GB2339574A - Disintegrating components - Google Patents

Description

2339574 Detej:gent Composition Technical fiel This invention relates to

disintegrating components suitable for use in detergent or other compositions which will provide dissolution and/or dispensing benefits. The invention also relates to detergent or other compositions or components thereof containing such disintegrating components.

Background to the Invention

Over the last few decades, improvements in detergent compositions and in particular laundry and dish-washing detergent compositions, have generally been aimed at improving the cleaning performance of detergents. In more recent years, the focus has been on developing high density detergent products.

As detergent cleaning performance has improved and product density has tended to increase, it has now been found that one of the main complaints of the users of detergent products is that they do not always dispense or dissolve satisfactorily. This can be seen by residues of detergent product remaining in the dispenser drawer of a washing machine when a washing cycle has completed, and/or by residues of detergent product remaining on fabrics after the wash. The residues may be either gel residues (generally causing the residues found in the dispenser drawer) or in the form of powdered residues. Dispensing and dissolving problems are exacerbated by the tendency for increased product densities, especially in cooler water wash conditions and/or when limited amounts of water are used in the washing process, for example in the initial phase of the washing process where relatively small amounts of water are contacted with the detergent product. Poor dispensing results in an incomplete delivery of the detergent composition into the washing process and therefore, reduced cleaning performance.

In addition, it is desirable to produce detergent products in the form of a tablet for ease of use and convenience for the consumer. However, this further exacerbates any dispensing problems.

2 The tablet art discusses at length the problems and balance needed to produce detergent tablets which have sufficient strength and will still dispense. There are many disclosures of disintegrants for use in tablets. For example, in EP-A-466484, 5 disintegrants and their mechanisms are discussed and it is stated that physical disintegrants which act by swelling are preferred. Examples include cross-linked polyvinyl pyrrolidone, montmorillonite or Bentonite clay, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and acrylate/maleic anhydride copolymer US4642197 discloses the use of more than one disintegrant such as a mixture of cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone and/or celluolse ethers and/or swellable magnesium alurninium. silicate. However, detergent tablets preferably disintegrate very quickly or tablet fragments will be entrapped in either the dispenser, or in "dead areas" in the machine such as the area between the drum and the porthole in front loading automatic machines, or in the folds, creases and pockets of garments where the detergent is a laundry detergent.

There is still therefore, a need for improved dispensing of detergent products and in particular for improved dispensing of detergent tablets. The inventors of the present invention have now found that a particular combination of components used together provides a useful disintegrant.

SumrnM of the invention In accordance with the present invention, there is now provided a disintegrating component for use in a detergent composition comprising a wicking agent and a water-swellable polymer optionally in an intimate mixture.

In accordance with further aspects of the present invention, there is also provided a detergent composition comprising such a disintegrating component and a method for making a preferred disintegrating component.

Detailed descriRtion of the invention The Wicking Age 3 The wicking agent comprises a compound or mixture of compounds which enables fast water penetration into the detergent composition containing the disintegrating component, when the detergent composition is contacted with water in the wash.

The wicking agent is generally substantially water-insoluble in cold water at 15'C.

Preferably the wicking agent has a lower density than the density of the composition as a whole in which it is incorporated. The density of the wicking agent may be at least 10%, more preferably at least 20% (based on the density of the detergent composition as a whole) lower than the density of the composition as a whole in which it is incorporated. Preferably also, the wicking agent has low compressibility and maintains porosity under processing conditions, particularly compaction.

Suitable wicking agents are generally cellulose-based. The cellulosebased compounds may optionally be microcrystalline or mechanically ground and processed cellulose such as ArbocelTm.

The wicking agent may be in the form of a powder, which may be obtained by mechanical grinding, a microcrystalline powder or it may be in the form of a granule e.g. an agglomerate of fine particle size wicking agent, or as a fibre, or mixtures thereof. Particularly preferred wicking agents are fibrous, for example, those having a length to diameter ratio of at least 3: 1, preferably at least 5: 1 or even at least 10: 1.

Suitable fibres include those having a length of at least 0. 1 mm, or at least 0.2mm, or even at least 0.4mm. Particularly preferred wicking agents are cross- linked.

Particularly preferred wicking agents are cross-linked cellulose fibres as described in US 5 137 537, US 5 183 707, US 5 190 563, US 5 562 740, US 5 549 791, US 5 549 863, US 5 709 774 or US 5 716 703. These particularly preferred cellulosic fibres are cross-linked in substantially individualized form i.e. the cellulosic fibres have primarily intrafibre chemical cross-link bonds. That is, the cross-link bonds are primarily between cellulose molecules of a single fibre rather than between cellulose molecules of separate fibres. Processes for making such cross-linked fibres may be either dry cross-linking processes such as is described in US 3 224 926, or aqueous 4 solution, as described in US 3 241553 or non-aqueous solution cross- linking, as described in US 4 035 147.

Preferred cellulose is cross-linked with dialdehydes (as described in US 4 689 118 or US 4 822 453), epichlorohydrin, formaldehyde and more preferably by carboxylic acids (for example as described in US 5 137 537). The most preferred cellulose is cross-linked with citric acid. The cross-linked cellulose is preferably fluff-dried.

The Water-Swellable Age The water-swellable agent may be any compound or mixture of compunds which swells in contact with water, for example to form a gel. The water- swellable agent may be inorganic such as clays or water-swellable salts, or organic such as polymeric materials. Preferably, the water-swellable agent comprises a water- swellable polymer. It may comprise a polyelectrolyte polymer such as poly(meth)acrylates or carboxymethy1cellulose, copolymers or derivatives thereof such as polyacrylate esters, polymethacrylae esters, acrylate maleate copolymers or mixtures thereof.

Polyvinyl pyrrolidones and their copolymers and derivatives are also suitable. The water-swellable polymer may comprise polysaccharide polymers, such as guars, alginates, starches, carboxymethyl starches, optionally colloidal microcrystalline cellulose, their copolymers or derivatives or mixtures thereof Mixtures of polyelectrolyte and polysacchride polymers are also suitable. The polymers may be in the acid or salt form with varying degrees of charge/neutralisation and of varying molecular weight and have varying degrees of and distribution of substituents, as long as they are swellable. The polymers are optionally cross-linked.

Carboxymethy1cellulose and its derivatives are particularly preferred, especially those having a degree of substitution of from 0.2 to 0.7 (i.e. 20-70% of the gluco pyranosyl rings in the cellulose polymer is substituted with a carboxymethyl substituent), preferably from 0.4 to 0.6 and a molecular weight of from 250,000 to 1,000,000, preferably from 250,000 to 700,000 measured for example by GPC using styrene as a standard.

In the disintegrating component, the wicking agent and water-swellable agent are preferably present in weight ratios of less than 2: 1, preferably less than 1: 1. The weight ratio is generally no less than 1:20, preferably no less than 1: 10.

Where the disintegrating component is formed as an intimate mixture of the wicking agent and water-swellable agent in a pre-mix for incorporation into a composition such as a detergent composition, the pre- mix may be in the form of a detergent component, for example in the form of a particle. The pre-mix preferably comprises more than 50 wt%, preferably more than 75 wt% or even up to 90 wt% of wicking agent and water-swellable polymer and less than 50 wt %, preferably less than 25 wt% or even less than 10 wt% other ingredients optionally comprising a binder. Other ingredients suitable for incorporation into the pre-mix are dependent on the final application of the disintegrating component. When the disintegrating component is for incorporation into a detergent composition, conventional detergent ingredients are suitable as the other ingredients. The binder may be present in relatively high levels, for example up to 50 wtO/o of the pre-mix or detergent component, however the binder is generally present in amounts no greater than 25 wtO/o of the pre-mix, or even amounts below 20 wt% or below 10 wt%.

The disintegrating component may be added to a composition for disintegrating such as a detergent composition, preferably a detergent tablet, preferably as a pre-formed component or may be added as the individual components of the disintegrating component directly and individually into detergent processing steps. The respective components or a pre-formed particle or other detergent component may be added as a dry-add, or into a crutcher mix for forming a spray dried detergent product or may be incorporated into an agglomeration step.

In a final detergent composition, the disintegrating component is generally present in amounts no greater than 20 wM, preferably no greater than 10 wt/o based on the finished detergent composition as a whole. The amount of water- swellable agent is 6 generally from at least 1.5 wt% based on the composition for disintegrating, as a whole, generally being no greater than 10 wt % of a finished composition, preferably from 1.5-7 wtl/o. The disintegrating agents of the invention are particularly useful in detergent compositions, especially detergent particles or tablets, or in pesticidal, 5 herbicidal, sanitizing or pharmaceutical compositions.

Intimate Mixture Preferably the wicking agent and water-swellable agent of the disintegrating component are added to a composition for improving disintegration/dissolution in the form of an intimate mixture of the two components optionally with additional components and/or binder as described above. By intimate mixture is meant that the at least two components are mixed together to form a pre-mix which is a substantially homogeneous mixture.

This may be achieved by dry mixing solid wicking agent and solid waterswellable agent with an optional binder. The pre-mix may be in the form of a particle and this can be achieved for example by granulation, such as by agglomeration, extrusion or dry compaction. However, it has been found that particularly effective results are achieved if the water- swellable agent is present as a coating on the wicking agent.

This is particularly beneficial where the wicking agent is fibrous.

The wicking agent and water-swellable agent may be mixed together, optionally with a binder and then ground to enhance mixing and reduce particle size. This is particularly useful if the wicking agent is provided as relatively large particles or fibres. Grinding as a mixture enables more effective reduction of the length of the fibres or particle size in combination with eftective mixing..

Providing a coating of the water-swellable agent on the wicking agent may be achieved in any convenient way, for example by mixing the wicking agent and water- swellable agent with a solvent for the water-swellable agent, in any order of addition, such that a gel or solution is formed or a slurry comprising partially swollen water- 7 swellable agent. Preferably mixing is continued until a substantially homogeneous mixture is obtained. The mixture of wicking agent and water- swellable agent is then recovered by separating out from the solvent by any conventional technique, such as by evaporating off the solvent or by addition of a non-solvent for the water-swellable agent to form a precipitate of the mixture, such mixture is then separated from the solvent by any conventional technique such as by subsequent filtration or decanting off the solvent.

The separated solid is preferably recovered directly in an appropriate particle size for lo direct addition into a detergent composition processing stage. Alternatively, the solid mixture may be recovered having a particle size greater than that required for final use and if so, may be treated to reduce the particle size, for example by grinding. Should the product mixture be obtained as fine particulates these may be mixed with optional binder or additional detergent components and formed into a granule as described above, for example, by agglomeration to produce very fine particulates adhered to one another in the form of a disintegrating component which is a granule.

In a preferred process, in a first step, the water-swellable agent preferably polymer, and solvent, preferably water, are mixed together to form a gel, solution or slurry, and the wicking agent is subsequently added to the gel, solution or slurry. This process is particularly advantageous as it can be used as the final stages in the industrial manufacture of water- swellable agents, particularly polymers. Where the later stages of preparation of a water-swellable agent require the recovery of the polymer from a solvent, the wicking agent may be added directly to the mixture in solvent prior to recovery. This may be particularly useful, for example, where the water-swellable agent comprises a polymer. In particular this method can be applied where the polymer comprises CMC as in the manufacture of CMC, a very viscous slurry of CMC is obtained in water and then the wicking agent, preferably fibrous wicking agent may be added directly to the slurry prior to the recovery of the CMC.

I 8 The mixture of wicking agent and water-swellable polymer may then be recovered as described above.

It has been found that the particle size of the disintegrating component may be selected to give particularly beneficial disintegrating properties in use in a detergent composition. Disintegrating components or the respective materials in a disintegrating component preferably have a particle size of at least I OOpm, preferably at least 150pm. Preferred disintegrating components have a particle size of no greater than 20OOpm, most preferably below 1700gm. In practice, the particles obtained may have a size distribution. Therefore, the particle size is preferably such that at least 80 wt%, preferably at least 90 wt% and most preferably at least 95 wtO/o of the components of the disintegrating component or a particulate disintegrating component is at least I OOpm, more preferably at least 1501im. Preferably at least 80 wt%, preferably at least 90 wt% and most preferably at least 95 wtO/o disintegrating agent is below 20OOpm, most preferably below 1700pm, or even below 1500pm, to obtain the maximum disintegrating benefits.

The Binder The optional binder which may be incorporated as part of the disintegrating component may be any conventional binder. Water, organic acids, hydratable salts or alcohols are all suitable. Water or alcohols such as glycerol are particularly preferred.

Optional Additional ComRpnents The disintegrating component of the invention may contain additional ingredients which depend on the final use of the component. When the disintegrating component is for use in a detergent composition, the additional ingredients may comprise optional additional detergent components.

The detergent ingredients mentioned below as suitable ingredients for the detergent composition are all suitable as the optional additional detergent components which 9 may be present in the disintegrating component. It may be particularly preferred to incorporate a surfactant, such as an anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic or cationic surfactant as this may increase the wicking/swelling action of the respective components.

