EP1032626A1

EP1032626A1 - Clear softener with micro-emulsified perfumed oils

Info

Publication number: EP1032626A1
Application number: EP98961166A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Anneliese Wilsch-Irrgang; Karl-Heinz Scheffler
Original assignee: Henkel AG and Co KGaA
Current assignee: Henkel AG and Co KGaA
Priority date: 1997-11-19
Filing date: 1998-11-10
Publication date: 2000-09-06
Also published as: WO1999025797A1; JP2001523771A; DE19751151A1

Abstract

Clear, aqueous softeners contain 2-60 wt % of a reaction product of trialkanolamines with a mixture of fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids, which is optionally alkoxylated and then quaternised in a manner known per se; 0.5-20 wt % of a perfumed oil micro-emulsion with a droplet size of between 10 and 100 nm, which in turn contain 10-50 wt % perfumed oil, 1-10 wt % of a complementary oil component, 1-30 wt % of an emulsifier of the alkylpolyglycoside type and optionally up to 10 wt % of a complementary non-ionic or cationic emulsifier, the weight ratio from perfumed oil to complementary oil component being comprised between 10:1 and 2:1, and the remaining percentage being water or an aqueous solution of active and auxiliary substances.

Description

"Clear fabric softener with microemulsified perfume oils"

The present invention relates to clear, aqueous, low to highly concentrated perfume-containing fabric softeners for the softening of textiles. In particular, the invention relates to such clear, aqueous fabric softeners which are suitable for use in the rinse aid of household washing machines and which impart outstanding softness, antistatic properties, easier ironing, good rewettability and a long-lasting pleasant fragrance to the treated textiles.

Fabric softener compositions for rinse bath finishing are widely described in the prior art. These compositions usually contain a cationic quaternary ammonium compound as the active substance, which is dispersed in water. Depending on the content of active substance in the finished plasticizer composition, one speaks of dilute, ready-to-use products (active substance contents below 7% by weight) or so-called concentrates (active substance contents above 7% by weight). Because of the lower volume and the associated reduced packaging and transport costs, the textile softener concentrates have advantages from an ecological point of view and have become more and more established in the market. Due to the incorporation of cationic compounds which have only a low water solubility, conventional fabric softener compositions are in the form of dispersions, have a milky, cloudy appearance and are not translucent. For reasons of product aesthetics, however, it may also be desirable to provide the consumer with translucent, clear fabric softeners that stand out visually from the known products. The production of clear fabric softener and the problems associated with its production are also comprehensively described in the prior art. For example, European patent application EP-A-0 404 471 (Unilever) describes isotropic liquid textile plasticizer compositions with at least 20% by weight of softener and at least 5% by weight of a short-chain organic acid.

Clear fabric softener compositions with high solvent contents are also known, with quaternized ester-ammonium compounds (“esterquats”) with unsaturated, branched or short-chain alkyl residues being used as softening substances here. Such systems have the disadvantage that agglomerates can form, which pull on the fiber and there lead to stains and reduced softness.The storage and cold stability of such agents is often unsatisfactory, so that they thicken between 18 ° C and 4 ° C or show precipitations or phase separations.

To solve these problems, WO97 / 03169 (Procter & Gamble) proposes the use of less than 40% by weight of solvents which have a ClogP value between 0.15 and 0.64. The active substances described in this document have thereby unsaturated or relatively short _(C12. _1,) chains and are used in amounts of 2 to 80 wt .-%, preferably 13-75 wt .-% and in particular 17-70 wt % included in the funds. In order to obtain clear fabric softener with 2 to 10% by weight of active substance, a special manufacturing process that requires a premix of ester quat, solvents and perfume must be used, otherwise the agents will remain cloudy.

New ester quats are described in DE 195 39 846 (Henkel). The cationic surfactants disclosed therein represent reaction products of triethanolamine with mixtures of fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids. Hair rinses, shampoos, shower gels and wash lotions are mentioned in the publication as areas of application for these new substances. To prepare these new ester quats, trialkanolamines are reacted with a mixture of fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids, preferably in a molar ratio of 1:10 to 10: 1, and the resulting esters are quaternized in a manner known per se. The use of the esterquats described in DE 195 39 846 Cl for the production of water-clear fabric softener is described in RESEARCH DISCLOSURE May 1997, No. 39729

(disclosed anonymously). This research disclosure discloses use concentrations of the esterquats between 5 and 15% by weight. Nothing is said in this document about the scenting of the means.

