EP1095131A1

EP1095131A1 - Portioned washing agent and detergent composition

Info

Publication number: EP1095131A1
Application number: EP99934575A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dieter Jung; Bernd Larson; Wilfried Rähse; Peter Sandkühler; Hans-Peter Siegers; Hermann-Josef Welling
Original assignee: Henkel AG and Co KGaA
Current assignee: Henkel AG and Co KGaA
Priority date: 1998-07-15
Filing date: 1999-07-06
Publication date: 2001-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 2019-07-06
Also published as: US6133214A; ATE262581T1; HUP0102604A2; DE19831703A1; ES2219034T3; PL345343A1; EP1095131B1; DE59908963D1; WO2000004125A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a portioned washing agent and detergent composition contained in a bag made from a water-soluble film, whereby at least 70 wt. % of the particles of the washing agent and detergent composition consists of particles of more than 800 νm. The usual production-related sealing problems with respect to the seams of the bag and problems arising therefrom are avoided by selecting particles within said size range.

Description

"Portioned detergent and cleaning agent composition"

The present invention relates to portioned detergent and cleaning agent compositions which facilitate the dosing of detergents and cleaning agents for the consumer. In particular, the invention relates to portioned detergent and cleaning agent compositions which are packaged in a pouch made of water-soluble film and are briefly referred to as "portion pouches".

Detergents and cleaning agents and processes for their preparation are well known and are therefore widely described in the prior art. They are usually made available to the consumer in the form of spray-dried or granulated powder products or as liquid goods. Following the consumer's desire for simple dosing, in addition to these two classic variants, products in pre-portioned form have become established in the market and are also extensively described in the prior art, with in particular molded articles, i.e. tablets, blocks, briquettes and the like, as well as bags Portions of solid or liquid detergents and cleaning agents are described.

In the case of the single-dose quantities of detergents and cleaning agents that come onto the market packaged in bags, bags made of water-soluble film have again prevailed, which make it unnecessary for the consumer to tear open the packaging. In this way it is easy to dose a single portion by inserting the bag directly into the washing machine or dishwasher or into its dispenser or through Throw in a predetermined amount of water, for example in a bucket or in the hand wash or sink possible. Detergent and cleaning agents packed in bags made of water-soluble film are therefore described in large numbers in the prior art.

The German Auslegeschrift 11 30 547 (Procter & Gamble) discloses packages made of water-soluble films of polyvinyl alcohol which are filled with non-liquid synthetic detergents. This document does not comment on the particle sizes of the packed detergents.

A single dose of a detergent or bleach in a bag that has one or more seams made of water-sensitive material is described in European patent application EP 143 476 (Akzo N.V.). In this publication, a mixture of anionic and / or nonionic water-binding polymer and cationic polymer adhesive material is proposed as the water-sensitive suture material. This document indicates that the bags according to the invention can be good containers for pellets and extrudates, but cannot be said about the particle sizes of the detergents or bleaches included.

European patent application EP 158 464 (Clorox) describes low-temperature detergents which can be packed in a bag made of water-soluble film. Information on particle sizes of the packed detergents can only be found in this document with regard to the builder used (sodium tripolyphosphate), the particle sizes being between 75 and 400 μm.

Extremely large particles, which are enclosed by a water-insoluble film, are described in EP 385 529 (Procter & Gamble). This document discloses a jumbo-particulate textile softening composition, the 5 to 30 mm large dryer-activated softener particles of which are enclosed with a non-water-soluble, porous film. It has been shown that the detergent and cleaning agent compositions of the prior art, which are packed in sachets, produce manufacturing-related problems. When the detergent and cleaning agent compositions are packaged in the water-soluble film, fine particles adhere to the film and, when the film is sealed, reach the closed bag in the seams forming the bag. As a result of these particles in the seal, the seams in question are not completely sealed against the atmosphere, which can lead to stability problems in the detergent and cleaning composition. With hygroscopic ingredients, there is still the problem that the detergent and cleaning agent composition absorbs moisture from the ambient air and clumps with the bag despite being wrapped. In serious cases, the detergent and cleaning agent composition is so moist that it softens the bag film and affects its stability to such an extent that the consumer can no longer take a single dose, but instead finds a soaked product-film conglomerate in the repackaging.

In the case of temperature-sensitive ingredients, it can also happen that particles, which are enclosed in the seam to be formed, are thermally stressed when using a heat-sealing process and can lead to further leaks, discoloration or, in an emergency, even accidents due to thermal decomposition of the particles.

The object of the present invention was to avoid these problems and to provide a portioned detergent and cleaning agent composition in which the seams of the bags consisting of water-soluble film are sealed from the atmosphere. It could be shown that the mentioned problem of leaky seams and the resulting problems can be excluded if the detergent and cleaning agent compositions to be portioned meet certain criteria with regard to their particle size.

The invention therefore relates to a portioned detergent and cleaning agent composition in a bag made of water-soluble film, in which at least 70% by weight % of the particles of the detergent and cleaning composition have particle sizes above 800 μm.

