PT93810B - A process for the preparation of a fabric softening composition comprising quaternary ammonium, fatty alcohol and water soluble cationic polymers - Google Patents

Abstract

Stable aqueous fabric softening compositions based on water-dispersible cationic fabric softeners such as the di-long chain, di-short chain quaternary ammonium salts are provided using a combination of fatty alcohol and cationic water-soluble polymer to improve the rheological properties to enhance the softening performance. Both concentrated and ready-for-use formulations can be prepared. The active ingredients concentration in the concentrated formula is generally in the range of 11 to 20% by weight while for the ready-for-use formulations, concentration of the active ingredients may range from about 3 to about 8% by weight. In either case, the weight ratio of cationic softening agent to fatty alcohol may range from about 100:1 to about 1:1 and the ratio of cationic softener to cationic water-soluble polymer may range from about 100:1 to 1:1. These compositions have medium viscosity and are easily dispersible. Method for making the compositions are also disclosed.

Description

INVENTION PATENT

NO 93,810

NAME: COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY

EPIGRAPH: PROCESS FOR PREPARING A COMPOSITION

SOFTENING SYSTEM CONTAINING QUATERNARY AMMONIUM SALTS, FAT ALCOHOL AND WATER-SOLUBLE CATIONIC POLYMER

INVENTORS: URSULA SCHRODER and ALAIN JACQUES

Claim of the right of priority under Article 42 of the Paris Union Convention of 20 March 1883.

April 1989 under No. 341,189 in the United States of North America ‘Μ $ Ίο

DESCRIPTIVE MEMORY

resume

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of stable aqueous fabric softening compositions based on water softeners, water dispersible ionics, namely long-chain, short-chain, quaternary ammonium salts. The process is essentially characterized by using a combination of fatty alcohol and cationic polymer

COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY

PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF A TISSUE SOFTENING COMPOSITION CONTAINING QUATERNARY AMMONIUM, GOL ALCOHOL AND CATIONIC POLYMER IN WATER soluble in water, to improve the rheological properties and increase the softening performance. Both concentrated and ready-to-use formulations can be prepared.

The concentration of active ingredients in the concentrated formula is usually in the 11 to 20% range. by weight, whereas, for ready-to-use formulations, the concentration of active ingredients can vary from about 3 to about 8%. in weight. In any case, the weight ratio of the cationic softening agent to fatty alcohol can vary from about 100: 1 to about 1: 1 and the ratio of cationic softener to water-soluble cationic polymer can vary from about 100: 1 to 1: 1.

These compositions have a medium viscosity and are easily dispersible.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to fabric softening compositions especially suitable for use in the rinsing cycle of a laundry process, e.g. in particular, ready-to-make and concentrated aqueous fabric softening compositions, which are stable at both low and high ambient temperatures, that is, the compositions do not form a gel, and are easily dispersible in water when used.

Compositions containing quaternary ammonium salts having at least one long chain hydrocarbyl group are usually used to obtain good fabric softening results when used in a laundry rinsing operation; to see. for example, US Patents 3,349,033; 3,644,203; 3,946,115;

3,997,453; 4,073,735; 4,119,545; etc.,

For most aqueous softening compositions containing quaternary ammonium compounds, cationics or imidazolinium compounds as active ingredients. concentrations of such cations have generally been limited to a range of about 3 to 6 or 7% by weight (see, eg, U.S. Patent 3,904,533 and U.S. Patent 3,920,565). Such a low concentration is generally necessary because cationics form gels in water systems at concentrations above about 8%. Although the use of electrolytes to reduce the viscosity of such compositions is known (see eg US Patent 4,199,545). such electrolytes are far from satisfactory. From a functional point of view, electrolytes often do not have the desired action, particularly at an anionic concentration close to approximately 12-15%.

In addition, although the action of electrolytes can alleviate part of the problem of gelling, its use is far from satisfactory with a view to obtaining a highly concentrated aqueous system of cationics, which does not gel or undergoes a serious change in viscosity within the range. usual temperatures encountered in handling it, for example 0 ° F (about -18 ° C) to about 140 ° F (about 60 ° C).

