NZ227769A - Abrasive-containing scouring composition comprising surfactant, electrolyte, thickener and solvent having low water solubility - Google Patents

Description

New Zealand Paient Spedficaiion for Paient Number £27769 22 PriorHy ' - *v :.• >H..- .c-oti Fsted: ....'X7l.T.l...&rj.. •is. ^^..C.U.fe&/6»Cfc . t f, r;.nf!. 2 5 FEB 1992 n Journal -No: P.O. <iOU "«*?': W ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No.: Date: 27 JANI989, *>l JV COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Creamy Scouring Compositions 11 We, ihe Procter & Gamble Company of One Procter & Gamble Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, USA, a corporation organised under the laws of the state of Ohio, USA, hereby declare the invention for whichxk/ we pray that a patent may be granted to i?5t§t/us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - - 1 - (followed by page la) - IA - CA - z<o£tf 227769 CREAMY SCOURING COMPOSITIONS Lellis Francis BRAGANZA Technical Field The present invention relates to stable, viscous abrasive-containing scouring compositions, which show excellent cleaning, ease-of-rinsing, and shine performance These compositions are substantially free of thickener Background The formulation of abrasive-containing scouring compositions in creamy form is wel1-known. 22 7 7 6 9 Such compositions have been disclosed in, e.g. E.P.A. 0 126 545, and E.P.A. 0 216 416, US Patent 4.676.920, and Canadian Patent 1.194.38 1.

In such state-of-the-art scouring creams, it has always been necessary to incorporate a thickener, in order to adequately suspend the abrasive particles, and give a certain viscosity to the finished product.

It has been found, however, that thickener materials have certain drawbacks, in terms of ease-of-rinsing performance especially. In recent f ormulations, the leve.1 of thickeners has been reduced, but still remains non-negligible .

It has now been found that abrasive-containing creamy scouring compositions can be formulated which are substantially free of thickener.

Indeed, it has been found that certain combinations of surfactant, non-polar solvent, and electrolyte provides the desired viscosity and are capable of suspending high levels of abrasive-particles.

The same combination also provides uery good cleaning ease-of-rinsing, and shine performance.

Summary of the Invention The present invention relates to viscous creamy scouring compositions which contain an abrasive in suspension, are substantially free of thickener, and contain a combination of a surfactant, a solvent with a water-solubility under 5%, and an electrolyte. 22 7 7 6 9 Detailed Description of the Inuention Surface-actiue Agents Water-soluble surfactants useful herein include synthetic anionic, nonionic, amphoteric and zwitterionic surfactants and mixtures thereof.

The anionic surfactants for use herein include CQ 8-18 alkyl benzene sulfates and sulfonates, paraffin sulfonates, olefin sulfonates, and also ethoxylated species such as C. 1Q alkyl polyethoxy sulfates, and o — 1 o sulphosuccinates. Preferred anionic surfactants include C12-14 a-^yl benzene sulfonate, and c12_i4 alkyl ethoxylated sulfate containing from 1 to 10 ethylene oxide, units.

A C ethoxylated anionic 3 times ethoxylated is eiT) sold by AKZO under the trade name ELFAN ^ The anionic detersiue surfactants are most commonly used in the form of their sodium, potassium or triethanolammonium salts. Nonionic surfactants include alkoxylated (especially ethoxylated) alcohols, alkyl phenols, and amine oxides. Ethoxylated alcohol of the formula ROCCI^C^O) n, with R being a Cj2-15 ^^yl chain and n being a number from 6 to 10, are preferred nonionic surfactants.

The anionic surface-actiue agents herein are present at leuels of from 0.3 to 8%, preferably 3% to 8%. 22 7 7 6 9 Preferred are mixtures of non-ethoxylated anionic surfactants and ethoxylated anionic surfactants, at ratios of from 1/1 to 4/1.

Especially suitable are mixtures of alkyl benzene sulfonates and alkyl ethoxylated sulfates.

If present, nonionic surfactants are used at levels of from 0.1% to 6% by weight of the composition.

The total level of surfactant is from 2% to 10% by weight of the composition.

