MXPA98010455A - Laundry of laundry articles with safety for better fabrics - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to the bleaching of fabrics with hydroperoxides, thereby reducing the loss of tensile strength in said tel

Description

LAUNDRY FURNITURE CLOSURE WITH IMPROVED FABRIC SAFETY TECHNICAL FIELD 5 The present invention relates to the bleaching of fabrics.

. { • BACKGROUND Compositions containing peroxygen bleach have been described in laundry applications such as laundry detergents, laundry additives or even laundry pre-treaters. In fact, it is known to use compositions that contain peroxygen bleach in laundry treatment applications to promote the removal of embedded stains / soils which are otherwise particularly difficult to remove, such as grease, coffee, tea, grass, dirt containing mud / clay and the like.

However, it has been found that a disadvantage associated with said peroxygen bleach-containing compositions is that said compositions can damage the fabrics, resulting in the loss of tensile strength, especially when used in pre-treatment applications, that is, when applied directly (concentrated) on the fabrics and allowed to act on said fabrics for prolonged periods of time before washing the fabrics. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide improved fabric security after bleaching, especially in pretreatment applications where the compositions are left concentrated in contact with the fabrics for extended periods of time prior to washing. In fact, when bleaching fabrics with a composition comprising a peroxygen bleach such as hydrogen peroxide, it has been found that the presence of metal ions such as copper and / or iron and / or manganese and / or chromium on the surface of the fabrics and / or the exposure of the fabrics to the UV radiation of the sunlight after they have been put in contact with the composition containing peroxygen bleach, produces damage to the fabrics resulting in the loss of the tensile strength of the fibers of the fabric. In fact, it is speculated that the presence of metal ions such as copper and / or iron and / or manganese and / or chromium on the surface of the fabrics, especially on cellulosic fibers, and / or the exposure of the fabrics to radiation UV sunlight, catalyzes the radical decomposition of peroxygen bleaches such as hydrogen peroxide. In this way, it is believed that a radical reaction occurs on the surface of the fabric with the generation of free radicals, which results in the loss of the tensile strength. It has now been discovered that improved fabric security can be achieved by formulating a bleaching composition in which the hydrogen peroxide is replaced by hydroperoxides selected as the bleaching agent, or mixtures thereof. The patent of E.U. No. 5,284,597 discloses a composition for treating soft surfaces, essentially carpets, which comprises inter alia tertiary alkylhydroperoxide. It is mentioned that the compositions are safer for the colors. The patent of E.U. 3,574,519 describes bleaching of textiles wherein the bleaching agent is an organic hydroperoxide. It is mentioned that organic hydroperoxides are economically attractive. The '519 patent does not describe the security problem for the fabrics. BE 831,277 describes the bleaching of textiles with the aid of a mixture of bleach activators, one of which is from the class of triazine hydroperoxides. It is mentioned that triazine hydroperoxides are potentially harmful to fabric colors. Document '277 does not describe the security problem for fabrics. The patent of E.U. No. 3,753,915 discloses bleaching fabrics with a granular composition comprising salts of hydroperoxides. The '915 patent does not describe the security problem for fabrics. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In its broadest embodiment, the present invention encompasses the use of hydroperoxides for fabric bleaching, to reduce the loss of tensile strength in said fabrics. The present invention also encompasses fabric bleaching processes, starting from a liquid composition 5 comprising a hydroperoxide. The methods include the steps of contacting said fabrics with the liquid bleaching composition in concentrated or diluted form, and subsequently rinsing said fabrics. In the preferred embodiment, when the fabrics are "pre-treated", the composition is applied in concentrated form on the fabrics and the fabrics are subsequently washed in a normal wash cycle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In its broadest embodiment, the present invention encompasses the use of a hydroperoxide as a bleaching agent in a fabric bleaching process to reduce the loss of tensile strength in said fabrics. In other words, the present invention is based on the discovery that damage to fabrics is reduced which results in the loss of tensile strength when a composition comprising a hydroperoxide, or