MXPA98000455A - Composition in form of foam empac - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a simple aerosol package suitable for use with non-liquidating propellant gases, which supplies a light foam (preferably less than 200 g, most preferably less than 150 g), and which can be completely drained under the pressure of the propellant gas; A packaged product comprises a composition in the form of foam and a propellant gas packaged within an aerosol container in which at least 0.5 moles / liter of non-liquidifiable propellant gas can be charged to a gas-tight measuring container, said container contains 60% by volume of the detergent composition in the form of foam, when measured at 12 bar at 50 ° C, in a second aspect of the invention, a method is provided for cleaning fabrics using a packaged product as described above, which comprises the steps of: supplying the composition in the form of foam from the container in the form of a foam having an overall density of less than 250 g / l on e the fabrics, distribute the foam, either by mechanical or manual agitation, on the fabric, and remove the foam residue from the fabric.

Description

COMPOSITION IN FOR-IFÍ OF ESPUtlR E-1PRCRDR The present invention relates to a packaged product comprising a composition in the form of foam and propellant gas packaged within a container. In particular, the packaged product is an aerosol container for supplying foam. It is well known in the aerosol industry that there is a need to remove fluorocarbon propellants (ie, chlorocarbon, CFC, hydrofluorochlorocarbon, HCFC and hydrofluorocarbon HFC) due to their environmental profile. The choice for replacement has been mainly low molecular weight hydrocarbons such as propane, butane, pentane, hexane, etc., but these are flammable gases that are not always suitable for use in closed appliances with potential sources of ignition. Due to these reasons, the industry seeks to address chemicals that are less aggressive to the environment. Replacing the organic propellants, such as those listed above, with non-liquidifying propellant gases presents new problems, unlike the more conventional liquefied liquid propellant gases, gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide can not be liquidized. the pressures obtainable in an aerosol container (ie, typically 10 to 12 bar maximum), fll the foam composition of the aerosol container, carbon dioxide or nitrous oxide in the head space, being progressively emptied, can not be emptied. stuffed as it would be the case with the liquidLifiable boosters, and consequently the pressure in the upper space drops. If the ression of the upper space falls very low, it will no longer be possible to pour a foam from the aerosol container. One approach to this problem has included mixtures of liquidifiable and non-liquidifiable gases, in which the non-liquidifiable gases are highly soluble in the liquidifiable gases. The research description No. RD-170066, published on June 10, 1978, suggests that hydrofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons can be used co or co. propellants with carbon dioxide or nitrous oxide to formulate aerosol products such as hair sprays, deodorants and antiperspirants. Suitable HFCs and CFCs possess a desirable combination of properties including acceptable volatility and unexpectedly high solubility for carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. The solubility coefficients of Ost? Ald for C02 and N20 are greater than 3.5 to 21.1 ° C for each of the HFCs and CFCs exemplified. Alternative attempts to solve this problem have included the use of soil-porous structures to adsorb non-liquidifiable propellant gas (such as carbon dioxide), thus providing a gas "receptacle" from which the top pressure can be filled. EP-A 0 385 773, published on September 5, 1990, discloses a gas storage system comprising a polyrnomeric material such as hydrogel, which has micro-wells functioning as interstitial gas storage. Document DD-fl 246 784, published on June 17, 1987, describes cosmetic and pharmaceutical foam aerosols containing 5-50% of the urninosilicate loaded with C02. It is ensured that the filling speeds are high, the pressure peaks are avoided and the pressure is constant enough to complete the emptying of the aerosol package. Compositions in the form of foam which are concentrated in terms of active components and have a correspondingly low water content may not be suitable for being supplied with carbon dioxide or nitrous oxide because the aerosol container can not be completely emptied. Furthermore, microporous gas adsorbing agents may be undesirable for economic reasons. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple aerosol package suitable for use with non-iquidifiable propellant gases, which supplies a light foam (preferably less than 200 g, most preferably less than 150 g), and which can be emptied completely under the pressure of the propellant gas.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of a packaged product as described in claim 1, in which at least 0.5 moles / liter of a non-liquefiable propellant gas can be charged to a container of gas-tight measurement, said container containing 60% by volume of the detergent composition in the form of foam, when measured at 12 bars at 50 ° C. The preferred non-liquefiable propellant gases are carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide (both having a molecular weight of 44); and preferably the composition in the form of foam has an Ostwald coefficient of at least 1.5, preferably at least 2.5, and rn? and preferably at least 4. The desired Ostwald coefficients are advantageously achieved by incorporating gas solubilizing agents such as aldehydes and ketones in the composition in foam form. Particularly preferred gas solubilizing agents are acetone, methyl acetate and rnetilal. The contribution to total pressure coming from volatile components or gases that are not the non-liquefiable propellant gas is minimized pre-eminently so that the detergent composition in the form of foam has a vapor pressure at 50 ° C or less, of 60 mbar. Accordingly, the partial pressure of the propellant gas is preferably at least 85%, rn? And preferably at least 90% and more preferably at least 95% of the total pressure inside the container, when measured at 50 ° C. . In a second aspect of the invention, a method is provided for cleaning fabrics using a packaged product such as that described above, comprising the steps of: (i) supplying the composition in the form of foam from the container in the form of a foam that have a global density of less than 250 g / 1 on the fabrics and di) distribute the foam, either by mechanical or manual agitation, on the fabrics, (LII) remove the foam residue from the clean fabrics. In this aspect of the invention water can be used to pre-soak or rinse, or pre-soak and rinse the fabrics; it is preferred that the weight ratio of water to dry cloth be less than 1: 1.

