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
  • C11D3/00—Other compounding ingredients of detergent compositions covered in group C11D1/00
  • C11D3/39—Organic or inorganic per-compounds
  • C11D3/3902—Organic or inorganic per-compounds combined with specific additives
  • C11D3/3905—Bleach activators or bleach catalysts
  • C11D3/3907—Organic 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
  • C11D17/00—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties
  • C11D17/0039—Coated compositions or coated components in the compositions, (micro)capsules
• • 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
  • C11D17/00—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties
  • C11D17/06—Powder; Flakes; Free-flowing mixtures; Sheets
  • C11D17/065—High-density particulate detergent compositions
• • 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
  • C11D3/02—Inorganic compounds ; Elemental compounds
  • C11D3/04—Water-soluble compounds
  • C11D3/08—Silicates
• • 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
  • C11D3/39—Organic or inorganic per-compounds
  • C11D3/3942—Inorganic per-compounds

Definitions

• the present invention relates to detergent compositions comprising percarbonate bleach.
• compositions which have a high bulk density, improved characteristics of dispensing from either the drawer of a washing machine, or other dispensing device, thereby giving improved cleaning performance of bleaching compositions.
• Inorganic perhydrate bleaches such as perborate, percarbonate, and persilicate are well-known as detergent components. Preferably they are combined with peracid precursors which perhydrolise the perhydrate to form the active peracid. This perhydrolysis reaction is promoted by alkaline conditions.
• compositions which comprise percarbonate and peroxy carboxylic acid bleach precursors have been described in detail in the Applicants co-pending application WO9206163, published on 16th April, 1992.
• compositions which aim to improve dispensing characteristics of high bulk density detergents have also been described in the prior art.
• EP 534525 published on 31st March, 1993 describes the use of particulate citric acid having a specified particle size in order to aid dispensing. Bleach compounds including percarbonate are mentioned. However, use of particulate citric acid does not address the problem of providing alkaline conditions in the wash liquor.
• EP 229671 published on 22nd July, 1987 proposes the use of particulate carbonate or phosphonates in specified detergent compositions. It is claimed that improved dispersibility and solubility in cold water can be achieved.
• sodium silicate as a suitable particulate water-soluble alkaline inorganic salt is known to contribute to the inhibition of corrosion of washing machine drums, and to the rapid removal of heavy metal colloids from the laundry soil which would otherwise tend to destabilise the peroxygen and peracid species.
• silicate is sparingly soluble in cold water, and therefore dry mixed, fine particles of silicate (with a particle size diameter of less than 425 micrometers) with high surface area are preferred, it has been observed that the combination of perborate monohydrate and fine soluble particles of inorganic salts, including silicate) is detrimental to the dispensing profile of the product. Attempts to replace the fine particles of silicate by coarser silicate, or to replace perborate monohydrate by perborate tetrahydrate has been found to lead to poorer cleaning performance.
• detergent compositions of the present invention have both superior dispensing and superior bleaching performance.
• a granular detergent composition having a bulk density of at least 650 g/l and comprising at least 5% by weight of anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, or mixtures thereof, and further comprising:
• a granular detergent composition having a bulk density of at least 650 g/l and comprising at least 5% by weight of anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, or mixtures thereof, and further comprising:
• a particularly useful component of the present invention is at least 0.5% by weight of a peracid precursor chosen from tetraacetyl methylene diamine, tetraacetyl ethylene diamine, tetraacetyl hexylene diamine, perbenzoic acid or hydrophobic peracid precursors such as 2-phenyl 4h-3 1-benzoxazin-4-one, NOBS, iso-NOBs, benzoylcaprolactam, benzoyloxybenzenesulphonate or mixtures thereof.
• a peracid precursor chosen from tetraacetyl methylene diamine, tetraacetyl ethylene diamine, tetraacetyl hexylene diamine, perbenzoic acid or hydrophobic peracid precursors such as 2-phenyl 4h-3 1-benzoxazin-4-one, NOBS, iso-NOBs, benzoylcaprolactam, benzoyloxybenzenesulphonate or
• Amorphous silicate which is rapidly water-soluble such as sodium silicate which has a ratio of SiO2:Na2O of less than 2.4 is preferred as component ii).
