FR2574437A1 - CONCENTRATED STABLE NONAQUEOUS COMPOSITION FOR FABRIC SOFTENING, PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME, AND USE THEREOF - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION RELATES TO A NON-AQUEOUS, STABLE, CONCENTRATED COMPOSITION FOR SOFTENING TISSUES. THE SAID COMPOSITION CONTAINS A QUATERNARY WATER-DISPERSABLE AMMONIUM COMPOUND AS A CATIONIC SOFTENER, A NON-AQUEOUS LIQUID VEHICLE CONTAINING HEXYLENE-GLYCOL, AND POSSIBLE A NON-IONIC SURFACTANT. APPLICATION TO FABRIC WASHING.

Description

The present invention relates to zompositions of softeners of

  fabrics for use in the rinse cycle of a laundering process and, in particular, highly concentrated fabric softener compositions which disperse readily in water at the time of use, particularly in

  washing machines equipped with dispensing mechanisms

automatically.

  Compositions containing quaternary amionium salts having at least one long chain hydrocarbyl group are commonly used to soften

  tissues when used in an operation

  laundry rinse; see, for example, the breeds

  vets of U.S. U.N. 3,349,033, 3,644,203, N 3,946

  115, Nos. 3,997,453, 4,073,735 and 4,119,545.

  For most aqueous compositions of

  softeners containing cationic ammonium compounds

  quaternary nium as active ingredients, the concentration

  Such cationic compounds were generally

  to the range of about 3 to 6% by weight (see patents

  U.S.A. 3,904,533 and N 3,920,565). This

  concentration is generally necessary because the cationic compounds form gels in the

  aqueous systems at concentrations above

  8%, and although the use of electrolytes for the purpose of lowering the viscosity of these compositions is known (see, in particular, the U.S.

  4,199,545), these electrolytes are far from satisfactory.

  sants. From a functional point of view, electrolytes often do not behave as desired

  particular to concentrations of the cationic compounds

  around 12 to 15%. In addition, although

  the behavior of electrolytes may attenuate the

  the problem of gelling, their use is far from

  to be satisfactory in order to obtain a strong aqueous system

  concentration of cationic compounds which does not freeze

  There is no significant change in viscosity in the usual range of temperatures encountered during handling, e.g. from about -18 ° C to about 60 ° C or for dispensing with

washing machine.

  For ordinary use of European automatic washing machines, the user

  tissue softener for the rinse cycle.

  in a dispensing unit (for example a low dispenser) of the machine. Then, during

  operation of the machine during the rinse cycle.

  the softener composition is subject to a

  flow of cold water that transfers it into the drum.

  In winter, when the softener composition and water

  introduced in the dispenser may be particularly

  i5 cold, one may encounter problems in that the composition is not totally entrained

  out of the dispenser during the operation of the machine.

  China, and a deposit of composition can accumulate with

  repeated washing cycles, so that it can become

  necessary for the user to clean the distri-

  scorer with hot water. This problem can be particularly

  serious for formulating softener formulations.

  concentrated because of the problem of gelation

  mentioned above and also in the case of the presence of a nonionic surfactant with the cationic softener, since the viscosity of the nonionic compound tends to increase when mixed with water

cold by forming a gel.

  In British Patent Application No. 2,053

  249A published on February 4, 1981, composites

  cationic fabric softening compositions containing from 15 to 60% by weight of cationic softener, from 25 to 75% by weight of an aqueous medium and from 0.5 to 40% by weight.

  weight of a water-soluble polymer determined.

  In U.S. Patent No. 4,351,737, are

  described fabric softeners

  both cationic and nonionic softeners and a nonionic dispersing agent together with a solvent mixture of a C1 to C3 alkanol and a liquid glycol or polyglycol or an ether

  alkylic liquid thereof. We do not describe the hexy-

Lane glycol.

  It has now been discovered that dispersibility

  in cold water and the flow from

  automatic machines, even for blending compositions.

  wrinkling liquid tissues containing a non-surfactant

  ionic, highly concentrated, can be considerable-

  improved by replacing part or all

  said liquid vehicle of the blending composition

  non-aqueous liquid pleating with hexylene glycol.

