WO2000066698A1 - Detergent forms with solid binding agents - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to detergent forms containing 0.1 to 10 wt. % of one or more paraffins that are solid at room temperature. The inventive detergent forms have advantageous technical application properties such as increased resistance to abrasion and stability. The paraffins used preferably have a particle size of less than 400 mu m.

Description

 . Detergent tablets with solid binders

The present invention is in the field of compact moldings which have washing and cleaning properties. Such detergent tablets comprise, for example, detergent tablets for washing textiles, detergent tablets for machine dishwashing or cleaning hard surfaces, bleach tablets for use in washing machines or dishwashers, water softening tablets or stain tablets. In particular, the invention relates to detergent tablets which are used for washing textiles in a household washing machine and are briefly referred to as detergent tablets.

Detergent tablets are widely described in the prior art and are becoming increasingly popular with consumers because of the simple dosage. Tableted detergents and cleaning agents have a number of advantages over powdered ones: They are easier to dose and handle and, thanks to their compact structure, have advantages in terms of storage and transport. Detergent tablets are therefore also comprehensively described in the patent literature. A problem that occurs again and again when using shaped articles which are active in washing and cleaning is the insufficient rate of disintegration and dissolution of the shaped articles under conditions of use. Since sufficiently stable, that is to say shape and break-resistant molded articles can only be produced by relatively high compression pressures, there is a strong compression of the molded article components and to a consequent delayed disintegration of the shaped body in the aqueous liquor and thus to a slow release of the active substances in the washing or cleaning process. The delayed disintegration of the moldings has the further disadvantage that conventional detergent tablets cannot be washed in via the washing-in chamber of household washing machines, since the tablets do not disintegrate into secondary particles that are small enough to be washed into the washing drum from the washing-in chamber to become. Another problem that arises in particular with detergent tablets is the friability of the tablets or their often insufficient stability against abrasion. Sufficiently break-stable, ie hard, detergent tablets can be produced, but these are often not able to withstand the stresses during packaging, transport and handling, ie falling and rubbing stresses, so that edge breakage and abrasion phenomena impair the appearance of the tablet or even lead to a complete destruction of the molded body structure.

To overcome the dichotomy between hardness, i.e. Transport and handling stability, and easy disintegration of the moldings, many solutions have been developed in the prior art. An approach known in particular from the pharmaceutical industry and extended to the field of detergent tablets is the incorporation of certain disintegration aids which facilitate access to water or which swell or develop gas or other forms of disintegration when water enters. Other proposed solutions from the patent literature describe the cessation of premixes of certain particle sizes, the separation of individual ingredients from certain other ingredients and the coating of individual ingredients or the entire molded article with binders.

For example, EP 687 464 (Allphamed Arzneimittel-Gesellschaft) describes effervescent tablets, consisting of at least one active ingredient or combination of active ingredients, at least one binder, optionally carriers such as flavors, colors, fragrances, plasticizers, bleaching agents and effervescent additives, propylene glycol or glycerol being the binder, preferably in amounts of 0.004 to 2.5% by weight. Methods for producing these effervescent tablets are also claimed. After the Statements of this document can also be used to produce a detergent effervescent tablet with the teaching according to the invention, without the binders used leading to a loss of carbon dioxide in the effervescent additives.

European patent application EP 711 828 (Unilever) describes detergent tablets which contain surfactant (s), builders (e) and a polymer which acts as a binding and disintegration aid. The binders disclosed in this document should be solid at room temperature and should be added to the premix to be treated as a melt. Preferred binders are the higher molecular weight polyethylene glycols.

The use of solid polyethylene glycols is also described in German patent application DE 197 09 411.2 (Henkel). This document teaches synergistic effects between the polyethylene glycols and over-dried amorphous silicates.

Paraffin as a component of detergents and cleaning agents in tablet form is described in the prior art either as a coating substance (paraffin waxes) or as a mold release and tabletting aid (paraffin oil). EP 255 779 (Unilever) discloses laundry aftertreatment agents in tablet form which contain an aftertreatment agent and a substance for delayed release of this agent. Paraffin waxes, (a) cyclic mono- and polyfunctional alcohols and esters are preferably used for this.

The production of non-stable detergent tablets for the dishwasher is disclosed in international patent application WO 96/23053 (Henkel). 15 to 60% by weight of pentaalkali metal phosphate, 35 to 80% by weight of alkali metal silicate and further optional components such as up to 20% by weight of sodium carbonate, up to 18% by weight of a bleaching agent and up to 3% by weight Paraffin oil and / or up to 3% by weight of low-foaming nonionic surfactant are mixed with one another and the mixture is compressed using pressures of more than 7 MPa.

The use of solid paraffins to improve the abrasion stability of laundry detergent and cleaning product form has not been mentioned in the prior art. The present invention was based on the object of providing moldings which are characterized by short disintegration times given a given hardness and can thus also be metered via the dispensing chamber of household washing machines. In addition to these requirements, the molded body should have an increased stability against falling and rubbing loads, have an improved, ie reduced friability and a reduced abrasion behavior.

It has now been found that the addition of solid paraffins to detergent and cleaning agent pre-mixtures provides molded bodies which are significantly more abrasion-resistant and considerably less friable than the previously known molded bodies. The use of the additives mentioned does not influence the breaking hardness of the detergent tablets, or only to a minor extent.

The present invention relates to detergent tablets made of compressed particulate detergent and detergent, containing surfactant (s), builder (s) and, optionally, further conventional detergent ingredients which, based on the weight of the molded article, are up to 10% by weight. -% of one or more paraffins solid at room temperature.

In the context of the present invention, the term “paraffin solid at room temperature” denotes paraffins which melt above 20 ° C. The limit of 20 ° C. does not represent a fixed melting point above which the substances which can be used according to the invention are immediately present in solid, particulate particle form. Rather, there is a temperature interval for the melting points within which semi-solid or wax-like paraffins exist.For semi-solid paraffin qualities with melting points of 45-65 °, names like soft paraffin are preferred, for those with densities from 0.82 to 0.88 ^"3 and Melting points from 38 to 60 ° C and boiling points> 300 ° C names like petrolatum in use; a well-known trademark for the latter is petroleum jelly. Hard paraffin (Paraffmum solidum) is also known, a solid crystalline mass with a solidification temperature of 50 to 62 ° C. In the context of the present invention, all paraffins which are solid (ie non-liquid) at room temperature can be used, paraffins which are present in particulate form at room temperature and which can be used as bulk materials being used with particular preference.

Preferred amounts, in which paraffins according to the invention are contained in the detergent tablets, are within narrower ranges, so that detergent tablets are preferred in which the paraffin content of paraffins solid at room temperature is 0.25 to 7.5% by weight. -%, preferably 0.3 to 5 wt .-% and in particular 0.5 to 3 wt .-%, each based on the molded body weight.