In the case of all clear fabric softeners or the processes for their preparation which are described in the prior art, the production of products with a lower concentration is more complex than the production of concentrates. In addition, the incorporation of fragrances creates considerable problems, since many perfumes either do not dissolve in the formulations from the outset or separate again after a short time. The incorporation of emulsifiers into the clear products before adding the perfume does not solve this problem satisfactorily, since high emulsifier concentrations are necessary for an acceptable storage stability.

Perfume oil concentrates in the form of transparent aqueous microemulsions are described in the older German patent application DE 196 24 051.4 (Henkel). The microemulsions disclosed therein contain 10 to 50% by weight of perfume oil, 1 to 10% by weight of a co-oil component, 1 to 30% by weight of an emulsifier of the alkylpolyglycoside type and optionally up to 10% by weight of a nonionic or cationic co-emulsifier and have particle sizes between 10 and 100 nm, the weight ratio of perfume oil to co-oil component being 10: 1 to 2: 1.

The object of the present invention was to provide clear, aqueous, low to highly concentrated, perfume-containing fabric softeners for softening textiles which do not have these problems. In particular, clear fabric softeners are to be provided which have excellent storage stability even without the use of high emulsifier concentrations and which are additionally characterized by excellent fragrance properties. It has now been found that clear, low to highly concentrated fabric softener with perfume content can be produced with the esterquats described in DE 195 39 846 if the perfume is incorporated as a perfume oil microemulsion.

The invention relates to a clear, aqueous fabric softener, each based on the total agent

a) 2 to 60% by weight of a reaction product of trialkanolamines with a mixture of fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids, which was optionally alkoxylated and then quaternized in a manner known per se, b) 0.5 to 20% by weight of a perfume oil microemulsion a droplet size between 10 and 100 nm, which in turn 10 to 50 wt .-% perfume oil, 1 to 10 wt .-% of a co-oil component, 1 to 30 wt .-% of an emulsifier of the alkyl polyglycoside type and optionally up to 10 wt .-% of a nonionic or cationic co-emulsifier, wherein the weight ratio of perfume oil to co-oil component is 10: 1 to 2: 1 and c) as the remainder water or an aqueous solution of other active ingredients.

The clear aqueous fabric softener according to the invention contains so-called ester quats as textile-softening active substance. While there are a large number of possible compounds from this class of substances, esterquats are used according to the invention which can be prepared in a manner known per se by reacting trialkanolamines with a mixture of fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids, optionally subsequent alkoxylation of the reaction product and quaternization, as in DE 195 39 846 is described.

The esterquats produced in this way are outstandingly suitable for the production of clear, aqueous low to highly concentrated fabric softeners which, according to the invention, together with a perfume oil microemulsion and optionally further constituents, result in clear, storage-stable and extremely effective perfumed fabric softeners. Because depending on the choice of trialkanolamine, fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids as well as the quaternizing agent If a large number of suitable products can be produced and used in the agents according to the invention, a description of the esterquats to be used according to the invention about their production route is more precise than the specification of a general formula.

The components mentioned, which react with one another to form the esterquats to be used, can be used in varying proportions to one another. In the context of the present invention, clear fabric softeners are preferred in which a reaction product of trialkanolamines with a mixture of fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids in a molar ratio of 1:10 to 10: 1, preferably 1: 5 to 5: 1, which optionally alkoxylates and then in was quaternized in a known manner, is present in amounts of 2 to 60, preferably 3 to 35 and in particular 5 to 30% by weight. The use of triethanolamine is particularly preferred, so that further preferred clear fabric softener of the present invention is a reaction product of triethanolamine with a mixture of fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids in a molar ratio of 1:10 to 10: 1, preferably 1: 5 to 5: 1, that optionally alkoxy-hardened and then quaternized in a manner known per se, in amounts of 2 to 60, preferably 3 to 35 and in particular 5 to 30% by weight.

All acids obtained from vegetable or animal oils and fats can be used as fatty acids in the reaction mixture for producing the esterquats. A fatty acid that is not solid at room temperature, i.e. pasty to liquid, fatty acid can be used.