  The present invention provides concentrated, stable, substantially non-stable softener compositions

  water-based, softening compounds of the type am-

  quaternary monium and a. liquid vehicle comprising hexylene glycol and optionally a non-surfactant

  ionic. The present invention also provides a

  assigned to produce and use composi-

  softening of highly concentrated fabrics.

  The compositions of the present invention are

  substantially non-aqueous stable compositions

  holding a strong concentration of the softener

  tissue which is a quaternary ammonium compound

  ternary dispersible in water, as described below, and hexylene glycol as a liquid vehicle or as part of the liquid vehicle. Preferred compositions may also contain a nonionic surfactant and

an electrolyte.

  The compositions of the present invention

  at least about 20% of the cationic softener

  that up to about 80%, preferably up to

  about 70%, and up to about 60%, of said cationic softener having the general formula:

  wherein the R groups are selected from groups

  aliphatic C1 to C30, preferably alkyl or alkenyl; aryl (for example phenyl, tolyl, cumyl, etc.); aralkyl (eg benzyl, phenethyl, etc.);

  and their substituents halo, amido, hydroxyl and carboxy-

  the; provided that at least one R is C14 to C30 and preferably C14 to C18, and the others are lower alkyl groups, and more preferably at least

  two Rs are in C14 to C18 and the others are groups

  C1 to C4 alkyl (and preferably the methyl group

  or ethyl), or hydroxyalkyl (i.e. (CH2-CH-O) x H or x is from 1 to 10, preferably from 1 to 5, R1 still more preferably 1 or 2, and R1 is hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl, and Y is a water solubilizing anion such as chloride, bromide, iodide, fluoride, sulfate, methysulfate, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate and carboxylate (i.e. acetate, adipate, propionate,

  phthalate, benzoate, oleate, etc.). Cationic compounds

  representing formula I include the following

  solvents: distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, di-tallowimethyl ammonium chloride, dihexadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, distearyl dimethyl ammonium bromide, df (hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl armonium bromide, di-tallow-isopropyl chloride methylmethylammonium chloride, distearyl-di (isopropyl) azmonium chloride,

  distearyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulphate.

  A highly preferred class of cationic compounds

  The compounds of formula I in which two of the groups R are C14 to C18, an R is a methyl or ethyl group and an R is a methyl or ethyl group,

  isopropyl, n-propyl, hydroxyethyl or hydroxypropyl.

  Other quaternary softeners that can be used include imidazolinium compounds of the formula: T-T. Wherein R 2 is C 6 -C 30 alkyl or alkenyl, preferably C 8 -C 18 alkyl or alkenyl;

  R3 and R4 are independently of hydro-

  gene or C1-C4 alkyl group; R is a C 1 -C 4 alkyl group;

1 4;

  R6 is hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl; R7 is (C1-C30) alkyl, preferably (C8-C18) alkyl; n is 2 or 3; and

m is 2 or 3.

  Illustrative compounds of Formula. II include:

  1-methyl-1-sulfif-yl-amido methyl sulfate)

  ethyl) 2- (tallowyl) 4,5-dihydroimidazolinium;

  1-methyl-1 - ((palmitoylamido) ethyl) -2-octadecyl-

4,5-dihydroimidazolinium.

  Particularly preferred cationic compounds

  are: di-tallow-monomethyl monohy-

  hydroxypropyl ammonium, distearyl dimethyl chloride

  amonium, di-tallow-dimethylammonium chloride, ditallow-isopropyl-methyl-ammonium chloride, and the like. The non-aqueous vehicle can represent approximately

  % to about 20%, preferably about 60% &

  25% by weight of the composition.

  The non-aqueous vehicle of the composition of the

  present invention comprises at least about 25%, and

  preferably at least 30% of hexylene glycol, the remainder being a C1 to C3 alkanol, preferably ethanol or

  propanol, a C2 to C6 glycol, preferably the di-

  ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, or a moderated ether

  no- or dialkyl C1 to C6 of. such glycols or their

  mixtures. The entire vehicle may consist of

  xylene glycol excluding alcohols and / or glycols (and / or glycol ethers). Hexylene glycol is the name

  2-methylpentane-2,4-diol.

