EP3083922A1

EP3083922A1 - Phosphate free fabric cleaning composition

Info

Publication number: EP3083922A1
Application number: EP13899836.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: William Shore
Original assignee: Henkel AG and Co KGaA
Current assignee: Henkel AG and Co KGaA
Priority date: 2013-12-16
Filing date: 2013-12-16
Publication date: 2016-10-26
Also published as: WO2015094151A1; AU2013408424A1; EP3083922A4

Abstract

A phosphate free fabric cleaning composition comprising an alkali metal carbonate, such as sodium carbonate; an alkali metal sulfate, such as sodium sulfate; a silicate, such as sodium disilicate; a teipolymer of polyacrylic acid, maleic anhydride, and polyacrylamide; a surfactant, which may be a combination of an anionic and a non-ionic surfactant; and a zeolite, such as sodium aluminosilicate.

Description

PHOSPHATE FREE FABRIC CLEANING COMPOSITION

BACKGROUND

[0001] There is a need for alternate fabric cleaning compositions free of phosphates that provide fabric cleaning comparable to phosphate containing compositions.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0002] The present invention relates to a free flowing granular, preferably low foaming, fabric cleaning composition. The compositions are phosphate free with high cleaning effectiveness on multiple types of fabrics and on multiple types of stains.

[0003] In one embodiment the present invention relates to a free flowing granular fabric cleaning composition comprising approximately by weight:

(a) 24% to 47% of an alkali metal carbonate;

(b) 19% to 26% of an alkali metal sulfate;

(c) 3% to 12% of a silicate;

(d) 1.9% to 2.2% of a terpolymer of polyacrylic acid, maleic anhydride, and polyacrylamide;

(e) 0% to 9%) of a zeolite, optionally 6 to 9%>;

(f) 10% to 30% of a surfactant.

[0004] Also a method of washing fabric comprising washing fabric with the composition.

[0005] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0006] The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

[0007] As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for describing each and every value that is within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range. In addition, all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by referenced in their entireties. In the event of a conflict in a definition in the present disclosure and that of a cited reference, the present disclosure controls. [0008] Unless otherwise specified, all percentages and amounts expressed herein and elsewhere in the specification should be understood to refer to percentages by weight. The amounts given are based on the active weight of the material.

[0009] In one embodiment the invention concerns a free flowing granular fabric cleaning composition which comprises approximately by weight:

(a) 24% to 47% of an alkali metal carbonate such as sodium carbonate;

(b) 19% to 26% of an alkali metal sulfate, such as sodium sulfate;

(c) 3% to 12%) of a silicate, such as sodium silicate,

(d) 1 .9% to 2.2% of a terpolymer of polyacrylic acid, maleic anhydride, and polyacrylamide;

(e) 0%) to 9%, optionally 6% to 9%, of a zeolite, such as sodium aluminosilicate, and

(f) 10% to 30% of a surfactant, such as a combination of anionic and nonionic surfactants.

[0010] In one embodiment the invention concerns a free flowing granular, low foaming fabric cleaning composition which comprises approximately by weight:

(a) 24% to 47% of an alkali metal carbonate such as sodium carbonate;

(b) 19% to 26%> of an alkali metal sulfate, such as sodium sulfate;

(c) 3% to 12% of a silicate such as sodium silicate,

(e) 0% to 9%, optionally 6% to 9%, of a zeolite, such as sodium aluminosilicate,

(f) 10% to 30%) of a surfactant, such as a combination of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant wherein the anionic surfactant, such as a sodium linear alkyl benzene sulfonate, comprises 5% to 25%, preferably 10% to 15%, of the composition, and

(g) 0.1 % to 10%, preferably, 0.1 % to 6%, water,

[001 ί ] The formulas referenced in this application and examples are made by mixing the appropriate components with the defined agglomerate compositions. Components could be added singularly or in part of whole in another pre-made composition. One method of combining a part or whole of the non-agglomerated components is through preparation of a spray dried base. A spray dried base can be made and added to the agglomeration composition. Additional components such as fragrance, enzymes, etc. can then be added to this new mixed formulation.

[0012] The spray dried base referenced above is made via conventional methods. Materials are mixed in proper proportions, conditioned, then dried to appropriate physical form. Conditions are controlled to yield a powder of appropriate chemistry, color, size, density, flow, etc. [0013] In some embodiment bulk density can range from 0.5 to 0.9, optionally 0.6 to 0.8, 0.75 to 0.8, or 0.78 grams/cc.

