CN111615551B - Laundry detergent - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a granular laundry detergent composition comprising: a) from 3 to 60% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition) of one or more detersive surfactants selected from the group consisting of non-soap anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and mixtures thereof; b)0.01 to 1% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition) of a fragrance formulation (f1) in the form of free droplets dispersed in the composition; c)0.01 to 1% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition) of a fragrance formulation (f2) embedded within discrete polymer particles dispersed in the composition; wherein the total amount of fragrance formulation (f1) and fragrance formulation (f2) is in the range of 0.05 to 1.5% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition); and wherein the weight ratio of fragrance formulation (f1) to fragrance formulation (f2) in the composition is in the range of 60:40 to 30: 70.

Description

Laundry detergent

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a particulate laundry detergent containing a fragrance, and in particular to a particulate laundry detergent containing a combination of encapsulated and free fragrances.

Background

In granular laundry detergents, such as laundry detergent powders, the fragrance perceived by the user is one of the most important attributes. Efficient delivery of the correct fragrance to fabrics during the laundering process and release of fragrance at key user moments of use are crucial for delivering clean and fresh laundered garments.

Because laundry detergents are typically designed to carry oily materials and particulate solids away from the washed fabric, delivering fragrance at critical times is a difficult task. However, fragrances are also generally oily substances.

Encapsulation of the fragrance allows for improved deposition of the fragrance to the fabric, as well as delayed release of the fragrance, when the user's clothing is worn.

Yet another moment of importance to the user is when the washed laundry is in the "wet" phase, which extends from when the laundry is taken out of the washing machine to when they are nearly dry. There is a need for compositions that deliver a good scent sensation during this stage without significantly compromising fragrance performance in other stages, such as in packaging compositions prior to use and when washed laundry is dried. However, it is also desirable to reduce production costs and raw material wastage, particularly in the case of high value ingredients such as fragrances.

The present invention solves this problem.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a granular laundry detergent composition comprising:

a) from 3 to 80% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition) of one or more detersive surfactants selected from the group consisting of non-soap anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and mixtures thereof;

b)0.01 to 1% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition) of a fragrance formulation (f1) in the form of free droplets dispersed in the composition;

c)0.01 to 1% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition) of a fragrance formulation (f2) embedded within discrete polymer particles dispersed in the composition;

wherein the total amount of fragrance formulation (f1) and fragrance formulation (f2) is in the range of 0.05 to 1.5% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition);

and wherein the weight ratio of fragrance formulation (f1) to fragrance formulation (f2) in the composition is in the range of 60:40 to 30: 70.

Detailed Description

Aromatic preparation (f1)

The fragrance formulation (f1) will generally contain a mixture of selected fragrance components, optionally mixed with one or more excipients. The combined odor of the various fragrance components produces a pleasant or desirable scent.

In the context of the present invention, the term "fragrance component" refers to a material used essentially for its ability, alone or in admixture with other such materials, to impart a pleasant odor to a composition (into which it is incorporated) and/or a surface (to which it is applied). Materials with these properties are typically small lipophilic molecules with sufficient volatility to be transported to the olfactory system in the upper part of the nose.

The fragrance component for use in the present invention will generally have a molecular weight of less than 325 atomic mass units, preferably less than 300 atomic mass units and more preferably less than 275 atomic mass units. The molecular weight is preferably greater than 100 atomic mass units, more preferably greater than 125 atomic mass units, as lower masses may be too volatile and/or insufficiently lipophilic to be effective.

The fragrance component for use in the present invention will preferably have a molecular structure that is free of halogen atoms and/or strongly ionizing functional groups such as sulfonate, sulfate, or quaternary ammonium ions.

The fragrance component for use in the present invention will more preferably have a molecular structure containing only atoms from the following (but not necessarily all): hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur. Most preferably, the aroma component will have a molecular structure containing only atoms from the following (but not necessarily all): hydrogen, carbon and oxygen.

Examples of the aromatic component include aromatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and araliphatic (araliphatic) hydrocarbons having a molecular weight of about 90 to about 250; aromatic, aliphatic and araliphatic esters having a molecular weight of about 130 to about 250; aromatic nitriles, aliphatic nitriles and araliphatic nitriles having a molecular weight of from about 90 to about 250; aromatic, aliphatic and araliphatic alcohols having a molecular weight of about 90 to about 240; aromatic, aliphatic and araliphatic ketones having a molecular weight of about 150 to about 270; aromatic, aliphatic, and araliphatic lactones having a molecular weight of about 130 to about 290; aromatic aldehydes, aliphatic aldehydes, and araliphatic aldehydes having a molecular weight of about 90 to about 230; aromatic, aliphatic and araliphatic ethers having a molecular weight of about 150 to about 270; and condensation products of aldehydes and amines having a molecular weight of about 180 to about 320.

Specific examples of the fragrance component used in the present invention include:

i) hydrocarbons such as, for example, D-limonene, 3-carene (carene), α -pinene, β -pinene, α -terpinene, γ -terpinene, p-cymene, bisabolene (bisabolene), camphene, caryophyllene, cedrene, farnesene, longifolene, myrcene, ocimene, valencene (valenene), (E, Z) -1,3, 5-undecatriene, styrene, and diphenylmethane;

ii) aliphatic and araliphatic alcohols, such as, for example, benzyl alcohol, 1-phenylethyl alcohol, 2-phenylethyl alcohol, 3-phenylpropyl alcohol, 2-phenoxyethanol, 2-dimethyl-3-phenylpropyl alcohol, 2-dimethyl-3- (3-methylphenyl) propanol, 1-dimethyl-2-phenylethyl alcohol, 1-dimethyl-3-phenylpropyl alcohol, 1-ethyl-1-methyl-3-phenylpropyl alcohol, 2-methyl-5-phenylpentanol, 3-phenyl-2-propen-1-ol, 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol, 1- (4-isopropylphenyl) ethanol, 1-phenylpropyl alcohol, 2-methyl-5-phenylpentanol, 3-phenyl-2-propen-1-ol, 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol, 1- (4-isopropylphenyl) ethanol, 2-propen-ol, 2-propen-1-ol, 2-propen-1-propen-ol, 2-propen-1-propen-ol, and mixtures thereof, Hexanol, octanol, 3-octanol, 2, 6-dimethylheptanol, 2-methyl-2-heptanol, 2-methyl-2-octanol, (E) -2-hexenol, (E) -and a mixture of (Z) -3-hexenol, 1-octen-3-ol, 3,4,5,6, 6-pentamethyl-3/4-hepten-2-ol and 3,5,6, 6-tetramethyl-4-methylenehept-2-ol, (E, Z) -2, 6-nonadienol, 3, 7-dimethyl-7-methoxyoct-2-ol, 9-decenol, 10-undecenol and 4-methyl-3-decen-5-ol;

iii) cyclic and cycloaliphatic alcohols, such as, for example, 4-tert-butylcyclohexanol, 3,3, 5-trimethylcyclohexanol, 3-isobornylcyclohexanol, 2,6, 9-trimethyl-Z2, Z5, E9-cyclododecatrien-1-ol, 2-isobutyl-4-methyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-ol, α,3, 3-trimethylcyclohexylmethanol, 2-methyl-4- (2,2, 3-trimethyl-3-cyclopent-1-yl) butanol, 2-methyl-4- (2,2, 3-trimethyl-3-cyclopent-1-yl) -2-buten-1-ol, 2-ethyl-4- (2,2, 3-trimethyl-3-cyclopent-1-yl) -2-buten-1-ol, 3-methyl-5- (2,2, 3-trimethyl-3-cyclopent-1-yl) -pentan-2-ol, 3-methyl-5- (2,2, 3-trimethyl-3-cyclopent-1-yl) -4-penten-2-ol, 3-dimethyl-5- (2,2, 3-trimethyl-3-cyclopent-1-yl) -4-penten-2-ol, 1- (2,2, 6-trimethylcyclohexyl) pentan-3-ol and 1- (2,2, 6-trimethylcyclohexyl) hex-3-ol;