  Representative vehicles may include (a) 25% hexylene glycol and 75% propylene glycol; (b) 31% hexylene glycol and 69% propylene glycol; (c) 31% isopropanol and 69% hexylene glycol;

(d) 100% hexylene glycol.

  The total amount by weight of the cationic fabric softener and the aqueous liquid vehicle in the composition will be at least about 80 and up to 1%, preferably from about 85% to 99% by weight, the remainder comprising the nonionic surfactant, the electrolyte

  and / or conventional optional additives.

  The optional nonionic component of the pre-

  This composition represents about 0 to about 15%,

  preferably about 1 to 12%, by weight, of the oemposi-

  tion, and generally it can vary with the cationic softener in a ratio by weight of the softener

  cationic strength to the nonionic compound of about 25: 1 to about

  preferably 3: 1, preferably about 12: 1 to 6: 1, and still more preferably about 10: 1. Suitable non-ionic compounds include condensation products of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide (and mixtures thereof) with C 8 & C 20 aliphatic alcohols and

  di- and tri-alkyl-phenols (each C4-C12). In general

  However, the preferred nonionic compounds here are

  are moderately hydrophilic and have an o

  hydrophilic element. In the present invention, this

  group is preferably a general ethoxylated chain.

  usually at least about 2 oxyethyl end groups.

  (that is, oxyethyl groups are

  tigus and terminate with a hydroxyl group), do not

  carrying not more than about 20 such groups, although up to 200 moles of oxyethylene per mole

hydrophobic group.

  Particularly suitable nonionic surfactants include a C 9 -C 11 aliphatic alcohol containing 8 moles of condensed ethylene oxide;

  a nonyl phenol ethoxylated with 6 moles of ethylene oxide

  lene, an octylphenol ethoxylated with 4.5 moles of oxide

  of ethylene and a C 7 aliphatic alcohol with

ethylene oxide.

  In addition to the above components of composi-

  the softening conditions of the present invention,

  may also include many conventional ingredients

  additional and optional, which do not affect

  not detrimental to the stability and / or

  functional components of the present compositions. Thus, for example, one can include perfumes, dyes, pigments, opacifiers, germicides, optical brighteners, anti-corrosion agents (for example silicate

  sodium), polymers, antistatic agents, etc. neck-

  rants. When used, each can be, for example, 0.01% to about 5% by weight of the composition. It is of course obvious that most of the available chemical materials and in particular

  those containing a hydrocarbyl motif are genetically

  mixtures of closely related motifs.

  Thus, the long chain alkyl substituents (R)

  cationic compounds used in the present invention.

  vention can not only be each

  a carbon chain of the same length, but more

  like a mixture. In this respect, a salt quater-

  particularly useful in which the alkyl groups are from tallow, may contain about 60% C16 and 60% C18 and minor amounts

  of C14 and even others. Similarly, aliphatic alcohols

  precursor ticks of the nonionic compounds used herein may consist of a carbon chain of the same length but more likely, again, it is or may be a mixture in all proportions of the compounds having the chain lengths

thus indicated.

  The fabric softening compositions of the present invention must have viscosities

  in the range of about 10 to 250 mPa.s (10 to 250 centi-

  poises), and preferably from 25 to 150 mPa.s, in addition to their essential dispersibility in water

  in the rinse cycle (or any other form of di-

before use).

  How to combine hexylene glycol,

  other optional vehicles, the cationic softener

  that and the optional nonionic surfactant, electro-

  lyte, and the other conventional-optional additives is not particularly critical, nor is the order of addition. However, to some extent, excessive heating must be avoided in order to limit the evaporation of the solvent.

  it is more important to stay below the point of

  light of the vehicle and any other low-boiling liquids that may be present or introduced as softener compo- nents, etc. For example, the flash point for hexylene glycol is 930C. However, in general, it is better to

  combine all the ingredients at room temperature

  for example, between about 15 ° C and 25 ° C, or less.

  An appropriate modus operandi for preparing

  compositons of the present invention involves the disso-

  elution of any nonionic compound and other additives (e.g. brightener, dye, perfume, etc.) into the vehicle, and then adding the mixture to the cationic compound which is preferably in liquid form, for example in the form of a dispersion in the vehicle of any of their components

  (for example in the form of a dispersion in the iso-

propanol).

