GB2302341A - Textile treatment with a cellulose ether - Google Patents

Abstract

A cellulose ether is used as a textile fibre damage inhibitor or textile fibre protector. It may be employed in a fabric conditioner or detergent composition.

Description

Use of Fabric Treatment Comnositions The invention relates to the use of a cellulose ether for control and prevention of fibre damage caused by washing and use of fabrics.

A typical wash will include some fabric containing cellulose based fibres. Abrasion of cellulose based fibres under wet conditions results in cotton fibre fibrillation whereby the cotton fibres are gradually broken down into their component ibrlls and into fibrillar sheets. Such fibrillation is an important mechanism by=which fabrics are damaged during wash processes. Alternatively abrasion of cellulose fibres cccurs when a garment is dry. This abrasion or dry wear takes the form of the fibre cracking.

The surfaces of damaged fabrics scatter light to a greater extent than undamaged fabrics and the scattering causes dulling of fabric colours. Ultimately the damage will result in mechanical disintegration of the fibre and the consequent failure of cotton garments. The main causes of fibrillation have been found to be agitation (rubbing) of the fibres when wet. Dry friction can also cause fibre damage, as the fIbre can crack.

Cellulose ethers are -flown as ingredients of detergent and fabric softening compositIons. n EP 213 730A (Unilever) there is disclosed a selected class of nonionic cellulose ethers which control soil redepositicn on synthetic fibres and are also capable of enhancing fabric softening in the wash step on natt:ral fibre fabrics. The combination of a fabric softening agent and the selected cellulose ether is also disclosed.

US 3 920 561 (Procter and Gamble) discloses a highly substituted methyl cellulose to impart superior soil release benefits.

Our co-pending applications GB 9218342.5 and GB 9218334.0 disclose the use of fabric softening compositions containing quaternary ammonium compounds for fabric damage inhibitors or reducers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of preventIng damage to fibres in particular cellulose fibres eg. cotton and viscose and thereby to increase the life of garments containing the fibres.

According to the invention there is provided the use of a cellulose ether as a textile fibre damage inhibitor.

Throughout this specification the term inhibitor includes a component which confers protective care or protection on a fibre. In particular it encompasses those materials which reduce the damage to the fibre which would otherwise occur during the course of wearing and washing a garment.

Damage of fibres can take place in several ways. The use of a cellulose ether particularly addresses the problem of dry damage and fibrillation. Dry damage causes cracking of the fibres and fibrillation is the splitting of the fibres to form fibrils.

Examples of suitable cellulose ethers for use in the present invention include nonionic cellulose ethers, of which some or ali of the three hydroxyl sites per anhydroglucose ring of the polymer have been substituted with a nonionic substituent group. Preferably the substituent groups are selected from the C2-C, alkyl and C-C, mono- or polyhydric hydroxy alkyl groups, or combinations thereof. Especially the use of alkyl and hydroxyalkyl substituted cellulose ethers are preferred. Most preferred are the use of ethyl and hydroxyethyl substituted cellulose ethers.

The most highly preferred polymers have an average number of anhydroglucose units in the cellulose polymer, or weight average degree of polymerisation, from about 50 to about 1,200. For certain product orms, e.g. liquids it may be desirable to include polymers of relatively low degree of polymerisation to obtain a satisfactory product viscosity.

A number of cellulose ether derivatives suitable for use in the present invention are commercially available, as follows: Trade Name Gel Point HLB alkyl/hydroxyalkyl OC (Davies) BERMOCOL CST035 35 3.40 ) 1.4 ethyl (ex Berol Nobel) ) .5 hydroxyethyl DVT 88004 37 3.11 ) 1.5 ethyl (ex Eerol Nobel) )1.0 hydroxyethyl TYLOSE MHB 1000 54 3.52 ) 2.0 methyl (ex Hoechst) ) 0.1 hydroxyethyl Other cellulose ether derivatives which have been found to be suitable for so ifl the present invention are disclosed in GB 2 038 353B COLGTr-P.LMOL,VE) and include TYLOSE MH 300 (ex Hoechsc), and METHOCEL D 8861 (ex Dow Chemical Company, now coded METHOCEL HB12M) (which contains about 0.1 hydroxybutyl substituents per anhydroglucose ring).