iv) aliphatic aldehydes and acetals thereof, such as, for example, hexanal, heptanal, octanal, nonanal, decanal, undecanal, laurnal, tridecanal, 2-methyloctanal, 2-methylnonanal, 2-methylundecanal, (E) -2-hexenal, (Z) -4-heptenal, 2, 6-dimethyl-5-heptenol, 10-undecenal, (E) -4-decenal, 2-dodecenal, 2,6, 10-trimethyl-5, 9-10-undecenal, heptanal-diethyl acetal, 1-dimethoxy-2, 2, 5-trimethyl-4-hexene and citronellyloxyacetaldehyde (citronellyl oxyacetaldehyde);

v) aliphatic ketones and oximes thereof, such as, for example, 2-heptanone, 2-octanone, 3-octanone, 2-nonanone, 5-methyl-3-heptanone oxime and 2,4,4, 7-tetramethyl-6-octen-3-one;

vi) aliphatic sulfur-containing compounds such as, for example, 3-methylthiohexanol, 3-methylthiohexyl acetate, 3-mercaptohexanol, 3-mercaptohexyl acetate, 3-mercaptohexyl butyrate, 3-acetylthiohexyl acetate and 1-menthene-8-thiol;

vii) aliphatic nitriles, such as, for example, 2-nonene nitrile, 2-tridecene nitrile, 2, 12-tridecene nitrile, 3, 7-dimethyl-2, 6-octadiene nitrile and 3, 7-dimethyl-6-octene nitrile;

viii) aliphatic carboxylic acids and esters thereof, such as, for example, (E) -and (Z) -3-hexenyl formate, ethyl acetoacetate, isoamyl acetate, hexyl 3,5, 5-trimethylacetate, 3-methyl-2-butenyl acetate, (E) -2-hexenyl acetate, (E) -and (Z) -3-hexenyl acetate, octyl acetate, 3-octyl acetate, 1-octen-3-yl acetate, ethyl butyrate, butyl butyrate, isoamyl butyrate, hexyl butyrate, (E) -and (Z) -3-hexenyl isobutyrate, hexyl crotonate, ethyl isovalerate, ethyl-2-methylvalerate, ethyl hexanoate, allyl hexanoate, ethyl heptanoate, allyl heptanoate, Ethyl octanoate, ethyl- (E, Z) -2, 4-decanedioate, methyl-2-octanoate, methyl-2-nonanoate, allyl-2-isopentyloxy-acetate, and methyl-3, 7-dimethyl-2, 6-octanedioate;

ix) acyclic terpene alcohols, such as, for example, citronellol; geraniol; nerol; linalool; lavender alcohol; nerolidol; farnesol; tetrahydrolinalool; tetrahydrogeraniol; 2, 6-dimethyl-7-octen-2-ol; 2, 6-dimethyloctan-2-ol; 2-methyl-6-methylene-7-octen-2-ol; 2, 6-dimethyl-5, 7-octadien-2-ol; 2, 6-dimethyl-3, 5-octadien-2-ol; 3, 7-dimethyl-4, 6-octadien-3-ol; 3, 7-dimethyl-1, 5, 7-octatrien-3-ol; 2, 6-dimethyl-2, 5, 7-octatrien-1-ol; and their formates, acetates, propionates, isobutyrates, butyrates, isovalerates, valerates, caproates, crotonates, tiglates (tiglinites), and 3-methyl-2-butenoate;

x) acyclic terpene aldehydes and ketones, such as, for example, geranial, neral, citronellal, 7-hydroxy-3, 7-dimethyloctanal, 7-methoxy-3, 7-dimethyloctanal, 2,6, 10-trimethyl-9-undecenal, α -sinal, β -sinal, geranylacetone, and the dimethyl and diethyl acetals of geranial, neral and 7-hydroxy-3, 7-dimethyloctanal;

xi) cyclic terpene alcohols, such as, for example, menthol, isopulegol, alpha-terpineol, terpinen-4-ol, menthan-8-ol, menthan-1-ol, menthan-7-ol, borneol, isoborneol, linalool oxide, nopol, cedrol, ambroxol (ambrinol), vetiverol, guaiol, and alpha-terpineol, terpinen-4-ol, menthan-8-ol, menthane-1-ol, menthane-7-ol, borneol, isoborneol, linalool oxide, nopol, cedrol, ambergris octahydronaphthalenol, vetiver and guaiol, formate, acetate, propionate, isobutyrate, butyrate, isovalerate, valerate, hexanoate, crotonate, tiglate and 3-methyl-2-butenoate;

xii) cyclic terpene aldehydes and ketones, such as, for example, menthone, isomenthone, 8-mercaptomenthan-3-one, carvone, camphor, fenchone, α -ionone, β -ionone, α -n-methylionone, β -n-methylionone, α -isomethyl ionone, β -isomethyl ionone, α -irone, α -damascone, β -damascone, δ -damascone, γ -damascone, 1- (2,4, 4-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl) -2-buten-1-one, 1,3,4,6,7,8 a-hexahydro-1, 1,5, 5-tetramethyl-2H-2, 4 a-methanonaphthalen-8 (5H) -one, nootkatone, dihydronootkatone, and cedryl methyl ketone;

xiii) cyclic and cycloaliphatic ethers, such as, for example, eucalyptol, cedryl methyl ether, cyclododecyl methyl ether, (ethoxymethoxy) cyclododecane; α -cedrene epoxide, 3a,6,6,9 a-tetramethyldodecahydronaphtho [2,1-b ] furan, 3 a-ethyl-6, 6,9 a-trimethyldodecahydronaphtho [2,1-b ] furan, 1,5, 9-trimethyl-13-oxabicyclo [10.1.0] -trideca-4, 8-diene, rose oxide and 2- (2, 4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexen-1-yl) -5-methyl-5- (1-methylpropyl) -1, 3-dioxane;

xiv) cyclic ketones, such as, for example, 4-tert-butylcyclohexanone, 2, 5-trimethyl-5-pentylcyclopentanone, 2-heptylcyclopentanone, 2-pentylcyclopentanone, 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one, 3-methyl-cis-2-penten-1-yl-2-cyclopenten-1-one, 3-methyl-2-pentyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one, 3-methyl-4-cyclopentadecanone, 3-methyl-5-cyclopentadecanone, 3-methylcyclopentadecanone, 4- (1-ethoxyvinyl) -3,3,5, 5-tetramethylcyclohexanone, 4-tert-amylcyclohexanone, 5-cyclohexadecen-1-one, 6, 7-dihydro-1, 1,2,3, 3-pentamethyl-4 (5H) -indanone, 5-cyclohexadecen-1-one, 8-cyclohexadecen-1-one, 9-cyclohexadecen-1-one, and cyclopentadecanone;

xv) cycloaliphatic aldehydes and ketones, such as, for example, 2, 4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexenecarbaldehyde, 2-methyl-4- (2,2, 6-trimethyl-cyclohexen-1-yl) -2-butenal, 4- (4-hydroxy-4-methylpentyl) -3-cyclohexenecarbaldehyde, 4- (4-methyl-3-penten-1-yl) -3-cyclohexenecarbaldehyde, 1- (3, 3-dimethylcyclohexyl) -4-penten-1-one, 1- (5, 5-dimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl) -4-penten-1-one, 2,3,8, 8-tetramethyl-1, 2,3,4,5,6,7, 8-octahydro-2-naphthalenylmethyl ketone, methyl-2, 6, 10-trimethyl-2, 5, 9-cyclododecatrienyl ketone and tert-butyl- (2, 4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexen-1-yl) ketone;

