EP2723843B1 - Use of washing or cleaning agents having increased cleaning performance - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to the use of a washing or cleaning agent with increased cleaning power comprising surfactants.

Surfactants are important components of detergents because they remove a variety of textile contaminants. In order to increase the cleaning power of detergents or cleaning agents on greasy stains, the washing or cleaning agents are added to further detergent-active substances. So is out of the EP 2135930 A1 It is known that monoalkyl ethers of lauryl alcohol and polyglycerols increase the detergency of the washing or cleaning agent. According to EP 2135930 A1 For example, mixtures of said polyglycerol monoalkyl ethers having preferred degrees of polymerization of the glycerol of from 3 to 5 are used for washing at low temperatures. The use of mixtures of glycerols with different degrees of polymerization is taught by the EP 2135930 A1 necessary because the pure glycerol ethers crystallize out at low temperatures and thus reduce the detergency of the agent. Also from the US 4,430,237 are known mixtures of polyglycerol monolauryl ethers to increase the washing power of the detergent or cleaning agent. In order to obtain agents with good fat-dissolving properties, it is according to US 4,430,237 it is indispensable to use mixtures of larger amounts of di- and triglycerol ethers with monoglycerol ethers.

The performance of detergents on greasy soils decreases dramatically as the temperature decreases. Thus, conventional detergents or cleansers do not or only insufficiently remove greasy soiling, especially at temperatures below the melting point of greasy soiling. Since washing at low temperatures is desirable for reasons of saving energy from the consumer's point of view, in these cases, often a little user-friendly pretreatment of greasy soiling is necessary. A solution of the stains by the wash is preferred by the consumer.

There is therefore still a need to improve the cleaning performance of detergents or cleaning agents on greasy stains.

An object of this invention, therefore, was to provide a laundry detergent or detergent having enhanced cleaning performance against greasy soils.

It has now surprisingly been found that selected glycerol monoalkyl ethers in surfactant-containing detergents or cleaning agents solve the above-mentioned problems particularly well.

wobei der Rest R für eine verzweigte C₈-C₁₄-Alkylkette steht, beim Waschen, Reinigen und/oder Vorbehandeln von textilen Flächengebilden.A first subject of the present invention therefore comprises the use of a washing and cleaning agent comprising from 1 to 60% by weight of surfactants, where the agent furthermore comprises at least one compound of the formula (I)

wherein the radical R is a branched C ₈ -C ₁₄ alkyl chain, in the washing, cleaning and / or pretreatment of textile fabrics.

Surprisingly, it has been found that the presence of compound (s) of the formula (I) can increase the cleaning performance of a washing or cleaning agent on greasy stains. In addition, it has been found that the presence of compound (s) of formula (I) can improve the cleaning performance of detergents on greasy soils at low temperatures, particularly at temperatures below the melting point of the greasy soiling.

Preference is given to using one compound of the formula (I) separately or more than one compound of the formula (I) as a mixture.

The R radicals of the compound of the formula (I) may be mono- or polysubstituted on each carbon atom of the alkyl chain. Particularly preferably, the radical R of the compound of the formula (I) is simply branched.

Further preferably, the radical R of the compound of the formula (I) is branched at the second, third and / or fourth carbon atom from the ether group. Preferably, the ratio of carbon atoms in the longest alkyl chain to carbon atoms in the branch is between 4: 1 and 2: 1, more preferably 3: 1.

Preferred branched alkyl radicals R are ethyldodecyl, propylundecyl, methylethyl undecyl, ethyldecyl, propyldecyl, methylethyldecyl, diethyldecyl, ethylnonyl, propylnonyl, diethylnonyl, methylethylnonyl, ethyloctyl, propyloctyl, butyloctyl, diethyloctyl, dipropyloctyl, methylethyloctyl, methylheptyl, ethylheptyl, propylheptyl, butylheptyl, diethylheptyl, dipropylheptyl , Methylethylheptyl, ethylhexyl, propylhexyl, butylhexyl, diethylhexyl, dipropylhexyl or methylethylhexyl, wherein the branching may start from one or more carbon atoms of the longest carbon chain. Particularly preferred are branched, especially single-branched, C ₈ alkyl chains. Even more preferred is a 2-ethylhexyl radical.

