GB2276630A - Non-soap detergent bar - Google Patents

Abstract

Non-soap detergent bar contains a non-soap anionic detergent active which comprises a C8-18 alkylbenzene sulphonate and/or a C8-18 alkyl sulphate, a detergency builder and an alkoxylated nonionic detergent. Inclusion of the alkoxylated nonionic may assist in the reduction of mush when the bar is used.

Description

DETERGENT COMPOSITION This invention relates to built, non-soap detergent bars which are used in some countries for the laundering of fabrics and also the cleaning of hard surfaces.

A number of properties are regarded as significant for satisfactory bars. One property concerns the behaviour of a bar when left standing in water. It is undesirable that the outer part of the bar should break up and be lost. It is also undesirable that the outer part of a bar should turn into a soft layer - referred to as mush - which can then be removed by rubbing or scraping.

On the contrary, satisfactory bars should retain their integrity when in contact with water, without however being so hard that the bar composition does not rub off onto fabrics when used.

In US Patent 5,089,174 it is contended that the formation of mush is a problem in bars which contain a mixture of alkylbenzene sulphonate and alkyl sulphate as detergent.

The proposed solution to this problem, set out in this prior patent, is to incorporate into the bar composition a fatty alcohol containing 10 to 22 carbon atoms.

Many patent specifications relating to non-soap detergent bars have taught that various anionic detergents should be used as the detergent in a bar composition, but have also mentioned that some ethoxylated alcohol could be included, in unspecified amount, as a detergent. In any situation where mixed detergents are used it is normal that each detergent present should constitute a significant proportion of the mixture.

We have now found that the incorporation of controlled, rather small amounts of alkoxylated nonionic detergent can enhance the integrity, in contact with water, of bars containing certain anionic detergents.

It is surprising that such nonionic detergents provide this beneficial effect of enhancing wet bar integrity since they are more hydrophilic than the fatty alcohols recommended by US 5,089,174.

Thus, according to this invention, there is provided a built, non-soap detergent bar containing 10 to 60% by weight of non-soap anionic detergent active, at least a majority of which is selected from the group consisting of linear or branched C8 to C18 alkylbenzene sulphonates, C8 to C18 alkyl sulphates and mixtures thereof, the amount of detergent active selected from said group being at least 10% by weight of the bar; and 5 to 60% by weight of detergency builder; wherein the bar additionally contains from 0.3 to 4.0% by weight of alkoxylated nonionic detergent.

The nonionic detergent is likely to be a mixture of chemically similar compounds. Preferably the nonionic detergent is a C8 to C16 alcohol ethoxylated with an average of from 1, more usually 3 up to 15 ethylene oxide residues.

The features of this invention, and also some preferred and optional features, will now be discussed in turn: Detergent active As already mentioned, the composition includes nonsoap detergent active in an amount from 10 to 60wt% of the overall composition. It is envisaged that the amount will generally range from 12 to 40 or 45wt% and a particularly envisaged range is from 15 to 40wt%. Amounts over 45wt% up to 60wt% may, however, be used.

Anionic detergent actives required as more than half of the anionic detergent present in bars of the present invention are either or both of: alkylbenzene sulphonates of formula R - C6H4 S03 M and primary alkyl sulphates, also known as primary alcohol sulphates, of formula ROSO3M wherein in each formula R is a linear or branched primary alkyl or alkenyl group containing 8 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably 10 to 18 carbon atoms and M is a cation such that the detergent active is water soluble.

In primary alkyl sulphate R will frequently be linear alkyl of 8 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably of 10 to 16 carbon atoms. In alkylbenzene sulphonate R may be linear or branched alkyl of 8 to 22 carbon atoms and preferably contains 8 to 16 carbon atoms.