In the particle size range mentioned, the aforementioned problems of sealing particles adhering to the film into the seams no longer occur. The at least 70% by weight of the particles and the 800 μm are to be understood as lower limits, which result, for example, from the fact that, for technical reasons, powdering of the detergent and cleaning agent composition is desired, which, depending on the process, involves a certain proportion of fine particles in the detergent and Introduces detergent. In the production and further processing, even after the screening of undesired fines, the proportion of coarser particles can be reduced by abrasion to form fines. In the context of the present invention, however, it is preferred to have a high proportion of coarse particles in the detergent and cleaning agent composition which is well above 70% by weight. In preferred portioned detergent and cleaning agent compositions, at least 80% by weight, preferably at least 85% by weight, particularly preferably at least 90% by weight and in particular at least 95% by weight of the particles of the detergent and cleaning agent composition have particle sizes above 800 μm , preferably above 900 μm, particularly preferably above 1000 μm and in particular above 1200 μm.

Another advantage of the present invention is that existing or emerging fines remain within the tightly sealed bag and thus within a portion of the detergent. With conventional packaging, segregation occurs during transport, since the fine particles fall through the particle aggregate of the coarse particles.

The portioned detergent and cleaning agent compositions according to the invention are packed in bags made of water-soluble film. Such bag materials or foils are known from the prior art and come, for example, from the group (ace- Talized) polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyethylene oxide, gelatin and mixtures thereof.

Polyvinyl alcohols, abbreviated as PVAL, are polymers of the general structure

[-CH ₂ -CH (OH) -] _n

which in small proportions also structural units of the type

[-CH ₂ -CH (OH) -CH (OH) -CH ₂ ]

contain. Since the corresponding monomer, the vinyl alcohol, is not stable in free form, polyvinyl alcohols are prepared in solution via polymer-analogous reactions by hydrolysis, but technically in particular by alkaline-catalyzed transesterification of polyvinyl acetates with alcohols (preferably methanol). These technical processes also make PVAL accessible, which contain a predeterminable residual proportion of acetate groups.

Commercial PVAL (e.g. Mowiol ^® types from Hoechst) are commercially available as white-yellow powders or granules with degrees of polymerization in the range of approx. 500-2500 (corresponding to molar masses of approx. 20,000-100,000 g / mol) and have different degrees of hydrolysis of 98 -99 or 87-89 mol%. They are therefore partially saponified polyvinyl acetates with a residual acetyl group content of approx. 1-2 or 11-13 mol%.

The water solubility of PVAL can be reduced by post-treatment with aldehydes (acetalization), by complexation with Ni or Cu salts or by treatment with dichromates, boric acid, borax and thus adjust to the desired values. PVAL films are largely impenetrable for gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, helium, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, but allow water vapor to pass through. Polyvinylpyrrolidones, abbreviated as PVP, can be identified by the general formula

describe.

PVP are made by radical polymerization of 1-vinyl pyrrolidone. Commercial PVPs have molar masses in the range of approx. 2500-750,000 g / mol and are offered as white, hygroscopic powders or as aqueous solutions.

Polyethylene oxides, PEOX for short, are polyalkylene glycols of the general formula

H- [O-CH ₂ -CH ₂ ] _n -OH

which are technically produced by base-catalyzed polyaddition of ethylene oxide (oxirane) in systems containing mostly small amounts of water with ethylene glycol as the starting molecule. They have molar masses in the range of approx. 200-5,000,000 g / mol, corresponding to degrees of polymerization n of approx. 5 to> 100,000. Polyethylene oxides have an extremely low concentration of reactive hydroxyl end groups and show only weak glycol properties.

Gelatin is a polypeptide (molecular weight: approx. 15,000-> 250,000 g / mol), which is obtained primarily by hydrolysis of the collagen contained in the skin and bones of animals under acidic or alkaline conditions. The amino acid composition of the gelatin largely corresponds to that of the collagen from which it was obtained and varies depending on its provenance. The use of gelatin as a water-soluble coating material is particularly useful in pharmacy in the form of hard or soft gelatin. necapsules extremely widespread. In the form of films, gelatin is used only to a minor extent because of its high price in comparison to the abovementioned polymers.

Also preferred in the context of the present invention are portioned detergent and cleaning agent compositions whose bags are made of water-soluble film from at least one polymer from the group consisting of starch and starch derivatives, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, in particular methyl cellulose and mixtures thereof.

Starch is a homoglycan, the glucose units being linked glycosidically. Starch is made up of two components of different molecular weights: approx. 20-30% straight-chain amylose (MW. Approx. 50,000-150,000) and 70-80% branched-chain amylopectin (MW. Approx. 300,000-2,000,000), in addition there are only a few Contain quantities of lipids, phosphoric acid and cations. While the amylose forms long, helical, intertwined chains with about 300-1200 glucose molecules as a result of the binding in the 1,4 position, the chain in the amylopectin branches to an knot-like structure after an average of 25 glucose units through 1,6 binding with about 1500-12000 molecules of glucose. In addition to pure starch, for the production of water-soluble bags within the scope of the present invention, starch derivatives are also obtainable from starch by polymer-analogous reactions. Such chemically modified starches include, for example, products from esterifications or etherifications in which hydroxy hydrogen atoms have been substituted. Starches in which the hydroxyl groups have been replaced by functional groups which are not bound via an oxygen atom can also be used as starch derivatives. The group of starch derivatives includes, for example, alkali starches, carboxymethyl starch (CMS), starch esters and starches and amino starches.

