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
  • C11D3/16—Organic compounds
  • C11D3/38—Products with no well-defined composition, e.g. natural products
  • C11D3/386—Preparations containing enzymes, e.g. protease or amylase
• • 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
  • C11D1/94—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
  • C11D3/00—Other compounding ingredients of detergent compositions covered in group C11D1/00
  • C11D3/16—Organic compounds
  • C11D3/37—Polymers
  • C11D3/3703—Macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
  • C11D3/3707—Polyethers, e.g. polyalkyleneoxides
• • 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
  • C11D3/16—Organic compounds
  • C11D3/37—Polymers
  • C11D3/3746—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
  • C11D3/3769—(Co)polymerised monomers containing nitrogen, e.g. carbonamides, nitriles or amines
  • C11D3/3776—Heterocyclic compounds, e.g. lactam
• • 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
• • 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
• • 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

• This invention relates to detergent compositions.
• Detergent compositions are generally formulated to contain one or more anionic surfactant materials, builder materials, electrolyte materials and other adjuvants dispersed or dissolved in an aqueous medium. They are generally formulated at an alkaline pH of above 7, e.g., 8-12, and generally contain buffer ingredients and/or builder materials which will maintain an alkaline pH in both the detergent composition if it is a liquid, and in the wash water to which the detergent composition is added.
• the main reason for the development of basic pH is to insure that the anionic surfactant components, enzymes or other organic components present in the composition remain solubilized and dispersed in the wash water and that greasy or oily stains removed from soiled clothing are also dispersed in the wash water.
• liquid detergent composition An example of a liquid detergent composition is found in U.S. Patent 5,108,644 which discloses a liquid detergent concentrate comprising a mixture of nonionic polyalkoxy-lated anionic surfactants, a salting out electrolyte/ builder and a water soluble, viscosity reducing polymer which may be a polyethylene glycol.
• the composition is formulated to have an alkaline pH of around 11, as shown in Table II.
• premium commercial liquid laundry detergents are formulated to contain about 30%, by weight, or more of active ingredients, predominantly surfactants and builders, often including minor amounts of enzyme.
• active ingredient levels below about 25%, and particularly below about 20% commercial liquid laundry detergents are formulated to provide a less costly product to the consumer, while being generally less efficacious for cleaning the wide array of soils and stains which are capable of being laundered by the premium liquid detergents at normal dosage.
• the present invention provides detergent compositions comprising a mixture of:
• the detergent compositions are formulated to contain less than about 25% by weight of active ingredients, and preferably about 20% or less of active ingredients which as herein defined comprises surfactant, builder, polymer and enzyme, if present.
• the invention also provides for a method for washing fabrics comprising forming a dilute aqueous solution of the detergent composition described above and then subjecting fabric material to washing action in said aqueous solution.
• the detergent compositions of the invention are able to deliver higher proportions of surfactant to fabrics washed in a wash bath containing such detergent composition. This results in enhanced cleaning performance relative to fabrics washed with an otherwise identical detergent composition but which does not contain the aforesaid water soluble organic polymer.
• the key to improved cleaning performance in accordance with this invention is the presence in the detergent composition of a water soluble organic polymer which is miscible with or soluble in the anionic surfactant and is also miscible with optional enzymes which may be present in the composition.
• the water soluble polymers are not themselves known as active cleaning agents, these polymer molecules have an affinity for both the active ingredients and the fabric surface. They thus serve to "link" surfactant and/or enzyme molecules and the fiber surfaces of fabrics being washed, thereby carrying these actives into closer and more intimate contact with such surfaces. This allows effective cleaning to be carried out over a wide range of pH in the washing bath, from slightly acid up to highly alkaline aqueous medium.
• the water soluble organic polymers useful in the present invention are those which are capable of forming hydrogen bonds with the surfactants and/or enzymes present in the detergent composition at an acidic or near neutral pH.
• Such polymers include polyvinyl alcohols, alkoxylated polyhydric alcohols, polycellulose (e.g. carboxy methyl cellulose), polysaccharides, polyalkylene glycols, vinyl pyrrolidone polymers and like materials containing hydroxyl, ether and/or anhydride functionalities.
