MXPA98010164A - Softener compositions of te - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a liquid fabric softening composition which reduces the amount of dyes released from the dyed fabrics after the wet domestic treatment, such as those that occur in a washing operation, said composition comprising a cationic fabric softener having at least long chains, a cationic agent for fixing dye in an amount of 0.1% to 10% by weight, and which is free of detergent materials

Description

FABRIC SOFTENERS COMPOSITIONS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to fabric softening compositions, and very particularly to compositions that reduce the amount of dyes released from the fabrics dyed after the wet treatment, such as occurs in a laundry operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Domestic treatment of dyed fabrics is a problem known in the art by the formulator of laundry compositions. More particularly, the problem of formulating laundry compositions that reduce the amount of dyes released from dyed fabrics after wet treatment is a particular challenge for the formulator. This problem is now even more acute with consumer trends towards more dyed fabrics. Many solutions in the art have been proposed to solve this problem, such as the treatment of the fabric with a dye sweeper during the washing process, as described in EP 0,341,205, EP 0,033,815 and with a polyvinyl substance as described in WO 94/11482 or in the rinse cycle as described in EP 0,462,806. Without However, a problem encountered with these solutions is that when using the dye fixing agents in the washing process they can be destroyed or damaged by contact during storage and / or during the process, whereas when they are used in the cycle of Rinsing requires a detergent active and a high level of dye fixing agent to provide effective dye fixing performance. Moreover, a problem compounded with the use of dye fixing agents in a softening composition is its weight efficiency. Therefore, although levels of dye fixing agents above 10% by weight could provide effective dye fixation, such use would result in an increase in the cost of the formulation. Another problem related to the use of a high level of dye fixing agents in fabric softening compositions is that the resulting products show phase instability. On the other hand, the decrease in the level of dye fixing agents would not result in sufficient dye fixing properties and would require a detergent material. Accordingly, notwithstanding advances in the art, there is still a need for a fabric softening composition that effectively reduces the amount of dyes released from the dyed fabrics after the wet treatment. The applicant has now discovered that the use of a liquid composition comprising a cationic fabric softener having at least two long chains and a dye fixing agent in an amount of 0.1% to 10% by weight, said composition being free of detergent materials, satisfies said need. Therefore, an advantage of the invention is to provide a liquid fabric softening composition that provides for the effective reduction of the amount of dyes released from the dyed fabrics after the wet domestic treatments. Another advantage of the invention is to provide liquid fabric softening compositions with effective softening properties. Another advantage of the invention is to provide liquid fabric softening compositions with effective stability properties under storage. For the purpose of the present invention, the term "detergent materials" encompasses detergent surfactant materials selected from synthetic and natural detergent surfactants of non-soap, anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic and amphoteric soaps, which are not softeners. Fatty acids that are fabric softeners are not included in this definition, unlike such soap components that do not have fabric softening properties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a liquid fabric softening composition comprising a cationic fabric softener having at least two long chains and a cationic dye fixing agent in an amount of 0.1% to 10% by weight, said composition being free of detergent materials. According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for treating fabrics is provided. The method comprises contacting the fabrics during the rinse cycle of a washing process, with an aqueous medium containing at least 50 ppm of a fabric softening composition of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Cationic Fabric Softeners An essential component of the invention is a cationic fabric softening component having at least two long chains. By component having at least two long chains it is intended to mean a component containing at least two alkyl or alkenyl chains, each comprising from 10 to 25 carbon atoms. Said fabric softener provides a benefit of effective softness to the treated fabrics.