Also suitable are t):e materials disclosed in JP 59-6293A (LION KK) which includes KLUCEL H (ex Hercules Chemical Corp), METHOCEL K4M (ex Dow Chemical Company) and NATROSOL 250HR (ex Hercules Chemical Corp).

Preferred cellulose ethers for use in compositions of the present invention have an HLB ot from 3.3 to 3.8 and a gel point within the range of from 30 to 560C. Especially preferred is the use of Bermocoll CST035.

Cellulose ethers are suitably used in the preferred compositions at ievels of at least 0.01%, generally 0.01-10%, preferably 0.02-5 by weight.

The invent ion further provides the use of a cellulose ether in a fabric conditioning composition for the prevention of textile fibre damage and te protect textile fibres.

This aspect of the invention has the advantage that the use of the cellulose ether can be carried out as part of a rinsing process gIving a desirable overall effect of softening and fibre damage control or prevention. Further more the cellulose ether when deposited in this manner can protect the fibres after the rinsing process and during wear and use of articles and the protection conferred can be carried over to the next wash.

The cellulose ethers may be used in admixture with one or more fabric softening materials such as cat ironic fabric softeners or amine materials. Examples of suitable cat ironic fabrics softeners include substantially water insoluble quaternary ammonium compounds such as for instance dihardened tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride, Imidazolonium salts and similar di (long-chain) quaternaries and ester-linked quaternaries as for instance disclosed in EP 239 10, US 3 915 867 and US 4 137 180.

Examples of amine materials include tertiary amines and those disclosed in EP 0 199 383 and EP 0 345 842.

The fabric softening composition can also contain fatty acids for example C,-C,, alkyl or alkenylmonocarboxylic acids or polymers thereof. Preferably saturated fatty acids are used, in particular, hardened tallow Cl6-Cle fatty acids. Preferably the fatty acid is non-saponified, more preferably the fatty acid is free; for example oleic acid, lauric acid or tallow tatty acid.

If rinse conditioners the level of fabric softening material for use In the fabric softening composition according to the invention may constitute from 5 to 97 wt% of the total wt of the composition.

The compositions of the invention preferably have a pH of more than 2, more preferably from 2 to 5.

The compositions can also contain one or more optional ingredients, selected from non-aqueous solvents, pH buffering agents, perfumes, perfume carriers, fluorescers, colorants, hydrotropes, anti-foaming agents, antiredeposition agents, enzymes, freeze-thaw stabilisers, optical brightenIng agents, pacifiers, anti-shrinking agents, anti-wrin.ele agents, anti-spot;ing agents, germicides, fungicides, anti-oxidants, anti-corrosion agents, drape imparting agents, antistatic agents and ironing aids.

The composition may also contain nonionic fabric softening agents such as lanolin and derivatives thereof.

The invention further provides the use of a fabric softening cellulose ether in a composition comprising a detergent active for the prevention of fibre damage or to protect fibres.

The detergent active material may be selected from soaps, non-soap anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic. and amphoteric synthetic detergent active materials and optionally one or more fabric softening materials.

Many suitable detergent compounds are commercially available and are fully described in the literature, for example in "Surface Active Agents and Detergents", Volumes I and II, by Schwartz, Perry and Berch.