• Useful alkoxylated polyhydric alcohols are represented by the formula: wherein w equals one to four and x, y and z have a value between 0 and 60, more preferably 0 to 40, provided that ( x+y+z ) equals about 2 to about 100, preferably about 4 to about 24 and most preferably about 4 to about 19, and wherein R' is either hydrogen atom or methyl group.
• a preferred ethoxylated polyhydric alcohol is glycerol 6EO.
• Polyvinyl pyrrolidone for use in the present invention is depicted by the formula: wherein m is about 20 to about 350 more preferably about 70 to about 110.
• Preferred organic polymers which are both water soluble and are miscible with or soluble in anionic surfactants include polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol and mixtures thereof having a molecular weight in the range of from about 200 to 20,000, preferably from about 500 to 10,000 and most preferably from about 500 to 5,000.
• Other preferred polymers include vinylpyrrolidone polymers, which includes polyvinylpyrrolidone as well as water soluble copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone with up to 50 mole % of copolymerizable unsaturated hydrophilic monomers such as acrylic monomers.
• the molecular weight of the vinyl pyrrolidone polymers may range from about 4,000 to 200,000, more preferably from about 10,000 to 50,000.
• the organic polymer is present in the composition in an amount sufficient to enhance the cleaning performance of the detergent composition generally at a level of from about 0.1 to about 5 wt%, more preferably at a level of from about 0.25 to 2.5 wt%.
• the function of the organic polymer in the detergent compositions of the invention is fundamentally distinct from the use of polymers such as polyethylene glycol in liquid detergent compositions described in the prior art.
• polymers such as polyethylene glycol in liquid detergent compositions described in the prior art.
• polymer such as polyethylene glycols, polyacrylates and polyacrylate/maleic co-polymers are disclosed as additives to certain structural liquid detergents for the purpose of reducing viscosity in the liquid composition.
• the polymer enhances the performance and activity of the surfactant mixture, and provides no viscosity reduction or builder effect or anti-encrustation effect, the characteristic function of conventional polymer additives to laundry detergent compositions known in the art.
• the detergent composition also contains a surfactant mixture comprised of at least about 5 wt% of an anionic surfactant, or a non-ionic surfactant or a mixture thereof in combination with one or more amphoteric surfactants.
• a surfactant mixture comprised of at least about 5 wt% of an anionic surfactant, or a non-ionic surfactant or a mixture thereof in combination with one or more amphoteric surfactants.
• a mixture of an anionic surfactant, nonionic surfactant and amphoteric surfactant is often preferred from the standpoint of efficient cleaning.
• Suitable anionic surfactants include the water-soluble alkali metal salts having alkyl radicals containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, the term alkyl being used to include the alkyl portion of higher acyl radicals.
• suitable synthetic anionic detergent compounds are sodium and potassium alkyl sulphates, especially those obtained by sulphating higher (C 8 -C 18 ) alcohols produced, for example, from tallow or coconut oil; sodium and potassium alkyl (C 9 -C 20 ) benzene sulfonates, particularly sodium linear secondary alkyl (C 10 -C 15 ) benzene sulfonates; sodium alkyl glycerol ether sulfates, especially those ethers of the higher alcohols derived from tallow or coconut oil and synthetic alcohols derived from petroleum; sodium coconut oil fatty monoglyceride sulfates and sulfonates; sodium and potassium salts of sulfuric acid esters of higher (C 8 -C 18
• Suitable nonionic surfactants include, in particular, the reaction products of compounds having a hydrophobic group and a reactive hydrogen atom, for example aliphatic alcohols, acids, amides and alkyl phenols with alkylene oxides, especially ethylene oxide, either alone or with propylene oxide.
• Specific nonionic surfactant compounds are alkyl (C 6 -C 18 ) primary or secondary linear or branched alcohols condensed with ethylene oxide, and products made by condensation of ethylene oxide with the reaction products of propylene oxide and ethylenediamine.
• nonionic surfactant compounds include long chain tertiary amine oxides, long-chain tertiary phosphine oxides, dialkyl sulfoxides, fatty (C 8 -C 18 ) esters of glycerol, sorbitan and the like, alkyl polyglycosides, ethoxylated glycerol esters, ethyoxylated sorbitans and ethoxylated phosphate esters.
• the preferred non-ionic surfactant compounds are those of the ethoxylated and mixed ethyoxylated-propyloxylated (C 6 -C 18 ) fatty alcohol type, containing 2-11 EO groups.
