ES2902550T3 - laundry detergent - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid laundry detergent composition comprising: a) from 3% to 60% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of one or more detersive surfactants selected from non-soap anionic surfactants, non-ionic surfactants and mixtures thereof; b) from 0.01% to 1% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of a fragrance formulation (f1) that is in the form of free droplets dispersed in the composition; c) from 0.01% to 1% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of a fragrance formulation (f2) that is entrapped within discrete polymeric microparticles dispersed in the composition, wherein the polymeric microparticles are core polymeric microcapsules, wherein at least one continuous generally spherical shell of polymeric material surrounds a core containing the fragrance formulation (f2); wherein the total amount of the fragrance formulation (f1) and the fragrance formulation (f2) ranges from 0.6% to 0.9% by weight based on the total weight of the composition; and wherein the weight ratio of fragrance formulation (f1) to fragrance formulation (f2) in the composition ranges from 40:60 to 60:40; and wherein the polymeric core-shell microcapsule is an aminoplast microcapsule with an aminoplast shell surrounding a core containing the fragrance formulation (f2); wherein a deposition aid is attached to the outside of the framework via a covalent bond.

Description

DESCRIPTION

laundry detergent

field of invention

The present invention relates to liquid laundry detergents containing fragrance, and especially relates to liquid laundry detergents containing a combination of encapsulated and free fragrance.

Background and state of the art

In liquid laundry detergents, the fragrance experienced by consumers is one of the most important attributes. Efficiently delivering the right fragrances to the fabric during the wash process and releasing that fragrance at key moments for the consumer is critical to delivering a clean, fresh garment.

Fragrance delivery at key moments is a difficult target, as garment washing liquids are often designed to wash oily materials or solid particles off the washed fabric. However, fragrances are also typically oily materials.

WO 2010/079467 A2, WO 95/16432 A2, WO 2010/060677 A1, EP 2757146 A1, WO 2017/004339 A1 and CA 2977566 A1 disclose detergent compositions comprising encapsulated fragrance and free fragrance dispersed in the composition.

Fragrance encapsulation allows for improved fragrance deposition on the fabric, as well as delayed fragrance release when the consumer's garment is in use. However, another important moment for the consumer is when the garment is in the “wet” phase, which extends from when the garments are removed from the washing machine, until they are almost dry. There is a need for a composition that provides a good fragrance experience during this phase without significantly compromising fragrance performance at other stages, such as in the composition packaged before use and when the washed garments are dry. However, there is also a desire to reduce manufacturing costs and raw material waste, especially for high value ingredients such as fragrances.

The present invention addresses this problem.

Summary of the invention

The present invention provides a liquid laundry detergent composition comprising: a) from 3% to 60% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of one or more detersive surfactants selected from non-soap anionic surfactants, nonionic and mixtures thereof; b) from 0.01% to 1% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of a fragrance formulation (f1) that is in the form of free droplets dispersed in the composition;

c) from 0.01% to 1% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of a fragrance formulation (f2) that is entrapped within discrete polymeric microparticles dispersed in the composition, wherein the polymeric microparticles are core polymeric microcapsules, wherein at least one continuous generally spherical shell of polymeric material surrounds a core containing the fragrance formulation (12);

wherein the total amount of the fragrance formulation (f1) and the fragrance formulation (f2) ranges from 0.6% to 0.9% by weight based on the total composition;

and wherein the weight ratio of fragrance formulation (f1) to fragrance formulation (f2) in the composition ranges from 40:60 to 60:40; and wherein the polymeric core-shell microcapsule is an aminoplast microcapsule with an aminoplast shell surrounding a core containing the fragrance formulation (f2); wherein a deposition aid is attached to the outside of the framework via a covalent bond.

Detailed Description and Preferred Embodiments

Fragrance formulation (f1)

The fragrance formulation (f1) will typically contain a mixture of selected fragrance components, optionally mixed with one or more excipients. The combined odors of the various aromatic components produce a pleasant or desired fragrance.

The term "fragrant component" in the context of this invention denotes a material that is used essentially for its ability to impart a pleasant odor to a composition (into which it is incorporated), and/or to a surface (to which it is applied), either by itself or in admixture with other such materials. Materials that have these characteristics are generally small molecules, lipophilic, and with sufficient volatility to be transported to the olfactory system at the top of the nose.

Fragrance components for use in the invention will typically have molecular weights of less than 325 atomic mass units, preferably less than 300 atomic mass units, and more preferably less than 275 atomic mass units. The molecular weight is preferably greater than 100 atomic mass units and more preferably greater than 125 atomic mass units, since lower masses may be too volatile and/or insufficiently lipophilic to be effective.

Fragrance components for use in the invention will preferably have a molecular structure that does not contain halogen atoms and/or strongly ionizing functional groups such as sulfonates, sulfates or quaternary ammonium ions.

Fragrance components for use in the invention will more preferably have a molecular structure containing only among, but not necessarily all of, the following atoms: hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur. Most preferably, the aromatic components have a molecular structure containing only, but not necessarily all, of the following atoms: hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen.

Examples of fragrance components include aromatic, aliphatic, and araliphatic hydrocarbons with molecular weights from about 90 to about 250; aromatic, aliphatic and araliphatic esters with molecular weights from about 130 to about 250; aromatic, aliphatic and araliphatic nitriles with molecular weights from about 90 to about 250; aromatic, aliphatic, and araliphatic alcohols with molecular weights from about 90 to about 240 aromatic, aliphatic, and araliphatic ketones with molecular weights from about 150 to about 270; aromatic, aliphatic and araliphatic lactones with molecular weights between approximately 130 and 290; aromatic, aliphatic and araliphatic aldehydes with molecular weights between approximately 90 and 230; aromatic, aliphatic and araliphatic ethers with molecular weights between approximately 150 and 270; and condensation products of aldehydes and amines with molecular weights between about 180 and 320.

Specific examples of aromatic components for use in the invention include:

i) hydrocarbons, such as, for example, D-limonene, 3-carene, a-pinene, p-pinene, a-terpinene, Y-terpinene, pcimene, bisabolene, camphene, caryophyllene, cedrene, farnesene, longifolene, myrcene, ocimene, valencene, (E,Z)-1,3,5-undecatriene, styrene, and diphenylmethane;

ii) aliphatic and araliphatic alcohols, such as, for example, benzyl alcohol, 1-phenylethyl alcohol, 2-phenylethyl alcohol, 3-phenylpropanol, 2-phenylpropanol, 2-phenoxyethanol, 2,2-dimethyl-3-phenylpropanol, 22- dimethyl-3-(3-methylphenyl)propanol, 1,1-dimethyl-2-phenylethyl alcohol, 1,1-dimethyl-3-phenylpropanol, 1-ethyl-1-methyl-3-phenylpropanol, 2-methyl-5- Phenylpentanol, 3-methyl-5-phenylpentanol, 3-phenyl-2-propen-1-ol, 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol, 1-(4-isopropylphenyl)ethanol, hexanol, octanol, 3-octanol, 2,6-dimethylheptanol, 2-methyl-2-heptanol, 2-methyl-2-octanol, (E)-2-hexenol, (E)- and (Z)-3-hexenol, 1-octen-3-ol, a mixture of 3, 4,5,6,6-pentamethyl-3/4-hepten-2-ol and 3,5,6,6-tetramethyl-4-methyleneheptan-2-ol, (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienol, 3,7-dimethyl-7-methoxyoctan-2-ol, 9-decenol, 10-undecenol, and 4-methyl-3-decen-5-ol; iii) cyclic and cycloaliphatic alcohols, such as, for example, 4-tert-butylcyclohexanol, 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexanol, 3-isocamylcyclohexanol, 2,6,9-trimethyl-Z2,Z5,E9-cyclododecatrien-1-ol , 2-isobutyl-4-methyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-ol, alpha, 3,3-trimethylcyclohexylmethanol, 2-methyl-4-(2,2,3-trimethyl-3-cyclopent-1-yl)butanol, 2-methyl-4-(2,2,3-trimethyl-3-cyclopent-1-yl)-2-butanol-1-ol, 2-ethyl-4-(2,2,3-trimethyl-3-cyclopent -1-yl)-2-butanol-1-ol, 3-methyl-5-(2,2,3-trimethyl-3-cyclopent-1-yl)-pentan-2-ol, 3-methyl-5- (2,2,3-trimethyl-3-cyclopent-1-yl)-4-penten-2-ol, 3,3-dimethyl-5-(2,2,3-trimethyl-3-cyclopent-1-yl )-4-penten-2-ol, 1-(2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexyl)pentan-3-ol, and 1-(2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexyl)hexan-3-ol;