Typical levels of said fabric softening components within the liquid softening compositions are from 1% to 80% by weight of the compositions. Depending on the form of the composition that can be diluted with a preferred level of fabric softening components of 1% to 5%, or concentrated, with a preferred level of fabric softening components of 5% to 80%, most preferably 10% to 50%, more preferably 15% to 35% by weight. The softening cationic components of typical fabrics having at least two long chains include the water-insoluble quaternary ammonium fabric softening actives, the most commonly used being the ammonium chloride of di-long alkyl chains. Preferred cationic softeners include the following: ditallowdimethylammonium chloride (DTDMAC); dihydrogenated sebodimethylammonium chloride; dihydrogenated sebodimethylammonium methylsulfate; distearyldimethylammonium chloride; dioleldimethylammonium chloride; dipalmitylhydroxyethylmethyl ammonium chloride; stearylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride; sebotrimethylammonium chloride; hydrogenated sebotrimethylammonium chloride; 10) alkylhydroxyethyldimethylammonium chloride of C] _2- 11) alkyldihydroxyethylmethylammonium chloride of C] _2-18 '' 12) ditallowimidaolinium methylsulfate; 13) 1- (2-tallowamemidoethyl) -2-tallowylimidazolinium methylsulfate. However, in recent years the need for less aggressive materials with the environment has grown, and the rapidly biodegradable quaternary ammonium compounds have been presented as alternatives for the traditionally used di-long alkyl chain ammonium chlorides. Said quaternary ammonium compounds contain alkyl (en) yl groups interrupted by functional groups such as carboxyl groups. Such materials and fabric softening compositions containing them are described in numerous publications such as EP-A-0, 040, 562 and EP-A-0,239, 910. The quaternary ammonium compounds and amine precursors herein have the Formula (I) or (II), below: X " (I) (II) wherein Q is selected from -O-C (O) -, -C (0) -0-, -0-C (0) -0-, NR4-C (0) -, C (0) -NR4-; R1 is (CH2) n-Q-T2 or T3; R2 is (CH2) m-Q-T4 or T5 or T3; R is C 1 -C 4 alkyl or C 1 -C 4 hydroxyalkyl O H; R is H or C 1 -C 4 alkyl or C 1 -C 4 hydroxyalkyl; T, T, T, T ^ and T ^ are independently C11-C22 alkyl or alkenyl; n and m are integers from 1 to 4; and X- is anion compatible with softener. Non-limiting examples of anions compatible with softener include chloride or methyl sulfate. The chain T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 of the alkyl or alkenyl must contain at least 11 carbon atoms, preferably at least 16 carbon atoms. The chain can be straight or branched. Sebum is a convenient and inexpensive source of long chain alkyl and alkenyl material. Particularly preferred are compounds in which T, T, T, T and T represent the mixture of long chain materials typical for tallow. Specific examples of quaternary ammonium compounds suitable for use in the aqueous fabric softening compositions herein include: 1) N, N-di (tallowyloxyethyl) -N, N-dimethylammonium chloride; 2) N, -di (tallowyl-oxy-ethyl) -N-methyl, N- (2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium chloride; 3) N, N-di (2-tallowyl-oxy-2-oxo-ethyl) -N, N-dimethylammonium chloride; 4) N, N-di (2-tallowyl-oxy-ethylcarbonyl-oxy-ethyl) -N, N-dimethylammonium chloride 5) N- (2-tallowyl-oxy-2-ethyl) -N- (2) chloride -seboyl-oxy-2-oxo-ethyl) -N, N-dimethylammonium; 6) N, N, N-tri (tallowyloxyethyl) -N-methylammonium chloride; 7) N- (2-tallowyloxy-2-oxoethyl) -N- (tallowyl-N, N-dimethylammonium