Detergent Comppsition In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a detergent composition comprising a disintegrating component as described above. The disintegrating component is particularly useful in detergent compositions 10 comprising high levels of surfactant, for example at least 20 % by weight, preferably at least 25% by weight or even at least 40 or 45% by weight based on the detergent composition. In such high surfactant formulations, dispensing and gelling of the detergent composition are a particular problem and the benefits of the invention may be most significant. 15 Form of the Composition The detergent compositions of the invention may take a variety of physical forms but are preferably solid forms such as tablet, flake, pastille and bar, and preferably granular or tablet forms. The particulate processing composition may be made by a 20 variety of methods, including dry-mixing, agglomerating, compaction, or spraydrying of the various compounds comprised in the detergent composition, or mixtures of these techniques. The compositions in accordance with the present invention can also be used in or in 25 combination with bleach additive compositions, for example comprising chlorine or oxygen bleach. Detergent compositions herein, in particular laundry detergents, preferably have a bulk density of from 450 g/litre to 1500 g/litre, or preferably from 500 g/litre or even 30 600g/litre or 650g/litre to 20OOg/litre or more preferably to 15OOg/litre.

Where the composition is provided as a tablet the tablets are generally prepared by compaction of a particulate starting material. Any conventional tabletting process and apparatus may be used. The optimum compaction pressure will depend to some extent on the starting composition; for example a formulation containing a high proportion of organic ingredients (for example, surfactants) and a relatively low proportion of inorganic salts generally requires a compaction pressure lower than that required for a formulation containing a lower proportion of organic ingredients and a higher proportion of inorganic salts. A dry-mixed formulation generally requires a higher pressure than a spray-dried powder. However, as a result of the present invention, higher compaction pressures may be used so that increased tablet hardness can be achieved without adversely affecting disintegration times, compared to products which do not incorporate the disintegrating component of the invention. Thus, increased tablet hardness and/or increased disintegration times can be achieved.

The detergent composition of the invention is preferably a complete heavyduty laundry composition. Although one tablet may contain sufficient detergent components to provide cleaning for an average wash load, the tablets formed may be smaller such that the consumer may choose the number of detergent tablets required according to the size and nature of the wash load. For example, tablet sizes may be chosen such that two tablets are sufficient for an average wash load, with one additional tablet to be used for particularly heavily soiled laundry. For smaller washes, a smaller tablet may be preferred. The tablet will generally be from 10- 160 g and may be any suitable shape. The tablet may be homogenous or may consist of more than one discrete region. For example, the tablet may comprise two or more layers of different detergent composition or a core region may be surrounded by outer regions of different detergent compositions.

The tablet may be coated or uncoated. Suitable coating materials are described for example in EP-A-2293, GB-A-0989683 and EP-A-716144.

Detergent Ingedients The composition or component thereof according to the present invention is preferably a detergent composition or component thereof which will comprise additional detergent ingredients. The precise nature of these additional ingredients, and levels of incorporation thereof will depend on the application of the component or compositions and the physical form of the components and the compositions.

The detergent compositions of the invention preferably contain one or more additional detergent components selected from bleaches, bleach catalysts, alkalinity systems, additional builders, organic polymeric compounds, enzymes, suds suppressors, lime soap, dispersants, soil suspension and anti- redeposition agents soil releasing agents, perfumes, brighteners, photobleaching agents and additional corrosion inhibitors.

Surfactant The compositions of the invention contain one or more surfactants. The surfactant may comprise any surfactant known in the art, selected from anionic, nonionic, cationic, ampholytic, amphoteric and zwitterionic surfactants such as those discussed below and mixtures thereof Anionic Surfactant The compositions in accordance with the present invention preferably comprise an anionic surfactant. Any anionic surfactant useful for detersive purposes can be present in the detergent composition. These can include salts (including, for example, sodium, potassium, ammonium, and substituted ammonium salts such as mono-, diand triethanolamine salts) of the anionic sulfate, sulfonate, carboxylate and sarcosinate surfactants. Anionic sulfate and sulfonate surfactants are preferred. Highly preferred are surfactants systems comprising a sulfonate, preferably a linear or branched alkyl benzene sulfonate, as described herein, preferably combined with a cationic surfactant as described herein.

12 Other anionic surfactants include the isethionates such as the acyl isethionates, Nacyl taurates, fatty acid arnides of methyl tauride, alkyl succinates and sulfosuccinates, monoesters of sulfosuccinate (especially saturated and unsaturated 5 C 12-C 18 monoesters) diesters of sulfosuccinate (especially saturated and unsaturated C 6-C 14 diesters), N-acyl sarcosinates. Resin acids and hydrogenated resin acids are also suitable, such as rosin, hydrogenated rosin, and resin acids and hydrogenated resin acids present in or derived from tallow oil.

Preferably the detergent composition comprises at least one anionic surfactant, preferably an anionic sulphonate surfactant, preferably an alkyl sulphonate surfactant, as described herein. More preferably, the anionic surfactant comprises from 5 0% to 100% or even from 60% to 100% or even from 75 % to 100% by weight of the surfactant content of the detergent composition. 15 Anionic Sulphonate Surfactant Highly preferred surfactants are anionic sulphonate surfactants. Particularly suitable for use herein include the salts Of C5-C20 linear or branched alkylbenzene sulphonates, but also may be used alkyl ester sulphonates, C6-C22 Primary or secondary alkane sulphonates, C6-C24 olefin sulphonates, sulphonated polycarboxylic acids, al-kyl glycerol sulphonates, fatty acyl glycerol sulphonates, fatty oleyl glycerol sulphonates, and any mixtures thereof Most preferred are Cg-C,, linear alkyl benzene sulphonates.

Anionic Sulfate Surfactant Anionic sulfate surfactants suitable for use herein include the linear and branched primary and secondary alkyl sulfates, alkyl ethoxysulfates, fatty oleoyl glycerol sulfates, alkyl phenol ethylene oxide ether sulfates, the C 5 -C 17 acyl-N-(C I -C4 alkyl) and -N-(C I -C2 hydroxyalkyl) glucarnine sulfates, and sulfates of 13 alkylpolysaccharides such as the sulfates of alkylpolyglucoside (the nonionic nonsulfated compounds being described herein).

Alkyl sulfate surfactants are preferably selected from the linear and branched primary C I O-C 18 alkyl sulfates, more preferably the C I I -C 15 branched chain alkyl sulfates and the C I 2-C 14 linear chain alkyl sulfates.

Alkyl ethoxysulfate surfactants are preferably selected from the group consisting of the C I O-C 18 alkyl sulfates which have been ethoxylated with from 0.5 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide per molecule. More preferably, the alkyl ethoxysulfate surfactant is a C I I -C 18, most preferably C I I -C 15 alkyl sulfate which has been ethoxylated with from 0.5 to 7, preferably from I to 5, moles of ethylene oxide per molecule.

A particularly preferred aspect of the invention employs mixtures of the preferred alkyl sulfate and/ or sulfonate and alkyl ethoxysulfate surfactants. Such mixtures have been disclosed in PCT Patent Application No. WO 93/18124.

Anionic Carboxylate Surfactant Suitable anionic carboxylate surfactants include the alkyl ethoxy carboxylates, the alkyl polyethoxy polycarboxylate surfactants and the soaps ('alkyl carboxyls'), especially certain secondary soaps as described herein.

Suitable alkyl ethoxy carboxylates include those with the formula RO(CH2CH20)x CH2COO-M' wherein R is a C6 to C 18 alkyl group, x ranges from 0 to 10, and the ethoxylate distribution is such that, on a weight basis, the amount of material where x is 0 is less than 20 % and M is a cation. Suitable alkyl polyethoxy polycarboxylate surfactants include those having the formula RO-(CHRI-CHR2-0)-R3 wherein R is a C6 to C 18 alkyl group, x is from I to 25, R I and R2 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl acid radical, succinic acid radical, hydroxysuccinic 14 acid radical, and mixtures thereof, and R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon having bet ween I and 8 carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof Suitable soap surfactants include the secondary soap surfactants which contain a carboxyl unit connected to a secondary carbon. Preferred secondary soap surfactants for use herein are water-soluble members selected from the group consisting of the water-soluble salts of 2-methylI -undecanoic acid, 2-ethyl- I -decanoic acid, 2-propylI-nonanoic acid, 2-butyl-l-octanoic acid and 2-pentyl-l-heptanoic acid. Soapsmay also be included as suds suppressors and if so, is generally present in low levels up to 5 wt % as finely divided particulates or flakes.

Alkali Metal Sarcosinate Surfactant Other suitable anionic surfactants are the alkali metal sarcosinates of formula R-CON (R 1) CH2 COOM, wherein R is a CS-C 17 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl group, R I is a C I -C4 alkyl group and M is an alkali metal ion. Preferred examples are the myristyl and oleoyl methyl sarcosinates in the form of their sodium salts.

Alkoxylated Nonionic Surfactant Any alkoxylated nonionic surfactant is suitable for use herein. The ethoxylated and propoxylated nonionic surfactants are preferred. Particularly preferred alkoxylated surfactants can be selected from the classes of the nonionic condensates of alkyl phenols, nonionic ethoxylated alcohols, nonionic ethoxylated/propoxylated fatty alcohols, nonionic ethoxylate/propoxylate condensates with propylene glycol, and the nonionic ethoxylate condensation products with propylene oxide/ethylene diamine adducts.

Nonionic AlkoLcylated Alcohol Surfactant Nonionic surfactant may be present in the detergent compositions of the invention. It may be preferred that the level of ethoxylated nonionic surfactants in the intimate mixture are below 10% by weight of the mixture, preferably even 5% by weight.

The condensation products of aliphatic alcohols with from I to 25 moles of alkylene oxide, particularly ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide, are suitable for use herein. The alkyl chain of the aliphatic alcohol can either be straight or branched, primary or secondary, and generally contains from 6 to 22 carbon atoms. Particularly preferred are the condensation products of alcohols having an alkyl group containing from 8to 20 carbon atoms with from 2 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol.

Nonionic Polyhydroxy Fatty Acid Amide Surf4ctant Polyhydroxy fatty acid amides suitable for use herein are those having the structural formula R2CONR I Z wherein: R I is H, C I -C4 hydrocarbyl, 2-hydroxy ethyl, 2hydroxy propyl, ethoxy, propoxy, or a mixture thereof, preferable C 1 -C4 alkyl, more preferably C I or C2 alkyl, most preferably C I alkyl (i.e., methyl); and R2 is a C5- C3 I hydrocarbyl, preferably straight-chain C5-C 19 alkyl or alkenyl, more preferably straight-chain C9-C 17 alkyl or alkenyl, most preferably straight-chain C I I -C 17 alkyl or alkenyl, or mixture thereof; and Z is a polyhydroxyhydrocarbyl having a linear hydrocarbyl chain with at least 3 hydroxyls directly connected to the chain, or an alkoxylated derivative (preferably ethoxylated or propoxylated) thereof Z preferably will be derived from a reducing sugar in a reductive amination reaction; more preferably Z is a glycityl.

Nonionic Fatty Acid Amide Surfactant Suitable fatty acid amide surfactants include those having the formula: R6CON(R7)2 wherein R6 is an alkyl group containing from 7 to 21, preferably from 9 to 17 carbon atoms and each R7 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C I -C4 alkyl, C I -C4 hydroxyalkyl, and -(C2H40)xH, where x is in the range of from I to 3.

16 Nonionic AlkylRglysaccharide Surfactant Suitable alkylpolysaccharides for use herein are disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,565,647, Llenado, issued January 21, 1986, having a hydrophobic group containing from 6 to 30 carbon atoms and a polysaccharide, e.g., a polyglycoside, hydrophilic group containing from 1.3 to 10 saccharide units. Preferred alkylpolyglycosides have the formula:

R20(CnH2nO)t(glYCOSYI)x wherein R2 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkylphenyl, hydroxyalkyl, hydroxyalkylphenyl, and mixtures thereof in which the alkyl groups contain from 10 to 18 carbon atoms; n is 2 or 3; t is from 0 to 10, and x is from 1.3 to 8. The glycosyl is preferably derived from glucose.

Amphoteric Surfactant Suitable amphoteric surfactants for use in the detergent compositions of the invention herein include the amine oxide surfactants and the alkyl amphocarboxylic acids.

Suitable amine oxides include those compounds having the formula R3(OR4)xNO(R5)2 wherein R3 is selected from an alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, acylamidopropoyl and alkyl phenyl group, or mixtures thereof, containing from 8 to 26 carbon atoms; R4 is an alkylene or hydroxyalkylene group containing from 2 to 3 carbon atoms, or mixtures thereof-, x is from 0 to 5, preferably from 0 to 3; and each R5 is an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group containing from I to 3, or a polyethylene oxide group containing from I to 3 ethylene oxide groups. Preferred are C I O-C 18 alkyl dimethylamine oxide, and C 10- 18 acylamido alkyl dimethylamine oxide. An example of a suitable alkyl aphodicarboxylic acid is MiranolTm C2M Conc.

manufactured by Miranol, Inc., Dayton, NJ.