DESCRIPTION DETRLLRDR OF LR INVENTION The amount of gas that can be stored in a container is determined by i) the size of the container, n) the temperature and pressure inside the container, and m) the thermodynamic equilibrium properties of the products inside the container. A limited choice of container size is available to satisfy the aerosol guideline and certain temperature and pressure requirements must be met.

Accordingly, the present invention is related to the thermo-unbalanced equilibrium properties of the product within the container, and, in particular, to the solubility of the non-liquidifying propellant gas in the composition in the form of foam, and to the partial pressure of the propellant. not liquid in the aerosol container. The term "non-liquidifiable propellant gas", as used herein, means any gas or combination of gases that is not in the liquid phase at 50 ° C and 12 bar. Such gases include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, nitrogen and air. Carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide are more preferred. The solubility of the non-liquidatable gases in the foam composition can be conveniently expressed in terms of the dimensionless Oetwald coefficient. This is defined as the ratio of the volume of gas absorbed to the volume of the absorbent liquid. For the purposes of measuring the Ostwald coefficients defined herein, a constant temperature of 20 ° C has been used. The solubility of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide in many organic solvents has been determined. The data is shown in "The Solubility of Non-Electrolytes", by 3. Hillebrand, Reinhold Publishing Corporation New York, 3rd Edition, pp. 248-250. The total pressure inside the container is the sum of the partial pressures of the constituents of the gas phase. The constituents of the gas phase comprise mainly the propellant gas, volatile components of the composition in the form of foam and air. The contribution of partial air pressure can be reduced or eliminated advantageously by degassing the product in the form of packed foam before loading the gas. In order to maximize the amount of propellant gas that can be charged into the container, it is preferred that the partial pressure due to the volatile components of the foam composition be low, in other words, the volatile components must be present at a low level, if any, in the composition in the form of foam. Preferably, the vapor pressure of the composition in the form of foam is less than 60 mbar when measured at 50 ° C. It is preferred that the partial pressure due to carbon dioxide and / or nitrous oxide propellant gas be at least 85%, preferably at least 90% and rn? And preferably at least 95% of the total pressure inside the container , measured at 50 ° C. For example, the optimum partial pressure due to the carbon dioxide and / or nitrous oxide propellant gas in an aerosol container packed at 12 bars and 50 ° C, or at least 11.4 bars. The foam is a coarse dispersion of gas in a relatively small amount of liquid. The foams of the present invention are a continuous liquid phase comprising a composition, and a dispersed phase comprising a gas.