The fatty acids can be saturated or mono- to polyunsaturated regardless of their physical state. Of course, not only "pure" fatty acids can be used, but also the technical fatty acid mixtures obtained from the cleavage of fats and oils, these mixtures being clearly preferred from an economic point of view.

For example, individual species or mixtures of the following acids can be used in the reaction mixtures for producing the ester quats for the clear aqueous fabric softener according to the invention: caprylic acid, pelargonic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, octadecan-12-ol acid, arachic acid, behenic - acid, lignoceric acid, cerotinic acid, melissic acid, 10-undecenoic acid, petroselinic acid, petroselaidic acid, oleic acid, elaidic acid, ricinoleic acid, linolaidic acid, α- and ß-eläosterainic acid, gadoleic acid, erucic acid, brassidic acid. Of course, the fatty acids with an odd number of carbon atoms can also be used, for example undecanoic acid, tridecanoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, nonadecanoic acid, heneicosanoic acid, tricosanoic acid, pentacosanoic acid, heptacosanoic acid.

In the context of the present invention, the use of fatty acids of the formula I in the reaction mixture for the preparation of the esterquats is preferred, so that preferred clear fabric softener is a reaction product of trialkanolamines with a mixture of fatty acids of the formula I,

R -CO-OH (I)

in which Rl-CO- represents an aliphatic, linear or branched acyl radical having 6 to 22 carbon atoms and 0 and or 1, 2 or 3 double bonds and dicarboxylic acids in a molar ratio of 1:10 to 10: 1, preferably 1: 5 to 5: 1, which was optionally alkoxy-hardened and then quaternized in a manner known per se, contained in the compositions in amounts of 2 to 60, preferably 3 to 35 and in particular 5 to 30% by weight.

Suitable dicarboxylic acids which are suitable for the preparation of the esterquats to be used in the agents according to the invention are, in particular, saturated or mono- or polyunsaturated α-ω-dicarboxylic acids. Examples include the saturated species oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, pimelic acid, suberic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, undecanoic and dodecanoic acid, brassylic acid, tetra- and pentadecanoic acid, thapic acid as well as hepta-, octa- and nonadecanoic acid, eicosanoic acid, eicosanoic acid and eicosanoic acid and also called phellogenic acid. Dicarboxylic acids which follow the general formula II are preferably used in the reaction mixture, so that clear fabric softeners are preferred which are a reaction product of trialkanolamines with a mixture of fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids of the formula II, HO-OC- [X] -CO-OH (II)

in which X represents an optionally hydroxyl-substituted alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, in a molar ratio of 1:10 to 10: 1, preferably 1: 5 to 5: 1, which has optionally been alkoxy-hardened and then quaternized in a manner known per se, in quantities from 2 to 60, preferably 3 to 35 and in particular 5 to 30% by weight in the compositions.

Of the large number of esterquats that can be prepared and used according to the invention, those in which the alkanolamine is treithanolamine and the dicarboxylic acid is adipic acid have proven particularly useful. Thus, in the context of the present invention, clear fabric softeners are particularly preferred which contain a reaction product of triethanolamine with a mixture of fatty acids and adipic acid in a molar ratio of 1: 5 to 5: 1, preferably 1: 3 to 3: 1, which is then known per se Was quaternized in amounts of 2 to 60, preferably 3 to 35 and in particular 5 to 30 wt .-% in the compositions

The perfume oil microemulsions to be used in the agents according to the invention, which enable intensive fragrance and fragrance transfer to the treated textiles without the agents losing their transparency, have particle sizes between 10 and 100 nm and contain 10 to 50% by weight of perfume oil, 1 to 10% by weight of a co-oil component, 1 to 30% by weight of an emulsifier of the alkylpolyglycoside type and optionally up to 10% by weight of a nonionic or cationic co-emulsifier, the weight ratio of perfume oil to co-oil component 10 : 1 to 2: 1.