chloride; 8) N-methyl-N- (3-tallowamidopropyl) -N- (2-) chloride tallowyloxyethyl) ammonium; 8) 1,2-Disteboyl-oxy-3-trimethylammoniopropane chloride and mixtures of any of the above materials. Of these, compounds 1-8 are examples of compounds of formula (I) and compound 9 is a compound of formula (II). Particularly preferred is N, -di (tallowyloxyethyl) -N, N-dimethylammonium chloride, wherein the tallow chains are at least partially unsaturated. The level of unsaturation of the sebum chain can be measured by the Iodine (IV) value of the corresponding fatty acid, which in the present case should preferably be in the range of 5 to 100, distinguishing two categories of compounds that have a IV below or above 25. In fact, for compounds of the formula (I) made from tallow fatty acids having an IV of 5 to 25, preferably 15 to 20, it has been found that a cis / trans isomer weight ratio of more than 30/70, preferably more than 50/50 and most preferably more than 70/30 provides optimum concentration capacity. For compounds of the formula (I) made from tallow fatty acids having an IV of more than 25, it has been found that the ratio of cis to trans isomers is less critical unless very high concentrations are required. Other examples of suitable quaternary ammoniums of formula (I) and (II) are obtained, eg: by replacing "tallow" in the above compounds with, for example, coconut, palm, lauryl, oleyl, ricinoleyl, stearyl, palmityl or similar, said fatty acyl chains being either fully saturated or preferably at least partially unsaturated; replacing "methyl" in the above compounds with ethyl, ethoxy, propyl, propoxy, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl or t-butyl; replacing "chloride" in the above compounds with bromide, methylsulfate, formate, sulfate, nitrate and the like. In fact, the anion is present merely as a counter-ion of the positively charged quaternary ammonium compounds. The nature of the counterion is not critical in absolute for the practice of the present invention. The scope of this invention is not considered to be limited to any particular anion. By "amine precursors thereof" is meant the secondary or tertiary amines corresponding to the above quaternary ammonium compounds, said amines being substantially protonated in the present compositions due in part to the pH values. For the preceding biodegradable fabric softening agents, the pH of the compositions herein is an essential parameter of the present invention. In fact, it has an influence on the stability of the quaternary ammonium compounds or amine precursors, especially under prolonged storage conditions. The pH, as defined in the present context, is measured in the concentrated compositions at 20 ° C. For optimum hydrolytic stability of these compositions, the concentrated pH, measured under the aforementioned conditions, should be in the range of 2.0 to 4.5. Preferably, when the liquid fabric softening compositions of the invention are in concentrated form, the pH of the concentrated composition is in the range of 2.0 to 3.0. The pH of these compositions can be regulated by the addition of a Bronsted acid. Examples of suitable acids include inorganic mineral acids, carboxylic acids, in particular low molecular weight carboxylic acids (C] _ C5), and alkylsulfonic acids. The Suitable inorganic acids include HCl, H2SO4, HNO3 and H3PO. Suitable organic acids include formic, acetic, citric, methylsulfonic and ethylsulphonic acids. The acids that are preferred with citric, hydrochloric, phosphoric, formic, methylsulphonic and benzoic acids.