Typically, the gas "bubbles" of the dispersed phase can vary in size from 50 microns to several millimeters. In general, the quality of the foam is determined by determining various attributes of foam quality, such as: 1) the appearance of the foam determined by the uniformity of the size distribution of the bubbles, as well as by the actual sizes of the bubbles, wherein small bubbles of uniform size are generally preferred; 2) is the thickness of the foam determined by the apparent foam viscosity, wherein a higher apparent foam viscosity is generally preferred; 3) the density of the foam which is preferably less than 250 g / 1, very preferably less than 150 g / 1 and more preferably less than 100 g / 1; and 4) draining the liquid from the foam after standing on a solid surface, where a slow drainage of the liquid is usually preferred. The preferred components of the detergent foam will now be described in more detail. The water-soluble salts of the higher fatty acids, ie, "soaps", are useful as anionic surfactants in the compositions herein. This includes alkali metal soaps such as the sodium, potassium, ethanolamine, ammonium and alkali metal salts of higher fatty acids containing from about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms, preferably from about 12 to about 18 carbon atoms. Soaps can be manufactured by direct saponification of fats and oils or by neutralization of free fatty acids. Particularly useful are the ethanolamine, sodium and potassium salts of the fatty acid mixtures derived from coconut oil and tallow, that is, rnonoe »anolanine, tallow and coconut sodium or potassium soap. Useful ammonium surfactants also include the water soluble salts, preferably the alkali metal, ethanolarm, ammonium and alkyl ammonium salts of organic sulfuric reaction products having in their molecular structure an alkyl group containing from about 10 to about 20. carbon atoms and an ester group of sulfonic acid or sulfuric acid. (Included in the term "alkyl" is the alkyl portion of acyl groups). Examples of this group of synthetic surfactants are the alkyl sulphates, especially those obtained by sulfating the higher alcohols (Cß-Ciß carbon atoms) such as those produced by reducing the glycerides of tallow or coconut oil, and the alkyne-benzene sulfonates in wherein the alkyl group contains from about 9 to about 15 carbon atoms, in straight or branched chain configuration, e.g., those of the type described in the EUfl patents. Nos. 2,220,099 and 2,477,383; and methyl ester sulfonates. Especially valuable are linear straight-chain alkylbenzene sulphonates in which the average number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group is from about 11 to 13, abbreviated as LAS of C11-C13. Other anionic surfactants herein are the ether sulphonates alkyl. ? ilglyceryl, especially those ethers of higher alcohols derived from tallow and coconut oil; sulphonates and fatty acid rnonoglyceride sulfates of coconut oil; alkyl phenol ethylene oxide sulfate salts containing from about 1 to about 10 ethylene oxide units per molecule, and wherein the alkyl groups contain from about 8 to about 12 carbon atoms; and alkylethylether ether sulfate salts containing from about 1 to about 10 ethylene oxide units per molecule and wherein the alkyl group contains from about 10 to about 20 carbon atoms. Other anionic surface active agents useful herein include the water soluble salts of alpha-sulfonated fatty acid esters containing from about 6 to 20 carbon atoms in the fatty acid group and from about 1 to 10 carbon atoms in the group ester; water-soluble salts of 2-acyloxy-alkane-1-phonic acids containing from about 2 to 9 carbon atoms in the acyl group and from about 9 to about 23 carbon atoms in the alkane portion; alkyl ether phosphates containing from about 10 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and from about 1 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide; water-soluble salts of olefins-lymphonates containing from about 12 to 24 carbon atoms; and beta-alkyloxy lcans-lyphonates containing from about 1 to 3 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and from about 8 to about 20 carbon atoms in the alkane portion. Water-soluble nonionic surfactants are also useful as surfactants in the compositions of the invention. In fact, the preferred methods use ammonium / nonionic mixtures. Such nonionic materials include compounds produced by the condensation of alkylene oxide groups (hydrophilic in nature) with an organic hydrophobic compound, which may be aliphatic or alkyl radical in nature. The length of the polyoxyalkylene group that is fused with any particular hydrophobic group can be easily adjusted to produce a water-soluble compound having the desired degree of balance between the hydrophilic and hydrophobic elements. Suitable nonionic surfactants include the polyethylene oxide condensates of alkyl phenols, e.g., the condensation products of alkyl phenols having an alkyl group containing from about 6 to 16 carbon atoms, either in a straight chain or branched chain; with from about 4 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alkyl phenol. Preferred nonionic surfactants are the water-soluble condensation products of aliphatic alcohols containing from 8 to 22 carbon atoms, either in straight or branched chain configuration, with from 1 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide per milliliter. alcohol, especially 2 to 7 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol. Particularly preferred are the condensation products of alcohols having an alkyl group containing from about 9 to 15 carbon atoms, and the condensation products of propylene glycol with ethylene oxide. Other preferred nonionic surfactants are the polyhydroxy fatty acid amides which can be prepared by reacting a fatty acid ester and an N-alkyl polyhydroxy amine. The preferred amine for use in the present invention is N- (R1) -CH2 (CH20H) 4-CH2-OH and the preferred ester is a C12-C20 fatty acid methyl ester-The N-reaction product is highly preferred. -rnethylglucarnine (which can be derived from glucose) with rnethyl ester of C12-C20 fatty acid. The methods of making polyhydroxy fatty acid amides have been described in UO 9206073, published April 16, 1992. This application describes the preparation of polyhydroxy fatty acid amides in the presence of solvents. In a highly preferred embodiment of the invention, N-rnethyl gl? Carnide is reacted with a C12-C20 methyl ester. Semi-polar nonionic surfactants include water-soluble amine oxides containing an alkyl portion of from about 10 to 18 carbon atoms and two portions selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups and hydroxyalkyl groups containing from about 3 carbon atoms; water-soluble phosphine oxides containing an alkyl portion of about 10 to 18 carbon atoms and two portions selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups and hydroxyalkyl groups containing from about 1 to 3 carbon atoms; and water soluble sulfoxides containing an alkyl portion of from about 10 to 18 carbon atoms and a portion selected from the group consisting of alkyl and hydroxyalkyl portions of from about 1 to 3 carbon atoms. Ampholytic surfactants include derivatives of aliphatic or fatty aliphatic derivatives of heterocyclic secondary and tertiary amines in which the aliphatic portion can be straight or branched chain, and wherein one of the substituents to the fatics contains from about 8 to 18 carbon atoms and at least one aliphatic substitute contains an ammonium water solubilizing group. Zwitterionic surfactants include derivatives of aliphatic quaternary ammonium phosphono and sphonium compounds in which one of the aliphatic substituents contains from about 8 to 18 carbon atoms.