17 Zwitterionic Surfa-clant Zwitterionic surfactants may also be incorporated into the detergent compositions of the invention. These surfactants can be broadly described as derivatives of secondary and tertiary amines, derivatives of heterocyclic secondary and tertiary amines, or derivatives of quaternary ammonium, quaternary phosphonium or tertiary sulfonium compounds. Betaine and sultaine surfactants are exemplary zwitterionic surfactants for use herein.

Suitable betaines are those compounds having the formula R(R')2NIR2COowherein R is a C6-C 18 hydrocarbyl group, each RI is typically C I -C3 alkyl, and R2 is a C I -C5 hydrocarbyl group. Preferred betaines are C 1218 dimethyl-ammonio hexanoate and the C 10- 18 acylamidopropane (or ethane) dimethyl (or diethyl) betaines. Complex betaine surfactants are also suitable for use herein. 15 Cationic Surfactants Suitable cationic surfactants for incorporation into the detergent composition of the invention include the quaternary ammonium surfactants. Preferably the quaternary ammonium surfactant is a mono C6-C 16, preferably C6-C 10 Nalkyl or alkenyl ammonium surfactants wherein the remaining N positions are substituted by methyl, 20 hydroxyethyl or hydroxypropyl groups. Preferred are also the mono-alkoxylated and bis-alkoxylated amine surfactants. Another suitable group of cationic surfactants which can be used in the detergent composition of the invention are cationic ester surfactants such as thoses disclosed in 25 US Patents Nos. 4228042, 4239660 and 4260529.

Cationic mono-alkoxylated amine surfactants Highly preferred herein are cationic mono-alkoxylated amine surfactant preferably of the general formula I:

18 R ApR 4 R-" R wherein RI is an alkyl or alkenyl moiety containing from about 6 to about 18 carbon atoms, preferably 6 to about 16 carbon atoms, most preferably from about 6 to about 14 carbon atoms; R2 and R3 are each independently alkyl groups containing from one to about three carbon atoms, preferably methyl, most preferably both R2 and R3 are methyl groups; R4 is selected from hydrogen (preferred), methyl and ethyl; X- is an anion such as chloride, bromide, methylsulfate, sulfate, or the like, to provide electrical neutrality; A is a alkoxy group, especially a ethoxy, propoxy or butoxy group; and p is from 0 to about 30, preferably 2 to about 15, most preferably 2 to about 8.

Preferably the ApR4 group in formula I has p=1 and is a hydroxyalkyl group, having no greater than 6 carbon atoms whereby the --OH group is separated from the quaternary ammonium nitrogen atom by no more than 3 carbon atoms. Particularly preferred ApR4 groups are --CH2CH20H, --CH2CH2CH20H, CH2CH(CH3)OH and --CH(CH3)CH20H, with -CH2CH2OH being particularly C preferred. Preferred RI groups are linear alkyl groups. Linear RI groups having 20 from 8 to 14 carbon atoms are preferred.

Other highly preferred cationic mono-alkoxylated amine surfactants for use herein are of the formula 19 R N + '- (CH2CH20)2-5 H XG CH3 CH3 wherein R I is C I O-C 18 hydrocarbyl and mixtures thereof, especially C I O-C 14 alkyl, preferably C 10 and C 12 alkyl, and X is any convenient anion to provide charge balance, preferably chloride or bromide.

As noted, compounds of the foregoing type include those wherein the ethoxy (CH2CH20) units (EO) are replaced by butoxy, isopropoxy [CH(CH3)CH20] and [CH2CH(CH301 units (i-Pr) or n-propoxy units (Pr), or mixtures of EO and/or Pr and/or i-Pr units.

The levels of the cationic mono-alkoxylated amine surfactants used in detergent compositions of the invention is preferably from 0. 1% to 20%, more preferably from 0.2% to 7%, most preferably from 0.3% to 3.0% by weight of the composition.

Cationic bis-alkoxylated amine surfactant Suitable cationic bisalkoxylated amine surfactants preferably have the general formula 11:

R N +,,,,-ApW X R 2.,-' V,R wherein RI is an alkyl or alkenyl moiety containing from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, preferably 10 to about 16 carbon atoms, most preferably from about 10 to about 14 carbon atoms; R2 is an alkyl group containing from one to three carbon atoms, preferably methyl; R3 and R4 can vary independently and are selected from hydrogen (preferred), methyl and ethyl, X- is an anion such as chloride, bromide, methylsulfate, sulfate, or the like, sufficient to provide electrical neutrality. A and A' can vary independently and are each selected from C I -C4 alkoxy, especially ethoxy, (i.e., -CH2CH20-), propoxy, butoxy and mixtures thereof, p is from I to about 30, preferably I to about 4 and q is from 1 to about 30, preferably I to about 4, and most 5 preferably both p and q are I - Highly preferred cationic bis-alkoxylated amine surfactants, for use herein are of the formula R CH2CH20H N +." XG CH3 CH2CH20H wherein R I is C I O-C 18 hydrocarbyl and mixtures thereof, preferably C 10, C 12, C 14 alkyl and mixtures thereof X is any convenient anion to provide charge balance, preferably chloride. With reference to the general cationic bis- alkoxylated amine structure noted above, since in a preferred compound RI is derived from (coconut) C 12-C 14 alkyl fraction fatty acids, R2 is methyl and ApR3 and A'qR4 are each 15 monoethoxy.

Other cationic bis-alkoxylated amine surfactants useful herein include compounds of the formula:

R (CH2CH20)pH NII' N + --, X R 2,-' '-, (CH2CH20)qH wherein R I is C I O-C 18 hydrocarbyl, preferably C I O-C 14 alkyl, independently p is I to about 3 and q is I to about 3, R2 is C I -C3 alkyl, preferably methyl, and X is an anion, especially chloride or bromide.

21 Other compounds of the foregoing type include those wherein the ethoxy (CH2CH20) units (EO) are replaced by butoxy (Bu) isopropoxy (CH(CH3)CH201 and [CH2CH(CH301 units (i-Pr) or n-propoxy units (Pr), or mixtures of EO and/or Pr and/or i-Pr units. 5 Perhydrate Bleaches A preferred additional component of the detergent compositions of the invention is a perhydrate bleach, such as metal perborates, metal percarbonates, particularly the sodium salts. Perborate can be mono or tetra hydrated. Sodium percarbonate has the formula corresponding to 2Na2CO3.3H202, and is available commercially as a crystalline solid. Potassium peroxymonopersulfate, sodium per is another optional inorganic perhydrate salt of use in the detergent compositions herein.

Organic- PeLoxvacid Bleaching System The detergent composition of the invention preferably comprise an organic peroxyacid bleaching system. In one preferred execution the bleaching system contains a hydrogen peroxide source and an organic peroxyacid bleach precursor compound. The production of the organic peroxyacid occurs by an in situ reaction of the precursor with a source of hydrogen peroxide. Preferred sources of hydrogen peroxide include inorganic perhydrate bleaches, such as the perborate bleach of the claimed invention. In an alternative execution, a preformed organic peroxyacid is incorporated directly into the composition. Compositions containing mixtures of a hydrogen peroxide source and organic peroxyacid precursor in combination with a preformed organic peroxyacid are also envisaged.

Peroxyacid Bleach Precursor Peroxyacid bleach precursors are compounds which react with hydrogen peroxide in a perhydrolysis reaction to produce a peroxyacid. Generally peroxyacid bleach precursors may be represented as 22 0 11 X-k--L where L is a leaving group and X is essentially any functionality, such that on perhydroloysis the structure of the peroxyacid produced is 5 0 X-C-OOH Peroxyacid bleach precursor compounds are preferably incorporated at a level of from 0.5% to 20% by weight, more preferably from 1% to 15% by weight, most preferably from 1.5% to 10% by weight of the detergent compositions.

Suitable peroxyacid bleach precursor compounds typically contain one or more N- or O-acyl groups, which precursors can be selected from a wide range of classes. Suitable classes include anhydrides, esters, imides, lactarns and acylated derivatives of imidazoles and oximes. Examples of useful materials within these classes are disclosed in GB-A- 1586789. Suitable esters are disclosed in GB-A-836988, 864798, 1147871, 2143231 and EP-A-0170386.

Leaving GrgWs The leaving group, hereinafter L group, must be sufficiently reactive for the perhydrolysis reaction to occur within the optimum time frame (e.g., a wash cycle). However, if L is too reactive, this activator will be difficult to stabilize for use in a bleaching composition.

Preferred L groups are selected from the group consisting of- I I I 23 0 0 11 A 11 -N-L;-Rl -N N -N-U CH I I Fk3 Li '3 I R Y Y R3 Y I I 0 0 11 Y 11 0 CH2-C >- C 4 11 1 -N NR -NNI C------NR4 C 11 11 0 R3 0 Y I 1 11 R 0 and mixtures thereof, wherein RI is an alkyl, aryl, or alkaryl group containing from I to 14 carbon atoms, R3 is an alkyl chain containing from I to 8 carbon atoms, R4 is 3 1 3 4 HorR, and Y is H or a solubilizing group. Any of R, R and R maybe substituted by essentially any functional group including, for example alkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, halogen, amine, nitrosyl, amide and ammonium or alkyl ammonium groups. The preferred solubilizing groups are -S03- M _C02-M _S04-M +' -N + (R 3)4X- and 0<--N(R 3)3 and most preferably -S03 - M + and 24 -CO 2-M + wherein R3 is an alkyl chain containing from I to 4 carbon atoms, M is a cation which provides solubility to the bleach activator and X is an anion which provides solubility to the bleach activator. Preferably, M is an alkali metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium cation, with sodium and potassium being most 5 preferred, and X is a halide, hydroxide, methylsulfate or acetate anion.

Alkyl Percarboxylic Acid Bleach Precursors Alkyl percarboxylic acid bleach precursors form percarboxylic acids on perhydrolysis. Preferred precursors of this type provide peracetic acid on perhydrolysis.

Preferred alkyl percarboxylic precursor compounds of the imide type include the N,N,NINI tetra acetylated alkylene diamines wherein the alkylene group contains from I to 6 carbon atoms, particularly those compounds in which the alkylene group contains 1, 2 and 6 carbon atoms. Tetraacetyl ethylene diamine (TAED) is particularly preferred. The TAED is preferably not present in the agglomerated particle of the present invention, but preferably present in the detergent composition, comprising the particle.

Other preferred alkyl percarboxylic acid precursors include sodium 3,5,5tri-methyl hexanoyloxybenzene sulfonate (iso-NOBS), sodium nonanoyloxybenzene sulfonate (NOBS), sodium acetoxybenzene sulfonate (ABS) and pentaacetyl glucose.

Amide Substituted Alkyl PeroXyacid Precursors Amide substituted alkyl peroxyacid precursor compounds are suitable herein, including those of the following general formulae:

R1 -C-N-R2-C-L R1 -N-C-R2-C-L 5 R or R 0 wherein R I is an alkyl group with from I to 14 carbon atoms, R2 is an alkylene group containing from I to 14 carbon atoms, and R5 is H or an alkyl group containing I to 10 carbon atoms and L can be essentially any leaving group. Amide substituted bleach activator compounds of this type are described in EP-A- 0 1703 86.

Perbenzoic Acid Precursor Perbenzoic acid precursor compounds provide perbenzoic acid on perhydrolysis. Suitable O-acylated perbenzoic acid precursor compounds include the substituted and unsubstituted benzoyl oxybenzene sulfonates, and the benzoylation products of sorbitol, glucose, and all saccharides with benzoylating agents, and those of the imide type including N-benzoyl succinimide, tetrabenzoyl ethylene diamine and the Nbenzoyl substituted ureas. Suitable imidazole type perbenzoic acid precursors include N-benzoyl imidazole and N-benzoyl benzimidazole. Other useful N-acyI group- containing perbenzoic acid precursors include N-benzoyl pyrrolidone, dibenzoyl taurine and benzoyl pyrogluLunic acid.

Cationic PeroNyacid Precursors Cationic peroxyacid precursor compounds produce cationic peroxyacids on perhydrolysis.

Typically, cationic peroxyacid precursors are formed by substituting the peroxyacid part of a suitable peroxyacid precursor compound with a positively charged functional group, such as an ammonium or alkyl ammmonium group, preferably an ethyl or methyl ammonium group. Cationic peroxyacid precursors are typically present in the solid detergent compositions as a salt with a suitable anion, such as a halide ion.

The peroxyacid precursor compound to be so cationically substituted may be a 30 perbenzoic acid, or substituted derivative thereof, precursor compound as described 26 hereinbefore. Alternatively, the peroxyacid precursor compound may be an alkyl percarboxylic acid precursor compound or an amide substituted alkyl peroxyacid precursor as described hereinafter.

Cationic peroxyacid precursors are described in U.S. Patents 4,904,406; 4, 751,015; 4,988,451; 4,397,757; 5,269,962; 5,127,852; 5,093,022; 5,106,528; U.K. 1,382,594; EP 475,512, 458,396 and 284,292; and in JP 87-318,332. Examples of preferred cationic peroxyacid precursors are described in UK Patent Application No. 9407944.9 and US Patent Application Nos. 08/298903, 08/298650, 08/298904 and 10 08/298906.