Individual fragrance compounds, for example the synthetic products of the ester, ether, aldehyde, ketone, alcohol and hydrocarbon type, can be used as perfume oils or fragrances. However, preference is given to using mixtures of different fragrances which together produce an appealing fragrance. Such perfume oils can also contain natural fragrance mixtures such as those obtained from plant sources. are available, for example pine, citrus, jasmine, patchouly, rose or ylang-ylang oil. Also suitable are muscatel, sage oil, chamomile oil, clove oil, lemon balm oil, mint oil, cinnamon leaf oil, linden blossom oil, juniper berry oil, vetiver oil, olibanum oil, galbanum oil and labdanum oil as well as orange blossom oil, neroliol, orange peel oil and sandalwood oil.

In principle, all natural and synthetic oil components suitable for cosmetics are suitable as co-oil components, e.g. of the type of paraffin oils, vegetable oils (triglyceride oils), liquid waxes, jojoba oil, synthetic fatty acid and fatty alcohol esters, dicarboxylic acid esters, esters of diols and polyols, linear and branched fatty alcohols and dialkyl ethers.

The co-oil component used in the perfume oil microemulsions is preferably dialkyl ether with a total of 12-24 carbon atoms in an amount of at least 0.5% by weight, so that a preferred clear fabric softener contains a perfume oil microemulsion in which the co-oil component is Dialkyl ether with a total of 12-24 carbon atoms is contained in an amount of at least 0.5% by weight, in amounts of 0.5 to 20, preferably 1 to 10 and in particular 1.5 to 7.5% by weight contains. Mixtures of dialkyl ethers with primary alcohols can also be used as co-oil components in the perfume oil microemulsions. In the context of the present invention, preference is given to clear fabric softeners which contain a perfume oil microemulsion in which a mixture of a dialkyl ether with a total of 12-24 C atoms and a monohydric primary alcohol with 12-36 C atoms is contained as the co-oil component, contained in amounts of 0.5 to 20, preferably 1 to 10 and in particular 1.5 to 7.5 wt .-%.

Although the perfume oil microemulsions can be produced without the use of further co-emulsifiers when using the dialkyl ether as a co-oil component, it may be useful to use a co-emulsifier. Lipophilic, non-ionic emulsifiers or cationic emulsifiers are suitable as co-emulsifiers. Lipophilic nonionic co-emulsifiers that can be used are, for example, fatty acid-polyol partial esters of fatty acids with 10-18 carbon atoms and a polyol with 2-6 carbon atoms and 2-6 hydroxyl groups. Examples of such co-emulsifiers are, for example, sorbitan monolaurate, glycerol monolaurate, methyl glucoside monomyristate, propylene glycol col monopalmitate and the addition products of 1-4 mol ethylene oxide onto such polyol partial esters.

Alkyl oligoglycosides are preferably used as nonionic emulsifiers for producing the microemulsions. Alkyl oligoglycosides, their preparation and use as surface-active substances are known, for example, from DE 19 43 689 AI or from DE 38 27 543 AI. With regard to the glycoside residue, both monoglycosides in which a sugar residue is glycosidically bonded to the fatty alcohol and oligomeric glycosides with an average degree of oligomerization of up to about 2 are suitable. Suitable alkyl oligoglycosides are those of the formula RO - (G) _x , in which RO is the aliphatic, linear radical of a primary fatty alcohol having 8-22, preferably 10-16, carbon atoms, and (G) _{x is} an oligoglycoside radical with a medium degree of oligomerization x is from 1 to 2. The glycoside residue contained in the commercially available alkyl oligoglycosides is the glucoside residue. The weight ratio of perfume oil (A) to alkyl glycoside (C) is preferably in the range from 0.5: I to 2: 1.

The alkyl polyglycoside is preferably used as an emulsifier in amounts of 1 to 30% by weight. Preferred perfume oil microemulsions have a weight ratio of perfume oil to alkyl polyglycoside which is in the range from 0.5: 1 to 2: 1. A clear fabric softener preferred in the context of the present invention contains a perfume oil microemulsion in which the weight ratio of perfume oil to alkyl polyglycoside is in the range from 0.5: 1 to 2: 1, in amounts of 0.5 to 20, preferably 1 to 10 and in particular 1.5 to 7.5% by weight.

Suitable cationic co-emulsifiers are e.g. quaternary ammonium surfactants, e.g. Cetyl-trimethylammonium chloride, benzalkonium chloride, distearyl-dimethylammonium chloride and in particular readily biodegradable so-called esterquats. In addition to the quaternary ammonium salts mentioned, other known cationic surfactants and emulsifiers can also be used as co-emulsifiers for the purposes of the invention.