Useful cationic surfactants include the water-soluble quaternary ammonium compounds of the formula Rt, Rs and R? N + X-, wherein R4 is alkyl having from 10 to 20, preferably from 12-18 carbon atoms, and R5, Re and R7 are each Ci to C7 alkyl, preferably methyl; X- is an anion, e.g., chloride. Examples of such trimethylarnonium compounds include C12-C14 alkyl-prop-phenylarylonium chloride and cocoalkyltrirnethyl ammonium stearate. Other surfactants that can be used in the compositions of the present invention include glycerol esters of Cio-Ciß. Cι-Ciß alkyl poly glycoside and its corresponding sulfated polyglycosides, ester alkyl sulfonates and oleoyl sarcosinate. Enzymes may be included in the foam compositions herein for a wide variety of fabric washing purposes, including removal of protein-based, carbohydrate-based or tungsten-based stains, for example, and for the prevention of transfer of migrant dyes and the restoration of the fabric. Enzymes to be incorporated include proteases, arnilases, lipases, cellulases and peroxidases, as well as mixtures thereof. Other types of enzymes can also be included. They can be of any suitable origin, such as vegetable, animal, bacterial, fungi and yeast. However, its choice is governed by several factors such as the activity and / or the optimum stability of the pH, the terrnostability, the stability against active detergents, detergent enhancers and so on. In this regard, bacterial or fungal enzymes, such as bacterial arnilases and proteases and fungal cellulases, are preferred. Enzymes are normally incorporated at levels sufficient to provide up to about 5 mg by weight, approximately about 0.01 mg to about 3 mg of active enzyme per gram of the composition. Said in another way, the compositions of the present invention typically comprise about 0.001% by weight or 5%, preferably 0.01% -1% by weight of a commercial enzyme preparation. Protease enzymes are normally present in such commercial preparations at levels sufficient to provide from 0.005 to 0.1 Anson units (AU) of activity per gram of composition. Suitable examples of proteases are the subtiiisins that are obtained from particular strains of B.subtiiis and B. liche forms. Another suitable protease is obtained from a Bacillus strain that has maximum activity throughout the pH regime of 8-12, developed by Novo Industries A / S ba or the trademark ESPERASE. The preparation of this enzyme and analogous enzymes is described in the description of British Patent No. 1,243,784 to Novo. Proteolytic enzymes commercially available and suitable for removing protein-based stains include those sold under the trademarks ALCALASE and SAVINASE of Novo Industries A / S (Denmark) and I1AXATASE of International Bio-Synthetics, Tnc. (Netherlands). Other proteases include Protease A (see European patent application 130,756 published January 9, 1985) and Protease B (see European patent application Serial No. 87303761.8, filed on April 28, 1987, and the patent application European 130,756, Bott et al., published on January 9, 1985). Arnilases include, for example, α-amylase described in the description of British Patent No. 1,296,839 (Novo), RAPIDASE, International Bio-Synthetics, Inc. and TERMAMYL. Novo Industries The cellulase usable in the present invention includes both bacterial and fungal cellulase. Preferably, they should have an optimum pH of between 5 and 9.5. Suitable cellulases are described in the U.S.A. 4,435,307, Barbesgoard et al., Issued March 6, 1984, which describes thenicnic cellulase produced from H? Rnicola insolens and strain DSrilBQQ from Húmicola or a cellulase-producing fungus 212 belonging to the genus Aerornonas, and extracted cellulase from the hepatopancreas of a marine mollusk (olabella auricula solander). Suitable cellulases are also described in GB-A-2,075,028; GB-A-2,095,275 and DE-OS-2,247,832. CAREZYME (Novo) is especially useful. Suitable lipase enzymes for use in detergents include those produced by microorganisms of the Pseudomonas group, such as Pseudo ona stutzeri ATCC 19,154, as described in British Patent 1,372,034. See also