Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D3/00—Other compounding ingredients of detergent compositions covered in group C11D1/00
  • C11D3/02—Inorganic compounds ; Elemental compounds
  • C11D3/04—Water-soluble compounds
  • C11D3/10—Carbonates ; Bicarbonates
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D1/00—Detergent compositions based essentially on surface-active compounds; Use of these compounds as a detergent
  • C11D1/66—Non-ionic compounds
  • C11D1/825—Mixtures of compounds all of which are non-ionic
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D3/00—Other compounding ingredients of detergent compositions covered in group C11D1/00
  • C11D3/02—Inorganic compounds ; Elemental compounds
  • C11D3/12—Water-insoluble compounds
  • C11D3/1233—Carbonates, e.g. calcite or dolomite
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D1/00—Detergent compositions based essentially on surface-active compounds; Use of these compounds as a detergent
  • C11D1/66—Non-ionic compounds
  • C11D1/72—Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D1/00—Detergent compositions based essentially on surface-active compounds; Use of these compounds as a detergent
  • C11D1/66—Non-ionic compounds
  • C11D1/75—Amino oxides

Definitions

• the invention relates to detergent compositions, and in particular to detergent compositions adapted for fabric washing.
• Detergent compositions commonly incorporate as major ingredients detergency builders together with detergent active compounds.
• Conventional detergency builders are commonly inorganic materials, particularly the condensed phosphates, for example sodium tripolyphosphate. It has, however, been suggested that the use of phosphate detergency builders can contribute to eutrophication problems.
• Alternative detergency builders which have been proposed, for example sodium nitrilotriacetate (NTA) and synthetic polyeleetrolyte materials, tend to be more expensive or less efficient than the phosphate detergency builders, or otherwise unsatisfactory for one reason or another.
• sodium carbonate can function as a detergency builder by removing the calcium from hard water in the form of precipitated calcium carbonate. But this precipitation takes some time, during which the unprecipitated calcium can interact with fatty soil and with the detergent active compounds in detergent compositions, leading to inferior detergency when compared with compositions based on sodium tripolyphosphate as the detergency builder, and the precipitated calcium carbonate tends to accumulate on washed fabrics, which can lead to fabric harshness.
• a detergent composition with an alkali metal carbonate detergency builder is improved by incorporating mixed amine oxide and nonionic detergent active compounds.
• Such compositions tend to give decreased inorganic deposits on washed fabrics and the fabrics feel softer after washing, compared with commercially available carbonate-based detergent compositions.
• a detergent composition comprises from about 5 to by weight of mixed amine oxide and nonionic detergent active compounds with from about 25 to 90% by weight of an alkali metal carbonate detergency builder.
• the alkali metal carbonate used may be any watersoluble carbonate or mixtures thereof, although the alkali metal carbonates, particularly the sodium salt, are preferred for reasons of cost and efficiency.
• the carbonate salt may be wholly or partailly neutralised, for example a sequi-carbonate may be used in partial replacement for the carbonate salt.
• the amount of the alkali metal car- United States Patent 0 Patented Oct. 22, 1974 bonate in a detergent composition can be varied Widely, but should be within the range of from about 25 to 90% by weight, whilst the practical range varies according to the conditions under which the detergent composition is intended to be used.
• the amount of alkali metal carbonate in a detergent composition would preferably be from about 25 to 75%, particularly from about 45 to by weight. Lower proportions of carbonate within the useful range tend to be more suitable under conditions of higher product concentrations 1n use.
• the amine oxide and the nonionic detergent active compounds used should normally be within the range of from about 1:3 to 3:1, preferably from about 2:1 to 1:2 parts by weight, and at a ratio of about 1:1 for optimum detergency. However, for economic reasons it is normally desirable to use less of the amine oxide than the nonionic detergent active compound, that is to operate within the range of about 1:3 to 1:1 parts by weight, respectively, as the amine oxide is usually considerably more expensive than the nonionic compound.