In addition to components a) and b), which by themselves produce a complete fabric softener, the agents according to the invention can contain further ingredients contain that further improve the application technology and / or aesthetic properties of the fabric softener. In the context of the present invention, preferred agents contain, in addition to components a) and b), one or more substances from the group of electrolytes, non-aqueous solvents, pH regulators, fragrances, perfume carriers, fluorescent agents, dyes, hydrotopes, foam inhibitors, silicone oils, anti redeposition agents, thickeners, enzymes, optical brighteners, graying inhibitors, anti-shrink agents, anti-crease agents, dye transfer inhibitors, antimicrobial agents, germicides, fungicides, antioxidants, corrosion inhibitors, antistatic agents, ironing aids, anti-phobing agents and impregnating agents, swelling agents and swelling agents.

A wide number of different salts can be used as electrolytes from the group of inorganic salts. Preferred cations are the alkali and alkaline earth metals, preferred anions are the halides and sulfates. From a production point of view, the use of NaCl or MgCl in the agents according to the invention is preferred.

Non-aqueous solvents that can be used in the agents according to the invention come, for example, from the group of mono- or polyhydric alcohols, alkanolamines or glycol ethers, provided that they are miscible with water in the concentration range indicated. The solvents are preferably selected from ethanol, n- or i-propanol, butanols, glycol, propane or butanediol, glycerol, diglycol, propyl or butyl diglycol, hexylene glycol, ethylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol ethyl ether, ethylene glycol propyl ether, ethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, propylene glycol methyl, ethyl or propyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl or ethyl ether, methoxy, ethoxy or butoxytriglycol, 1-butoxyethoxy-2-propanol, 3-methyl-3-methoxybutanol, Propylene glycol t-butyl ether and mixtures of these solvents.

In order to bring the pH value of the agents according to the invention into the desired range, the use of pH adjusting agents can be indicated. Known acids or alkalis, provided that their use is not prohibited for technical or ecological reasons or for reasons of consumer protection. The amount of these adjusting agents usually does not exceed 1% by weight of the total formulation.

In order to improve the aesthetic impression of the agents according to the invention, they can be colored with suitable dyes. Preferred dyes, the selection of which is not difficult for the person skilled in the art, have a high storage stability and insensitivity to the other ingredients of the compositions and to light, and no pronounced substantivity to textile fibers, in order not to dye them.

Foam inhibitors that can be used in the agents according to the invention are, for example, soaps, paraffins or silicone oils, which can optionally be applied to carrier materials. Suitable antiredeposition agents, which are also referred to as soil repellents, are, for example, nonionic cellulose ethers such as methyl cellulose and methyl hydroxypropyl cellulose with a proportion of methoxy groups of 15 to 30% by weight and of hydroxypropyl groups of 1 to 15% by weight, based in each case on the nonionic cellulose ethers and the polymers of phthalic acid and / or terephthalic acid or of their derivatives known from the prior art, in particular polymers of ethylene terephthalates and or polyethylene glycol terephthalates or anionically and / or nonionically modified derivatives thereof. Of these, the sulfonated derivatives of phthalic acid and terephthalic acid polymers are particularly preferred.

