amount of a nonionic surfactant, said nonionic surfactant comprising a polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol wherein said secondary higher alkanol has 8 to 22 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is from 2 to 20 per mole of secondary higher alkanol;
a viscosity-controlling and anti-gelling effective amount of a solvent selected from the group consisting of monohydric alcohols, dihydric alcohols, alkylene glycols and alkylene glycol ethers;
an anti-gelling effective amount of a diacid compound selected from the group consisting of aliphatic linear dicarboxylic acids and aliphatic monocyclic dicarboxylic acids;
a detergent building effective amount of at least one builder salt;
an antifoaming effective amount of a colloidal silica containing silicone composition.

2. The laundry detergent according to Claim 1, wherein said nonionic surfactant comprises a major portion of said polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol.

3, The laundry detergent according to Claim 2, wherein said secondary higher alkanol has 9 to 18 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is from 5 to 12.

4. The laundry detergent according to Claim 3, wherein said secondary higher alkanol has 11 to 15 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is from 7 to 9.

5. The laundry detergent according to Claim 4, wherein said nonionic surfactant consists essentially of a 1:1 mixture of a polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol wherein said secondary alkanol has 11 to 1; carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is 7 and a polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol wherein said secondary alkanol has 11 to 1; carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is 9.

6. The laundry detergent according to Claim 1, wherein said solvent is an alkylene glycol ether of the formula RO(CH2CH2O)nH
wherein R is a C2-C8 alkyl group and n is a number of 1 to 6.

7. The laundry detergent according to Claim 6, wherein R is a C2-C5 alkyl group and n is a number of 1 to 4.

8. The laundry detergent according to Claim 7, wherein said solvent is diethylene glycol monobutyl ether.

9. The laundry detergent according to Claim 1, wherein said diacid compound is an aliphatic linear dicarboxylic acid of the formula or wherein R1 is an alkyl or alkenyl group of from about 2 to about

10 carbon atoms; and, when is a double bond m=0 and n=1, and, when is a single bond m=1 and n=2.

10. The laundry detergent according to Claim 1, wherein said diacid compound is an aliphatic monocyclic dicarboxylic acid of the formula wherein T represents -CH2-, -CH=, =CH-, -CH2-CH2- or -CH=CH-, R2 represents an alkyl or alkenyl group of from 3 to 12 carbon atoms, R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl or alkenyl group of from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and represents a double or single bond depending on the nature of the group T, with the proviso that the total number of carbon atoms in R2 and R3 is from about 6 to about 22.

11. The laundry detergent according to Claim 10, wherein T represents -CH2CH2- or -CH=CH-; and R2 and R3 each, independently, represent an alkyl group of 3 to 10 carbon atoms, with the proviso that the total number of carbon atoms in R2 and R3 is from about 8 to about 15.

12. The laundry detergent according to Claim 11, wherein T represents -CH=CH-.

13. The laundry detergent according to Claim 1, wherein said at least one builder salt is selected from the group consisting of carbonates, borates, phosphates, polyphosphates, bicarbonates and silicates.

14. The laundry detergent according to Claim 13, wherein said salt is a water-soluble alkali metal or ammonium salt.

15. The laundry detergent according to Claim 14, wherein said salt is sodium tripolyphosphate.

16. The laundry detergent according to Claim 1, wherein said laundry detergent comprises about 20 to 70 wt % of said nonionic surfactant;
up to 20 wt % of said solvent, with the weight ratio of nonionic surfactant to solvent in the range of from 100:1 to 1:1;
about 1 to 30 wt % of said diacid;
about 10 to 60 wt % of said at least one builder salt;
about 0.5 to 1.5 wt % of said silicone composition.

17. The laundry detergent according to Claim 16, comprising about 22 to 60 wt % of said nonionic surfactant;
up to 15 wt % of said solvent, with the weight ratio o:
nonionic surfactant to solvent in the range of from 50:1 to 2:1;
about 1.5 to 15 wt % of said diacid;
about 20 to 50 wt % of said at least one builder salt;
about 0.5 to 1.5 wt % of said silicone composition.

18. The laundry detergent according to Claim 1, further comprising a bleaching effective amount of at least one bleaching agent.

19. The laundry detergent according to Claim 18, wherein said bleaching agent is selected from the group consisting of perborates, percarbonates, perphosphates and persulfates, and said laundry detergent further comprises a bleach activating effective amount of a bleach activator.

20. The laundry detergent according to Claim 19, wherein said bleaching agent is present in an amount of about 2 to 20 wt % and said bleach activator is present in an amount of about 0.1 to 8 wt %.