[0014] In some embodiments the surfactant comprises a combination of anionic surfactants and nonionic surfactants. In such combination the amount on anionic surfactant can be 5% to 25%, or 10% to 15%, by weight of the composition, and the nonionic surfactant can be 1% to 10%, or 1% to 5%, by weight of the composition.

[0015] Suitable anionic surfactants used in the instant compositions at 10 wt. % or less include the water-soluble alkali metal salts having alkyl radicals containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, the term alkyl being used to include the alkyl portion of higher acyl radicals. Examples of suitable synthetic anionic detergent compounds are sodium and potassium alkyl sulphates, especially those obtained by sulphating higher (C₈-C₁₈) alcohols produced, for example, from tallow or coconut oil; sodium and potassium alkyl (C₉-C₂₀) benzene sulfonates, particularly sodium linear secondary alkyl (C₁₀-C₁₅) benzene sulfonates; sodium alkyl glycerol ether sulfates, especially those ethers of the higher alcohols derived from tal low or coconut oil and synthetic alcohols derived from petroleum; sodium coconut oil fatty monoglyceride sulfates and sulfonates; sodium and potassium salts of sulfuric acid esters of higher (Cg-Cjg) fatty alcohol-alkylene oxide, sulfates of methyl esters (C₈-C₂₀) with SO₃ forming alpha sulfonate commonly known as alpha methyl sulfo esters of fatty acids and also particularly ethylene oxide reaction products; the reaction products of fatty acids such as coconut fatty acids esterified with isethionic acid and neutralized with sodium hydroxide; sodium and potassium salts of fatty acid amides of methyl taurine; alkane monosulfonates such as those derived from reacting alpha- olefins (C₈-C₂₀) with sodium bisulfite and those derived from reacting paraffins with S0₂ and C₁₂and then hydrolyzing with a base to produce a random sulfonate; and olefin sul-fonates which term is used to describe the material made by reacting olefins, particularly C₁₀-C₂₀ alpha-olefins, with SO₃ and then neutralizing and hydrolyzing the reaction product. A preferred anionic surfactant is sodium linear alkyl benzene sulfonate.

[0016] Suitable nonionic surfactants used in the instant compositions include, in particular, the re-action products of compounds having a hydrophobic group and a reactive hydrogen atom, for example aliphatic alcohols, acids, amides and alkyl phenols with alkylene oxides, especially ethylene oxide, either alone or with propylene oxide. Specific nonionic surfactant compounds are alkyl (C₆-C₁₈) primary or secondary linear or branched alcohols condensed with ethylene oxide. and products made by condensation of ethylene oxide with the reaction products of propylene oxide and ethylenediamine. Other so-called nonionic surfactant compounds include long chain tertiary amine oxides, long-chain tertiary phosphine oxides, dialkyl sulfoxides, fatty (C₈ -C₁₈) esters of glycerol, sorbitan and the like, alkyl poiygiycosides, ethoxylated glycerol esters, ethyoxylated sorbitans and ethoxylated phosphate esters.

[0017] The preferred non-ionic surfactant compounds are those of the ethoxylated and mixed ethyoxylated-propyloxylated (C₁₂-C₁₅), (C₁₂-C₁₄), and (C₁₄-C₁₆) fatty alcohol or synthetic alcohol, containing 6 to 1 1 ethylene oxide (EO) groups. In a preferred embodiment the nonionic surfactant is a C₁₂-C₁₄ alcohol ethoxylate, in particular having an average of 8 EO groups.

[0018] The zeolite used in the instant composition can be sodium aluminosilicate or can be a zeolite MAP such as an alkali metal aluminosilicate of the zeolite P type having a two dimensional channel system and a silicon to aluminum ratio not greater than 1 .33, preferably within the range of from 0.9 to 1.33, and more preferably within the range of 0.9 to 1.2 and having elliptical pore openings. Zeolite MAP is described in US patent 6,465,541 .

[0019] In some embodiments, the zeolite in the mstant composition can used in conjunction with other inorganic or organic builders. Inorganic builders that may be present include an alkali metal carbonate such as sodium carbonate. Organic builders that may be present include polycarboxylate polymers such as polyacrylates, acryl-ic/maleic copolymers, and acrylic phosphonates; monomelic polycarboxylates such as citrates, gluconates, oxydisuccinates, glycerol mono-, di- and trisuccinates, carboxymethyloxysucciiiates, carboxymmethyloxymalonates, dipicolinates, hydroxyethyliminodi acetates, alkyl- and alkenylmalon ates and succinates; and sulphonated fatty acid salts. This list is not intended to be exhaustive. Builders, both inorganic and organic, are preferably present in alkali metal salt, especially sodium salt, form.