Thickeners can be added to the agents according to the invention in order to increase the viscosity or to improve the thixotropy properties of gels. Thickeners are often also referred to as swelling agents and are mostly organic, high-molecular substances that can absorb liquids (mostly water), swell in the process and ultimately change into viscous real or colloidal solutions. Examples of such agents are polyacrylic acids and acrylic acid copolymers such as are for example sold by the company Goodrich under the trade name Carbopol ^®, starch or cationically modified starch. Enzymes in particular include those from the classes of hydrolases such as proteases, esterases, lipases or enzymes having a hypolytic action, amylases, cellulases or other glycosyl hydrolases and mixtures of the enzymes mentioned. All these hydrolases help to remove stains such as protein, fat or starchy stains and graying in the laundry. Cellulases and other glycosyl hydrolases can also help to retain color and increase the softness of the textile by removing pilling and microfibrils. Oxireductases can also be used to bleach or inhibit the transfer of color. Enzymes obtained from bacterial strains or fungi such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Streptomyceus griseus and Humicola insolens are particularly suitable. Proteases of the subtilisin type and in particular proteases which are obtained from Bacillus lentus are preferably used. Enzyme mixtures, for example, from protease and amylase or protease and lipase or enzymes having a hypolytic action or protease and cellulase or from cellulase and lipase or enzymes having a hpolytic action or from protease, amylase and lipase or enzymes or protease having a hypolytic action, lipase or Enzymes and cellulase having a hypolytic effect, but in particular protease and / or lipase-containing mixtures or mixtures with enzymes having a hypolytic effect are of particular interest. Known cutinases are examples of such hypolytic enzymes. Peroxidases or oxidases have also proven to be suitable in some cases. Suitable amylases include in particular α-amylases, iso-amylases, pullulanases and pectinases. Cellobiohydrolases, endoglucanases and β-glucosidases, which are also called cellobases, or mixtures thereof, are preferably used as cellulases. Since different types of cellulase differ in their CMCase and avicelase activities, the desired activities can be set by targeted mixtures of the cellulases. The enzymes can be adsorbed on carriers or embedded in coating substances to protect them against premature decomposition. The proportion of the enzymes, enzyme mixtures or enzyme granules can be, for example, approximately 0.1 to 5% by weight, preferably 0.12 to approximately 2% by weight. - Optical brighteners (so-called "whiteners") can be added to the agents according to the invention in order to eliminate graying and yellowing of the treated textiles. These substances absorb onto the fiber and bring about a brightening and feigned bleaching effect by converting invisible ultraviolet radiation into visible longer-wave light, whereby the ultraviolet light absorbed from the sunlight is emitted as a slightly bluish fluorescence and results in pure white with the yellow tone of the grayed or yellowed laundry. Suitable compounds come, for example, from the substance classes of 4,4'-diamino-2,2'-stilbene disulfonic acids ( Flavonic acids), 4,4'-distyryl-biphenylene, methylumbelliferones, coumarins, dihydroquinolinones, 1,3-diarylpyrazolines, naphthalic imides, benzoxazole, benzisoxazole and benzimidazole systems as well as the pyrene derivatives substituted by heterocycles Quantities between 0 , 1 and 0.3 wt .-%, based on the finished agent used.

Graying inhibitors have the task of keeping the dirt detached from the fiber suspended in the liquor and thus preventing the dirt from being re-absorbed. Water-soluble colloids of mostly organic nature are suitable for this, for example the water-soluble salts of polymeric carboxylic acids, glue, gelatin, salts of ether sulfonic acids of starch or cellulose or salts of acidic sulfuric acid esters of cellulose or starch. Water-soluble polyamides containing acidic groups are also suitable for this purpose. Soluble starch preparations and starch products other than those mentioned above can also be used, e.g. degraded starch, aldehyde starches, etc. Polyvinylpyrrolidone can also be used. However, cellulose ethers such as carboxymethyl cellulose (sodium salt), methyl cellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose and mixed ethers such as methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl hydroxypropyl cellulose, methyl carboxymethyl cellulose and mixtures thereof are preferably used in amounts of 0.1 to 5% by weight, based on the detergent

Since textile fabrics, in particular rayon, rayon, cotton and their mixtures, can be wrinkled because the individual fibers prevent bending and kinking. If pressing and squeezing across the fiber direction are sensitive, the agents according to the invention can contain synthetic anti-crease agents. These include, for example synthetic products based on fatty acids, fatty acid esters. Fatty acid amides, alkylol esters, alkylolamides or fatty alcohols, which are mostly reacted with ethylene oxide, or products based on lecithin or modified phosphoric acid esters.

To combat microorganisms, the agents according to the invention can contain antimicrobial active ingredients. Depending on the antimicrobial spectrum and mechanism of action, a distinction is made between bacteriostatics and bactericides, fungistatics and fungicides, etc. Important substances from these groups are, for example, benzalkonium chlorides, alkylarlylsulfonates, halophenols and phenol mercuric acetate, although these compounds can be dispensed with entirely in the inventive agents.

In order to prevent undesirable changes in the agents and / or the treated textiles caused by the action of oxygen and other oxidative processes, the agents can contain antioxidants. This class of compounds includes, for example, substituted phenols, hydroquinones, pyrocatechols and aromatic amines as well as organic sulfides, polysulfides, dithiocarbamates, phosphites and phosphonates.