Anionic surfactants useful in the present invention include: Linear alkyl sulphonates. Examples of suitable synthetic anionic detergent compounds are sodium and potassium alkyl sulphates, especially those obtained by sulphating higher (Ce-ClS) alcohols produced for example from tallow or coconut oil, sodium and potassium alkyl (C9- C20) benzene sulphonates, particularly sodium linear secondary alkyl (C1o-Cl5) benzene sulphonates; sodium alkyl glyceryl ether sulphates, especially those ethers of the higher alcohols derived from tallow or coconut oil and synthetic alcohols derived from petroleum; sodium coconut oil fatty monoglyceride sulphates and sulphonates; sodium and potassium salts of sulphuric acid esters of higher (C8 C.8) fatty alcohol-alkylene oxides, particularly ethylene oxide, reaction products: the reaction products of fatty acids such as coconut fatty acids esterified with isethionic acid and neutralised with sodium hydroxide; sodium and potassium salts of fatty acid amides of methyl taurine; alkane monosulphonates such as those derived by reacting alpha-olefins (C-C) with sodium bisulphite and those derived from reacting paraffins with SO2 and Cl2 and then hydrolysing with a base to produce a random sulphonate; and oleo in sulphonates, which term is used to describe the material made by reacting olefines, particularly ClO-C20 alpha-olefins, with S03 and then neutralising and hydrolysing the reaction product.

Preferred anionic detergent compounds are sodium (Cll-Cls) alkyl benzene sulphonates and sodium. (C16-Cl8) alkyl sulphates. Directly esterified isethionates may also be used.

Suitable nonionic compounds which may be used include in particular the reaction products of compounds having a hydrophobic group and a reactive hydrogen atom, for example aliphatic alcohols, acids, amides or alkyl~phenols with alkylene oxides, especially ethylene oxide either alone or with propylene oxide. Specific nonionic detergent compounds are alkyl (C.:C) phenols-ethylene oxide condensates, generally up to 25 EO, i.e. up to 25 units of ethylene oxide per molecule, the condensation products of aliphatic (C,-C1,) primary or secondary linear or branched alcohols with ethylene oxide, generally up to 40 EO, and products made by ccndensation of ethylene oxide with the reaction products of propylene oxide and ethylenediamide.

Other so-called nonionic detergent compounds include alkyl polyglycosides, long tertiary amide oxides, glucamines, long chain tertiary phosphine oxides and dialkyl sulphoxides.

Amounts or amphoterlc or witterionic detergent compounds can also be used in the compositions of the invention but this is not normally desired due to their relatively high cost. If any amphoteric or zwicterior.:c detergent compounds are used t is generally in small amounts.

The effective amount of the detergent active or fabric softening compound or compounds used In the composition of the present invention is generally in the range of up to 50%, preferably up to 40% by weight, ost preferably not more than 30% by weight of the composition. Preferably the level is above 1%, most preferably more than 2%.

Compositions of the invention may include detergency builder to improve the efficiency of. the detergent active, in particular to remove calcium hardness ions from the water. The builder material may be selected from inorganic precipitating builders materials (such as alkali metal carbonates, bicarbonates, borates, orthophosphates and silicates), sequestering builder materials (such as alkali metal pyrophosphates, polyphosphates, amino polyacetates, phytates, polyphosphonates, aminopolymethylene phosphonates and polycarboxylates), lon-exchange builder materials (such as zeolites and amorphous alumino-silicates), organic precipitating builder materials.

Preferred examples of builder materials include sodium tripolyphosphate, mixtures thereof with sodium orthophosphate, sodium carbonate, mixtures thereof with calcite as a seed crystal, citrates, zeolite and the sodium salt of nitrilo- triacetic acid. Among the Zeolites that find application in the present invention there may be mentioned: Zeolite A and X and mixtures thereof, particularly Zeolite 4A. Also of interest is Zeolite P MP described and claimed in EP0384070 (Unilever).

The level of such builder material in the compositions of the invention may from 2 to 80% by weight, preferably from 7% to 708 by weight and most preferably from 14% to 60% by weight.

Compositions comprising a detergent active according to the invention preferably are neutral or slightly alkaline when added to water at a concentration of 1% by weight at 250C.

Neutral compositions are especially preferred for wool wash use.

Apart from the components already mentioned, a composition of the invention can contain any of the conventional additives in the amount in which such additives are normally employed in fabric washing detergent compositions.