US Patent 3,974,076 discloses a softening composition containing quaternary ammonium of conventional cationic concentrations, i.e., about 3% to about 8%.

These compositions are characterized by a very small particle size of the softening compound based on quaternary ammonium substantially insoluble in water, that is, 90% by weight of the quaternary ammonium compound exists in the form of particles passing through a filter. 1.2 mieron.

The components of the composition are present in the proportions of about 2 parts to about 10 parts (preferably from about 3 to about 8 parts), by weight, of the quaternary ammonium compound

-5dispersible in water; from about 0.1 to 2 parts by weight of fatty alcohol C _g to C2Q, with the weight ratio of quaternary compound to alcohol ranging from about 100: 1 to about 5: 1, about 0.1% to about 2.0% by weight of a non-ionic surfactant, the remainder being a water-soluble liquid carrier.

In fact. The use of fatty alcohols as softening ingredients or as viscosity regulating agents in fabric softening compositions described elsewhere in the literature.

For example, U.S. Patent 4,213,867 to Cukier and Khan describes tissue conditioning compositions containing quaternary ammonium compounds and fatty alcohols or their phosphoric acid esters in admixture with a diluent; the compositions are pumpable at room temperature and are easily dispersed in water. These compositions are highly mixed base mixtures for further dilution before distribution and use. The compositions generally contain between about 50 and 80% of quaternary ammonium compound, diluent (alkanol plus water) constituted between about 15 and 35% of the base mixture and a third component in an amount of about 5 to 25% that it is a C ₁ to C 2 g alcohol or a phosphoric acid ester or mixtures thereof. The base mixture is diluted with water to form an aqueous emulsion of 2-10% concentration. based on the combined active ingredients, that is, composed of quaternary ammonium and fatty alcohol or phosphate ester.

US Patent 4,386,000 to Turner et al., Describes a concentrated fabric softening composition containing a cationic fabric softener and a viscosity control agent that is a combination

-6 of a first component, which is a non-cyclic hydrocarbon, fatty acid, fatty acid ester, or fatty acid with a water-soluble cationic polymer having an average molecular weight in the range of about 2000 to about 250,000. water-insoluble cationic tissue is present in the composition in an amount of 8% to 22% and the viscosity regulating system includes from 0.5 to 6% of the first regulating component and from 0.05 to about 1% of the water-soluble cationic polymer, as a second regulatory component.

The Turner et al. Patent is indicated as representing an improvement over Verbrugen's European Patent Application 79200801.3 corresponding to Verbruggen patent 4,426,299.

The Verbruggen patent discloses concentrated fabric softening compositions containing water-insoluble cationic fabric softener and a viscosity control agent, which may be a non-cyclic hydrocarbon, a fatty acid or an ester thereof, or a fatty alcohol in a ratio of fabric softener for viscosity control agent from 5: 1 to 20: 1.

According to Turner et al., These compositions are less effective as viscosity reducing agents and concentrated compositions at temperatures close to or above the Krafft point of the cationic softener.

European Patent Application

0086105 describes fabric softening compositions containing a cationic fabric softener, lanolin and a viscosity control agent, which may be an electrolyte, a polymer, namely a polyethylene glycol, a ^C 12 “ ^C 40 ^θ hydrocarbon, ^its halogen derivatives, fatty acids ,

Cg-C ₂ 4> its esters of fatty acids, fatty alcohols, C _1Q C 4 g or water-miscible solvents. The cationic softener is present in amounts from 0.5 to 30% by weight to lanolin.i in amounts from 0.25 to 40% by weight, and when the viscosity control agent is fatty alcohol, it it is present in amounts of 0.25 to 15% by weight.

aqueous medium constitutes at least 25% composition and, preferably, at least 40% composition. However, none of the examples presented in this patent include fatty alcohol based viscosity regulating agent.