mixtures thereof, is used to whiten fabrics, compared to the same composition when hydrogen peroxide is used instead of 5 hydroperoxide. It is speculated that observed damage to the fabrics reduced observed in the present is due to the much lower reactivity of the free radicals generated from the hydroperoxides vs. those generated from hydrogen peroxide. In addition, it is speculated that with hydroperoxides there is less dependence on damage to fabrics from contamination with heavy metals, probably because the formation of a complex between the metal and the peroxide molecule is more difficult than with the peroxide. hydrogen. The tensile strength in a fabric can be measured by stretching said fabric until it breaks. The force required to break the fabric is the "Ultimate Stress Resistance", and can be measured with an INSTRON stretch-tension machine available from INSTRON. The loss of tensile strength is the difference between the tensile strength of a fabric taken as a reference, that is, a fabric that has not been bleached, and the tensile strength of the same fabric after it has been bleached A loss of tensile strength of zero means no damage to the fabric is observed. As a first essential element, liquid compositions suitable for use in accordance with the present invention comprise a hydroperoxide, or mixtures thereof, as the bleaching agent. Suitable hydroperoxides for use herein include the alkyl hydroperoxides and organo-mineral hydroperoxides. Suitable alkylhydroperoxides for use herein are according to the formula i 1 Ro C - 0--0 - H I R3 in which each R ^, R2 and R3 is, independently, a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon radical having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms. The hydrocarbon radical can be a linear or cyclic hydrocarbon chain, and the linear and cyclic hydrocarbon chain can be straight or branched, saturated or unsaturated. Likewise, two of the R groups can be part of the same cyclic hydrocarbon. One or more R groups in the above formula can be a simple or condensed aromatic radical, alkyl-aryl radical or cycloalkyl-aryl radical. All the above R radicals can also be substituted by heterogeneous atoms or heterogeneous group of atoms, such as hydroperoxide groups (-OOH), halogen atoms, hydroxyl groups, nitrates, sulfonyl, nitro groups, ethers, carboxylic groups and esters. All these groups may also be present as substituents of one or more positions of the radicals R. The alkylhydroperoxides which are preferred to be used herein are tert-butyl hydroperoxide, cumyl hydroperoxide, 2,4,4-trimethylpentyl-2-hydroperoxide, diisopropylbenzene -monohydroperoxide, ter-amyl hydroperoxide and 2,5-dimethyl-hexane-2,5-dihydroperoxide. Suitable organomineral hydroperoxides for use herein are according to the formula RmM (OOH) n wherein M is a metal atom such as Si, Sn, Ge or Sb, and R is a radical defined as R] _, R2 R3 above. The organomineral hydroperoxides that are preferred to be used herein are (CH3) 3SiOOH, (C6H5) 2CH3SiOOH, (C6H5) 3SÍOOH, (n, C6H13) 3SÍOOH, (CH3) 3SnOOH, (C6H5) 3Sb (OOH). It is more preferred to use in the present (CH3) 3SiOOH, (C6H5) SiOOH. Typically, the compositions herein comprise from 0.01% to 5.0%, preferably 0.015% to 4.0%, very preferably from 0.02% to 2.0% of available oxygen provided by said hydroperoxide. The compositions that will be used in accordance with the present invention should be liquid. As used herein, "liquids" includes "pasty" compositions, and the liquid compositions herein preferably have a viscosity of 5 cps at 10000 cps at a shear rate of 50 rpm and at a temperature of 20 ° C. Preferably, the compositions that will be used herein are aqueous. Said aqueous compositions have a pH as such of from 2 to 11, preferably from 3 to 10 and most preferably from 3.5 to 9.5 when an optimum chemical stability has been observed for the hydroperoxides. The pH of the compositions can be adjusted, for example, using organic or inorganic acids or alkalizing agents. The compositions used in the present invention may further comprise any surfactant including nonionic, anionic, cationic, zwitterionic and / or amphoteric surfactants. Accordingly, the compositions used in the present invention preferably further comprise a nonionic surfactant or mixtures thereof. Typically, the compositions used in the present invention comprise from 0.1% to 50% by weight of the total composition of said nonionic surfactant or mixtures thereof, preferably from 0.3% to 30% and most preferably from 0.4% to 25%. Suitable nonionic surfactants for use herein are ethoxylated and / or propoxylated fatty alcohols which are commercially available with a variety of fatty alcohol chain lengths and a variety of degrees of ethoxylation. In fact, the HLB values of said alkoxylated nonionic surfactants depend essentially on the chain length of the fatty alcohol, the nature of