Suitable cationic peroxyacid precursors include any of the ammonium or alkyl ammonium substituted alkyl or benzoyl oxybenzene sulfonates, Nacylated caprolactams, and monobenzoyltetraacetyl glucose benzoyl peroxides. Preferred cationic peroxyacid precursors of the N-acylated caprolactarn class include the trialkyl ammonium methylene benzoyl caprolactams and the trialkyl ammonium methylene alkyl caprolactarns.

Benzoxazin Organic Peroxyacid Precursors Also suitable are precursor compounds of the benzoxazin-type, as disclosed for example in EP-A-332,294 and EP-A-482,807, particularly those having the formula:

0 0 1 40L; _Kj wherein Rl is H, alkyl, alkaryl, aryl, or arylalkyl.

Preformed Organic PeroLcyacid 27 The detergent composition may contain, in addition to, or as an alternative to, an organic peroxyacid bleach precursor compound, a preformed organic peroxyacid, typically at a level of from I% to 15% by weight, more preferably from I% to 10% by weight of the composition. A preferred class of organic peroxyacid compounds 5 are the amide substituted compounds of the following general formulae:

R1 - C - N - R2 - C - OOH 0 R5 0 or R1 -N-C-R2-C-OOH R5 6 0 wherein RI is an alkyl, aryl or alkaryl group with from I to 14 carbon atoms, R2 is an alkylene, arylene, and alkarylene group containing from I to 14 carbon atoms, and R5 is H or an alkyl, aryl, or alkaryl group containing I to 10 carbon atoms. Amide substituted organic peroxyacid compounds of this type are described in EP-A0170386.

Other organic peroxyacids include diacyl and tetraacylperoxides, especially diperoxydodecanedioc acid, diperoxytetradecanedioc acid and diperoxyhexadecanedioc acid. Mono- and diperazelaic acid, mono- and diperbrassylic acid and N-phthaloylaminoperoxicaproic acid are also suitable herein.

Bleach Catalyst The composition can contain a transition metal containing bleach catalyst. One suitable type of bleach catalyst is a catalyst system comprising a transition metal cation of defined bleach catalytic activity, such as copper, iron or manganese cations, an auxiliary metal cation having little or no bleach catalytic activity, such as zinc or aluminum cations, and a sequestrant having defined stability constants for the catalytic and auxiliary metal cations, particularly ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, 28 ethylenediaminetetra(methylenephosphonic acid) and water-soluble salts thereof Such catalysts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. 4,430,243.

Other types of bleach catalysts include the manganese-based complexes disclosed in U.S. Pat. 5,246,621 and U.S. Pat. 5,244,594. Preferred examples of these catalysts include MnIV2(u-0)3(1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)2-(PF6)2, Mn1112(u 0)1(u-OAc)2(1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)2-(CI04)2, MnIV4(u 0)6(1,4,7-triazacyclononane)4-(CI04)2, Mnl"MnlV4(u-0) I (u-OAc)2-(1,4,7 trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)2-(CI04)3, and mixtures thereof. Others are described in European patent application publication no. 549,272. Other ligands suitable for use herein include 1,5,9-trimethyl-1,5,9triazacyclododecane, 2-methyl1,4,7-triazacyclononane, 2-methyl-1,4,7triazacyclononane, 1,2,4,7-tetrainethyl1,4,7-triazacyclononane, and mixtures thereof 15 The bleach catalysts useful herein may also be selected as appropriate for the present invention. For examples of suitable bleach catalysts see U.S. Pat. 4,246,612 and U.S. Pat. 5,227,084. See also U.S. Pat. 5,194,416 which teaches mononuclear manganese (IV) complexes such as Mn(l,.4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)(OCH3)3(PF6)20 Still another type of bleach catalyst, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. 5,114,606, is a water- soluble complex of manganese (III), and/or (IV) with a ligand which is a noncarboxylate polyhydroxy compound having at least three consecutive C- OH groups. Preferred ligands; include sorbitol, iditol, dulsitol, mannitol, xylithol, arabitol, adonitol, meso-erythritol, meso-inositol, lactose, and mixtures thereof. 25 U.S. Pat. 5,114,611 teaches a bleach catalyst comprising a complex of transition metals, including Nin, Co, Fe, or Cu, with a non-(macro)-cyclic ligand. Said ligands are of the formula:

29 R2 R3 4 R1 -N=C-B-C=N-R wherein R I, R2, R3, and R4 can each be selected from H, substituted alkyl and aryl groups such that each RI-N=C-R2 and R3-C=N-R4 form a five or six-membered ring. Said ring can further be substituted. B is a bridging group selected from 0, S.

CR5R6, NR7 and C=O, wherein R5, R6, and R7 can each be H, alkyl, or aryl groups, including substituted or unsubstituted groups, Preferred ligands include pyridine, pyridazine, pyrimidine, pyrazine, imidazole, pyrazole, and triazole rings. Optionally, said rings may be substituted with substituents such as alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, halide, and nitro. Particularly preferred is the ligand 2,2'-bispyridylamine. Preferred bleach catalysts include Co, Cu, Mn, Fe,-bispyridylmethane and - bispyridylamine complexes. Highly preferred catalysts include Co(2,2'- bispyridylamine)CI2, Di(isothiocyanato)bispyridylarnine-cobalt JI), trisdipyridylaminecobalt(II) perchlorate, Co(2,2-bispyridylamine)202CIO4, Bis-(2,2'bispyridylamine) copper(II) perchlorate, tris(di-2-pyridylamine) iron(II) perchlorate, and mixtures thereof Other examples include binuclear Mn complexed with tetra-N-dentate and bi- N- dentate ligands, including N4MnIII(u-0)2Mn,VN4)+and [BiPY2MnIII(u- 0)2MnIVbiPY2]-(CI04)3. Other bleach catalysts are described, for example, in European patent application, publication no. 408,131 (cobalt complex catalysts), European patent applications, publication nos. 384,503, and 306,089 (metalloporphyrin catalysts), U.S. 4,728,455 (manganese/multidentate ligand catalyst), U.S. 4,711,748 and European patent application, publication no. 224,952, (absorbed manganese on aluminosilicate catalyst), U.S. 4,601,845 (aluminosilicate support with 25 manganese and zinc or magnesium salt), U.S. 4,626,373 (manganese/ligand catalyst), U.S. 4,119,557 (ferric complex catalyst), German Pat. specification 2,054,019 (cobalt chelant catalyst) Canadian 866,191 (transition metal-containing salts), U.S.

4,430,243 (chelants with manganese cations and non-catalytic metal cations), and U.S. 4,728,455 (manganese gluconate catalysts).

The bleach catalyst is typically used in a catalytically effective amount in the compositions and processes herein. By "catalytically effective amount" is meant an amount which is sufficient, under whatever comparative test conditions are employed, to enhance bleaching and removal of the stain or stains of interest from the target substrate. The test conditions will vary, depending on the type of washing appliance used and the habits of the user. Some users elect to use very hot water; others use warm or even cold water in laundering operations. Of course, the catalytic performance of the bleach catalyst will be affected by such considerations, and the levels of bleach catalyst used in fullyformulated detergent and bleach compositions can be appropriately adjusted. As a practical matter, and not by way of limitation, the compositions and processes herein can be adjusted to provide on the order of at least one part per ten million of the active bleach catalyst species in the aqueous washing liquor, and will preferably provide from about I ppm to about 200 ppm of the catalyst species in the wash liquor. To illustrate this point further, on the order of 3 micromolar manganese catalyst is effective at 40C, pH 10 under European conditions using perborate and a bleach precursor. An increase in concentration of 3- 5 fold may be required under U.S. conditions to achieve the same results.

Builders Water-Soluble Builders The detergent compositions according to the present invention preferably contain a water-soluble builder compound, typically present in detergent compositions at a level of from 1% to 80% by weight, preferably from 10% to 60% by weight, most preferably from 15% to 40% by weight of the composition.

The detergent compositions of the invention may comprise phosphatecontaining builder material, preferably comprises tetrasodium pyrophosphate or even more preferably anhydrous or partially hydrated sodium tripolyphosphate, present at a 31 level of from 0.5% to 60%, more preferably from 5% to 50%, more preferably from 8% to 40. It may be preferred that the compositons are free of phosphate-containing builder material.

Suitable water-soluble builder compounds include the water soluble monomeric polycarboxylates, or their acid forms, homo or copolymeric polycarboxylic acids or their salts in which the polycarboxylic acid comprises at least two carboxylic radicals separated from each other by not more that two carbon atoms, borates, and mixtures of any of the foregoing.

The carboxylate or polycarboxylate builder can be mornomeric or oligomeric in type although monomeric polycarboxylates are generally preferred for reasons of cost and performance.

Suitable carboxylates containing one carboxy group include the water soluble salts of lactic acid, glycolic acid and ether derivatives thereof Polycarboxylates containing two carboxy groups include the water-soluble salts of succinic acid, malonic acid, (ethylenedioxy) diacetic acid, maleic acid, diglycolic acid, tartaric acid, tartronic acid and fumaric acid, as well as the ether carboxylates and the sulfinyl carboxylates.

Polycarboxylates or their acids containing three carboxy groups include, in particular, water-soluble citrates, aconitrates; and citraconates as well as succinate derivatives such as the carboxymethyloxysuccinates described in British Patent No. 1,379,241, lactoxysuccinates described in British Patent No. 1,389,732, and aminosuccinates described in Netherlands Application 7205873, and the oxypolycarboxylate materials such as 2-oxa-1,1,3-propane tricarboxylates described in British Patent No. 1,387,447. The most preferred polycarboxylic acid containing three carboxy groups is citric acid, preferably present at a level of from 0. 1% to 15%, more preferably from 0.5% to 8% by weight of the composition.

Polycarboxylates containing four carboxy groups include oxydisuccinates; disclosed in British Patent No. 1,261,829, 1,1,2,2-ethane tetracarboxylates, 1, 1,3,3-propane 32 tetracarboxylates and 1, 1,2,3-propane tetracarboxylates. Polycarboxylates containing sulfo substituents include the sulfosuccinate derivatives disclosed in British Patent Nos. 1,398,421 and 1,398,422 and in U.S. Patent No. 3,936,448, and the suffonated pyrolysed citrates described in British Patent No. 1,439,000. Preferred polycarboxylates are hydroxycarboxylates containing up to three carboxy groups per molecule, more particularly citrates.

The parent acids of the monomeric or oligomeric polycarboxylate chelating agents or mixtures thereof with their salts, e.g. citric acid or citrate/citric acid mixtures are also contemplated as useful builder components.

It may be preferred that the polymeric or oligomeric polycarboxylates are present at levels of less than 5%, preferably less than 3% or even less than 2% or even 0% by weight of the compositions.

Borate builders, as well as builders containing borate-forming materials that can produce borate under detergent storage or wash conditions are useful water-soluble builders herein.

Water-soluble builders may also prove to be useful binding agents.

Insoluble Builder Compound The compositions according to the present invention may contain an insoluble builder compound, but preferably in relatively low amounts at a level of from 0% to 25% by weight, most preferably from 0% to 15% weight of the composition, or even 0% to 10% by weight of the composition.

Examples of largely water insoluble builders include the sodium aluminosilicates.

Suitable aluminosilicate zeolites have the unit cell formula Naz[(AI02)Z(SiO2)Yl xH20 wherein z and y are at least 6; the molar ratio of z to y is from 1. 0 to 0.5 and x 33 is at least 5, preferably from 7.5 to 276, more preferably from 10 to 264. The aluminosilicate material are in hydrated form and are preferably crystalline, containing from 10% to 2 8%, more preferably from 18% to 22% water in bound form. The aluminosilicate zeolites can be naturally occurring materials, but are

preferably synthetically derived. Synthetic crystalline aluminosilicate ion exchange materials are available under the designations Zeolite A, Zeolite B, Zeolite P, Zeolite X, Zeolite HS and mixtures thereof Zeolite A has the formula: 10 Na 12 IA102) 12 (Si02)121- xH20 wherein x is from 20 to 30, especially 27. Zeolite X has the formula Na86 I(AI02)86(SiO2)1061. 276 H20.

Another preferred aluminosilicate zeolite is zeolite MAP builder. Zeolite MAP is described in EP 384070A (Unilever). It is defined as an alkali metal alumino-silicate of the zeolite P type having a silicon to aluminium ratio not greater than 1.33, preferably within the range from 0. 9 to 1.33 and more 20 preferably within the range of from 0.9 to 1.2.

Of particular interest is zeolite " having a silicon to aluminiurn ratio not greater than 1. 15 and, more particularly, not greater than 1.07.

In a preferred aspect the zeolite MAP detergent builder has a particle size, expressed as a d5o value of from 1.0 to 10.0 micrometres, more preferably from 2.0 to 7.0 micrometres, most preferably from 2.5 to 5.0 micrometres.

The d50 value indicates that 50% by weight of the particles have a diameter smaller than that figure. The particle size may, in particular be determined by 34 conventional analytical techniques such as microscopic determination using a scanning electron microscope or by means of a laser granulometer. Other methods of establishing d5o values are disclosed in EP 384070A.

