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
  • C11D1/02—Anionic compounds
  • C11D1/04—Carboxylic acids or salts thereof
  • C11D1/06—Ether- or thioether carboxylic acids
• • 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
  • C11D1/88—Ampholytes; Electroneutral compounds
  • C11D1/94—Mixtures with anionic, cationic or non-ionic 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
  • C11D1/02—Anionic compounds
  • C11D1/12—Sulfonic acids or sulfuric acid esters; Salts thereof
  • C11D1/29—Sulfates of polyoxyalkylene ethers
• • 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
  • C11D1/88—Ampholytes; Electroneutral compounds
  • C11D1/90—Betaines

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a cleaning composition, particularly suitable for dishwashing.
• compositions typically comprise, as the principal surfactant component, one or more surfactants selected from a relatively small group of components.
• principal surfactants are typically selected from amongst primary alcohol sulphates, secondary alkane sulphonates, linear alkyl benzene sulphonate, ethoxylated alcohols and alkyl ether sulphates.
• compositions comprise a so called 'foam-booster', selected from amine oxides, alkanolamides (particularly the mono and di ethanolamides and isopropanolamides) and other nitrogen-based surfactant compounds, including poly-hydroxy amides and betaines.
• a so called 'foam-booster' selected from amine oxides, alkanolamides (particularly the mono and di ethanolamides and isopropanolamides) and other nitrogen-based surfactant compounds, including poly-hydroxy amides and betaines.
• compositions can suffer from stability problems if formulated incorrectly, particularly at low temperatures. As compositions frequently comprise several surfactant components there is no general rule for determining whether a particular composition will be stable or not. Formulations comprising mono-ethanolamide are particularly difficult to stabilise at a low temperature.
• compositions which make use, as the principal surfactant, of ethoxylated alcohol nonionic surfactants of the general formula: R-O-(CH2-CH2O) n -H where R is alkyl and n is typically 5-14, or the related alkyl ether sulphates of the general formula: R-O-(CH2-CH2O) n -SO3 ⁇ where R is again alkyl and n is typically 1-5.
• some 80% of the surfactant system comprises ether sulphates, with the balance of the actives comprising one or more foam-boosters.
• the overall active concentration on product typically varies from around 20% for 'economy' brands to around 40% for 'concentrated' products.
• One such class are the carboxyl-terminated surfactants derived from fatty alcohols by interposing hydrophillic oxygen heteroatoms into the aliphatic chain of simple soaps. These molecules are of the general formula: R-O-(CH2-CH2O) n -CH2-COOH
• R is alkyl and n is typically 1-5.
• Alkyl polyethoxy carboxylates obtained via the sodium hydroxide adduct of an ethoxylated alcohol, subsequently treated with chloracetic acid have been known for over twenty years: see 'Nonionic Surfactants' by M.J. Schick [1967: Marcel Dekker, LCCC 66-22492] pages 388-389.
• the above-mentioned compounds are known to be very sensitive to the presence of calcium and magnesium ions, which form sparingly soluble salts with the surfactants, especially with the compounds having low degrees of ethoxylation. The formation of these salts adversely affects the performance of the surfactants.
• WO 9208777 discloses the use of narrow EO range alkyl polyethoxy carboxylates in combination with 0.1-4% magnesium and/or calcium and a weak chelating agent for magnesium and/or calcium.
• the document suggests hand dishwashing formulations which contain 5-70% of a surfactant system comprising 80-100% of an alkyl polyethoxy carboxylates, up to 10% of an alcohol ethoxylate and up to 10% soaps.
• alkylamide polyethoxy carboxylates have been proposed for use in hand dishwashing compositions by raw material suppliers, as the sodium salt.
• alkylamide polyethoxy carboxylate based dishwashing compositions disclosed in the above-mentioned literature are typically formulated at a pH of around 7.0 although formulations with pH up to 7.8 have been proposed. In typical formulations a relatively low level of alkylamide polyethoxy carboxylate is present, together with a relatively higher level of alkyl ether sulphate and/or alkane sulphonate.
• alkylamide polyethoxy carboxylate containing cleaning composition are significantly improved by the presence of magnesium ions.
• the present invention provides a liquid, aqueous cleaning composition comprising:
• formulations according to the present invention comprise (a) and (b) in a molar ratio of from 9:1 to 1:10.
• the magnesium can be present as a salt, preferably as the sulphate, in solution.
• compositions according to the present invention will comprise alkylamide polyethoxy carboxylate in which the ethoxy blocks are unbranched.
• preferred embodiments of the present invention comprise 0.01-70% of an alkylamide polyethoxy carboxylate of the general formula: R1-CO-NH-(CHR2-CHR3-O) n -COOH wherein R1 is C8-C18 linear or branched alkyl, R2 and R3 are hydrogen or alkyl and n is 1-10, said composition have a pH of from 8.0 to 11.0 and further comprise a magnesium salt.
• the pH of the composition falls into the range 8-9.5, and is most preferably around 9.0.
• This pH can be achieved by the use of a suitable buffering system such as an alkaline tetra borate or by the addition of a suitable alkali, preferably an alkali metal hydroxide.
• a suitable buffering system such as an alkaline tetra borate
• a suitable alkali preferably an alkali metal hydroxide.
• magnesium is an essential component of the formulations according to the present invention.
• electrolytes can be present at levels of 0.1-5% by weight of the overall composition.
• Particularly preferred amongst the electrolytes are alkali metal halides, carbonates, bicarbonates and sulphates.
• the most preferred electrolyte is sodium chloride.
• Sodium chloride is conveniently present at a level of 0.1-5%, as a viscosity modifier.