• the minimum amount of amine oxide for any significant benefits in accordance with the invention is about 1 part to 10 parts of the nonionic compound.
• the total concentration of the amine oxide and nonionic detergent active compounds is generally within the range of from about 5 to 25%, preferably from about 10 to 14% by weight. If any more than about 20% by weight of the mixed detergent active compounds are used, this can give rise to processing difficulties with very little increased detergency for the extra cost involved, both for the extra amounts of the active ingredients and for overcoming any processing difiiculties.
• Any detergent active nonionic compound can be used in the composition of the invention, many such materials being known in the art and being commercially available. They are generally condensation products of organic compounds having a hydrophobic group and a reactive hydrogen atom with an alkylene oxide, usually ethylene oxide.
• suitable nonionic compounds include condensation products of alkyl phenols, preferably with about 6-16 carbon atoms in the alkyl groups, with ethylene oxide, generally 5 to 25 E0, (i.e. 5 to 25 units of ethylene oxide per molecule); condensation products of aliphatic (preferably C C natural or synthetic alcohols with ethylene oxide, generally 5 to 15 E0, and condensation products of polypropylene glycol with ethylene oxide.
• nonionic compounds which can be used are the condensation products of diols with alkylene oxides, especially ethylene oxide, for example alkane (C -C diol-5-l2 E0 condensates. Mixed nonionic compounds may be used if desired. Many other suitable nonionic detergent active compounds are described in the ilterature, for example in Surface Active Agents and Detergents," Vols I and II by Schwartz, Perry and Berch.
• R is a C -C alkyl or alkenyl group and R and R are C -C alkyl groups or C hydroxyalkyl groups.
• R is preferably a linear alkyl group and R and R are preferably the same group, for example methyl groups.
• Specific amine oxides which may be mentioned are dimethyl hardened-tallow amine oxide and dimethyl cocoamine oxide.
• Alternative amine oxides include compounds containing a benzene ring in the group R with R and R being as before, for example dimethyl (C -C alkyl benzyl amine oxide.
• Suitable amine oxides are compounds in which the nitrogen atom is contained in a heterocylic ring, for example N-alkyl morpholine-N-oxides.
• Other types of amine oxides are described in the literature, for example in the book Surface Active Agents and Detergents mentioned above, and many specific amine oxides, some being novel compounds, are listed in the following Examples. It will be appreciated that amine oxides have a dative or semi-polar bond and as such are not nonionic detergent active compounds for the purposes of this specification, although amine oxides are for convenience sometimes included within that term in the art.
• an alkali metal silicate particularly a sodium silicate, for example sodium alkaline or meta-silicate.
• a low level of silicate for example from about 5 to 15% by weight, is usually advantageous in decreasing the corrosion of metal parts in fabric washing machines.
• the presence of silicate can also contribute to deceased inorganic deposition and at higher levels may give an improvement in detergency.
• the amount of silicate should not normally exceed about 30% by weight of the composition.
• the amount and type of the silicate also has an effect on the pH of the composition, which is preferably within the range of from about pH to 11, for a 0.1% by weight aqueous solution of the composition.
• the detergent compositions of the invention may include any of the usual optional ingredients, for example, perfumes, colourants, fabric softening agents, fungicides, germicides, enzymes, fluorescent agents, anti-redeposition agents such as SCMC, hydrotropes and in the case of liquid compositions opacifiers and organic solvents such as lower aliphatic alcohols.
• Other ingredients such as chemical bleaches, for example sodium perborate with or without the presence of per-acid precursors, chlorineliberating bleach compounds and inorganic salts such as sodium sulphate and sodium chloride may also be present if desired.
• the compositions also usually contain amounts of water, for example in the range of from about 5' to by weight in the case of powdered detergent compositions.
• detergent active compounds other than the nonionic and amine oxide compounds may be included in the compositions, but it is preferable to exclude from the compositions any anionic detergent active compounds, as the presence of any significant amounts of these compounds, for example more than about 5% by weight, tends to give decreased detergency, possibly due to some interaction with the amine oxide detergent active compounds.