iv) aliphatic aldehydes and their acetals, such as, for example, hexanal, heptanal, octanal, nonanal, decanal, undecanal, dodecanal, tridecanal, 2-methyloctanal, 2-methylnonanal, 2-methylundecanal, (E)-2-hexenal ( Z)-4-heptenal, 2,6-dimethyl-5-heptenal, 10-undecenal, (E)-4-decenal, 2-dodecenal, 2,6,10-trimethyl-5,9-undecadienal, heptanaldiethylacetal, 1,1 -dimethoxy-2,2,5-trimethyl-4-hexene and citronellyl oxyacetaldehyde;

v) aliphatic ketones and their oximes, such as, for example, 2-heptanone, 2-octanone, 3-octanone, 2-nonanone, 5-methyl-3-heptanone, 5-methyl-3-heptanone oxime and 2,4 ,4,7-tetramethyl-6-octen-3-one;

vi) aliphatic sulfur-containing compounds, such as, for example, 3-methylhexanol, 3-methylhexyl acetate, 3-mercaptohexanol, 3-mercaptohexyl acetate, 3-mercaptohexyl butyrate, 3-acetylhexyl acetate and 1-menthen- 8-thiol;

vii) aliphatic nitriles, such as, for example, 2-nonenenitrile, 2-tridecenenitrile, 2,12-tridecenenitrile, 3,7-dimethyl-2.6-octadienenitrile and 3,7-dimethyl-6-octenenitrile;

viii) aliphatic carboxylic acids and their esters, such as, for example, (E)- and (Z)-3-hexenylformate, ethyl acetoacetate, isoamyl acetate, hexyl acetate, 3,5,5-trimethylhexyl acetate 3-methyl-2-butenyl acetate, (E)-2-hexenyl acetate, (E)- and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, octyl acetate, 3-octyl acetate, 1-octen- 3-yl, ethyl butyrate, butyl butyrate, isoamyl butyrate, hexyl butyrate, (E)- and (Z)-3-hexenyl isobutyrate, hexyl crotonate, ethylisovalerate, ethyl-2-methyl pentanoate, ethyl hexanoate , allyl hexanoate, ethyl heptanoate, allyl heptanoate, ethyl octanoate, ethyl-(E,Z)-2,4-decadienoate, methyl-2-octinate, methyl-2-noninate, allyl-2-isoamyl oxyacetate and methyl-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienoate;

ix) acyclic terpene alcohols, such as, for example, citronellol; geraniol; nerol; linalool; lavandulol; nerolidol; farnesol; tetrahydrolinalol tetrahydrogeraniol; 2,6-dimethyl-7-octen-2-ol; 2,6-dimethyloctan-2-ol; 2-methyl-6-methylene-7-octen-2-ol; 2,6-dimethyl-5,7-octadien-2-ol; 2,6-dimethyl-3,5-octadien-2-ol; 3,7-dimethyl-4,6-octadien-3-ol; 3,7-dimethyl-1.5.7-octatrien-3-ol 2,6-dimethyl-2,5,7-octatrien-1-ol; as well as formates, acetates, propionates, isobutyrates, butyrates, isovalerates, pentanoates, hexanoates, crotonates, tiglinates and 3-methyl-2-butenoates thereof; x) acyclic terpene aldehydes and ketones, such as, for example, geranial, neral, citronellal, 7-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyloctanal, 7-methoxy-3,7-dimethyloctanal, 2,6,10-trimethyl-9- undecenal, a-sinensal, p-sinensal, geranylacetone, as well as the dimethyl and diethyl acetals of geranial, neral and 7-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyloctanal;

xi) cyclic terpene alcohols, such as, for example, menthol, isopulegol, alpha-terpineol, terpinen-4-ol, menthan-8-ol, menthan-1-ol, menthan-7-ol, borneol, isoborneol, iron oxide linalool, nopol, cedrol, ambrinol, vetiverol, guaiol, and the formates, acetates, propionates, isobutyrates, butyrates, isovalerates, pentanoates, hexanoates, crotonates, tiglinates, and 3-methyl-2-butenoates of alpha-terpineol, terpinen-4- ol, methan-8-ol, methan-1-ol, methan-7-ol, borneol, isoborneol, linalool oxide, nopol, cedrol, ambrinol, vetiverol, and guaiol;

xii) cyclic terpene aldehydes and ketones, such as, for example, menthone, isomenthone, 8-mercaptomenthane-3-one, carvone, camphor, fenchone, a-ionone, p-ionone, a-n-methylionone, p-n-methylionone, a- isomethylionone, pisomethylionone, alpha-irone, a-damascone, p-damascone, p-damascenone, 5-damascone, Y-damascone, 1-(2,4,4-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl)-2- buten-1-one, 1,3,4,6,7,8a-hexahydro-1,1,5,5-tetramethyl-2H-2,4a-methanonaphthalene-8(5H)-one, nootkatone, dihydronootkatone and cedryl methyl ketone;

xiii) cyclic and cycloaliphatic ethers, such as, for example, cineole, cedryl methyl ether, cyclododecyl methyl ether, alpha-cedrene (ethoxy-methoxy)cyclododecane epoxide, 3a,6,6,9a-tetramethyldodecahydronaphtho[2,1 -b]furan, 3a-ethyl-6,6,9a-trimethyldodecahydronaphtho[2,1-b]furan, 1,5,9-trimethyl-13-oxabicyclo[10.1.0]-trideca-4,8-diene, rose oxide and 2-(2,4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexene-1-yl)-5-methyl-5-(1-methylpropyl)-1,3-dioxane;

xiv) cyclic ketones, such as, for example, 4-tert-butylcyclohexanone, 2,2,5-trimethyl-5-cyclopentanone, 2-heptylcyclopentanone, 2-pentylcyclopentanone, 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-cyclopenten-1 -one, 3-methyl-cis-2-penten-1-yl-2-cyclopenten-1-one, 3-methyl-2-pentyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one, 3-methyl-4-cyclopentadecenone 3- methyl-5-cyclopentadecenone, 3-methylcyclopentadecanone, 4-(1-ethoxyvinyl)-3,3,5,5-tetramethylcyclohexanone, 4-tertpentylocyclohexanone, 5-cyclohexadecen-1-one, 6,7-dihydro-1,1, 2,3,3-pentamethyl-4(5H)-indanone, 5-cyclohexadecen-1-one, 8-cyclohexadecen-1-one, 9-cycloheptadecen-1-one, and cyclopentadecanone;