Crystalline Igyered silicate Crystalline layered silicate builder may also be incorporated in the detergent compositions of the invention. These have the general formula NaMSix02x+l.yH20 wherein M is sodium or hydrogen, x is a number from 1.9 to 4 and y is a number from 0 to 20. Crystalline layered sodium silicates of this type are disclosed in EP-A0 164514 and methods for their preparation are disclosed in DE-A-3417649 and DEA-3742043. For the purpose of the present invention, x in the general formula above has a value of 2, 3 or 4 and is preferably 2. M is preferably H, K or Na or mixtures thereof, preferably Na. The most preferred material is (x- Na2Si2O5, P- Na2Si205 or 8-Na2Si205, or mixtures thereof, preferably being at least 75% -Na2Si2O5, for example available from Clariant as NaSKS-6.

It may be preferred that crystalline layered silicate is present as a coarse material having a weight average particle size above 150 microns, as measurable by sieving on Tyler sieves, or fine material of weight average particle size below 20 microns, Malvern Instruments SB.OC light scattering equipment.

HeM metal ion seguestrant Heavy metal ion sequestrants are also useful additional ingredients in the detergent compositions of the invention. By heavy metal ion sequestrant is meant components which act to sequester (chelate) heavy metal ions. These components may also have calcium and magnesium chelation capacity, but preferably they show selectivity to binding heavy metal ions such as iron, manganese and copper.

Heavy metal ion sequestrants are generally present at a level of from 0. 005% to 10%, preferably from 0. 1% to 5%, more preferably from 0.25% to 7. 5% and most preferably from 0.3% to 2% by weight of the compositions.

Suitable heavy metal ion sequestrants for use herein include organic phosphonates, such as the amino alkylene poly (alkylene phosphonates), alkali metal ethane I hydroxy disphosphonates and nitrilo trimethylene phosphonates. 10 Preferred among the above species are diethylene triamine penta (methylene phosphonate), ethylene diamine tri (methylene phosphonate) hexamethylene diamine tetra (methylene phosphonate) and hydroxy-ethylene 1, 1 diphosphonate, 1, 1 hydroxyethane diphosphonic acid and 1, 1 hydroxyethane dimethylene phosphonic acid. 15 Other suitable heavy metal ion sequestrant for use herein include nitrilotriacetic acid and polyarninocarboxylic acids such as ethylenediaminotetracetic acid, ethylenediamine disuccinic acid, ethylenediamine diglutaric acid, 2hydroxypropylenediamine disuccinic acid or any salts thereof 20 Other suitable heavy metal ion sequestrants for use herein are iminodiacetic acid derivatives such as 2-hydroxyethyl diacetic acid or glyceryl imino diacetic acid, described in EP-A-317,542 and EP-A-399,133. The iminodiacetic acid-N-2hydroxypropyl sulfonic acid and aspartic acid Ncarboxymethyl N-2-hydroxypropyl25 3-sulfonic acid sequestrants described in EP-A-516,102 are also suitable herein. The P-alanine-N,N'-diacetic acid, aspartic acid-N,N'-diacetic acid, aspartic acid-Nmonoacetic acid and iminodisuccinic acid sequestrants described in EP-A-509,382 are also suitable. 30 EP-A-476,257 describes suitable amino based sequestrants. EP- A-510,331 describes suitable sequestrants derived from collagen, keratin or casein. EP-A- 36 528,859 describes a suitable alkyl iminodiacetic acid sequestrant. Dipicolinic acid and 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid are alos suitable. Glycinamide-N,N'-disuccinic acid (GADS), ethylenediamine-N-N'- diglutaric acid (EDDG) and 2-hydroxypropylenediamine-N-N'-disuccinic acid (HPDDS) 5 are also suitable.

Especially preferred are diethylenetriamine pentacetic acid, ethylenediamineN,N'-disuccinic acid (EDDS) and 1,1 hydroxyethane diphosphonic acid or the alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, or substituted ammonium salts thereof, or mixtures thereof EMme Another preferred ingredient useful herein is one or more additional enzymes. Preferred additional enzymatic materials include the commercially available lipases, cutinases, amylases, neutral and alkaline proteases, cellulases, endolases, esterases, pectinases, lactases and peroxidases conventionally incorporated into detergent compositions. Suitable enzymes are discussed in US Patents 3,519,570 and 3,533,139.

Preferred commercially available protease enzymes include those sold under the tradenames Alcalase, Savinase, Primase, Durazym, and Esperase by Novo Industries A/S (Denmark), those sold under the tradename Maxatase, Maxacal and Maxapem by Gist-Brocades, those sold by Genencor International, and those sold under the tradename Opticlean and Optimase by Solvay Enzymes. Protease enzyme may be incorporated into the compositions in accordance with the invention at a level of from 0. 000 1 % to 4% active enzyme by weight of the composition.

Preferred amylases include, for example, a-amylases obtained from a special stain of B licheniformis, described in more detail in GB-1,269, 839 (Novo). Preferred commercially available arnylases include for example, those sold under the tradename Rapidase by Gist-Brocades, and those sold under the tradename 37 Termamyl, Duramyl and BAN by Novo Industries A/S. Highly preferred amylase enzymes maybe those described in PCT/ US 9703635, and in W095/26397 and W096/23873.

Amylase enzyme may be incorporated into the composition in accordance with the invention at a level of from 0.000 1% to 2% active enzyme by weight of the composition. Lipolytic enzyme may be present at levels of active lipolytic enzyme of from 10 0.000 1% to 2% by weight, preferably 0. 00 1% to I% by weight, most preferably from 0.001% to 0.5% by weight of the compositions. The lipase may be fungal or bacterial in origin being obtained, for example, from a lipase producing strain of Humicol sp., Thermomyces sp. or Pseudomonas sp. 15 including Pseudomonas pseudoalcaliggnes or Pseudomas fluorescens. Lipase from chemically or genetically modified mutants of these strains are also useful herein. A preferred lipase is derived from Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes which is described in Granted European Patent, EP-B-0218272. 20 Another preferred lipase herein is obtained by cloning the gene from Hurnicola lanuginosa and expressing the gene in AsRgrgillus ory as host, as described in European Patent Application, EP-A-0258 068, which is commercially available from Novo Industri A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark, under the trade name Lipolase. This lipase is also described in U.S. Patent 4,810,414, Huge-Jensen et al, issued March 7, 1989. 25 Additional Organic Polymeric Comppund Organic polymeric compounds are optional additional components of the compositions of the present invention. 30 By organic polymeric compound is meant any polymeric organic compound commonly used as antiredeposition or soil suspension agents in detergent 38 compositions, including any of the high molecular weight organic polymeric compounds described as clay flocculating agents herein, including quaternised ethoxylated (poly) amine clay-soil removal/ anti- redeposition agent in accord with the invention.

Additional organic polymeric compound is typically incorporated in the detergent compositions of the invention at a level of from 0.01% to 30%, preferably from 0.1% to 15%, most preferably from 0.5% to 10% by weight of the compositions. 10 Examples of organic polymeric compounds include the water soluble organic homoor co-polymeric polycarboxylic acids or their salts in which the polycarboxylic acid comprises at least two carboxyl radicals separated from each other by not more than two carbon atoms. Polymers of the latter type are disclosed in GB-A-1,596,756. Examples of such salts are polyacrylates of MWt 1000-5000 and their copolymers 15 with maleic anhydride, such copolymers having a molecular weight of from 2000 to 100,000, especially 40,000 to 80,000. The polyamino compounds are useful herein including those derived from aspartic acid such as those disclosed in EP-A-305282, EP-A-305283 and EP- A-351629. 20 Terpolymers containing monomer units selected from maleic acid, acrylic acid, polyaspartic acid and vinyl alcohol, particularly those having an average molecular weight of from 5,000 to 10,000, are also suitable herein. 25 Other organic polymeric compounds suitable for incorporation in the detergent compositions herein include cellulose derivatives such as methylcellulose, carboxymethy1cellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and hydroxyethylcellulose. Further useful organic polymeric compounds are the polyethylene glycols, 30 particularly those of molecular weight 1000-10000, more particularly 2000 to 8000 and most preferably about 4000.

39 Highly preferred polymeric components herein are cotton and non-cotton soil release polymer according to U.S. Patent 4,968,45 1, Scheibel et al., and U.S. Patent 5,415,807, Gosselink et al., and in particular according to US application no.60/051517.

Another organic compound, which is a preferred clay dispersant/ antiredeposition agent, for use herein, can be the ethoxylated cationic monoarnines and diamines of the formula:

CH CH 3 3 Xf-OCH2CH2)n-N4-CH2-CH2--(-CH2)a--N±CH2CH20 n_X b ':

(CH2CH20-)n-X (CH2CH20 t- X wherein X is a nonionic group selected from the group consisting of H, C I -C4 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl ester or ether groups, and mixtures thereof, a is from 0 to 20, preferably from 0 to 4 (e.g. ethylene, propylene, hexamethylene) b is I or 0; for cationic monoarnines (b--0), n is at least 16, with a typical range of from 20 to 35; for cationic diamines (b-- I), n is at least about 12 with a typical range of from about 12 to about 42.

Other dispersants/ anti-redeposition agents for use herein are described in EP-B0 11965 and US 4,659,802 and US 4,664,848.

Suds SMppressing Syste The detergent compositions of the invention, when formulated for use in machine washing compositions, may comprise a suds suppressing system present at a level of from 0.0 1% to 15%, preferably from 0.02% to 10%, most preferably from 0.05% to 3% by weight of the composition. Suitable suds suppressing systems for use herein may comprise essentially any known antifoam compound, including, for example silicone antifoam compounds and 2-alkyl alcanol antifoam compounds. By antifoam compound it is meant herein any compound or mixtures of compounds which act such as to depress the foaming or sudsing produced by a solution of a detergent 5 composition, particularly in the presence of agitation of that solution.

Particularly preferred antifoam compounds for use herein are silicone antifoam compounds defined herein as any antifoam compound including a silicone component. Such silicone antifoam compounds also typically contain a silica component. The term "silicone" as used herein, and in general throughout the industry, encompasses a variety of relatively high molecular weight polymers containing siloxane units and hydrocarbyl group of various t:ypes. Preferred silicone antifoam compounds are the siloxanes, particularly the polydimethylsiloxanes having trimethylsilyl end blocking units.

Other suitable antifoam compounds include the monocarboxylic fatty acids and soluble salts thereof These materials are described in US Patent 2, 954,347, issued September 27, 1960 to Wayne St. John. The monocarboxylic fatty acids, and salts thereof, for use as suds suppressor typically have hydrocarbyl chains of 10 to 24 carbon atoms, preferably 12 to 18 carbon atoms. Suitable salts include the alkali metal salts such as sodium, potassium, and lithium salts, and ammonium and alkanolammonium salts.

Other suitable antifoarn compounds include, for example, high molecular weight fatty esters (e.g. fatty acid triglycerides), fatty acid esters of monovalent alcohols, aliphatic C I 8-C40 ketones (e.g. stearone) Nalkylated amino triazines such as tri- to hexa-alkytmelamines or di- to tetra alkyldiamine chlortriazines formed as products of cyanuric chloride with two or three moles of a primary or secondary amine containing 1 to 24 carbon atoms, propylene oxide, bis stearic acid amide and 41 monostearyl di-alMi metal (e.g. sodium, potassium, lithium) phosphates and phosphate esters.

A preferred suds suppressing system comprises: (a) antifoarn compound, preferably silicone antifoam compound, most preferably a silicone antifoam compound comprising in combination (i) polydimethyl siloxane, at a level of from 50% to 99%, preferably 75% to 95% by weight of the silicone antifoam compound; and (ii) silica, at a level of from I% to 50%, preferably 5% to 25% by weight of the silicone/silica antifoam compound; wherein said silica/silicone antifoam compound is incorporated at a level of from 5% to 50%, preferably 10% to 40% by weight; (b) a dispersant compound, most preferably comprising a silicone glycol rake copolymer with a polyoxyalkylene content of 72-78% and an ethylene oxide to propylene oxide ratio of from 1:0.9 to 1: 1. 1, at a level of from 0.5% to 10%, preferably 1% to 10% by weight; a particularly preferred silicone glycol rake copolymer of this type is DC0544, commercially available from DOW Corning under the tradename DC0544; and (c) an inert carrier fluid compound, most preferably comprising a C 16 C 18 ethoxylated alcohol with a degree of ethoxylation of from 5 to 50, preferably 8 to 15, at a level of from 5% to 80%, preferably 10% to 70%, by weight; A highly preferred particulate suds suppressing system is described in EP- A-0210731 and comprises a silicone antifoam compound and an organic carrier material having a melting point in the range 50'C to 85'C, wherein the organic carrier material comprises a monoester of glycerol and a fatty acid having a carbon chain containing from 12 to 20 carbon atoms. EP-A-0210721 discloses other preferred particulate suds suppressing systems wherein the organic carrier material is a fatty acid or alcohol having a carbon chain containing from 12 to 20 carbon atoms, or a mixture thereof, with a melting point of from 45C to 80'C.

42 Other highly preferred suds suppressing systems comprise polydimethylsiloxane or mixtures of silicone, such as polydimethylsiloxane, alurninosilicate and polycarboxylic polymers, such as copolymers of laic and acrylic acid.