It is preferred to use those compounds of the formula (I) which are commercially available. In addition, liquid compounds of the formula (I) are preferred because they do not crystallize at low wash temperatures, can be incorporated well into the detergents or cleaners, and give stable compositions. A particularly preferred compound of Formula (I) is therefore 3 - [(2-ethylhexyl) oxy] -propane-1,2-diol (INCI: ethylhexylglycerol), which is sold under the tradename Sensiva® SC 50 from Schülke and Mayr.

An extremely high cleaning performance of greasy stains have detergents or cleaning agents in which the compound (s) of the formula (I) in amounts of 0.5 to 10 wt .-%, particularly preferably 2 to 5 wt .-% based on the total weight of the agent is used.

It is further preferred that the washing or cleaning agent is free of monoethers of polyglycerols. Free of monoethers of polyglycerols in the context of the present invention means less than 0.5% by weight, preferably less than 0.3% by weight, more preferably less than 0.1% by weight and especially preferably less than 0, 05 wt .-% of monoethers of polyglycerols based on the total weight of the detergent or cleaner and less than 5 wt .-%, preferably less than 1 wt .-%, based on the total weight of the glycerol monoalkyl used.

It has been found that the combination of surfactants with compounds of the formula (I) leads to detergents or cleaners having a particularly high cleaning performance on greasy stains. As an essential ingredient, the washing or cleaning agent contains 1 to 60 wt .-% surfactants. Preferred surfactants are selected from the group consisting of anionic, nonionic, cationic and zwitterionic surfactants and mixtures thereof. From an application point of view, the washing or cleaning agent preferably contains nonionic and anionic surfactants.

To increase the cleaning performance, the washing or cleaning agent in a preferred embodiment contains at least one nonionic surfactant.

A particularly good cleaning performance on greasy stains have detergents or cleaning agents in which nonionic surfactant (s) in amounts of 2 to 12 wt .-%, particularly preferably from 3 to 10 wt .-% based on the total weight of Be used by means.

Particularly preferred are washing or cleaning agents, the nonionic (s) surfactant (s) and compound (s) of the formula (I) in a weight ratio between 9: 1 and 1: 9, preferably between 3: 1 and 1: 3, and in particular of 1: 1. Here, agents have proved to be particularly advantageous, the nonionic (s) surfactant and compound (s) of Fomel (I) in total from 4 to 12 wt .-% based on the total weight of the composition.

Suitable nonionic surfactants include alkoxylated fatty alcohols, alkoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, fatty acid amides, alkyl polyglucosides, alkoxylated fatty acid amides, Polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, N-methylglucamides, alkylphenol polyglycol ethers and mixtures thereof.

The nonionic surfactants used are preferably alkoxylated, advantageously ethoxylated, in particular primary, alcohols having preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms and on average 1 to 12 moles of ethylene oxide (EO) per mole of alcohol, in which the alcohol radical can be linear or preferably methyl-branched in the 2-position or linear and methyl-branched radicals in the mixture can contain, as they are usually present in Oxoalkoholresten. In particular, however, alcohol ethoxylates with linear radicals of alcohols of native origin having 12 to 18 carbon atoms, for example of coconut, palm, tallow or oleyl alcohol, and on average 2 to 8 EO per mole of alcohol are preferred. The preferred ethoxylated alcohols include, for example, C _12-14 alcohols with 3 EO, 4 EO or 7 EO, C _9-11 alcohols with 7 EO, C _13-15 alcohols with 3 EO, 5 EO, 7 EO or 8 EO, C _12-18 -alcohols with 3 EO, 5 EO or 7 EO and mixtures of these, such as mixtures of C _12-14 -alcohol with 3 EO and C _12-18 -alcohol with 7 EO. The degrees of ethoxylation given represent statistical means which, for a particular product, may be an integer or a fractional number. 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 include tallow fatty alcohol with 14 EO, 25 EO, 30 EO or 40 EO. Nonionic surfactants containing EO and PO groups together in the molecule can also be used according to the invention. Also suitable are also a mixture of a (more) branched ethoxylated fatty alcohol and an unbranched ethoxylated fatty alcohol, such as a mixture of a C _16-18 fatty alcohol with 7 EO and 2-propylheptanol with 7 EO. The washing or cleaning agent particularly preferably contains a C _12-18 fatty alcohol with 7 EO or a C _13-15 oxo alcohol with 7 EO as nonionic surfactant.

