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
  • C11D3/0005—Other compounding ingredients characterised by their effect
  • C11D3/0094—High foaming compositions
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D1/00—Detergent compositions based essentially on surface-active compounds; Use of these compounds as a detergent
  • C11D1/66—Non-ionic compounds
  • C11D1/667—Neutral esters, e.g. sorbitan esters
• • 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
  • C11D3/20—Organic compounds containing oxygen
  • C11D3/2093—Esters; Carbonates

Definitions

• the invention relates to high-foaming surfactant mixtures containing alkyl ether carboxylates derived from alkanols having 6 to 22 carbon atoms and some particular non-ionic surfactants, and to the use of these mixtures as foam-enhancing agent or foam booster for surfactant mixtures.
• the foaming behaviour is a further important product feature.
• surfactant mixtures which perform satisfactorily and are economical in use, show the required foaming behaviour.
• the main foaming characteristics of the surfactant formulations that determine their application in areas like personal and house-hold care, washing, food industry, fire fighting, mineral flotation, and many others are: foaming ability, foam stability (foam remaining after certain period at rest), foam quantity (associated with good cleaning effect), creaminess of the foam (associated with conditioning effect), foam density, texture of the foam and foam speed (foam produced after a very short period of time).
• Insufficient foaming performance can thus for example materialize in an insufficient foaming power or in an insufficient foam stability.
• the basic foam has sufficient height, but it collapses rapidly.
• the exact opposite occurs, i.e. although the initial foaming height is comparably low, the foam remains stable for a long time.
• the foam is desirable that the foam is obtained quickly upon use (e.g. after a few seconds).
• the foam must tolerate hard water and the presence of oil.
• fatty acid alkanolamides can be used as foam boosters, but unfortunately they have the disadvantage that they are suspected of containing traces of nitrosamines which is totally inappropriate for applications where the preparations come into contact with the human skin.
• hydrotrope provides an increased foam generation.
• anionic surfactant carboxylated alcohol ethoxylates are mentioned, among other anionic surfactants.
• preferred anionic surfactants include those having at least one sulfur constituent.
• EP-B-0580263 relates to the provision of pumpable, highly concentrated (having a solid content of at least 45 wt.-%) liquid aqueous solutions of salts of alkyl ether carboxylic acids derived from alkanols having at least 10 carbon atoms, additionally containing ethoxylated, or ethoxylated and carboxymethylated, products or mixtures thereof, derived from polyhydric alcohols, the degree of ethoxylation of those products being at least 0.5.
• the ethoxylated, and/or ethoxylated and carboxymethylated, products are contained in an amount of at least 1 %, in particular 2 to 25 %, relative to the total amount of solids of ethercarboxylic acid and ethoxylated and/or ethoxylated and carboxymethylated products.
• EP-B-0580263 fails to address the foaming properties of these surfactant mixtures.
• the complex problem addressed by the present invention is to provide surface-active preparations which do not show the above-mentioned disadvantages.
• the object of the invention is to find foam-enhancing agents that improve different foaming characteristics such as the basic foam, the foam speed, the foam stability, etc., of a large number of surfactants, even in the presence of hard water and oil, which are the most usual conditions for consumers.
• the present invention provides an aqueous composition
• aqueous composition comprising
• the present invention also provides a method for improving foam properties of surfactant mixtures, which comprises combining an aqueous composition of the current invention with at least one surfactant.
• the present invention also provides the use of aqueous compositions of the current invention as foam-enhancing agent or foam booster for surfactant mixtures.
• the aqueous composition of the present invention comprises an alkyl ether carboxylate derived from alkanols having 6 to 22 carbon atoms; and one or more compounds of the following formula (I): wherein R', m, n, l, B1, B2, and B3 have the same meaning as defined above, the weight ratio of component (a) to component (b) being in the range of 4:1 to 1:10.
• the alkyl ether carboxylate derived from alkanols having 6 to 22 carbon atoms used as component (a) is preferably one satisfying the following formula (II): R-O-(CH 2 CH 2 O) n -CH 2 COO- M + wherein R is an alkyl residue having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, n has a value in the range of 1 to 15, preferably 2 to 10, more preferably 2.5 to 7, and M+ is an appropriate cation, selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, ammonium, an alkylammonium, an alkanolammonium or a glucammonium.
• R is an alkyl residue having 6 to 22 carbon atoms
• n has a value in the range of 1 to 15, preferably 2 to 10, more preferably 2.5 to 7
• M+ is an appropriate cation, selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, ammonium, an alkylammonium, an