PolyMeric Dye Transfer Inhibiting Agents The compositions herein may also comprise ftom 0. 0 1 % to 10 %, preferably from 0.05% to 0.5% by weight of polymeric dye transfer inhibiting agents. The polymeric dye transfer inhibiting agents are preferably selected from polyamine N-oxide polymers, copolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone and N-vinylimidazole, polyvinylpyrrolidone polymers or combinations thereof, whereby these polymers are optionally cross-linked polymers.

Optical Brightener The compositions herein also optionally contain from about 0.005% to 5% by weight of certain types of hydrophilic optical brighteners. Hydrophilic optical brighteners useful herein include those having the structural formula:

RI P12 N H H N 1 1 _4_1X N 0>-N -Q-C=C --0-N N S03M S03M RI wherein R I is selected from anilino, N-2-bis-hydroxyethyl and NH-2- hydroxyethyl; R2 is selected from N-2-bis-hydroxyethyl, N-2-hydroxyethyl-N-methylamino, morphilino, chloro and amino; and M is a salt-forming cation such as sodium or potassium.

When in the above formula, RI is anilino, R2 is N-2-bis-hydroxyethyl and M is a cation such as sodium, the brightener is 4,4',-bis[(4-anilino-6-(N-2-bis- 43 hydroxyethyl)-s-triazine-2-yl)amino]-2,2'-stilbenedisulfonic acid and disodium salt. This particular brightener species is commercially marketed under the tradename Tinopal-LTNPA-GX by Ciba-Geigy Corporation. Tinopal-CBS-X and TinopalUNPA-GX is the preferred hydrophilic optical brightener useful in the detergent 5 compositions herein.

When in the above formula, RI is anilino, R2 is N-2-hydroxyethyl-N-2methylamino and M is a cation such as sodium, the brightener is 4,4'bis[(4-anilino-6-(N-2hydroxyethyl-N-methylamino)-s-triazine-2-yl)amin o]2, 2'-stilbenedisulfonic acid disodium salt. This particular brightener species is commercially marketed under the tradename Tinopal 5BM-GX by Ciba-Geigy Corporation.

When in the above formula, RI is anilino, R2 is morphilino and M is a cation such as sodium, the brightener is 4,4'-bis[(4-anilino-6-morphilinos-triazine-2-yl)amino]2,2'- stilbenedisulfonic acid, sodium salt. This particular brightener species are commercially marketed under the tradename Tinopal-DMS-X and Tinopal AMS-GX by Ciba Geigy Corporation.

Polymeric Soil Release Aggnt Polymeric soil release agents, hereinafter "SRA", can optionally be employed in the present compositions. If utilized, SRAs will generally comprise from 0.01% to 10.0%, typically from 0. 1 % to 5%, preferably from 0.2% to 3.0% by weight, of the compositions. Preferred SRAs typically have hydrophilic segments to hydrophilize the surface of hydrophobic fibers such as polyester and nylon, and hydrophobic segments to deposit upon hydrophobic fibers and remain adhered thereto through completion of washing and rinsing cycles, thereby serving as an anchor for the hydrophilic segments. This can enable stains occurring subsequent to treatment with the SRA to be more easily cleaned in later washing procedures.

44 Preferred SRAs include oligomeric terephthalate esters, typically prepared by processes involving at least one wmsesterification/oligomerization, often with a metal catalyst such as a titanium(IV) alkoxide. Such esters may be made using additional monomers capable of being incorporated into the ester structure through one, two, three, four or more positions, without, of course, forming a densely crosslinked overall structure.

Suitable SRAs include a sulfonated product of a substantially linear ester oligomer comprised of an oligomeric ester backbone of terephthaloyl and oxyalkyleneoxy repeat units and allyl-derived sulfonated terminal moieties covalcntly attached to the backbone, for example as described in U.S. 4,968,45 1, November 6, 1990 to J.J. Scheibel and E.P. Gosselink. Such ester oligomers can be prepared by: (a) ethoxylating allyl alcohol; (b) reacting the product of (a) with dimethyI terephthalate ("DMT") and 1,2propylene glycol ("PG") in a two-stage transesterification/oligomerization procedure; and (c) reacting the product of (b) with sodium metabisulfite in water. Other SRA's include the nonionic end-capped 1,2propylene/polyoxyethylene terephthalate polyesters of U.S. 4,711,730, December 8, 1987 to Gosselink et al., for example those produced by transesterification/oligomerization of poly(ethyleneglycol) methyl ether, DMT, PG and poly(ethyleneglycol) ("PEG"). Other examples of SRA's include: the partly- and fully- anionic-end-capped oligomeric esters of U.S. 4,721,580, January 26, 1988 to Gosselink, such as oligomers from ethylene glycol (TG"), PG, DMT and Na-3,6dioxa-8-hydroxyoctanesulfonate; the nonionic- capped block polyester oligomeric compounds of U.S. 4,702,857, October 27, 1987 to Gosselink, for example produced from DMT, methyl (Me)-capped PEG and EG and/or PG, or a combination of DMT, EG and/or PG, Me-capped PEG and Na-dimethyl-5-sulfoisophthalate; and the anionic, especially sulfoaroyl, end-capped terephthalate esters of U. S. 4,877,896, October 31, 1989 to Maldonado, Gosselink et al., the latter being typical of SRA!s useful in both laundry and fabric conditioning products, an example being an ester composition made from m-sulfobenzoic acid monosodium salt, PG and DMT, optionally but preferably further comprising added PEG, e.g., PEG 3400.

SRAs also include: simple copolymeric blocks of ethylene terephthalate or propylene terephthalate with polyethylene oxide or polypropylene oxide terephthalate, see U.S. 3,959,230 to Hays, May 25, 1976 and U.S. 3,893, 929 to Basadur, July 8, 1975; cellulosic derivatives such as the hydroxyether cellulosic polymers available as METHOCEL from Dow; the C I -C4 alkyl celluloses and C4 hydroxyalkyl celluloses, see U.S. 4,000,093, December 28, 1976 to Nicol, et al.; and the methyl cellulose ethers having an average degree of substitution (methyl) per anhydroglucose unit from about 1.6 to about 2.3 and a solution viscosity of from about 80 to about 120 centipoise measured at 20C as a 2% aqueous solution. Such materials are available as METOLOSE SM100 and METOLOSE SM200, which are the trade names of methyl cellulose ethers manufactured by Shin-etsu Kagaku Kogyo KK.

Additional classes of SRAs include: (I) nonionic terephthalates using diisocyanate coupling agents to link polymeric ester structures, see U.S. 4,201,824, Violland et al.

and U.S. 4,240,918 Lagasse et al.; and (II) SRAs with carboxylate terminal groups made by adding trimellitic anhydride to known SRAs to convert terminal hydroxyl groups to trimellitate esters. With the proper selection of catalyst, the trimellitic anhydride forms linkages to the terminals of the polymer through an ester of the isolated carboxylic acid of trimellitic anhydride rather than by opening of the anhydride linkage. Either nonionic or anionic SRA's may be used as starting materials as long as they have hydroxyl terminal groups which may be esterified. See U.S. 4,525,524 Tung et al.. Other classes include: (III) anionic terephthalatebased SRAs of the urethane-linked variety, see U.S. 4,201,824, Violland et al.; Other Optional InUedie Other optional ingredients suitable for inclusion in the compositions of the invention include perfumes, speckles, colours or dyes, filler salts, with sodium sulfate being a preferred filler salt. Also, minor amounts (e.g., less than about 20% by weight) of neutralizing agents, buffering agents, phase regulants, hydrotropes, enzyme 46 stabilizing agents, polyacids, suds regulants, opacifiers, anti-oxidants, bactericides and dyes, such as those described in US Patent 4,285,841 to Barrat et al., issued August 25, 1981 (herein incorporated by reference), can be present.

Launda Washing Method Machine laundry methods for using laundry detergent compositions according to the present invention typically comprise treating soiled laundry with an aqueous wash solution in a washing machine having dissolved or dispensed therein an effective amount of a machine laundry detergent composition in accordance with the invention. By an effective amount of the detergent composition it is meant from I Og to 300g of product dissolved or dispersed in a wash solution of volume from 5 to 65 litres, as are typical product dosages and wash solution volumes commonly employed in conventional machine laundry methods.

The composition may also be formulated such that it is suitable for disinfecting, sanitisation, hard-surface cleaning or hand washing or for pre-treatment or soaking of soiled and stained fabrics.

The invention will now be illustrated by way of examples.

Abbreviations used in the Examples In the disintegrating components/detergent compositions, exemplified below, the abbreviated component identifications have the following meanings:

NYMCELTm Carboxymethyl cellulose (degree of substitution 0.3) supplied by Metsa-Serla CMF Citric acid intra-cross-linked fibrous cellulose made by Wayerhauser ArbocelTm Micronised cellulose supplied by Retterimeyer 47 LAS Sodium linear C I 1- 13 alkyl benzene sulfonate MES a-sulpho methylester of C1. fatty acid TAS Sodium tallow alkyl sulfate CxyAS Sodium C I x - C I y aBcyl sulfate C46SAS Sodium C 14 - C 16 secondary (2,3) alkyl sulfate CxyEzS Sodium C I x-C I y alkyl sulfate condensed with z moles of ethylene oxide CxyEz C I x-C I y predominantly linear primary alcohol condensed with an average of z moles of ethylene oxide QAS R2.N+(CH3)2(C2H40H) with R2 = C 12 - C 14 QAS I R2.N'(CH3)2(C2H40H) with R2 = C8 - C I I SADS Sodium C,4-C2, alkyl disulfate of formula 2-(R).C, H,.-1,4-(SO4-)2where R = CIO-C,8 SAMS SodiumC,4-C22alkyl disulfate of formula 2-(R).C4 H,.1,4-(SO4-)2where R = Cl,-C,,, condensed with z moles of ethylene oxide APA C8 - C 10 amido propyl dimethyl amine Soap Sodium linear alkyl carboxylate derived from an 80/20 mixture of tallow and coconut fatty acids STS Sodium toluene sulphonate CFAA C I 2-C 14 (coco) alkyl N-methyl glucamide TFAA C I 6-C 18 alkyl N-methyl glucamide TPKFA C I 6-C 18 topped whole cut fatty acids STPP Anhydrous sodium tripolyphosphate TSPP Tetrasodium pyrophosphate Zeolite A Hydrated sodium aluminosilicate of formula Nal2(AI02SiO2)12.27H20 having a primary particle 48 size in the range from 0. 1 to 10 micrometers (weight expressed on an anhydrous basis) NaSKS-6 Crystalline layered silicate of formula 5- Na2Si205 of Clariant Citric acid Anhydrous citric acid Borate Sodium borate Carbonate Anydrous sodium carbonate with a particle size between 200pm and 900im Bicarbonate Anhydrous sodium bicarbonate with a particle size distribution between 40%Lm and 1200Lm Silicate Amorphous sodium silicate (Si02:Na2O = 2.0: 1) Sulfate Anhydrous sodium sulfate Mg sulfate Anhydrous magnesium sulfate Citrate Tri-sodium citrate dihydrate of activity 86.4% with a particle size distribution between 425gm and 850pm MA/AA Copolymer of 1:4 maleic/acrylic acid, average molecular weight about 70,000 MA/AA (1) Copolymer of 4:6 maleic/acrylic acid, average molecular weight about 10,000 AA Sodium polyacrylate polymer of average molecular weight 4,500 CMC Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose Cellulose ether Methyl cellulose ether with a degree of polymerization of 650 available from Shin Etsu Chemicals Protease Proteolytic enzyme, having 3.3% by weight of active enzyme, sold by NOVO Industries A/S under the tradename Savinase 49 Protease I Proteolytic enzyme, having 4% by weight of active enzyme, as described in WO 95/10591, sold by Genencor Int. Inc.