xv) cycloaliphatic aldehydes and ketones, such as, for example, 2,4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexene carbaldehyde, 2-methyl-4-(2,2,6-trimethyl-cyclohexen-1-yl)-2-butenal, 4-(4-hydroxy-4-methylpentyl)-3-cyclohexene carbaldehyde, 4-(4-methyl-3-penten-1-yl)-3-cyclohexene carbaldehyde, 1-(3,3-dimethylcyclohexyl)-4- penten-1-one, 1 -(5,5-dimethyl-1 -cyclohexen-1-yl)-4-penten-1-one, 2,3,8,8-tetramethyl-1,2,3,4, 5,6,7,8-octahydro-2-naphthalenyl methyl-ketone, methyl-2,6,10-trimethyl-2,5,9-cyclododecatrienyl ketone and tert-butyl-(2,4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexen -1-yl) ketone;

xvi) esters of cyclic alcohols, such as, for example, 2-tert-butyl-cyclohexyl acetate, 4-tert-butyl-cyclohexyl acetate, 2-tert-pentyl-cyclohexyl acetate, 4-tert-pentyl-cyclohexyl acetate , Decahydro-2-naphthyl acetate, 3-pentyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl acetate, Decahydro-2,5,5,8a-tetramethyl-2-naphthyl acetate, 4,7-methan-3a,4 acetate ,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-5 or 6-indenyl, 4,7-methan-3a,4,5,6,77a-hexahydro-5 or 6-indenyl propionate, 4,7-methan isobutyrate -3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-5 or 6-indenyl and 4,7-methaneoctahydro-5 or 6-indenyl acetate;

xvii) Cycloaliphatic carboxylic acid esters, such as, for example, allyl 3-cyclohexylpropionate, allyl cyclohexyloxyacetate, methyl dihydrojasmonate, methyl jasmonate, methyl 2-hexyl-3-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate, 2-ethyl-6 ethyl,6-dimethyl-2-cyclohexenecarboxylate, ethyl 2,3,6,6-tetramethyl-2-cyclohexenecarboxylate and ethyl 2-methyl-1,3-dioxolane-2-acetate;

xviii) esters of araliphatic alcohols and aliphatic carboxylic acids, such as, for example, benzyl acetate, benzyl propionate, benzyl isobutyrate, benzyl isovalerate, 2-phenylethyl acetate, 2-phenylethyl propionate, 2- phenylethyl, 2-phenylethyl isovalerate, 1-phenylethyl acetate, atrichloromethylbenzyl acetate, α,α-dimethylphenylethyl acetate, α,α-dimethylphenylethyl butyrate, cinnamyl acetate, 2-phenoxyethyl isobutyrate, and 4-methoxybenzyl acetate;

xix) araliphatic ethers and their acetals, such as, for example, 2-phenylethyl methyl ether, 2-phenylethyl isoamyl ether, 2-phenylethyl cyclohexyl ether, 2-phenylethyl-1-ethoxyethyl ether, 2-phenylethyl dimethyl acetal phenylacetaldehyde, Phenylacetaldehyde Diethyl Acetal, 2-Phenylpropionaldehyde Dimethyl Acetal, Phenylacetaldehyde Glycerol Acetal, 2,4,6-Trimethyl-4-phenyl-1,3-dioxane, 4,4a,5,9b-tetrahydroindeno[1,2-d ]-m-dioxin and 4,4a,5,9btetrahydro-2,4-dimethylindeno[1,2-d]-m-dioxin;

xx) aromatic and araliphatic aldehydes and ketones, such as, for example, benzaldehyde; phenylacetaldehyde, 3-phenylpropanal, 2-phenylpropanal, 4-methylbenzaldehyde, 4-methylphenylacetaldehyde, 3-(4-ethylphenyl)-2,2-dimethylpropanal, 2-methyl-3-(4-isopropylphenyl)propanal, 2-methyl-3-( 4-tert-butylphenyl)propanal, 3-(4-tert-butylphenyl)propanal, cinnamaldehyde, alpha-butylcinnamaldehyde, alpha-amylcinnamaldehyde, alpha-hexylcinnamaldehyde, 3-methyl-5-phenylpentanal, 4-methoxybenzaldehyde, 4-hydroxy-3 -methoxybenzaldehyde, 4-hydroxy-3-ethoxybenzaldehyde, 3,4-methylenedioxybenzaldehyde, 3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde, 2-methyl-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propanal, 2-methyl-3-(4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propanal, acetophenone , 4-methylacetophenone, 4-methoxyacetophenone, 4-tert-butyl-2,6-dimethylacetophenone, 4-phenyl-2-butanone, 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone, 1-(2-naphthalenyl)ethanone, Benzophenone, 1,1,2,3,3,6-hexamethyl-5-indanyl methyl ketone, 6-tert-butyl-1,1-dimethyl-4-indanyl methyl ketone, 1-[2,3-dihydro- 1,1,2,6-tetramethyl-3-(1-methyl-ethyl)-1H-5-indenyl]ethanone and 5',6',7',8'-tetrahydro-3',5',5' ,6',8',8'-hexamethyl-2-acetone;

xxi) aromatic and araliphatic carboxylic acids and their esters, such as, for example, benzoic acid, phenylacetic acid, methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, hexyl benzoate, benzyl benzoate, methyl phenylacetate, ethyl phenylacetate, geranyl phenylacetate , methyl cinnamate, ethyl cinnamate, benzyl cinnamate, phenylethyl cinnamate, cinnamyl cinnamate, allyl phenoxyacetate, methyl salicylate, isoamyl salicylate, hexyl salicylate, cyclohexyl salicylate, cis-3-hexenyl salicylate, salicylate from benzyl, phenylethyl salicylate, methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-3,6-dimethylbenzoate, ethyl 3-phenylglycidate and ethyl 3-methylglycidate;

xxii) nitrogen-containing aromatic compounds, such as, for example, 2,4,6-trinitro-1,3-dimethyl-5-tert-butylbenzene, 3,5-dinitro-2,6-dimethyl-4-tert-butylacetophenone, cinnamonitrile, 5-phenyl-3-methyl-2-pentenenitrile, 5-phenyl-3-methylpentanenitrile, methyl anthranilate, methyl-N-methylanthranilate, Schiff bases of methyl anthranilate with 7-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyloctanal, 2-methyl-3-(4-tert-butylphenyl)propanal or 2,4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexene carbaldehyde, 6-isopropylquinoline, 6-isobutylquinoline, 6-sec-butylquinoline, indole, skatole, 2-methoxy-3 -isopropylpyrazine and 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine;

xxiii) phenols, phenyl ethers and phenyl esters, such as, for example, estragole, anethole, eugenol, eugenyl methyl ether, isoeugenol, isoeugenol methyl ether, thymol, carvacrol, diphenyl ether, beta-naphthyl methyl ether, beta-naphthyl ethyl ether, beta-naphthyl isobutyl ether, 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, eugenyl acetate, 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol, 2-ethoxy-5-(1-propenyl)phenol, and p-cresyl phenylacetate ;

xxiv) heterocyclic compounds, such as, for example, 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-2H-furan-3-one, 2-ethyl-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-2H-furan-3-one, 3 -hydroxy-2-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one, 2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one;

xxv) lactones, such as, for example, 1,4-octanolide, 3-methyl-1,4-octanolide, 1,4-nonanolide, 1,4-decanolide, 8-decen-1,4-olide, 1, 4-undecanolide, 1,4-dodecanolide, 1,5-decanolide, 1,15-pentadecanolide, cis- and trans-1'-pentadecene-1,15-olide cis- and trans-12-pentadecane-1,15- olide, 1,16-hexadecanolide, 9-hexadecano-1,16-olide, 10-oxa-1,16-hexadecanolide, 11-oxa-1,16-hexadecanolide, 12-oxa-1,16-hexadecanolide, ethylene- 1,12-dodecanedioate, ethylene-1,13-tridecanedioate, coumarin, 2,3-dihydrocoumarin and octahydrocoumarin.