As already mentioned above, paraffins which have a particle shape are used with particular preference. Within this preferred group of hard paraffins, paraffins are again preferred which have certain particle sizes. Preferred detergent tablets are characterized in that at least 60% by weight, preferably at least 75% by weight and in particular at least 90% by weight of the paraffins contained in them at room temperature have particle sizes below 400 μm.

The particle size distribution is preferably further shifted towards small particles, so that particularly preferred detergent tablets are characterized in that all of the paraffins contained in them at room temperature have particle sizes below 400 μm, it being preferred that at least 30% by weight be used. %, preferably at least 40% by weight and in particular at least 50% by weight of the paraffin particles have particle sizes below 200 μm.

The hard paraffins used with particular preference within certain particle size ranges preferably have higher melting or solidification ranges. The melting point of the paraffins present at room temperature in the detergent tablets according to the invention is preferably above 30 ° C., preferably above 40 ° C. and in particular above 50 ° C. Hard paraffms which have a solidification point above the temperatures mentioned are particularly preferred. The solidification point of paraffins can be determined using standard methods such as DIN ISO 2207. Preferred detergent tablets in the context of the present invention contain paraffins which are solid at room temperature and have a solidification point according to DIN-ISO 2207 between 40 and 80 ° C., preferably between 50 and 70 ° C. and in particular between 50 and 60 ° C.

The paraffins to be used preferably according to the invention can be characterized by a large number of further parameters. For example, it is advantageous if the paraffins used according to the invention have the lowest possible oil content (determinable according to DIN ISO 2908). Oil contents below 2% by weight, preferably below 1% by weight and in particular around 0.5% by weight, in each case based on the weight of the paraffin, are preferred. If no optical effects are to be achieved, it is furthermore advantageous if the color of the paraffin used according to the invention is pure white in order not to stand out from the matrix of the other ingredients. Further physical parameters with which the paraffins used in the detergent tablets according to the invention can preferably be characterized are the viscosity at elevated temperatures and the ability to penetrate.

It is advantageous if the paraffins used in the detergent tablets according to the invention have a viscosity at 100 ° C. which, according to the measurement method disclosed in DIN 51 562, is between 1 and 10 mm ² sec ^"1 , preferably between 2 and 6 mm ² sec ^' ' and in particular between 3.5 and 4.5 mm sec ^"1 . The penetrability of the paraffins used in the detergent tablets according to the invention in accordance with DIN 51 579 is preferably below 5 mm, preferably below 4 mm and in particular below 2 mm.

In addition to the paraffins which are solid at room temperature according to the invention, the detergent tablets of the present invention contain further Ingredients of washing and cleaning agents, in particular builders, surfactants, bleaches; Bleach activators, enzymes, etc. These substances are described in detail below.

In order to facilitate the disintegration of highly compressed moldings, it is possible to incorporate disintegration aids, so-called tablet disintegrants, in order to shorten the disintegration times. According to Römpp (9th edition, vol. 6, p. 4440) and Voigt "Textbook of pharmaceutical technology" (6th edition, 1987, p. 182-184), tablet disintegrants or disintegration accelerators are understood as auxiliary substances which are necessary for rapid disintegration of tablets in water or gastric juice and ensure the release of the pharmaceuticals in absorbable form.

These substances, which are also referred to as "explosives" due to their effect, increase their volume when water enters, whereby on the one hand the intrinsic volume increases (swelling) and on the other hand a pressure can be generated by the release of gases, which breaks the tablet into smaller particles disintegrates. Well-known disintegration aids are, for example, carbonate / citric acid systems, although other organic acids can also be used. Swelling disintegration aids are, for example, synthetic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) or natural polymers or modified natural products such as cellulose and starch and their derivatives, alginates or casein derivatives.

Preferred detergent tablets contain 0.5 to 10% by weight, preferably 3 to 7% by weight and in particular 4 to 6% by weight of one or more disintegration auxiliaries, in each case based on the molded article weight.

Disintegrants based on cellulose are used as preferred disintegrants in the context of the present invention, so that preferred washing and cleaning agent shaped bodies such a disintegrant based on cellulose in amounts of 0.5 to 10% by weight, preferably 3 to 7% by weight and in particular 4 contain up to 6 wt .-%. Pure cellulose has the formal gross composition (C ₆ H] ₀ O) _n and, formally speaking, is a ß-1,4-polyacetal of cellobiose, which in turn is made up of two molecules of glucose is built up. Suitable celluloses consist of approximately 500 to 5000 glucose units and consequently have average molecular weights of 50,000 to 500,000. Cellulose-based disintegrants which can be used in the context of the present invention are also cellulose derivatives which can be obtained from cellulose by polymer-analogous reactions. Such chemically modified celluloses include, for example, products from esterifications or etherifications in which hydroxy hydrogen atoms have been substituted. However, celluloses in which the hydroxyl groups have been replaced by functional groups which are not bound via an oxygen atom can also be used as cellulose derivatives. The group of cellulose derivatives includes, for example, alkali celluloses, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), cellulose esters and ethers and aminocelluloses. The cellulose derivatives mentioned are preferably not used alone as a cellulose-based disintegrant, but are used in a mixture with cellulose. The content of cellulose derivatives in these mixtures is preferably below 50% by weight, particularly preferably below 20% by weight, based on the cellulose-based disintegrant. Pure cellulose which is free of cellulose derivatives is particularly preferably used as the disintegrant based on cellulose.

The cellulose used as disintegration aid is preferably not used in finely divided form, but is converted into a coarser form, for example granulated or compacted, before being added to the premixes to be treated. Detergent tablets, which contain disintegrants in granular or, optionally, granulated form, are described in German patent applications DE 197 09 991 (Stefan Herzog) and DE 197 10 254 (Henkel) and in international patent application WO98 / 40463 (Henkel). These documents can also be found in more detail on the production of granulated, compacted or cogranulated cellulose disintegrants. The particle sizes of such disintegrants are usually above 200 μm, preferably at least 90% by weight between 300 and 1600 μm and in particular at least 90% by weight between 400 and 1200 μm. The above-mentioned and coarser cellulose-based disintegration aids described in the cited documents are within the scope of the present invention preferably used as disintegration aids and are commercially available, for example under the name of Arbocel ^® TF-30-HG from Rettenmaier.

Microcrystalline cellulose can be used as a further cellulose-based disintegrant or as a component of this component. This microcrystalline cellulose is obtained by partial hydrolysis of celluloses under conditions which only attack and completely dissolve the amorphous areas (approx. 30% of the total cellulose mass) of the celluloses, but leave the crystalline areas (approx. 70%) undamaged. A subsequent disaggregation of the microfine celluloses produced by the hydrolysis provides the microcrystalline celluloses, which have primary particle sizes of approximately 5 μm and can be compacted, for example, into granules with an average particle size of 200 μm.

