Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D1/00—Detergent compositions based essentially on surface-active compounds; Use of these compounds as a detergent
  • C11D1/66—Non-ionic compounds
  • C11D1/835—Mixtures of non-ionic with cationic compounds
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D3/00—Other compounding ingredients of detergent compositions covered in group C11D1/00
  • C11D3/0005—Other compounding ingredients characterised by their effect
  • C11D3/001—Softening compositions
  • C11D3/0015—Softening compositions liquid
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D1/00—Detergent compositions based essentially on surface-active compounds; Use of these compounds as a detergent
  • C11D1/38—Cationic compounds
  • C11D1/62—Quaternary ammonium compounds
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D1/00—Detergent compositions based essentially on surface-active compounds; Use of these compounds as a detergent
  • C11D1/66—Non-ionic compounds
  • C11D1/72—Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the use as a soil release agent in a fabric softening composition of a biodegradable quaternary ammonium material.
• Rinse added fabric softener compositions are well known. Typically such compositions contain a water insoluble quaternary ammonium fabric softening agent dispersed in water at a level of softening agent up to 7% by weight in which case the compositions are considered dilute, or at levels from 7% to 50% in which case the compositions are considered concentrates.
• fabric softening compositions desirably have other benefits. One is the ability to confer soil release properties to fabrics, particularly those woven from polyester fibres.
• viscosity control agents In the past physical stability of rinse added fabric softener compositions has been improved by the addition of viscosity control agents or anti-gelling agents.
• viscosity control agents For example in EP 13780 (Procter and Gamble) viscosity control agents are added to certain concentrated compositions. The agents may include C10-C18 fatty alcohols.
• EP 280550 More recently in EP 280550 (Unilever) it has been proposed to improve the physical stability of dilute compositions comprising biodegradable, ester-linked quaternary ammonium compounds and fatty acid by the addition of nonionic surfactants.
• compositions comprising biodegradable ester-linked quaternary ammonium compounds the problem of physical instability is more acute than with traditional quaternary ammonium compounds.
• a nonionic emulsifier/stabiliser is added to a concentrate comprising an ester-linked quaternary ammonium compound to form a viscous gel.
• the stabiliser is a C12 to C14 alcohol ethoxylated with 9 molecules of ethylene oxide. The degree of branching of the alcohol is not however mentioned.
• Certain nonionic stabilising agents not only stabilise concentrated compositions comprising biodegradable quaternary ammonium compounds but are also environmentally friendly, in that they show acceptable biodegradability and are not substantially toxic in aquatic systems.
• Soil release properties are generally imparted to fabrics by the use of separate soil-release agents, usually a high molecular weight polymer, in a detergent composition or separate treatment.
• separate soil-release agents usually a high molecular weight polymer
• a cationic polymeric soil release agent for use in a fabric conditioning composition.
• a disadvantage of such compositions is that the soil release agent increases the number of components in the formulation, increasing cost and making the product less environmentally acceptable.
• fabric softening compositions comprising biodegradable ester-linked quaternary ammonium compounds may confer soil release properties to fabrics without the use of a separate soil release agent.
• a soil release agent in a fabric softening composition of a quaternary ammonium material comprising a compound having two C12 ⁇ 28 alkyl or alkenyl groups connected via an ester link to the quaternary nitrogen atom.
• composition is a liquid comprising an aqueous base.
• a preferred type of ester-linked quaternary ammonium material for use in the compositions according to the invention can be represented by the formula wherein R1, n and R2 are as defined above.
• Preferred materials of this class and their method of preparation are, for example, described in US 4 137 180 (Lever Brothers).
• these materials comprise small amounts of the corresponding monoester as described in US 4 137 180 for example 1-tallowoxy, 2-hydroxytrimethyl ammonium propane chloride.
• the level of ester linked quaternary ammonium compounds is at least 1% by weight of the composition, more preferably more than 3% by weight of the composition; especially interesting are concentrated compositions which comprise more than 7% of ester-linked quaternary ammonium compound.
• the level of ester-linked quaternary ammonium compounds preferably is between 1% and 80% by weight, more preferably 3% to 50%, most preferably 8% to 50%.
• the softening composition may be stabilised at low temperatures by the addition of nonionic stabilisers.
• Suitable nonionic stabilisers which can be used include the condensation products of C8 - C22 primary linear alcohols with 10 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
• the alcohols may be saturated or unsaturated.
• Genapol T-110, Genapol T-150, Genapol T-200, Genapol C-200 all ex Hoeschst AG, Lutensol AT18 ex BASF, Genapol 0-100 and Genapol 0-150 ex Hoechst, or fatty alcohols for example Laurex CS, ex Albright and Wilson or Adol 340 ex Sherex.
• the nonionic stabiliser has an HLB of between 10 and 20, more preferably 12 and 20.