• Detergency builders other than sodium carbonate may be included in the compositions if desired though they will normally be in small amounts of, say, up to about 10 percent by weight of the composition.
• detergency builders include, for example sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium nitrilotriacetate, sodium citrate, sodium salts of oxidised polysaccharides, sodium carboxymethyloxysuccinate, sodium oxydisuccinate, sodium hydrofuran tetracarboxylate, sodium mellitate and polyelectrolyte builders such as sodium copolyethylene-maleate, and other precipitant builders such as sodium orthophosphate, sodium a-sulphonated fatty acids and sodium (C C alkenyl succinates.
• detergency builders especially the sequestrant builders, can have a tendency to inhibit inorganic deposition on washed fabrics.
• Polyphosphates such as sodium tripolyphosphate are particularly efiicient in this respect.
• Weaker sequestrant builders such as sodium citrate, tetrasodium cyclopentane dicarboxylate, sodium mellitate and sodium carboxymethyloxysuccinate can also have an inorganic deposition inhibiting effect but they need to be used in higher amounts, of, say, from about 20% to 40% by weight for an appreciable effect, unless they are used in conjunction with other anti-deposition agents.
• compositions according to the invention include aromatic solvents containing one or more substituted aromatic rings, which in the latter case may be fused or linked.
• Dibutyl phthalate and analogous solvents are particularly efficient.
• the amount of solvent should be from about 4% by weight of the composition up to a maximum level of 1 part solvent to 1 part of total detergent active compounds.
• Additives to accelerate the rate of precipitation of calcium carbonate may also be used advantageously, for example nucleating agents such as finely ground calcite or aragonite.
• nucleating agents such as finely ground calcite or aragonite.
• additives to inhibit inorganic deposition may tend to decrease detergency, so it is neces sary to balance the two effects for optimum properties in the compositions.
• compositions of the invention may be solid compositions, for example in powdered, granular or tablet form, semi-solid paste or gel compositions, or they may be liquids.
• the compositions can be made by conventional processes, for example by spray-drying aqueous slurries to produce detergent powders, but the nature of the amine oxide and nonionic detergent active compounds used may require that the aqueous slurries so formed have increased moisture levels to provide adequate flow properties for pumping and spray-drying.
• the amine oxide in particular can cause slurry thickening, even when used at low levels and in this case alternative processing techniques may be adopted, for example the amine oxide and nonionic compound may be together or separately added to the slurry immediately prior to spray-drying or sprayed onto the particulate sodium carbonate in a suitable mixing vessel. In this event it may also be helpful to admix with the amine oxide or amine oxide/nonionic mixture a small amount of a solvent, such as isopropyl alcohol, but this compound is volatile and its excessive use should be avoided.
• a solvent such as isopropyl alcohol
• nonionic detergent active compounds When normal slurry making is used for the production of compositions containing higher levels of nonionic detergent active compounds, it may be beneficial to add materials to decrease the tendency for the nonionic compounds to separate out during slurry-making.
• suitable nonionic slurry separation inhibitors are ethylenemaleic anhydride copolymers and vinylmethylether -maleic anhydride copolymers the use of which is described in more detail in our Canadian Pat. No. 704,074. If the resultant powders are sticky, Whether or not the slurry separation inhibitors are used, it may be desirable to add to the resultant powders flow aids, which are commercially available materials, such as Alusil AN, a sodium alumino-silicate.
• compositions are of particular utility in the field of fabric washing they can also be used for other general or specific cleaning purposes. It should be noted for fabric washing purposes that the action of sodium carbonate in removing the calcium from the hard water in the form of calcium carbonate can take a short time, and it may be desirable to delay the addition of clothes to the wash solution until the free calcium level is decreased to an acceptable level, which may take say, from /2 to, say, 5 minutes or more in adverse conditions. This tends to improve the detergency of the compositions and contribute to decreased inorganic deposition.