British patent application GB 2,007,734A describes a tissue softening concentrate for subsequent dilution to the final concentration of active ingredients. The concentrate contains an ammonium salt. quaternary grodo that contains at least one alkyl group of 8 to 30 carbon atoms, and an oily or substantially water-insoluble compound having oily / greasy properties. The latter includes, among others, long-chain fatty alcohols. Proportions of quaternary fabric softener to fatty alcohol compound of 1: 9, 1: 5, 4: 6, 9:10 or 9: 1 by weight, usually with a lower alkali alone or with a surfactant non-ionic addition to obtain a liquid concentrate or diluted composition. The compositions amaciamerjto _J tissue, i.e., concentrated .The diluted with water, are described as including from 3 to 20% by weight,

-8 active ingredients. However, the examples only indicate amounts of active ingredients ranging from about 2.33 to 10% by weight.

French Patent 2,298,600 and corresponding German Patent 2,503,026 to Hoechst A.G. describe liquid aqueous preparations for rinsing-softening agents, which include a germicidal agent. These preparations include a mixture of a cationic fabric softener, based on quaternary ammonium salt and a fabric softener based on an alkali-imidazole compound in a weight ratio of 2: 1 to 1: 2, about 1 to 6%, by weight, of a single cationic disinfectant; about 0.5 to 5%, by weight, of a long-chain fatty alcohol; about 0.1 to 5%, by weight, of a lower alkanol having about 1 to 3 carbon atoms; 0 to about 5%, by weight, of a non-ionic emulsifier, the remainder being water, perfume, coloring substance and optical brighteners.

German Patent 3,150,179-A1 to Hoechst A.G. relates to concentrated liquid premixtures of cationic fabric softeners with alkoxylated amines and an active / additional ingredient, which may be a fatty alcohol. Example 3 of this patent discloses a concentrate containing 40% of the cationic fabric softener 45% oleyl alcohol and 15% alkoxylated amine. Example 5 shows a concentration including 70%. by weight, of the fabric softener based on cationic quaternary ammonium salt, 20% isostearyl alcohol and 10% alkoxylated amine.

U.S. Patent 3,644,203 to Lamberti, et al. Discloses a fabric softening composition, which is a mixture of a (a) cationic fabric softener and (b) a complex of (i) C ₁₂ a fatty alkanol C ₂₂ or alkane diol and (ii) alkali metal (C ₁₂ to C ₁₀ ) alkali metal sulfate in a ratio of (a): (b) between 1.4: 1 and 10: 1 and a molar ratio (i): (ii) between 1: 1 and 1: 2.

In British Patent 1,604,030 and substantially equivalent disclosures in U.S. Patents 4,179,382 and 4,237,016 and European Patent Description 0002085 published on March 2, 1983, reference is made to cationic copolymers, interalia, of methacrylate dialkylaminoalkyl with styrene, neutral acrylic ester and N-vin1-pyrrolidone, as acid absorbers for transporting anionic surfactants. when used with cationic softeners in the rinse cycle.

The softening properties of the general class of cationic polyester salts are also suggested. While satisfactory results can be obtained with one or more of these fabric softening compositions of the prior art, further improvements in terms of softening performance are desirable. ease of handling, stability in storage, dispersion / dispersibility in cold water, viscosity control and overall cost efficiency.

Summary of the Invention The present invention features a water softening composition, stable at low and high temperatures, based on softening compounds from cationic tissues and a fatty alcohol having an alkyl group of about 10 to about 22 carbon atoms and a water-soluble cationic polymer.

More specifically, the present invention features aqueous and stable water softening compositions dispersed in warm and warm water, consisting of:

(A) 3 to 35%, by combined weight, of (i) a cationic fabric softener and (ii) a fatty alcohol having an alkyl group of about 10 to about 22 carbon atoms and (iii) a cationic polymer soluble in water in a weight ratio of (1): (ii) about 100: 1 to 1: 1 and (i): (ii) about 100: 1 to 1: 1;

(B) 0 to 0.5%. by weight of a water-soluble electrolyte;

(C) 0 to 5%, by weight, of an emulsifier; and (D) the rest up to 100% water and eventually one or more ingredients such as perfume, dye, optical brightener and disinfectant.

