GB2167092A

GB2167092A - Concentrated fabric softening compositions

Info

Publication number: GB2167092A
Application number: GB08522719A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Marie-Helene Fraikin; Marie-Christine Houben; Alan Dillarstone; Marc Coutureau
Original assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Current assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Priority date: 1982-03-22
Filing date: 1985-09-13
Publication date: 1986-05-21
Also published as: GB2167092B; IT1167401B; GB8307842D0; SE8301476L; DK129683A; DK165846B; DK129683D0; NO160665C; BE896239A; NL8301026A; GB2118221B; DE3309569A1; FR2523606A1; SE464140B; ES8503369A1; SE8301476D0; BR8301420A; NO160665B; CH663962A5; CA1200658A

Abstract

Stable concentrated fabric softener compositions comprising a mixture of an imidazolinium quaternary ammonium compound with a dicationic quaternary ammonium compound or a di-long chain alkyl, di-short chain alkyl. Such compositions exhibit stable viscosity characteristics at both low and high ambient temperature.

Description

1 GB 2 167 092 A 1

SPECIFICATION

Concentrated fabric softening compositions The present invention relates to fabric softener compositions adapted for use in the rinse cycle of a laundering process and in particular to concentrated aqueous fabric softener compositions which exhibit stable viscosity characteristics, i.e. such compositions do not increase in viscosity to the point of forming a gel, at both low and high ambient temperatures.

Compositions containing quaternary ammonium salts having at least one long chain hydrocarbyl groups are commonly used to provide fabric softening benefits when employed in a laundry rinse operation; for 10 example, see U.S. Patents 3,349,033; 3,644,203; 3,946,115; 3,997,453; 4, 073,735 and 4,119.545.

For most aqueous softener compositions containing cationic quaternary ammonium compounds as active ingredients, the concentration of such cationics has, in general, been limited to the range of about 3 to 6% by weight (see U.S. Patent 3,904,533 and U.S. Patent 3,920,565). Such a low concentration is generally necessitated by the fact that cationics form gels in water systems at concentrations at above about 8%, and 15 while the use of electrolytes to lower the viscosity of such compositions is known (see in particular U.S.

Patent 4,199,545), such electrolytes are farfrom satisfactory from several points of view. On the one hand, from an economic point of view, the use of such electrolytes contributes to the cost of the product and this is generally undesirable. From a functional point of view, the electrolytes often do not perform as required particularly at concentrations of the cationics in the neighbourhood of about 12-15%. And finally, while the 20 performance of the electrolytes may mitigate most of the gelling problem, their use is far from satisfactory in providing a highly concentrated aqueous system of cationics which does not gel or severely change in viscosity within the usual range of temperatures encountered in the handling thereof, for example OOF (about -18'C) up to about 140'F (about WC). In U.S. Patent 3,681,241 a concentrated fabric softening emulsion is described which consists essentially of 3.5 parts by weight of a compound represented, for example, by distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, from 3.5 to 6.5 parts by weight of an alkyl amido imidazolinium alkylsulphate and from 0 to 3 parts by weight of a different but similar fatty amido imidazolinium alkylsulphate, the latter allegedly providing low temperature stability for the composition. The total active material contents contemplated ranged from about 8 to 13%.

In U.S. Patent 4,155,855, there are described concentrated liquid fabric softeners containing (1) a fabric substantive agent which may be a polyamine, an alkylpyridinium salt or mixture of the two and (2) a fabric softener, in which the polyamines have the formula:

R' - R' - 1 1 R-W- -(CH2)n-N'- -R' A(-) 1 1 R ' - R' wherein R represents a Cloto C24alkyl oralkenyl group oran R-0-(CHAn- group; R' mayrepresenta hydrogen atom, or a hydroxyalkoxy group, or a Cl to C3 alkyl group etc.; n is 2 to 6 and m is 1 to 5 and A" represents a charge balancing anion or anions. Among the fabric softeners are alkylimidazolinium salts generally similar to those imidazolinium salts used in the compositions of the present invention. The composition contains 25% to about 55% of an active system of fabric substantive agent and fabric softening component, the former representing 25 to about 85% and the latter 15% to about 75% of the composition. In 45 preferred aspects the fabric substantive component represents from 50 to 85% and preferably 65% to 80% and the softener 15 to 50% and preferable 20 to 35%. In all cases the lowest concentration of the fabric substantive component to the total of this plus softener is given (in terms of percentages) as 25% but based on the ratios of the two agents (6:1 to M) this percentage could conceivably be as low as 20%.