Preferred amine oxides are, for example, N-cocoalkyl-N, N-dimethylamine oxide, N-tallowalkyl-N, N-dihydroxyethylamine oxide, myristylcetyldimethylamine oxide or lauryldimethylamine oxide.

Alternatively or in addition to the nonionic surfactant (s), the washing or cleaning agent may also contain an anionic surfactant. The anionic surfactant used is preferably sulfonates, sulfates, alkyl phosphates, anionic silicone surfactants and mixtures thereof.

The surfactants of the sulfonate type are preferably C _9-13 -alkylbenzenesulfonates, olefinsulfonates, ie mixtures of alkene and hydroxyalkanesulfonates and disulfonates, as are obtained, for example, from C _12-18 -monoolefins having terminal or internal double bonds by sulfonation with gaseous sulfur trioxide and subsequent alkaline or acid hydrolysis of the sulfonation products into consideration. Also suitable are C _12-18 -alkanesulfonates and the Esters of α-sulfo fatty acids (ester sulfonates), for example the α-sulfonated methyl esters of hydrogenated coconut, palm kernel or tallow fatty acids.

Alk (en) ylsulfates are the alkali metal salts and in particular the sodium salts of the sulfuric monoesters of C ₁₂ -C ₁₈ fatty alcohols, for example coconut fatty alcohol, tallow fatty alcohol, lauryl, myristyl, cetyl or stearyl alcohol or the C ₁₀ -C ₂₀ oxo alcohols and those half-esters of secondary alcohols of these chain lengths are preferred. Of washing technology interest, the C ₁₂ -C ₁₆ alkyl sulfates and C ₁₂ -C ₁₅ alkyl sulfates and C ₁₄ -C ₁₅ alkyl sulfates are preferred. 2,3-alkyl sulfates are also suitable anionic surfactants.

The sulfuric acid monoesters of straight-chain or branched C _7-21 -alcohols ethoxylated with from 1 to 6 mol of ethylene oxide, such as 2-methyl-branched C _9-11- alcohols having on average 3.5 mol of ethylene oxide (EO) or C _12-18 . Fatty alcohols with 1 to 4 EO are suitable.

The anionic surfactants including the fatty acid soaps may be in the form of their sodium, potassium or magnesium or ammonium salts. Preferably, the anionic surfactants are in the form of their sodium salts. Further preferred counterions for the anionic surfactants are also the protonated forms of choline, triethylamine, monoethanolamine (MEA), triethanolamine (TEA) or methylethylamine.

In addition to the essential ingredients, the washing or cleaning agent may contain other ingredients that further improve the performance and / or aesthetic properties of the detergent or cleaning agent. In the context of the present invention, the washing or cleaning agent preferably additionally contains one or more substances from the group of builders, bleaching agents, bleach catalysts, bleach activators, enzymes, electrolytes, nonaqueous solvents, pH adjusters, perfume compositions, perfume carriers, fluorescers, dyes, hydrotopes, Foam inhibitors, silicone oils, soil release polymers, grayness inhibitors, shrinkage inhibitors, crease inhibitors, dye transfer inhibitors, other antimicrobial agents, germicides, fungicides, antioxidants, preservatives, corrosion inhibitors, antistatic agents, bittering agents, ironing aids, repellents and impregnating agents, swelling and anti-slip agents, softening components as well as UV absorbers.

Particularly preferred additional ingredients are builders, enzymes, electrolytes, nonaqueous solvents, pH adjusters, perfume compositions, fluorescers, dyes, hydrotopes, foam inhibitors, soil release polymers, grayness inhibitors, dye transfer inhibiting agents, plasticizing components, UV absorbers and mixtures thereof.

In a preferred embodiment, the washing or cleaning agents used according to the invention are in liquid form and contain water as the main solvent.

Furthermore, the invention also relates to the use of compounds of the formula (I) in detergents or cleaners for increasing the cleaning performance of the composition on greasy stains on textile fabrics. In particular, the invention also relates to the use of compounds of the formula (I) in detergents or cleaners to increase the cleaning performance of the composition on greasy soils on textile fabrics at temperatures between 15 ° C and 25 ° C, preferably at 20 ° C.

