NO830421L - TOEYMYKNINGSMIDDEL. - Google Patents

Abstract

A fabric softening composition comprises an aqueous base, a cationic fabric softener and up to about 10% lanolin. The cationic softener and lanolin are preferably in the ratio of 20:1 to 1:20 and the level of cationic softener in the composition may be from 0.5% to 30%. Other conventional fabric softening composition ingredients may be present. The lanolin may be replaced by a lanolinlike material such as derivatives thereof or one or more of the active constituents of lanolin either extracted therefrom or derived from other sources. The presence of lanolin in the composition improves the viscosity and performance thereof.

Description

The invention relates to a fabric softening preparation and a method for using it. In particular, but not exclusively, it relates to a water-based concentrated fabric softening preparation.

It is known to treat cloth, especially after washing, with fabric softeners to improve the grip of the cloth and, in the case of clothing, to improve comfort during use. Traditionally, fabric softeners are applied from an aqueous bath made by adding a relatively small volume of a fabric softener preparation to a large volume of water, for example during the rinse cycle in an automatic washing machine. The fabric softening preparation is usually an aqueous, liquid product containing less than approx. 8% of a cationic fabric softener. For a number of reasons, including for example packaging costs, it would be preferable if the product were to contain more than 8% of the active ingredient, but due to difficulties during production, storage and ease of use of the products, it has only been possible to do this previously with some difficulty.

Furthermore, there may be a desire to partially replace the cationic fabric softener with a material that is less expensive, easier to handle or more prone to causing skin reactions, while at the same time the product's performance is maintained, at least substantially.

As set forth in more detail below, the present invention attempts to overcome one or more of the objections referred to above by the combined use of a cationic fabric softener and lanolin or a lanolin-like material.

According to the invention, a fabric softening preparation is provided which comprises an aqueous base and at least 0.5% by weight of a cationic fabric softener, characterized in that it further comprises from 0.25% and up to 10% by weight of lanolin or a lanolin-like material.

An essential component of the present invention is lanolin or a lanolin-like material. Lanolin is wool wax that has been cleaned by various cleaning steps including washing, neutralization, filtration, bleaching and deodorisation. Lanolin is composed primarily of esters which make up the active ingredients in the present invention and which upon hydrolysis give a mixture of complex alcohols and fatty acids. The alcohols which make up approx. half of the ester component by weight, includes sterols and terpene alcohols. The sterols make up approx. 30% and includes cholesterol, 7-dehydrocholesterol and cerebosterol and di-hydrocholesterol (cholestanol). The terpene alcohols include lan-esterol (C^qH^qO) , dihydrolanesterol (C3oH520^ ' a<3n°sterol (C^qH^qO) i dihydroagnosterol (C3g<H>5o°)•

Lanolin is commercially available in a variety of forms. Lanolin as such contains the active ingredients primarily in their ester form. It is also available in two hydrolysed forms where the active ingredients are primarily in their alcoholic or carboxylic acid form. Furthermore, lanolin can be hydrogenated so that a product is formed where the active ingredients are present primarily only in their alcoholic form. Lanolin is also commercially available in propoxylated and acetylated forms. As used herein, the term "lanolin" means any such material derived from wool wax, and whether the active ingredients are in the alcoholic, ester, alkylated, hydrogenated or other chemical form.

Suitable commercial forms of lanolin include Corona (lanolin BP), Hartolan, Polychol and Coronet (trademarks of Croda Chemicals Ltd), Solulan, Acetulan and Modulan (trademarks of American Cholesterol Products Inc) and Lanocerina (trademark - Esperis SpAMilan). Commercial lanolin is also available from Westbrook Lanolin Co., Bradford, England.