• betaines and those which can be broadly described as derivatives of aliphatic secondary and tertiary amines in which the aliphatic radical can be straight chain or branched and wherein one of the aliphatic substituents contains from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms and one contains an anionic water solubilizing group, e.g., carboxy, sulfonate, sulfate, phosphate, or phosphonate.
• Examples of compounds falling within this definition are sodium 3-dodecylaminopropionate, sodium 3-dodecylaminopropane sulfonate, N-alkyltaurines, such as prepared by reacting dodecylamine with sodium isothionate, N-higher alkyl aspartic acids and the products sold under the trade name "Miranol”.
• betaines useful herein include alkylamido betaines, alkylamino betaines, alkyl betaines and sulfobetaines.
• the high alkyl betaines are represented by coco dimethyl carboxymethyl betaine, lauryl dimethyl carboxymethyl betaine, lauryl dimethyl alpha-carboxymethyl betaine, cetyl dimethyl carboxymethyl betaine, lauryl bis(2-hydroxyethyl) carboxy methyl betaine, stearyl bis-(2-hydroxypropyl) carboxymethyl betaine, oleyl dimethyl gamma-carboxypropyl betaine, lauryl bis-(2-hydroxypropyl) alpha-carboxymethyl betaine, etc.
• the sulfobetaines may be represented by coco dimethyl sulfopropyl betaine, stearyl dimethyl sulfopropyl betaine, lauryl bis-(2-hydroxyethyl) sulfopropyl betaine, amino betaine amidosulfobetaines, and the like.
• betaines include 1-(lauryl, dimethylammonio) acetate-1-(myristyl dimethylammonio) propane-3-sulfonate, 1-(myristyl dimethylamino)-2-hydroxypropane-3-sulfonate, cocoamidoethylbetaine and cocoamidopropylbetaine.
• amphoteric surfactants are the glycinate derivatives of the formula: wherein R is a hydrocarbon group, preferably a C 8 to C 20 aliphatic, R 1 is hydrogen or a C 1 to C 6 alkyl, preferably hydrogen or methylene, T is hydrogen or W, preferably W, W is R 2 COOM wherein M is hydrogen, alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium, such as lower alkanolamine, e.g., triethanolamine, x is 2 to 3 and y is 2 to 4, and R 2 is a C 1 to C 6 alkylene.
• a preferred amphoteric surfactant is of the formula wherein R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, preferably a C 16 to C 18 fatty alkyl or fatty alkylene, M is alkali metal, and y is 3 to 4. More preferably R is tallowalkyl (which is a mixture of stearyl, palmityl and oleyl in the proportions in which they occur in tallow), M is sodium and y is about 3.5, representing a mixture of about equal parts of the amphoteric surfactant wherein y is 3 and such amphoteric surfactant wherein y is 4.
• Preferred amphoteric surfactants of this type are available commercially under the trade name AmpholakTM 7TX obtainable from Kenobel AB, a unit of Nobel Industries, Sweden.
• the amount of the surfactant mixture in the composition will generally range from about 5% to about 75%, more usually from about 5% to about 30%, and most preferably from about 5% to about 15% by weight of the composition.
• the anionic surfactant will be at least 40% by weight of such surfactant mixture.
• the nonionic surfactant when present, is used in an amount of from about 0.5 to 10%, preferably from about 1 to 8% by weight of the total composition.
• the amphoteric surfactant can comprise from about 0.3 to 15%, preferably 0.5 to 10%, most preferably from about 0.5 to 5% by weight, based on the total composition.
• Cationic surfactants which may optionally be included in the present compositions include mono C 8 -C 24 alkyl or alkenyl onium salts, especially mono-or polyammonium salts, imidazolinium salts, pyridinium salts or mixtures thereof.
• Especially preferred cationics include the following: stearyldimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride; dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride; nonylbenzyl-ethyldimethyl ammonium nitrate; tetradecylpyridinium bromide; laurylpyridinium chloride; cetylpyridinium chloride; laurylisoquinolium bromide; ditallow-(hydrogenated)dimethyl ammonium chloride; dilauryldimethyl ammonium chloride; and stearalkonium chloride.
• the composition may also contain one or more detergency builders.