The detergent active may consist solely of primary alkyl sulphate. However, it is envisaged that the detergent active will usually be alkylbenzene sulphonate (either branched or linear) or a mixture of alkylbenzene sulphonate and primary alkyl sulphate in a weight ratio ranging from 3:1 to 1:9, more likely 2:1 to 1:6 or 1:4, yet more preferably a weight ratio ranging from 1:1 to 1:3.

Other detergent actives which may be used in lesser amount include alkane sulphonates, secondary alcohol sulphates, olefin sulphonates, fatty acid ester sulphonates, ethoxylated alcohol sulphonates, betaines and amine oxides. Fatty acyl alkanolamides, which are polar nonionic detergents, may also be employed.

It is possible within the scope of the invention to include soap but it would generally be absent because it inhibits the formation of lather by the non-soap detergent active. Consequently it is preferred that if soap is present at all, the amount of it does not exceed 2% by weight of the bar composition.

The nonionic detergent which is included in accordance with this invention will be the product of alkoxylating a molecule which has a reactive functional group. For many nonionic detergents this molecule will have a hydrophobic hydrocarbon group of 8 to 18 carbon atoms, such as an alkyl, alkenyl or alkylphenyl group, attached to a functional group such as hydroxy, amino or carboxyl.

The alkylene oxide will generally be ethylene oxide although other alkylene oxides such as propylene oxide could be used, perhaps jointly with ethylene oxide.

Such nonionic detergents could for instance be an alkoxylated amine or an alkoxylated carboxylic acid.

Preferred, however, are alkoxylated alcohols especially ethoxylated alcohols. These are of the formula RO(C2 H4 O)H where R is an alkyl or alkenyl group of 8 to 18 carbon atoms and n has an average value of at least 1, generally at least 3, notably in a range from 3 to 15.

Preferably n lies in a range from 3 to 12.

As is well known, such detergents are manufactured by ethoxylating the corresponding alcohol of formula ROH.

This yields a mixture of ethoxylated alcohols with varying numbers of ethylene oxide residues, and including some small proportion of unreacted alcohol. For this reason the value of n is an average value.

The alcohol ROH may be from a natural source. For example coconut alcohol may be employed as the feedstock for ethoxylation. Alternatively a synthetic alcohol may be utilised.

The alcohol can be a primary or secondary alcohol and can be linear or branched.

The amount of nonionic detergent may range from 0.3 to 4.0t by weight of the composition. The amount preferably is 0.5% or more. Preferably also it does not exceed 3% or even 2.5% by weight.

It will usually be the case that the amount of anionic detergent active is at least three, and possibly at least four or five times the amount of nonionic detergent.

Detergency builder Bars according to this invention incorporate from 5 to 60% by weight of water-soluble detergency builder, preferably from 10 to 45. The detergency builder may be water-soluble builder, water-insoluble builder, or a mixture of the two.

Examples of water-soluble builder components are: water soluble phosphate salts, e.g. sodium tripolyphosphate, pyrophosphate and orthophosphate; water soluble carbonates, e.g. sodium carbonate; organic builders, e.g. sodium nitrilotriacetate, sodium tartrate, sodium citrate, trisodium carboxymethyl oxysuccinate, sodium oxydisuccinate, sodium sulphonated long-chain monocarboxylic acids, polyacrylates and oxidised polysaccharides. Significant forms of this invention are bars in which the builder comprises water-soluble phosphate or polyphosphate detergency builder in an amount which is at least 10% by weight of the bar composition.

A water-insoluble detergent builder which may be included in a bar formulation is an aluminosilicate ion exchanger, such as natural and synthetic zeolites. This may possibly be used in amounts up to 40% by weight of the bar, e.g. 5 to 40%.

Water-insoluble material Bars according to this invention will usually contain up to 40% by weight of water-insoluble material, notably from 2% or 5% up to 40%.

It is conventional that bars include water-insoluble material, customarily referred to as filler which helps to form the structure of the bar. Clays, notably kaolin and bentonite are conventional for this purpose. If a waterinsoluble detergency builder is present, this will also contribute to the content of water-insoluble material.