• the nonionic stabiliser is biodegradable and has low aquatic toxicity.
• Use of less than 10 moles of ethylene oxide results in an acceptable acute aquatic toxicity value of > 1 mg/l EC50 48 hours for daphnia and algae and EC50 96 hours for fish, especially if the HLB of the nonionic is less than 12.
• the level of nonionic stabiliser is within the range from 0.1 to 10% by weight, more preferably from 0.5 to 5% by weight, most preferably from 1 to 4% by weight.
• the mole ratio of the quaternary ammonium compound to the nonionic stabilising agent is within the range from 40:1 to about 1:1, preferably within the range from 18:1 to about 3:1.
• the composition can also contain fatty acids for example C8 - C24 alkyl or alkenyl monocarboxylic acids or polymers thereof.
• fatty acids for example C8 - C24 alkyl or alkenyl monocarboxylic acids or polymers thereof.
• saturated fatty acids are used, in particular, hardened tallow C16-C18 fatty acids.
• the fatty acid is non-saponified, more preferably the fatty acid is free for example oleic acid, lauric acid or tallow fatty acid.
• the level of fatty acid material is preferably more than 0.1% by weight, more preferably more than 0.2% by weight. Especially preferred are concentrates comprising from 0.5 to 20% by weight of fatty acid, more preferably 1% to 10% by weight.
• the weight ratio of quaternary ammonium material to fatty acid material is preferably from 10:1 to 1:10.
• compositions of the invention preferably have a pH of more than 2.0, more preferably less than 5.
• the composition can also contain one or more optional ingredients, selected from non-aqueous solvents, pH buffering agents, perfumes, perfume carriers, fluorescers, colourants, hydrotropes, antifoaming agents, antiredeposition agents, enzymes, optical brightening agents, opacifiers, anti-shrinking agents, anti-wrinkle agents, anti-spotting agents, germicides, fungicides, anti-oxidants, anti-corrosion agents, drape imparting agents, antistatic agents and ironing aids.
• optional ingredients selected from non-aqueous solvents, pH buffering agents, perfumes, perfume carriers, fluorescers, colourants, hydrotropes, antifoaming agents, antiredeposition agents, enzymes, optical brightening agents, opacifiers, anti-shrinking agents, anti-wrinkle agents, anti-spotting agents, germicides, fungicides, anti-oxidants, anti-corrosion agents, drape imparting agents, antistatic agents and ironing aids.
• composition may also contain nonionic fabric softening agents such as lanolin and derivatives thereof.
• Liquid fabric softening compositions were made as follows.
• the cationic fabric softening agent, fatty acid and nonionic stabilising agent where appropriate were premixed and heated together to form a clear melt.
• the molten mixture thus formed was added over a period of at least one minute, to water at 70°C to 80°C with constant stirring to form a dispersion.
• the soil release properties imparted to polyester test pieces by treatment with the compositions was assessed by measuring the change in reflectance following staining and a subsequent wash in a proprietary detergent composition.
• the pieces were first rinsed for 5 minutes in 1 litre of 14°FH water containing 0.67 ml of either composition. The pieces were then line dried and stained with 100 micro litres of olive oil containing 0.06% sudan red dye.
• composition B shows a smaller soil release benefit than compositions according to the invention (Composition A).
• Liquid fabric softening compositions as given below were made as described in Example 1.
• the soil release properties of the compositions were measured as described in Example 1 excepting that the pieces were first rinsed in 1 litre of 14°FH water containing 2ml of either composition.
• compositions comprising ester-linked quaternaries show a soil release benefit greater than that obtained from compositions comprising conventional quaternary and that the benefit is seen in the absence of a nonionic stabilising agent.
• Example 2 was repeated with a composition which did not contain any nonionic to show that the improved soil release benefit is due entirely to the use of the biodegradable ester linked quaternary ammonium compound.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Treatments For Attaching Organic Compounds To Fibrous Goods (AREA)
• Detergent Compositions (AREA)
• Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)

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Citations (2)

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• 1991
  • 1991-03-25 GB GB919106308A patent/GB9106308D0/en active Pending
• 1992
  • 1992-03-19 CA CA002063463A patent/CA2063463C/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1992-03-20 EP EP92302453A patent/EP0506312B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1992-03-20 EP EP92302452A patent/EP0507478B1/fr not_active Revoked
  • 1992-03-20 DE DE69207624T patent/DE69207624T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1992-03-20 ES ES92302453T patent/ES2083084T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1992-03-20 DE DE69211203T patent/DE69211203T2/de not_active Revoked
  • 1992-03-20 ES ES92302452T patent/ES2088542T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1992-03-23 AU AU13125/92A patent/AU652429B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1992-03-24 BR BR929201017A patent/BR9201017A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1992-03-25 JP JP4067575A patent/JP2937306B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1992-03-25 ZA ZA922173A patent/ZA922173B/xx unknown

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