• the selection of particular builders from those known in the art is dictated, in part, by the pH of the liquid detergent composition itself, or the pH which it generates in the wash water.
• the builder For detergent composition intended to provide an acidic or near neutral wash medium, it is preferred that the builder not be a material that will generate a significantly basic pH above about 7.5, preferably not above 7.0, in the wash water or in the detergent composition itself if it is in the form of a liquid.
• known builders such as Zeolites are less preferred as the main builder component when operating at low pH conditions because of proton exchange from the acidic detergent medium with the alkali metal, e.g., sodium cation, of the zeolite after a period of storage.
• preferred builders at low pH wash water conditions include organic builders, for example.
• polycarboxylate builders such as aminopolycarboxylates, for example, sodium and potassium ethylene-diamine tetraacetate; sodium and potassium nitrotriacetate; and the polyacetal polycarboxylates, such as those described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,144,226 and 4,315,092.
• organic builders of the polycarboxylate type include the water-soluble salts, especially sodium and potassium salts, of mellitic acid, citric acid, pyromellitic acid, benzene polycarboxylic acids, carboxymethyloxy succinic acid, cis-cyclohexane hexacarboxylic acid, and the like.
• Citric acid salt e.g., potassium or sodium citrate
• the citric acid salt also serves a dual function as a builder and an electrolyte which helps maintain the surfactant micelles dispersed in the aqueous liquid medium.
• Such builders may be used for alkaline pH wash water conditions.
• Such builders include phosphates such as alkali metal polyphosphates, and alkali or alkaline earth metal silicates, carbonates, and bicarbonates, as well as water-insoluble aluminosilicate zeolite, such as zeolite A.
• Sodium tripolyphosphate is especially preferred but other phosphate builders such as tetrasodium pyrophosphate can also be used. Mixtures of sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium carbonate as disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,842,769 are also useful.
• the zeolites useful in the present invention include the crystalline, amorphous and mixed crystalline-amorphous zeolites of either natural or synthetic origin. It is preferred that the zeolites rapidly and effectively counteract hardness cations, such as calcium, magnesium, iron and the like to soften the wash water before such hardness ions adversely react with any other components of the detergent composition.
• the preferred zeolites have a high calcium ion exchange capacity, normally from about 200 to 400 or more, milliequivalents of calcium carbonate hardness per gram of the aluminosilicate ("meq./g.”). It is preferred that the zeolite used has a calcium capacity between about 250 to 350 meq./g.
• the finely divided synthetic zeolite builder particles preferred in the practice of this invention will have the formula (Na 2 O) x (Al 2 O 3 ) y (SiO 2 ) z ⁇ wH 2 O wherein x is 1, y is from 0.8 to 1.2 (preferably about 1), z is from 1.5 to 3.5 (preferably 2 to 3, and more preferably about 2) and w is from 0 t 9 (preferably 2.5 to 6).
• the water insoluble crystalline aluminosilicates used are often characterized by having a network of substantially uniformly sized pores in the range of about 3 to 10 Angstroms, often being about 4 ⁇ (normal). This size is determined by the unit structure of the zeolite crystal.
• the zeolite should be an univalent cation-exchanging zeolite, i.e., it should be an aluminosilicate of an univalent cation such as sodium, potassium, lithium (when practicable) or other alkali metal, ammonium or hydrogen.
• the univalent cation of the zeolite molecular sieve is an alkali metal cation, preferably sodium or potassium and most preferably sodium. However, other cations are also useful.
• Crystalline zeolites that are good ion exchangers for use in the invention include zeolites of the following crystalline structure groups: A, X, Y, L, mordenite and erionite.
• the A, X and Y types are preferred.
• These crystalline types of zeolites are well-known in the art and are described in Zeolite Molecular Sieves by Donald W. Beck, published in 1974 by John Wiley & Sons. Typical commercially available zeolites of the types mentioned above are listed in Table 9.6, at pages 747-749, of the Beck text, which table is incorporated herein by reference.
• the builder is used at generally low levels of from about 0 to about 25 wt% of the detergent composition, more preferably from about 0 to 10 wt% of said composition.
• the detergent composition may also contain one or more enzymes which are active against biodegradable stains, e.g., starches, vegetable and blood, and which are also active at a pH of about 5 to about 12.