Although it is not an essential feature, bars embodying this invention may include a structuring system consisting of a water-insoluble metal compound precipitated during manufacture of the bars. GB Patent 2,099,013 describes the use of aluminium salts and a soluble silicate to form aluminosilicate in situ.

GB 2,234,982A describes the use of further polyvalent metal compounds and siliceous compounds to provide a structuring system. GB 2,235,205A discloses the use of phosphates in the provision of water-insoluble structuring material. These prior disclosure are incorporated herein by reference.

The systems of one or other of these prior disclosures are preferably used in the bars of the present invention and contribute to the content of water-insoluble material. When aluminium salts are incorporated with the intention that they will react to form insoluble structure enhancing compounds, it is possible that a small proportion will not react and remain in the composition as a soluble aluminium salt.

Other ingredients The bars of this invention may optionally include various other materials, both soluble and insoluble.

Water-soluble salts such as sodium sulphate may be included as a filler.

The water-soluble alkali metal salts of those sulphur oxo acids which are reducing agents may be included in the composition as bleaches. Preferred is to incorporate from 1 to 15% by weight of such material, better at least 2% or even at least 7.5% by weight. These materials can be used in conjunction with a photobleach such as aluminium phthalocyanine sulphonate.

Other detergent additives include antiredeposition agents such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, starches, colouring materials, fluorescers, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, protein hydrolysates and germicides, opacifiers, humectants such as glycerol, polyethylene glycols, perfumes and alternative bleaches such as sodium perborate and potassium monopersulphate. Enzymes may also be included, notably proteases, lipases and amylases.

Fatty alcohols (without ethoxylation) such as coconut alcohol may be incorporated in bars according to this invention if desired. Some fatty alcohol is likely to be included in commercial supplies of nonionic detergent or primary alkyl sulphate. Notably commercial coconut alcohol sulphate invariably contains some unsulphated material, and there can also be decomposition to fatty alcohol during bar manufacture. However, there is no necessity to incorporate such alcohols in addition to the nonionic detergent.

Detergent bars according to this invention may be formulated to yield an alkaline liquor when used. This may be done by including sodium carbonate and/or sodium silicate to raise the alkalinity, (typically to a pH in the range 9.8 to 11.4 when determined as below).

However, we have found that it is both possible and advantageous to formulate detergent bars so as to give a reduced alkaline pH when placed in water. Accordingly the composition of bars embodying this invention may be such that the composition generates a pH in the range from 7.0 to 9.8 when mixed with deionised water at a weight ratio of composition: water of 2.5:97.5 and allowed to dissolve as completely as possible at a temperature of 20 C.

In practice the pH of a composition will not vary much with temperature, so that a pH value measured at any temperature in the range from 15"C to 30"C will be adequately accurate.

It is preferred that the pH, measured at 20"C as stated above, lies in a range from 7.5 to 9.6. The pH may well lie above a lower limit of pH 8.0. Alternatively, or in addition, it may lie in a range not exceeding pH 9.3 or even pH 9.2.

Depending on the intended pH other less alkaline salts may be introduced to provide further control of the pH. Thus for instance sodium carbonate may be at least partially replaced with bicarbonate or borax. Phosphate acid builder salts can help to buffer the pH which is developed on mixing with water.

In use, of course, the proportions of mixing with water are not controlled and deionised water is not used.

Nevertheless the pH which is generated in use will be adequately related to that measured under the stated conditions, since it is largely controlled by the salts in the composition.

To prepare bars according to this invention, it is preferred to use if possible the acid form of the detergent(s) active, neutralising them in a mixer and adding other ingredients such as insoluble filler(s), phosphate builder(s) and finally minor ingredients such as perfume. In the case of alkyl sulphate it is not possible to use the acidic form of the detergent, because it decomposes back to a primary alcohol which is the starting material from which primary alkyl sulphate is made.