The present invention provides low and high ambient temperature stable, concentrated, aqueous softener 50 compositions based upon imidazolinium softening compounds and a minor amount of a dicationic or conventional quaternary ammonium compound which per se is not a softener. The present invention also provides a method by which highly concentrated fabric softening compositions are produced.

The compositions of the present invention are stable aqueous compositions which contain a high concentration of the cationic fabric softener which is a mixture of two different types of quaternary ammonium compounds as hereinafter described.

The aqueous compositions of this invention contain at least about 8% cationic softener up to about 25% thereof and preferably from about 9-15% thereof, the said cationic softener comprising a mixture of an imidazolinium softener generally of the Formula (A) 2 GB 2 167 092 A 2 H2C - CH2 1 1 N \ C// N \ R 3 1 R 2 R' X- Formula A Wherein:

R' represents a C8tO C30 aliphatic radical and preferably a C14tO C18alkyi oral kenyl group; R 2 and R 3 independently may represent any of R' or preferably a lower alkyl group or a substituted C, to C4 15 alkyl group, such as haloalkyl, hydroxyalkyi, acylaminoalkyl and the like; X represents a water-solubilizing anion such as chloride, bromide, iodide, fluoride, sulphate, methousul- phate, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, or carboxylate, (e.g. acetate, adipate, phthalate, benzoate, oleate, etc.); the preferred compounds have the formula (AA) H2C-CH2 1 1 N 0 11 N- C2H4- RS c R 2 h- 1 h' X FormulaAA Wherein:

R' is as defined above for Formula (M R 2 may represent R' or preferably a lower alkyl group or a substituted Cl to C4 alkyl group such as haloalkyl, hydroxyalkyl and the like; R 4 may represent a hydrogen atom or a Cl to C4 alkyl or substituted alkyl group; R 5 may represent R' or R 2, and preferably a C8 to C.30 aliphatic group and more preferably a C14tO C18 alkyl or alkenyl group; and X is as defined abovefor Formula (A) and of a dicationic, quaternary ammonium compound of the general Formula (B) R' R' - 1 + (CHAn- 1 ' - X- R N N R' X R' R' Formula 8 45 Wherein R may represent a Cloto C30 aliphatic group, preferably an alkyl or alkenyl group; or an RO-(CH2)n group where R has the same meaning as above, i.e. a C10 to C3o aliphatic group and preferably an alkyl or alkenyl group; R' may represent a hydrogen atom or a Cl to C4 alkyl or hydroxyalkoxy group; n is an integer 50 of 2 to 6 and m is an integerfrom 1 to 5; and X is as defined above for Formula (A). The preferred compounds are those where R is a C12 to C18 aliphatic group and R' is a lower alkyl group, especially methyl; or a conventional quaternary ammonium compound of the general formula (C) R + 1 R-N-R Y_ 1 h Formula C wherein R represents a Cl to C30 aliphatic group, preferably an alkyl, alkenyi, aryl (e.g. phenyl, tolyl, cumyi, etc.), aralkyl (e.g. benzyi, phenethyl, etc.), or a halo, amide, hydroxy, or carboxy substituted version thereof; 65 with the proviso that at least one R group is a C14tO C1) and preferably C14 to C18 group and the others are 3 GB 2 167 092 A 3 lower alkyl and more preferably at least two R groups are C14 to C18 groups and the others are lower alkyl groups e.g. Cl to C4 (and most preferably methyl or ethyl groups) and Y represents an anion as defined above for X for Formula (A).

The concentration of the imidazolinium compound (A) may range from about 8 to 20% by weight of the total composition and that of the dicationic compound (B) or conventional compound (C) may range from 5 about 0.5 to 5% by weight of the total composition with a ratio of A to B (or C) ranging from about 40:1 to about 3:1 preferably 40:1 to 5:1 and more preferably for (B) 15.1 to 7A.