• the granular percarbonate may be coated with a salt
• useful coating materials include carbonate, sulphate, citrate, silicate, water-soluble anionic surfactant or mixtures of these.
• Most preferred as a coating material is a mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium sulphate.
• sodium silicate is used as a component of the coating material, it is preferred that it does not comprise more than 2.2% by weight of percarbonate, of sodium silicate.
• compositions of the present invention comprise from 10% to 30% by weight percarbonate, and less than 3% by weight perborate monohydrate.
• the type of percarbonate which is selected herein has a lower surface area and lower porosity than perborate monohydrate. This low surface area and low porosity prevents the co-gelling with fine particles of silicate and is therefore not detrimental to dispensing.
• the percarbonate material selected herein retains comparable rates of dissolution versus perborate monohydrate despite its low surface area/low porosity. In fact because it does not gel, this percarbonate material disperses and dissolves better than perborate monohydrate in real wash situations (i.e from the dispensing drawer of a conventional washing machine or from any other dispensing device).
• Water-soluble silicates which are suitable for use in the present invention may be amorphous or layered.
• Such silicates may be characterised by the ratio of SiO2 to Na2O in their structure.
• this ratio may typically be less than 3.3:1, preferably less than 2.8:1, more preferably less than 2.4:1, most preferably about 2.0:1.
• amorphous silicates are preferred to crystalline silicates.
• crystalline silicates may be included in compositions of the invention.
• Crystalline layered sodium silicates have the general formula NaMSi x O 2x+1 . yH2O wherein m is sodium or hydrogen, x is a number from 1.9 to 4 and y is a number from 0 to 20.
• Crystalline layered sodium silicates of this type are disclosed in EP-A 164 514 and methods for their preparation are disclosed in DE-A 34 17 649 and DE-A 37 42 043.
• x in the general formula above has a value of 2, 3 or 4 and is preferably 2.
• M is sodium and preferred examples of this formula comprise the ⁇ -, ⁇ -, ⁇ -, ⁇ - forms of Na2Si2O5.
• These materials are available from Hoechst AG, Germany, as, respectively, NaSKS-5, NaSKS-7, NaSKS-11 and NaSKS-6.
• the most preferred material is ⁇ - Na2Si2O5, NaSKS-6.
• the laundry detergent compositions incorporating the bleaching compositions of the present invention preferably comprise amorphous silicate or crystalline layered silicate at a level of from 1% to 40% by weight of the composition, more preferably from 1% to 20% by weight.
• the silicate component of the present invention comprises less than 25% by weight of water-soluble silicate and preferably from 3% to 15% by weight.
• dry added water-soluble silicate it is preferred that less than 10% by weight of the finished composition is dry added water-soluble silicate.
• the particle size of the silicate particles of the present invention can contribute to the rate at which bleaching species are generated. It is preferable that fine silicate particles are used as these particles dissolve most rapidly in the wash solution driving the alkalinity upwards. It is believed that the rate of alkalinity release promotes the perhydrolysis of the percarbonate.
• the fraction of silicate particles which pass through a Tyler 35 mesh represent at least 0.7% by weight of the finished composition.
• the fraction of silicate particles which pass through a Tyler 35 mesh represent at least 1% by weght of the finished composition.
• the upper limit on particle size of the silicate particles is generally limited by the need to have rapidly dissolving particles.
• the fraction of silicate particles above 2000 micrometers, and preferably the fraction above 1400 micrometers is considered oversize and is removed.
• compositions of the present invention will include a percarbonate bleach, normally in the form of the sodium salt, as the source of alkaline hydrogen peroxide in the wash liquor.
• This percarbonate is normally incorporated at a level of from 3% to 35% by weight, more preferably from 5% to 30% by weight and most preferably from 8% to 25% by weight of the total composition.
• Sodium percarbonate is an addition compound having a formula corresponding to 2Na2CO3.3H2O2, and is available commercially as a crystalline solid. Most commercially available material includes a low level of a heavy metal sequestrant such as EDTA, 1-hydroxyethylidene 1, 1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP) or an amino-phosphonate, that is incorporated during the manufacturing process.
• a heavy metal sequestrant such as EDTA, 1-hydroxyethylidene 1, 1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP) or an amino-phosphonate
• the percarbonate can be incorporated into detergent compositions without additional protection, but preferred executions of such compositions utilise a coated form of the material.