Cationic agent of dye binding The other essential component of the invention is a cationic dye binding agent. Cationic dye fixing agents or "fixatives" are well known and commercially available materials that are designed to improve the appearance of the dyed fabric by minimizing the loss of dye from the fabrics due to washing. Cationic dye fixatives are based on various quaternized or otherwise cationically charged organic nitrogen compounds. Cationic fixatives are available under various trade names from various suppliers. Representative examples include: CROSCOLOR PMF (July 1981, Code No. 7894) and CROSCOLOR NOFF (January 1988, Code No. 8544) from Crosfield; INDOSOL E-50 (February 27, 1984, Ref No. 6008.35.84, based on polyethyleneamine) from Sandoz; SANDOFIX TPS, which is also available from Sandoz and is a preferred polycationic fixative for use herein and SANDOFIX SWE (cationic resinous compound), REWIN SRF, REWIN SRF-0 and REWIN DWR from CHT-Beitlich GMBH.

Other cationic dye binding agents are described in "Aftertreatments for improving the fastness of dyes on textile fibers" by Chirstofer C. Cook (REV PROG. COLORATION Vol. 12, 1982). The dye binding agents which are preferred and suitable for use in the present invention are ammonium compounds such as fatty acid diamine condensates, for example, the hydrochloride, acetate, methosulphate and benzyl hydrochloride of oleyldiethyl aminoethylamide, methosulphate of oleylmethyldiethylenediamine, monostearyl-ethylenediaminotrimethylammonium methosulfate and oxidized products of tertiary amines; derivatives of polymeric alkyldiamines, polyamine-cyanuric chloride condensates and aminated glycerol dichlorohydrins. The amount of dye binding agent to be employed in the composition of the invention is from 0.1% to 10% by weight of the composition, preferably from 0.5% to 8% by weight, most preferably from 0.8% to 5.5% by weight of the composition. For an optimum dye fixing benefit as well as a softness benefit, the weight ratio of softening agent to dye fixing agent is from 60: 1 to 1.5: 1, preferably from 20: 1 to 3.5: 1, most preferably from 10: 1 to 3.5: 1.

Detergent Materials For the purpose of the present invention, the term "detergent materials" encompasses materials detergent surfactants selected from synthetic and natural detergent surfactants of soaps, non-soap anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic and amphoteric, which are not softeners. Fatty acids that are fabric softeners are not included in this definition, unlike such soap components that do not have fabric softening properties. The anionic soap and non-soap materials are the linear and branched primary alkyl sulphates, alkylethoxysulfates, oleylglycerol sulfates, alkylphenolthylene oxide ether sulphates, the C5-C17 glucamin sulfates acyl-N- (C1-C4 alkyl) and -N - (C1-C2 hydroxyalkyl) and alkylpolysaccharide sulfates; anionic sulphonate surfactants such as the salts of C5-C20 linear alkylbenzene sulphonates, alkylstersulfonates, C6-C22 primary or secondary alkanesulfonates, C6-C24 olefinsulfonates, sulfonated polycarboxylic acids, alkyl glycerol sulfonates, fatty acyl or oleylglycerolsulfonates, alkylethoxycarboxylates and the sarsosinates of alkali metal The nonionic detergent materials are the polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, the polyethylene, polypropylene and polybutylene condensates of alkylphenols; the alkylethylated condensation products of aliphatic alcohols with from about 1 to about 25 moles of ethylene oxide; fatty alcohols of Cg-C ^ s ethoxylates and ethoxylated / propoxylated fatty alcohols of mixed g-C ^ ß; alkylpolysaccharides and the fatty acid amides. The zwitterionic and amphoteric materials are the amine oxides, the alkylamphocarboxylic acids, the betaines such as cocoacetylamidopropyl dimethylbetaine and hexadecyl dimethylbetaine.

Additional components The composition may also optionally contain additional components such as additional fabric softening materials, electrolyte concentration aids, stabilizers, such as antioxidants and well-known reducing agents, soil release polymers, bactericides, colorants, perfumes, preservatives, optical brighteners. , anti-ionization agents, antifoaming agents and chelating agents.

Additional fabric softening materials Additional fabric softening materials can be used in addition to the long double chain cationic fabric softener. When used, said additional fabric softening materials will typically be present in an amount of 0 to 15% by weight of the composition. Such materials are the individual long chain alkyl cationic softeners and / or the fatty acids.