Alcalase Proteolytic enzyme, having 5.3% by weight of active enzyme, sold by NOVO Industries A/S Cellulase Cellulytic enzyme, having 0.23% by weight of active enzyme, sold by NOVO Industries A/S under the tradename Carezyme Amylase Amylolytic enzyme, having 1.6% by weight of active enzyme, sold by NOVO Industries A/S under the tradename Termamyl 120T Amylase II Amylolytic enzyme, as disclosed in PCT/ US9703635 Lipase Lipolytic enzyme, having 2.0% by weight of active enzyme, sold by NOVO Industries A/S under the tradename Lipolase Lipase (1) Lipolytic enzyme, having 2.0% by weight of active enzyme, sold by NOVO Industries A/S under the tradename Lipolase Ultra Endolase Endoglucanase enzyme, having 1.5% by weight of active enzyme, sold by NOVO Industries A/S PB4 Sodium perborate tetrahydrate of nominal formula NaB023FI20.11202 PBl Anhydrous sodium perborate bleach of nominal formula NaB02.H202 Percarbonate Sodium percarbonate of nominal formula 2Na2CO3.3H202 DOBS Decanoyl oxybenzene sulfonate in the form of the sodium salt DPDA Diperoxydodecanedioc acid NOBS Nonanoyloxybenzene sulfonate in the form of the sodium salt NACA-OBS (6-nonamidocaproyl)oxybenzcne sulfonate LOBS Dodecanoyloxybenzene sulfonate in the form of the 5 sodium salt DOBS Decanoyloxybenzene sulfonate in the form of the sodium salt DOBA Dccanoyl oxybcnzoic acid TAED Tetraacetylethylenediamine DTPA Dicthylene triamine pentaacctic acid DTPMP Diethylene triamine penta (methylene phosphonate), marketed by Monsanto under the Tradename Dequest 2060 EDDS Ethylenediamine-N,N'- disuccinic acid, (S,S) isomer in 15 the form of its sodium salt. Photoactivated Sulfonated zinc phthlocyanine encapsulated in bleach (1) dextrin soluble polymer Photoactivated Sulfonated alumino phthlocyanine encapsulated in bleach (2) dextrin soluble polymer 20 Brightener I Disodium, 4,4'-bis(2-sulphostyryl)biphenyI Brightener 2 Disodium 4,4'bis(4-anilino-6-morpholino-1.3.5triazin-2-yl)amino) stilbene-2:2'disulfonate HEDP 1, 1 -hydroxyethane diphosphonic acid PEGx Polyethylene glycol, with a molecular weight of x 25 (typically 4,000) PEO Polyethylene oxide, with an average molecular weight of 50,000 TEPAE Tetraethylenepentaamine ethoxylate PVI Polyvinyl imidosole, with an average molecular weight of 20,000 51 PVP Polyvinylpyrolidone polymer, with an average molecular weight of 60, 000 PVNO Polyvinylpyridine N-oxide polymer, with an average molecular weight of 50,000 PVPVI Copolymer of polyvinylpyrolidone and vinylimidazole, with an average molecular weight of 20,000 QEA bis((C2H50)(C2H40)n)(CH3) -N±C6HI2-N+(CH3) bis((C2H50)-(C2H40))n, wherein n = from 20 10 to 30 SRP I Anionically end capped poly esters SRP 2 Diethoxylated poly (1, 2 propylene terephtalate) short block polymer PEI Polyethyleneimine with an average molecular weight 15 of 1800 and an average ethoxylation degree of 7 ethyleneoxy residues per nitrogen Silicone antifoarn Polydimethylsiloxane foam controller with siloxaneoxyalkylene copolymer as dispersing agent with a ratio of said foam controller to said dispersing agent 20 of 10: 1 to 100: 1 Opacifier Water based monostyrene latex mixture, sold by BASF Aktiengesellschaft under the tradename Lytron 621 Wax Paraffin wax 25 Examples Disintegrating components according to the present invention were prepared as follows.

52 Example 1: Preparation of 85% active Agglomerate (25% CMF with 75% Nymcel) + 15 wt % Glycerol Finely ground curly cellulose CMF (3 g) is placed in the I I pot of a Braun Combimax 700 food processor with Nymcel (9 g). Glycerol (2.2 g) is added dropwise as a binder and the mixture is stirred gently for 2 minutes before being sieved such that all retained agglomerate material has a diameter d<2 mm. This yields 14 g of agglomerate [85% (25% CMF with 75% Nymcel) + 15% Glycerol].

Example 2: Preparation of 66 wt % Agglomerate (25%!QMF with 75% Nyme-l" EIJI + 33 wt % stearic acid A disintegrating component agglomerate was prepared as for example 1, but using 6 g of melted stearic acid instead of 2.2 g of glycerol.

Example 3: Preparation of 85 wt % Agglomerate (25% Arbocel with 75% Nymceb + 15% Glycerol A disintegrating component agglomerate was prepared as in example I but using 3 g of Arbocel instead of 3 g of curly cellulose CMF Example 4: Preparation of 25 wt % CMF coated with 75 wt % Nymcel Curly cellulose CMF (15 g) was placed in the 21 pot of a Braun Combimax. 700 food processor with 1200 ml of water. To this was slowly added Nymcel (45 g), with gentle stirring. Once the addition had been completed, the mixture was stirred for 10 minutes, allowed to stand for 15 minutes and finally stirred for 2 minutes. The mixture was then transferred into a 5 litre beaker and acetone (2.51) added. The mixture was stirred for 15 minutes before the acetone was decanted off. More acetone (360 ml) was then added to the wet solid mass and stirred for 15 minutes before the acetone was decanted off. This last operation was repeated twice before the wet solid material was transferred in a vacuum oven to dry (for 24 hours at 60'C under 10 mm Hg). All the dry material was returned to the food processor, ground and sieved, yielding three fractions of 25% CMF coated with 75% Nymcel:

53 Between I mm. and 2 mm in diameter: 15.5g Between 0.5 mm and I mm in diameter: 7.07g Below 0.5 mm in diameter: 31.57g Example 5: Preparation of 85 wt % active Disintggrating Component(25% CMF coated with 75% Nymcel) + 15% Glycerol Curly cellulose CNE (15 g) was placed in the 21 pot of the Braun Combimax 700 food processor with 1200 ml of water. To this was slowly added Nymcel (45 g), with gentle stirring. Once the addition was completed, the mixture was stirred for 10 10 minutes, allowed to stand for 15 minutes and finally stirred for 2 minutes. The mixture was then transferred into a 5 litre beaker and acetone (2.51) added. The mixture was stirred for 15 minutes before the acetone was decanted off. More acetone (360 ml) was then added to the wet solid mass and stirred for 15 minutes before the acetone was decanted off. This last operation was repeated twice before 15 the wet solid material was transferred in a vacuum oven to dry (for 24 hours at 60'C under 10 mm Hg). 52 g of dry material was returned to the food processor and ground such that all of the material produced has a diameter under I mm, most of it being around 0.5 nun or below. 47.21 g of ground material were agglomerated with 8.33 g of glycerol and the agglomerated material was sieved such that all material has 20 a diameter d of 0.5 mm< d < I mm. This yields 50 g of 85% (25% CMF coated with 75% Nymcel) + 15% Glycerol. Example 6: Preparation of 85 wt % active Disintegrating Component (50% CMF coated with 50% Nymceb ±15% Glycerol 25 The preparation was in example 5 but using 30 g of Curly cellulose CMF instead of 15 g and 30 g of Nymcel instead of 45 g. Example 7: Preparation of 85 wt % active Disintggrant Component (10% CMIF coated with 90% Nymcel) + 15% Glycerol 30 The preparation was in example 5 butusing 6 g of Curly cellulose CMF instead of 15 g and 54 g of Nymcel instead of 45 g.

54 Example 8: Preparation of 66 wt % active Disintnrating Component (25% CW coated with 75% Nymcel) + 33% stearic acid The preparation was in example 5 but using 23.6 g of melted stearic acid instead of 5 8.33 g of glycerol in the final agglomeration step.

Example 9: Preparation of 85 wt % active DisintgMting Component(25% CMF coated with 75% CMC MW 250 OOO.d.s. 0.7) + 15% Glycerol The preparation was in example 5 but using 45 g of Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) of average molar weight 250000 and average degree of substitution d.s. 0. 7 instead of 45 g of Nymcel. Example 10: PrenarLtLion.of 85 wt % active Disintggrating Component (25% CW coated with 75% CMC MW 700 OOO.d.s. 0.9) + 15% Glycerol 15 The preparation was in example 5, but using 45 g of Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) of average molar weight 700000 and average degree of substitution d.s. 0.9 instead of 45 g of Nymcel. Example 11: Preparadon of-85 wt % active Disintegl:ating Component (25% 20 Arbocel coated with 75% Nymceb + 15% Glycerol The preparation was as in example 5 but using 15 g of Arbocel instead of 15 g of Curly cellulose CMF. The products of examples I to 11 were mixed, by dry mixing into a pre-formed 25 detergent composition comprising on a parts by weight basis 2.5 pbw LAS, 2.0 pbw AS, 8 pbw AES, I pbw QAS, 6 pbw sodium citrate, 13 pbw zeolite, 9 pbw Na SKS6, 12 pbw sodium percarbonate, 5 pbw TAED, 0.25 pbw chelant, 0.5 pbw HEDP, 0.45 pbw CMC, 0.31 pbw SRP, 2.87 pbw MA/AA, 0. 12 pbw Brightener 15, 0.02 pbw Brightener 49, 0.96 pbw, 17.36 pbw Carbonate, 0. 52 pbw Sodium Sulphate, 30 0.37 pbw Silicate 2,OP, 1.43 pbw PEG, 0.20 pbw suds supressor (silicone) 1.30 pbw Soap. The dry compositions were then formed into tablets by compaction.

Tablettin

The tablets of the present invention were prepared by compaction of a particulate detergent composition, according to the procedures described in European Patent Applications EP 0 598 586 Al page 9, lines 21 to 44 and EP 0 481792 Al page 7, lines I to 20.

The tablets were prepared using either an InstronTm 4469 Compaction and Tension Tester or a LloydTm LR50K Material Testing Machine. Tablets were pressed automatically to a given load to produce tablets comprising different disintegrating components but with comparable fracture stress, so that disintegration performance could be assessed. All tablets produced had a diameter of 54mm. Unless otherwise stated in table 1, all tablets were made up of 50g pre-formed detergent matrix as set out above and 2.5g disintegrating component. As a measure of the resistance of the tablets to fracture, the diametral fracture stress was determined according to the equation described in EP 0 598 586 Al page 9, lines 36 to 41. Preferred tablets of the invention have a diametral fracture stress of at least 5 kPa. Disintegrating performance results for these tablets is given in table I below.

Disintegration Test Protocol A tablet is gently deposited into a 2 litre beaker containing I litre of cold water and 7 ice cubes (20 g each). The tablet is left there unstirred for 2 minutes after which any residual solid lumps are manually picked out and weighed.

56 Table 1

Disintegrant System Diametral % residue in Fracture Stress beaker test after 2 minutes Tablet of 50g of detergent matrix + 0.5g of finely ground 36.OkPa >95 CMF (I wO/o CMF) 28kPa 83% Tablet made of 50g of detergent matrix + 1.5g of Nymcel 35kPa >95% (3 wO/o Nymcel) 25kPa >95% Agglomerate of example 1 40kPa >95% 35kPa >95 25kPa 93% Disintegrating Component of Example 4 (fraction d < 0.5 30kPa 60% MM) Disintegrating Component of Example 5 40kPa 70% 25kPa 20% Disintegrating Component of Example 7 40kPa 85% Agglomerate of example 2 25KPa 60% Disintegrating Component of Example 8 25KPa 30% Tablet of 50g detergent matrix + 1.59 CMC MW 250 40kPa >95% 000, d.s. 0.7 Tablet of 50g detergent matrix + 3% CMC MW 700 000, 25kPa >95% d.s. 0.7 Disintegrating Component of Example 9 45 kPa 70% Disintegrating Component of Example 10 25kPa. 70% Tablet made of 50g of detergent matrix + 0.5g of Arbocel 35kPa >95% (1.0 wtO/o Arbocel) 27kPa 92% Agglomerate of Example 3 40kPa 72% Agglomerate of Example I I 42.5kPa 600 57 Example 12

The following are examples of detergent compositions according to the invention.

They may be particulate or may be compressed in a tablet press into tablets.

Base Powder STPP 10.0 - Zeolite A 16.0 - 16.0 C45AS 4.0 - 4.0 5.0 QAS I 1.0 - - M13AS 17, 2.1 2T 4.0 - C25 AE3S - 1.0 - 1.0 MA/AA 2.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 LAS 10.0 11.0 8.9 6.6 TAS - 4.0 - - Silicate - 3.0 - 3.0 CMC 1.0 1.0 0.5 1.0 Brightener 2 0.2 0.2 - - Soap 1.0 - - 1.0 DTPMP 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.4 NaSKS-6 9.0 16.0 10.0 6.8 Spray On C45E7 - 2.5 - - C25E3 2.5 - - Silicone antifoam o.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 Perfwne 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 Disintegrating comp. of e.g. 1 2.0 1.3 3.0 2.5 QEA - 0.5 1.0 - Carbonate 6.0 13.0 15.0 13.0 PB4 18.0 18.0 10.0 - PBI 4.0 4.0 - NOBS 3.0 4.2 1.0 - Photoactivated bleach 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 -Manganese catalyst - - 0.5 - Protease 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 Lipase 0.4 0.4 0.4 -0.4 Amylase 0.25 0.30 0.15 0.3 Dry mixed sodium sulfate 3.0 3.0 5.0 3.0 Balance (Moisture & 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Miscellaneous) Density (g/litre) 630 670 670 670 58 E F G H Base product:

TAS - 1.0 4.0 MBAS 17,1.9 5.0 10.0 16.0 8.0 C45AS 4.0 4.0 6.0 6.0 MES 3.0 - - - QAS 11 0.4 1.0 TFAA - 1.0 - - C25E5/C45E7/C2 2.0 1.0 5E3 LAS - 18.0 Zeolite 9.0 5.0 8.0 Carbonate 13.0 7.5 5.0 Bicarbonate - 7.5 - DTPMP 0.7 1.0 - SRP 1 0.3 0.2 - 0.1 MA/AA 2.0 1.5 2.0 1.0 CMC 0.8 0.4 0.4 0.2 Protease, 0.8 1.0 0.5 0.5 Amylase 0.8 0.4 0.25 Lipase 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1 Cellulase 0.15 0.05 - - Photoactivated 70ppm 45ppm - loppm bleach (ppm) Brightener 1 0.2 0.2 0.08 0.2 PBI 6.0 2.0 - - NACA - - - 3.0 NAC OBS 2.0 1.0 0.9 3.1 Disintegrating 4.0 6.0 3.0 2.0 component of example 2