• detergent compositions according to the invention are illustrated by the following Examples in all of which parts are by Weight except where otherwise indicated.
• EXAMPLE 1 A detergent powder was prepared by conventional slurry-making and spray-drying techniques to the following formulation:
• the detergent composition of this Example was further evaluated in machine washing trials against a commercially-available sodium tripolyphosphate-built detergent powder containing 40% sodium tripolyphosphate, 16% sodium linear sec-alkyl benzene sulphonate, 5% alkaline silicate and the usual fluorescent agent and anti-redeposition additives.
• the results showed an improvement in detergency for the amine oxide-nonionic active based composition according to the invention, whilst the fabric feel and antiredeposition properties of both compositions were very satisfactory.
• EXAMPLE 2 In order to compare the detergencies of detergent compositions containing mixed amine oxide and nonionic detergent active compounds with compositions containing the same compounds alone, and with comparative commercially-available products, a series of compositions were prepared and the detergencies determined using a variety of difierent standard soiled test cloths under standard conditions at 0.15% product concentration in water of 18 French hardness (CazMg at 2:1) at 50 C. The results were as follows in Table I.
• Aromox DMCDW (dimethylcocoamine oxide).
• Example 5 A further batch of the detergent composition of Example 5 was tested for detergency with a variety of test cloths under standard conditions as described in Example 2, except for varying total product concentrations.
• Example 2 For comparative purposes the same tests were undertaken with a commercially-available sodium tripolyphosphatebuilt detergent powder A, as described in Example 1.
• the results were as follows in Table 3, the detergencies for the comparative powder A being shown in parenthesis following each result for the composition according to the invention:
• a detergent composition was prepared by conventional spray-drying techniques with the following formulation:
• lhe amine oxide was varied in each example as shown in Table 4 below; and in a control product the 6% of amine oxide was replaced by a further 6% of the same nonionic compound.
• EXAMPLES 22 TO 34 IA series of laboratory tests were undertaken using both an amine oxide and sodium tripolyphosphate to inhibit inorganic deposition.
• the general formulation used was the same as described in Examples 10 to 21 except for the addition of 0.3% of sodium tripolyphosphate.
• the following amine oxides were found to give no noticeable inorganic deposit after 5 Wash cycles using the same conditions as described for Examples 10 to 21.
• Amine oxide 35 Dimethyl-N-(p-octylbenzyl sulphonamido-propyDamine oxide.
• EXAMPLE 39 1 0 EXAMPLES 40-54
• a series of detergent solutions were prepared with varying proportions of an amine oxide (Aromox DWCDW) and different nonionic detergent active compounds totaling in each example 12%, or with 12% of either of the detergent active compounds alone for comparative purposes, with either (in Examples -42 and comparative products (a) and (b)) or 40% (in Examples 43-54 and comparatives (c) t (i)) of sodium carbonate and with 10% of sodium alkaline silicate.
• the compositions were compared for their fabric washing detergency using a Terg-O-Tometer at a product concentration of 0.15% in water of 18 French Hardness (Ca+:Mg*+, 2:1) at C.
• Test cloths as described in Example 2 were used and added after the composition in each case, and washing was carried out for 10 minutes followed by a 1 minute rinse.
• the percentage detergency was determined by calculation from the light reflectances of the test cloths before and after washing: the results are shown in Table ture content (3%).
• Percent inorganic deposit 10 washes 20 washes When no amine oxide was present in the compositions, i.e. as in comparative products (a), (C), (g) and (i) the levels of inorganic deposits were all about 4% after 10 washes and 8% after 20 washes.
• EXAMPLES 58 TO 61 Four detergent compositions were prepared of which two included a solvent, dibutyl phthalate, to improve the detergency in respect of fatty soil on synthetic fabrics.