The preparation of a washing or cleaning agent used according to the invention is carried out by means of customary and known methods and processes. Thus, for example, the components of the detergents, cleaners can be simply mixed in stirred tanks, water, the acidic components, if any, such as the alkylarylsulfonic acid, citric acid, boric acid, phosphonic acid, etc., the fatty alcohol ether sulfates, the nonionic surfactants and / or the compound (s) of the formula (I) are expediently presented. The nonaqueous solvents, if present, are preferably also added at this time, but the addition may be made at a later time. Subsequently, the fatty acid is added and the saponification of the fatty acid portion takes place at 50 to 60 ° C. Then the other ingredients, preferably in portions, are added.

Examples

Table 1 shows the composition of a comparative formulation V1 and the composition of a washing or cleaning agent E1 according to the invention (all amounts are given in% by weight of active compound, based on the total weight of the washing or cleaning agent): Table 1: Detergent formulations ingredient E1 V1 3- (2-ethylhexyloxy) -propane-1,2-diol ^[1] 3 - C _9-13 alkyl benzene sulfonic acid 6 6 C _12-18 fatty alcohol with 7 EO 3 6 C _12-14 fatty alcohol sulfate with 2EO, Na salt 8th 8th C _12-18 fatty acid 3 3 citric acid 3 3 sodium hydroxide 2 2 boric acid 1 1 Enzymes (amylase, protease, cellulase) + + Perfume 1 1 ethanol 1.5 1.5 phosphonic 0.5 0.5 water Ad 100 Ad 100

[1] Sensiva® SC 50 (ex Schülke & Mayr)

Machine Preparation of Stains: Cotton cloths of various stain types were prepared by spraying the stain on the cloth and then rubbing it with a sponge. The applied amount of soiling was chosen per type of patch so that a homogeneous, about 3 to 4 cm large spot was generated. Before washing, the pretreated cloth rags were stored for seven days at room temperature (aging).

In the washing tests, a household washing machine (Miele W 1514) was loaded with 3.5 kg accompanying laundry as well as the pretreated cloth rags (in each case about 100 stains of different and / or same type of stain per washing test). In addition, 80 g of the detergent to be tested (V1 or E1) were added and washed at 20 ° C. After hanging drying and mangling of the cloth rags their whiteness was determined spectrophotometrically (Minolta CR200-1). Each species was tested several times (6-fold determination). Table 2 shows the mean value from the measured values of the formulation E1 according to the invention as a difference from the mean value from the measured values recipe V1. Table 2: Whiteness Kind of stains Δ remission units (E1 -V1) Hamburger grease 2.5 Lard (colored blue) 10.4 Make up Sans Soucis 40 tanned beige 14.3 used lard 2.4 Dust sebum 12.3

The results show the increased washing and cleaning performance of the compositions according to the invention on greasy soils. Particularly good results were obtained on the greasy stains "Make up Sans Soucis 40 tanned beige", "Dust skin fat" and "Lard (colored blue)".

In addition, the cleaning performance of the detergent formulations E1 and V1 was tested on 87 further soiling of the categories bleachable, enzymatically and / or surfactant. Comparable washing and cleaning performance of the detergent formulations E1 and V1 was achieved on all 87 soiled soils tested.

Claims (9)

1. The use of a washing or cleaning agent, comprising 1 to 60 wt.% surfactant and also at least one compound of formula (I),

   

   wherein the group R represents a branched C₈-C₁₄ alkyl chain, in washing, cleaning and/or pretreating textile fabrics.
2. The use according to claim 1, characterized in that the group R of the compound of formula (I) is branched from the ether group on the second, third and/or fourth carbon atom.
3. The use according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the group R of the compound of formula (I) is a branched C₈ alkyl chain.
4. The use according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the compound of formula (I) is 3-[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]-propane-1,2-diol.
5. The use according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the agent contains at least one non-ionic surfactant.
6. The use according to claim 5, characterized in that the agent contains one or more non-ionic surfactants and compound(s) of formula (I) in a weight ratio of between 9:1 and 1:9, preferably of between 3:1 and 1:3, and in particular of 1:1.
7. The use according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the agent is free of monoethers of polyglycerols.
8. The use of at least one compound of formula (I)

   

   in washing or cleaning agents for increasing the cleaning performance of the agent on greasy stains on textile fabrics.
9. The use of a washing or cleaning agent according to claim 8 for increasing the cleaning performance of the agent on greasy stains on textile fabrics at temperatures of between 15°C and 25°C.