the alkoxylation and the degree of alkoxylation. Surfactant catalogs are available that list a number of surfactants, including nonionics, together with their respective HLB values. Suitable chemical processes for preparing the nonionic surfactants to be used herein include the condensation of corresponding alcohols with alkylene oxide, in the desired proportions. Such methods are well known to the person skilled in the art and have been extensively described in the art. Alternatively, a wide variety of alkoxylated alcohols suitable for use herein are commercially available from various suppliers. Particularly suitable for use herein as nonionic surfactants are non-ionic hydrophobic surfactants having an HLB (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) of less than 16, preferably less than 15, most preferably less than 12, and more preferably less than 10. It has been found that such hydrophobic nonionic surfactants provide suitable fat cutting properties. Preferred nonionic surfactants for use in the compositions according to the present invention are the surfactants having an HLB of less than 16 and according to the formula RO- (C2H4O) n (C3HgO) mH, wherein R is an alkyl chain from Cg to C22 ° an alkylbenzene chain from Cg to c28 'Y where n + m is 0 1 20 and n is from 0 to 15 and m is from 0 to 20, preferably nm is from 1 to 15, n and m are from 0.5 to 15, most preferably n + m is from 1 to 10 and n and m are from 0 to 10. The R chains that are preferred to be used here are the alkyl chains from Cg to C22 • Accordingly, suitable hydrophobic surfactants • p used in the present are Dobanol 91-2.5 (HLB = 8.1; R is a mixture of alkyl chains of C9 and ll 'n is 2.5 and m is 0) or LutensolR T03 (HLB = 8, R is an alkyl chain of C? 3, n is 3 and m is 0) or Lutensol A03 (HLB = 8; R is a mixture of alkyl chains of C] _3 and C ^ s, n is 3 and m is 0) or Tergitol R 25L3 (HLB = 7.7, R is on the alkyl chain length scale of C? 2 to c15 ' n is 3 and m is 0) or DobanolR 23-3 (HLB = 8.1, R is a mixture of alkyl chains of 12 Y c13 'n is 3 and m is 0), or DobanolR 23-2 (HLB = 6.2; R is a mixture of alkyl chains of C12 and c13 'n is 2 and m is 0), or Dobanol 45-7 (HLB = 11.6, R is a mixture of alkyl chains of C14 and C15, n is 7 and m is 0), DobanolR 23- 6.5 (HLB = 11.9, R is a mixture of alkyl chains of C12 and c13 'n is 6-5 and m is °) or DobanolR 25-7 (HLB = 12, R is a mixture of C12 and C15 alkyl chains, n is 7 and m is 0), or Dobanol® 91-5 (HLB = 11.6, R is a mixture of alkyl chains of C9 and C] _] _, n is 5 and m is 0), or Dobanol® 91-8 (HLB = 13.7; R is a mixture of alkyl chains of c9 and c ll 'n is 8 and m is 0), DobanolR 91-10 (HLB = 14.2; R is a mixture of C9 to C ^ alkyl chains, n is 10 and m is 0) or mixtures thereof. Preferred here are Dobanol 91-2.5, Lutensol® T03, Lutensol A03, Tergitol® 25L3, Dobanol® 23-3, • p Dobanol 23-2 or mixtures thereof. These agents • p Dobanol surfactants are commercially available from SHELL. These Lutensol surfactants are commercially available from BASF, and these Tergitol® surfactants are commercially available from UNION CARBIDE. The compositions that are preferred to be used herein further comprise an anionic surfactant, or mixtures thereof. Said anionic surfactants act as a wetting agent, that is, in a laundry application they moisten the stains on the fabrics, especially on hydrophilic fabrics, and then help the hydroperoxide to carry out its bleaching action, thus contributing to a washing performance improved on bleaching spots. Moreover, anionic surfactants allow transparent compositions to be obtained even when said compositions comprise hydrophobic ingredients such as hydrophobic surfactants. Typically, the compositions to be used herein comprise from 0.1% to 20% by weight of the total composition of said anionic surfactant, or mixtures thereof, preferably from 0.2% to 15% and more preferably from 0.5% to 13. Particularly suitable for use herein are sulfonate and sulfate surfactants. Anionic surfactants are well known in the art and have found great application in commercial detergents. These anionic surfactants include C8-C22 alkylbenzene sulphonates (LAS), C8-C22 alkyl sulfates (AS), unsaturated sulfates such as oleyl sulfate, C10-C18 alkylalkoxy sulfates (AES) and C10-C18 alkylalkoxycarboxylates. The neutralizing cation for synthetic sulfonates and / or anionic sulfates is represented by conventional cations which are widely used in detergent technology, such as sodium, potassium or alkanolammonium. Preferred herein is achil sulfate, especially coconut alkyl sulfate having from 6 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, preferably from 8 to 15, or mixtures thereof. The compositions for use herein may further comprise a foam suppressant such as 2-alkyl-alkanol, or mixtures thereof, as a highly preferred optional ingredient. Particularly suitable for use in the