Therefore alkyl sulphates are added to the mixture in the form of their alkali metal salts.

Mixing can be carried out in a high shear mixer and be followed by conventional extrusion and bar stamping.

The required nonionic detergent may be added at any stage, but preferably after neutralisation. GB 2,099,013, 2,234,982 and 2,235,205 explain when to add materials which react in situ to form an insoluble structuring system.

Neutralisation is preferably effected by the known procedure of dry neutralisation, in which a carbonate (usually soda ash) is added to the acidic mixture.

Neutralisation in other ways, such as with very concentrated sodium hydroxide solution or a mixture of sodium hydroxide and soda ash, is also possible.

The invention will be further explained and illustrated by means of the following examples, in which all proportions and percentages are by weight unless otherwise stated.

In these examples, bars with the compositions given were manufactured on a conventional plant for the manufacture of NSD bars. This plant consisted of a sigma mixer, mill and vacuum plodder.

All mixing of ingredients took place in the mixer, as did neutralisation of the acid form of the anionic detergent, as indicated above. When the anionic detergent included primary alkyl sulphate, this was added to the mixer in pre-neutralised (i.e. sodium salt) form.

All bars were made with the same dimensions.

The bars were tested for hardness, integrity when wet, and rate of wear.

Hardness was measured using a SUR PNR10 penetrometer, fitted with a needle of 9 cone angle and a 100 g weight.

An initial measurement was made on freshly extruded bars and a "final" measurement was made after 3 days.

Integrity of bars when wet was measured by the following test for mush formation and loss. The test bar is weighed, and then suspended partially immersed in a 400 ml beaker containing 250 ml water of 20C French hardness at 26"C such that a 3 cm length of the bar is immersed in the water. The bar is left in the water for six hours. During this period some of the bar material forms a sediment at the bottom of the beaker whilst some dissolves into solution. The bar is then withdrawn from the beaker and placed on a petri dish and scraped with a knife to remove soft mush clinging to its surface. The remaining bar is dried to constant weight in an oven. The difference in its weight at the end of the experiment and its starting weight is the weight lost on mushing.

It will be appreciated that the above test is a realistic assessment of loss of weight in a typical wash procedure.

Rate of wear is measured as the loss in bar weight during a procedure in which a bar is rubbed 500 times (by machine) on a test cloth wetted with water of 20 French hardness at ambient temperature.

The pH of the bars was tested as mentioned above by mixing bar composition with deionised water in weight ratio 2.5:97.5, allowing to dissolve as completely as possible at 20"C, and then measuring the pH of the solution.

Example 1 Bars were prepared using a mixture of primary alkyl sulphate and alkyl benzene sulphonate as anionic detergent. Some of the bars contained 1% or 2% by weight of a ?12-15 primary alcohol ethoxylated with average 7 ethylene oxide residues (Synperonic A7 available from ICI). Formulations of the bars and their observed properties are given in the following Table 1.

The initials PAS denote sodium salt of coconut alcohol sulphate.

The initials ABS denote sodium alkyl benzene sulphonate having approximately twelve carbon atoms in its alkyl chain.

STP is sodium tripolyphosphate.

TABLE 1 INGREDIENTS BY WEIGHT Cl 2 -15 PRIMARY 0 1 2 ALCOHOL 7EO PAS 18 18 18 ABS 12 12 12 SODA ASH IN EXCESS 0.5 0 0 OF AMOUNT FOR NEUTRALISATION SILICA 2 2 2 ALKALINE SILICATE 6 6 6 (48%) ALUMINIUM SULPHATE 7.4 7.4 7.4 HYDRATE STP 15 15 15 CALCITE 13.9 13.4 12.4 SODIUM SULPHITE 8 8 8 MINOR INGREDIENTS < ---BALANCE TO 100%---- > AND WATER PROPERTIES TOTAL WATER:: THEORETICAL 13.4 13.4 13.4 MEASURED 9.1 10.1 10.2 pH 9.6 9.4 9.4 PENETROMETER (mm) INITIAL 4.8 6.9 9.1 FINAL 0.6 0.8 0.8 RATE OF WEAR (g) 6.6 6.0 5.8 MUSH LOSS (g) 23.8 21.2 16.5 As can be seen from this table the addition of the nonionic ethoxylated alcohol gave a marked improvement in mush formation and loss without serious detriment to the values for final hardness and rate of wear.