Abrasive - The abrasiue types employed herein are selected from water-insoluble, non-gritty materials well-known in the literature for their relatively mild abrasive properties. It is higly preferred that the abrasives used herein not be undesirably "scratchy". Abrasive materials having a Mohs hardness in the range of about 7, or below, are typically used; abrasives having a Mohs hardness of 3, or below, can be used to avoid scratches on aluminium or stainless steel finishes. Suitable abrasives herein include inorganic materials, especially such materials as calcium carbonate and diatomaceous earth, as well as materials such as Fuller's earth, magnesium carbonate, China clay, attapulgite, calcium hydroxyapatite, calcium orthophosphate, dolomite and the like. The aforesaid inorganic materials can be qualified as "strong abrasives". Synthetic organic abrasives such as urea-formaldehyde, methyl methacrylate melamine-formaldehyde resins, polyethylene spheres and polyvinyl chloride can be advantageously used in order to avoid scratching on certain surfaces, especially plastic surfaces. When such "soft abrasives" are used, strong builders can be incorporated in the composition. 22 77 69 Typically, abrasiues haue a particle size range of 10-1000 microns and are used at concentrations of 5% to 50% in the compositions.

Organic solvent Organic solvents for use herein showed haue a water-solubility of from 0 to 5% at 25°C in pure, deionised water, preferably less than 1% and most preferably less than 0.5%.

Suitable solvents include hexyl carbitol, 1(2-n-butoxy-1-methylethoxy) propane-2-ol (butoxypropoxypropanol), and 2-ethy1-1,3-hexanediol.

^R) Carbitol ^ solvents are compounds of the 2-(2-alkoxyethoxy)ethanol class.

Mixtures of solvents can be used, provided the water solubility of the mixture is in the above-specified range. Thus, water-soluble solvents can be used in minor rn) quantities, such as water-soluble carbitol ^ solvents including ethyl, propyl or butyl carbitol, and water-soluble cellosolve solvents.

The organic solvent is present at levels of from 1% to 10%; preferably from 2% to 6%.

Electrolyte The electrolytes used in the compositions are selected from the group consisting of alkali metal sulfates, alkali metal carbonates or bicarbonates, alkali metal halides and citrates as well as alkali metal nitrates and mixtures thereof. The electrolytes or their mixture may uary from 0.5% to 8% basis formula weight with the preferred range of about 0.5% to 3.5%, with the alkali metal bicarbonates and carbonates and mixtures thereof being the preferred forms. 22-7 7 0 Optional ingredients In addition to the essential ingredients listed hereinbefore, the present composition can contain additional components, which can be highly desirable.

For example, it is highly preferred that the compositions contain a detergent builder and/or metal ion sequestrant. Compounds classifiable and well-known in the art as detergent builders include the nitrilotriacetates, (NTA), ethylene diamine tetraacetate (EDTA), amino-polyphosphonates (DEQUEST), water-soluble phosphates such as tripolyphosphate and sodium ortho- and pyro-phosphates, silicates, and mixtures thereof. These builders are preferably not used in combination with strong abrasives like calcium carbonate, but are recommended in combination with soft organic abrasives like polyvinylchloride.

Metal ion sequestrants of lower metal sequestration constant can advantageously be used in combination with strong or soft abrasives. Those metal ion sequestrants include polycarboxylates, citrates.

It may be appropriate, as well, to include soaps in the compositions of the invention. Soaps prepared from coconut oil fatty acids are preferred.

Soaps can be used in amounts ranging from 0.2% to 3% by weight of the composition.

Another optional component in the compositions herein is represented by an amine oxide having the formula (Rl)x (Rl>2 r_ N (CH2)ff N (Rl)y o K m wherein R is an alkyl or alkenylgroup having 10 to 22 carbon atoms, the R-^s which are identical or different are selected from C1-4 alkyl, ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, n is an integer from 1 to 6, m is an integer from 0 to 6, p is 0 or 1, x, y, and z are each 1 for alkylsubstituents, and integers in the range from 1 to 10 for ethylene oxide or propylene oxide substituents such that the sum of (x+y+z) is not greater than 25.

This amine oxide component is used in a level from 0.1% to 1.5%, preferably from 0.25% to 0.75%.

Suitable species of the amine oxide component for use herein correspond to the general formula above wherein the individual substituents can be varied as follows : R : tallow C16_18 alkyl; coconut C12_14 alkyl; lauryl; palmityl; stearyl; oleyl.

R1 : ethylene oxide; propylene oxide; methyl; ethyl, n : 2, 3, 4. m : 0, 1, or 2. x, y, and z are each 1, 2, 3 or 4 and their sum is from 2 to 18. 22 776® Preferred amine oxides for use herein are defined by the following substituents : R • C^2_28 alkyl* R-j_ : ethylene oxide; methyl. m : 0 or 1; n : 3 (assuming m is different from 0). x, y, z are each at least 1 and their sum is in the range from 2 to 12, for example 2, 3, 7 and 12.