Detergent tablets preferred in the context of the present invention additionally contain a disintegration aid, preferably a cellulose-based disintegration aid, preferably in granular, cogranulated or compacted form, in amounts of 0.5 to 10% by weight, preferably 3 to 7% by weight. -% and in particular from 4 to 6 wt .-%, each based on the molded body weight.

The detergent tablets according to the invention can contain all of the builders customarily used in detergents and cleaning agents, in particular thus zeolites, silicates, carbonates, organic cobuilders and, where there are no ecological prejudices against their use, also the phosphates.

Suitable crystalline, layered sodium silicates have the general formula NaMSiχO _2x + ι ^' HO, where M is sodium or hydrogen, x is a number from 1.9 to 4 and y is a number from 0 to 20 and preferred values for x 2, 3 or 4 are. Such crystalline layered silicates are described, for example, in European patent application EP-A-0 164 514. Preferred crystalline layered silicates of the formula given are those in which M represents sodium and x assumes the values 2 or 3. In particular, both β- and δ-sodium disilicates Na Si ₂ O ₅ 'yH ₂ O are preferred, with β-sodium disilicate can be obtained, for example, by the method described in international patent application WO-A-91/08171.

Amorphous sodium silicates with a module Na O: SiO of 1: 2 to 1: 3.3, preferably of 1: 2 to 1: 2.8 and in particular of 1: 2 to 1: 2.6, which are delayed in dissolution, can also be used and have secondary washing properties. The delay in dissolution compared to conventional amorphous sodium silicates can be caused in various ways, for example by surface treatment, compounding, compacting / compaction or by overdrying. In the context of this invention, the term "amoφh" is also understood to mean "roentgenamoφh". This means that the silicates in X-ray diffraction experiments do not provide sharp X-ray reflections, as are typical for crystalline substances, but at most one or more maxima of the scattered X-rays, which have a width of several degree units of the diffraction angle. However, it can very well lead to particularly good builder properties if the silicate particles are added

Electron diffraction experiments provide washed-out or even sharp diffraction maxima. This is to be integrated in such a way that the products have microcrystalline areas of size 10 to a few hundred nm, values up to max. 50 nm and in particular up to max. 20 nm are preferred. Such so-called X-ray silicates, which also have a delay in dissolution compared to conventional water glasses, are described, for example, in German patent application DE-A-44 00 024. Particularly preferred are compacted / compacted amorphous silicates, compounded amorphous silicates and over-dried X-ray silicates.

The finely crystalline, synthetic and bound water-containing zeolite used is preferably zeolite A and / or P. As zeolite P, zeolite ^MAP® (commercial product from Crosfield) is particularly preferred. However, zeolite X and mixtures of A. X and / or P are also suitable. Commercially available and can preferably be used in the context of the present invention, for example a co-crystallizate of zeolite X and zeolite A (about 80% by weight of zeolite X) ), which is sold by CONDEA Augusta SpA under the brand name VEGOBOND AX ^® and by the formula nNa ₂ O ^• (ln) K ₂ O ^' Al ₂ O ₃ ^" (2 - 2.5) SiO ₂ ^• (3.5 - 5.5) H ₂ O

can be described. The zeolite can be used both as a builder in a granular compound and can also be used for a kind of "powdering" of the entire mixture to be veφressed, usually both ways of incoφoration of the zeolite in the premix. Suitable zeolites have an average particle size of less than 10 μm (volume distribution; measurement method: Coulter Counter) and preferably contain 18 to 22% by weight, in particular 20 to 22% by weight, of bound water.

It is of course also possible to use the generally known phosphates as builder substances, provided that such use should not be avoided for ecological reasons. Of the large number of commercially available phosphates, the alkali metal phosphates, with particular preference for pentasodium or pentapotassium triphosphate (sodium or potassium tripolyphosphate), are of the greatest importance in the detergent and cleaning agent industry.

Alkali metal phosphates is the general term for the alkali metal (especially sodium and potassium) salts of the various phosphoric acids, in which one can distinguish between metaphosphoric acids (HPO) _n and orthophosphoric acid H ₃ PO in addition to higher molecular weight representatives. The phosphates combine several advantages: They act as alkali carriers, prevent limescale deposits on machine parts and lime incrustations in tissues and also contribute to cleaning performance.

Sodium dihydrogen phosphate, NaH PO, exists as a dihydrate (density 1.91 like ^"3 , melting point 60 °) and as a monohydrate (density 2.04 like ^{" 3} ). Both salts are white powders which are very easily soluble in water, which lose water of crystallization when heated and into the weakly acidic diphosphate (disodium hydrogen diphosphate, Na ₂ H ₂ P ₂ O) at 200 ° C, and at higher temperature in sodium trimetaphosphate (Na ₃ PO) and Maddrell's salt (see below). NaH ₂ PO is acidic; it arises when using phosphoric acid Sodium hydroxide solution adjusted to a pH of 4.5 and the mash is sprayed. Potassium dihydrogen phosphate (primary or monobasic potassium phosphate, potassium biphosphate, KDP), KH ₂ PO ₄ , is a white salt with a density of 2.33 ^"3 , has a melting point of 253 ° [decomposition to form potassium polyphosphate (KPO ₃ ) _x ] and is light soluble in water.

Disodium hydrogen phosphate (secondary sodium phosphate), Na ₂ HPO, is a colorless, very easily water-soluble crystalline salt. It exists anhydrous and with 2 mol. (Density 2.066 gladly ^"3 , water loss at 95 °), 7 mol. (Density 1.68 gladly ^{" 3} , melting point 48 ° with loss of 5 H ₂ O) and 12 mol. Water ( Density 1.52 ^"3 , melting point 35 ° with loss of 5 H ₂ O), becomes anhydrous at 100 ° and changes to diphosphate Na-ιP θ ₇ when heated. Disodium hydrogenphosphate is used by neutralizing phosphoric acid with soda solution Made from phenolphthalein as an indicator Dipotassium hydrogen phosphate (secondary or dibasic potassium phosphate), K HPO, is an amorphous, white salt that is easily soluble in water.

Trisodium phosphate, tertiary sodium phosphate, Na PO, are colorless crystals which like a dodecahydrate a density of 1.62 ^"3 and a melting point of 73-76 ° C (decomposition), as a decahydrate (corresponding to 19-20% PO ₅ ) a melting point of 100 ° C and in anhydrous form (corresponding to 39-40% P ₂ O ₅ ) have a density of 2.536 ^"3 . Trisodium phosphate is readily soluble in water with an alkaline reaction and is produced by evaporating a solution of exactly 1 mol of disodium phosphate and 1 mol of NaOH. Tripotassium phosphate (tertiary or triphase potassium phosphate), K ₃ PO ₄ , is a white, deliquescent, granular powder with a density of 2.56 ^"3 , has a melting point of 1340 ° and is readily soluble in water with an alkaline reaction Heating of Thomas slag with coal and potassium sulfate Despite the higher price, the more soluble, therefore highly effective, potassium phosphates are often preferred over corresponding sodium compounds in the cleaning agent industry.