-11 Descriptive Memory and Preferred Realizations

The compositions of the present invention are stable aqueous compositions containing mixtures of a cationic fabric softener which is preferably a water-dispersible quaternary ammonium compound salt or a water-dispersible alkali-imidazolinium compound salt as described below in detail, a fatty alcohol and a cationic water-soluble polymer, also described below.

Softening agents are used to make fabrics or textiles soft, and the terms softening and softening are related to handling, hand, touch, or drying; it is the tactile impression given by the fabrics or textiles to the hand or body and they have aesthetic and commercial importance. The cationic fabric softeners used in the present invention can be any of the known and commercially existing cationic fabric softeners and, preferably, they are of the salt-type imidazolinium compound of water-dispersible quaternary ammonium compound but insoluble in water. water, including at least one and preferably two hydrophobic groups, containing at least 12 and preferably at least 14 carbon atoms.

A preferred class of cationic softeners is the quaternary ammonium salts of formula I:

-12R

I

R ₃ - N —Rx

X where R represents a hydrocarbyl group of about 12 to 24 and preferably about 14 to 22 carbon atoms: represents lower alkyl of 1 to 4, preferably 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or a hydrocarbyl group of 12 to 24. preferably 14 to 22 carbon atoms; R ₂ and Rg represent lower alkyl of 1 to 4 atoms preferably 1 to 3 carbon atoms and X represents an anion with the ability to provide solubility or dispersibility in water, such as halide, for example chloride, bromide, and iodide; sulfate, metasulfate. nitrile, nitrate, phosphate and carboxylate, for example, acetate, adipate, propionate, phthalate, benzoate, oleate. etc.,

The hydrocarbyl groups are preferably alkyl, but they can be alkenyl, aryl or aralkyl and can include various substituents or switch groups such as halo, starch, hydroxyl and carboxyl substituents, or functional switch groups and ethoxy or polyethoxy switch groups.

In addition, one or more of the lower alkyl groups can also be replaced, for example, by a hydroxy group. Typical cationic tissue softening compounds of formula I include the following:

-13 disteari1-dimethi1-ammonium chloride di-tallow-dimethylammonium chloride dihexadeci1-dimethi1-ammonium chloride disteari1-dimethi1-ammonium bromide (hydrogenated tallow) dimethi1-ammonium disteari1-ammonium chloride (disteari-amide 1) -dimethi-ammonium, a highly preferred class of cationic fabric softeners of formula I consists of water-insoluble compounds, where the groups R and R ^ are C ₁₄ to R ₂ is methyl or ethyl and Rg is methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, n-propyl. hydroxyethyl or droxypropyl.

A second preferred class of the cationic tissue softening active ingredient is the imidazoline compounds of formula II.

ch. - ch ₂

II ⁰ ι ¹ π + N ^ N - C ^ JU-NCR., /

[Ra Rft

-14 where R R is hydrogen or lower alkyl of 1 to 4, preferably 1 to 3 and most preferably 1 or 2 carbon atoms, R ₅ is an alkyl containing 9 to 25 carbon atoms, preferably linear higher alkyl of about 13 to 23, and most preferably 13 to 19 carbon atoms, Rg is an alkyl containing 8 to 25 carbons and preferably a substantially linear higher alkyl group of about 13 to 23, and preferably 13 to 19 atoms of carbon; R? is hydrogen or an alkyl containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, preferably 1 or 2, carbon atoms, and, X is as previously defined.

Typical examples of the alkali-imidazole compounds of formula II include:

methyl 1-1-tallow-starch-ethyl1-2-tallow-imidazolinium-methyl sulfate, methyl-1-oleyl-starch-ethyl-2-oleiimidazolinium-methyl-sulfate.

1-methyl-4- (palmitoyl starch) -ethi1-2-octadeciΙΑ, 5-dihydroimidazole chloride.