• the present invention allows the use of enzymes which ordinarily would not be active at a wash water pH of below about 7.5 but which become active at a lower pH in the present composition because of the presence of the water soluble polymer component.
• Preferred enzymes which may be used include amylolytic enzymes (alpha amylases), alkaline and neutral proteases, lipolases, cellulases and the like, and mixtures thereof.
• Alkaline or neutral proteolytic enzymes suitable for the present composition include the various commercial liquid enzyme preparations which have been adapted for use in detergent compositions. Enzyme preparations in powdered form are also useful although, as a general rule, less convenient for incorporation into a built liquid detergent composition.
• suitable liquid enzyme preparations include "Alcalase” and “Savinase”, trademarked products sold by Novo Industries, Copenhagen, Denmark, and "Maxatase”, “Maxacal”, “Maxaperm” and “AZ-Protease” sold by Gist-Brocades, Delft, The Netherlands.
• alpha-amylase liquid enzyme preparations are those sold by Novo Industries and Gist-Brocades under the tradenames "Termamyl” and “Maxamyl", respectively.
• Another enzyme preparation which may be used is a powdered enzyme preparation containing alpha-amylase and a mixture of alkaline and neutral proteases available as CRD-Protease from the Monsanto Co of St. Louis, Missouri.
• the enzymes are normally present in the detergent composition at a level of from about 0.01 up to about 5 wt%, more preferably from about 0.1 to 2 wt%.
• composition may also contain a suitable stabilizer system for the enzyme such as up to 1 wt% calcium chloride or the combination of boric acid, boric oxide or alkali metal borate and water soluble calcium salt.
• a suitable stabilizer system for the enzyme such as up to 1 wt% calcium chloride or the combination of boric acid, boric oxide or alkali metal borate and water soluble calcium salt.
• An optional, but often preferred additive is a higher fatty acid, which may be saturated or unsaturated, and may contain from about 10 to about 22 carbon atoms, preferably from about 12 to 20 carbon atoms. Oleic acid is especially preferred in amounts of from 0.1 to about 10% by weight of the composition.
• These higher fatty acids function in the detergent compositions as anti-foaming agents and also function as soap surfactants in combination with neutralizing cations, e.g., sodium or potassium, present in the composition. They may be used alone for this anti-foaming function but are often used in combination with polysiloxane (silicone) anti-foaming agents.
• the silicone anti-foaming agents will generally be present in minor amounts compared to the fatty acid. Suitable ratios (by weight) of the fatty acid anti-foaming agent to silicone anti-foaming agent may range from about 100:1 to 1:10, preferably 50:1 to 1:1, especially 30:1 to 2:1.
• the detergent composition may also contain one or more softening components known in the art. Suitable softeners include swelling bentonite clays such as sodium and calcium montmorillonites, sodium saponites and sodium hectorites. These may be present in the detergent composition at levels of from about 0.5 to 20wt%, more preferably from about 5 to 15 wt%.
• liquid detergent compositions of the invention may also be present in the liquid detergent compositions of the invention, for example, soil-suspending agents, thickening agents, sequesterants such as salts of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid or analogous phosphonic acid salts, hydrotropes, corrosion inhibitors, dyes, perfumes, optical brighteners, suds boosters, germicides, e.g., quaternary ammonium salts, preservatives, e.g., quaternium 15, anti-tarnishing agents, opacifiers, oxygen-liberating bleaches such as sodium perborate or percarbonate with or without bleach precursors, buffers and the like.
• soil-suspending agents such as salts of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid or analogous phosphonic acid salts, hydrotropes, corrosion inhibitors, dyes, perfumes, optical brighteners, suds boosters, germicides, e.g., quaternary ammonium salts, preservatives,
• Such other conventional materials may be used in the amounts they are normally used generally up to about 5% by weight, more preferably up to about 3% by weight, although higher amounts which do not interfere with the stability of the composition or give rise to an unacceptably high pH may be used, if desired.
• the detergent compositions of the present invention may be in liquid or in granular form.
• the liquid carrier for the liquid compositions of this invention is preferably water alone, but an aqueous carrier containing minor amounts of a lower alcohol, such as ethanol or isopropanol, may also be used in some cases.
• water levels may be up to about 90% by weight of the composition, for example, from about 20% to about 90%, preferably from about 20% to 70%, by weight.
• the water may be deionized, but usually tap water is sufficient.