• the preferred coating is a mixed salt of an alkali metal sulphate and carbonate.
• the weight ratio of the mixed salt coating material to percarbonate lies in the range from 1:200 to 1:4, more preferably from 1:99 to 1:9, and most preferably from 1:49 to 1:19.
• the mixed salt is of sodium sulphate and sodium carbonate which has the general formula Na2SO4.n.Na2CO3 wherein n is from 0.1 to 3, preferably n is from 0.3 to 1.0 and most preferably n is from 0.2 to 0.5.
• Another prefered coating material is sodium citrate.
• Water-soluble surfactants such as linear alkyl benzene sulphonate and alkyl ether sulphate may also be used as co-coating agents.
• silicate coating materials applied as an aqueous solution on percarbonate before drying are less preferred since they tend to affect the dispensing properties of the composition.
• the sodium silicate coating should not comprise more than 2.2% by weight of the percarbonate material. If used as a coating material the silicate should have a SiO2:Na2O ratio from 2.0:1 to 3.4:1, preferably from 2.2:1 to 2.8:1. Magnesium silicate can also be included in the coating.
• the particle size range of the crystalline percarbonate is from 100 micrometers to 1500 micrometers.
• Preferred materials have a particle size range between 250 and 1000 micrometers with a mean particle size of between 500 and 700 micrometers.
• the percarbonate material chosen can be rapidly dissolved in the wash and the active bleaching species are readily formed.
• the available oxygen (AvO2) level can be measured using thiosulphate/ potassium iodide/ ammonium molybdate titration on aliquots taken from a stirred aqueous solution of the 1% wt./wt. concentration of the detergent composition which contains the percarbonate after 2, 4 and 5 minutes.
• the solution is stirred at 150 rpm.
• a given percarbonate is considered to be suitable for use in the present invention if it releases at least 40% of the total AvO2 after 2 minutes, at least 80% of the total AvO2 after 4 minutes, and at least 90% of the total AvO2 after 5 minutes.
• compositions of the present invention which contain percarbonate, have a greatly reduced tendency to form undesirable gels in the presence of silicates, surfactants and water than similar compositions which contain perborate. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that this is because the type of percarbonate which is selected here has a lower surface area and lower porosity than perborate monohydrate.This low surface area and low porosity prevents the co-gelling with fine particles of silicate in the presence of anionic surfactants and water, and is therefore not detrimental to dispensing.
• the composition comprises peroxyacid bleach precursor.
• the solid peroxyacid bleach precursors of the present invention comprise precursors containing one or more N- or O- acyl groups, which precursors can be selected from a wide range of classes.
• Suitable classes include anhydrides, esters, imides and acylated derivatives of imidazoles and oximes, and examples of useful materials within these classes are disclosed in GB-A-1586789.
• the most preferred classes are esters such as are disclosed in GB-A-836988, 864,798, 1147871 and 2143231 and imides such as are disclosed in GB-A-855735 & 1246338.
• Particularly preferred precursor compounds are the N-,N,N1N1 tetra acetylated compounds of formula wherein x can be O or an integer between 1 & 6.
• TAMD tetra acetyl methylene diamine
• TAED tetra acetyl ethylene diamine
• TAHD tetraacetyl hexylene diamine
• bleach precursors are the perbenzoic acid precursors such as benzoyloxybenzene sulphonate (BOBS), benzoylcaprolactam, acyloxybenzene sulphonates (NOBS, iso-NOBS), sugar derivatives (PAG, TAG, and those described in EP 257039), malonate derivatives (described in EP 517482), cationic precursors (described in EP 512533, EP 508623 and EP 405152), glycolate esters (described in EP507475) and 2-phenyl 4h-3 1-benzoxazin-4-one.
• perbenzoic acid precursors such as benzoyloxybenzene sulphonate (BOBS), benzoylcaprolactam, acyloxybenzene sulphonates (NOBS, iso-NOBS), sugar derivatives (PAG, TAG, and those described in EP 257039), malonate derivatives (described in EP 517482), cationic precursors (described in EP 5125
• Bleach precursors will normally be in fine powder or crystalline form in which at least 90% by weight of the powder has a particle size of less than 150 micrometers.
• solid bleach precursors are generally reagglomerated, granulated, encapsulated or spray dried with other components.