2-hepadeci1-1-methyl-1 - (2-stearyl starch) -ethi-1-imidazolinium chloride, 2-1-auri1-1-hydroxy-ethyl-4-oleyl-imidazolinium chloride.

Water dispersible cationic fabric softeners that can be used in the compositions of the present invention are not limited to those described above and any of the following can be used

-15 other useful and known water-dispersible cationic fabric softeners. In addition, many of the mixtures of the aforementioned cationic fabric softeners can also be used. The amount of softener can vary from about 2 to about 35% and generally up to 6, 8 or 10% of the formulation designated using 1: 1 and about 10. 12 or 15% up to 20, 25, and 35 % for so-called 3: 1 concentrates The second ingredient of the compositions is fatty alcohol, wherein the hydrophobic group may be a straight or branched chain alkyl or alkenyl group having from about 10 to 24, preferably from about 10 to 20 , most preferably about 12 to 20 carbon atoms. Specific examples of fatty alcohol include decanol. dodecanol. tetradecanol. pentadecanol, hexadecanol. octadecano.l. alcohol 1 aur ί 1 ico. to 1 palmitilic cool. stearyl alcohol. oleyl alcohol and its mixtures.

But also ',' fatty alcohol may be of natural or synthetic origin and may include, for example.mixed alcohol '.' namely C ag alcohols prepared by the polymerization of Zigler ethylene.

fatty alcohol is present in the composition in a lesser amount in relation to the cationic tissue softener and the weight ratio of cationic tissue softener to fatty alcohol can range from about 100: 1 to about 1: 1. preferably from about 10: 1 to about 3: 1, most preferably about 6: 1 to 3: 1.

Within these proportions, the fatty alcohol may be present in the formulation, in an amount, based on the total weight of the aqueous composition, in the range of about 1 to 10% by weight, preferably about 2.0 to 5% , by weight, for the concentrated formulation, and in the range of about 0.2 to 2%, preferably about 0.1 to 1.5%, by weight, for the ready-to-use formulation.

The amount of the water-soluble cationic polymer, relative to the cationic softener on a weight basis, is such that the softener-to-polymer ratio ranges from about 100: 1 to 1: 1. preferably 50: 1 to 2: 1, more preferably 30: 1 to 5: 1.

The cationic polymers are generally the polymerized and quaternized amine derivatives of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and methacrylamide.

Homopolymers are preferred although copolymers with less than about 50 mol% of polymerizable comonomers (B) can be used.

Illustrative monomers (prior to quaternization) are

N .bl-dimethyl lamino acrylate

N, N-diethylamino acrylate

Ν, Ν-dimethyl amino methacrylate

Ν, Ν-diethyl amino methacrylate

-17Ν, N-diisopropyl amino methacrylate and copolymers such as,

N-rvini 1-pyrrole idona 1-methyl ether

Suitable molecular weights range from about 50,000 to several million (eg,

100,000; 250,000; 400,000; 1 million, 2 million, etc.) most preferred material of all is a homopolymer of the monomer unit of the formula ch ₃ ch ₃

I o)

CH., = CH - CO-CH ₂ CH ₂ - + N-CH ;,

I ch ₃

The total amount of the active fabric softening components (cationic fabric softener plus fatty alcohol) should be. at least about 11% by weight, preferably at least. 12% by weight, more preferably about 12 to 20% by weight, most preferably 12 to 16%. by weight, for the concentrated formulation.

-18Dentro these high concentrations of the fabric softening components, components can be obtained by / very stable and pourable compositions which do not gel when added to cold or hot water to Additionally, high total amounts of face ¹ of softening active ingredients fabrics, the consumer is provided with a wide range of choice in suitable dosages, which can also provide an effective softener / softener to a wide range of fabrics.

j

However, it is generally sufficient that the compositions of this invention have amounts that provide a concentration in the range of about 100 ppm to 10,000 ppm, preferably from about 50 ppm to about 500 ppm of total active ingredients, when added to the liquid. rinsing a wash cycle. Accordingly, the formulations must be diluted before being used in a concentration, depending on the initial concentration and desired level of yield, of about 1 to 4 times, preferably 2 to 3 times with water.