Increased wearing comfort can result from the additional use of antstatics, which are additionally added to the agents according to the invention. Antistatic agents increase the surface conductivity and thus enable the flow of charges that have formed to improve. External antistatic agents are generally substances with at least one hydrophilic molecular ligand and give a more or less hygroscopic film on the surfaces. These mostly surface-active antistatic agents can be divided into nitrogen-containing (amines, amides, quaternary ammonium compounds), phosphorus-containing (phosphoric acid esters) and sulfur-containing (alkyl sulfonates, alkyl sulfates) antistatic agents. External antistatic agents are described, for example, in patent applications FR 1,156,513, GB 873 214 and GB 839 407. The lauryl (or stearyl) dimethylbenzylammonium chlorides disclosed here are suitable as antistatic agents for textiles or as an additive to detergents, an additional finishing effect being achieved.

To improve the water absorption capacity, the rewettability of the treated textiles and to facilitate the ironing of the treated textiles, in the agents according to the invention, for example silicone derivatives. These additionally improve the rinsing behavior of the agents according to the invention due to their foam-inhibiting properties. Preferred silicone derivatives are, for example, poly-dialkyl or alkylarylsiloxanes in which the alkyl groups have one to five carbon atoms and are partially or completely fluorinated. Preferred silicones are polydimethylsiloxanes, which can optionally be derivatized and are then amino-functional or quaternized or have Si-OH, Si-H and / or Si-Cl bonds. The viscosities of the preferred silicones at 25 ° C. are in the range between 100 and 100,000 centistokes, the silicones being used in amounts between 0.2 and 5% by weight, based on the total agent.

Finally, the agents according to the invention can also contain UV absorbers, which absorb onto the treated textiles and improve the light resistance of the fibers. Compounds which have these desired properties are, for example, the compounds and derivatives of benzophenone which are active by radiationless deactivation and have substituents in the 2- and / or 4-position. Substituted benzotriazoles, phenyl-substituted acrylates (cinnamic acid derivatives), optionally with cyano groups in the 2-position, salicylates, organic Ni complexes and natural substances such as umbelliferone and the body's own urocanoic acid are also suitable.

The clear fabric softener according to the invention is produced in a manner known per se by simply mixing the individual constituents, the perfume oil microemulsion being prepared separately. Depending on whether additional ingredients are optionally added in the form of aqueous solutions or as solids that have to be dissolved, it may be advantageous to add and mix in the perfume oil microemulsion last. The action of high shear forces or the use of mixers with high energy, as are required to produce stable conventional dispersions, is not necessary. Examples:

A perfume oil microemulsion of the following composition was produced by intensive mixing of the components listed in Table 1:

Table 1: Perfume oil microemulsion [% by weight]

C ₈ -Cιo-alkyl-oligo- (1.5) -glucoside, 63% in water, commercial product from Henkel, Düsseldorf

Plantacare ^® 1200 Ci ₂ -C] ₆ -alkyl-oligo- (1.4) -glucoside, 50% in water, commercial product from Henkel, Düsseldorf

Dehyquart ^® AU46 Dipalmitoleyloxyethyl-hydroxyethyl-methylammonium-methoxy-sulfate, 90% in isopropanol, commercial product from Henkel, Düsseldorf

Cetiol ^® OE di-n-octyl ether, commercial product from Henkel, Düsseldorf

For the production of clear fabric softener, an adipic acid ester quat prepared according to the teaching of DE 195 39 846 (example 1) was used, which was used in low-concentration and high-concentration fabric softeners. The fabric softener E1 and E2 according to the invention and the comparative examples VI to V4 were each scented with the same amounts of perfume, the perfume oil microemulsion being used according to the invention, while the perfume was incorporated directly in the comparative examples. Products El and VI were prepared by stirring the adipic acid ester quat into water at 50 ° C., stirring for 15 minutes at 50 ° C., cooling to 25 ° C. and subsequent addition of perfume oil microemulsion or perfume. Products E2 and V2 were prepared by stirring the adipic acid ester quat into water at 60 ° C., adding emulsifier and solvent, stirring at 60 ° C. for 15 minutes, cooling to 25 ° C. and subsequent addition of perfume oil microemulsion or Perfume. In order to demonstrate that the additional components present in the perfume oil microemulsion do not have an effect on the perfume itself, but only as a microemulsion, in comparative examples V3 and V4 an emulsifier mixture was prepared in analogy to the emulsifier mixture used in the perfume oil microemulsion and stirred into the batch before adding the perfume oil. The composition of the emulsifier mixture is given in Table 2, the composition of the compositions and data on stability and appearance are shown in Table 3.