• Such peroxyacid bleach precursor granules are dry blended in the detergent composition and generally have a particle size range of from 300 micrometers to 1500 micrometers.
• Some bleach precursors are pasty or liquid at room temperature and have to be granulated with porous substrates such as zeolite or silica.
• a peroxyacid bleach precursor is present at a level of at least 0.5% by weight of the composition.
• These peroxyacid bleach precursors can be partially replaced by preformed peracids such as N,N phthaloylaminoperoxy acid (PAP), nonyl amide of peroxyadipic acid (NAPAA), 1,2 diperoxydodecanedioic acid (DPDA) and trimethyl ammonium propenyl imidoperoxy mellitic acid (TAPIMA).
• PAP N,N phthaloylaminoperoxy acid
• NAPAA nonyl amide of peroxyadipic acid
• DPDA 1,2 diperoxydodecanedioic acid
• TAPIMA trimethyl ammonium propenyl imidoperoxy mellitic acid
• a wide range of surfactants can be used in the detergent compositions.
• a list of suitable cationic surfactants is given in U.S.P. 4,259,217 issued to Murphy on March 31, 1981.
• the finished compositions of the present invention will preferably contain from 2% by weight to 30% by weight, and preferably from 5% to 25% by weight of anionic surfactant.
• Water-soluble salts of the higher fatty acids are useful anionic surfactants in the compositions herein.
• Soaps can be made by direct saponification of fats and oils or by the neutralization of free fatty acids.
• Particularly useful are the sodium and potassium salts of the mixtures of fatty acids derived from coconut oil and tallow, i.e., sodium or potassium tallow and coconut soap.
• Mixtures of anionic surfactants are suitable herein, particularly blends of sulphate, sulphonate and/or carboxylate surfactants.
• Mixtures of sulphonate and sulphate surfactants are normally employed in a sulphonate to sulphate weight ratio of from 5:1 to 1:2, preferably from 3:1 to 2:3, more preferably from 3:1 to 1:1.
• Preferred sulphonates include alkyl benzene sulphonates having from 9 to 15, most preferably from 11 to 13 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical, and alpha-sulphonated methyl fatty acid esters in which the fatty acid is derived from a C12-C18 fatty source, preferably from a C16-C18 fatty source.
• the cation is an alkali metal, preferably sodium.
• Preferred sulphate surfactants in such sulphonate sulphate mixtures are alkyl sulphates having from 12 to 22, preferably 16 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical.
• Another useful surfactant system comprises a mixture of two alkyl sulphate materials whose respective mean chain lengths differ from each other.
• One such system comprises a mixture of C14-C15 alkyl sulphate and C16-C18 alkyl sulphate in a weight ratio of C14-C15: C16-C18 of from 3:1 to 1:1.
• alkyl sulphates may also be combined with alkyl ethoxy sulphates having from 10 to 20, preferably 10 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical and an average degree of ethoxylation of 1 to 6.
• the cation in each instance is again an alkali metal, preferably sodium.
• Other anionic surfactants suitable for the purposes of the invention are the alkali metal sarcosinates of formula R-CON (R) CH2 COOM wherein R is a C9-C17 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl group, R' is a C1-C4 alkyl group and M is an alkali metal ion.
• R is a C9-C17 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl group
• R' is a C1-C4 alkyl group
• M is an alkali metal ion.
• Preferred examples are the lauroyl, Cocoyl (C12-C14), myristyl and o
• sulphonation products of fatty acid methyl esters containing a alkyl group with from 10 to 20 carbon atoms Preferred are the C16-18 methyl ester sulphonates (MES), or mixtures of C16-18 and C12-14 methyl ester sulphonates.
• MES C16-18 methyl ester sulphonates
• One class of nonionic surfactants useful in the present invention comprises condensates of ethylene oxide with a hydrophobic moiety, providing surfactants having an average hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) in the range from 8 to 17, preferably from 9.5 to 13.5, more preferably from 10 to 12.5.
• HLB hydrophilic-lipophilic balance
• the hydrophobic (lipophilic) moiety may be aliphatic or aromatic in nature and the length of the polyoxyethylene group which is condensed with any particular hydrophobic group can be readily adjusted to yield a water-soluble compound having the desired degree of balance between hydrophilic and hydrophobic elements.