xvi) esters of cyclic alcohols, such as, for example, 2-tert-butylcyclohexylacetate, 4-tert-butylcyclohexylacetate, 2-tert-amylcyclohexylacetate, 4-tert-amylcyclohexylacetate, decahydro-2-naphthylacetate, 3-pentyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-ylacetate, decahydro-2, 5,5,8 a-tetramethyl-2-naphthylacetate, 4, 7-methano-3 a,4,5,6,7,7 a-hexahydro-5-or 6-indenylacetate, 4, 7-methano-3 a,4,5,6,7,7 a-hexahydro-5-or 6-indenylpropionate, 4, 7-methano-3 a,4,5,6,7,7 a-hexahydro-5 or 6-indenyl isobutyrate and 4, 7-methanooctahydro-5-or 6-indenyl acetate;

xvii) esters of cycloaliphatic carboxylic acids, such as, for example, allyl 3-cyclohexyl-propionate, allyl cyclohexyloxyacetate, methyl dihydrojasmonate, methyl jasmonate, methyl 2-hexyl-3-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate, ethyl 2-ethyl-6, 6-dimethyl-2-cyclohexenecarboxylate, ethyl 2,3,6, 6-tetramethyl-2-cyclohexenecarboxylate and ethyl 2-methyl-1, 3-dioxolane-2-acetate;

xviii) esters of araliphatic alcohols and aliphatic carboxylic acids, such as, for example, benzyl acetate, benzyl propionate, benzyl isobutyrate, benzyl isovalerate, 2-phenylethyl acetate, 2-phenylethyl propionate, 2-phenylethyl isobutyrate, 2-phenylethyl isovalerate, 1-phenylethyl acetate, α -trichloromethyl benzyl acetate, α -dimethylbenzyl butyrate, cinnamyl acetate, 2-phenoxyethyl isobutyrate and 4-methoxybenzyl acetate;

xix) araliphatic ethers and acetals thereof, such as, for example, 2-phenylethylmethyl ether, 2-phenylethylisoamyl ether, 2-phenylethylcyclohexyl ether, 2-phenylethyl-1-ethoxyethyl ether, phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal, phenylacetaldehyde diethyl acetal, 2-phenylpropionaldehyde dimethyl acetal, phenylacetaldehyde glycerol acetal, 2,4, 6-trimethyl-4-phenyl-1, 3-dioxane, 4a,5,9 b-tetrahydroindeno [1,2-d ] -m-dioxin, and 4,4a,5,9 b-tetrahydro-2, 4-dimethylindeno [1,2-d ] -m-dioxin;

xx) aromatic and araliphatic aldehydes and ketones, such as, for example, benzaldehyde; phenylacetaldehyde, 3-phenylpropylaldehyde, 2-phenylpropylaldehyde, 4-methylbenzaldehyde, 4-methylphenylaldehyde, 3- (4-ethylphenyl) -2, 2-dimethylpropionaldehyde, 2-methyl-3- (4-isopropylphenyl) propionaldehyde, 2-methyl-3- (4-tert-butylphenyl) propionaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, α -butylcinnamaldehyde, α -pentylcinnamaldehyde, α -hexylcinnamaldehyde, 3-methyl-5-phenylpentanal, 4-methoxybenzaldehyde, 4-hydroxy-3-ethoxybenzaldehyde, 3, 4-methylene-dioxybenzaldehyde, phenylglyoxal, 2-methyl-4-propylaldehyde, phenylglyoxal, 4-methyl-ethyl, phenylglyoxal, 4-ethyl, phenylglyoxal, phenyl-ethyl-2, phenyl-ethyl-, 3, 4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde, 2-methyl-3- (4-methoxyphenyl) propanal, 2-methyl-3- (4-methylenedioxyphenyl) propanal, acetophenone, 4-methylacetophenone, 4-methoxyacetophenone, 4-tert-butyl-2, 6-dimethylacetophenone, 4-phenyl-2-butanone, 4- (4-hydroxyphenyl) -2-butanone, 1- (2-naphthyl) ethanone, benzophenone, 1,2,3,3, 6-hexamethyl-5-indanyl methyl ketone, 6-tert-butyl-1, 1-dimethyl-4-indanyl methyl ketone, 1- [2, 3-dihydro-1, 1,2, 6-tetramethyl-3- (1-methylethyl) -1H-5-indenyl ] ethanone and 5 ', 6', 7 ', 8' -tetrahydro-3 ', 5', 5 ', 6', 8 ', 8' -hexamethyl-2-naphthaleneacetone;

xxi) aromatic and araliphatic carboxylic acids and esters thereof, such as, for example, benzoic acid, phenylacetic acid, methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, hexyl benzoate, benzyl benzoate, methyl phenylacetate, ethyl phenylacetate, geranyl phenylacetate, phenethyl phenylacetate, methyl cinnamate, ethyl cinnamate, benzyl cinnamate, phenethyl cinnamate, cinnamyl cinnamate, allyl phenoxyacetate, methyl salicylate, isoamyl salicylate, hexyl salicylate, cyclohexyl salicylate, cis-3-hexenyl salicylate, benzyl salicylate, phenethyl salicylate, 2, 4-dihydroxy-3, 6-dimethylbenzoic acid methyl ester, ethyl 3-phenylglycerate, and ethyl 3-methyl-3-phenylglycerate;

xxii) nitrogen-containing aromatic compounds, such as, for example, 2,4, 6-trinitro-1, 3-dimethyl-5-tert-butylbenzene, 3, 5-dinitro-2, 6-dimethyl-4-tert-butylbenzone, cinnamonitrile, 5-phenyl-3-methyl-2-pentenenitrile, 5-phenyl-3-methylpentanenitrile, methyl anthranilate, methyl N-methylanthranilate, methyl anthranilate with 7-hydroxy-3, 3, 7-dimethyloctanal, 2-methyl-3- (4-tert-butylphenyl) propanal or the Schiff base of 2, 4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexenecarbaldehyde, 6-isopropylquinoline, 6-isobutylquinoline, 6-cyclohexylquinoline, 2-tert-butyl-benzaldehyde, 6-sec-butylquinoline, indole, methylindole, 2-methoxy-3-isopropylpyrazine and 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine;

xxiii) phenols, phenyl ethers and phenyl esters, such as for example estragole, anethole, eugenol, syringyl methyl ether, isoeugenol, isoeugenyl methyl ether, thymol, carvacrol, diphenyl ether, β -naphthyl methyl ether, β -naphthyl ethyl ether, β -naphthyl isobutyl ether, 1, 4-dimethoxybenzene, eugenol acetate, 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol, 2-ethoxy-5- (1-propenyl) phenol and p-cresol phenylacetate;

xxiv) heterocyclic compounds, such as, for example, 2, 5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-2H-furan-3-one, 2-ethyl-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-2H-furan-3-one, 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one, 2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one;

xxv) lactones, such as, for example, 1, 4-octanolactone (octanolactone), 3-methyl-1, 4-octanolactone, 1, 4-nonalactone, 1, 4-decalactone, 8-decene-1, 4-lactone, 1, 4-undecalactone, 1, 4-dodecalactone, 1, 5-decalactone, 1, 5-dodecalactone, 1, 15-pentadecanolide, cis-and trans-1' -pentadecan-1, 15-lactone, cis-and trans-12-pentadecan-1, 15-lactone, 1, 16-hexadecanolide, 9-hexadecanolide, 10-oxa-1, 16-hexadecanolide, 11-oxa-1, 16-hexadecanolide, 12-oxa-1, 16-hexadecanolide, vinyl-1, 12-dodecanedioate, vinyl-1, 13-tridecanedioate, coumarin, 2, 3-dihydrocoumarin and octahydrocoumarin.