21. A low-foam, non-aqueous, liquid, heavy-duty, laundry detergent comprising:
a detersively effective amount of a nonionic surfactant, said nonionic surfactant comprising a polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol wherein said secondary higher alkanol has 8 to 22 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is from 2 to 20 per mole of secondary higher alkanol;
a viscosity-controlling and anti-gelling effective amount of a solvent selected from the group consisting of monohydric alcohols, dihydric alcohols, alkylene glycols and alkylene glycol ethers;
an anti-gelling effective amount of a diacid compound selected from the group consisting of aliphatic linear dicarboxylic acids and aliphatic monocyclic dicarboxylic acids;
a detergent building effective amount of at least one builder salt;
an antifoaming effective amount of a silicone composition free of colloidal silica;
prepared by the sequential steps of (a) admixing said nonionic surfactant with said silicone composition; (b) admixing the admixture of step (a) with said solvent; (c) admixing the admixture of step (b) with said diacid compound; and (d) admixing the admixture of step (o) with the remaining ingredients.

22. The laundry detergent according to Claim 21, wherein said nonionic surfactant comprises a major portion of said polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol.

23. The laundry detergent according to Claim 22, wherein said secondary higher alkanol has 9 to 18 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is from 5 to 12.

24. The laundry detergent according to Claim 23, wherein said secondary higher alkanol has 11 to 1; carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is from 7 to 9.

25. The laundry detergent according to Claim 24, wherein said nonionic surfactant consists essentially of a 1:1 mixture of a polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol wherein said secondary alkanol has 11 to 15 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is 7 and a polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol wherein said secondary alkanol has 11 to 15 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is 9.

26. The laundry detergent according to Claim 21, wherein said solvent is an alkylene glycol ether of the formula RO(CH2CH2O)nH
wherein R is a C2-C8 alkyl group and n is a number of 1 to 6.

27. The laundry detergent according to Claim 26, wherein R is a C2-C5 alkyl group and n is a number of 1 to 4.

28. The laundry detergent according to Claim 27, wherein said solvent is diethylene glycol monobutyl ether.

29. The laundry detergent according to Claim 21, wherein said diacid compound is an aliphatic linear dicarboxylic acid of the formula wherein R1 is an alkyl or alkenyl group of from about 2 to about 10 carbon atoms; and, when is a double bond m=0 and n=1, and, when is a single bond m=1 and n=2.

30. The laundry detergent according to Claim 21, wherein said diacid compound is an aliphatic monocyclic dicarboxylic acid of the formula wherein T represents -CH2-, -CH=, =CH-, -CH2-CH2- or -CH=CH-, R2 represents an alkyl or alkenyl group of from 3 to 1:
carbon atoms, R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl or alkenyl group of from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and represents a double or single bond depending on the nature of the group T, with the proviso that the total number of carbon atoms in R2 and R3 is from about 6 to about 22.

31. The laundry detergent according to Claim 30, wherein T represents -CH2CH2- or -CH=CH-; and R2 and R3 each, independently, represent an alkyl group of 3 to 10 carbon atoms, with the proviso that the total number of carbon atoms in R2 and R3 is from about 8 to about 15.

32. The laundry detergent according to Claim 31, wherein T represents -CH=CH-.

33. The laundry detergent according to Claim 21, wherein said at least one builder salt is selected from the group consisting of carbonates, borates, phosphates, polyphosphates, bicarbonates and silicates.

34. The laundry detergent according to Claim 33, wherein said salt is a water-soluble alkali metal or ammonium salt.

35. The laundry detergent according to Claim 34, wherein said salt is sodium tripolyphosphate.

36. The laundry detergent according to Claim 21, wherein said laundry detergent comprises about 20 to 70 wt % of said nonionic surfactant;
up to 20 wt % of said solvent, with the weight ratio of nonionic surfactant to solvent in the range of from 100:1 to 1:1;
about 1 to 30 wt % of said diacid;
about 10 to 60 wt % of said at least one builder salt;
about 0.5 to 1.5 wt % of said silicone composition.

37. The laundry detergent according to Claim 36, comprising about 22 to 60 wt % of said nonionic surfactant;
up to 15 wt % of said solvent, with the weight ratio of nonionic surfactant to solvent in the range of from 50:1 to 2:1;
about 1.5 to 15 wt % of said diacid;
about 20 to 50 wt % of said at least one builder salt;
about 0.5 to 1.5 wt % of said silicone composition.

38. The laundry detergent according to Claim 21, further comprising a bleaching effective amount of at least one bleaching agent.

39. The laundry detergent according to Claim 38, wherein said bleaching agent is selected from the group consisting of perborates, percarbonates, perphosphates and persulfates, and said laundry detergent further comprises a bleach activating effective amount of a bleach activator.

40. The laundry detergent according to Claim 39, wherein said bleaching agent is present in an amount of about 2 to 20 wt % and said bleach activator is present in an amount of about 0.1 to 8 Wt %.