Example 2 The procedure of Example 1 was repeated with changes to the bar formulation and in some cases the use of an ethoxylated alcohol containing a different average number of ethylene oxide residues, as set out in the following Tables 2 and 3.

The same advantageous reduction of mush formation and loss was observed.

TABLE 2 INGREDIENTS % BY WEIGHT C12 15 PRIMARY 0 1 2 ALCOHOL 7EO PAS 18 18 18 ABS 12 12 12 SODA ASH IN EXCESS 0 0 0 OF AMOUNT FOR NEUTRALISATION SILICA 2 2 2 ALKALINE SILICATE 6 6 6 (48%) ALUMINIUM SULPHATE 7.4 7.4 7.4 HYDRATE STP 15 15 15 SODIUM SULPHATE 14.4 13.4 12.4 SODIUM SULPHITE 8 8 8 MINOR INGREDIENTS < ---BALANCE TO 100%---- > AND WATER PROPERTIES TOTAL WATER: : THEORETICAL 13.4 13.4 13.4 MEASURED 8.6 9.1 9.1 pH 9.3 9.3 9.3 PENETROMETER (mm) INITIAL 5.4 7.7 6.6 FINAL 0.6 0.7 0.8 RATE OF WEAR (g) 6.0 5.8 5.6 MUSH LOSS (g) 20.3 10.0 8.3 TABLE 3 INGREDIENTS % BY WEIGHT Cl 2 -15 PRIMARY O 0 2 ALCOHOL 7EO Cl 2 -15 PRIMARY 0 2 0 ALCOHOL 3EO PAS 18 18 18 ABS 12 12 12 SODA ASH IN EXCESS 2.5 2.5 2.5 OF AMOUNT FOR NEUTRALISATION SILICA 2 2 2 ALUMINIUM SULPHATE 7.4 7.4 7.4 HYDRATE STP 15 15 15 KAOLIN 6 6 6 SODIUM SULPHATE 12.9 10.9 10.9 SODIUM SULPHITE 8 8 8 MINOR INGREDIENTS < ---BALANCE TO 100%---- > AND WATER PROPERTIES TOTAL WATER:: THEORETICAL 9.2 9.2 9.2 MEASURED 7.4 8.9 7.7 pH 9.4 9.5 9.4 PENETROMETER (mm) INITIAL 3.8 5.1 5.3 FINAL 0.3 0.6 0.4 RATE OF WEAR (g) 6.5 5.8 5.9 MUSH LOSS (g) 20.4 15.4 16.0 Example 3 Example 1 was repeated using a formulation containing kaolin and bentonite as well as calcite, and formulated to give a bar pH in the range 10.2 to 10.6.

The formulations and results are set out in Tables 3 and 4. One formulation in Table 5 used a Q2-15 alcohol ethoxylated with average 11 EO.

Again there was an advantageous reduction in mush formation and loss.