lipases in Japanese patent application No. 53.20487, open for public inspection on February 24, 1987. This lipase is available from Amano Pharrnaceutical Co. Ltd., Nagoya, 3apon, under the registered trademark Lipasa P " Amano ", which is hereinafter referred to as" Arnano-P ". Other commercial lipases include Anano-CES, li raisins from ex Chrornobact er viscosurn, v.gr. Chrornobacter viscosum var. lipoiyct? rn NRRLB 3673, commercially available from Toyo ZJozo Co., Tagata, Dapon; and in addition the Chromobacter viscosum lipases from U.S. Boichernical Corp., E.U.A. and Disoynth Co., The Netherlands, and the lipases of ex Pseudomonas gladioli. The enzyme L1P0LASA derived from Humicola lanuginosa and which is commercially available from Novo (see also EPO 341,947) is a preferred lipase for use herein. Peroxidase enzymes are used in combination with oxygen sources, e.g., percarbonate, perborate, persulfate, hydrogen peroxide, etc. They are used for "bleaching solutions", that is, to avoid transfer of dyes or pigments removed from the substrates during washing operations to other substrates in the washing solution. Peroxidase enzymes are known in the art and include, for example, horseradish peroxidase, ligmnase and halogenoperoxidase such as chloroperoxidase and brornoperoxidase. Detergent compositions containing peroxidase are described, for example, in the PCT International Application UO 89/099813, published October 19, 1989 by 0. Kirk. assigned to Novo Industries A / S. A wide variety of enzyme materials and means for their incorporation into synthetic detergent compositions are described in patent of US Pat. 3,553,139 issued on January 5, 1971 to McCarty et al. Additionally, enzymes are described in the U.S. patent. 4,101,457, Place et al., Issued July 18, 1978 and in the U.S. patent. 4,507,219, Hughes, both issued March 26, 1985. Useful enzyme materials for liquid detergent formulations and their incorporation into such formulations are described in US Pat. 4,261,868, Hora et al., Issued April 14, 1981. Enzymes for detergents can be stabilized by various techniques. Enzyme stabilization techniques are described and illustrated in the US patent. 3,600,319 issued August 7, 1971 to Gedge, and others, and in the publication of European patent application No. 0 199 405, application No. 86200586.5, published on October 29, 1986, Venegas. Enzyme stabilization systems are also described, for example, in the U.S. patent. 3,519,570. The foam of the present invention may contain alkaline or neutral salts having a solution pH of seven or more, and may be organic or inorganic in nature. The detergency builder salt helps to provide the desired overall density to the detergent granules herein. Although some of the salts are inert, many of them also function as improved detergency materials in the wash solution. Examples of water-soluble neutral salts include chlorides, fluorides and sulfates of alkali metal, etar-noalnyl, ammonium or substituted ammonium. The sodium, ethanolarnine and ammonium salts of the foregoing are preferred. Citric acid, and in general any other organic or inorganic acid, can be incorporated in the present invention. Other useful water-soluble salts include the compounds commonly known as detergency builder materials. The detergency builders are generally selected from the different phosphates, polyphosphatesPhosphonates, polyphosphonates, carbonates, silicates, borates and polyhydroxysilaneses of alkali metal, ethanolarnin, ammonium or ammonium susbstituents soluble in water. The sodium, etaloanine and ammonium salts of the foregoing are preferred. Specific examples of inorganic phosphate detergent builders are tppolium osphate, pyrophosphate and polymeric sodium and potassium rnetaphosphate having a degree of polymerization of from about 6 to 21, and orthophosphate. Examples of polyphosphonate detergency builders are the salts of ethylene diphosphonic acid, the acid salts ethan-1-hydroxyl, 1-d-phosphonic acid and the salts of ethane-1, 1, 2-tr-phosphonic acid. Other phosphorus builder compounds are described in the U.S. Patents.