Natural exudates, such as essential oils extracted from plants, can also be used as flavor components in the invention. Essential oils are typically extracted using steam distillation, solid phase extraction, cold pressing, solvent extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, hydrodistillation, or co-distillation-extraction. Essential oils can come from different parts of the plant, such as leaves, flowers, roots, buds, twigs, rhizomes, heartwood, bark, resin, seeds, and fruits. The main plant families from which essential oils are extracted are Asteraceae, Myrtaceae, Lauraceae, Lamiaceae, Myrtaceae, Rutaceae, and Zingiberaceae. The oil is "essential" in the sense that it carries a distinctive scent, or essence, of the plant.

Essential oils are understood by those skilled in the art to be complex mixtures that are generally made up of several tens or hundreds of components. Most of these components have an isoprenoid skeleton with 10 carbon atoms (monoterpenes), 15 carbon atoms (sesquiterpenes) or 20 carbon atoms (diterpenes). Minor amounts of other components can also be found, such as alcohols, aldehydes, esters, and phenols. However, an individual essential oil is often considered a single ingredient in the context of practical fragrance formulation. Therefore, an individual essential oil can be considered as a single fragrance component for purposes of this invention.

Specific examples of essential oils for use as fragrance components in the invention include cedarwood oil, juniper oil, cumin oil, cinnamon bark oil, camphor oil, rosewood oil, ginger oil, basil oil, eucalyptus oil, lemongrass oil, peppermint oil, rosemary oil, spearmint oil, tea tree oil, frankincense oil, chamomile oil, clove oil, jasmine oil, oil lavender oil, rose oil, ylang-ylang oil, bergamot oil, grapefruit oil, lemon oil, lime oil, orange oil, fir needle oil, galbanum oil, geranium oil, grapefruit oil , pine needle oil, caraway oil, labdanum oil, lovage, marjoram oil, mandarin oil, clary sage oil, nutmeg oil, myrtle oil, clove oil, neroli oil, patchouli oil, sandalwood oil, thyme oil, verbena oil, vetiver oil and oil of wintergreen.

The number of different fragrance components contained in the fragrance formulation (f1) will generally be at least 4, preferably at least 6, more preferably at least 8 and most preferably at least 10, such as for example 10 to 200 and more preferably from 10 to 100.

Typically, no single fragrance component will comprise more than 70% by weight of the total weight of the fragrance formulation (f1). Preferably, no single fragrance component will comprise more than 60% by weight of the total weight of the fragrance formulation (f1), and more preferably no single fragrance component will comprise more than 50% by weight of the total weight of the fragrance formulation (f1 ).

The term "fragrance formulation" in the context of this invention denotes the fragrance components as defined above, plus any optional excipients. Excipients can be included in fragrance formulations for a variety of purposes, for example, as solvents for insoluble or poorly soluble components, as diluents for more potent components, or to control the vapor pressure and evaporation characteristics of the fragrance formulation. fragrance. Excipients may have many of the characteristics of aromatic compounds, but do not have strong odors of their own. Consequently, excipients can be distinguished from fragrance components in that they can be added to fragrance formulations in high proportions, such as 30% or even 50% by weight of the total weight of the fragrance formulation, without significantly changing the odor quality of the fragrance formulation. Some examples of suitable excipients are ethanol, isopropanol, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, dipropylene glycol, diethyl phthalate, and trityl citrate. Mixtures of any of the materials described above may also be suitable.

A suitable fragrance formulation (f1) for use in the invention comprises a mixture of at least 10 fragrance components selected from hydrocarbons i); aliphatic and araliphatic alcohols ii); aliphatic aldehydes and their acetals iv); aliphatic carboxylic acids and their esters viii); acyclic terpene alcohols ix); cyclic terpene aldehydes and ketones xii); cyclic and cycloaliphatic ethers xiii); esters of cyclic alcohols xvi); esters of araliphatic alcohols and aliphatic carboxylic acids xviii); araliphatic ethers and their acetals xix); aromatic and araliphatic aldehydes and ketones xx) and aromatic and araliphatic carboxylic acids and their esters xxi); as described and exemplified above.

The content of the fragrance components preferably ranges from 50% to 100%, more preferably from 60% to 100%, and most preferably from 75% to 100% by weight, based on the total weight of the formulation. fragrance (f1); with one or more excipients (as described above) constituting the balance of the fragrance formulation (f1) as necessary.

The fragrance formulation (f1) is in the form of free droplets dispersed in the composition. The term "free droplets" in the context of this invention denotes droplets that are not trapped within discrete polymeric microparticles.

In a typical liquid garment detergent composition according to the invention, the level of fragrance formulation (f1) will generally range from 0.1% to 0.75%, and preferably range from 0.3%. and 0.6% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

Fragrance formulation (f2)

A fragrance formulation (f2) for use in the invention will typically contain a mixture of selected fragrance components, optionally mixed with one or more excipients, as described above for fragrance formulation (f1).

The fragrance formulation (f2) and the fragrance formulation (f1) may be the same or different. The fragrance formulation (f2) is entrapped within discrete polymeric microparticles dispersed throughout the composition.

The microparticle used in the invention is a microcapsule. Microencapsulation can be defined as the process of surrounding or wrapping one substance within another on a very small scale, to give rise to capsules ranging in size from less than one micrometer to several hundred micrometers. The material that is encapsulated may be referred to as the core, active ingredient or agent, filler, payload, core, or internal phase. The material that encapsulates the core can be called a cladding, membrane, shell, or wall material.

Microcapsules have at least one continuous, generally spherical shell surrounding the core. The shell may contain pores, vacancies, or interstitial openings depending on the materials and encapsulation techniques used. The multiple shells may be made of the same or different encapsulating materials, and may be arranged in layers of different thickness around the core.

The shell may have a barrier function protecting the core material from the external environment of the microcapsule, but it may also act as a means to modulate the release of core materials, such as like the fragrance. Thus, a shell may be water-soluble or water-swellable, and fragrance release may be triggered in response to exposure of the microcapsules to a humid environment. Similarly, if a shell is temperature sensitive, a microcapsule could release fragrance in response to elevated temperatures. The microcapsules can also release fragrance in response to shear forces that are applied to the surface of the microcapsules.

The polymeric microparticle for use in the invention is a core-shell polymeric microcapsule in which at least one continuous generally spherical shell of polymeric material surrounds a core containing the fragrance formulation (f2). The scaffold will typically comprise at most 20% by weight based on the total weight of the microcapsule. The fragrance formulation (f2) will typically comprise from about 10% to about 60% and preferably from about 20% to about 40% by weight based on the total weight of the microcapsule. The amount of fragrance (f2) can be measured by taking a paste of the microcapsules, extracting it into ethanol and measuring it by means of liquid chromatography.

The core-shell type polymeric microcapsules can be prepared by methods known to those skilled in the art, such as coacervation, interfacial polymerization and polycondensation.

The coacervation process typically involves the encapsulation of a generally water-insoluble core material through the precipitation of colloidal materials on the surface of droplets of the material. Coacervation can be simple, for example, using one colloid such as gelatin, or complex, in which two or possibly more colloids of opposite charge, such as gelatin and gum arabic or gelatin and carboxymethylcellulose, are used under carefully controlled conditions. controlled pH, temperature and concentration.