Agglomerate:

SKS-6 (1) 6.6 6.0 20.0 10.0 LAS 3.0 - 15.0 7.0 C45 AS 3.0 6.0 - - Balance (Moisture 100 100 100 100 and Miscellaneous) I 59 K Base Powder MBAS 17.5,1.8 2.0 Zeolite A - 22.0 6.0 Sodium sulfate 1.0 5.0 - MA/AA 3.0 3.0 3.0 MES - 5.0 - LAS - - 3.5 C45AS 3.0 4.0 7.0 Silicate - 1.0 5.0 Soap - 2.0 Brightener 1 0.2 0.2 0.2 Carbonate 8.0 16.0 5.0 Citric acid 3.0 2.0 1.5 Spray On C45E5 1.0 1.0 - LAS/MES 8.0 5.0 5.0 Dry additives NaSKS-6 15.0 6.0 7.0 PVPVI/PVNO 0.5 0.5 0.5 Protease 1.0 1.0 1.0 Lipase 0.4 0.4 0.4 Amylase 0.1 0.1 0.1 Cellulase 0.1 0.1 0.1 NOBS - 6.1 - NAC OBS - 4.5 Disintegrating - - 1.0 component of example 5 Disintegrating 2.5 4.6 component of example 6 Sodium sulfate - 6.0 - Balance (Moisture and 100 100 100 Miscellaneous) L M N Blown Powder Zeolite A 15.0 Sodium sulfate 0.0 5.0 0.0 LAS 9.0 7.0 7.0 C45AS 7.0 2.0 4.0 QAS - - 1.5 DTPMP 0.4 0.4 0.4 CMC 0.4 0.4 0.4 MA/AA 4.0 2.0 2.0 Agglomerate 1.0 - - QAS LAS - 11.0 7.0 TAS 2.0 2.0 1.0 Silicate 2.0 - 4.0 Zeolite A 8.0 8.0 8.0 Carbonate 7.0 8.0 4.0 Spray On Encapsulated 0.3 0.3 0.3 Perfume C25E3 2.0 - 2.0 Dry additives NaSKS-6 15.0 12.0 5.0 silicate QEA 1.0 0.5 0.5 Citric/Citrate 5.0 - 2.0 Bicarbonate - 3.0 - Carbonate 8.0 15.0 7.0 NAC OBS 6.0 - 5.0 Manganese catalyst - - 0.3 NOBS - 2.0 - PBI 14.0 7.0 10.0 Polyethylene oxide of MW 5,000,000 - - 0.2 Bentonite clay 10.0 Citric acid - - 0.5 Protease 1.0 1.0 1.0 Lipase 0.4 0.4 0.4 Amylase 0.6 0.6 0.6 Cellulase 0.6 0.6 0.6 Silicone antifoam 5.0 5.0 5.0 Agglomerate of example 2 5.0 2.0 3.0 Sodium sulfate 0.0 1.0 0.0 Balance (Moisture and 100.0 100.0 100.0 Miscellaneous) Density (gilitre) 850 850 850 61 0 P Q R Agglomerate QAS 2.0 2.0- MES - 2.0 - LAS TO - TAS - 2.0 - C45AS 6.0 4.0 2.0 MBAS16.5,1.9 4.0 - - Zeolite A 15.0 6.0 Carbonate 4.0 8.0 4.0 8.0 MA/AA 4.0 2.0 2.0 CMC 0.5 0.5 0.5 DTPMP 0.4 0.4 0.5 Spray On C25E3 1.0 1.0 - - Perfume 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 Agglomerate NaSKSw6 7.0 13.0 20.0 9.0 LAS 5.8 9.0 15.0 9.0 Zeolite - 0.9 - - C45 AS - 3.0 - Water 0.08 0.1 0.2 Dry Adds EDDS/HEDP 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.8 NaSKS 6 (1) or (11) 5.0 - - Citrate - 1.0 - Citric acid 2.0 - 2.0 4.0 NAC OBS 4.1 - 5.0 4.0 TAED 0.8 2.0 - 2.0 Percarbonate 14.0 18.0 113.0 16.0 SRP 1 0.3 0.3 - 0.3 Protease 1.4 1.4 1.0 0.5 Lipase 0.4 0.4 0.3 Cellulase 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.5 Amylase 0.6 0.6 - 0.3 QEA 1.0 1.0 1.0 Silicone antifoarn 1.0 0.5 0.5 1.5 Brightener 1 0.2 0.2 - 6.2 Brightener 2 0.2 0.2 - Disintegrant component of 6.0 2.0 3.0 example 7

62 Disintegrating comp.of e.g. - 4.0 8 Density (g/litre) 850 850 800 775 Example 6

S T U v w X C45AS 11.0 5.0 4.6 6.5 4.1 9.0 C25AES 1.3 1.0 - 1.3 1.0 - LAS 10.0 3.0 12.7 10.0 5.0 9.5 C25E3/C25E5 1.5 4.7 3.3 - 4.7 3.3 MBAS 16.5,1.7 15.0 12.0 10.0 10.2 7.0 14.1 QAS - 1.15 0.6 - 1.7 - Zeolite A 5.0 16.7 7.0 16.7 11.2 Disintegrating component of example 2

Citric acid - 1.5 2.5 - 1.5 - N4A/AA 0.6 - 0.6 - MA/AA 3 - - 7.03 - - 7.03 AA 2.3 - - 2.8 - - EDDS - 0.3 - 0.3 HEDP 0.5 - - 0.5 - Carbonate 6.o 12.5 14.5 6.0 12.5 14.0 SKS-6/silicate 10.58 0.8 20 10.58 4.8 20 PBI 11.0 14.0 - - 4.0 NACA-OBS - 4.7 - - 2.7 - PC - 17.3 - 20.0 17.3 - NOBS - - 4.0 - - 4.0 TAED - 2.5 - - 3.5 2.0 Protease 0.25 0.36 0.2 0.26 0.36 0.2 Lipase - - - - - - Cellulase 0.3 0.26 0.3 0.26 Amylase - 0.36 - - 0.36 Brightener 0.17 0.06 0.30 0.17 0.06 0.30 SRPI 0.4 0.2 0.5 0.4 0.2 0.5 PEG 1.6 - 0.19 1.6 0.19 Sulfate 5.5 6.4 3.5 5.5 6.4 3.5 CMC - 0.5 - - 0.5 MgS04 0.13 0.13 Photobleach - 0.0026 - - 0.0026 - Agglomerate of example 3 3.5 3.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 3.0 Silicone anti-foam 0.02 0.21 0.17 0.02 0.21 0.17 Perfume 0.42 0.55 0.25 0.42 0.55 0.25 63 y z AA AB MBAS 16.5,1.7 - - - 5.5 C45 AS 9.0 8.0 4.1 4 C45EIS 1.0 - - - LAS 8.0 4.0 19.7 5.0 C16 SAS - 2.0 - MES - 4 C23E6.5 - 1.5 - 1.5 NaSKS-6 10.0 6.0 19.0 7.0 Zeolite A 7.8 17.0 - 20.0 AA 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 Carbonate 7.0 7.0 12.5 2.5 Silicate 0.6 0.6 0.6 - Perborate/PC 11.0 2.0 - - Protease 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 Cellulase 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 SRPI 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Brightener 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 PEG 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 Sulfate 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 Silicone Antifoam 0.42 0.42 0.42 0.42 Disintegrant composition of 2.0 2.0 1 4.0 example 8 6.0

Disintegrant composition of - 2.0 - 1.0 example 4

Moisture & Minors --- Balance- F Density (g/L) 663 1 663) 663 663 64 AC AD AE AF AG MBAS 16.5,1.7 14.8 16.4 12.3 8.2 4.1 C45 AS 6.0 8.0 4.3 4.0 5.0 C45EIS 2.0 - - 1.0 - LAS - - 3.0 5.0 C 16 SAS 1.0 - - MES - 5.0 - - TFAA 1.6 0 0 0 0 C24E3 4.9 4.9 4.9 4.9 4.9 Zeolite A 5.0 15 - - - NaSKS-6/LAS 21 10 30 17 20 agglomerate with ratio 3:2 Citrate/citric 1.0 3 3 2.0 MA/AA 4.8 4.8 4.8 4.8 4.8 20.7] HEDP 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 Carbonate 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.5 Percarbonate 20.7 20.7 20.7 20.7 TAED 4.8 4.8 - - 4.8 NACA-OBS - - 5.0 6.0 2.0 Protease 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 Lipase 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.15 Cellulase 0.26 0.26 0.26 0.26 0.26 Amylase 0.36 0.36 0.36 0.36 0.36 SRPI 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 Brightener 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 Sulfate 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 QEA 1.0 1.0 - - - QAS 1.0 - - - 1.0 Silicone Antifoarn 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Agglomerate of 3.0 3.0 - - 1.5 example 2

Disintegrating - - 3.0 3.0 2.0 component of I example II

Moisture & Minors --- Balance--- 850+B707 Density (g/L) 850 850 1 1 --"% 65 AH AI AJ AK AL Base Product C45 AS/TAS 8.0 5.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 LAS 8.0 8.0 - 7.0 C25AE3S 0.5 2.0 1.0 - - LAS/NaSKS-6 Agglomerate 5.0 17.0 9.0 20.0 15.0 with ratio 3:2 C25AE5/AE3 2.0 - 5.0 2.0 2.0 QAS - - - 1.0 1.0 Zeolite A 20.0 10.0 10.0 - 10.0 NaSKS-6 (1) (dry add) - - 2.0 - - MA/AA 2.0 2.0 2.0 - - AA - - - - 4.0 Citrate - 2.0 - - - Citric acid 2.0 - 1.5 2.-0 DTPA 0.2 0.2 - - EDDS - - 0.5 0.1 HEDP - - 0.2 0.1 - PBI 3.0 5.0 10.0 - 4.0 PC - - - 18.0 - NOBS 3.0 4.0 - - 4.0 NACA OBS - - 2.0 - - TAED - 2.0 5.0 - Agglomerate of example 1 4.0 40 4.0 4.0 4.0 8.0] Carbonate 15.0 8.0 15.0 15.0 Sulphate 5.0 12.0 2.0 17.0 3.0 Silicate - 1.0 - - 8.0 Enzyme 0.3 0.3 1.0 1.0 0.2 Minors (Brightener/SRP 1/ 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 CMC/Photobleach/ MgSO4/ PVPVI/Suds suppressor/ PEG) Perfume 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.2 0.1 66

Claims (15)

Claims

1. A disintegrating component for use in a detergent composition comprising a wicking agent and a water-swellable agent.

2. A disintegrating component according to claim I in which the waterswellable agent comprises a water-swellable polymer.

A disintegrating component according to claim I or claim 2 in which the wicking agent and water-swellable agent are present in weight ratios of 1:20 to 2: 1, preferably 1: 10 to 1: 1.

4. A disintegrating component according to any preceding claim additionally comprising a binder in an amount of from 0.5-50 wt % of the component.

5. A disintegrating component according to any preceding claim in which the wicking agent comprises fibres having a length to diameter ratio of at least 3: 1.

6. A disintegrating component according to any preceding claim in which the wicking agent comprises a cross-linked cellulose.

7. A disintegrating component for use in a detergent composition according to any preceding claim in which the wicking agent has a low density at least 10% lower than the density of the composition or component thereof as a whole (based on the density of the composition or component thereof).

8. A disintegrating component according to any preceding claim in which the water-swellable agent comprises a polymer which is a polyacrylate, starch or carboxymethy1cellulose or a copolymer or derivative thereof or a mixture thereof.

9. A disintegrating component according to any preceding claim in which the water-swellable agent and wicking agent are in an intimate mixture.

10. A disintegrating component according to claim 9 in which the intimate mixture is in the form of water-swellable agent coated onto the wicking agent.

11. A method for making a disintegrating component according to any preceding claim comprising forming an intimate mixturecomprising a wicking agent, 67 water-swellable agent and optional binder by mixing to form a substantially homogeneous mixture.

12. A method according to claim I I in which the intimate mixture is provided as a coating of the water-swellable polymer on the wicking agent, the method comprising mixing the wicking agent and water-swellable agent and a solvent for the water-swellable agent such that a gel or solution of the water- swellable polymer or slurry comprising a partially swollen water-swellable agent incorporating the wicking agent is formed as a substantially homogeneous mixture and then removing the solvent so that a coating of the water- swellable agent is formed on the wicking agent.

13. A detergent or bleaching composition or component thereof comprising a disintegrating component according to any of claims I to 10 or prepared according to claim I I or 12.

14. A detergent or bleaching composition or component thereof according to claim 13 in the form of a detergent tablet.

15. A pharmaceutical or herbicidal composition or component thereof comprising a disintegrating component according to any of claims I to 10 or prepared according to claim I I or claim 12.