Tetrasodium diphosphate (sodium pyrophosphate), Na ₄ P ₂ O ₇ , exists in anhydrous form (density 2.534, preferably ³ , melting point 988 °, also given 880 °) and as decahydrate (Density 1.815-1.836 like ^"3 , melting point 94 ° with loss of water). In the case of substances are colorless crystals which are soluble in water with an alkaline reaction. Na ₄ P ₂ O ₇ is formed by heating disodium phosphate to> 200 ° or by combining phosphoric acid with soda The decahydrate complexes heavy metal salts and hardness formers and therefore reduces the hardness of the water. Potassium diphosphate (potassium pyrophosphate), KPO ₇ , exists in the form of the trihydrate and provides a colorless, hygroscopic powder with the density 2.33 ^" , which is soluble in water, the pH of the 1% solution at 25 ° being 10.4.

Condensation of the NaH ₂ PO or the KH PO produces higher moles. Sodium and potassium phosphates, in which one can differentiate cyclic representatives, the sodium or potassium metaphosphates and chain-like types, the sodium or potassium polyphosphates. A large number of terms are used in particular for the latter: melt or glow phosphates, Graham's salt, Kurrol's and Maddrell's salt. All higher sodium and potassium phosphates are collectively referred to as condensed phosphates.

The technically important pentasodium triphosphate, Na ₅ P ₃ Oι ₀ (sodium tripolyphosphate), is an anhydrous or non-hygroscopic, water-soluble salt of the general formula NaO- [P (O) (ONa) -O] _n that crystallizes with 6 H ₂ O. -Na with n = 3. Approx. 17 g of the salt free from water of crystallization dissolve in 100 g of water at room temperature, approx. 20 g at 60 ° and 32 g at 100 °; After heating the solution at 100 ° for two hours, hydrolysis produces about 8% orthophosphate and 15% diphosphate. In the production of pentasodium triphosphate, phosphoric acid is reacted with sodium carbonate solution or sodium hydroxide solution in a stoichiometric ratio and the solution is dewatered by spraying. Similar to Graham's salt and sodium diphosphate, pentasodium triphosphate dissolves many insoluble metal compounds (including lime soaps, etc.). Pentapotassium triphosphate, K ₅ P Oι ₀ (potassium tripolyphosphate), for example in the form of a 50 wt .-% solution (> 23% P ₂ O ₅ , 25% K ₂ O) on the market. The potassium polyphosphates are widely used in the detergent and cleaning agent industry. There are also sodium potassium tripolyphosphates, which are also in the Can be used within the scope of the present invention. These occur, for example, when hydrolyzing sodium trimetaphosphate with KOH:

(NaPO ₃ ) ₃ + 2 KOH - »Na ₃ K ₂ P ₃ O ₁₀ + H ₂ O

According to the invention, these can be used just like sodium tripolyphosphate, potassium tripolyphosphate or mixtures of these two; Mixtures of sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium potassium tripolyphosphate or mixtures of potassium tripolyphosphate and sodium potassium tripolyphosphate or mixtures of sodium tripolyphosphate and potassium tripolyphosphate and sodium potassium tripolyphosphate can also be used according to the invention.

Organic cobuilders which can be used in the detergent tablets according to the invention are, in particular, polycarboxylates / polycarboxylic acids, polymeric polycarboxylates, aspartic acid, polyacetals, dextrins, other organic cobuilders (see below) and phosphonates. These classes of substances are described below.

Usable organic builders are, for example, the polycarboxylic acids which can be used in the form of their sodium salts, polycarboxylic acids being understood to mean those carboxylic acids which carry more than one acid function. For example, these are citric acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, sugar acids, aminocarboxylic acids, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), as long as such use is not objectionable for ecological reasons, and mixtures of these. Preferred salts are the salts of polycarboxylic acids such as citric acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, tartaric acid, sugar acids and mixtures of these.

The acids themselves can also be used. In addition to their builder action, the acids typically also have the property of an acidifying component and thus also serve to set a lower and milder pH value of washing or detergents. Citric acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, gluconic acid and any mixtures thereof can be mentioned in particular.

Polymeric polycarboxylates are also suitable as builders, for example the alkali metal salts of polyacrylic acid or polymethacrylic acid, for example those with a relative molecular weight of 500 to 70,000 g / mol.

For the purposes of this document, the molecular weights given for polymeric polycarboxylates are weight-average molecular weights M _{w of} the particular acid form, which were determined in principle by means of gel permeation chromatography (GPC), a UN detector being used. The measurement was made against an external polyacrylic acid standard, which provides realistic molecular weight values due to its structural relationship to the polymers investigated. This information differs significantly from the molecular weight information for which polystyrene sulfonic acids are used as standard. The molecular weights measured against polystyrene sulfonic acids are generally significantly higher than the molecular weights given in this document.

Suitable polymers are, in particular, polyacrylates, which preferably have a molecular weight of 2,000 to 20,000 g / mol. Because of their superior solubility, the short-chain polyacrylates which have molar masses from 2000 to 10000 g / mol, and particularly preferably from 3000 to 5000 g / mol, can in turn be preferred from this group.

Also suitable are copolymeric polycarboxylates, in particular those of acrylic acid with methacrylic acid and of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with maleic acid. Copolymers of acrylic acid with maleic acid which contain 50 to 90% by weight of acrylic acid and 50 to 10% by weight of maleic acid have proven to be particularly suitable. Their relative molecular weight, based on free acids, is generally 2,000 to 70,000 g / mol, preferably 20,000 to 50,000 g / mol and in particular 30,000 to 40,000 g / mol.

The (co) polymeric polycarboxylates can be used either as a powder or as an aqueous solution. The content of (co) polymeric polycarboxylates in the agents is preferably 0.5 to 20% by weight, in particular 3 to 10% by weight. To improve water solubility, the polymers can also contain allylsulfonic acids, such as, for example, allyloxybenzenesulfonic acid and methallylsulfonic acid, as monomers.

Biodegradable polymers of more than two different monomer units are also particularly preferred, for example those which contain salts of acrylic acid and maleic acid as well as vinyl alcohol or vinyl alcohol derivatives as monomers or those which contain salts of acrylic acid and 2-alkylallylsulfonic acid and sugar derivatives as monomers .

Further preferred copolymers are those which are described in German patent applications DE-A-43 03 320 and DE-A-44 17 734 and which preferably contain acrolein and acrylic acid / acrylic acid salts or acrolein and vinyl acetate as monomers.

Also to be mentioned as further preferred builder substances are polymeric aminodicarboxylic acids, their salts or their precursor substances. Particularly preferred are polyaspartic acids or their salts and derivatives, of which it is disclosed in German patent application DE-A-195 40 086 that in addition to cobuilder properties they also have a bleach-stabilizing effect.