Pure cellulose has the formal gross composition (C ₆ H ₁₀ O ₅ ) _n and, formally speaking, represents a ß-1,4-polyacetal of cellobiose, which in turn is made up of two molecules of glucose. Suitable celluloses consist of approximately 500 to 5000 glucose units and consequently have average molecular weights of 50,000 to 500,000. Cellulose-based disintegrants which can be used in the context of the present invention are also cellulose derivatives which can be obtained from cellulose by polymer-analogous reactions. Such chemically modified celluloses include, for example, products from esterifications or etherifications in which hydroxyl hydrogen atoms have been substituted. However, celluloses in which the hydroxyl groups have been replaced by functional groups which are not bound via an oxygen atom can also be used as cellulose derivatives. The group of cellulose derivatives includes, for example, alkali celluloses, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), cellulose esters and ethers and aminocelluloses.

Preferred bags made of water-soluble film consist of a polymer with a molecular weight between 5000 and 500,000 daltons, preferably between 7500 and 250,000 daltons and in particular between 10,000 and 100,000 daltons. The water-soluble film which forms the bag preferably has a thickness of 1 to 150 μm, preferably 2 to 100 μm, particularly preferably 5 to 75 μm and in particular 10 to 50 μm.

The detergent and cleaning agent composition packed in the bags from water-soluble film in the form of a single dose is preferably produced in the required particle size by granulation. In the context of the present application, the term “granulation” denotes any shaping process that leads to particles of predeterminable size. In addition to the conventional granulation and agglomeration processes, which can be carried out in a wide variety of mixing granulators and mixing agglomerators, press agglomeration processes can also be used, for example.

The granulation can be carried out in a large number of apparatuses customarily used in the detergent and cleaning agent industry. For example, it is possible to use the rounding agents commonly used in pharmacy. In such turntable devices, the residence time of the granules is usually less than 5 minutes. Conventional mixers and mixing granulators are also suitable for granulation. As a mi Shear, both high-intensity mixers ("high-shear mixers") and normal mixers with lower circulation speeds, and in particular combinations of the two, can be used. Suitable mixers are, for example Eirich ^® mixer Series R or RV (trademark of Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich, Hardheim), the Schugi ^® Flexomix, the Fukae ^® FS-G mixers (trade marks of Fukae Powtech, Kogyo Co., Japan), the Lödige ^® FM, KM and CB mixers (trademark of Lödige Maschinenbau GmbH, Paderborn) or the Drais ^® series T or KT (trademark of Drais- Werke GmbH, Mannheim). The residence times of the granules in the mixer combination are in the range of less than 60 seconds in the high-speed mixer and less than 7 minutes in the slow-running mixer, the residence time also depending on the speed of the mixer. The dwell times are reduced accordingly the faster the mixer runs.

In the process of press agglomeration, the detergent and cleaning agent composition in the plastic solidification area of the casing is compressed under pressure and under the action of shear forces, homogenized in the process and then discharged from the apparatus in a shaping manner. The most technically significant press agglomeration processes are extrusion, roller compaction, pelleting and tableting. In the context of the present invention, press agglomeration processes preferably used for producing the detergent and cleaning agent compositions are extrusion, roller compaction and pelletizing.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the detergent and cleaning agent composition is preferably fed continuously to a planetary roller extruder or a 2-screw extruder or 2-screw extruder with a co-rotating or counter-rotating screw guide, the housing and the extruder pelletizing head of which are heated to the predetermined extrusion temperature could be. Under the shear action of the extruder screws, the premix is compressed, plasticized, under pressure under pressure, which is preferably at least 10 bar, but can also be lower at extremely high throughputs depending on the machine used Fine strands are extruded through the perforated nozzle plate in the extruder head and finally the extrudate is preferably reduced to approximately spherical to cylindrical granules by means of a rotating knives. The hole diameter of the perforated nozzle plate and the strand cut length are matched to the selected granulate dimension. In this embodiment, the production of granules of an essentially uniformly predeterminable particle size succeeds, and in particular the absolute particle sizes can be adapted to the intended use. Important embodiments provide for the production of uniform granules in the millimeter range, for example in the range from 0.8 to 5 mm and in particular in the range from approximately 1.0 to 3 mm. In an important embodiment, the length-to-diameter ratio of the chopped-off primary granules is in the range from about 0.7: 1 to about 3: 1. Furthermore, it is preferred to feed the still plastic primary granulate to a further shaping processing step; edges present on the raw extrudate are rounded off so that ultimately spherical to approximately spherical extrudate grains can be obtained. Alternatively, extrusions / pressings can also be carried out in low-pressure extruders, in the Kahl press, in an extruder, or in a plastic agglomerator (from Pallmann).