Nos. 3,159,581; 3,213,030; 3,422,021; 3,422,137; 3,400,176 and 3,400,148; incorporated herein by way of reference. However, in general, phosphates are preferentially avoided due to environmental reasons. Examples of non-phosphorus inorganic detergency builders are sodium, potassium carbonate, bicarbonate, sesquicarbonate and tetraborate decahydrate, and silicate having a molar ratio of S1O2 to alkali metal oxide of from about 0.5 to about 4.0, preferably about 1.0. to approximately 2.4. Foam stabilizing agents may also be employed in the compositions of the present invention. Especially preferred are aliphatic alcohols such as the straight chain saturated alcohols of 12 to 18 carbon atoms, e.g., cetyl alcohol, stearate alcohol, brominated alcohol and mixtures thereof. Polymers including polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, pol acrylamide, polypeptides, poly saccharides, cellulose derivatives can also be used in the present invention; and also natural and synthetic gums and resins such as guar gum, xanthan gum, caragenan, sodium arginate and caseinate.

Testing method fl. Determination of the quantity of gas For the purposes of defining the present invention, the quantity of gas that can be charged in a sealed measuring container containing 60% by volume of the composition in the form of foam, should be determined at 12 bar and 50 ° C. Although any measuring container can be used for this determination (as long as it is rigid enough to withstand the internal pressure without deformation), it is convenient to use a normal 405 ml aerosol container. 1. The container- is filled to 60% of its actual effective capacity (ie, 60% of 400 rnl = 240 rnl). 2. A measured weight of gas is added to the container so that the composition in the form of foam is saturated and the upper space is filled with pressurized gas at 12 baths and 50 ° C. The total weight of the loaded gas is recorded. 3. The amount of gas added in rnoles / liter is calculated as: (moles / liter) = weight of gas loaded (g) / (molecular weight of the gas x total volume of the measuring vessel (D) = weight of the charged gas (g) / (molecular weight of the gas x 0.4) 7 B. Determination of the Ost ald coefficient (at 20 ° C) (1) Fill a glass pressure vessel to its nominal volume. (2) Seal the container and degas the composition in foam form creating a vacuum in the upper part of the liquid. (3) After degassing the container and its contents, the following variables are measured: the pressure inside the degassed vessel which is the vapor pressure of the composition in the form of a foam; - the volume of the degassed liquid and; -the total weight of the package and its MO content. (4) Press the container to its nominal pressure and wait until equilibrium is reached. The balance is reached when a pressure drop is not observed against time. (5) Once the equilibrium has been reached, the following variables are measured: -the volume of the upper space, -the partial pressure of the gas = total pressure-vapor pressure of the composition in foam form, -the total amount of gas inside the can that is the increase of peeo from MO. At this stage, it is convenient to convert the amount of gas from weight to number of moles by dividing it by the molecular weight of CO2 or N2O, which is correspondingly the same, ie 44 g. (6) The number of moles of gas within the upper space- is calculated using the ideal gas law (valid for pressures below 10 bar) and deducted from the total amount within the container. This is the amount of gas in the liquid phase. (7) The amount of gas in the liquid phase can now be converted to the volume of gas absorbed in the liquid phase (by calculating the volume at partial pressure P (gas) and 20 ° C using the ideal gas law) and the coefficient of Ostwald finds himself dividing this volume by the volume of the degassed liquid.