Many of the active ingredients in lanolin can be produced synthetically, from sources other than wool wax, or they can be extracted from wool wax and other naturally occurring materials. Although the commercially available forms of lanolin are preferred for price reasons in connection with the present invention, it is also possible to use any one or more of the active ingredients referred to above, but also derivatives, and also materials of similar structure. Thus, in place of lanolin, a "lanolin-like material" may be used, and this term, as used herein, includes: (a) any one or more of the active lanolin constituents referred to above, and carboxylic acid- or the alcohol derivatives thereof; (b) the corresponding carboxylic acids or alcohols and ester derivatives of the materials listed under (a), especially the esters thereof, with fatty acids or alcohols containing at least 12 carbon atoms. (c) Iso- and ante-iso-alcohols and acids and derivatives thereof which has the general formula

where R"*" is a divalent, straight-chain or branched, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group having at least 7, preferably at least 15, carbon atoms, R 2 is a methyl or ethyl group and X is —OH,

3 3

or —COOR where R is a hydrocar-

byl group, especially a fatty acid alkyl group, containing at least 12 carbon atoms. Examples of materials in this group include 16-methylheptadecanol, 24-methyl-hexacosanol, 8-methylnonanoic acid, and 2-hydroxy-16-methyl-heptadecanoic acid.

The amount of lanolin or lanolin-like material in the fabric softening preparations is from 0.25 and up to 10% by weight, for example between 0.5 and 5% by weight based on the mixture.

Any well-known cationic fabric softener can be used in connection with the invention, as well as mixtures of two or more such agents.

Suitable examples of cationic fabric softeners are quaternary ammonium compounds containing two long alkyl or alkenyl chains with 12-22 carbon atoms, for example di(cured or uncured tallow) dimethylammonium chloride, 2-heptade-cyl-2-methylstearoylamidoethyl-imidazoline methosulphate, di-(cox)di- methylammonium chloride etc. These cationic fabric softeners are well known in the art and further suitable examples can be found in Schwartz-Perry: "Surface-actiye Agents and Detergents" Vol.II, 1958.

Relatively water-soluble cationic softeners, for example the monoalkyl-quaternary ammonium compounds, for example stearyltrimethylammonium chloride can also be used, but, as they are often less effective softeners, they are preferably used in conjunction with other, more effective cationic softeners or with non-cationic softeners, for for example fatty acid esters of polyols, for example sorbitan tristearate, glycerol monostearate, and so on, or with anionic detergents with which they have the ability to form softening complexes, for example fatty acid soaps. They can also be made more hydrophobic by treatment with suitable hydrophobicizing agents, for example long-chain alcohols and fatty acids. However, the invention is of particular use if the more effective, less water-soluble cationic softeners having two long alkyl chains are used.

The amount of cationic fabric softener in the aqueous fabric softener preparations is at least 0.5%, but preferably not more than 30% by weight, for example between 1.0 and 15% by weight based on the mixture.

The weight ratio between the cationic fabric softener and lanolin or lanolin-like material can be between 0.05:1 and 20:1, more preferably between 0.1:1 and 10:1, especially between 1:1 and 4:1.

In use, the fabric softening preparation according to the invention is added to a large volume of water to form a bath with which the fabric to be treated is brought into contact. In general, the total concentration of the cationic fabric softener and lanolin or lanolin-like materials in this bath will be between approx. 50 and approx. 500 ppm.

The pH value of the aqueous preparation used to make the bath can be varied within a range, for example between approx. 3 and approx. 8, preferably from approx. 4 to approx. 6. In order to achieve the desired pH value in the preparation and in the treatment liquid, the preparation may contain buffering agents as required, such as benzoic acid, citric acid and phosphoric acids and/or their alkali metal salts.

In use, the laundry to be treated is brought into contact with an aqueous bath to which the fabric softening preparation is added, the weight ratio between laundry and bath preferably being less than approx. 25:1, preferably approx. 10:1 and approx. 4:1.

The water bath in contact with the laundry can be at any suitable temperature. Successful results can be achieved if the bath has a temperature between approx. 0 and approx. 60°C, preferably between approx. 10 and approx. 40°C.

The bath and the clothes that come into contact with it are preferably agitated during the treatment.