Optional additives include the lather boosters such as: alkanolamides, particularly the monoethanolamides derivatives from palm kernel fatty acids and coconut fatty acids, lather depressants, oxygen-releasing bleaching agents such as sodium perborate and sodium percarbonate, peracid bleach precursors, chlorine-releasing bleaching agents such as trichloroisocyanuric acid, inorganic salts such as sodium sulphate, and, usually preSent in very minor amounts, fluorescent agents, perfumes including deodorant perfumes, enzymes such as cellulases, lipases, proteases and amylases, germicides clays and colourants.

The compositions may be in any convenient form such as bars, powders, flakes, pastes or liquids which may be aqueous or non-aqueous and structured or unstructured.

The detergent compositions may be prepared in any way appropriate to their physical form such as^by dry-mixing the components, co-agglomerating them or dispersing them in a liquid carrier.

The invention will now be illustrated by the following nonlimiting examples and with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the fibre damage test apparatus used.

Figure 1 shows a yarn on yarn abrasion tester with a test yarn 1 comprising fibres. The two ends of the yarn are attached to metal links 2 and 3. Metal link 2 joins the yarn to a cord 4 which passes over a first upper yarn guide pulley 4A and is attached to a tensioning weight 5.

Typically a 20g tensioning weight is used. The other end of the yarn is attached to a second cord 6 by the metal link 3. Between the metal links the yarn is twisted about itself in the test region 7 and is weighed down by passing the yarn around a lower yarn guide pulley 8. The second cord 6 passes over a second upper yarn guide pulley 9 and is attached to an electrically driven reciprocating means 10. A beaker 11 is provided for containing water or aqueous media used to test the yarn in wet conditions.

The test method consists of attaching the yarn to be tested to one of the metal links, passing the yarn around the lower yarn guide pulley 9 and then twisting the yarn around itself a predetermined number of times to form the region 7, before attaching it to the other metal link. If required, the beaker is filled with an aqueous test medium.

The reciprocating means is then switched on. A record is kept of the number of oscillations of the reciprocating means before failure. In each of the following examples the test was repeated a number of times and very high or low results discarded before a statistical analysis was made of the remaining date. (Very high or low results are due to defective fibres).

Comparative examples are indicated by a letter. Examples of the invention are indicated by a number.

Examples 100t extracted Terry Cotton hanks were attached to terry towelling as part of a 2.5kg load. The load was then washed in a Zanussi Jet System washing machine using the 400C cotton cycle programme, as follows: Example A washed with Persil Colour (purchased in UK 1993) (104g).

Example 1 washed with Persil Colour Cpurchased in UK 1993) (104g) with 0.2% Bermacol.

The yarns were washed ten times. After treatment the yarns were allowed to dry for 24 hours at room temperature. They were then individually abraded on the yarn or yarn abrasion tester. All tests were carried out dry at room temperature. Table 1 shows the mean number of cycles before 16 samples of yarn failed in a abrasion test.

Table I

TEST CONDITIONS EXAMPLE 7 ORIGINAL SOLUTION A 151.9 1 234.9 The results clearly show the advantage of having cellulose ether present.

Claims (9)

1. Use of cellulose ether as a textile fibre damage inhibitor or textile fibre protector.

2. Use of a cellulose ether in a fabric conditioning composition for the prevention of textile fibre damage or to protect textile fibres.

3. Use of a cellulose ether in a composition comprising a detergent active compound for the prevention of textile fibre damage or to protect textile fibres.

4. Use of a cellulose ether according to any preceding claim in which the fibre damage comprises fibre fibrillation or dry damage.

5. Use of a cellulose ether according to any preceding claim in which the textile fibre comprises cotton.

6. Use of a cellulose ether according to any preceding claim in which the cellulose ether is a nonionic cellulose ether, of which at least one hydroxyl site of the anhydroglucose ring of the polymer has been substituted with a nonionic substituent group.

7. Use of a cellulose ether group according to claim 7 in which the nonionic substituent group is an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group.

8. Use of a cellulose ether according to any preceding claim in which the level of the cellulose ether is in the range from 0.01% to 10% of the total wt% of the composition.

9. Use of a cellulose ether according to claim 8 in which the level of the fabric softening cellulose ether is in the range from 0.02 wt% to 5 wt% of the total wt% composition.