Naturally occurring exudates such as essential oils extracted from plants may also be used as the aroma component in the present invention. Essential oils are usually extracted by steam distillation, solid phase extraction, cold pressing, solvent extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, water distillation or simultaneous distillation-extraction. Essential oils may be derived from several different parts of a plant, including, for example, leaves, flowers, roots, buds, twigs, rhizomes, heartwood, bark, resin, seeds, and fruits. The major plant families from which essential oils are extracted include the family Compositae (Asteraceae), the family Myrtaceae (Myrtaceae), the family Lauraceae (Lauraceae), the family Labiatae (Lamiaceae), the family Myrtaceae (Myrtaceae), the family Rutaceae (Rutaceae), and the family Zingiberaceae (Zingiaceae). The oil is "essential" in the sense that it carries the unique aroma or essence of the plant.

Those skilled in the art understand that essential oils are complex mixtures, typically consisting of tens or hundreds of components. Most of these components have an isoprenoid skeleton with 10 carbon atoms (monoterpenes), 15 carbon atoms (sesquiterpenes) or 20 carbon atoms (diterpenes). Smaller amounts of other components, such as alcohols, aldehydes, esters and phenols, may also be found. However, in the context of practicing fragrance formulations, individual essential oils are generally considered to be a single component. Thus, individual essential oils may be considered as a single fragrant component for the purposes of the present invention.

Specific examples of the essential oils used as the fragrant component of the present invention include cedar wood oil, juniper oil, cumin oil, cinnamon oil, camphor oil, rosewood oil, ginger oil, basil oil, eucalyptus oil, lemongrass oil, peppermint oil, rosemary oil, spearmint oil, tea tree oil, frankincense oil, chamomile oil, clove oil, jasmine oil, lavender oil, rose oil, ylang-ylang oil (ylang-ylang oil), bergamot oil, grapefruit oil, lemon oil, lime oil, orange oil, fir needle oil (fir needle oil), white rosin oil (galbanum oil), geranium oil, grapefruit oil, pine leaf oil, wormwood oil, labdanum oil (labdanum oil), strigose oil, thyme oil, verbena oil, marjoram oil, mandarin oil, sage oil, nutmeg oil, myrtle oil, clove oil, neroli oil, patchouli oil, sandalwood oil, thyme oil, verbena oil, vetiver oil (wintergreen oil), and wintergreen oil.

The number of different aroma components comprised in the aroma formulation (f1) will generally be at least 4, preferably at least 6, more preferably at least 8 and most preferably at least 10, such as 10 to 200, more preferably 10 to 100.

Typically, no single fragrance component will comprise more than 70% by weight of the total weight of the fragrance formulation (f 1). Preferably, no single fragrance component will comprise more than 60 wt% of the total weight of fragrance formulation (f1), more preferably, no single fragrance component will comprise more than 50 wt% of the total weight of fragrance formulation (f 1).

In the context of the present invention, the term "aroma formulation" refers to an aroma component as defined above, plus any optional excipients. Excipients may be included in the fragrance formulation for various purposes, such as solvents for insoluble or poorly soluble components, as diluents for more effective components, or to control the vapor pressure and evaporation characteristics of the fragrance formulation. Excipients may have many of the characteristics of aromatic components, but do not themselves have a strong odor. Thus, excipients can be distinguished from fragrance components in that they can be added to fragrance formulations in high proportions (e.g., 30% or even 50% by weight of the total weight of the fragrance formulation) without significantly altering the odor quality of the fragrance formulation. Some examples of suitable excipients include ethanol, isopropanol, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, dipropylene glycol, diethyl phthalate and triethyl citrate. Mixtures of any of the above materials may also be suitable.

Suitable fragrance formulations (f1) for use in the present invention comprise a mixture of at least 10 fragrance components selected from: a hydrocarbon i); aliphatic and araliphatic alcohols ii); aliphatic aldehydes and their acetals iv); aliphatic carboxylic acids and esters viii thereof); acyclic terpene alcohols ix); cyclic terpene aldehydes and ketoxii); cyclic and cycloaliphatic ethers xiii); ester xvi) of a cyclic alcohol; esters of araliphatic alcohols and aliphatic carboxylic acids xviii); araliphatic ethers and their acetals xix); aromatic and araliphatic aldehydes and ketones xx), and aromatic and araliphatic carboxylic acids and esters xxi) thereof; as further described and illustrated above.

The content of the fragrance component is preferably in the range of from 50 to 100%, more preferably from 60 to 100% and most preferably from 75 to 100% by weight, based on the total weight of the fragrance formulation (f 1); one or more excipients (as described above) make up the balance of the fragrance formulation (f1), as desired.

The fragrance formulation (f1) is in the form of free droplets dispersed in the composition. In the context of the present invention, the term "free droplets" refers to droplets that are not embedded within discrete polymer particles.

In a typical granular laundry detergent composition according to the present invention, the level of fragrance formulation (f1) is preferably in the range of 0.05 to 1.5% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

Aromatic (f2)

The fragrance formulation (f2) for use in the present invention will generally contain a mixture of selected fragrance components, optionally mixed with one or more excipients, as described above for fragrance formulation (f 1).

The fragrance formulation (f2) and fragrance formulation (f1) may be the same or different.

The fragrance formulation (f2) is embedded within discrete polymer particles dispersed in the composition. One type of microparticle suitable for use in the present invention is a microcapsule. Microencapsulation can be defined as a process of enclosing or encapsulating one substance within another on a very small scale, resulting in capsules ranging in size from less than 1 micron to hundreds of microns. The encapsulated material may be referred to as a core, active ingredient or agent, filler, load (payload), core or internal phase. The material encapsulating the core may be referred to as a coating, film, shell, or wall material.

Microcapsules typically have at least one substantially spherical continuous shell surrounding the core. The shell may contain holes, voids or interstitial openings, depending on the materials and encapsulation techniques used. The plurality of shells may be made of the same or different encapsulating materials, and may be arranged in layers having different thicknesses surrounding the core. Alternatively, the microcapsules may be asymmetric and shape-shifting, with a large number of smaller droplets of core material embedded throughout the microcapsule.

The shell may have a barrier function which protects the core material from the environment outside the microcapsule, but it may also serve as a means of modulating the release of the core material, such as a fragrance. Thus, the shell may be water soluble or water swellable and may actuate the release of the fragrance in response to exposure of the microcapsule to a humid environment. Similarly, if the shell is temperature sensitive, the microcapsules may release fragrance in response to high temperatures. The microcapsules may also release the fragrance in response to a shear force applied to the surface of the microcapsules.

A preferred type of polymeric microparticle suitable for use in the present invention is a polymeric core-shell microcapsule, wherein at least one substantially spherical continuous shell of polymeric material surrounds a core containing the fragrance formulation (f 2). The shell will typically comprise up to 20% by weight based on the total weight of the microcapsule. The fragrance formulation (f2) will generally comprise from about 10 to about 60%, preferably from about 20 to about 40% by weight based on the total weight of the microcapsule. The amount of fragrance (f2) can be measured as follows: the slurry of microcapsules was taken, extracted into ethanol and measured by liquid chromatography.

The polymeric core-shell microcapsules used in the present invention can be prepared using methods known to those skilled in the art such as coacervation, interfacial polymerization, and polycondensation.

The agglomeration process typically involves precipitation of a colloidal material onto the surface of droplets of the material to encapsulate the core material, which is typically water-insoluble. Agglomeration can be simple, for example using a single colloid, such as gelatin, or a complex of two or possibly more colloids of opposite charge, such as gelatin and gum arabic or gelatin and carboxymethylcellulose, under carefully controlled conditions of pH, temperature and concentration.