Interfacial polymerization typically proceeds with the formation of a fine dispersion of oil droplets (the oil droplets containing the core material) in a continuous aqueous phase. The dispersed droplets form the core of the future microcapsule, and the dimensions of the dispersed droplets directly determine the size of subsequent microcapsules. The materials that form the microcapsule shell (monomers or oligomers) are contained in both the dispersed phase (oil droplets) and the continuous aqueous phase and react together at the phase interface to build a polymeric wall around the oil droplets. oil, to thereby encapsulate the droplets and form shell microcapsules. An example of a core microcapsule produced by this process is a polyurea microcapsule with a shell formed by the reaction of diisocyanates or polyisocyanates with diamines or polyamines. Polycondensation involves the formation of a dispersion or emulsion of the core material in an aqueous solution of precondensate of polymeric materials under suitable conditions of agitation to produce capsules of a desired size, and the adjustment of reaction conditions to cause condensation of the precondensate. via acid catalysis, causing the condensate to come out of solution and surround the dispersed core material to produce a coherent film and the desired microcapsules. An example of a core microcapsule produced by this process is an aminoplast microcapsule with a shell formed by the polycondensation product of melamine (2,4,6-triamino-1,3,5-triazine) or urea with formaldehyde. Suitable crosslinking agents (eg toluene diisocyanate, divinylbenzene, butanediol diacrylate) and, as appropriate, secondary wall polymers, eg anhydrides and their derivatives, in particular polymers and copolymers of maleic anhydride, may also be used. .

The polymeric core-shell microcapsule for use in the invention is an aminoplast microcapsule with an aminoplast shell surrounding a core containing the fragrance formulation (f2). More preferably, said aminoplast envelope is formed from the polycondensation product of melamine with formaldehyde.

Polymeric microparticles suitable for use in the invention will generally have an average particle size between 100 nanometers and 50 microns. The largest particles fall into the visible range. Examples of particles in the sub-micron range are latexes and mini-emulsions with a typical size range of 100 to 600 nanometers. The preferred particle size range is in the micron range. Examples of particles in the micron range are core polymeric microcapsules (such as those described above) with a typical size range of 1 to 50 microns, preferably 5 to 30 microns. The average particle size can be determined by light scattering using a Malvern Mastersizer, taking the average particle size as the median particle size value D(0.5) . The particle size distribution can be narrow, broad, or multimodal. If necessary, the initially produced microcapsules can be filtered or sieved to obtain a product of greater size uniformity.

Polymeric microparticles for use in the invention are provided with a deposition aid on the outer surface of the microparticle. Deposition aids serve to modify the properties of the exterior of the microparticle, for example to make the microparticle more substantive to a desired substrate. Desired substrates are cellulosics (including cotton) and polyesters (including those used in the manufacture of polyester fabrics).

In core-shell polymeric microcapsules, a deposition aid is attached to the outside of the shell by through a covalent bond. Although it is preferred that the deposition aid is attached directly to the outside of the framework, it may also be attached through some sort of link.

Deposition aids for use in the invention may be suitably selected from polysaccharides having an affinity for cellulose. Such polysaccharides may be natural or synthetic and may have an intrinsic affinity for cellulose or may have been derived or otherwise modified to have an affinity for cellulose. Suitable polysaccharides have a backbone structure of p-glycans (generalized sugars) with at least 4, and preferably at least 10 backbone residues that are p1-4 linked, such as a glycan backbone (consisting of p1- 4 linked glucose residues), a mannan backbone (consisting of linked p1-4 mannose residues), or a xylan backbone (consisting of linked p1-4 xylose residues). Examples of these p1-4 linked polysaccharides are xyloglucans, glucomannans, mannans, galactomannans, p(1-3),(1-4) glucans, and the family of xylans incorporating glucurono-, arabino-, and glucuronoarabinoxylans. Preferred p1-4 linked polysaccharides for use in the invention may be selected from xyloglucans of plant origin, such as pea xyloglucan and tamarind seed xyloglucan (TXG) (which has a p1-linked glycan backbone). 4 with a-D-xylopyranose and p-D-galactopyranose-(1-2)-a-D-xypyranose side chains, both 1-6 attached to the backbone); and plant-derived galactomannans, such as locust bean gum (LBG) (which has a mannan backbone of p1-4 linked mannose residues, with single-unit galactose side chains linked a1-6 to the backbone ).

Also suitable are polysaccharides that can gain affinity for cellulose upon hydrolysis, such as cellulose monoacetate; or cellulose affinity modified polysaccharides, such as hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl agar, hydroxyethylcellulose and methylcellulose.

Deposition aids for use in the invention may also be selected from phthalate-containing polymers with an affinity for polyester. Such phthalate-containing polymers may have one or more nonionic hydrophilic segments comprising oxyalkylene groups (such as oxyethylene, polyoxyethylene, oxypropylene or polyoxypropylene groups), and one or more hydrophobic segments comprising terephthalate groups. Typically, the oxyalkylene groups will have a degree of polymerization of from 1 to about 400, preferably from 100 to about 350, more preferably from 200 to about 300. A suitable example of such a phthalate-containing polymer is a copolymer having random blocks of ethylene terephthalate and polyethylene oxide terephthalate.

Mixtures of any of the materials described above may also be suitable.

Deposition aids for use in the invention will generally have an average molecular weight (M ^w ) in the range of from about 5 kDa to about 500 kDa, preferably from about 10 kDa to about 500 kDa, and more preferably from about 20 kDa to about 500 kDa. 300 kDa. An example of a particularly preferred core-shell polymeric microcapsule for use in the invention is an aminoplast microcapsule with a shell formed by the polycondensation of melamine with formaldehyde; surrounding a core containing the fragrance formulation (f2); in which a deposition aid is attached to the exterior of the framework by means of a covalent bond. The preferred deposition aid is selected from pl-4 linked polysaccharides, and in particular xyloglucans of plant origin, as described above.

The present inventors were surprised to find that it is possible to reduce the overall level of fragrance included in the composition of the invention without sacrificing the overall fragrance experience provided to the consumer at key stages of the laundry process. Reducing the overall level of fragrance is advantageous for cost and environmental reasons.

The weight ratio of fragrance formulation (f1) to fragrance formulation (f2) in the composition of the invention preferably ranges from 60:40 to 45:55. Especially good results were obtained with a weight ratio of fragrance formulation (f1) to fragrance formulation (f2) of about 50:50.

Fragrance (f1) and fragrance (f2) are typically incorporated at different stages of formation of the composition of the invention. Typically, the discrete polymeric microparticles (eg, microcapsules) containing the fragrance formulation (f2) are added as a slurry to a heated base formulation comprising other composition components (such as surfactants and solvents). The fragrance (f1) is usually dosed later, after the base formulation has cooled down.

Liquid laundry detergents

The term "garment detergent" in the context of this invention denotes formulated compositions intended for and capable of wetting and cleaning household items, such as garments, linens and other home textiles. The term “white garment” is often used to describe certain types of laundry items, including sheets, pillowcases, towels, tablecloths, napkins, and uniforms. The textiles can include woven fabrics, nonwoven fabrics, and knitted fabrics; and may include natural or synthetic fibers such as silk fibers, flax fibers, cotton fibers, polyester fibers, polyamide fibers such as nylon, acrylic fibers, acetate fibers, and blends thereof, including blends of cotton and polyester.

Examples of liquid laundry detergents include heavy duty liquid detergents used in the wash cycle of automatic washing machines, as well as fine wash liquid detergents and color care liquid detergents. , such as those suitable for washing delicate garments (for example, silk or wool), either by hand or in the wash cycle of automatic washing machines.