present invention are 2-alkylalkanols having an alkyl chain comprising from 6 to 16 carbon atoms, preferably from 8 to 12, and a terminal hydroxyl group, said alkyl chain being substituted at the A position by an alkyl chain comprising 1 to 10 carbon atoms, preferably 12 to 8 and most preferably 3 to 6. Such suitable compounds are commercially available, for example, in the Isofol series, such as Isofol 12 (2-butyl). octanol) or Isofol 16 (2-hexyl decanol). Typically, compositions suitable for use herein comprise from 0.05% to 2% by weight of the total composition of a 2-alkylalcanol, or mixtures thereof, preferably from 0.1% to 1.5% and more preferably from 0.1% to 0.8% . The compositions herein may further comprise a variety of other optional ingredients such as builders, stabilizers, chewers, soil suspending agents, dye transfer agents, radical sweepers, solvents, brighteners, perfumes and colorants. In the present invention, the liquid bleaching composition comprising the hydroperoxide needs to be brought into contact with the fabrics that will be bleached. This can be done either in a so-called "pretreatment mode", wherein the composition is applied in concentrated form on said fabrics before the fabrics are rinsed, or washed and then rinsed, or in a "soak mode" in where the liquid composition is first diluted in an aqueous bath and the fabrics are 'submerged and soaked in the bath, before being rinsed, or in a' washing mode '., wherein the liquid composition is added above a washing liquid formed by dissolving or dispersing a typical laundry detergent. As described above, the composition that will carry out the methods of the present is in the form of a liquid, instead of a solid or a gas. It is also essential in both cases, that the fabrics be rinsed after they have been put in contact with said composition, before said composition has completely dried. In fact, it has been discovered that the evaporation of water contributes to increasing the concentration of free radicals on the surface of the fabrics and, consequently, the speed of the chain reaction. It is also speculated that a self-oxidizing reaction occurs after evaporation of the water when the liquid compositions are allowed to dry on the fabrics. Said autooxidation reaction generates peroxy radicals that can contribute to the degradation of cellulose. In this way, by not allowing the liquid compositions as described herein to dry on the fabric in a pretreatment process for soiled fabrics, the benefits in accordance with the present invention are contributed, i.e., reducing the loss of the Tension resistance when pretreating fabrics with liquid compositions containing peroxygen bleach. In the pretreatment mode, the method comprises the steps of applying said liquid composition in its concentrated form on said fabrics, or at least dirty portions thereof, and subsequently rinsing, or washing and then rinsing said fabrics. In this mode, the concentrated compositions can be optionally left on said fabrics for a period of time ranging from 1 minute to 1 hour, before the fabrics are rinsed, or washed and then rinsed, as long as the composition is not left dry on said fabrics. For spots particularly difficult to remove, it may be appropriate to rub or brush such fabrics by means of a sponge or brush, or to rub two pieces of cloth against each other. In another mode, generally known as "soaking," the method comprises the steps of diluting said liquid composition in its concentrated form in an aqueous bath to form a dilute composition, ie, a composition comprising 0.0001% to 0.2%, preferably 0.0002% to 0.02% of available oxygen provided by said hydroperoxide. The fabrics are then put in contact with the aqueous bath comprising the liquid composition, and the fabrics are finally rinsed, or washed and then rinsed. Preferably in that embodiment, the fabrics are immersed in the aqueous bath comprising the liquid composition, and also preferably, the fabrics are allowed to soak therein for a period of time ranging from 30 minutes to 48 hours, preferably 1 hour to 24 hours. In yet another mode that can be considered as a sub-modality of "soaking", generally known as "bleaching during washing", the liquid composition is used as a so-called laundry additive. In this embodiment, the aqueous bath is formed by dissolving or dispersing in water a conventional laundry detergent. The liquid composition in its concentrated form is brought into contact with the aqueous bath, and the fabrics are then put in contact with the aqueous bath containing the liquid composition. Finally, the fabrics are rinsed. Depending on the intended end use, the compositions herein can be packaged in a variety of containers including conventional bottles, bottles equipped with ball applicators, sponges, brushes or sprinklers. The invention is further illustrated by means of the following examples.