  The following nonlimiting examples illustrate

  the present invention. All parties are

  expressed by weight, unless otherwise indicated.

EXAMPLE 1

  Following the procedure described above,

  2 parts of an ethoxylated nonylphenol (

  6 moles of ethylene oxide) in about 75 parts of hexylene glycol at a temperature of about 20 C.

  adds slowly, to this solution, 20 parts of chlorine

  distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (75% activity in isopropanol) with stirring. The result is a product

  stable having a viscosity of about 100 mPa.s.

EXAMPLE 2

  The procedure of Example 1 is repeated,

  using the following perties of (A) cationic compound

  as (active), (B) surfactant, (NaCl); and (C) hexylene

  glycol (a) A = 22; B = 2.0; C = 76.0, (b) A = 34; B = 315; C = 62.5, (c) A = 46; B - 4.8: C = 49.2, (d) A = 58; B = 5.5; C = 36.5, hexylene glycol / ethylene glycol at a ratio by weight

from 3: 1.

EXAMPLE 3

  Examples 1 and 2 are repeated using instead of distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride the following compounds: (a) ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride, (b) distearyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulphate, (c) di (hydrogenated tallow) dimethylammonium bromide, (d) dihexadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, (e) distearyl diethyl ammonium chloride,

  (f) 1-methyl-1- (tallow-yl-arido) methylsulfate

  ethyl) -2-tallow-yl-4,5-dihydroimidazolinium.

EXAMPLE 4

  To highlight the best aptitude

  - the distribution of the hexylenic liquid vehicle

  In the composition of the invention, the following formulations A to E are prepared: - -% by weight Solvent (AE) 31.9 Cationic fabric softener1 / 60.0 Nonionic compound2 / 5.0 D: 'Perfume, dye, minor additives 3.1

  1/75% Active Ingredient (IA) in Isolation

  propanol, 2 / Nonylphenol ethoxylated with an average of 6 moles of ethylene oxide (nonylphenol /

EO 6: 1).

  The following compounds are used as the solvent:

  A - 10% Isopropyl Alcohol and 21.9% Di-

ethylene glycol (control),

  B - 10% hexylene glycol and 21.9% propylene

glycol,

  C - 10% isopropyl alcohol and 21.9% hexyl

  ene glycol, D - 31.9% hexylene glycol,

  E - 31.9% propylene glycol (control).

  Each of the formulations of softening

  above in the machine dispenser

  classic European worm, AEG-802, and after 3 cycles

  to boiling (the dispenser being

  recharged at each cycle), we measure the amount of

  mulation remaining in the dispenser. The results are shown in the following table in the form of a

  percentage of the total quantity used (ie

  say a triple dose): Solvent formulation Remaining quantity (%) At 10% isopropanol 15

21.9% of diethylene

  glycol B 10% hexylene glycol 6.7

21.9% propylene

glycol C 10% isopropanol 3.6

21.9% hexylene

glycol

D 31.9% hexylene

glycol 2,8

E 31.9% propylene

glycol 19

  From the results above, it is easy to

  to realize that the use of hexylene

  glycol to replace all or part of the conventional nonaqueous liquid vehicles for a fabric softener formulation added to the wash cycle, greatly improves dispersibility in

  cold water and runoff (ability to distribute

  tion), even of concentrated formulations containing

nonionic surfactants.

  In addition, the concentrated liquid fabric softener compositions of the present invention are stable for long periods of time at both low storage temperatures, e.g.

  4 "C, as high as, for example, 35 C, including

  freeze-thaw keys, over periods of

6 weeks and more.

  The compositions of the present invention

  Another advantage is that hexylene glycol is non-toxic and, as a result,

* are used without danger.

  Although the present compositions are primarily intended for direct use

  in the rinse cycle of automatic washing machines

  they may also be used in the form of

  diluted and for manual processing, both in the machine and

  only wash outside this machine.

  To give flexibility to tissues,

  according to the invention, the composition of the invention is

  to an aqueous medium containing the tissues in one

  proportion providing a concentration of

  from about 0.005% to 0.5% based on the weight

fabrics.