• the viscosity of the liquid detergent is normally in the range of about 800 to 10,000 centipoises, preferably 2,000-7,000 centipoises, but products of other suitable viscosities may also be useful. At the viscosities mentioned, the liquid detergent is pourable, stable, nonseparating and uniform.
• pH modifiers such as water soluble bases, e.g., NaOH, KOH, amines, or ammonia, will be added to obtain the desired pH level.
• the preferred pH will range from about 5 up to 7.5, more preferably from about 5.0 up to less than 7.0 and most preferably from about 5.5 up to 6.9.
• the detergent composition is in the form of a liquid, the liquid will also exhibit a pH within these specified ranges.
• Powder or granular forms of the detergent composition may be prepared by conventional granulation techniques, such as spray drying, wherein a liquid formulation (crutcher slurry) is spray dried and the resulting granular product collected.
• the crutcher slurry also preferably will contain one or a mixture of granulation aids such as sodium sulfate, silicates, clays and other well known material as such as disclosed in U.S. Patents 5024778 and 5332513.
• the amount of such granulation aids will generally range from about 10 to 50 wt%.
• the water content of such granular detergents generally ranges from about 5 to 15 wt%.
• the detergent compositions of this invention are suitable for use as laundry detergents, dish washer detergents, shampoos, body lotions and the like and may be modified by inclusion of specific known ingredients to accommodate these applications, e.g., dispersing agents, skin conditioning agents, anti-dandruff agents and the like.
• a portion of the aqueous medium may be added to a mixing vessel and the surfactant components may be mixed therewith in any suitable order, followed by addition of builder, acidic components and sufficient neutralizing base, e.g., KOH, to produce the desired pH.
• builder acidic components and sufficient neutralizing base, e.g., KOH, to produce the desired pH.
• Softeners, enzyme, water soluble polymer, minors, e.g., perfume, optical brighteners, foam control agents, and the balance of water may then be added and mixing continued to form an aqueous dispersion.
• Granular forms of the detergent may be prepared by spray drying a liquid formulation to a water content of up to about 15 wt%, followed by the addition of any volatiles after spray dry processing.
• the detergents of the invention are generally added to wash water at levels in the range of about 0.05 to 0.30 wt%.
• detergents in the form of liquids are preferably added at levels in the range of from about 60 to 240 ml per load; powder detergents are preferably used at levels of about 60 to 300 grams per load.
• Formulation A is not in accordance with the claimed invention insofar as it contains no amphoteric surfactant in combination with the anionic and nonionic surfactants.
• Formulations B to E which are in accordance with the invention contain varying amounts of CAPB amphoteric surfactant; the total amount of AEOS anionic surfactant plus CAPB being maintained constant at 6.3% in all the formulations, A through E, for ease of comparison. All the remaining components in formulations A through E were kept constant.
• the cleaning performance of each liquid formulation with respect to the removal of proteinic and greasy stains from soiled cotton fabrics was evaluated by washing in a European tumble-type front loading washing machine (MieleTM) at 40°C and at a 200 ppm CaCo 3 water hardness at a dosage level of about 180ml of liquid per load.
• the detergency or soil removal ( ⁇ Rd) was measured as the difference between the reflectance Rd before washing and the reflectance Rd after washing.
• the results are shown in Table 2 below.
• the "Krefeld" stained fabric refers to an artificial, particulate soiled cotton fabric (code WFK 10C) supplied by WFK-Testgewebe Gmbh of Germany.
• compositions B to E demonstrate the substantially improved cleaning performance provided by compositions B to E relative to comparative composition A which contained no amphoteric surfactant, but contained the same total amount of surfactant as the other compositions.
• a performance improvement was noted with respect to each greasy stain and each proteinic stain with the single exception of grass stain which remained essentially unaffected.
• Formulation G is a conventional detergent liquid formulation containing a low level of active ingredients, below 20% by weight of the composition.
• Formulation A is the same composition described in Example 1 and is not in accordance with the invention but it is used herein as a comparative composition insofar as it is similar to Formulation G except that it contains polyethylene glycol polymer as a linker, and thereby demonstrates the effect of the linker polymer on cleaning performance.

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• 1996
  • 1996-12-20 EP EP96203659A patent/EP0781838A1/de not_active Withdrawn

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