Table 2: Composition of the emulsifier mixture [% by weight]:

Table 3: Composition of the fabric softener [% by weight]

*: 80% in ethanol

Arlypon F: Cι ₂ _ι ₄ fatty alcohol with 2.5 mol EO

Claims

Claims:

1. Clear, aqueous fabric softener, each based on the total agent

a) 2 to 60% by weight of a reaction product of trialkanolamines with a mixture of fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids, which may have been alkoxy-hardened and then quaternized in a manner known per se, b) 0.5 to 20% by weight of a perfume oil microemulsion a droplet size between 10 and 100 nm, which in turn 10 to 50 wt .-% perfume oil, 1 to 10 wt .-% of a co-oil component, 1 to 30 wt .-% of an emulsifier of the alkyl polyglycoside type and optionally up to 10 wt .-% of a nonionic or cationic co-emulsifier, wherein the weight ratio of perfume oil to co-oil component is 10: 1 to 2: 1 and c) as the remainder water or an aqueous solution of other active ingredients and auxiliaries.

2. Clear fabric softener according to claim 1, characterized in that a reaction product of trialkanolamines with a mixture of fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids in a molar ratio of 1:10 to 10: 1, preferably 1: 5 to 5: 1, which optionally alkoxyhert and then in has been known to be quaternized, is contained in the compositions in amounts of 2 to 60, preferably 3 to 35 and in particular 5 to 30% by weight.

3. Clear fabric softener according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it contains a reaction product of triethanolamine.

4. Clear fabric softener according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a reaction product of trialkanolamines with a mixture of fatty acids of formula I,

R -CO-OH (I) in which R'-CO- represents an ahphatic, linear or branched acyl radical having 6 to 22 carbon atoms and 0 and / or 1, 2 or 3 double bonds, is contained in the compositions.

5. Clear fabric softener according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a reaction product of trialkanolamines with a mixture of fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids of the formula II,

HO-OC- [X] -CO-OH (II)

in which X represents an optionally hydroxyl-substituted alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, is contained in the compositions.

6. Clear fabric softener according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a reaction product of triethanolamine with a mixture of fatty acids and adipic acid in a molar ratio of 1: 5 to 5: 1, preferably 1: 3 to 3: 1, which then in was quaternized in a manner known per se, is contained in the compositions.

7. Clear fabric softener according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it contains a perfume oil microemulsion in which as a co-oil component a dialkyl ether with a total of 12-24 carbon atoms in an amount of at least 0.5% by weight. is contained in amounts of 0.5 to 20, preferably 1 to 10 and in particular 1.5 to 7.5 wt .-%.

8. Clear fabric softener according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it contains a perfume oil microemulsion in which, as a co-oil component, a mixture of a dialkyl ether with a total of 12-24 carbon atoms and a monohydric primary alcohol with 12-36 C atoms is contained, in amounts of 0.5 to 20, preferably 1 to 10 and in particular 1.5 to 7.5 wt .-%.

9. Clear fabric softener according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it contains a perfume oil microemulsion in which the weight ratio of perfume oil to alkyl polyglycoside is in the range from 0.5: 1 to 2: 1.

10. Clear fabric softener according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it contains, in addition to components a) and b) one or more substances from the group of electrolytes, non-aqueous solvents, pH regulators, fragrances, perfume carriers, fluorescent agents, dyes , Hydrotopes, foam inhibitors, silicone oils, anti-redeposition agents, thickeners, enzymes, optical brighteners, graying inhibitors, anti-shrink agents, anti-crease agents, color transfer inhibitors, antimicrobial agents, germicides, fungicides, antioxidants, corrosion inhibitors, anti-static agents and anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents and anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents and anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents and anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents and anti-swelling agents, anti-swelling agents and anti-swelling agents - Contains absorber.