GB676449A - Improvements in and relating to detergent compositions - Google Patents

Abstract

A cleaning composition comprises a mixture of (1) an alkali or ammonium salt of an organic sulphonic acid having a hydrophobic group of at least eight carbon atoms and (2) a magnesium compound having a solubility in water at atmospheric temperature of less than 0.04 per cent by weight, the proportion of magnesium compound being 35-60 per cent of the quantity stoichiometrically required to convert the sulphonic acid salt into the corresponding magnesium salt. Suitable magnesium compounds include the oxide, hydroxide, borate, phosphate, pyrophosphate, tripolyphosphate, carbonate and basic carbonate, and magnesium ammonium phosphate. An inorganic builder such as sodium sulphate, sodium carbonate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, sodium silicate, sodium tripolyphosphate, or sodium hexametaphosphate may also be present. In one example 30 per cent sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate, 10 per cent sodium tripolyphosphate, 0.75 per cent magnesium oxide, 1 per cent sodium carboxymethylcellulose and 58.25 per cent sodium sulphate are mixed to form the composition. Composition detergency tests are given. Other sulphonates which may be used are obtainable from alkyltoluene or alkylxylene sulphonic acids, the corresponding compounds derived from alkylnaphthalene sulphonic acids, the corresponding compounds derived from alkyphenols, alkylnaphthalene sulphonic acids, the sulphonic acids obtainable by saponifying the sulphochlorination products of saturated hydrocarbons, higher fatty acid esters of hydroxyethyl sulphonic acid and fatty acid amides of aminoalkyl sulphonic acids. U.S.A. Specifications 1,992,160, 2,161,174, 2,175,285, 2,196,985, 2,232,118, 2,276,090 and 2,298,696 are referred to.