EXAMPLE 1 A liquid composition is prepared comprising: 10% cumyl hydroperoxide Dobanol 23.3 8.6% Dobanol 45.7 6.4% C12 2% alkyl sulfate Water and minor components Up to 100% pH = 4, balanced with sulfuric acid In a pretreatment mode, this composition it is applied in concentrated form on the stained portion of a cloth and left to act on it for 5 minutes. After the fabric is washed with a conventional detergent and rinsed.

EXAMPLE 2 The following liquid composition is prepared: 10% tert-butyl hydroperoxide Dobanol 45.7 6.0% Dobanol 23.6.5 6.0% C25-AE2.5-S (ethoxylated alkyl sulfate) 6.0% Water and minor components Up to 100% pH = 4, balanced with sulfuric acid In a bleaching mode during washing, this composition is contacted with an aqueous bath formed by dissolving a conventional detergent in water. The fabrics are then put in contact with the aqueous bath comprising the liquid detergent and then the fabrics are rinsed. This composition can also be used in a pretreatment mode, where it is poured in concentrated form onto the stains on the fabrics, it is left to act for 5 minutes and then the fabrics are washed.

EXAMPLE 3 The following liquid composition is prepared: 5% tert-butyl hydroperoxide Dobanol 91.10 1.6% Dobanol 23.3 1.5% CÍO AS 1.7% Isofol 12R 0.5% Water and minor components up to 100% pH = 4, balanced with sulfuric acid The composition can be used in a pretreatment mode or in a bleach mode during washing, such as those described in examples 1 and 2. It can also be used in a soaking mode, wherein 100 ml of the liquid compositions are diluted in 10 liters of water . The fabrics are then put in contact with this aqueous bath containing the composition, and allowed to soak therein for a period of 24 hours. The fabrics are eventually rinsed.

EXAMPLE 4 A liquid detergent composition is prepared as follows: Cumil hydroperoxide 10% Dobanol 23.3 8.6% Dobanol 45.7 6.4% C12AS 2% Water and minor components up to 100% pH = 6, balanced with sulfuric acid. This composition is used in a pretreatment mode as described in the examples above.

EXAMPLE 5 The following liquid composition is prepared: 2,5-dimethyl-hexan-2, 5-dihydroperoxide 5% Dobanol 23.3 8.6% Dobanol 45.7 6.4% C25-2.5EO-S 2% Water and minor components up to 100% pH = 5, balanced with sulfuric acid. This composition is used in a pretreatment mode as described in the previous examples.

Claims (7)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A fabric bleaching process that includes the steps of diluting in a water bath a liquid composition in its concentrated form, comprising a hydroperoxide according to the formula: R 1 R2 C-O-O-H or * 3 or RmM (OOH) n wherein each R] _, R2, R3 / R is independently H or a hydrocarbon radical comprising 1 to 30 carbon atoms, contacting said fabrics with said aqueous bath comprising said liquid composition, and subsequently rinsing, or washing and then rinsing said fabrics.

2. - A fabric pretreatment process comprising the steps of applying a liquid composition in its concentrated form, comprising a hydroperoxide according to the formula RL or R2 C-0--0-H or R3 or RmM ( OOH) n wherein each R] _, R2, R3, R is independently H or a hydrocarbon radical comprising 1 to 30 carbon atoms on said webs, preferably only dirty portions thereof, before rinsing said webs, or wash them and then rinse them.

3. - A process according to claim 1, further characterized in that the fabrics are allowed to soak in said aqueous bath comprising said liquid composition for a period of time ranging from about 30 minutes to about 48 hours, preferably around 1 hour to approximately 24 hours.

4. - A method according to claim 1, further characterized in that said aqueous bath is formed by dissolving or dispersing in water a conventional laundry detergent.

5. - A method according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that said concentrated composition comprises about 0.02% to about 2.0% of available oxygen provided by said hydroperoxide.

6. A process according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that said hydroperoxide is tert-butyl hydroperoxide or cumyl hydroperoxide or 2,5-dimethyl-hexan-2,5-dihydroperoxide or 2,4,4- trimethyl-benzyl-2-hydroperoxide or diisopropylbenzene-monohydroperoxide or ter-amyl hydroperoxide.

7. - A method according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that said composition has a pH of about 3.5 to about 9.5