TABLE 4 INGREDIENTS t BY WEIGHT C12-15 PRIMARY 0 1 2 ALCOHOL 7EO PAS 18 18 18 ABS 12 12 12 SODA ASH IN EXCESS 13.4 13.4 13.4 OF AMOUNT FOR NEUTRALISATION SILICA 2 2 2 ALKALINE SILICATE 6 6 6 (48%) ALUMINIUM SULPHATE 7.4 7.4 7.4 HYDRATE STP 9 9 9 PYRO 4 4 4 CALCITE 8.2 7.2 6.2 KAOLIN 6 6 6 BENTONITE 2 2 2 MINOR INGREDIENTS < ---BALANCE TO 100%---- > AND WATER PROPERTIES TOTAL WATER:: THEORETICAL 9.9 9.9 9.9 MEASURED 6.6 7.6 7.8 pH 10.4 10.3 10.6 PENETROMETER (mm) INITIAL 3.4 4.8 5.1 FINAL 0.3 0.3 0.6 RATE OF WEAR (g) 6.7 6.1 6.2 MUSH LOSS (g) 17.3 14.1 13.8 TABLE 5 INGREDIENTS % BY WEIGHT Q2-15 PRIMARY 0 2 0 ALCOHOL 7EO Cl 2 -15 PRIMARY O 0 2 ALCOHOL llEO PAS 18 18 18 ABS 12 12 12 SODA ASH IN EXCESS 13.4 13.4 13.4 OF AMOUNT FOR NEUTRALISATION SILICA 2 2 2 ALKALINE SILICATE 6 6 6 (48%) ALUMINIUM SULPHATE 7.4 7.4 7.4 HYDRATE STP 9 9 9 PYRO 4 4 4 CALCITE 8.2 6.6 6.6 KAOLIN 6 6 6 BENTONITE 2 2 2 MINOR INGREDIENTS < ---BALANCE TO 100%---- > AND WATER PROPERTIES TOTAL WATER:: THEORETICAL 9.9 9.9 9.9 MEASURED 6.6 7.8 6.1 pH 10.2 10.5 10.3 PENETROMETER (mm) INITIAL 3.4 5.1 4.3 FINAL 0.3 0.6 0.6 RATE OF WEAR (g) 6.7 6.2 6.4 MUSH LOSS (g) 17.3 13.8 14.3 Example 4 Bars were prepared with formulations containing kaolin and an ethoxylated C12 -C14 secondary alcohol containing an average of 7 ethylene oxide residues (Softanol 70 available from Nippon Shokubai) as set out in the following Table 6. One formulation contained zeolite and tripolyphosphate as builders.

The same advantageous reduction of mush formation and loss was observed.

TABLE 6 INGREDIENTS % BY WEIGHT C1214 SECONDARY 0 2 2 2 0 ALCOHOL 7EO C12-C14 SECONDARY ALCOHOL 5EO 0 0 0 0 2 PAS 18 18 18 18 18 ABS 12 12 12 12 12 SULPHURIC ACID 3 3 1.8 1.8 3 SODA ASH IN EXCESS 0 0 1.5 1.5 0 OF AMOUNT FOR NEUTRALISATION SILICA 2 2 2 2 2 ALKALINE SILICATE 6 6 6 6 6 (48%) ALUMINIUM SULPHATE 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.4 HYDRATE STP 15 15 15 12 15 ZEOLITE 0 0 0 6 0 KAOLIN 6 6 6 0 6 SODIUM SULPHATE 8.4 6.4 10.3 13.3 6.4 SODIUM SULPHITE 8 8 8 8 8 MINOR INGREDIENTS < ---BALANCE TO 100%---- > AND WATER PROPERTIES TOTAL WATER:: THEORETICAL 13.4 13.4 10.0 11.2 13.4 MEASURED 9.6 10.5 8.2 9.3 10.6 pH 9.3 9.2 9.6 9.5 9.3 PENETROMETER (mm) INITIAL 3.2 10.4 7.0 5.2 8.0 FINAL 0.3 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.8 RATE OF WEAR (g) 6.8 6.2 6.2 5.9 6.1 MUSH LOSS (g) 17.8 11.9 13.4 11.4 11.2 Example 5 Bars were prepared using only primary alkyl sulphate as anionic detergent.

Formulations and observed bar properties are set out in Table 7 which again shows the reduction in mush formation and loss when nonionic ethoxylated alcohol is included.