Other suitable builder substances are polyacetals, which can be obtained by reacting dialdehydes with polyolcarboxylic acids which have 5 to 7 carbon atoms and at least 3 hydroxyl groups. Preferred polyacetals are obtained from dialdehydes such as glyoxal, glutaraldehyde, terephthalaldehyde and their mixtures and from polyol carboxylic acids such as gluconic acid and / or glucoheptonic acid.

Other suitable organic builder substances are dextrins, for example oligomers or polymers of carbohydrates, which can be obtained by partial hydrolysis of starches. The hydrolysis can be carried out by customary processes, for example acid-catalyzed or enzyme-catalyzed. They are preferably hydrolysis products with average molar masses in the range from 400 to 500,000 g / mol. Here is a polysaccharide with a dextrose equivalent (DE) in the range from 0.5 to 40, particularly preferred from 2 to 30, DE being a common measure of the reducing effect of a polysaccharide compared to dextrose, which has a DE of 100. Both maltodextrins with a DE between 3 and 20 and dry glucose syrups with a DE between 20 and 37 as well as so-called yellow dextrins and white dextrins with higher molar masses in the range from 2000 to 30000 g / mol can be used.

The oxidized derivatives of such dextrins are their reaction products with oxidizing agents which are capable of oxidizing at least one alcohol function of the saccharide ring to the carboxylic acid function. Such oxidized dextrins and processes for their preparation are known, for example, from European patent applications EP-A-0 232 202, EP-A-0 427 349, EP-A-0472 042 and EP-A-0 542 496 and international patent applications WO 92 / 18542, WO 93/08251, WO 93/16110, WO 94/28030, WO 95/07303, WO 95/12619 and WO 95/20608 are known. An oxidized oligosaccharide according to German patent application DE-A-196 00 018 is also suitable. A product oxidized at C _{6 of} the saccharide ring can be particularly advantageous.

Oxydisuccinates and other derivatives of disuccinates, preferably ethylenediamine disuccinate, are further suitable cobuilders. In this case, ethylenediamine-N, ^{N'-disuccinate} (EDDS) is preferably in the form of its sodium or magnesium salts. Glycerol disuccinates and glycerol trisuccinates are also preferred in this context. Suitable amounts for use in formulations containing zeolite and / or silicate are 3 to 15% by weight.

Other useful organic cobuilders are, for example, acetylated hydroxycarboxylic acids or their salts, which may also be in lactone form and which contain at least 4 carbon atoms and at least one hydroxyl group and a maximum of two acid groups. Such cobuilders are described, for example, in international patent application WO 95/20029.

Another class of substances with cobuilder properties are the phosphonates. These are, in particular, hydroxyalkane or aminoalkane phosphonates. Among the hydroxyalkane phosphonates, 1-hydroxyethane-1J-diphosphonate (HEDP) is of particular importance as a cobuilder. It is preferably used as the sodium salt, the disodium salt reacting neutrally and the tetrasodium salt in an alkaline manner (pH 9). Preferred aminoalkane phosphonates are ethylenediaminetetramethylenephosphonate (EDTMP), diethylenetriaminepentamethylenephosphonate (DTPMP) and their higher homologs. They are preferably in the form of the neutral sodium salts, e.g. B. as the hexasodium salt of EDTMP or as the hepta and octa sodium salt of DTPMP. HEDP is preferably used as the builder from the class of the phosphonates. The aminoalkanephosphonates also have a pronounced ability to bind heavy metals. Accordingly, it may be preferred, particularly if the agents also contain bleach, to use aminoalkanephosphonates, in particular DTPMP, or to use mixtures of the phosphonates mentioned.

In addition, all compounds that are able to form complexes with alkaline earth metal ions can be used as cobuilders.

The amount of builder is usually between 10 and 70% by weight, preferably between 15 and 60% by weight and in particular between 20 and 50% by weight. Again, the amount of builders used depends on the intended use, so that bleach tablets can have higher amounts of builders (for example between 20 and 70% by weight, preferably between 25 and 65% by weight and in particular between 30 and 55% by weight) ), for example detergent tablets (usually 10 to 50% by weight, preferably 12.5 to 45% by weight and in particular between 17.5 and 37.5% by weight).

Preferred detergent tablets also contain one or more surfactant (s). Anionic, nonionic, cationic and / or amphoteric surfactants or mixtures of these can be used in the detergent tablets according to the invention. Mixtures of anionic and nonionic surfactants are preferred from an application point of view. The total surfactant content the molded article is 5 to 60% by weight, based on the molded article weight, with surfactant contents above 15% by weight being preferred.

Anionic surfactants used are, for example, those of the sulfonate and sulfate type. The surfactants of the sulfonate type are preferably C 1 -C 8 -alkylbenzenesulfonates, olefin sulfonates, ie mixtures of alkene and hydroxyalkanesulfonates and disulfonates such as are obtained, for example, from C ₂ -C ₈ monoolefins with an end or internal double bond by sulfonation Gaseous sulfur trioxide and subsequent alkaline or acidic hydrolysis of the sulfonation products. Also suitable are alkanesulfonates which are obtained from -CC ₈ alkanes, for example by sulfochlorination or sulfoxidation with subsequent hydrolysis or neutralization. The esters of α-sulfofatty acids (ester sulfonates), for example the α-sulfonated methyl esters of hydrogenated coconut, palm kernel or tallow fatty acids, are also suitable.

Other suitable anionic surfactants are sulfonated fatty acid glycerol esters. Fatty acid glycerol esters are to be understood as meaning the mono-, di- and triesters and their mixtures, as obtained in the production by esterification of a monoglycerol with 1 to 3 moles of fatty acid or in the transesterification of triglycerides with 0.3 to 2 moles of glycerol. Preferred sulfated fatty acid glycerol esters are the sulfated products of saturated fatty acids having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, for example capric acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, myristic acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid or behenic acid.

As alk (en) yl sulfates are the alkali and in particular the sodium salts of the sulfuric acid semiesters of the C] ₂ -C ₈ fatty alcohols, for example from coconut oil alcohol, tallow fatty alcohol, lauryl, myristyl, cetyl or stearyl alcohol or the C 1 -C ₂₀ oxo alcohols and those half-esters of secondary alcohols of this chain length are preferred. Also preferred are alk (en) yl sulfates of the chain length mentioned which contain a synthetic, straight-chain alkyl radical prepared on a petrochemical basis and which have a degradation behavior analogous to that of the adequate compounds based on oleochemical raw materials. The Cj ₂ - C ₆ alkyl sulfates and C ₂ -C ₅ alkyl sulfates and C ₄ -C ₅ alkyl sulfates are preferred. In addition, 2,3-alkyl sulfates, which are produced for example in accordance with US Patent No. 3,234,258 or 5,075,041 and can be obtained as commercial products from Shell Oil Company under the name DAN ^®, are suitable anionic surfactants.