• Especially preferred nonionic surfactants of this type are the C9-C15 primary alcohol ethoxylates containing 3-9 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol, particularly the C13-C15 primary alcohols containing 6-9 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol and the C11-C15 primary alcohols containing 3-5 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol.
• Nonionic surfactants comprises alkyl polyglucoside compounds of general formula RO (C n H 2n O) t Z x wherein Z is a moiety derived from glucose; R is a saturated hydrophobic alkyl group that contains from 12 to 18 carbon atoms; t is from 0 to 10 and n is 2 or 3; x is from 1.3 to 4, the compounds including less than 10% unreacted fatty alcohol and less than 50% short chain alkyl polyglucosides.
• Compounds of this type and their use in detergent compositions are disclosed in EP-B 0070074, 0070077, 0075996 and 0094118.
• Still another class of nonionic surfactants comprises polyhydroxy fatty acid amides which may be produced by reacting a fatty acid ester and an N-alkyl polyhydroxy amine.
• the preferred amine for use in the present invention is N-(R1)-CH2(CH2OH)4-CH2-OH and the preferred ester is a C12-C20 fatty acid methyl ester.
• Most preferred is the reaction product of N-methyl glucamine with C12-C20 fatty acid methyl ester.
• a further class of surfactants are the semi-polar surfactants such as amine oxides.
• Suitable amine oxides are selected from mono C8-C20, preferably C10-C14 N-alkyl or alkenyl amine oxides and propylene-1,3-diamine dioxides wherein the remaining N positions are substituted by methyl, hydroxyethyl or hydroxpropyl groups.
• Cationic surfactants can also be used in the detergent compositions herein and suitable quaternary ammonium surfactants are selected from mono C8-C16, preferably C10-C14 N-alkyl or alkenyl ammonium surfactants wherein remaining N positions are substituted by methyl, hydroxyethyl or hydroxypropyl groups.
• the surfactant containing particles will further comprise components selected from a wide range of possible ingredients which are commonly used in laundry detergents.
• the particles will contain some detergent builder:
• the builder system is present in an amount of from 25% to 60% by weight of the composition, more preferably from 30% to 60% by weight.
• Preferred builder systems are free of boron compounds and any polymeric organic materials are preferably biodegradable.
• preferred sodium aluminosilicate zeolites have the unit cell formula Na z [(AlO2 ) z (SiO2 ) y ] xH 2O wherein z and y are at least 6; the molar ratio of z to y is from 1.0 to 0.5 and x is at least 5, preferably from 7.5 to 276, more preferably from 10 to 264.
• the aluminosilicate materials are in hydrated form and are preferably crystalline, containing from 10% to 28%, more preferably from 18% to 22% water in bound form.
• the above aluminosilicate ion exchange materials are further characterised by a particle size diameter of from 0.1 to 10 micrometers, preferably from 0.2 to 4 micrometers.
• particle size diameter herein represents the average particle size diameter of a given ion exchange material as determined by conventional analytical techniques such as, for example, microscopic determination utilizing a scanning electron microscope or by means of a laser granulometer.
• the aluminosilicate ion exchange materials are further characterised by their calcium ion exchange capacity, which is at least 200 mg equivalent of CaCO3 water hardness/g of aluminosilicate, calculated on an anhydrous basis, and which generally is in the range of from 300 mg eq./g to 352 mg eq./g.
• the aluminosilicate ion exchange materials herein are still further characterised by their calcium ion exchange rate which is at least 130 mg equivalent of CaCO3/litre/minute/(g/litre) [2 grains Ca++/gallon/minute/gram/gallon)] of aluminosilicate (anhydrous basis), and which generally lies within the range of from 130 mg equivalent of CaCO3/litre/minute/(gram/litre) [2 grains/gallon/minute/ (gram/gallon)] to 390 mg equivalent of CaCO3/litre/minute/ (gram/litre) [6 grains/gallon/minute/(gram/gallon)], based on calcium ion hardness.
• Optimum aluminosilicates for builder purposes exhibit a calcium ion exchange rate of at least 260 mg equivalent of CaCO3/litre/ minute/ (gram/litre) [4 grains/gallon/minute/(gram/gallon)].
• Aluminosilicate ion exchange materials useful in the practice of this invention are commercially available and can be naturally occurring materials, but are preferably synthetically derived. A method for producing aluminosilicate ion exchange materials is discussed in US Patent No. 3,985,669.