The term "liquid" in the context of this invention denotes that a continuous phase or predominant part of the composition is liquid and that the composition is fluid at 15°C and above. Accordingly, the term "liquid" can encompass emulsions, suspensions, and compositions of fluid but more rigid consistency, known as gels or pastes. The viscosity of the composition may conveniently range from about 200 to about 10,000 mPa.s at 25°C at a shear rate of 21 sec-1. This shear rate is what is normally exerted on the liquid when it is poured from a bottle. Pourable liquid detergent compositions generally have a viscosity of from 200 to 1,500 mPa.s, preferably from 200 to 500 mPa.s. Liquid detergent compositions that are pourable gels generally have a viscosity of from 1,500 mPa.s to 6,000 mPa.s, preferably from 1,500 mPa.s to 2,000 mPa.s.

A composition according to the invention may conveniently have an aqueous continuous phase. By "aqueous continuous phase" is meant a continuous phase that is water-based. Compositions with an aqueous continuous phase will generally comprise 15% to 95%, preferably 20% to 90%, more preferably 25% to 85% water (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

A composition according to the invention may also have a low water content, for example when the composition is intended to be packaged in a wash water soluble polymeric film. Low water content compositions will generally comprise no more than 20%, and preferably no more than 10%, such as for example 5% to 10% water (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

A composition of the invention with an aqueous continuous phase preferably has a pH in the range of 5 to 9, more preferably 6 to 8, when measured by diluting the composition to 1% using demineralized water.

The composition of the invention comprises from 3% to 60%, preferably from 5% to 40%, and more preferably from 6% to 30% by weight based on the total weight of the composition of one or more detersive surfactants selected from anionic surfactants non-soaps, non-ionic surfactants and mixtures thereof.

The term "detersive surfactant" in the context of this invention denotes a surfactant that provides a detersive (ie cleaning) effect to garments treated as part of a home laundering process. Non-soap anionic surfactants for use in the invention are typically organic sulfate and sulfonate salts having alkyl radicals containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, the term "alkyl" being used to include the alkyl portion of acyl radicals. superiors. Examples of these materials are alkyl sulfates, alkyl ether sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, alpha-olefin sulfonates, and mixtures thereof. The alkyl radicals preferably contain from 10 to 18 carbon atoms and may be unsaturated. The alkyl ether sulfates may contain from one to ten ethylene oxide or propylene oxide units per molecule, and preferably contain from one to three ethylene oxide units per molecule. The counterion of anionic surfactants is usually an alkali metal, such as sodium or potassium, or an ammoniacal counterion, such as monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), or triethanolamine (TEA). Mixtures of said counterions can also be used.

A preferred class of non-soap anionic surfactant for use in the invention includes alkylbenzene sulphonates, particularly linear alkylbenzene sulphonates (LAS) with an alkyl chain length of 10 to 18 carbon atoms. Commercial LAS is a mixture of closely related alkyl chain homologues and isomers, each containing a sulfonated aromatic ring at the para position and attached to a linear alkyl chain at any position except the terminal carbons. The linear alkyl chain typically has a chain length of 11 to 15 carbon atoms, with the predominant materials being those with a chain length of about C12. Each alkyl chain homologue consists of a mixture of all possible sulfophenyl isomers except the 1-phenyl isomer. LAS is typically formulated into compositions in acid (ie, HLAS) form and then at least partially neutralized in situ.

Alkyl ether sulfates having a straight or branched chain alkyl group having 10 to 18, more preferably 12 to 14 carbon atoms and containing an average of 1 to 3 EO units per molecule are also suitable. A preferred example is sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), in which the predominantly C12 lauryl alkyl group has been ethoxylated with an average of 3 EO units per molecule.

Any alkyl sulfate (PAS) surfactants can be used, such as non-ethoxylated primary and secondary alkyl sulfates with an alkyl chain length of 10 to 18.

Mixtures of any of the materials described above can also be used. A preferred mixture of non-soap anionic surfactants for use in the invention comprises linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (preferably C ¹¹ to C ¹⁵ linear alkylbenzene sulfonate) and sodium lauryl ether sulfate. (preferably ^C10 to ^C18 ethoxylated alkyl sulfate with an average of 1 to 3 EO)

In a composition of the invention, the total level of non-soap anionic surfactant may conveniently range from 5% to 15% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

Nonionic surfactants for use in the invention are typically polyoxyalkylene compounds, that is, the reaction product of alkylene oxides (such as ethylene oxide or propylene oxide or mixtures thereof) with initiator molecules having a hydrophobic group and a hydrogen atom reactive with alkylene oxide. Such starter molecules include alcohols, acids, amides, or alkylphenols. When the starting molecule is an alcohol, the reaction product is known as an alcohol alkoxylate. Polyoxyalkylene compounds can have a variety of block and heteroclite (random) structures. For example, they may comprise a single alkylene oxide block, or they may be diblock alkoxylates or triblock alkoxylates. Within block structures, the blocks may be all ethylene oxide or all propylene oxide, or the blocks may contain a heteronomous mixture of alkylene oxides. Examples of these materials are C ⁸ to C ²² alkylphenol ethoxylates averaging 5 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alkylphenol; and aliphatic alcohol ethoxylates such as C ⁸ to C ¹⁸ primary or secondary alcohol ethoxylates averaging from 2 to 40 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol.

A preferred class of nonionic surfactant for use in the invention includes C ⁸ to C ¹⁸ , more preferably C ¹² to C ¹⁵ , aliphatic primary linear alcohol ethoxylates, averaging 3 to 20, more preferably 5 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol.

In a composition of the invention, the total level of nonionic surfactant will conveniently range from 1% to 10% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

A mixture of non-soap anionic and nonionic surfactants for use in the invention comprises linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (preferably linear ^C11 to C15 ^alkylbenzene sulfonate), sodium lauryl ether sulfate (preferably ^C10 to ^C18 alkyl sulfate). ethoxylated with an average of 1 to 3 EO) and ethoxylated aliphatic alcohol (preferably C ¹² to C ¹⁵ primary linear alcohol ethoxylated with an average of 5 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol).

The weight ratio of total non-soap anionic surfactant to total nonionic surfactant in a composition of the invention conveniently ranges from about 3:1 to about 1:1.

optional ingredients

A composition of the invention may contain other optional ingredients to improve performance and/or consumer acceptability, as follows:

non-aqueous carriers

A composition of the invention may incorporate non-aqueous carriers such as hydrotropes, cosolvents, and phase stabilizers. Such materials are typically water-soluble or water-miscible, low molecular weight organic liquids, such as C1 to C5 monohydric alcohols (such as ethanol and n- or i-propanol); C2 to C6 diols (such as monopropylene glycol and dipropylene glycol); C3 to C9 triols (such as glycerol); polyethylene glycols with an average molecular weight (M ^w ) ranging from about 200 to about 600; C1 to C3 alkanolamines, such as mono-, di-, and triethanolamines; and alkyl-aryl sulfonates with up to 3 carbon atoms in the lower alkyl group (such as sodium and potassium sulfonates of xylene, toluene, ethylbenzene and isopropylbenzene (cumene)).

Mixtures of any of the materials described above can also be used.

Non-aqueous carriers, when included, may be present in an amount ranging from 0.1% to 20%, preferably 1% to 15%, and more preferably 3% to 12% ( by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

Cosurfactants

A composition of the invention may contain one or more co-surfactants (such as amphoteric (zwitterionic) and/or cationic surfactants) in addition to the anionic and/or nonionic non-soap detersive surfactants described above.