The sulfuric acid monoesters of straight-chain or branched C ₇ ethoxylated with 1 to 6 mol of ethylene oxide. ₂ -Alcohols, such as 2 -methyl-branched C -n -alcohols with an average of 3.5 moles of ethylene oxide (EO) or -CC ₈ fatty alcohols with 1 to 4 EO, are suitable. Because of their high foaming behavior, they are used in cleaning agents only in relatively small amounts, for example in amounts of 1 to 5% by weight.

Other suitable anionic surfactants are also the salts of alkylsulfosuccinic acid, which are also referred to as sulfosuccinates or as sulfosuccinic acid esters and which are monoesters and / or diesters of sulfosuccinic acid with alcohols, preferably fatty alcohols and especially ethoxylated fatty alcohols. Preferred sulfosuccinates contain C ₈ fatty alcohol residues or mixtures thereof. Particularly preferred sulfosuccinates contain a fatty alcohol residue which is derived from ethoxylated fatty alcohols, which in themselves are nonionic surfactants (description see below). Again, sulfosuccinates whose fatty alcohol residues are derived from ethoxylated fatty alcohols with a narrow homolog distribution are particularly preferred. It is also possible to use alk (en) ylsuccinic acid with preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the alk (en) yl chain or salts thereof.

Soaps are particularly suitable as further anionic surfactants. Saturated fatty acid soaps are suitable, such as the salts of lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, hydrogenated erucic acid and behenic acid, and in particular from natural fatty acids, e.g. Coconut, palm kernel or tallow fatty acids, derived soap mixtures.

The anionic surfactants, including the soaps, can be in the form of their sodium, potassium or ammonium salts and also as soluble salts of organic bases, such as mono-, di- or triethanolamine. The anionic surfactants are preferably in the form of their sodium or potassium salts, in particular in the form of the sodium salts. The nonionic surfactants used are preferably alkoxylated, advantageously ethoxylated, in particular primary alcohols having preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms and an average of 1 to 12 moles of ethylene oxide (EO) per mole of alcohol, in which the alcohol radical can be linear or preferably methyl-branched in the 2-position or may contain linear and methyl-branched radicals in the mixture, as are usually present in oxo alcohol radicals. However, alcohol ethoxylates with linear residues of alcohols of native origin with 12 to 18 carbon atoms, for example from coconut, palm, tallow or oleyl alcohol, and an average of 2 to 8 EO per mole of alcohol are particularly preferred. Preferred ethoxylated alcohols include, for example, _C12 - ₁₄ - alcohols with 3 EO or 4 EO, C ₉ -π alcohol containing 7 EO, C, _3- ι ₅ alcohols containing 3 EO, 5 EO, 7 EO or 8 EO , Ci2-ι ₈ - alcohols with 3 EO, 5 EO or 7 EO and mixtures of these, such as mixtures of C12-14 alcohol with 3 EO and C _{! -} ι - alcohol with 5 EO. The degrees of ethoxylation given represent statistical averages, which can be an integer or a fraction for a specific product. Preferred alcohol ethoxylates have a narrow homolog distribution (narrow range ethoxylates, NRE). In addition to these nonionic surfactants, fatty alcohols with more than 12 EO can also be used. Examples of this are tallow fatty alcohol with 14 EO, 25 EO, 30 EO or 40 EO.

In addition, alkyl glycosides of the general formula RO (G) can also be used as further nonionic surfactants, in which R is a primary straight-chain or methyl-branched, in particular methyl-branched aliphatic radical having 8 to 22, preferably 12 to 18, carbon atoms, and G is the symbol which stands for a glycose unit with 5 or 6 carbon atoms, preferably for glucose. The degree of oligomerization x, which indicates the distribution of monoglycosides and oligoglycosides, is any number between 1 and 10; x is preferably 1.2 to 1.4.

Another class of preferably used nonionic surfactants, which are used either as the sole nonionic surfactant or in combination with other nonionic surfactants, are alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or ethoxylated and propoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, preferably having 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the Alkyl chain, in particular fatty acid methyl esters, as described, for example, in Japanese patent application JP 58/217598 or which are preferably prepared by the process described in international patent application WO-A-90/13533.

Nonionic surfactants of the amine oxide type, for example N-coconut alkyl-N, N-dimethylamine oxide and N-tallow alkyl-N, N-dihydroxyethylamine oxide, and the fatty acid alkanolamides can also be suitable. The amount of these nonionic surfactants is preferably not more than that of the ethoxylated fatty alcohols, in particular not more than half of them.

Other suitable surfactants are polyhydroxy fatty acid amides of the formula (I),

R ¹

R-CO-N- [Z] (I)

in which RCO stands for an aliphatic acyl radical with 6 to 22 carbon atoms, R ^ for hydrogen, an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl radical with 1 to 4 carbon atoms and [Z] for a linear or branched polyhydroxyalkyl radical with 3 to 10 carbon atoms and 3 to 10 hydroxyl groups. The polyhydroxy fatty acid amides are known substances which can usually be obtained by reductive amination of a reducing sugar with ammonia, an alkylamine or an alkanolamine and subsequent acylation with a fatty acid, a fatty acid alkyl ester or a fatty acid chloride.

The group of polyhydroxy fatty acid amides also includes compounds of the formula (II)

R -OR ²

I.

R-CO-N- [Z] (II) in which R represents a linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl radical having 7 to 12 carbon atoms, R ^{1 represents} a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl radical or an aryl radical having 2 to 8 carbon atoms and R ^{2 represents} a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl radical or an aryl radical or an oxyalkyl radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, where

or phenyl radicals are preferred and [Z] stands for a linear polyhydroxyalkyl radical, the alkyl chain of which is substituted by at least two hydroxyl groups, or alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or propoxylated, derivatives of this radical.

[Z] is preferably obtained by reductive amination of a reduced sugar, for example glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, galactose, mannose or xylose. The N-alkoxy- or N-aryloxy-substituted compounds can then, for example according to the teaching of international application WO-A-95/07331, be converted into the desired polyhydroxy fatty acid amides by reaction with fatty acid methyl esters in the presence of an alkoxide as catalyst.

For the purposes of the present invention, detergent tablets are preferred which contain anionic (s) and nonionic (s) surfactant (s), with application technology advantages being able to result from certain quantitative ratios in which the individual classes of surfactants are used. Particular preference is given to detergent tablets which contain anionic and / or nonionic surfactant (s) and total surfactant contents above 2.5% by weight, preferably above 5% by weight and in particular above of 10% by weight, based in each case on the molded body weight.

