GB873214A - Non-ionic detergent compositions - Google Patents

Abstract

Hydrophobic synthetic textile materials, such as nylon, are rendered antistatic by washing in a detergent composition comprising, by weight, (a) 50-98,5%, preferably 80-98,5%, of a nonionic surface-active agent, for example an ethylene oxide condensate with an alkylphenol, fatty acid, fatty alcohol or fatty mercaptan, (b) 1-48,5%, preferably 1-11%, of a cationic surface-active agent, for example a quaternary ammonium (including pyridium) or phosphonium compound, and (c) 0,5-24%, preferably 0,5-9%, of an anionic surface-active agent, for example an n- or sec.-alkyl sulphate, a sec.-alkyl phosphate, soap (such as sodium oleate), dodecylbenzene sulphonate, an acyl taurine, or an alkylnaphthalene sulphonate, (b) being always present in stoichiometric excess over (c). Several suitable agents of these types are listed. The textile is washed in a solution of the composition, suitable solvents being water, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, trichlorethylene, carbon tetrachloride, benzene, decahydronaphthalene, glycerol, and ethylene and hexylene glycols, before being rinsed and dried. According to the Provisional Specification, rather different ranges of the proportions of (a), (b) and (c) from those quoted above may be used. Thus (c) may be present in stoichiometric excess over (b), or (b) and (c) may be present in stoichiometrically equivalent amounts. Also, in one embodiment, the preferred amount of (a) is quoted as 95-99,9% and is always more than 90%; in another, the total of (a) and (b) is at least 95%, each being present to the extent of at least 10%, whilst in a further embodiment (a) and (c) together comprise at least 95%, each being present in an amount of at least 10%. Specification 641,297 is referred to.ALSO:Detergent compositions of particular value for rendering hydrophobic textile materials, such as nylon, antistatic comprise by weight (a) 50-98.5%, preferably 80-98.5% of a nonionic surface active agent, for example an ethylene oxide condensate with an alkylphenol, fatty acid, fatty alcohol or fatty mercaptan, (b) 1-48.5%, preferably 1-11%, of a cationic surface active agent for example quaternary ammonium (including pyridinium) or phosphonium compound, and (c) 0.5-24%, preferably 0.5-9%, of an anionic surface active agent, for example an n- or secalkyl sulphate, a secalkyl phosphate soap (such as sodium oleate), dodecylbenzene sulphonate, an acyl taurine or an alkylnaphthalene sulphonate, (b) being always present in stoichiometric excess over (c). Several suitable surface active agents of these types are listed. The compositions may be produced directly in solid, or in liquid form, in which latter case water, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, trichlorethylene, carbon tetrachloride, benzene, decahydronaphthalene, glycerol, and ethylene and hexylene glycols may be used as solvents. According to the Provisional Specification, rather different ranges of the proportions of (a), (b) and (c) from those quoted above may be used; thus (c) may be present in stoichiometric excess over (b), and (b) and (c) may be present in stiochiometrically equivalent amounts. Also, in one embodiment, the preferred amount of (a) is quoted as 95-99.9%, and is always more than 90%; in another the total of (a) and (b) is at least 95%, each being present to the extent of at least 10%, while in a further embodiment (a) and (c) together comprise at least 95%, each being present in amounts of at least 10%. Specification 641,297 is referred to.