The amount of cationic softener and lanolin or lanolin-like material that is deposited on the fabric depends, among other things, on the concentration of these components in the treatment bath, the temperature of the treatment, the degree of agitation, the treatment time and the nature of the fabric. In general, an amount of less than 0.5%, for example between approx. 0.01% and approx. 0.4% by weight in all of these components be deposited, based on the weight of the dry laundry.

The rest of the preparation generally comprises the aqueous medium, possibly with the other ingredients listed below. The aqueous medium comprises at least 25%, preferably at least 30%, and especially at least 40%, of the preparation.

The preparations according to the invention may further include additional beneficial ingredients, usually used or proposed for incorporation in fabric softening preparations. Such ingredients, either alone or incorporated in suitable carriers, further include viscosity modifiers, germicides, fluorescent agents, perfumes including deodorizing perfumes, organic or inorganic acids, antistatic agents, such as water-soluble cationic surfactants, ethoxylated quaternary polyamine compounds (for example, " Ethoduameen"Tl3) and aluminum salts, soil release agents, colorants, antioxidants, bleaches, bleach precursors, anti-yellowing agents, ironing aids, etc., all in the conventional small amounts. Such enzymes as cellulases may also be included.

The preparations may also contain, in addition to the cationic ones; fabric softeners, other non-cationic fabric softeners, for example non-ionic fabric softeners.

In particular, the fabric softening preparations may include a viscosity modifying agent selected from polymers described below, C1-2-C4Q-hydrocarbons, C1-C4 fatty acids. fatty acid esters with a total of 10-40 carbon atoms, C^Q-C^g fatty alcohols, water-miscible solvents and electrolytes.

The polymer can, when included in the preparation according to the invention, be present therein in an amount of 0.5-40%, preferably 1-30%, particularly preferably 4-25%. The polymer suitable for incorporation is defined as follows: The polymer must be water-soluble under the conditions of use, and a 20% aqueous solution of the polymer must have a viscosity (n^) of

<50, preferably <30 and particularly preferred <15 cP, measured at 25°C and 110 sec<-1>in a Haake Viscometer. Said 20% aqueous solution must also show a vapor pressure equal to or lower than the vapor pressure of a 2% aqueous solution of polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 6,000, preferably equal to or lower than the value for a 10% aqueous solution of said polyethylene glycol, and particularly preferred equal to or lower than the value for an 18% aqueous solution of said polyethylene glycol. Said aqueous polymer solution may be of water and polymer alone or may include solvent-containing media normally derived from the raw materials or additives, or may include additives specifically intended to improve the vapor pressure lowering capacity of the polymer, or, in the case of ionic polymers, include adjustments to the pH value to optimize ionization. Such vapor pressure measurements can be obtained with a Hewlett Packard vapor pressure osmometer, using an operating temperature of 34.5°C or using any other suitable vapor measuring device.

The polymer must also have a molecular weight of at least 400, preferably at least 4000 and particularly preferably at least 6000.

It is also desirable that the polymer does not interact negatively with any of the other ingredients in the preparation.

Suitable examples of the polymer can thus be obtained from the polyalkylene glycols, the polyalkylene imines, dextran, gelatin and other natural or synthetic (co)polymers, when they only satisfy the above-mentioned criteria.

Mixtures of two or more polymers of the same type or a different type can also be used.

A preferred class of polymers comprises polyethylene glycols with an average molecular weight of about 1000 to approx. 6000. These polymers, and especially those having an average molecular weight of 4000 or 6000, are particularly suitable for preparations according to the invention which have a high level of

relatively water-insoluble cationic fabric softener.

Other typical examples of suitable polymers are dextran with a molecular weight of 10,000 and polyethyleneimine with a molecular weight of 45-750.

When the preparation contains a C^2~C4Q hydrocarbon as viscosity-regulating agent, this is advantageous in an amount of 0.25-50% by weight, preferably 0.5-25%. Preferred materials have 12-24 carbon atoms, and particularly preferred are liquid mixtures of paraffins having 14-18 carbon atoms.