Specific cationic surfactants include C8 to C18 dimethyl ammonium halides and their derivatives, in which one or two hydroxyethyl groups are substituted for one or two of the methyl groups, and mixtures thereof. The cationic surfactant, when included, may be present in an amount ranging from 0.1% to 5% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

Specific amphoteric (zwitterionic) surfactants include alkyl amine oxides, alkyl betaines, alkyl amidopropyl betaines, alkyl sulfobetaines (sultaines), alkyl glycinates, alkyl carboxyglycinates, alkyl amphoacetates, alkyl amphopropionates, alkylamphoglycinates, alkyl amidopropyl hydroxysultaines, acyl taurates, and acyl glutamates, having alkyl radicals containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, the term "alkyl" is used to include the alkyl portion of the higher acyl radicals. The amphoteric (zwitterionic) surfactant, when included, may be present in an amount ranging from 0.1% to 5% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

Mixtures of any of the materials described above can also be used.

builders

A composition of the invention may contain one or more builders. Builders improve or maintain the cleaning efficacy of the surfactant, primarily by reducing water hardness. This is done either through sequestration or chelation (by keeping hardness minerals in solution), through precipitation (by forming an insoluble substance), or through ion exchange (by exchanging electrically charged particles).

Builders for use in the invention may be of the organic or inorganic type, or a mixture thereof. Suitable inorganic builders include hydroxides, carbonates, sesquicarbonates, bicarbonates, silicates, zeolites, and mixtures thereof. Specific examples of these materials are sodium and potassium hydroxide, sodium and potassium carbonate, sodium and potassium bicarbonate, sodium sesquicarbonate, sodium silicate, and mixtures thereof.

Suitable organic builders include polycarboxylates, in acid and/or salt form. When used in salt form, the alkali metal (eg, sodium and potassium) or alkanolammonium salts are preferred. Specific examples of these materials are sodium and potassium citrates, sodium and potassium tartrates, sodium and potassium salts of tartaric acid monosuccinate, sodium and potassium salts of tartaric acid disuccinate, sodium and potassium ethylenediaminetetraacetates. potassium, sodium and potassium N(2-hydroxyethyl)-ethylenediamine triacetates, sodium and potassium nitrilotriacetates and N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-nitrilodiacetates. Polymeric polycarboxylates can also be used, such as polymers of unsaturated monocarboxylic acids (eg, acrylic, methacrylic, vinylacetic, and crotonic acids) and/or unsaturated dicarboxylic acids (eg, maleic, fumaric, itaconic, mesaconic, and citraconic acids and their anhydrides). ). Specific examples of these materials are polyacrylic acid, polymaleic acid, and copolymers of acrylic and maleic acid. The polymers may be in acid, salt, or partially neutralized form and may have a molecular weight (Mw) ranging from about 1,000 to 100,000, preferably from about 2,000 to 85,000, and more preferably from about 2,500 to 75,000.

Mixtures of any of the materials described above can also be used. Preferred builders for use in the invention may be selected from polycarboxylates (eg citrates) in acid and/or salt form and mixtures thereof.

The builder, when included, may be present in an amount ranging from about 0.1% to about 20%, preferably from about 0.5% to about 15%, and more preferably from about 1% to 10%. % approximately (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

Transition ion chelating agents

A composition of the invention may contain one or more chelating agents for transition metal ions such as iron, copper and manganese. These chelating agents can help improve the stability of the composition and protect, for example, against transition metal catalyzed decomposition of certain ingredients.

Suitable transition metal ion chelating agents include phosphonates, in acid and/or salt form. When used in salt form, the alkali metal (eg sodium and potassium) or alkanolammonium salts are preferred. Specific examples of such materials include aminotris(methylene phosphonic) acid (ATMP), 1-hydroxyethylidene diphosphonic acid (HEDP), and diethylenetriamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid (DTPMP) and their respective sodium or potassium salts. HEDP Mixtures of any of the materials described above may also be used.

Transition metal ion chelating agents, when included, may be present in an amount ranging from about 0.1% to about 10%, preferably from 0.1% to 3%. approximately (by weight, based on the total weight of the composition).

Fatty acid

A composition of the invention will preferably contain one or more fatty acids and/or salts thereof. Suitable fatty acids in the context of this invention include aliphatic carboxylic acids of the formula RCOOH, where R is a straight or branched chain alkyl or alkenyl containing from 6 to 24, more preferably from 10 to 22, even more preferably from 12 to 18 carbon atoms and 0 or 1 double bond. Preferred examples of such materials include C12-18 saturated fatty acids, such as lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, or stearic acid; and mixtures of fatty acids in which between 50% and 100% (by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture) consists of C12-18 saturated fatty acids. Such blends can typically be derived from natural fats and/or optionally hydrogenated natural oils (such as coconut oil, palm kernel oil or tallow).

The fatty acids may be present in the form of their sodium, potassium or ammonium salts and/or in the form of soluble salts of organic bases, such as mono, di or triethanolamine.

Mixtures of any of the materials described above can also be used.

The fatty acids and/or their salts, when included, may be present in an amount ranging from about 0.25% to 5%, more preferably from 0.5% to 5%, and more preferably from 0.75% and 4% (by weight, based on the total weight of the composition).

For formula accounting purposes, fatty acids and/or their salts (as defined above) are not included in the surfactant level or builder level.

Polymeric cleaning boosters

To further improve the environmental profile of liquid laundry detergents, in some cases it may be preferable to reduce the volume of laundry detergent dispensed per wash load and add various high weight efficiency ingredients to the composition to enhance cleaning performance. In addition to the inventive soil release polymers described above, a composition of the invention will preferably contain one or more additional polymeric cleaning boosters, such as antiredeposition polymers.

Anti-redeposition polymers stabilize the soil in the wash solution, thereby preventing soil redeposition. Soil release polymers suitable for use in the invention include the alkoxylated polyethyleneimines. Polyethyleneimines are materials composed of ethylene imine units -CH ² CH ² NH- and, when branched, the hydrogen on the nitrogen is replaced by another chain of ethylene imine units. Preferred alkoxylated polyethyleneimines for use in the invention have a polyethyleneimine backbone of from about 300 to about 10,000 average molecular weight (Mw). The backbone of polyethyleneimine can be linear or branched. It can be branched to the point of being a dendrimer. The alkoxylation may typically be an ethoxylation or a propoxylation, or a mixture of both. When a nitrogen atom is alkoxylated, a preferred average degree of alkoxylation is 10 to 30, preferably 15 to 25 alkoxy groups per modification. A preferred material is ethoxylated polyethyleneimine, with an average degree of ethoxylation of 10 to 30, preferably 15 to 25 ethoxyl groups per ethoxylated nitrogen atom in the polyethyleneimine backbone.

Mixtures of any of the materials described above can also be used.

When included, a composition of the invention will preferably comprise from 0.25% to 8%, more preferably from 0.5% to 6% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition) of one or more anti-redeposition polymers such as , for example, the alkoxylated polyethyleneimines described above.

polymeric thickeners

A composition of the invention may comprise one or more polymeric thickeners. Among the polymeric thickeners suitable for use in the invention are hydrophobically modified alkali-swellable emulsion (HASE) copolymers. Exemplary HASE copolymers for use in the invention include linear or crosslinked copolymers that are prepared via the addition polymerization of a monomer mixture that includes at least one acidic vinyl monomer, such as (meth)acrylic acid (i.e., methacrylic acid and/or acrylic acid); and at least one associative monomer. The term "associative monomer" in the context of this invention denotes a monomer having an ethylenically unsaturated section (for addition polymerization with the other monomers in the mixture) and a hydrophobic section. A preferred type of associative monomer includes a polyoxyalkylene section between the ethylenically unsaturated section and the hydrophobic section. Preferred HASE copolymers for use in the invention include linear or crosslinked copolymers that are prepared by addition polymerization of (meth)acrylic acid with (i) at least one associative monomer selected from linear or branched C ⁸ -C ⁴⁰ alkyl (preferably linear C ¹² -C ²² alkyl) (meth)acrylates and (ii) at least one other monomer selected from C ¹ -C ⁴ alkyl (meth)acrylates, monomers vinyl polyacids (such as maleic acid, maleic anhydride and/or their salts) and mixtures thereof. The polyoxylated portion of associative monomer (i) generally comprises from about 5 to about 100, preferably from about 10 to about 80, and more preferably from 15 to 60 oxyethylene repeat units.