Typical imidazolinium softeners within the above Formula (A) include the following 2-heptadecyl-l-methyi-l-oleylamidoethyI imidazolinium ethosulphate, 2-hepta decyl- 1 -methyl - 1 -(2-stea royl am ido)ethyl imidazolinium sulphate, 2-heptadecyi-l-methyl-l-(2-stearoylamido)ethyI imidazolinium chloride, 2-coco-l-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-benzyI imidazolinium chloride, 2- coco-l-(hydroxyethyl)-1-(4-chlorobutyi)-imidazolinium chloride, 2-coco-1 - (2-hydroxyethyi)-1 -octadecenyl imidazolinium chloride, 2-tall oil fatty- 1 -(2-hyd roxyethyl)- 1 -be nzyi imidazolinium chloride, 2-tall oil fatty- 1 -(2-hyd roxyethyl)-1 -(4-ch 1 oro butyi)-i m idazo 1 in iu m chloride, 2-heptadecenyl-l-(2-hydroxyethyi)-1-(4-chlorobutyi)- imidazolinium chloride, 2-heptadecenyi-l-(2-hydroxyethyi)-1-benzyI imidazolinium chloride, 2-heptadecyi-l-(hydroxyethyi)-1-octadecyl imidazolinium ethyl sulphate.

Typical dicationics of Formula (B) include the following: N-TallowyI-N,N, N1, Nl-tetramethyi-1,3-propane diammonium dimethosulphate, N-Tallowyl-N, Nl,Nl-trimethyl-1,3-propane diammonium dimethosulphate, N-Oleyi-N,N,N',Nl, Nl-pentamethyl-1,3-propane diammonium dimethosulphate, N-Tallowyl-N,N,Nl, Nl,Nl-pentamethyl-1,3-propane diammonium dimethosulphate, N-stearyl-N,N, Nl,Nl,Nl-pentamethyi-1,3-propane diammonium dimethosulphate, Nstearyloxypropyl-N,Nl,N'tris(3-hydroxypropyl)-1,3-propane diammonium diacetate. Typical cationics of formula (C) include the following: distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride, dihexadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, distearyl dimethyl ammonium bromide, di (hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium bromide, distearyl, di (isopropyl) ammonium chloride, disteary] dimethyl ammonium methosulphate.

In addition to the cationic components of the present invention, there may be also included in the aqueous compositions numerous conventional, supplemental materials or optional components which do not adversely affect the stability and/or functional characteristics of the present invention. Thus, for example, there may be present minor amounts of various surfactant materials and in particular certain surfactant phosphate esters which may be desirable to effect anti-static control of the laundered goods. Such conventional additional components also include perfumes, dyes, pigments, germicides, optical brighten- 40 ers, anticorrosion agents (e.g. sodium silicate) and the like. Where used, each of these may comprise e.g. 1% by weight of the compositions of the present invention.

It may also be desirable to supplement and/or modify the viscosity of the compositions of the present invention by the addition of electrolyte material such as calcium chloride, sodium nitrate, sodium formate and the like in amounts from about 0.05 to about 5% by weight. Minor proportions (e.g. 0.5 to 10%) of other 45 components may also be included such as the lower alkanois, e.g. ethyl and isopropyl alcohol as well as the conventional opacifiers particularly of the resin emulsion types so well known in this art.

The invention may be put into practice in various ways and a number of specific embodiments will be described to illustrate the invention with reference to the accompanying examples. Parts, where specified are by weight unless otherwise indicated.

Example 1

The following composition was prepared:

% by weight 55 Deionized water 73.05 1-methylA -tallow amidoethyl-2-tallow imidazolinium methosulphate 15.00 N-Tallowyl-N,N,NI,Nl,Nl-pentamethyl-1,360 propane diammonium dimethosulphate 2.00 Balance to 100% of colour and perfume.

This composition has a viscosity of.about 240 cps just after preparation which increased to somewhat less than 400 cps after six weeks ageing at room temperature and to about 840 cps upon six weeks ageing at 43'C65 4 GB 2 167 092 A 0 10'F). At these va I ues the product viscosity was squarely within the acceptable range of viscosities which varies from about 100 to about 1000 centipoises (cps) and preferably about 200 to about 800 cps. Without the dicationic material in the composition and containing 0.1% NaCI we found the viscosity in itia I ly to be about 324 cps, rising to 1700 cps after six weeks ageing at room temperature and 2300 cps after six weeks ageing at 5 430C.