Normally, suitable hydrocarbons are found in the paraffin and olefin series, but other materials, such as alkynes and cyclic hydrocarbons, are not excluded. Materials generally known as paraffin oil and petroleum are suitable. Examples of specific materials are hexadecane, octadecane, eicosane-tetra-decane and octadecane. Preferred commercially available paraffin blends include spindle oil and light oil and blends of technical grade C-^-C-^g-n paraffins. Halogen paraffins, for example myristyl chloride and stearyl bromide, are not excluded.

When the preparation contains a Cg-C4 fatty acid, this is preferably in an amount of 0.5-15%.

Strongly preferred materials from this class are the C₂Q-C₂o saturated fatty acids, especially lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid.

When the preparation contains a fatty acid ester which has a total of 10-40 carbon atoms, this is in a preferred amount of 0.25-15% by weight, advantageously 0.5-4%. The ester preferably originates empirically from a fatty acid having 8-23 carbon atoms and an alkanol or hydroxyalkanol having 1-8, especially 1-4 carbon atoms. Specific examples include esters derived from C-^-C^ alcohols and lauric, myristic, palmitic or stearic acid, for example methyl laurate, ethyl myristate, iso-propyl stearate, ethylene glycol monostearate, ethyl stearate, methyl palmitate and other esters, for example iso- butyl stearate, 2-ethylhexyl laurate, iso-octyl myristate.

When the preparation contains a fatty alcohol having 10-18 carbon atoms, this is preferably in an amount of 0.25-15% by weight.

Specific examples of this class are decanol, dodecanol, tetradecanol, pentadecanol, hexadecanol and octadecanol.

The most preferred examples are lauryl and palmityl alcohols.

When the preparations contain a solvent as viscosity-regulating agent, this can be a lower alkanol, a glycol, a glycol ether and the like. The solvent may be present in an amount of up to 20% by weight, for example 5-15% by weight. When the cationic fabric softener is supplied in the form of an aqueous-alcoholic solution, the alcohol content includes the above amounts, and if necessary, only a small amount of additional alcohol should be added. A suitable solvent is isopropanol.

The viscosity of the fabric softening preparation can be regulated by the presence of an electrolyte. Preferably, the electrolyte is a water-soluble non-surfactant salt, for example sodium chloride, sodium methosulphate, sodium benzoate-calcium chloride, magnesium chloride or aluminum chloride hydrate. The level of electrolyte will determine or be determined by the desired viscosity of the preparation and the nature and concentration of other components in the preparation. Typical levels are from approx. 100 to approx. 1000 ppm, preferably between approx. 200 and approx. 500 ppm.

The fabric softening preparations optionally contain one or more non-ionic emulsifiers, for example the polymerized monoglycerides of long-chain fatty acids which have 14-24 carbon atoms in the straight or branched saturated or cross-linked carbon chain, for example poly-monolauryl glyceride, poly-monostearyl glyceride, poly -monopalmityl glyceride or poly-monooleyl glyceride. Another suitable nonionic emulsifier is sorbitan monostearate.

These nonionic emulsifiers are available commercially under the trade names WITCONOL (Witco Chemicals Ltd) and SPAN (Atlas Chemical). The nonionic emulsifier may be present in a content of 0.5-9.5% by weight, for example 2.4-6%.

In addition to the components mentioned above, the preparations according to the invention can also include a water-soluble cationic or non-ionic surfactant.

Water-soluble means that the surfactant has a solubility in water of pH 2.5 and at 20°C of more than 10 g/l. Normally, such materials are alkyl-substituted ammonium salts having one C12-C24 alkyl chain, optionally substituted or interrupted by functional groups such as —0—, —COO—,—CONH—,—0— etc. Suitable water-soluble non- ionic surfactants are the ethoxylated sorbitan esters available as TWEENS (Atlas Chemical).