One particularly preferred class of amine oxide species is represented by mono-amine oxides having the following substituents. m : 0.

R-j_ : methyl; ethyl; ethylene oxide.

R : coconut C12_14 alkyl. x and y are both 1.

A specific example of this preferred class of mono-amine oxides is : N— C-j^-14 coconut alkyl N,N-dimethyl amine oxide.

Thickeners should preferably not be included in the compositions of the invention. If they are, the level will be kept under 0.2%. Common thickeners such as the polyacrylates, xanthan gums, carboxymethyl celluloses, swellable smectite clays, and the like, can be used herein at these levels.

Optional compounds are also represented by ingredients typically used in commercial products to provide aesthetic or additional product performance benefits. Typical ingredients include pH regulants, perfumes, dyes, optical brighteners, soil suspending agents, detersive enzymes, gel-control agents, freeze-thaw stabilizers, bactericides, preservatives, hydrotrope and the like. 21.7 76^ The compositions herein typically contain up to about 90% water as a carrier. By way of example the w'ater-leuel can uary in the range from e.g. 50% to 80%. Water-alcohol (e.g., ethanol, isopropanol, butanol, etc.) mixtures can also be used.

The compositions herein are preferably formulated in the alkaline pH range, generally in the range of pH 8-11,_ preferably about 10-10.8. Caustics such as sodium hydroxide and sodium bi-carbonate can be used to adjust and buffer the pH as desired.

The following examples given by way of illustrating the compositions herein, but are not intended to be limiting of the scope of the inuention.

Abbreviations NaPS LAS ELFAN 243 S Sokolan®PHC2 5 ETHD TMPD BPP Sodium C,, to C,, paraffin sulfonate 1 J 1 o Sodium salt of linear C, -C alkyl 11 IS benzene sulfonate Cj2_i4. ethoxylated sulfate (3E0) Crosslinked polyacrylate thickener 2-Ethyl-l,3-hexanediol 2,2,4-trimethyl-l-3-pentanediol Butoxy Propoxy Propanol 22 7 7 6 9 Ingredients (% wt) Comp A Comp B Comp C Comp D Comp E Comp F Comp IAS .0 .0 4.2 3.5 .0 4.0 4.2 ELFAN 243S - - 1.8 1.5 - - 1.8 NaPS - - - - - 1.0 - n-BPP - - 3.0 - - - - ETHD - - - - .0 - - hexyl carbitol .0 3.0 - 3.0 - .0 3.0 oerfume mix 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 CaCO^ .0 .0 .0 .0 .0 .0 _ 30.0 Na2C02 1.0 3.0 2.3 1.5 1.5 0.8 1.8 Sokolai^ PHC25 - - - - - - 0.1 HCnFA* - - - 0.5 - - - amine oxide - - - 0.5 - - - water + minors up to 100 Compositions A to G were stable after 2 weeks at room temperature and had apparent-viscosities in the range 1000-3000 cps (Brookfiled viscometer, spindle 4, 60 rpm) . "he compositions were found to have excellent cleaning capacity on greasy kitchen-dirt soil and hard bath-tub soil.

* Narrow cut, hardened, coconut fatty acid ** N-C12_14 coconut alkyl, -N,N-dimethylamine oxide 227769

Claims (7)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An abrasiue-containing scouring creamy composition containing from 2% to 10% of surfactant from 1% to 10% of a solvent having a water-solubility from 0 to 5% at 25°C from 0.5% to 8% of electrolyte less than 0.2% of thickener, vherein percentages are by weight of the composition.

2. A composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the solvent has a water-solubility below 1%.

3. A composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the solvent is selected from the group of hexyl carbitol, n-Butoxy Propoxy Propanol and 2-ethyl—1 , 3-hexanediol.

4. A composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the surfactant contains an ethoxylated anionic surfactant.

-5. A composition in accordance with claim 4 wherein the surfactant is a mixture of non-ethoxylated anionic surfactant and ethoxylated anionic surfactant, at ratios from 1/1 to 4/1.

6. A composition in accordance with claim 5 wherein the surfactant is present at levels of from 3% to 8%, the solvent is present at levels of from 2% to 6%, and the electrolyte is present at levels of from 0.5% to 3.5%.

7. A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claiitis^^^" ^ substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any //y example thereof. l9DECf$ Xgjj v pATED THIS DAY OF 19 ^ A. J. PARK & SOTjTf y PER /) AGENTS FOR THE LICANTS