Interfacial polymerization generally continues with the formation of a fine dispersion of oil droplets (which contain a core material) in an aqueous continuous phase. The dispersed droplets form the core of future microcapsules, the size of the dispersed droplets directly determining the size of the subsequent microcapsules. Microcapsule shell-forming materials (monomers or oligomers) are contained in both the dispersed phase (oil droplets) and the aqueous continuous phase, and they react together at the phase interface to build a polymeric wall around the oil droplets, thereby encapsulating the droplets and forming core-shell microcapsules. An example of a core-shell microcapsule obtained by this method is a polyurea microcapsule having a shell formed by reacting a diisocyanate or polyisocyanate with a diamine or polyamine.

Polycondensation involves forming a dispersion or emulsion of the core material in an aqueous solution of a precondensate of the polymeric material under appropriate agitation conditions to produce sachets of the desired size, and adjusting the reaction conditions to cause the precondensate to condense by acid catalysis, resulting in the condensate separating from the solution and surrounding the dispersed core material to produce a coherent film and the desired microcapsules. Examples of core-shell microcapsules obtained by this process are aminoplast microcapsules having a shell formed by the polycondensation product of melamine (2,4, 6-triamino-1, 3, 5-triazine) or urea with formaldehyde. Suitable crosslinking agents (e.g., toluene diisocyanate, divinylbenzene, butanediol diacrylate) may also be used, and second wall polymers, such as polymers and copolymers of anhydrides and derivatives thereof, particularly maleic anhydride, may also be used as appropriate.

One example of a preferred polymeric core-shell microcapsule for use in the present invention is an aminoplast microcapsule having an aminoplast shell surrounding a core containing a fragrance formulation (f 2). More preferably, such aminoplast shells are formed from the polycondensation product of melamine and formaldehyde.

The polymer microparticles suitable for use in the present invention typically have an average particle size of between 100 nanometers and 50 micrometers. Particles larger than this go into the visible range. Examples of particles in the submicron range include latexes and miniemulsions (mini-emulsions) having a typical size range of 100 to 600 nanometers. The preferred particle size range is the micron range. Examples of micron-range particles include polymeric core-shell microcapsules (such as those described further above) having a typical size range of 1 to 50 microns, preferably 5 to 30 microns. The mean particle size can be determined by light scattering using a Malvern Mastersizer and taken as the median particle size D (0.5) value. The particle size distribution may be narrow, broad or multimodal. The microcapsules, as originally prepared, can be filtered or sieved, if necessary, to obtain a product with greater size uniformity.

Polymeric microparticles suitable for use in the present invention may be provided with a deposition aid on the outer surface of the microparticle. Deposition aids act to alter properties external to the microparticles, for example to make the microparticles more compatible with the desired substrate (substentive). Desirable substrates include cellulosic (including cotton) and polyester (including those used in the preparation of polyester fabrics).

The deposition aid may suitably be provided at the outer surface of the microparticle using covalent bonding, entanglement (entanglements) or strong adsorption. Examples include polymeric core-shell microcapsules (such as those further described above) in which the deposition aid is attached to the exterior of the shell, preferably by covalent bonding. Although it is preferred that the deposition aid is directly attached to the exterior of the shell, it may also be attached via a linker.

The deposition aid used in the present invention may suitably be selected from polysaccharides having affinity for cellulose. Such polysaccharides may be naturally occurring or synthetic, and may have an inherent affinity for cellulose, or may have been derivatized or otherwise modified to have an affinity for cellulose. Suitable polysaccharides have a 1-4 linked beta glycan (generalized sugar) backbone structure with at least 4 and preferably at least 10 backbone residues that are beta 1-4 linked, such as a glucan backbone (consisting of beta 1-4 linked glucose residues), a mannan backbone (consisting of beta 1-4 linked mannose residues), or a xylan backbone (consisting of beta 1-4 linked xylose residues). Examples of such β 1-4 linked polysaccharides include xyloglucan, glucomannan, mannan, galactomannan, β (1-3), (1-4) glucan, and the family of xylans comprising glucuronyl (glucorono) -, arabinoyl (arabino) -and glucuronosyl xylans. Preferred β 1-4 linked polysaccharides for use in the present invention may be selected from plant derived xyloglucans such as pea xyloglucan and tamarind seed xyloglucan (TXG) having a β 1-4 linked glucan backbone with side chains of α -D xylopyranose and β -D-galactopyranosyl- (1-2) - α -D-xylopyranose, both 1-6 linked to the backbone; and plant-derived galactomannans, such as Locust Bean Gum (LBG) (which has a mannan backbone with β 1-4 linked mannose residues, with single unit galactose side chains with α 1-6 linked to the backbone).

Also suitable are polysaccharides which, upon hydrolysis, can obtain an affinity for cellulose (e.g. cellulose monoacetate); or modified polysaccharides having affinity for cellulose such as hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxyethyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl guar, hydroxyethyl ethylcellulose and methylcellulose.

The deposition aid used in the present invention may also be selected from phthalate containing polymers having an affinity for polyesters. Such phthalate-containing polymers may have one or more nonionic hydrophilic segments comprising oxyalkylene groups, such as oxyethylene, polyoxyethylene, oxypropylene or polyoxypropylene groups, and one or more hydrophobic segments comprising terephthalate groups. Typically, the oxyalkylene groups will have a degree of polymerization of from 1 to about 400, preferably from 100 to about 350, more preferably from 200 to about 300. Suitable examples of phthalate-containing polymers of this type are copolymers having random blocks of ethylene terephthalate and polyethylene oxide terephthalate.

Mixtures of any of the above materials may also be suitable.

The deposition aids useful in the present invention will generally have a weight average molecular weight (M) in the range of about 5kDa to about 500kDa, preferably about 10kDa to about 500kDa and more preferably about 20kDa to about 300kDa_w)。

One example of a particularly preferred polymeric core-shell microcapsule for use in the present invention is an aminoplast microcapsule having a shell formed by the polycondensation of melamine with formaldehyde, said shell surrounding a core containing the aromatic agent (f 2); wherein the deposition aid is attached to the exterior of the shell using covalent bonding. Preferred deposition aids are selected from β 1-4 linked polysaccharides, in particular xyloglucans of plant origin, as further described above.

In a typical granular laundry detergent composition according to the present invention, the level of fragrance formulation (f2) is preferably in the range of from 0.05 to 0.2% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

The present inventors have surprisingly observed that it is possible to reduce the total level of fragrance contained in the compositions of the present invention without sacrificing the overall perception of fragrance delivered to the user at a critical stage of the laundering process. It is advantageous to reduce the total level of fragrance for cost and environmental reasons.

Thus, in the composition of the present invention, the total amount of the fragrant formulation (f1) and the fragrant formulation (f2) is suitably in the range of 0.1 to 0.5%, preferably 0.15 to 0.3% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

In the composition of the present invention, the weight ratio of the fragrant formulation (f1) to the fragrant formulation (f2) is preferably in the range of 60:40 to 45: 55. Particularly good results have been obtained at a weight ratio of fragrance formulation (f1) to fragrance formulation (f2) of about 50: 50.

Granular laundry detergent

In the context of the present invention, the term "laundry detergent" refers to a formulated composition intended for and capable of wetting and cleaning household clothing, such as clothes, linen and other household fabrics. The term "linen" is often used to describe certain types of laundry items, including sheets, pillowcases, towels, tablecloths, napkins, and uniforms. Textiles may include woven, non-woven, and knitted fabrics; and may comprise natural or synthetic fibers such as silk fibers, flax fibers, cotton fibers, polyester fibers, polyamide fibers such as nylon, acrylic fibers, acetate fibers and mixtures thereof, including cotton and polyester mixtures.