Λ

Tap water is sufficient for this purpose. For the ready-to-use formula, which can be conveniently added to the fabrics generally during the rinsing cycle of the overall washing operation in an automatic dishwasher, the total amount of active ingredients in the heater will be about 3 to 8% preferably about 3.5 to 6%. by weight, from / based on the total composition 1.

-19One of the important advantages of the present invention is the fact that it is not necessary to include any other active / additional ingredients, namely emulsifiers. nonionic surfactants, lower alkanols, etc., for formulating homogeneous and stable pourable compositions and from softening cationic tissues and fatty alcohol mixed

However, cationic softener and fatty alcohol only compositions tend to have too low a viscosity and the addition of polymer not only overcomes this deficiency

V as well as does not affect the softening performance.

j

The use of non-ionic surfactant dispersants can be used and in this regard, reference is made to US Patent 3,974,076, Col. 5 line 14 to col. 7 line 13 and non-ionic and the amounts mentioned are hereby incorporated by reference. Also useful are ethoxylated amines and their salts described in U.S. Patent 4,772,403.

In addition to the foregoing components of the softening composition of this invention, one can also include numerous conventional, supplementary and optional ingredients, which do not adversely affect the stability and / or the functional characteristics of the present compositions. Thus, for example, ubiquitous, perfumes, dyes, pigments, opacifiers, germicides, optical brighteners can be present. anti-rosin agents, preservatives and the like. When used, each of these components can make up to about 0.5%. preferably up to about 0.2%, for example, from 0.001% to about 0.1%, by weight of aqueous composition.

Perfumes, dyes and optical brighteners are especially preferred additives because they are an attraction for the consumer.

the rest of the compositions of the present invention consist of water, which can be distilled, deionized or tap water.

As previously mentioned, it is not generally necessary to add any additional ingredients to the active fabric softening components to obtain the homogeneous, stable, low viscosity, pourable and dispersible fabric softening compositions of this invention.

For example, in the case of a preferred embodiment of the invention, where the cationic fabric softener is diastearyl-dimethyl-ammonium chloride (CDSDMA) and where the fatty alcohol and a C ₁₈ alkyl alcohol, the composition is prepared directly by means of a high pressure homogenizer.

Thus, the mixture of CDSDMA and alcohol ^C 16 ^C 18 'when dispersed in hot water forms a gel that can be disintegrated in a high pressure homogenizer resulting, after cooling, in a stable liquid product.

The following examples serve to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to be

-21limitations. The parts are by weight, unless otherwise specified.

Example 1

A composition is prepared containing

%. by weight di-tallow hydrogen chloride dimethyl ammonium 3,6

Alcohol 03 homopolymeric N, N-dimethylammonium-ethyl methacrylate chloride 0.2

This composition provides better softness than one without the polymer. In addition, the viscosity without the polymer is very low (20-40 cps) whereas, with it, the viscosity varies from 100 to 400 cps.

Claims (3)

1. Stable fabric softener composition, with an average viscosity of 0.1 to 0.4 Pas (100 to 400 centipoise), in an aqueous solution, characterized by comprising 3 to 35%, by weight, of a combination of a fabric softener water-insoluble cationic fabrics, a fatty alcohol having an alkyl group of 10 to 22 carbon atoms and a water-soluble acrylic cationic polymer, wherein said fabric softener composition includes 3 to 5% of a quaternary ammonium fabric softener, 0 , 75 to 1.5% of said fatty alcohol and 0.1 to 0.5% of water-soluble acrylic cationic polymer. Fabric softener composition according to claim 2, characterized in that said acrylic polymer is opol, Ν-dimethylammonium homopolymeric chloride. Fabric softening composition according to claim 2, characterized in that said fatty alcohol contains 16 to 18 carbon atoms. Asks you to deign ^to grant the respective invention patent Lisbon, April 19, 1990