41. A method of making a low-foam, non-aqueous, liquid, heavy-duty laundry detergent comprising a detersively effective amount of a nonionic surfactant, said nonionic surfactant comprising a polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol wherein said secondary higher alkanol has 8 to 22 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is from 2 to 20 per mole of secondary higher alkanol; a viscosity-controlling and anti-gelling effective amount of a solvent selected from the group consisting of monohydric alcohols, dihydric alcohols, alkylene glycols and alkylene glycol ethers; an anti-gelling effective amount of a diacid compound selected from the group consisting of aliphatic linear dicarboxylic acids and aliphatic monocyclic dicarboxylic acids; a detergent building effective amount of at least one builder salt; an antifoaming effective amount of a silicone composition free of colloidal silica; said process comprising the steps of:
(a) admixing said nonionic surfactant with said silicone composition;
(b) admixing said admixture of step (a) with said solvent;
(c) admixing said admixture of step lb) with said diacid compound; and (d) admixing said admixture of step (c) with the remaining ingredients.

42. The method according to Claim 41, wherein said nonionic surfactant comprises a major portion of said polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol.

43. The method according to Claim 42, wherein said secondary higher alkanol has 9 to 18 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is from 5 to 12.

44. The method according to Claim 43, wherein said secondary higher alkanol has 11 to 15 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is from 7 to 9.

45. The method according to Claim 44, wherein said nonionic surfactant consists essentially of a 1:1 mixture of a polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol wherein said secondary alkanol has 11 to 15 carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is 7 and a polyethoxylated secondary higher alkanol wherein said secondary alkanol has 11 to l; carbon atoms and the number of moles of ethylene oxide is 9.

46. The method according to Claim 41, wherein said solvent is an alkylene glycol ether of the formula RO(CH2CH2O)nH
wherein R is a C-C8 alkyl group and n is a number of 1 to 6.

47. The method according to Claim 46, wherein R is a C2-C5 alkyl group and n is a number of l to 4.

48. The method according to Claim 47, wherein said solvent is diethylene glycol monobutyl ether.

49. The method according to Claim 41, wherein said diacid compound is an aliphatic linear dicarboxylic acid of the formula or wherein R1 is an alkyl or alkenyl group of from about 2 to about 10 carbon atoms; and, when is a double bond m=0 and n=1, and when is a single bond m=1 and n=2.

50. The method according to Claim 41, wherein said diacid compound is an aliphatic monocyclic dicarboxylic acid of the formula wherein T represents -CH2-, -CH=, =CH-, -CH2-CH2- or -CH=CH-, R2 represents an alkyl or alkenyl group of from 3 to 12 carbon atoms, R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl or alkenyl group of from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and represents a double or single bond depending on the nature of the group T, with the proviso that the total number of carbon atoms in R2 and R3 is from about 6 to about 22.

51. The method according to Claim 50, wherein T
represents -CH2CH2- or -CH=CH-; and R2 and R3 each, independently, represent an alkyl group of 3 to 10 carbon atoms, with the proviso that the total number of carbon atoms in R2 and R3 is from about 8 to about 15.

52. The method according to Claim 51, wherein T
represents -CH=CH-.

53. The method according to Claim 51, wherein said at least one builder salt is selected from the group consisting of carbonates, borates, phosphates, polyphosphates, bicarbonates and silicates.

54. The method according to Claim 53, wherein said salt is a water-soluble alkali metal or ammonium salt.

55. The method according to Claim 54, wherein said salt is sodium tripolyphosphate.

56. The method according to Claim 51, wherein said laundry detergent comprises about 20 to 70 wt % of said nonionic surfactant up to 20 wt % of said solvent, with the weight ratio of nonionic surfactant to solvent in the range of from 100:1 to 1:1;
about 1 to 30 wt % of said diacid;
about 10 to 60 wt % of said at least one builder salt;
about 0.5 to 1.5 wt % of said silicone composition.

57. The method according to Claim 56, wherein said laundry detergent comprises about 22 to 60 wt % of said nonionic surfactant;
up to 15 wt % of said solvent, with the weight ratio of nonionic surfactant to solvent in the range of from 50:1 to 2:1;
about 1.5 to 15 wt % of said diacid;
about 20 to 50 wt % of said at least one builder salt;
about 0.5 to 1.5 wt % of said silicone composition.

58. The method according to Claim 51, wherein said laundry detergent further comprising a bleaching effective amount of at least one bleaching agent.

59. The method according to Claim 58, wherein said bleaching agent is selected from the group consisting of perborates, percarbonates, perphosphates and persulfates, and said laundry detergent further comprises a bleach activating effective amount of a bleach activator.

60. The method according to Claim 59, wherein said bleaching agent is present in an amount of about 2 to 20 wt % and said bleach activator is present in an amount of about 0.1 to 8 wt %.