For example, detergent tablets are particularly preferred in which the ratio of anionic surfactant (s) to nonionic surfactant (s) is between 10: 1 and 1:10, preferably between 7.5: 1 and 1: 5 and in particular between 5: 1 and 1: 2. Preference is also given to detergent tablets, the surfactant (s), preferably anionic (s) and or nonionic (s) surfactant (s), in amounts of 5 to 40% by weight, preferably 7.5 to 35% by weight. %, particularly preferably from 10 to 30% by weight % us in particular from 12.5 to 25 wt .-%, each based on the molded body weight.

From an application point of view, it can be advantageous if certain classes of surfactant are present in some phases of the detergent tablets or in the entire molded article, i.e. in all phases, are not included. A further important embodiment of the present invention therefore provides that at least one phase of the molded article is free from nonionic surfactants.

Conversely, the content of individual phases or the entire molded body, i.e. all phases, certain surfactants have a positive effect. The introduction of the alkyl polyglycosides described above has proven to be advantageous, so that detergent tablets are preferred in which at least one phase of the tablets contains alkyl polyglycosides.

Similar to the nonionic surfactants, the omission of anionic surfactants from individual or all phases can result in detergent tablets which are better suited for certain areas of application. It is therefore also conceivable within the scope of the present invention for detergent tablets to be made in which at least one phase of the tablet is free from anionic surfactants.

In addition to the above-mentioned constituents surfactant, builder and disintegration aid and in addition to the paraffin contained in the molded articles according to the invention, further substances from the group of bleaching agents, bleach activators, enzymes, pH regulators, fragrances, perfume carriers, fluorescent agents, dyes, can be used in the detergent tablets according to the invention. Foam inhibitors, silicone oils, anti-redeposition agents, optical brighteners, graying inhibitors,

Color transfer inhibitors and corrosion inhibitors may be included.

Among the compounds which serve as bleaching agents and supply H ₂ O ₂ in water, sodium perborate tetrahydrate and sodium perborate monohydrate are of particular importance. Further bleaching agents that can be used are, for example, sodium percarbonate, peroxypyrophosphates, citrate perhydrates and H ₂ O ₂ -supplying peracidic salts or peracids, such as perbenzoates, peroxophthalates, diperazelaic acid, phthaloiminoperic acid or diperdodecanedioic acid. Even when using the bleaching agents, it is possible to dispense with the use of surfactants and / or builders, so that pure bleach tablets can be produced. If such bleach tablets are to be used for textile washing, a combination of sodium percarbonate with sodium sesquicarbonate is preferred, regardless of which other ingredients are contained in the molded articles. If cleaning tablets or bleach tablets for machine dishwashing are manufactured, bleaching agents from the group of organic bleaching agents can also be used. Typical organic bleaching agents are the diacyl peroxides, such as dibenzoyl peroxide. Other typical organic bleaching agents are the peroxy acids, examples of which are in particular the al yl peroxy acids and the aryl peroxy acids. Preferred representatives are (a) peroxybenzoic acid and its ring-substituted derivatives, such as alkylperoxybenzoic acids, but also peroxy-α-naphthoic acid and magnesium monophosphate, (b) the aliphatic or substituted aliphatic peroxyacids, such as peroxylauric acid, peroxystearic acid, ε-phthaloxyhexanoic acid (ε-phthaloxyhexanoic acid) )], o-

Carboxybenzamidoperoxycaproic acid, N-nonenylamidoperadipic acid and N-nonenylamidopersuccinate, and (c) aliphatic and araliphatic peroxydicarboxylic acids, such as 1, 12-diperoxycarboxylic acid, 1, 9-diperoxyazelaic acid, diperoxydiacid-2-diperoxydiacid, diperoxybrassyldiacid, diperoxybrassyldiacid, diperoxybrassyldalsyl, , N-terephthaloyl-di (6-aminopercapronic acid) can be used.

Chlorine or bromine-releasing substances can also be used as bleaching agents in moldings for automatic dishwashing. Suitable materials which release chlorine or bromine include, for example, heterocyclic N-bromo- and N-chloramides, for example trichloroisocyanuric acid, tribromoisocyanuric acid,

Dibromo isocyanuric acid and / or dichloroisocyanuric acid (DICA) and / or their salts with cations such as potassium and sodium are considered. Hydantoin compounds such as 1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydanthoin are also suitable. In order to achieve an improved bleaching effect when washing or cleaning at temperatures of 60 ° C. and below, bleach activators can be incorporated as the sole component or as an ingredient of component b). Bleach activators which can be used are compounds which, under perhydrolysis conditions, give aliphatic peroxocarboxylic acids having preferably 1 to 10 C atoms, in particular 2 to 4 C atoms, and / or optionally substituted perbenzoic acid. Suitable substances are those which carry O- and or N-acyl groups of the number of carbon atoms mentioned and / or optionally substituted benzoyl groups. Preferred are multiply acylated alkylenediamines, in particular tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED), acylated triazine derivatives, in particular 1,5-diacetyl-2,4-dioxohexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (DADHT), acylated glycolurils, in particular tetraacetylglycoluril (TAGU), N- Acylimides, in particular N-nonanoylsuccinimide (NOSI), acylated phenolsulfonates, in particular n-nonanoyl- or isononanoyloxybenzenesulfonate (n- or iso-NOBS), carboxylic acid anhydrides, in particular phthalic anhydride, acylated polyhydric alcohols, in particular triacetyloxy and 2,5-diacetyloxy and 2,5-glycolacetyl, ethylene glycol 2,5-dihydrofuran.

In addition to the conventional bleach activators or in their place, so-called bleach catalysts can also be incorporated into the moldings. These substances are bleach-enhancing transition metal salts or transition metal complexes such as, for example, Mn, Fe, Co, Ru or Mo salt complexes or carbonyl complexes. Mn, Fe, Co, Ru, Mo, Ti, V and Cu complexes with N-containing tripod ligands as well as Co, Fe, Cu and Ru amine complexes can also be used as bleaching catalysts.

Particularly suitable enzymes are those from the classes of hydrolases such as proteases, esterases, lipases or lipolytically active enzymes, amylases, cellulases or other glycosyl hydrolases and mixtures of the enzymes mentioned. All these hydrolases help to remove stains such as protein, fat or starchy stains and graying in the laundry. Cellulases and other glycosyl hydrolases can also help to retain color and increase the softness of the textile by removing pilling and microfibrils. Oxidoreductases can also be used for bleaching or for inhibiting color transfer be used. Particularly suitable are bacterial strains or fungi such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Streptomyceus griseus, Coprinus Cinereus and Humicola insolens as well as enzymatic active ingredients obtained from their genetically modified variants. Proteases of the subtilisin type and in particular proteases which are obtained from Bacillus lentus are preferably used. Enzyme mixtures, for example, from protease and amylase or protease and lipase or lipolytically active enzymes or protease and cellulase or from cellulase and lipase or lipolytically active enzymes or from protease, amylase and lipase or lipolytically active enzymes or protease, lipase or lipolytically active enzymes and cellulase, but in particular protease and / or lipase-containing mixtures or mixtures with lipolytically active enzymes of particular interest. Known cutinases are examples of such lipolytically active enzymes. Peroxidases or oxidases have also proven to be suitable in some cases. Suitable amylases include in particular alpha-amylases, iso-amylases, pullulanases and pectinases. Cellobiohydrolases, endoglucanases and glucosidases, which are also called cellobiases, or mixtures thereof, are preferably used as cellulases. Since different cellulase types differ in their CMCase and avicelase activities, the desired activities can be set by targeted mixtures of the cellulases. The enzymes can be adsorbed on carriers or embedded in coating substances to protect them against premature decomposition. The proportion of the enzymes, enzyme mixtures or enzyme granules can be, for example, approximately OJ to 5% by weight, preferably 0.5 to approximately 4.5% by weight.