Examples of laundry detergents include heavy-duty detergents used in the wash cycle of automatic washing machines, as well as fine wash and color care detergents, such as those suitable for washing fine laundry (e.g., those made of silk or wool) by hand or in the wash cycle of automatic washing machines.

In the context of the present invention, the term "granulate" refers to a free-flowing or compacted solid form, such as powders, granules, pellets, flakes, bars, briquettes (briquettes) or tablets.

One preferred form for use in the composition according to the invention is a free-flowing powdered solid having a loose (unpackaged) bulk density generally ranging from about 200g/l to about 1,300g/l, preferably from about 400g/l to about 1,000g/l, more preferably from about 500g/l to about 900 g/l.

The compositions of the present invention comprise from 3 to 80%, preferably from 10 to 60%, more preferably from 15 to 50% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition) of one or more detersive surfactants selected from non-soap anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants and mixtures thereof.

In the context of the present invention, the term "detersive surfactant" refers to a surfactant that provides a detersive (i.e., cleaning) action to the laundry being laundered as part of a domestic laundry process.

Non-soap anionic surfactants are primarily used to promote particulate soil removal. The non-soap anionic surfactants useful in the present invention may be generally selected from salts of organic sulfuric and sulfonic acids having alkyl groups containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, the term "alkyl" being used to include the alkyl portion of higher acyl groups. Examples of such materials include alkyl sulfates, alkyl ether sulfates, alkylaryl sulfonates, alpha-olefin sulfonates, and mixtures thereof. The alkyl group preferably contains 10 to 18 carbon atoms and may be unsaturated. The alkyl ether sulfates may contain from one to ten ethylene oxide or propylene oxide units per molecule, and preferably contain from one to three ethylene oxide units per molecule. The counter ion of the anionic surfactant is typically an alkali metal such as sodium or potassium; or an ammonia-containing counterion such as Monoethanolamine (MEA), Diethanolamine (DEA) or Triethanolamine (TEA). Mixtures of such counterions can also be used.

A preferred class of non-soap anionic surfactants for use in the present invention comprises alkyl benzene sulphonates, especially linear alkyl benzene sulphonates (LAS) having an alkyl chain length of from 10 to 18 carbon atoms. Commercial LAS are mixtures of closely related isomers and homologs, each containing a sulfonated aromatic ring in the "para" position and attached to a linear alkyl chain at any position other than the terminal carbon. The linear alkyl chain typically has a chain length of 11 to 15 carbon atoms, with the primary material having about C₁₂The chain length of (a). Each alkyl chain homologue, except the 1-phenyl isomer, consists of a mixture of all possible sulfophenyl isomers. LAS are typically formulated into compositions in acid (i.e., HLAS) form and then at least partially neutralized in situ.

Mixtures of any of the above materials may also be used.

The total content of non-soap anionic surfactant in the composition of the invention may suitably be in the range 5 to 25% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

Nonionic surfactants can provide enhanced performance for removing very hydrophobic oily soils and for cleaning hydrophobic polyester and polyester/cotton blends.

The nonionic surfactants useful in the present invention are typically polyoxyalkylene compounds, i.e., the reaction product of an alkylene oxide, such as ethylene oxide or propylene oxide or mixtures thereof, with a starter molecule having a hydrophobic group and a reactive hydrogen atom which reacts with the alkylene oxide. Such starter molecules include alcohols, acids, amides or alkylphenols. When the starter molecule is an alcohol, the reaction product is referred to as an alcohol alkoxylate. The polyoxyalkylene compounds may have a wide variety of block and heteric (random) structures. For example, they may contain a single block of alkylene oxide, or they may be diblock alkoxylate or triblock alkoxylate. Within the block structure, the blocks may be all ethylene oxide or all propylene oxide, or the blocks may contain a heteric mixture of alkylene oxides. Examples of such materials include C having an average of 5 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alkylphenol₈To C₂₂An alkylphenol ethoxylate; and fatty alcohol ethoxylates, e.g. C with an average of 2 to 40 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol₈To C₁₈Primary or secondary linear or branched alcohol ethoxylates.

A preferred type of nonionic surfactant for use in the present invention comprises aliphatic C's having an average of from 3 to 20, more preferably from 5 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol₈To C₁₈More preferably C₁₂To C₁₅Primary linear alcohol ethoxylates.

Mixtures of any of the above materials may also be used.

The total content of nonionic surfactant in the composition of the present invention may suitably be in the range of from 1 to 10% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

Examples of suitable mixtures of non-soap anionic and/or nonionic surfactants for use in the present invention include linear alkyl benzene sulphonates (preferably C₁₁To C₁₅Linear alkyl benzene sulfonate) with sodium lauryl ether sulfate (preferably, ethoxylated C with an average of 1 to 3 EO)₁₀To C₁₈Alkyl sulfates) and/or ethoxylated fatty alcohols (preferably, having an average of 5 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol)C of (A)₁₂To C₁₅Primary linear alcohol ethoxylates). In such a mixture, linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (preferably C)₁₁To C₁₅Linear alkylbenzene sulphonate) is preferably present in an amount of at least 50%, such as from 50 to 95% (by weight based on the total weight of the mixture).

The compositions of the present invention may contain, in addition to the non-soap anionic and/or nonionic detersive surfactants described above, one or more co-surfactants (such as amphoteric (zwitterionic) and/or cationic surfactants).

Specific cationic surfactants include C₈To C₁₈Alkyl dimethyl ammonium halides and derivatives thereof wherein one or two hydroxyethyl groups replace one or two of the methyl groups, and mixtures thereof. When included, the cationic surfactant can be present in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 5% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

Specific amphoteric (zwitterionic) surfactants include the alkyl amine oxides, alkyl betaines, alkyl amidopropyl betaines, alkyl sulfobetaines (sultaines), alkyl glycinates, alkyl carboxyglycinates, alkyl amphoacetates, alkyl amphopropionates, alkyl amphoglycinates, alkyl amidopropyl hydroxysultaines, acyl taurates, and acyl glutamates having an alkyl group containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, the term "alkyl" being used to include the alkyl portion of higher acyl groups. When included, the amphoteric (zwitterionic) surfactant can be present in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 5% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

The compositions of the present invention may also comprise one or more builders. Builders are used primarily to reduce water hardness. This is done by chelation (sequestration) or chelation (sequestration) (keeping the hard mineral in solution), by precipitation (formation of insoluble substances) or by ion exchange (exchange of charged particles). Builders can also provide and maintain alkalinity, which helps clean especially acidic soils; help to keep the removed soil from redepositing during washing; and emulsifying oily and greasy soils.

The builders used in the present invention may be of the organic or inorganic type, or mixtures thereof. Non-phosphate builders are preferred.

Inorganic non-phosphate builders useful herein include carbonates, silicates, zeolites and mixtures thereof.

Suitable carbonate builders for use in the present invention include mixed or individual anhydrous or partially hydrated alkali metal carbonates, bicarbonates or sesquicarbonates. Preferably, the alkali metal is sodium and/or potassium, sodium carbonate being particularly preferred.

Suitable silicate builders include amorphous and/or crystalline forms of alkali metal (e.g. sodium) silicates. Preference is given to crystalline layered sodium silicates (phyllosilicates) of the general formula (I):

NaMSi_xO_2x+1·yH₂O (I)

wherein M is sodium or hydrogen, x is a number from 1.9 to 4, preferably 2 or 3, and y is a number from 0 to 20. Sodium disilicate of the above formula, wherein M is sodium and x is 2, is particularly preferred. Such materials can be prepared with different crystal structures, referred to as alpha, beta, gamma and delta phases, with delta-sodium disilicate being most preferred.