• Preferred synthetic crystalline aluminosilicate ion exchange materials useful herein are available under the designations Zeolite A, Zeolite B, Zeolite X, Zeolite HS, Zeolite MAP and mixtures thereof.
• the crystalline aluminosilicate ion exchange material is Zeolite A and has the formula Na 12 [(AlO2 ) 12 (SiO2)12 ]. xH2 O wherein x is from 20 to 30, especially 27.
• Suitable water-soluble monomeric or oligomeric carboxylate builders include lactic acid, glycolic acid and ether derivatives thereof as disclosed in Belgian Patent Nos. 831,368, 821,369 and 821,370.
• Polycarboxylates containing two carboxy groups include the water-soluble salts of succinic acid, malonic acid, (ethylenedioxy) diacetic acid, maleic acid, diglycolic acid, tartaric acid, tartronic acid and fumaric acid, as well as the ether carboxylates described in German Offenlegenschrift 2,446,686, and 2,446,687 and U.S. Patent No. 3,935,257 and the sulfinyl carboxylates described in Belgian Patent No. 840,623.
• Polycarboxylates containing three carboxy groups include, in particular, water-soluble citrates or citric acid, aconitrates and citraconates as well as succinate derivatives such as the carboxymethyloxysuccinates described in British Patent No. 1,379,241, lactoxysuccinates described in British Patent No. 1,389,732, and aminosuccinates described in Netherlands Application 7205873, and the oxypolycarboxylate materials such as 2-oxa-1,1,3-propane tricarboxylates described in British Patent No. 1,387,447.
• Polycarboxylates containing four carboxy groups include oxydisuccinates disclosed in British Patent No. 1,261,829, 1,1,2,2-ethane tetracarboxylates, 1,1,3,3-propane tetracarboxylates and 1,1,2,3-propane tetracarboxylates.
• Polycarboxylates containing sulfo substituents include the sulfosuccinate derivatives disclosed in British Patent Nos. 1,398,421 and 1,398,422 and in U.S. Patent No. 3,936,448, and the sulfonated pyrolysed citrates described in British Patent No. 1,439,000.
• Another preferred polycarboxylate builder is ethylenediamine-N,N'-disuccinic acid (EDDS) or the alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, or substituted ammonium salts thereof, or mixtures thereof.
• EDDS ethylenediamine-N,N'-disuccinic acid
• Alicyclic and heterocyclic polycarboxylates include cyclopentane-cis,cis,cis-tetracarboxylates, cyclopentadienide pentacarboxylates, 2,3,4,5-tetrahydrofuran - cis, cis, cis-tetracarboxylates, 2,5-tetrahydrofuran - cis - dicarboxylates, 2,2,5,5-tetrahydrofuran - tetracarboxylates, 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexane - hexacarboxylates and carboxymethyl derivatives of polyhydric alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol.
• Aromatic polycarboxylates include mellitic acid, pyromellitic acid and the phthalic acid derivatives disclosed in British Patent No. 1,425,343. Of the above, the preferred polycarboxylates are hydroxycarboxylates containing up to three carboxy groups per molecule, more particularly citrates.
• the parent acids of the monomeric or oligomeric polycarboxylate chelating agents or mixtures thereof with their salts e.g. citric acid or citrate/citric acid mixtures are also contemplated as components of builder systems of detergent compositions in accordance with the present invention.
• Suitable water soluble organic salts are the homo-or co-polymeric polycarboxylic acids or their salts in which the polycarboxylic acid comprises at least two carboxyl radicals separated from each other by not more than two carbon atoms.
• Polymers of the latter type are disclosed in GB-A-1,596,756.
• Examples of such salts are polyacrylates of MWt 2000-5000 and their copolymers with maleic anhydride, such copolymers having a molecular weight of from 20,000 to 70,000, especially about 40,000.
• Such builder polymeric materials may be identical to the polymeric materials as binder materials and coating materials, as described hereinabove. These materials are normally used at levels of from 0.5% to 10% by weight more preferably from 0.75% to 8%, most preferably from 1% to 6% by weight of the composition.
• Organic phosphonates and amino alkylene poly (alkylene phosphonates) include alkali metal ethane 1-hydroxy diphosphonates, nitrilo trimethylene phosphonates, ethylene diamine tetra methylene phosphonates and diethylene triamine penta methylene phosphonates, although these materials are less preferred where the minimisation of phosphorus compounds in the compositions is desired.