Example 2 To 80 parts of deionized water there were added 0.05 parts of sodium formate, followed by 15 parts of 1-methyl-l-stearyl amidoethyl-2stearyl imidazolinium methosulphate and 2.0 parts of the dicationic 1 () material used in Example 1. There were then added 0.05 parts of calcium chloride. A very satisfactory product resulted from the foregoing components as well as the operational sequence of component mixing.

Example 3a-f Each of Exam pies 1 and 2 was repeated except that in place of the dicationic thereof (2.0% by weig ht) there were used the following:

% by weight 4 (a) dicationic of Example 1 3.0 (b) dicationic of Example 1 1.0 20 (c) N-Tallowyl-N,N,Nl,Nl-tetramethyi-1,3- propanediammonium dimethosuiphate 2.5 (d) N-Oleyi-N,N,Nl,Nl,Nl-pentamethy]-1,3propanediammonium dimethosulphate 1.5 (e) N-Tallowyi-,N,Nl,Nl-trimethyi-1,4- 25 butanediammonium dimethosulphate 2.0 (f) N-stearyloxypropyi,N,Nl,Nl-tris(3hydroxypropyi)-1,3-propanediammonium diacetate 2.0 Examples 4a-f

Each of Examples 1, 2 and 3a to 3f was repeated except that the cationic imidazoiiniu m softener was replaced as follows:

% by weight (a) 2-heptadecyl-1 -methyl-l -oleylamidoethyl imidazolinium methosulphate 12.0 (b) 2-heptadecyl-l-methyi-l-oleylamidoethyl 40 imidazolinium methosulphate 14.0 (c) 2-heptadecenyi-l-methyi-l-oleylamidoethyl imidazolinium methosulphate 16.0 (d) 2-heptadecenyi-l-(2-hydroxyethyi)-1- benzyl imidazolinium chloride 12.0 45 (e) 2-heptadecenyM -(2-hydroxyethyl)-1 - benzy] imidazolinium chloride 15.0 (f) 2-heptadecenyi-l-(2-hydroxyethyi)-1- benzyi imidazolinium chloride 10.5 50 Example 5

The following composition was prepared:

% by weight 55 Deionized water 78.90 NaCI(II 0% aqueous soL) 1.50 1-methyM -tallow amidoethyl-2-tallow imidazolinium methosulphate 12.00 60 Distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride 1.5 Balanceto 100% of colour and perfume.

This composition had a viscosity of about 79 cps just after preparation which increased to somewhat less than 400 cps after six weeks ageing at 43oC (11 O'F). At a viscosity of about 400 cps the product was squarely 65 GB 2 167 092 A 5 with the acceptable range of viscosities which varies from about 100 to about 1000 centipoises (cps) and preferably about 200to about 800 cps. Withoutthe dimethyl distearyl cationic softenerthe composition, after ageing had a viscosity of about 1500 and 2000 cps.

Example 6

Example 5 was repeated except that in addition to the sodium chloride (0. 15%) there are also added calcium chloride (0. 15%), sodium formate (0. 15%) and sodium nitrate (0.15%).

Example 7

A composition similar to Example 5 was prepared except that the softener was solely 13.5% distearyl 10 dimethyl ammonium chloride. A very firm gel resulted which is totally unsaleable.

Example 8 To 80 parts of deionized water there were added 0.04 parts sodium formate, followed by 12 parts of 1-methyl-l-stearyl amicloethyl-2-stearyl imidazolinium methosulphate and 1.5 parts of di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium chloride. There were then added 0.04 parts of calcium chloride. A very satisfactory product resulted from the foregoing components as well as the operational sequence of component mixing.