[0020] The alkali metal silicate, such as sodium or potassium silicate, used in the mstant compositions is generally added in the form of an aqueous solution, preferably having Na₂0:Si0₂ ratios of about 1 : 1.3 to about 1.28 and K₂0:SiO₂ ratios of about 1 :2.0 to about 1 :2.6. The silicate can be in the form of a disilicate, e.g., sodium disilicate.

[0021] The terpolymer used in the instant compositions as a calcium sequestering agent is terpolymer of polyacrylic acid, maleic anhydride, and polyacrylamide. A commercially available example of a suitable terpolynier is Alcosperse™ 412 sold by Alco Chemical which is a terpolymer of polyacrylic acid, maleic anhydride and polyacrylamide. This terpolymer which has a molecular weight of about 1,000 to about 6,000 is characterized by the formula:

wherein a, b, and c are mole percents, a+b+c=l; a≥b+c; and e≤0.1

[0022] The detergent composition may also contain one or more enzymes which are active against biodegradable stains, e.g., starches, vegetable and blood, and which are also active at a pH of about 5 to about 12. Preferred enzymes which may be used include amylolytic enzymes (alpha amylases), alkaline and neutral proteases, lipolases, cellulases and the like, and mixtures thereof.

[0023] If used, the enzymes are normally present in the fabric cleaning composition at a level of from about 0 up to about 3 wt. %, more preferably from about 0.05 to 1.5 wt. %.

[0024] The fabric cleaning composition may also contain one or more softening components known in the art. Suitable softeners include swelling bentonite clays such as sodium and calcium mont-morillonites, sodium saponites and sodium hectorites. These may be present in the composition at levels of from about 0.5 to 20 wt. %, more preferably from about 5 to 15 wt. %.

[0025] Other conventional materials may also be present in the fabric cleaning compositions of the invention, for example, soil-suspending agent, silicon antifoaming agents and cationic antifoaming agents. Typical cationic antifoaming agents are dimethyl dialkyl (C₈-C₂₂) ammonium chloride, methyl benzyl dialkyl (C₁₂-C₁₈) ammonium chloride and C₁₂-C₂₂ alkyl trimethyl ammonium chloride and mixtures thereof. Typical silicon antifoaming agents are sold by Dow Corning are Q2-3302, 2-3485, 2-4248S and 2200. The composition can also contain sequesterants such as salts of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid or analogous phosphorite acid salts, hydrotropes, corrosion inhibitors, dyes, perfumes, germicides, e.g., preservatives, e.g., quaternium 15, anti-tarnishing agents, buffers and the like. Such other conventional materials may be used in the amounts they are normally used generally up to about 5% by weight, more preferably up to about 3% by weight. [0026] As necessary, pH modifiers, such as water soluble bases, e.g., NaOH, KOH, amines, or ammonia, will be added to obtain the desired pH level. The preferred pH will range from about 8 up to 1 1, more preferably from about 9 up to less than 11.

[0027] The instant compositions are made by an agglomeration process. In the agglomeration process, liquid components can be added to the powder components in several ways. In some cases, the entire liquid portion of the formulation can be added to the powder components in the agglomerator itself (Method 1). In other cases, some of the liquids can be pre-loaded on to a portion or all of the powder components before the final liquid constituents are added in the agglomerator device (Method 2). For this invention, both methods can be employed successfully.

[0028] In some embodiments, the material is conveyed into a small bin. From this bin, the surfactant/zeolite/carbonate mix is metered and fed into a Schugi type agglomerator, In addition to the surfactant/zeolite/carbonate mix additional powder components can be added to the Schugi or other suitable agglomerator. Examples of such materials (not exclusive) are: brighteners and polymers. In the Schugi agglomerator, liquid polymers, of potentially differing types, and water are added as binders. These materials are added in the appropriate amount to generate the chemical composition and physical properties, i.e., particle size, desired.

[0029] From the Schugi agglormerator, the material is conveyed via mechanical device or by gravity to a fluid bed dryer. In this dryer, a combination of hot and cold air is used to dry and condition the material. From the fluid bed dryer, the free flowing material can be used as is or mixed with a variety of materials to form detergents of any composition. Examples of such materials are: detergent or detergent components made via the conventional spray dry process, enzymes, flow aids, perfumes or brighteners.

[0030] The compositions of this invention are suitable for use as laundry detergents, dishwasher detergents, shampoos, body lotions and the like and may be modified by inclusion of specific known ingredients to accommodate these applications, e.g., dispersing agents, skin conditioning agents, antidandruff agents and the like.