• the compositions were evaluated in a Terg-O-Tometer to determine the percentage detergency with a 65 Dacron polyester/ cotton test cloth soiled with used motor vehicle crankcase oil, using a procedure in which the test cloth was firstly rubbed with a stitf (70%) paste of the product, rinsed and then washed and rinsed normally using water of 18 French Hardness (Ca +:Mg 2:1) at 50 C. using a product concentration of 0.2%.
• the formulations and their detergencies were as follows:
• EXAMPLES 62 TO 65 Four detergent compositions were prepared to a similar formulation except for one optional ingredient which was either calcium carbonate (in the form of finely ground aragonite or calcite), additional sodium carbonate or sodium sulphate.
• the base formulation was as follows:
• a solid detergent composition consisting essentially of from about 5 to 25% by weight of a mixture of (a) an amine oxide detergent active compound having the formula R R R N O where R is a C -C alkyl or alkenyl group or a C C al-kyl benzyl group or a C -C alkyl amido group and R and R are C -C alkyl groups or C C hydroxyalkyl groups or Where R and R are conjoined to form a hcterocyclic ring with the nitrogen atom, and (B) a nonionic detergent active compound which is a condensation product of an aliphatic alcohol or an alkyl phenol with ethylene oxide, the ratio of the amine oxide to the nonionic detergent active compound being from about 3:1 to 1:10 parts by weight, from about 25% to 75% by weight of an alkali metal carbonate detergency builder, and from about 10% to about 50% by weight of finely ground calcium carbonate.
• R R R N O where R is a C -C
• composition according to claim 1 wherein the alkali metal carbonate detergency builder is sodium carbomate.
• a composition according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the alkali metal carbonate is from about 45% to 70% by weight of the composition.
• composition according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of the amine oxide to the nonionic detergent active compound is from about 3:1 to 1:3 parts by weight.
• composition according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of the amine oxide to the nonionic detergent active compound is about 1:1 parts by weight.
• composition according to claim 1 wherein the amine oxide detergent active compound has the general formula:
• R is a C -C alkyl or alkenyl group and R and R are the same or diiierent C -C alkyl groups or C -C hydroxy alkyl groups.
• composition according to claim 1 wherein the amount of the mixed amine oxide and nonionic detergent active compounds is from about 10% to 14% by weight.
• composition according to claim 1 additionally comprising an aromatic solvent in an amount of from about 4% by weight to a level not greater than that of the total detergent active compounds.
• composition according to claim 9 wherein the 5 solvent is dibutyl phthalate.
• composition according to claim 1 additionally comprising not more than about 10% by weight of sodium tripolyphosphate.
• composition according to claim 1 additionally comprising from about 5 to 15% by weight of sodium silicate.

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• Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
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• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
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Cited By (32)

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• 1971
  • 1971-04-02 GB GB850571A patent/GB1379024A/en not_active Expired
• 1972
  • 1972-03-28 CA CA138,559*7A patent/CA974138A/en not_active Expired
  • 1972-03-28 NO NO1063/72A patent/NO139564C/no unknown
  • 1972-03-29 DE DE2215371A patent/DE2215371C2/de not_active Expired
  • 1972-03-29 BE BE781434A patent/BE781434A/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1972-03-30 FR FR7211311A patent/FR2132274B1/fr not_active Expired
  • 1972-03-30 US US00239808A patent/US3843563A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1972-03-30 CH CH480372A patent/CH574494A5/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1972-03-30 ES ES401392A patent/ES401392A1/es not_active Expired
  • 1972-03-30 SE SE7204237A patent/SE411915B/sv unknown
  • 1972-03-30 AU AU40595/72A patent/AU471024B2/en not_active Expired
  • 1972-03-31 AT AT283472A patent/AT320107B/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1972-04-01 ZA ZA722200*7A patent/ZA722200B/xx unknown
  • 1972-04-01 IT IT68055/72A patent/IT954601B/it active
  • 1972-04-01 JP JP3487872A patent/JPS5734320B1/ja active Pending
  • 1972-04-04 NL NLAANVRAGE7204495,A patent/NL179066C/xx not_active IP Right Cessation

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