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the manufacturing process for the detergent and cleaning agent composition is carried out by means of roller compaction. Here, the detergent and cleaning agent composition in the plastic solidification area of the casing is metered in between two smooth rollers or with recesses of a defined shape and rolled out under pressure between the two rollers to form a sheet-like compact, the so-called Schülpe. The rollers exert a high line pressure on the premix and can be additionally heated or cooled as required. When using smooth rollers, smooth, unstructured sliver belts are obtained, while by using structured rollers, correspondingly structured slugs or individual pellets can be produced, in which, for example, certain shapes of the later granules or shaped bodies can be specified. The cuff band is below broken into smaller pieces by a knocking-off and crushing process and can be processed in this way into granules which can be further tempered, in particular in an approximately spherical shape, by further known surface treatment processes.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the washing and cleaning agent composition to be packaged is produced by means of pelleting. Here, the detergent and cleaning agent composition is applied to a perforated surface in the plastic solidification area of the casing and pressed through the holes by means of a pressure-imparting body. In conventional embodiments of pellet presses, the detergent and cleaning agent composition is compressed under pressure, plasticized, pressed by means of a rotating roller in the form of fine strands through a perforated surface and finally comminuted into granules using a knock-off device. The most varied configurations of the pressure roller and perforated die are conceivable here. For example, flat perforated plates are used as well as concave or convex ring matrices through which the material is pressed using one or more pressure rollers. The press rolls can also be conical in the plate devices, in the ring-shaped devices dies and press roll (s) can have the same or opposite direction of rotation. An apparatus suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention is described, for example, in German laid-open specification DE 38 16 842 (Schlüter GmbH). The ring die press disclosed in this document consists of a rotating ring die penetrated by press channels and at least one press roller which is operatively connected to its inner surface and which presses the material supplied to the die space through the press channels into a material discharge. Here, the ring die and the press roller can be driven in the same direction, which means that a reduced shear stress and thus a lower temperature increase in the premix can be achieved. Of course, it is also possible to work with heatable or coolable rollers in the pelletizing in order to set a desired temperature of the premix. Another pressing agglomeration process that can be used to produce the detergent and cleaning agent composition is tableting. In this method, the detergent and cleaning agent composition is molded in a die, whereby coated solid particles can be produced in a wide variety of forms via the design of the upper and lower punches of the tablet press.

Preferred portioned detergent and cleaning agent compositions are produced by a granulation or press agglomeration process, in particular by extrusion.

The portioned detergent and cleaning agent compositions according to the invention contain one or more substances from the group of surfactants, surfactant compounds, builders, bleaching agents, bleach activators, enzymes, foam inhibitors, colorants and fragrances as well as binding and disintegration aids. These classes of substances are described below.

To develop the washing performance, the portioned washing and cleaning agent compositions according to the invention can contain surface-active substances from the group of anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic or cationic surfactants, anionic surfactants being clearly preferred for economic reasons and because of their performance spectrum.

Anionic surfactants used are, for example, those of the sulfonate and sulfate type. Preferred surfactants of the sulfonate type are C ₉ , ₃ -alkylbenzenesulfonates, olefin sulfonates, ie mixtures of alkene and hydroxyalkanesulfonates and disulfonates, such as those obtained from C ₁₂ . _18- Monoolefmen with terminal or internal double bond by sulfonation with gaseous sulfur trioxide and subsequent alkaline or acidic hydrolysis of the sulfonation products. Alkanesulfonates which are derived from C ₁₂ are also suitable. ₁₈ -alkanes, for example by sulfochlorination or sulfoxidation with subsequent hydrolysis or neutralization be won. The esters of α-sulfofatty acids (ester sulfonates), for example the α-sulfonated methyl esters of hydrogenated coconut, palm kernel or tallow fatty acids, are also suitable.

Other suitable anionic surfactants are sulfonated fatty acid glycerol esters. Fatty acid glycerol esters are to be understood as meaning the mono-, di- and triesters and their mixtures as obtained in the production by esterification of a monoglycerol with 1 to 3 moles of fatty acid or in the transesterification of triglycerides with 0.3 to 2 moles of glycerol become. Preferred sulfated fatty acid glycerol esters are the sulfate products of saturated fatty acids having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, for example caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, myristic acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid or behenic acid.

Alk (en) yl sulfates are the alkali and especially the sodium salts of the sulfuric acid half-esters of C ₁₂ -C ₁₈ fatty alcohols, for example from coconut oil alcohol, tallow fatty alcohol, lauryl, myristyl, cetyl or stearyl alcohol or C ₁₀ -C ₂₀ -Oxo alcohols and those half esters of secondary alcohols of this chain length are preferred. Also preferred are alk (en) yl sulfates of the chain length mentioned which contain a synthetic, straight-chain alkyl radical which is produced on a petrochemical basis and which have a degradation behavior analogous to that of the adequate compounds based on oleochemical raw materials. The C ₁₂ -C ₁₆ alkyl sulfates and C _{] 2} -C ₁₅ alkyl sulfates and C ₁₄ -C ₁₅ alkyl sulfates are preferred from the point of view of washing technology. In addition, 2,3-alkyl sulfates, which are produced for example in accordance with US Patent No. 3,234,258 or 5,075,041 and can be obtained as commercial products from Shell Oil Company under the name DAN ^®, are suitable anionic surfactants.

Also, the Schwefelsäuremonoester the ethoxylated with 1 to 6 moles of ethylene oxide, linear or branched C ₇ _ ₂₁ alcohols such as 2-methyl-branched C _9.u alcohols containing on average 3.5 mol ethylene oxide (EO) or C _12th ₁₈ fatty alcohols with 1 to 4 EO are suitable. Because of their high foaming behavior, they are used in cleaning agents only in relatively small amounts, for example in amounts of 1 to 5% by weight. Other suitable anionic surfactants are also the salts of alkylsulfosuccinic acid, which are also referred to as sulfosuccinates or as sulfosuccinic acid esters and which are monoesters and / or diesters of sulfosuccinic acid with alcohols, preferably fatty alcohols and especially ethoxylated fatty alcohols. Preferred sulfosuccinates contain C _{8] 8} fatty alcohol residues or mixtures thereof. Particularly preferred sulfosuccinates contain a fatty alcohol residue which is derived from ethoxylated fatty alcohols, which in themselves are nonionic surfactants (description see below). Again, sulfosuccinates whose fatty alcohol residues are derived from ethoxylated fatty alcohols with a narrow homolog distribution are particularly preferred. It is also possible to use alk (en) ylsuccinic acid with preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the alk (en) yl chain or salts thereof.