The zeolite is naturally occurring or synthetic comprising (SiO)₄)^4-And (AlO)₄)^5-Tetrahedral crystalline aluminosilicates which share oxygen-bridge vertices in crystalline form and form cage-like structures. The ratio between oxygen, aluminum and silicon is 2:1 (Al + Si). The backbones gain their negative charge by replacing some of the Si with Al. The negative charge is neutralized by the cation and, under normal conditions, the backbone is sufficiently open to contain mobile water molecules. Suitable zeolite builders for use in the present invention can be defined by the general formula (II):

Na_x[(AlO₂)_x(SiO₂)_y]·zH₂O (II)

wherein x and y are integers of at least 6, the molar ratio of x to y is in the range of about 1 to about 0.5, and z is an integer of at least 5, preferably about 7.5 to about 276, more preferably about 10 to about 264.

For the hairSuitable organic non-phosphate builders include polycarboxylic acids in acid and/or salt form. When a salt form is used, alkali metal (e.g., sodium and potassium) or alkanolammonium salts are preferred. Specific examples of such materials include sodium and potassium citrate, sodium and potassium tartrate monosuccinate, sodium and potassium tartrate disuccinate, sodium and potassium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, sodium and potassium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, sodium and potassium N- (2-hydroxyethyl) -ethylenediaminetriacetic acid, sodium and potassium nitrilotriacetic acid, and sodium and potassium N- (2-hydroxyethyl) -nitrilo-diacetic acid. Polymeric polycarboxylates may also be used, such as polymers of unsaturated monocarboxylic acids (e.g., acrylic, methacrylic, vinylacetic and crotonic acids) and/or unsaturated dicarboxylic acids (e.g., maleic, fumaric, itaconic, mesaconic and citraconic acids and their anhydrides). Specific examples of such materials include polyacrylic acid, polymaleic acid, and copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid. The polymer may be in acid, salt or partially neutralized form, and may suitably have a molecular weight (M) in the range of from about 1,000 to 100,000, preferably from about 2,000 to about 85,000, more preferably from about 2,500 to about 75,000_w)。

Mixtures of any of the above materials may also be used. Preferred builders for use in the present invention may be selected from the group consisting of zeolites (of formula (II) as hereinbefore defined), sodium carbonate, delta-sodium disilicate and mixtures thereof.

Preferably, in the compositions of the present invention, the phosphate builder is present in an amount of less than 1% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition). In the context of the present invention, the term "phosphate builder" refers to alkali metal, ammonium and alkanolammonium salts of polyphosphoric, orthophosphoric and/or metaphosphoric acids (e.g. sodium tripolyphosphate).

When included, the builder may be present in a total amount in the range of from about 10 to about 80%, preferably from about 15 to about 50% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

The compositions of the present invention may also include one or more fillers to help provide the desired density and volume (bulk) to the composition. Suitable fillers for use in the present invention may generally be selected from neutral salts having a water solubility of at least 1g/100g water at 20 ℃; such as alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium chlorides, fluorides, acetates and sulfates and mixtures thereof. Preferred fillers for use in the present invention include alkali metal (more preferably sodium and/or potassium) sulfates and chlorides and mixtures thereof, with sodium sulfate and/or sodium chloride being most preferred.

When included, fillers may be present in a total amount ranging from about 1 to about 80%, preferably from about 5 to about 50% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

The compositions of the present invention may contain one or more fatty acids and/or salts thereof.

In the context of the present invention, suitable fatty acids include aliphatic carboxylic acids of the formula RCOOH, wherein R is a straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl chain containing from 6 to 24, more preferably from 10 to 22, most preferably from 12 to 18 carbon atoms and 0 or 1 double bond. Preferred examples of such materials include saturated C_12-18Fatty acids, such as lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, or stearic acid; and wherein 50 to 100% (by weight based on the total weight of the mixture) of C is saturated_12-18Fatty acid mixtures of fatty acid compositions. Such mixtures may generally be derived from natural fats and/or optionally hydrogenated natural oils (such as coconut oil, palm kernel oil or tallow).

The fatty acids may be present in the form of their sodium, potassium or ammonium salts and/or in the form of soluble salts of organic bases such as mono-, di-or triethanolamine.

Mixtures of any of the above materials may also be used.

When included, the fatty acid and/or salt thereof may be present in an amount ranging from about 0.25 to 5%, more preferably 0.5 to 5%, most preferably 0.75 to 4% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

For the purpose of structural formula interpretation, the fatty acid and/or salt thereof (as defined above) is not included in the content of the surfactant or the content of the builder in the formulation.

The compositions of the present invention may also comprise one or more polymeric cleaning enhancing agents such as soil release polymers, anti-redeposition polymers, and mixtures thereof.

Soil release polymers adsorb on the fabric surface and help remove soil. Suitable soil release polymers for use in the present invention include copolyesters of dicarboxylic acids (e.g., adipic acid, phthalic acid, or terephthalic acid), glycols (e.g., ethylene glycol or propylene glycol), and polyglycols (e.g., polyethylene glycol or polypropylene glycol). One example of such a material has a mid-block formed from propylene terephthalate repeat units and one or both end blocks of capped polyalkylene oxide, typically PEG 750 to 2000 with methyl end caps. Weight average molecular weight (M) of such materials_w) Generally in the range of about 1000 to about 20,000, preferably in the range of about 1500 to about 10,000.

Mixtures of any of the above materials may also be used.

When included, the compositions of the present invention will preferably comprise from 0.05 to 6%, more preferably from 0.1 to 5% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition) of one or more soil release polymers, such as for example the copolyesters described above.

The anti-redeposition polymer stabilizes soils in the wash solution, thereby preventing soil redeposition. Suitable anti-redeposition polymers for use in the present invention include alkoxylated polyethyleneimines. The polyethyleneimine being a polyethyleneimine comprising ethyleneimine units-CH₂CH₂NH-, and when branched, the hydrogen on the nitrogen is replaced by an ethyleneimine unit of the other chain. Preferred alkoxylated polyethyleneimines for use in the present invention have a weight average molecular weight (M) of about 300 to about 10000_w) A polyethyleneimine backbone. The polyethyleneimine backbone may be linear or branched. It may be branched to the extent that it is a dendrimer. The alkoxylation can generally be ethoxylation or propoxylation, or a mixture of both. When the nitrogen atom is alkoxylated, the preferred average degree of alkoxylation per modification is from 10 to 30, preferably from 15 to 25, alkoxy groups. Preferred materials are ethoxylated polyethyleneimines having an average degree of ethoxylation of from 10 to 30, preferably from 15 to 25, ethoxy groups per ethoxylated nitrogen atom in the polyethyleneimine backbone. Another type of suitable anti-redeposition polymer for use in the present invention includes cellulose esters and ethers, such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.

Mixtures of any of the above materials may also be used.

When included, the compositions of the present invention will preferably comprise from 0.05 to 6%, more preferably from 0.1 to 5% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition) of one or more anti-redeposition polymers such as, for example, the alkoxylated polyethyleneimine and/or cellulose ester and ether described above.

The compositions of the present invention may also contain oxidizing agents to facilitate the removal of stubborn food stains and other organic stains by chemical oxidation. The oxidizing agent may be, for example, an oxidized polyphenolic compound commonly found in coffee, tea, wine and fruit stains. Oxidation by the oxidizing agent may also help bleach, whiten and disinfect fabrics, and may also provide additional washing machine cleanliness and odor prevention. Suitable oxidizing agents for use in the present invention include peroxy bleach compounds such as sodium perborate monohydrate and tetrahydrate, and sodium percarbonate.

When included, the compositions of the present invention will preferably comprise from 5 to 35%, preferably from 8 to 20% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition) of one or more oxidizing agents, such as the peroxygen bleach compounds described above.

Bleach activators such as N, N' -Tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED) or sodium Nonanoyloxybenzenesulfonate (NOBS) may be included in combination with one or more oxidizing agents to improve bleaching action at low wash temperatures.