[0031] The compositions of the invention are generally added to wash water at levels in the range of about 0.05 to 0.30 wt. %. For conventional washing machines; powder detergents are preferably used at levels of about 30 to 300 grams per load, optionally 30 to 60, 40 to 50, or 45 grams per load. EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0032] Fabric Cleaning Compositions are listed in Table 1

Table 1

Example 2

10033] Fabric Cleaning Studies - Front Loader

Cleaning effectiveness is evaluated for Formulation A, Formulation C (described in Table 1), and a commercial phosphate detergent in a front loader.

Wash conditions are:

Water Hardness 50 - 80ppm

Wash Volume (L) 50 Litres

Wash Time/Cycle Regular

Ballast (kg) Nil

Soil Load 1 Set of Netherland Stains

[0034] Each formulation and the commercial phosphate containing detergent are washed with fabrics containing the stains listed below. Each fabric is rated after wash on a scale of 0 to 100 with 100 being complete removal of the stain. There are three replicates for each that are mn and then averaged. All averaged scores are summed together for an overall score. The results are in Table 2.

Coffee with Milk - Cotton

Blood Ink and Milk - Cotton

Chocolate Ice Cream - Cotton Grass - Cotton

Sebum bey with carbon black - PolyCotton

Fluid Make Up - Polyester

Soot, Olive Oil - Cotton

Ground Nut Oil, Pigment - Cotton

Tabk 2

[0Θ35] As can be seen in Table 2, the non-phosphate compositions provide parity performance to the phosphate containing composition.

[0036] Fabric Cleaning Studies - Top Loader

[0037] Cleaning effectiveness is evaluated for Fommlation A, Formulation C (described in Table 1), and a commercial phosphate detergent in a top loader.

Wash conditions are:

Water Hardness 50 - 80ppm

Wash Volume (L) 50 Litres

Wash Time/Cycle Regular

Ballast (kg) Nil

Soil Load 1 Set of Netherland Stains

[0038] Each formulation and the commercial phosphate containing detergent are washed with fabrics containing the stains listed below. Each fabric is rated after wash on a scale of 0 to 100 with 100 being complete removal of the stain. There are three replicates for each that are ran and then averaged. The sum of all. averaged scores are summed together for an overall score. The results are in Table 3.

Standard Clay - PolyCotton

Yellow Modelling Clay - Polyester

Red Lipstick - Cotton

Wine, not aged - Cotton

Spaghetti Sauce with Beef PolyCotton Coffee with Milk - Cotton

Blood Ink and Milk - Cotton

Chocolate Ice Cream - Cotton

Grass - Cotton

Sebum bey with carbon black

Fluid Make Up - Polyester

Soot, Olive Oil ~ Cotton

Ground Nut Oil, Pigment - Cotton

Table 3

[0039] As can be seen in Table 3, the non-phosphate compositions provide parity performance to the phosphate containing composition.

Claims

CLAIMS WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A phosphate free fabric cleaning composition comprising approximately by weight:

(a) 24% to 47%) of an alkali metal carbonate;

(b) 19% to 26% of an alkali metal sulfate;

(c) 3% to 12% of a silicate;

(d) 1.9% to 2.2% of a terpolymer of poly aery lie acid, maleic anhydride, and polyacrylamide;

(e) 0% to 9% of a zeolite;

(f) 10% to 30% of a surfactant.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the amount of zeolite is 6 to 9 weight %.

3. The composition of any preceding claim, wherein the alkali metal carbonate is sodium carbonate.

4. The composition of any preceding claim, wherein the surfactant is a combination of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant.

5. The composition of claim 4, wherein the amount of anionic surfactant is 5% to 25% of the composition by weight and the amount of nonionic surfactant is 1% to 10% of the composition by weight.

6. The composition of claim 4, wherein the amount of anionic surfactant is 10% to 15% of the composition by weight and the amount of nonionic surfactant is 1 % to 5% of the composition by weight.

7. The composition of any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the anionic surfactant is a sodium linear alkyl benzene sulfonate and the nonionic surfactant is C₁₂-C₁₄ alcohol ethoxylate with an average of 8 ethylene oxide groups.

8. The composition of claim 7, wherein the anionic surfactant is sodium tridecyl benzene sulfonate.

9. The composition on any of the preceding claims wherein the composition further comprises 0.1% to 10% water by weight, optionally 0.1 to 6% water by weight.

10. The composition of any of the preceding claims wherem the silicate is sodium disilicate.

11. The composition of any of the preceding claims wherein the alkali metal sulfate is sodium sulfate.

12. The composition of any of the preceding claims wherein the zeolite is sodium aluminosilicate.

13. A method of washing fabric comprismg washing the fabric with any the composition of any preceding claim.