Soaps are particularly suitable as further anionic surfactants. Saturated fatty acid soaps are suitable, such as the salts of lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, hydrogenated erucic acid and behenic acid, and in particular from natural fatty acids, e.g. Coconut, palm kernel or tallow fatty acids, derived soap mixtures.

The anionic surfactants, including the soaps, can be in the form of their sodium, potassium or ammonium salts and also as soluble salts of organic bases, such as mono-, di- or triethanolamine. The anionic surfactants are preferably in the form of their sodium or potassium salts, in particular in the form of the sodium salts.

In the context of the present invention, portioned detergent and cleaning agent compositions are preferred which contain 5 to 50% by weight, preferably 7.5 to 40% by weight and in particular 15 to 25% by weight of anionic surfactant (s), in each case based on the detergent and cleaning composition.

When selecting the anionic surfactants that are used in the portioned detergent and cleaning agent compositions according to the invention, there are no basic conditions to be observed that prevent freedom of formulation. Preferred portio However, detergent and cleaning agent compositions have a soap content which exceeds 0.2% by weight, based on the total weight of the washing and cleaning agent composition. The preferred anionic surfactants are the alkylbenzenesulfonates and fatty alcohol sulfates, preferred detergent and cleaning agent compositions being 2 to 20% by weight, preferably 2.5 to 15% by weight and in particular 5 to 10% by weight of fatty alcohol sulfate (s) in each case based on the weight of the detergent and cleaning composition

The nonionic surfactants used are preferably alkoxylated, advantageously ethoxylated, in particular primary alcohols having preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms and an average of 1 to 12 moles of ethylene oxide (EO) per mole of alcohol, in which the alcohol radical has a linear or preferably 2-methyl branching may be or may contain linear and methyl-branched radicals in the mixture, as are usually present in oxo alcohol radicals. However, alcohol ethoxylates with linear residues of alcohols of native origin with 12 to 18 carbon atoms, for example from coconut, palm, tallow fat or oleyl alcohol, and an average of 2 to 8 EO per mole of alcohol are particularly preferred. Preferred ethoxylated alcohols include, for example, C ₁₂ _ ₁₄ alcohols with 3 EO or 4 EO, C _9.n alcohol with 7 EO, C ₁₃ _ _I5 alcohols containing 3 EO, 5 EO, 7 EO or 8 EO, C _I2 . _lg - alcohols with 3 EO, 5 EO or 7 EO and mixtures thereof, such as mixtures of C _12-14 - alcohol with 3 EO and C ₁₂ _ ₁₈ alcohol with 5 EO. The degrees of ethoxylation given represent statistical averages, which can be an integer or a fraction for a specific product. Preferred alcohol ethoxylates have a narrow homolog distribution (narrow range ethoxylates, NRE). In addition to these nonionic surfactants, fatty alcohols with more than 12 EO can also be used. Examples of this are tallow fatty alcohol with 14 EO, 25 EO, 30 EO or 40 EO.

Another class of preferably used nonionic surfactants, which are used either as the sole nonionic surfactant or in combination with other nonionic surfactants, are alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or ethoxylated and propoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, preferably with 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, in particular fatty acid methyl esters, as described, for example, in Japanese patent application JP 58/217598 or which are preferably prepared by the process described in international patent application WO-A-9G713533.

Another class of nonionic surfactants that can be used advantageously are the alkyl polyglycosides (APG). Alkypolyglycosides that can be used satisfy the general formula RO (G) _z , in which R denotes a linear or branched, in particular methyl-branched, saturated or unsaturated, aliphatic radical having 8 to 22, preferably 12 to 18, C atoms and G is Is a symbol which stands for a glycose unit with 5 or 6 carbon atoms, preferably for glucose. The degree of glycosidation z is between 1.0 and 4.0, preferably between 1.0 and 2.0 and in particular between 1.1 and 1.4.

Linear alkyl polyglucosides, ie alkyl polyglycosides, in which the polyglycosyl radical is a glucose radical and the alkyl radical is an n-alkyl radical are preferably used.

The detergent and cleaning agent compositions according to the invention can preferably contain alkyl polyglycosides, APG contents of the detergent and cleaning agent compositions above 0.2% by weight, based on the total molded body, being preferred. Particularly preferred detergent and cleaning agent compositions contain APG in amounts of 0.2 to 10% by weight, preferably 0.2 to 5% by weight and in particular 0.5 to 3% by weight.