• the particle or particles which contain the surfactant and builder may be made by any convenient process.
• useful processing routes include spray drying, agglomeration, extrusion, prilling etc.
• One particularly preferred processing route for making high bulk density, high detergent active particles is by agglomerating detergent powders and highly viscous surfactant pastes in a high shear mixer. A more detailed description of such a process is given in the Applicants' co-pending application EP510746, published on 28th October, 1992
• Detergent Compositions of the present invention may, optionally, include anti-redeposition and soil suspension agents, bleach activators, optical brighteners, soil release agents, suds suppressors, enzymes, fabric softening agents, perfumes and colours, as well as other ingredients known to be useful in laundry detergents.
• Anti-redeposition and soil-suspension agents suitable herein include cellulose derivatives such as methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose and hydroxyethycellulose, and homo-or co-polymeric polycarboxylic acids or their salts.
• Polymers of this type include copolymers of maleic anhydride with ethylene, methylvinyl ether or methacrylic acid, the maleic anhydride constituting at least 20 mole percent of the copolymer. These materials are normally used at levels of from 0.5% to 10% by weight, more preferably from 0.75% to 8%, most preferably from 1% to 6% by weight of the composition.
• polyethylene glycols particularly those of molecular weight 1000-10000, more particularly 2000 to 8000 and most preferably about 4000. These are used at levels of from 0.20% to 5% more preferably from 0.25% to 2.5% by weight. These polymers and the previously mentioned homo- or co-polymeric polycarboxylate salts are valuable for improving whiteness maintenance, fabric ash deposition, and cleaning performance on clay, proteinaceous and oxidizable soils in the presence of transition metal impurities.
• Preferred optical brighteners are anionic in character, examples of which are disodium 4,41-bis-(2-diethanolamino-4-anilino -s- triazin-6- ylamino)stilbene-2:21 disulphonate, disodium 4,41-bis-(2-morpholino -4-anilino-2-triazin-6-ylaminostilbene-2:21-disulphonate,disodium 4, 41-bis-(2,4-dianilino-s-triazin-6-ylamino)stilbene-2:21 -disulphonate, monosodium 4 1, 411-bis-(2,4-dianilino-s-triazin-6 ylamino)stilbene-2- sulphonate, disodium 4,41-bis-(2-anilino-4-(N-methyl-N-2-hydroxyethylamino)-2-triazin-6-ylamino)stilbene-2,21 - disulphonate, disodium 4,41-bis
• Soil-release agents useful in compositions of the present invention are conventionally copolymers or terpolymers of terephthalic acid with ethylene glycol and/or propylene glycol units in various arrangements. Examples of such polymers are disclosed in the commonly assigned US Patent Nos. 4116885 and 4711730 and European Published Patent Application No. 0272033.
• a particular preferred polymer in accordance with EP-A-0272033 has the formula (CH3(PEG)43) 0.75 (POH) 0.25 (T-PO) 2.8 (T-PEG) 0.4 ]T(PO-H) 0.25 ((PEG)43CH3) 0.75 where PEG is -(OC2H4)O-, PO is (OC3H6O) and T is (pCOC6H4CO).
• Certain polymeric materials such as polyvinyl pyrrolidones typically of MWt 5000-20000, preferably 10000-15000, also form useful agents in preventing the transfer of labile dyestuffs between fabrics during the washing process.
• Another optional detergent composition ingredient is a suds suppressor, exemplified by silicones, and silica-silicone mixtures.
• Silicones can be generally represented by alkylated polysiloxane materials while silica is normally used in finely divided forms, exemplified by silica aerogels and xerogels and hydrophobic silicas of various types. These materials can be incorporated as particulates in which the suds suppressor is advantageously releasably incorporated in a water-soluble or water-dispersible, substantially non-surface-active detergent-impermeable carrier.
• the suds suppressor can be dissolved or dispersed in a liquid carrier and applied by spraying on to one or more of the other components.
• useful silicone suds controlling agents can comprise a mixture of an alkylated siloxane, of the type referred to hereinbefore, and solid silica. Such mixtures are prepared by affixing the silicone to the surface of the solid silica.