• R is an alkyl residue having 12 to 14 carbon atoms
• n has a value in the range of 2.5 to 5
• M + is an alkali metal cation such as sodium or potassium.
• Alkyl ether carboxylates are preferably used as liquid diluted aqueous solutions having a solid content lower than 30 wt.-%.
• Alkyl ether carboxylates are obtained by ethoxylation and subsequent carboxymethylation of fatty alcohols.
• the process is divided into two steps.
• the first one is the ethoxylation of alcohols under standard conditions known by the skilled in the art. However, one may also start from commercially available ethoxylated alcohols.
• the ethoxylated alcohols are reacted with a strong base, like sodium or potassium hydroxide, in presence of a reducing agent, i.e. sodium borohydride, to obtain the corresponding alkoxylate, which is carboxymethylated with sodium monochloroacetate (SMCA).
• a strong base like sodium or potassium hydroxide
• a reducing agent i.e. sodium borohydride
• the degree of carboxymethylation of the ethoxylated alcohols is relatively high, preferably higher than 80%.
• the crude alkyl ether carboxylate acid salt can be purified by first converting the crude products with hydrochloric acid or sulphuric acid into the free acid. Said acid is washed and after that it is converted into the corresponding salt.
• alkyl ether carboxylate acid salts examples are marketed under the trade name AKYPO® by Kao Chemicals GmbH.
• component (b) of the invention preferably are used mixtures of ethoxylated glycerides represented by formula (I) wherein R' representing H or CH 3 ; each m, n, and l independently represent a number from 0 to 4, the sum of m, n and l being in the range of 1 to 4.
• Said mixtures of ethoxylated glycerides comprise
• the acyl group (-CO-R), having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably from 12 to 18 carbon atoms, is preferably derived from natural fat and oil as well as synthetic triglycerides.
• Preferred fats and oils include palm oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, castor oil, olive oil, soybean oil; and animal fat such as tallow, bone oil; fish oil, hardened oils and semihardened oils thereof; and mixtures thereof.
• Particularly preferred are acyl groups derived from coconut oil, palm oil and tallow such as beef tallow.
• LEVENOL® H&B (INCI name: Glycereth-2 cocoate), marketed by KAO Corporation, S.A.
• R' represents H or CH 3
• an each of x, y and z independently represent a number from 0 to 7, the sum of x, y and z being in the range of 1 to 15, preferably in the range of 3 to 10, more preferably in the range of 5 to 8.
• particularly preferred compounds of formula III comprise Glycereth-6 and Glycereth-7, having an average ethoxylation degree of 6 and 7 respectively.
• the weight ratio of component (a) to component (b) is in the range of from 4:1 to 1:10, preferably 3,5:1 to 1:5, more preferably 3:1 to 1:1, most preferably 2,5:1 to 2:1.
• compositions according to the present invention which are used to enhance the foaming of other surfactant composition preferably contain 15 to 30 wt.%, more preferably 22 to 28 wt.%, of components (a), i.e. the ethercarboxylate, and (b), i.e. the ethoxylated glycerine or glyceride, as defined above.
• the amount of component (a) is preferably in the range of 10 to 20 wt.%, more preferably 14 to 17 wt.%.
• the amount of component (b) is preferably in the range of 5 to 10 wt.%, more preferably 6 to 8 wt.%.
• the active matter content of the foam booster is also preferably within the range 15 to 32 wt.%, more preferably 22 to 32 wt.%, the active matter of the composition is substantially provided by components (a) and (b). While the foam booster thus does not include significant amounts of other surfactants, it may include ethoxylated alcohol, sodium chloride and impurities, as a result of the preparation process of the alkyl ether carboxylates.
• the foam booster of the present invention generally do not contain a peaked (narrow range) short chain alcohols since this would unnecessarily increase the costs.
• the foam booster of the present invention may be used to improve the foam properties of surfactant mixtures, particularly those containing anionic surfactants, and the invention thus also provides a method for improving foam properties of surfactant mixtures, which comprise combining an aqueous composition of the current invention with at least one surfactant, preferably an anionic surfactant.
• anionic surfactants are soaps, alkylbenzenesulfonates, alkanesulfonates, olefin sulfonates, alkylether sulfonates, glycerol ether sulfonates, ⁇ -methyl ester sulfonates, sulfofatty acids, alkylsulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, glycerol ether sulfates, hydroxy mixed ether sulfates, monoglyceride (ether) sulfates, fatty acid amide (ether) sulfates, mono- and dialkyl sulfosuccinates, mono- and dialkyl sulfosuccinamates, sulfotriglycerides, amide soaps, amide ether carboxylic acids and salts thereof, fatty acid isethionates, fatty acid sarcosinates, fatty acid taurides, N-
• One of the preferred anionic surfactant is sodium lauryl ether sulfate, particularly preferred is sodium lauryl ether sulfate having an average degree of ethoxylation of 1 to 3, preferably 1 to 2.5, most preferably 2 to 2.5.