TABLE 7 INGREDIENTS % BY WEIGHT C12-15 PRIMARY 0 2 ALCOHOL 7EO PAS 30 30 SODA ASH 10 10 UREA 0.5 0.5 MONOETHANOLAMINE 0.5 0.5 SILICA 3 3 ALUMINIUM SULPHATE 7.4 7.4 HYDRATE PYRO 17.5 17.5 CALCITE 32.4 30.4 MINOR INGREDIENTS < ---BALANCE TO 100%---- > AND WATER PROPERTIES TOTAL WATER: THEORETICAL 7.5 7.5 MEASURED 6.0 5.8 pH 10 10 PENETROMETER (mm) INITIAL 3.6 3.1 FINAL 0.2 0.3 RATE OF WEAR (g) 9.3 8.9 MUSH LOSS (g) 35.7 28.6 Example 6 Bars were prepared using linear C12 alkyl benzene sulphonate (LAS) as the sole anionic detergent. Various formulations were used. These, and observed properties are given in Tables 8 to 11.

TABLE 8 INGREDIENTS BY WEIGHT Cl 2 -15 PRIMARY 0 1 2 ALCOHOL 7EO LAS 22 22 22 SODA ASH IN EXCESS 0.5 0.5 0.5 OF AMOUNT FOR NEUTRALISATION ALKALINE SILICATE 7 7 7 (48%) ALUMINIUM SULPHATE 8 8 8 HYDRATE STP 12.5 12.5 12.5 CALCITE 8.25 8.0 7.75 KAOLIN 24.75 24.0 23.25 SODIUM SULPHITE 7.5 7.5 7.5 MINOR INGREDIENTS < ---BALANCE TO 100%---- > AND WATER PROPERTIES TOTAL WATER:: THEORETICAL 12.5 12.5 12.5 MEASURED 6.1 6.5 8.7 pH 9.5 9.5 9.5 PENETROMETER (mm) INITIAL 4.0 3.2 5.6 FINAL 0.9 1.3 1.5 RATE OF WEAR (g) 7.5 6.2 6.7 MUSH LOSS (g) 14.0 12.8 12.9 TABLE 9 INGREDIENTS % BY WEIGHT C1215 PRIMARY 0 1 ALCOHOL 7EO LAS 22 22 SODA ASH IN EXCESS 0.5 0.5 OF AMOUNT FOR NEUTRALISATION ALUMINIUM SILICATE 7 7 (48%) ALUMINIUM SULPHATE 8 8 HYDRATE STP 12.5 12.5 CALCITE 16.5 16 KAOLIN 16.5 16 SODIUM SULPHITE 7.5 7.5 MINOR INGREDIENTS < ---BALANCE TO 100%---- > AND WATER PROPERTIES TOTAL WATER:: THEORETICAL 12.5 12.5 MEASURED 10.5 7.2 pH 9.5 9.0 PENETROMETER (mm) INITIAL 4.0 4.4 FINAL 0.9 1.0 RATE OF WEAR (g) 7.5 6.7 MUSH LOSS (g) 16.1 13.8 TABLE 10 INGREDIENTS % BY WEIGHT C12-Cl5 PRIMARY 0 1 ALCOHOL 7EO LAS 22 22 SULPHURIC ACID 1.8 1.8 SODA ASH IN EXCESS 10.8 10.8 OF AMOUNT FOR NEUTRALISATION SILICA 3 3 ALUMINIUM SULPHATE 7.4 7.4 HYDRATE STP 12.5 12.5 CALCITE 8.6 8.9 KAOLIN 25.6 26.6 SODIUM SULPHITE 7.5 7.5 MINOR INGREDIENTS < ---BALANCE TO 100---- > AND WATER PROPERTIES TOTAL WATER: : THEORETICAL 11.7 9.7 MEASURED 7.1 5.7 pH 9.3 9.6 PENETROMETER (mm) INITIAL 1.7 4.1 FINAL 0.5 0.7 RATE OF WEAR (g) 8.8 8.0 MUSH LOSS (g) 20.0 15.5 TABLE 11 INGREDIENTS t BY WEIGHT C12-15 PRIMARY 1 1 1 ALCOHOL 7EO LAS 22 22 22 SODA ASH IN EXCESS 0.5 0.5 0.5 OF AMOUNT FOR NEUTRALISATION ALKALINE SILICATE 7 7 7 (48%) ALUMINIUM SULPHATE 8 8 8 HYDRATE STP 12.5 12.5 12.5 CALCITE 23.6 16 8 KAOLIN 4.2 16 24 TALC 4.2 - SODIUM SULPHITE 7.5 7.5 7.5 MINOR INGREDIENTS < ---BALANCE TO 100%---- > AND WATER PROPERTIES TOTAL WATER: THEORETICAL 12.5 12.5 12.5 MEASURED 7.2 6.5 pH 9.5 9.0 9.5 PENETROMETER (mm) INITIAL 3.2 4.4 3.2 FINAL 1.6 1.0 1.3 RATE OF WEAR (g) 7.2 6.7 6.2 MUSH LOSS (g) 15.6 13.8 12.8