Cationic Softeners of Individual Long Chain Aligyl Said Individual long alkyl chain cationic softeners useful in the present invention are preferably quaternary ammonium salts of the general formula: [R2N + R3] X " wherein the group R is a hydrocarbon group of C; O ~ C2, preferably an alkyl group of C ^ -C ^ s of the group interrupted by ester linkage corresponding to a short (C1-C4) alkylene group between the ester bond and the N, and having a similar hydrocarbon group , v.gr. , an ester of fatty acid of choline, preferably Ci.sub.2 -C.sub.14 (coconut) choline ester and / or sebum choline ester of C.sub.-g.sub.C-s from 0.1% to 20% by weight of the softening active. Each R is a C1-C4 alkyl or substituted alkyl (e.g., hydroxyalkyl), or hydrogen, preferably methyl, and the counterion X "is an anion compatible with softener, for example, chloride, methyl sulfate, etc. other cationic materials with ring structures such as alkylimidazoline, imidazolinium, pyridine and pyridinium salts having a straight C 1 -C 2 -C 3 alkyl chain may be used.A very low pH is required to stabilize, e.g., ring structures of imidazoline: some alkylimidazolinium salts and their precursors of imidazoline useful in the present invention have the general formula: wherein Y2 is -C (0) -0-, -0- (0) C-, -C (0) -N (R5) - or -N (R5) -C (0) _ - g wherein R is hydrogen or a C 1 -C 4 alkyl radical; R ° is a C 1 -C 4 alkyl radical H (for imidazoline precursors); R 7 and they are each selected or independently of the group consisting of R and R as defined above for the long and single chain cationic surfactant, only one being R. Some alkylpyridinium salts useful in the present invention have the general formula: 2 + - X where R and X- are as defined above. A typical material of this type is cetylpyridinium chloride.

Fatty Acids Suitable fatty acids include those containing from 10 to 25, preferably from 12 to 25 total carbon atoms, the fatty portion containing from 10 to 22, preferably from 16 to 22, carbon atoms. The shortest portion contains from 1 to 4, preferably from 1 to 2 carbon atoms. The level of unsaturation of the narrow chain can be measured by the Iodine Value (IV) of the corresponding fatty acid, which is present. case should preferably be in the range of 5 to 100, most preferably in the range of 0 to 25. Specific examples of fatty acid compounds suitable for use in the liquid fabric softening compositions herein include compounds selected from lauric acid, acid myristic, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, oleic acid, coconut fatty acid, tallow fatty acid, partially hydrogenated tallow fatty acid and mixtures thereof. A fatty acid compound that is most preferred is tallow fatty acid with an Iodine (IV) Value of 18. When the fatty acids mentioned above are used, the fatty acid will be present in a weight ratio of said cationic softening agents. fabrics having double long chains to said fatty acid compounds, from 25: 1 to 6.5: 1, most preferably from 20: 1 to 10: 1 and more preferably from 20: 1 to 15: 1. In fact, if it is used outside of In these relationships, the resulting product will tend to exhibit problems of phase instability and / or viscosity.

Electrolyte concentration aids Inorganic viscosity control agents that can also act as or enhance the effect of surfactant concentration aids, include ionizable and water soluble salts that can also be optionally incorporated into the compositions of the present invention. The incorporation of these components into the composition must be processed at a very slow speed. A wide variety of ionizable salts can be used. Examples of suitable salts are the halides of group IA and IIA of metals of the periodic table of the elements, e.g., calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium bromide and lithium chloride. Ionizable salts are particularly useful during the process of mixing the ingredients to make the compositions herein, and then to obtain the desired viscosity. The amount of ionizable salts used depends on the amount of active ingredients used in the compositions, and can be adjusted according to the wishes of the formulator. Typical salt levels used to control the viscosity of the composition are from 20 to 20,000 parts per million (ppm), preferably from 20 to 11,000 ppm, by weight of the composition.JJ.

The alkylene polyammonium salts can be incorporated into the composition to give viscosity control in addition to, or in place of, the above water-soluble ionizable salts. In addition, these agents can act as scavengers, forming ion pairs with the anionic detergent that comes from the main wash, in the rinse and on the fabrics, and can improve the yield of softness. These agents can stabilize the viscosity on a broader scale of temperatures, especially at low temperatures, compared to inorganic electrolytes. Specific examples of alkylene polyammonium salts include l-lysine monohydrochloride and 1,5-diammonium 2-methylpentandichlorohydrate. Another ingredient is a liquid vehicle. Suitable liquid carriers are selected from water, organic solvents and mixtures thereof. The liquid carrier employed in the present compositions is preferably at least mainly water due to its low cost, relative availability, safety and compatibility with the environment. The water level in the liquid vehicle is preferably at least 50%, most preferably at least 60% by weight of the vehicle. Mixtures of water and low molecular weight organic solvent, e.g., < 200, for example lower alcohol such as ethanol, propanol, isopropanol or butanol are useful as the liquid carrier. Low molecular weight alcohols include monohydric, dihydric alcohol (glycol, etc.) trihydric (glycerol, etc.) and higher polyhydric alcohols (polyols).