It is particularly advantageous to include a water-soluble cationic or non-ionic emulsifier in the preparation if it contains, as viscosity modifier, a hydrocarbon, a fatty acid, fatty alcohol or fatty acid ester of the types referred to above. The amount of the water-soluble surfactant is preferably 0.01-1%.

Preferably, the preparations contain practically no anionic material such as anionic surfactants. However, some anionic material can be tolerated in practice. In preferred mixtures, the weight ratio between any anionic material and the cationic fabric softener is less than 0.4:1, preferably less than 0.2:1.

The viscosity of the fabric softening preparations is preferably below approx. 150 cP, preferably below approx. 120 cP. This viscosity is measured at 25°C and 110 sec<-1> in a Haake Viscometer.

The preparations according to the invention can normally be prepared by mixing the ingredients together in water, heated to a temperature of approx. 60°C and agitate for 5-30 minutes.

In the following, the invention will be illustrated by means of the non-limiting examples.

Examples 1 to 13

Fabric conditioning preparations were made according to the recipes given in the following tables I and II by mixing the ingredients together in water at approx. 60°C and agitate.

The cationic fabric softeners used were:

CFS 1 - "Arosurf" TA 100 (Approximately 100% active)

CFS 2 - "Arquad" 2HT (82.35% active)

CFS 3 -■"Varisoft" 475 (75% active)

CFS 4 - Di(soft tallow) imidazoline methosulfate

The lanolin used in each case was pure lanolin BP (from BDM).

The viscosity modifiers used were:

VMA 1 - n-C14-C17 paraffin (from BP)

VMA 2 - sodium chloride

VMA 3 - polyethylene glycol (MV 1.5K.)

VMA 4 - polyethylene glycol (MV 4K)

VMA 5 - isopropanol

VMA 6 - propylene glycol

The water-soluble emulsifier used was "Arquad" 18 (50% active).

Each table also gives the viscosity of the preparation, measured in a Haake viscometer at 110 sec and at 25°C.

Similar results can be obtained using "Arquad"2T (from Armak) as the cationic fabric softener. Similar results can also be obtained when lanolin BP is replaced with Coronet grade lanolin (from Croda) or Lanolin P95 (from Westbrook Lanolin Co). Still further similar results can be obtained by using calcium chloride, magnesium chloride or aluminum chlorohydrate.

Examples 14 and 15

Fabric conditioning preparations were made according to the recipes given in the following Table III by mixing the ingredients together in water at approx. 60°C and agitate. Product viscosities were measured as in Examples 1 to 13.

Examples 16 to 18

The following diluted fabric softener preparations were prepared:

Examples 19 and 20

The following fabric softeners were made with lanolin-like materials instead of lanolin as such:

Notes: 1 - Distilled lanolin alcohols (from Croda Chemicals)

2 - Iso-stearic acid (from Emery)

Example 21

Two fabric softening preparations were prepared according to the following table.

Pieces of terry cloth were treated with baths made from these preparations. The treated pieces of cloth were judged by a jury of persons who found that mixture B gave more preferable results than mixture A.

Unless otherwise stated, all percentages referred to here are by weight, based on the weight of the preparation.

Claims (5)

1. Fabric softening preparation comprising an aqueous base and at least 0.5% by weight of a cationic fabric softener, characterized in that it also comprises 0.25 - 10% by weight lanolin or a lanolin-like material. 2. Fabric softening preparation as specified in claim 1, characterized in that the weight ratio between lanolin or lanolin-like material and the cationic fabric softener is between 0.05:1 and 20:1. 3. Fabric softening preparation as specified in claim 1, characterized in that the weight ratio between lanolin or lanolin-like material and cationic fabric softener is between 0.1:1 and 10:1. 4. Fabric softening preparation as stated in claim 1, characterized in that it contains 0.5 - 30% by weight of the cationic fabric softener and 0.5 - 5% by weight of lanolin or lanolin-like material. 5. Fabric softener as stated in claim 4, characterized in that it contains 1.0 - 15% by weight of fabric softener.