Bleach catalysts may also be included in addition to or in place of bleach activators. Typical bleach catalysts include heavy metal ions such as cobalt, copper, iron, manganese or combinations thereof and organic ligands such as 1,4, 7-Triazacyclononane (TACN), 1,4, 7-trimethyl-1, 4, 7-triazacyclononane (Me)₃-TACN), 1,5, 9-trimethyl-1, 5, 9-triazacyclononane, 1,5, 9-triazacyclododecane, 1,4, 7-triazacycloundecane, tris [2- (salicylideneamino) ethyl]A complex of an amine or a combination thereof.

The compositions of the present invention may also contain one or more chelating agents for transition metal ions. Such chelating agents may also have calcium and magnesium chelating capabilities, but preferably bind heavy metal ions such as iron, manganese and copper. Such chelating agents may help to improve the stability of the composition and protect against, for example, transition metal catalyzed decomposition of certain ingredients.

Suitable transition metal ion chelating agents include phosphonates in acid and/or salt form. When a salt form is used, alkali metal (e.g., sodium and potassium) or alkanolammonium salts are preferred. Specific examples of such materials include aminotris (methylenephosphonic Acid) (ATMP), 1-hydroxyvinyl diphosphonic acid (HEDP), and diethylenetriamine penta (methylenephosphonic acid) (DTPMP), and their respective sodium or potassium salts. HEDP is preferred. Mixtures of any of the above materials may also be used.

When included, the transition metal ion chelating agent can be present in an amount in the range of from about 0.1 to about 10%, preferably from about 0.1 to about 3% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition). Mixtures of any of the above materials may also be used.

The compositions of the present invention may also comprise an effective amount of one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of: pectate lyase, protease, amylase, cellulase, lipase, mannanase and mixtures thereof. The enzyme is preferably present together with a corresponding enzyme stabilizer.

The compositions of the present invention may contain additional optional ingredients that enhance performance and/or user acceptability. Examples of such ingredients include dye transfer inhibitors (e.g., polyvinyl pyrrolidone), foam control agents, preservatives (e.g., bactericides), anti-shrinkage agents, anti-wrinkle agents, antioxidants, sunscreens, anti-corrosion agents, drape imparting agents, antistatic agents, ironing aids, colorants, fluorescent agents, pearlescent and/or opacifying agents, and shading dyes. Each of these ingredients is present in an amount effective to achieve its purpose. Typically, these optional ingredients are individually included in an amount of up to 5 wt% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

Packaging and dosing

The compositions of the present invention may be packaged as unit doses in polymeric films that are soluble in wash water. Alternatively, the compositions of the present invention may be provided in multi-dose plastic packages with top or bottom closures. The dosing metric may be provided as part of the lid or as an integrated system with the package.

The method of laundering fabrics using the compositions of the present invention will often comprise diluting a dose of the detergent composition with water to obtain a wash liquor, and laundering the fabrics with the wash liquor so formed.

In automatic washing machines, a dose of detergent composition is typically placed in a dispenser and is rinsed therefrom into the washing machine by water flowing into the washing machine, thereby forming a wash liquor. Up to about 65 liters of water may be used to form the wash liquor, depending on the machine configuration. The dosage of the detergent composition can be adjusted accordingly to give a suitable wash liquor concentration.

The dilution step preferably provides a wash liquor, which particularly comprises from about 3 to about 20 g/wash of detersive surfactant (as further defined above). The wash liquor preferably has a pH of above 7 to less than 13, preferably above 7 to less than 10.5.

A subsequent water rinsing step and drying of the laundry are preferred.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the following non-limiting examples.

Examples

The detergent composition is prepared by adding different ratios of encapsulated fragrance and free fragrance to a base powder (UK Persil)^TMNon-Bio powdered laundry detergent).

The absolute and relative amounts of free fragrance (f1) and encapsulated fragrance (f2) in each formulation, respectively, are shown inTABLE 1In (1).

Examples 1 to 4 represent formulations according to the invention. Examples a to E represent comparative examples (not according to the invention).

All weight percents are by weight based on the total weight of the formulation, unless otherwise specified.

TABLE 1

Evaluation of

The flavor performance of each of the above formulations was evaluated by a trained sensory panel.

First, each test formulation was evaluated for fragrance intensity by itself (i.e., prior to use). Then, a 2kg test fabric load (50:50 cotton/polyester split (split)) was machine washed with each test formulation using a 30 ℃ cotton short wash program. The washed test fabrics were evaluated for fragrance intensity during the wet phase (1 hour after removal from the washing machine) and during the dry phase (24 hours after removal from the washing machine).

Results

The results are shown belowTABLE 2In (1).

TABLE 2

These results show that example a, which contains predominantly free fragrance, has little effect on the fragrance intensity of the dried test fabric. However, the example 4 formulation (according to the invention) provided comparable fragrance intensity to example a for the formulation itself and for the damp test fabric, and significantly better results for the dry test fabric, despite containing significantly lower levels of total fragrance than example a.

Example B contained a similar amount of total fragrance as example 1 (according to the invention), but the example 1 formulation performed significantly better on damp test fabrics.

Example D contained a similar amount of total fragrance as example 4 (according to the invention). Both formulations gave comparable results in the tests on the formulation itself and on the damp test fabric, but the example 4 formulation performed significantly better on the dry test fabric.

When evaluating the three phases: (i) the formulation prior to use; (ii) a wet washed laundry after the washing process; and (iii) dried washed laundry, these results show an enhanced balance of overall sensory impact from the formulations of the present invention (examples 1 to 4). This enhanced balance is observed even at reduced total perfume content.

Claims (8)

1. A granular laundry detergent composition comprising:

a) from 3 to 60% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of one or more detersive surfactants selected from the group consisting of non-soap anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and mixtures thereof;

b)0.01 to 1% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of a fragrance formulation (f1) in the form of free droplets dispersed in the composition;

c)0.01 to 1% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of a fragrance formulation (f2) embedded within discrete polymer particles dispersed in the composition;

wherein the total amount of fragrance formulation (f1) and fragrance formulation (f2) is in the range of 0.05 to 1.5% by weight based on the total weight of the composition; and wherein the weight ratio of fragrance formulation (f1) to fragrance formulation (f2) in the composition is in the range of 60:40 to 30: 70.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the fragrant formulation (f1) and the fragrant formulation (f2) each comprise a mixture of at least 10 fragrant components selected from: a hydrocarbon; aliphatic and araliphatic alcohols; aliphatic aldehydes and acetals thereof; aliphatic carboxylic acids and esters thereof; acyclic terpene alcohols; cyclic terpene aldehydes and ketones; cyclic and cycloaliphatic ethers; esters of cyclic alcohols; araliphatic ethers and acetals thereof; aromatic and araliphatic aldehydes and ketones; and aromatic and araliphatic carboxylic acids and esters thereof.

3. The composition according to claim 2, wherein the ester of an aliphatic carboxylic acid is selected from esters of araliphatic alcohols with aliphatic carboxylic acids.

4. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the weight ratio of fragrance formulation (f1) to fragrance formulation (f2) is in the range of 60:40 to 45: 55.

5. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the polymeric microparticles are polymeric core-shell microcapsules, wherein at least one spherical continuous polymeric material shell surrounds a core containing the fragrance formulation (f 2).

6. The composition according to claim 5, wherein the polymeric core-shell microcapsule is an aminoplast microcapsule having an aminoplast shell surrounding a core containing the fragrance formulation (f 2); wherein the deposition aid is attached to the exterior of the shell using covalent bonding.

7. A composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the amount of detersive surfactant is from 6 to 30% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.

8. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising 1 to 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of one or more builders selected from polycarboxylic acids in acid and/or salt form, phosphonic acids in acid and/or salt form and mixtures thereof.