Mixtures of any of the materials described above can also be used.

When included, a composition of the invention will preferably comprise from 0.1% to 5% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition) of one or more polymeric thickeners such as, for example, the HASE copolymers described above. .

external structuring agents

The compositions of the invention may have their rheology further modified by the use of one or more external structurants that form a structuring network within the composition. Some examples of these materials are hydrogenated castor oil, microfibrous cellulose, and citrus pulp fiber. The presence of an external structurant can provide shear thinning rheology and can also allow materials such as encapsulates and visual cues to be stably suspended in liquid.

enzymes

A composition of the invention may comprise an effective amount of one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of pectate lyase, protease, amylase, cellulase, lipase, mannanase, and mixtures thereof. The enzymes are preferably presented with the corresponding enzyme stabilizers.

Other optional ingredients

A composition of the invention may contain other optional ingredients to improve performance and/or consumer acceptability. Some examples of these ingredients include foam-boosting agents, preservatives (eg, bactericides), polyelectrolytes, anti-shrinkage agents, anti-wrinkle agents, antioxidants, sunscreens, anti-corrosion agents, drape-providing agents, antistatic agents, ironing aids, colorants, pearlizers and/or opacifiers and dyes. Each of these ingredients will be present in an effective amount to fulfill its purpose. Generally, these optional ingredients are included individually in an amount of up to 5% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition).

Packaging and dosage

A composition of the invention can be packaged as unit doses in a wash water soluble polymeric film. Alternatively, a composition of the invention may be supplied in multi-dose plastic containers with a top or bottom closure. A dosage measure can be supplied with the container, either as part of the cap or as an integrated system.

A fabric washing process using a composition of the invention will normally involve diluting the detergent composition dose with water to obtain a wash liquor, and washing fabrics with the wash liquor thus formed.

The dilution step preferably provides a wash liquor comprising, among other things, from about 3 to about 20 g/wash of detersive surfactants (as defined above).

In automatic washing machines, the dose of detergent composition is typically placed in a dispenser and from there is drawn into the machine by the water flowing into it, to thereby form the wash liquor. From 5 to approximately 65 liters of water can be used to form the wash liquor, depending on the configuration of the machine. The dosage of the detergent composition can be adjusted accordingly to obtain suitable concentrations of wash liquor. For example, dosages for a typical front-loading washing machine (using 10 to 15 liters of water to form the wash liquor) may range from about 10 ml to about 60 ml, preferably 15 ml to 40 ml. Dosages for a typical top-loading washing machine (using 40 to 60 liters of water to form the wash liquor) can be higher, eg up to about 100 ml.

A subsequent step of aqueous rinsing and drying of the garments is preferred.

The invention will now be described with reference to the following non-limiting Examples.

EXAMPLES

Detergent compositions with various ratios of encapsulated fragrance and free fragrance were prepared with the ingredients shown in Table 1. All weight percentages are by weight based on the total weight of the formulation, unless otherwise specified.

Table 1

The absolute and relative levels of free fragrance (f1) and encapsulated fragrance (f2), respectively, in each of the formulations in Table 1 are shown in Table 2 below. Examples 1 to 3 represent formulations according to invention. Examples A to F represent comparative examples (not according to the invention).

Table 2

Evaluation

Each of the formulations in Table 1 above was evaluated for fragrance performance by trained expert sensory panelists.

First, the fragrance intensity was evaluated for each test formulation per se (ie, before use). Each test formulation was used to machine wash 2 kg loads of test fabric (50:50 cotton/poly split) using a short cotton wash program at 30°C. The fragrance intensity of the washed test fabric was evaluated in the wet phase (1 hour after taking it out of the washing machine) and in the dry phase (24 hours after taking it out of the washing machine).

Results

The results are shown in Table 3.

Table 3

These results show that Example A, containing only free fragrance, has little effect on the fragrance intensity of the dry test fabric. However, the formulation of Example 1 (according to the invention) provides comparable fragrance intensity to Example A for the formulation per se and on the wet test fabric, and a significantly better result on the dry test fabric. , despite containing a lower total fragrance level than Example A.

Example F contains essentially the same amount of total fragrance as Example 2 (according to the invention), but the Example 2 formulation performs significantly better in tests on the formulation per se and the wet test fabric.

Example D contains a similar amount of total fragrance as Example 3 (according to the invention). The two formulations gave similar results in the per se formulation test, but the Example 3 formulation performs significantly better in tests on both the wet and dry test cloth.

All Examples 1 to 3 according to the invention show a surprising increase in fragrance intensity observed for wet fabrics compared to Examples B to F.

These results show the improvement of the overall sensory effect of the inventive formulations when the three stages of: (i) formulation before use are evaluated; (ii) the wet garment after a washing process and (iii) the dry garment.

Claims (7)

1. A liquid laundry detergent composition comprising: a) from 3% to 60% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of one or more detersive surfactants selected from non-soap anionic surfactants, non-ionic surfactants and mixtures thereof; b) from 0.01% to 1% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of a fragrance formulation (f1) that is in the form of free droplets dispersed in the composition; c) from 0.01% to 1% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of a fragrance formulation (f2) that is entrapped within discrete polymeric microparticles dispersed in the composition, wherein the polymeric microparticles are core polymeric microcapsules, wherein at least one continuous generally spherical shell of polymeric material surrounds a core containing the fragrance formulation (f2); wherein the total amount of the fragrance formulation (f1) and the fragrance formulation (f2) ranges from 0.6% to 0.9% by weight based on the total weight of the composition; and wherein the weight ratio of fragrance formulation (f1) to fragrance formulation (f2) in the composition ranges from 40:60 to 60:40; and wherein the polymeric core-shell microcapsule is an aminoplast microcapsule with an aminoplast shell surrounding a core containing the fragrance formulation (f2); wherein a deposition aid is attached to the outside of the framework via a covalent bond. 2. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the fragrance formulation (f1) and the fragrance formulation (f2) each comprise a mixture of at least 10 fragrances components selected from hydrocarbons; aliphatic and araliphatic alcohols; aliphatic aldehydes and their acetals; aliphatic carboxylic acids and their esters; acyclic terpene alcohols; cyclic terpene aldehydes and ketones; cyclic terpene alcohols and cycloaliphatic ethers; cyclic alcohol esters; esters of araliphatic alcohols and aliphatic carboxylic acids; araliphatic ethers and their acetals; aromatic and araliphatic aldehydes and ketones; and aromatic and araliphatic carboxylic acids and their esters. 3. A composition according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the level of the fragrance formulation (f1) ranges from 0.1% to 0.75% by weight based on the total weight of the composition. 4. A composition according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the level of the fragrance formulation (f2) ranges from 0.05% to 0.7% by weight based on the total weight of the composition. 5. A composition according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the weight ratio of fragrance formulation (f1) to fragrance formulation (f2) ranges from 60:40 to 45:55. 6. A composition according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the amount of detersive surfactant is from 6% to 30% by weight based on the total weight of the composition. 7. A method of washing fabrics using a composition according to any of claims 1 to 6, the method comprising diluting a dose of the composition to obtain a washing liquor, and washing the fabrics with the washing liquor formed in this way.