  It is furthermore evident that as used herein, the term "non-aqueous" means that there is no added water voluntarily added to the system,

  although minor amounts of water, for example,

  rising to around 5%, may be present; by following

  the addition of particular ingredients, such as

  dyes, in the form of aqueous solutions, water

held in the fabric softener, etc.

Claims (17)

  1. Concentrated, stable and practical composition   non-aqueous solution for softening the tissues,   characterized in that it comprises (A) a relaxation   water dispersible cationic agent of the quaternary ammonium compound type; (B) a non-liquid vehicle   aqueous solution comprising hexylene glycol, and optionally (C) a nonionic surfactant.   2. Composition according to claim 1,   characterized in that it comprises about 20 to about   80% by weight of (A) and about 80 to about 20% by weight of (B).   3. Composition according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises approximately 1 to 15%   by weight of nonionic surfactant (C).   4. Composition according to claim 3,   characterized in that the weight ratio of the   cationic fold of tissues with nonionic surfactant is about 25: 1 to about 3: 1.   5. Composition according to claim 1,   characterized in that the non-aqueous vehicle (B) comprises   takes at least 25% by weight of hexylene glycol.   6. Composition according to claim 1,   characterized in that the non-aqueous vehicle (B) comprises   takes at least 35% by weight of hexylene glycol.   7. Composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the non-aqueous vehicle consists in hexylene glycol.   8. Composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the non-aqueous vehicle comprises   a mixture containing at least 25% by weight of hexylene   glycol, the remainder being a C1 to C3 alkanol, a C2 to C6 glycol, a mono- or dialkyl ether   C1 to C6 of said glycol, or mixtures thereof.   9. Composition according to claim 1,   characterized in that the non-aqueous vehicle is   of (a) 25% hexylene glycol and 75% propylene   does glycol; (b) 31% hexylene glycol and 69% propylene   lene glycol; (c) 31% isopropanol and 69% hexylene   glycol; or (d) 100% hexylene glycol.   10. Composition according to Claim 1, characterized in that the cationic softener is chosen from the compounds of formula (I) or (II): + <I) _____at (. 1 /, CE2) .- f-t-R7   where the R groups are selected from the groups   C1 to C30 aliphatics, aryl, aralkyl and their halo, amide, hydroxyl and carboxy substituents, provided that at least one R is C14 to C30, Y is a water solubilizing anion; R2 is a group   C6 to C30 alkyl or alkenyl; R3 and R4 are, inde-   pendently, hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl; R5 is a C1-C4 alkyl group; R6 is hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl; R7 is C6-C30 alkyl is 2 or 3; and is not equal to 2 or 3. 11. Composition according to claim 3, characterized in that the nonionic surfactant is a condensation product of ethylene oxide,   propylene, or mixtures thereof, with an aliphatic alcohol   C8-C20 tick or a mono- or trialkylphenol, each of said alkyl groups containing from 4 to 12 atoms of carbon.   12. Composition according to claim 11, characterized in that said condensation product   comprises about 2 to about 20 moles of ethylene oxide. not per mole of alcohol or phenol.   13. A process for forming a non-aqueous, concentrated, stable composition for softening tissues, characterized in that it consists in combining a   cationic compound which is dispersible in water of the ammodic   quaternary nium, for the relaxation of tissues,   with a substantially non-aqueous liquid vehicle   hexyl glycol, and possibly surfactant   non-ionic tif at a temperature close to the temperature   ambient temperature, the amount of cationic compound being   at least about 20% by weight of the composition.   14. Process for imparting flexibility to tissues, characterized in that it consists in adding the composition according to claim 1 to an aqueous medium containing the tissues in a proportion providing a concentration of cationic compound of about 0.005% to   0.5% based on tissue weight.   15. The method of claim 14, characterized   in that the composition is added during the cy-   Rinse key of an automatic washing machine.   16. The method of claim 15, characterized   in that the composition is added to the aqueous medium by circulation of a stream of cold water in   the composition, so that the composition is   Persian in the current, then be transferred to the middle aqueous place.   17. Process for imparting flexibility to tissues, characterized in that it combines the dilution of the composition according to claim 1 with approximately   4 to 15 times the volume of water in the composition of the re-   1, then the dilution of the di- read in clothes.