• a preferred silicone suds controlling agent is represented by a hydrophobic silanated (most preferably trimethyl-silanated) silica having a particle size in the range from 10 nanometers to 20 nanometers and a specific surface area above 50 m2/g, intimately admixed with dimethyl silicone fluid having a molecular weight in the range from about 500 to about 200,000 at a weight ratio of silicone to silanated silica of from about 1:1 to about 1:2.
• a preferred silicone suds controlling agent is disclosed in Bartollota et al. US Patent 3,933,672.
• Other particularly useful suds suppressors are the self-emulsifying silicone suds suppressors, described in German Patent Application DTOS 2,646,126 published April 28, 1977.
• An example of such a compound is DC0544, commercially available from Dow Corning, which is a siloxane/glycol copolymer.
• the suds suppressors described above are normally employed at levels of from 0.001% to 0.5% by weight of the composition, preferably from 0.01% to 0.1% by weight.
• the preferred methods of incorporation comprise either application of the suds suppressors in liquid form by spray-on to one or more of the major components of the composition or alternatively the formation of the suds suppressors into separate particulates that can then be mixed with the other solid components of the composition.
• the incorporation of the suds modifiers as separate particulates also permits the inclusion therein of other suds controlling materials such as C20-C24 fatty acids, microcrystalline waxes and high MWt copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide which would otherwise adversely affect the dispersibility of the matrix. Techniques for forming such suds modifying particulates are disclosed in the previously mentioned Bartolotta et al US Patent No. 3,933,672.
• Another optional ingredient useful in the present invention is one or more enzymes.
• Preferred enzymatic materials include the commercially available amylases, neutral and alkaline proteases, lipases, esterases and cellulases conventionally incorporated into detergent compositions. Suitable enzymes are discussed in US Patents 3,519,570 and 3,533,139.
• Fabric softening agents can also be incorporated into detergent compositions in accordance with the present invention. These agents may be inorganic or organic in type. Inorganic softening agents are exemplified by the smectite clays disclosed in GB-A-1,400,898. Organic fabric softening agents include the water insoluble tertiary amines as disclosed in GB-A-1514276 and EP-B-0011340.
• Levels of smectite clay are normally in the range from 5% to 15%, more preferably from 8% to 12% by weight, with the material being added as a dry mixed component to the remainder of the formulation.
• Organic fabric softening agents such as the water-insoluble tertiary amines or dilong chain amide materials are incorporated at levels of from 0.5% to 5% by weight, normally from 1% to 3% by weight, whilst the high molecular weight polyethylene oxide materials and the water soluble cationic materials are added at levels of from 0.1% to 2%, normally from 0.15% to 1.5% by weight.
• these materials can be added to the aqueous slurry fed to the spray drying tower, although in some instances it may be more convenient to add them as a dry mixed particulate, or spray them as a molten liquid on to other solid components of the composition.
• the spray dried granules were made by preparing an aqueous slurry containing components a) to c) and spraying it into a conventional drying tower.
• the agglomerates were prepared by making a viscous aqueous paste containing components d) and e) and agglomerating it with powders f) to h) in a high speed mixer.
• the agglomerates were then dried in a fluid bed mixer before overspraying with components i) to k).
• the spray dried granules and agglomerates were then dry mixed with powder components 1) to r).
• Example 1 Example 2
• Example 3 pH after 10 seconds 8.6 8.6 7.0 20 seconds 9.2 9.1 8.3 30 seconds 9.5 9.2 8.5 60 seconds 9.8 9.5 9.0 10 minutes 10.0 9.9 9.4
• Comparative example 2 has a poor dispensing profile but a good rate of alkalinity release. This is due to the presence of small silicate particles in combination with perborate bleach. Comparative example 3 has a good dispensing profile but a poor rate of alkalinity release. This is due to the presence of large silicate particles in combination with perborate bleach.
• Example 1 has a good dispensing profile and a good rate of alkalinity release. This is due to the presence of small silicate particles in combination with percarbonate bleach.
• Example 1 Compositions of examples 1, 2 and 3 were tested in realistic washing conditions in a washing machine.
• Example 1 was found to outperform both comparative examples 2 and 3 over a wide range of stains, especially at low washing temperatures.

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• 1994
  • 1994-08-01 EP EP19940305697 patent/EP0639639B2/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime

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