Nonionic surfactants of the amine oxide type, for example N-coconut alkyl-N, N-dimethylamine oxide and N-tallow alkyl-N, N-dihydroxyethylamine oxide, and the fatty acid alkanolamides can also be suitable. The amount of these nonionic surfactants is preferably not more than that of the ethoxylated fatty alcohols, in particular not more than half of them. Other suitable surfactants are polyhydroxy fatty acid amides of the formula (I),

Rl

R-CO-N- [Z] (I)

in which RCO stands for an aliphatic acyl radical with 6 to 22 carbon atoms, R for hydrogen, an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl radical with 1 to 4 carbon atoms and [Z] for a linear or branched polyhydroxyalkyl radical with 3 to 10 carbon atoms and 3 to 10 hydroxyl groups. The polyhydroxy fatty acid amides are known substances which can usually be obtained by reductive amination of a reducing sugar with ammonia, an alkylamine or an alkanolamine and subsequent acylation with a fatty acid, a fatty acid alkyl ester or a fatty acid chloride.

The group of polyhydroxy fatty acid amides also includes compounds of the formula (II)

R ^! -OR ^2nd

R-CO-N- [Z] (II)

in which R represents a linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl radical having 7 to 12 carbon atoms, R ^{1 represents} a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl radical or an aryl radical having 2 to 8 carbon atoms and R ^{2 represents} a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl radical or is an aryl radical or an oxyalkyl radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, where C,. ₄ -alkyl or phenyl radicals are preferred and [Z] represents a linear polyhydroxyalkyl radical, the alkyl chain of which is substituted by at least two hydroxyl groups, or alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or propylated, derivatives of this radical. [Z] is preferably obtained by reductive amination of a reduced sugar, for example glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, galactose, mannose or xylose. The N-alkoxy- or N-aryloxy-substituted compounds can then be converted, for example according to the teaching of international application WO-A-95/07331, by reaction with fatty acid methyl esters in the presence of an alkoxide as catalyst into the desired polyhydroxy fatty acid amides.

In addition to the wash-active substances, builders are the most important ingredients in detergents and cleaning agents. The washing and cleaning agent compositions according to the invention can contain all builders normally used in washing and cleaning agents, in particular thus zeolites, silicates, carbonates, organic cobuilders and - where there are no ecological prejudices against their use - also the phosphates.

Suitable crystalline, layered sodium silicates have the general formula NaMSi _x O _{2x + I} H ₂ O, where M is sodium or hydrogen, x is a number from 1.9 to 4 and y is a number from 0 to 20 and preferred values for x 2 , 3 or 4 are. Such crystalline layered silicates are described, for example, in European patent application EP-A-0 164 514. Preferred crystalline layered silicates of the formula given are those in which M represents sodium and x assumes the values 2 or 3. In particular, both β- and δ-sodium disilicate Na ₂ Si ₂ O ₅ 'yH ₂ O are preferred, with β-sodium disilicate being able to be obtained, for example, by the method described in international patent application WO-A-91/08171 .

Amorphous sodium silicates with a module Nε ^ O: SiO ₂ from 1: 2 to 1: 3.3, preferably from 1: 2 to 1: 2.8 and in particular from 1: 2 to 1: 2.6, can also be used are delayed in dissolving and have secondary washing properties. The delay in dissolution compared to conventional amorphous sodium silicates can be caused in various ways, for example by surface treatment, compounding, compacting / compression or by overdrying. In the context of this invention is under the term "amoφh" also understood "roentgenamoφh". This means that the silicates in X-ray diffraction experiments do not provide sharp X-ray reflections, as are typical for crystalline substances, but at most one or more maxima of the scattered X-rays, which have a width of several degree units of the diffraction angle. However, it can very well lead to particularly good builder properties if the silicate particles deliver washed-out or even sharp diffraction maxima in electron diffraction experiments. This is to be integrated in such a way that the products have microcrystalline areas of size 10 to a few hundred nm, values up to max. 50 nm and in particular up to max. 20 nm are preferred. Such so-called X-ray amorphous silicates, which also have a delay in dissolution compared to conventional water glasses, are described, for example, in German patent application DE-A-44 00 024. Particularly preferred are compressed / compacted amorphous silicates, compounded amorphous silicates and over-dried X-ray silicates.

The finely crystalline, synthetic and bound water-containing zeolite used is preferably zeolite A and / or P. As zeolite P, zeolite ^MAP® (commercial product from Crosfield) is particularly preferred. However, zeolite X and mixtures of A, X and / or P are also suitable. Commercially available and can preferably be used in the context of the present invention, for example a co-crystallizate of zeolite X and zeolite A (about 80% by weight of zeolite X) ), which is sold by CONDEA Augusta SpA under the brand name VEGOBOND AX ^® and by the formula

nNa ₂ O ^• (ln) K ₂ O ^• Al ₂ O ₃ ^• (2 - 2.5) SiO ₂ ^■ (3.5 - 5.5) H ₂ O

can be described. Suitable zeolites have an average particle size of less than 10 μm (volume distribution; measurement method: Coulter Counter) and preferably contain 18 to 22% by weight, in particular 20 to 22% by weight, of bound water.

It is of course also possible to use the generally known phosphates as builder substances, provided that such use is not avoided for ecological reasons should be. The sodium salts of orthophosphates, pyrophosphates and in particular tripolyphosphates are particularly suitable.

Usable organic builders are, for example, the polycarboxylic acids that can be used in the form of their sodium salts, such as citric acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, tartaric acid, sugar acids, aminocarboxylic acids, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), as long as such use is not objectionable for ecological reasons, and mixtures of these. Preferred salts are the salts of polycarboxylic acids such as citric acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, tartaric acid, sugar acids and mixtures of these.