Claims (15)

1. CLAIMS: 1. A built, non-soap detergent bar containing

   10 to 60t by weight of non-soap anionic detergent active, at least a majority of which is selected from the group consisting of linear or branched C8 to C18 alkylbenzene sulphonates, C8 to C18 alkyl sulphates and mixtures thereof, the amount of detergent active selected from said group being at least 10% by weight of the bar; and

   5 to 60% by weight of detergency builder; wherein the bar additionally contains from 0.3 to 4.0% by weight of alkoxylated nonionic detergent.
2. 2. A bar according to claim 1 wherein said nonionic detergent is a mixture of compounds containing an average of 1 to 15 ethylene oxide residues.
3. 3. A bar according to claim 1 wherein said nonionic detergent is a C8 to C18 alcohol ethoxylated with an average of 1 to 15 ethylene oxide residues.
4. 4. A bar according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein a majority of the anionic detergent active is alkylbenzene sulphonate.
5. 5. A bar according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein a majority of the anionic detergent active is primary alcohol sulphate.
6. 6. A bar according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein a majority of the anionic detergent active is a mixture of alkylbenzene sulphonate and primary alcohol sulphate in a weight ratio lying in a range from 3:1 to 1:9.
7. 7. A bar according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the nonionic detergent has an average of at least 3 ethylene oxide residues.
8. 8. A bar according to claim 7 wherein the nonionic detergent has an average of 3 to 12 ethylene oxide residues.
9. 9. A bar according to claim 7 wherein the nonionic detergent has an average of 5 to 11 ethylene oxide residues.
10. 10. A bar according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the detergency builder comprises water-soluble detergency builder in an amount which is at least 3% by weight of the bar.
11. 11. A bar according to claim 10 wherein the watersoluble detergency builder comprises alkali metal orthophosphate, pyrophosphate or tripolyphosphate in an amount which is from 3% to 30% by weight of the bar.
12. 12. A bar according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the bar comprises 2% to 40t by weight of waterinsoluble material.
13. 13. A bar according to any one of the preceding claims which generates a pH in the range from 7.0 to 9.8 when mixed with deionised water at a weight ratio of bar composition: water of 2.5:97.5 and allowed to dissolve as completely as possible at a temperature of 20"C.
14. 14. A bar according to claim 13 wherein the pH lies in a range from 7.5 to 9.6.
15. 15. A bar according to any one of claims 1 to 12 which generates a pH in the range from 9.8 to 11 when mixed with deionised water at a weight ratio of bar composition: water of 2.5:97.5 and allowed to dissolve as completely as possible at a temperature of 20"C.