• At least one of the surfactant components of the compositions according to the present invention comprises an alkylamide polyethoxy carboxylate.
• compositions according to the present invention may vary from around 5% to around 70% on product.
• Preferred formulations will typically comprise 15-25% or 35-45% active on product.
• compositions according to the invention comprise an alkylamide polyethoxy carboxylate with a relatively narrow ethoxy chain length distribution.
• compositions according to the invention It is preferable that other surfactant components than the above-mentioned alkylamide polyethoxy carboxylates are present in compositions according to the invention.
• Particularly suitable surfactant components can be selected from: secondary alkane sulphonates, fatty acid ester sulphonates, dialkyl sulphosuccinates, alpha-olefin sulphonates, primary alkyl sulphates, alkylbenzene sulphonates, alkyl ether sulphates, betaines, amine oxides, ethoxylated alcohols, ethoxylated alkanolamides, ethoxylated alklyphenols, and ethoxylated fatty acid.
• composition further comprises at least one anionic surfactant.
• the anionic surfactant is selected from alkyl sulphates, alkyl ester sulphonates and mixtures thereof.
• the most preferred anionic surfactant is a linear alkyl ether sulphate of the general formula: R1-(OCH2CH2) m -SO3 ⁇ wherein R1 is straight or branched, C8 to C18 alkyl and the average degree of ethoxylation m is 1-14, more preferably 1-5, most preferably around 1.
• linear alkyl ether sulphates are mild, high-foaming anionic surfactants which are commercially available in quantity.
• Preferred levels of anionic surfactant on product are to some extent determined by the total final concentration of actives in the product. For relatively dilute products levels of anionic preferably range from 13-18% whereas for more concentrated products levels of anionic range from 25-40%.
• composition further comprises a zwitterionic surfactant.
• Preferred zwitterionic surfactants include amido betaines and alkyl betaines.
• Preferred zwitterionic surfactants are amido betaines of the general formula: wherein R is straight or branched C8 to C18 alkyl, R6 is C1 to C3 alkyl or C1 to C3 hydroxyalkyl, and R7 is C1 to C3 alkyl or C1 to C3 hydroxyalkyl;
• Preferred levels of zwitterionic surfactant on product are to some extent determined by the total final concentration of actives in the product. For relatively dilute products levels of zwitterionic preferably range from 1-4% whereas for more concentrated products levels of zwitterionic range from 3-9%.
• anionic and zwitterionic surfactant are present.
• the surfactant system comprises:
• the surfactant system further comprises a nonionic surfactant, most preferably an alcohol ethoxylate, glucamide, gluconamide, sulphoxide or lacto-bionamide.
• a liquid, aqueous, light duty cleaning composition comprising 10-50% on product of a surfactant system comprising:
• ingredients which may also be used in compositions according to the present invention are opacifiers (e.g. ethylene glycol distearate), thickeners (e.g., guar gum), antibacterial agents, antitarnish agents, weak metal chelators (e.g. citrates, glycinates), perfumes, abrasives (e.g. calcites and dolomites) and dyes.
• opacifiers e.g. ethylene glycol distearate
• thickeners e.g., guar gum
• antibacterial agents e.g., antitarnish agents
• weak metal chelators e.g. citrates, glycinates
• perfumes e.g. calcites and dolomites
• abrasives e.g. calcites and dolomites
• dyes e.g. calcites and dolomites
• compositions according to the present invention can further comprise a solvent, preferably, when present, at level of 1-15%wt on product, more preferably at a level of 2-7% on product.
• any solvent present is selected from: propylene glycol mono n-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol mono n-butyl ether, propylene glycol mono t-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol mono t-butyl ether, diethylene glycol hexyl ether, ethyl acetate, methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, di-ethylene glycol monobutyl ether and mixtures thereof.
• the solvent is a glycol ether or C2-C5 alcohol solvent.
• Particularly preferred solvents are selected from the group comprising ethanol (preferably as industrial methylated spirits), propylene glycol mono n-butyl ether (available as 'Dowanol PnB' [RTM]) and di-ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (available in the marketplace both as 'Butyl Digol' [RTM] or 'Butyl Carbitol' [RTM]).
• a further inessential component is alkylene glycol, typically present at a level of 2-10% on product, irrespective of the overall surfactant concentration.
• Propylene glycol is particularly suitable as a hydrotrope and/or viscosity modifier.
• Examples 1-4 illustrate the effects of the presence and absence of magnesium ions at the conventional Ph and at a higher pH. Results of a series of evaluations are given in Table 1 below. Magnesium was added as the sulphate. Examples 1/2 and 3/4 are paired comparisons performed at the same time. TABLE 1 EXAMPLE 1 2 3 4 COMPONENT: ACTIVES: By Parts: LES 80 80 80 80 AAPB 15 15 15 15 LMEA - - - - AAPC 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 By Percent: ACTIVES: 19.5 19.5 19.5 19.5 Mg2+ - - 0.35% 0.35% water ----------------------------------------- pH 9 7 9 7 foam volume: 9610 11805 14030 12910
• compositions according to examples 6, 8 an 10 were stored at both ambient temperature and at a temperature below 0°C. In all cases the compositions showed no phase separation after storage.

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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)
• Detergent Compositions (AREA)

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Citations (2)

• 1993
  • 1993-04-15 GB GB939307805A patent/GB9307805D0/en active Pending
• 1994
  • 1994-04-13 EP EP94302615A patent/EP0620269A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (2)

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