Form of the composition The fabric softening composition can have a variety of physical forms including liquids such as aqueous or non-aqueous compositions. Said compositions can be used as an added product during rinsing, or as a spray or foam product. Preferably, the present composition is in the form of a composition added during rinsing. The compositions of the invention can be added directly into the rinse both to provide a suitable use concentration, eg, at least 50 ppm and most preferably 100 to 10,000 ppm of the fabric softener liquid compositions added during the rinsing of the present invention. Accordingly, a method for treating fabrics comprising contacting said fabrics in the rinse cycle with an aqueous medium containing at least 50 ppm, preferably from 100 to 10,000 ppm, of the liquid fabric softening composition of the invention is provided. .

Procedure The fabric softening composition can be conveniently manufactured according to procedures well known to the person skilled in the art. An exemplary description is given in EP-A-0, 668, 902. The invention is illustrated in the following non-limiting examples, in which all percentages are on a weight basis unless otherwise indicated. In the examples, the abbreviated component identifications have the following meanings: DEQA: Di- (tallowyloxyethyl) dimethylammonium chloride Fatty acid: Stearic acid of IV = 18 Electrolyte: Calcium chloride PEG: Polyethylene glycol (PM 4000) EXAMPLE 1 The following fabric softening composition according to the present invention was prepared: EXAMPLE 2 The following fabric softening compositions are in accordance with the invention:

Claims (8)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. A liquid fabric softening composition comprising a cationic fabric softener having at least two long chains and a cationic dye fixing agent in an amount of about 0.1% to about 10% by weight, said composition being free of materials detergents

2. - A liquid fabric softening composition according to claim 1, further characterized in that said cationic dye binding agent is a polycationic dye fixing agent.

3. - A liquid fabric softening composition according to claim 1, further characterized in that said cationic dye binding agent is in an amount of about 0.5% to about 8% by weight of the composition.

4. A liquid fabric softening composition according to claim 3, further characterized in that said cationic dye binding agent is in an amount of from about 0.8% to about 5.5% by weight of the composition.

5. A liquid fabric softening composition according to claim 1, further characterized because said fabric softener is a biodegradable fabric softening material.

6. A liquid fabric softening composition according to claim 5, further characterized in that said biodegradable fabric softening material is selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium compounds and amine precursors having the formula (I) or (II) ) , then: X " (I): ID wherein Q is selected from -O-C (O) -, -C (0) -0-, -0-C (0) -0-, NR4-C (0) -, C (0) -NR4-; R1 is (CH2) n-Q-T2 O T3; R2 is (CH2) m-Q-T4 or T5 or T3; R3 is C1-C4 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl of 02-04 ° H; R is H or C 1 -C 4 alkyl or hydroxy C 2 -C 4 alkyl; T, T, T, T and T are independently alkyl or alkenyl of cll ~ c22 '"n and m are integers from 1 to 4, and X ~ is an anion compatible with softener 7.- A liquid fabric softening composition in accordance with Claim 1, further characterized in that said fabric softener is present in an amount from about 1% to about 80% by weight. 8. A method for treating fabrics comprising contacting said fabrics in the rinse cycle with an aqueous medium containing at least about 50 ppm of a liquid fabric softening composition comprising a cationic fabric softener having at least minus two long chains and a cationic dye fixing agent in an amount of about 0.1% to about 10% by weight, said composition being free of detergent materials.