In addition to the surfactant and builder constituents mentioned, the washing and cleaning agents according to the invention can contain further ingredients from the group of bleaching agents, bleach activators, enzymes, fragrances, perfume carriers, fluorescent agents, dyes, foam inhibitors, silicone oils, anti-redeposition agents, optical brighteners, and graying inhibitors that are common in detergents and cleaning agents , Color transfer inhibitors and corrosion inhibitors included.

Among the compounds which serve as bleaching agents and supply H ₂ O ₂ in water, sodium perborate tetrahydrate and sodium perborate monohydrate are of particular importance. Further bleaching agents that can be used are, for example, sodium percarbonate, peroxypyrophosphates, citrate perhydrates and H ₂ O ₂ -producing peracid salts or peracids, such as perbenzoates, peroxophthalates, diperazelaic acid, phthaloiminoperacid or diperdodecanedioic acid. If cleaning or bleaching agent compositions for machine dishwashing are produced, bleaching agents from the group of organic bleaching agents can also be used. Typical organic bleaching agents are the diacyl peroxides, such as dibenzoyl peroxide. Other typical organic bleaching agents are peroxy acids, examples of which include alkyl peroxy acids and aryl peroxy acids. Preferred representatives are (a) peroxybenzoic acid and its ring-substituted derivatives, such as alkylperoxybenzoic acids, but also peroxy-α-naphthoic acid and Magnesium monophthalate, (b) the aliphatic or substituted aliphatic peroxy acids, such as peroxylauric acid, peroxystearic acid, ε-phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid [Pthaloiminoperoxyhexanoic acid (PAP)], o-carboxybenzamidoperoxycaproic acid, N-nonenylamidoperuccinic aliphatic acid and N-nonenylamidoperuccinic acid and undipenamic acid and such as 1,12-diperoxycarboxylic acid, 1,9-diperoxyazelaic acid, diperocysebacic acid, diperoxybrassylic acid, the diperoxyphthalic acids, 2-decyldiperoxybutane-1, 4-diacid, N, N-terephthaloyl-di (6-aminopercaproic acid) can be used.

Chlorine or bromine-releasing substances can also be used as bleaching agents in compositions for machine dishwashing. Suitable chlorine or bromine-releasing materials include, for example, heterocyclic N-bromo- and N-chloramides, for example trichloroisocyanuric acid, tribromoisocyanuric acid, dibromoisocyanuric acid and / or dichloroisocyanuric acid (DICA) and / or their salts with cations such as potassium and sodium. Hydantoin compounds such as 1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydanthoin are also suitable.

In order to achieve an improved bleaching effect when washing or cleaning at temperatures of 60 ° C and below, bleach activators can be incorporated into the detergent and cleaning agent composition. Bleach activators which can be used are compounds which, under perhydrolysis conditions, give aliphatic peroxocarboxylic acids having preferably 1 to 10 C atoms, in particular 2 to 4 C atoms, and / or optionally substituted perbenzoic acid. Suitable substances are those which carry O- and / or N-acyl groups of the number of carbon atoms mentioned and / or optionally substituted benzoyl groups. Preferred are multiply acylated alkylenediamines, in particular tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED), acylated triazine derivatives, in particular 1,5-diacetyl-2,4-dioxohexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (DADHT), acylated glycolurils, in particular tetraacetylglycoluril (TAGU), N-acylimides, especially N-nonanoylsuccinimide (NOSI), acylated phenolsulfonates, especially n-nonanoyl- or isononanoyloxybenzenesulfonate (n- or iso-NOBS), carboxylic acid anhydrides, especially phthalic anhydride, acylated polyhydric alcohols, especially triacetin, ethylene glycol diacetate and 2,5-diacetoxy-2,5-dihydrofuran.

In addition to the conventional bleach activators or in their place, so-called bleach catalysts can also be incorporated into the detergent and cleaning agent composition. These substances are bleach-enhancing transition metal salts or transition metal complexes such as, for example, Mn, Fe, Co, Ru or Mo salt complexes or carbonyl complexes. Mn, Fe, Co, Ru, Mo, Ti, V and Cu complexes with N-containing tripod ligands as well as Co, Fe, Cu and Ru amine complexes can also be used as bleaching catalysts.

Suitable enzymes are those from the class of proteases, lipases, amylases, cellulases or mixtures thereof. Enzymes obtained from bacterial strains or fungi such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis and Streptomyces griseus 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 of protease and amylase or protease and lipase or protease and cellulase or of cellulase and lipase or of protease, amylase and lipase or protease, lipase and cellulase, but in particular mixtures containing cellulase, are of particular interest. Peroxidases or oxidases have also proven to be suitable in some cases. The enzymes can be adsorbed on carriers and / or embedded in coating substances in order to protect them against premature decomposition. The proportion of the enzymes, enzyme mixtures or enzyme granules in the compositions according to the invention can be, for example, about 0.1 to 5% by weight, preferably 0.1 to about 2% by weight.

In addition, the detergent and cleaning agent compositions can also contain components which have a positive influence on the oil and fat washability from textiles (so-called soil repellents). This effect is particularly evident when a textile is soiled that has already been washed several times with a detergent according to the invention, that contains this oil and fat-dissolving component has been washed. The preferred oil and fat-dissolving components include, for example, nonionic cellulose ethers such as methyl cellulose and methyl hydroxypropyl cellulose with a proportion of methoxyl groups of 15 to 30% by weight and of hydroxypropoxyl groups of 1 to 15% by weight, based in each case the nonionic cellulose ether, and the polymers of phthalic acid and or terephthalic acid or 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.