Examples 9a-f

Each of Examples 5, 6 and 8 were repeated except that in place of distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (1.5% by weight) there were used the following:

% by weight (a) di(tallow) dimethyl ammonium chloride (b) di(tallow) dimethyl ammonium chloride (c) di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium methosulphate (d) di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium methosulphate difflydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium methosulphate di-oleyl diethyl ammonium acetate 2 3 1.5 2.5 3.5 1.5 Examples 10 a-f Each of Examples 5, 6 and 9a to 9f was repeated exceptthat in place of the imidazolinium compound (12% 40 byweight) in such examples there were used the following:

% by weight (b) (a) 2-heptadecyl-l-methyl-l-oleylamidoethyl imidazolinium methosulphate 2- heptadecyl-l-methy]-1-oleylamidoethyl imidazolinium methosulphate (c) 2-heptaclecyl-1 -methy]-1 -oleylamidoethyl imidazolinium methosulphate (d) 2-heptadecenyl-11 -(2-hydroxyethyi)-1 benzyl imidazolinium chloride (e) 2-heptaclecenyM -(2-hydroxyethyi)-1 benzyl imidazolinium chloride (f) 2-heptadecenyM -(2-hydroxyethyi)-1 benzyl imidazolinium chloride 12.0 14.0 16.0 12.0 15.0 10.5.

6 GB 2 167 092 A

Claims

6 1. Astable, aqueous, concentrated fabric softening composition comprising about (A) 8 to 20% by weight of an imidaozlinium softener, (B) From about 0.5 to about 5% by weight of a (i) compound of the formula:

R' 1 R - N --- 1 h 1 R' 1 7, (CH2)rF-- N' R' W-) 1 J.

h, wherein R represents a C10 to C30 aliphatic radical; Rl represents a hydrogen atom or a C, to C4 alkyl or hydroxyalkoxy group, the Rl groups being the same or different;. n is an integer from 2 to 6; m is an integer from 1 to 5; and X represents a charge balancing anion or anions or (H) of the formula R R N R R X- wherein R represents a Cl to C30 aliphatic radical, at least one R group being a C14 to C30 alkyl group, the weight ratio of (A) to (B) ranging from about 40:1 to about 3:11.
2. A composition as claimed in Claim 1 including up to about 5% by weight of electrolyte.
3. A composition as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the imidazoHnium softener is a 1 -heptadecyl-1 -methyl-(2-stearoyi-amidoethyi) imidazolinium salt.
4. A composition as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the dicationic compound is N-tallowy1-,N,- 35 N,Nl,Nl,Nl-pentamethyl-1,3-propanediammonium dimethosulphate.
5. A composition as claimed in anyone of Claims 1 to 4 in which the amount of compound A is about 15% and that of B is about 2%.
6. A composition as claimed in anyone of Claims 1 to 5 in which A& B arethe solefabric softeners present in the composition.
7. A composition as claimed in anyone of Claims 1 to 6 in which the imidazolinium softener (A) has the formula H2C- CH2 1 1 N\\C., N - R 3 \ R 2 R' X- Wherein:

R' represents a C8 to C30 aliphatic radical; R 2 and R 3 which may be the same or different, represent R, or a lower alkyl or a substituted Cl to C4 alkyl; 55 and X represents a water-solubilizing anion.
8. A composition as claimed in Claim 7 in which R' represents a C14tO C18 alkyl or alkenyl group.
9. Acomposition as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8 in which R2 and R 3 represent a lower a] kyl or a 60substituted Cl to C4 alkyl group.
10. A composition as claimed in Claim 7,8 or 9 in which X represents a chloride, bromide, iodide, fluoride, sulphate, methosulphate, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, or carboxylate anion.
11. A composition as claimed in anyone of Claims 1 to 10 in which the cationic softener (B) is distearyl climethyl ammonium chloride.

7 GB 2 167 092 A 7
12. A composition as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 11 in which the ratio of (A) to (B) is about 15:1 to 5A.
13. A composition as claimed in anyone of Claims 1 to 12 in which the amount of compound (A) is about 12% and that of (B) is about 1.5%.
14. A composition as claimed in anyone of Claims 1 to 13 in which the total softener concentration is 5 about 10 to 15% by weight.
15. A composition as claimed in Claim 1 substantially as specifically described herein with reference to any one of the examples.
16. A method for preparing a composition as claimed in anyone of Claims 1 to 15 which comprises first preparing an aqueous solution of at least part of the electrolyte and thereafter adding in sequence the 10 softener components (A) and (B) and then the balance of any electrolyte whereby a stable composition is produced.
17. A method as claimed in Claim 16 substantially as specifically described herein.

Printed in the UK for HMSO, D8818935, 3186, 7102. Published by The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.