• the present invention also provides compositions containing the foam booster in combination with other surfactants, particularly one or more of the above-mentioned anionic surfactants (in the following referred to as "foam booster-containing surfactant mixture").
• the anionic surfactant is desirably contained in the foam booster-containing surfactant mixture of the present invention in an amount of 3 to 20 wt.-%, preferably 6 to 20 wt.-%, with respect to the total weight of the composition.
• the amount of alkyl ether carboxylate in the foam booster-containing surfactant mixture of the present invention is preferably in the range of 1 to 10 wt.-%, preferably 1.5 to 8 wt.-%, with respect to the total weight of the composition.
• the amount of component (b) is preferably 0.5 to 10 wt.-%, more preferably 0.75 to 5 wt.-%.
• the total amount of components (a) and (b) is in the range of 0.5 to 20, preferably 1 to 15, most preferred 2 to 10 wt.-% with respect to the total weight of the composition.
• Anionic surfactants are preferably present in a weight ratio of the mixture of component (a) and (b) to anionic surfactant (component (c)) is in the range of 10:1 to 1:10, preferably in the range of 5:1 to 1:5.
• the foam booster-containing surfactant mixture of the present invention may contain other surfactants such as non-ionic, cationic and amphoteric surfactants.
• Amphoteric surfactant includes ampholytes and betaines. Specific examples are alkyl amine oxides, alkyl betaines, alkyl sulphobetaines (sultaines), amidoalkyl betaines, alkyl glycinates, alkyl carboxyglycinates, alkyl amphoacetates, alkyl amphopropionates, alklyamphoglycinates, alkyl amidopropyl betaines, alkyl amidopropyl- and hydroxysultaines.
• Particularly preferred amphoteric surfactants are alkyl amine oxides, alkyl sulphobetaines (sultaines), alkylamphoglycinates and alkyl amphoacetates.
• cationic surfactants are quaternary ammonium salts (quats) and the quaternized derivatives of polyalkanolamine esters (esterquats).
• quats examples of commercially available quats are: Quartamin® AB (Behentrimonium Chloride), Quartamin® 60W25 (Cetrimonium Chloride) and Quartamin® ABK (Behentrimonium Chloride and Cetearyl Alcohol), all marketed by KAO Corporation S.A.
• esterquats examples include Quartamin® BTC-131 (Behenoyl PG-Trimonium Chloride), marketed by KAO Chemicals GmbH, and Tetranyl ® CO-40 (Dioleoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate and Dipropylene Glycol) marketed by KAO Corporation S.A.
• non-ionic surfactants are alkoxylated trimethyolol propane, alkoxylated 1,2,3-trihydroxy hexane, alkoxylated pentaetrythritol, alkoxylated sorbitol, alkoxylated glycerol fatty acid ester, alkoxylated trimethyolol propane fatty acid ester, alkoxylated 1,2,3-trihydroxy hexane fatty acid ester, alkoxylated pentaetrythritol fatty acid ester, alkoxylated sorbitol fatty acid ester, fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, alkylphenol polyglycol ethers, fatty acid polyglycol esters, fatty acid amide polyglycol ethers, fatty amine polyglycol ethers, mixed ethers and mixed formals, optionally partly oxidized alk(en)yl oligoglycosides or
• the pH value of the foam booster-containing surfactant mixture of the present invention is preferably within the range of 4 to 8, more preferably 5 to 7.
• the foam booster-containing surfactant mixture of the present invention may not only be used in personal care products such as body shampoos, hair shampoos, shower baths, liquid soaps and other cosmetic rinse-off products, but also in house-hold applications such as dishwashing products and in laundry applications such as hand washing products.
• the compositions are particularly useful as hair shampoos and body shampoos.
• the total amount of wash active matter that is, the total amounts of surfactants contained in the composition of the present invention is preferably less than 30 wt.-%. That is, if the composition contains surfactants other than components (a), (b) and (c), the total amount of these surfactants and components (a), (b) and (c) does desirably not exceed 30 wt.-%.
• the weight ratio of the mixture of component (a) and (b) to anionic surfactant (component (c)) is preferably in the range of 1:3 to 1:5.
• This method consists in measuring the foam volume after agitation of 100 g of a diluted solution of the test product, placed into a 400 mL graduated cylinder, the cylinder being attached at its middle section to the axle of a motor and is rotated at 1100 r.p.m. with a metallic stirrer on a vertical plane perpendicular to this axle, changing the direction every 6 seconds during 5 minutes.
• the foam density is measured after 30 seconds in duplicate.

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=33040943

Family Applications (3)

Family Applications After (2)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (5)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2003
  • 2003-05-21 EP EP03011086A patent/EP1479754A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 2004
  • 2004-05-19 WO PCT/EP2004/005406 patent/WO2004104151A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2004-05-19 WO PCT/EP2004/005404 patent/WO2004104150A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2004-05-19 EP EP04739261A patent/EP1675934A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2004-05-19 EP EP04733808A patent/EP1629074A1/fr not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (5)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events