The detergent and cleaning agent compositions can contain, as optical brighteners, derivatives of diaminostilbenedisulfonic acid or its alkali metal salts. Suitable are e.g. Salts of 4,4'-bis (2-anilino-4-moφholino-l, 3,5-triazinyl-6-amino) stilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid or compounds of the same structure which, instead of the Moφholino group, have a diethanolamino group , a methylamino group, an anilino group or a 2-methoxyethylamino group. In addition, brighteners of the substituted diphenylstyryl type may be present, e.g. the alkali salts of 4,4'-bis (2-sulfostyryl) diphenyl, 4,4'-bis (4-chloro-3-sulfostyryl) diphenyl, or 4- (4-chlorostyryl) -4 '- (2- sulfostyryl) diphenyls. Mixtures of the aforementioned brighteners can also be used.

Dyes and fragrances are added to the detergents and cleaning agents according to the invention in order to improve the aesthetic impression of the products and to provide the consumer with a visual and sensory "typical and distinctive" product in addition to the softness performance. 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. Fragrance compounds of the ester type are, for example, benzyl acetate, phenoxyethyl isobutyrate, p-tert.-butylcyclohexyl acetate, linalyl acetate, dimethylbenzylcarbinyl acetate, phenylethyl acetate, Linalyl benzoate, benzyl formate, ethyl methylphenyl glycinate, allyl cyclohexyl propionate, styrallyl propionate and benzyl salicylate. The ethers include, for example, benzylethyl ether, the aldehydes, for example, the linear alkanals with 8-18 C atoms, citral, citronellal, citronellyloxyacetaldehyde, cyclamenaldehyde, hydroxycitronellal, lilial and bourgeonal, the ketones, for example, the jonones, cc -Isomethylionon and methyl-cedrylketone, the alcohols anethole, citronellol, eugenol, geraniol, linalool, phenylethyl alcohol and terpineol, the hydrocarbons mainly include tephenols such as limonene and pinene. 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 are obtainable from plant sources, 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.

The dye content of the compositions according to the invention is usually less than 0.01% by weight, while fragrances can make up up to 2% by weight of the total formulation.

The fragrances can be incorporated directly into the agents according to the invention, but it can also be advantageous to apply the fragrances to carriers which increase the adhesion of the perfume to the laundry and ensure a long-lasting fragrance of the textiles due to a slower fragrance release. Cyclodextrins, for example, have proven useful as such carrier materials, and the cyclodextrin-perfume complexes can additionally be coated with further auxiliaries.

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. Examples:

Portion bags were made from a 25 μm thick polyvinyl alcohol film from Aquafilm Ltd., which is made up of various Mowiol ^® types (trademark of HOECHST AG), into each of which 40 g of a detergent composition were filled. The bags were sealed thermally using permanently heated sealing strips. For comparative example V, the detergent composition was produced using a granulation process; in example E according to the invention, the identically composed detergent and cleaning agent composition was produced by extrusion and had a significantly narrower particle size distribution. The following table shows the sieve analyzes of the two compositions:

With the portioned detergent compositions E according to the invention, it was possible to obtain dense and optically isotropic seams in which there were no product residues. In Comparative Example V, the seams were partially leaky and optically anisotropic.

Claims

Claims:

1. Portioned detergent and cleaning agent composition in a bag made of water-soluble film, characterized in that at least 70% by weight of the particles of the detergent and cleaning agent composition have particle sizes above 800 μm.

2. Portioned detergent and cleaning agent composition according to claim 1, characterized in that at least 80 wt .-%, preferably at least 85 wt .-%, particularly preferably at least 90 wt .-% and in particular at least 95 wt .-% of the particles of the detergent and detergent composition have particle sizes above 800 μm, preferably above 900 μm, particularly preferably above 1000 μm and in particular above 1200 μm.

3. Portioned detergent and cleaning agent composition according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the bag made of water-soluble film consists of at least one polymer from the group (acetalized) polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyethylene oxide, gelatin and mixtures thereof.

4. Portioned detergent and cleaning composition according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bag made of water-soluble film consists of at least one polymer from the group starch and starch derivatives, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, in particular methyl cellulose and mixtures thereof.

5. Portioned detergent and cleaning agent composition according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the bag made of water-soluble film made of a polymer with a molecular weight between 5000 and 500,000 daltons, preferably between 7500 and 250,000 daltons and in particular between 10,000 and 100,000 daltons, consists.

6. Portioned detergent and cleaning agent composition according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the water-soluble film which forms the bag has a thickness of 1 to 150 microns, preferably from 2 to 100 microns, particularly preferably from 5 to 75 microns and in particular from 10 to 50 μm.

7. Portioned detergent and cleaning composition according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the detergent and cleaning composition was produced by a granulation or pressing agglomeration process, in particular by extrusion.

8. Portioned detergent and cleaning agent composition according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the detergent and cleaning agent composition one or more substances from the group of surfactants, surfactant compounds, builders, bleaches, bleach activators, enzymes, foam inhibitors, dyes and fragrances as well as binding and disintegration aids.