EXAMPLES All components are expressed in% by weight. The nonionic surfactant is an ethoxylated C 12 -C 14 fatty alcohol with an average of 7 ether groups per mole. The fatty acid addition is polyhydroxy fatty acid amide (C12-C14). The alkyl sulfate is expressed in terms of C12-C14 alkyl sulfuric acid. The alkyl ether sulfate is expressed in terms of C12-C14 alkyl sulfuric acid, with an average of 3 ether groups per mole.

The compositions (240 rnl in each case) of the examples 1 to 3 and the comparative example A, were loaded into aerosol containers having a nominal capacity of 405 rnl (actual effective capacity of 400 rnl). Each container was then loaded with carbon dioxide until the compositions were saturated. The amount of carbon dioxide charged in the container was such that the total pressure could reach 12 bar at 50 ° C.

The density of the foam in Example 3 was not measurable because the rate of sinking of the foam was very rapid. Comparative Example A was repeated using nitrous oxide instead of carbon dioxide. It was found that the Ostwald coefficient was 0.94, and less than 0.5 mol / liter were loaded into the container when the composition was saturated with gas at 12 bar and 50 ° C. The density of the foam was 205 g / 1.

Claims (9)

NOVELTY OF LR INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A packaged product comprising: (i) a composition in the form of foam; (ii) a propellant gas- and (iii) a container having a supplying means; wherein the foam composition and the propellant gas are packaged within the container in the absence of chlorofluorocarbon, hydrofluorochlorocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon, and in the absence of solid microporous gas-adsorbed solid structures; further characterized in that at least about 0.5 moles / liter of non-liquidifiable propellant gas can be charged into a gas-tight measuring container, said container contains 60% by weight of the detergent composition in the form of foam, measuring at 12 bar to 50.degree. ° C.

2. A packaged product according to claim 1, wherein the composition in foam form has an Ostwald coefficient at 20 ° C of at least about 1.5 with respect to the propellant gas, selecting the propellant gas to from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide or mixtures of the mimes.

3. A packaged product according to claim 2, wherein the composition in the form of foam has an Ostwald coefficient at 20 ° C of at least about 2.5.

4. A packaged product according to claim 1, wherein the foamed composition comprises a gas solubilizing agent selected from the group consisting of ketones, aldehydes or mixtures thereof.

5. A packaged product according to claim 1, wherein the composition in foam form comprises a gas solubilizing agent selected from the group consisting of acetone, methyl acetate, rnetial or mixtures thereof. .

6. A packaged product according to claim 1, wherein the detergent composition in the form of foam has a vapor pressure, at 50 ° C, of less than about 60 rnbar.

7. A packaged product according to claim 2, having a total propellant gas pressure of at least about 85% of the total pressure inside the container, measured at 50 ° C.

8. A method for cleaning fabrics using a packaged product according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of: (i) supplying the composition in foam form from the container in the form of a foam having density? of about 250 g / l on the fabrics and (n) distributing the foam, either by mechanical or manual agitation, on the fabrics (m) removing the foam residue from the clean fabrics.

9. - A method for cleaning fabrics according to claim 5, wherein water is used to pre-rinse or rinse, or pre-soak and rinse fabrics, in which the weight ratio of water to dry cloth is less approximately 1: 1.