In addition, the detergent tablets can also contain components that positively influence the oil and fat washability from textiles (so-called soil repellents). This effect becomes particularly clear when a textile is soiled that has already been washed several times beforehand with a detergent according to the invention which contains this oil and fat-dissolving component. The preferred oil and fat-dissolving components include, for example, nonionic cellulose ethers such as methyl cellulose and methyl hydroxypropyl cellulose with a proportion of methoxyl groups from 15 to 30% by weight and of hydroxypropoxyl groups from 1 to 15% by weight, in each case based on the nonionic cellulose ether and the polymers of phthalic acid and or terephthalic acid or their derivatives known from the prior art, in particular polymers of ethylene terephthalates and / or polyethylene glycol terephthalates or anionically and / or nonionically modified derivatives thereof. Of these, the sulfonated derivatives of phthalic acid and terephthalic acid polymers are particularly preferred.

The shaped bodies can contain derivatives of diaminostilbenedisulfonic acid or their alkali metal salts as optical brighteners. Suitable are e.g. Salts of 4,4'-bis (2-anilino-4-moφholino-l, 3,5-triazinyl-6-amino) stilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid or compounds of the same structure which, instead of the Moφholino group, have a diethanolamino group , a methylamino group, an anilino group or a 2-methoxyethylamino group. In addition, brighteners of the substituted diphenylstyryl type may be present, e.g. the alkali salts of 4,4'-bis (2-sulfostyryl) diphenyl, 4,4'-bis (4-chloro-3-sulfostyryl) diphenyl, or 4- (4-chlorostyryl) -4 '- (2- sulfostyryl) diphenyls. Mixtures of the aforementioned brighteners can also be used.

Dyes and fragrances are added to the detergent tablets according to the invention in order to improve the aesthetic impression of the products and to provide the consumer with a visually and sensorially "typical and unmistakable" product. Individual fragrance compounds, for example the synthetic products of the ester, ether, aldehyde, ketone, alcohol and hydrocarbon type, can be used as perfume oils or fragrances. Fragrance compounds of the ester type are, for example, benzyl acetate, phenoxyethyl isobutyrate, p-tert-butylcyclohexyl acetate, linalyl acetate, dimethylbenzylcarbyl acetate, phenylethyl acetate, linalyl benzoate, benzyl formate, ethyl methylphenyl glycinate, allyl cyclohexyl benzylatepylpionate, allyl cyclohexyl propyl pionate. The ethers include, for example, benzylethyl ether, the aldehydes include, for example, the linear alkanals with 8-18 C atoms, citral, citronellal, citronellyloxyacetaldehyde, cyclamenaldehyde, hydroxycitronellal, lilial and bourgeonal, the ketones include, for example, the jonones, ° c-isomethylionone and methyl cedryl ketone, to the alcohols anethole, citronellol, eugenol, geraniol, linalool, phenylethyl alcohol and Teφineol, to the hydrocarbons mainly belong the teφene like limes and pinene. However, preference is given to using mixtures of different fragrances which together produce an appealing fragrance. Perfume oils of this type can also contain natural fragrance mixtures such as are obtainable from plant sources, for example pine, citrus, jasmine, patchouly, rose or ylang-ylang oil. Also suitable are muscatel, sage oil, chamomile oil, clove oil, lemon balm oil, mint oil, cinnamon leaf oil, linden blossom oil, juniper berry oil, vetiver oil, olibanum oil, galbanum oil and labdanum oil as well as orange blossom oil, neroliol, orange peel oil and sandalwood oil.

The dye content of the detergent tablets according to the invention is usually less than 0.01% by weight, while fragrances can make up up to 2% by weight of the total formulation.

The fragrances can be incorporated directly into the agents according to the invention, but it can also be advantageous to apply the fragrances to carriers which increase the adhesion of the perfume to the laundry and ensure a long-lasting fragrance of the textiles due to a slower fragrance release. Cyclodextrins, for example, have proven useful as such carrier materials, and the cyclodextrin-perfume complexes can additionally be coated with further auxiliaries.

In order to improve the aesthetic impression of the agents according to the invention, they can be colored with suitable dyes. Preferred dyes, the selection of which is not difficult for the person skilled in the art, have a high storage stability and insensitivity to the other ingredients of the compositions and to light, and no pronounced substantivity towards textile fibers in order not to dye them.

The production of washable and cleaning-active molded articles takes place by applying pressure to a mixture to be veφressing, which is located in the cavity of a press. In the simplest case of molded article production, which is referred to simply as tableting below, the mixture to be tabletted is pressed directly, ie without prior granulation. The advantages of this so-called direct tableting are its simple and inexpensive use, since there are no further process steps and consequently, no further systems are required. However, these advantages are offset by disadvantages. For example, a powder mixture that is to be tabletted directly must have sufficient plastic deformability and have good flow properties; furthermore, it must not show any tendency to segregate during storage, transport and filling of the die. These three requirements are extremely difficult to master with many substance mixtures, so that direct tableting is not often used, particularly in the manufacture of detergent tablets. The usual way of producing detergent tablets is therefore based on powdery components (“primary particles”) which are agglomerated or granulated by suitable processes to form secondary particles with a larger particle diameter. These granules or mixtures of different granules are then mixed with individual powdery additives and fed to the tableting.

The present invention therefore also relates to a process for the production of detergent tablets by shaping molding a particulate premix in a manner known per se, in which the premix solid paraffins at room temperature in amounts of from 0 to 10% by weight, based on the Premix contains.

For preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention, reference can be made here to the above statements: what has been said for the detergent tablets according to the invention applies analogously. For example, preferred processes according to the invention are characterized in that at least 60% by weight, preferably at least 75% by weight and in particular at least 90% by weight of the paraffins present at room temperature in the premix have particle sizes below 400 μm, it being particularly preferred is that all of the paraffins which are solid at room temperature in the premix have particle sizes below 400 μm and have at least 30% by weight, preferably at least 40% by weight and in particular at least 50% by weight of the paraffin particles have particle sizes below 200 μm. The same applies to the melting and softening temperatures as above. Preferred processes are therefore also characterized in that the paraffins which are solid at room temperature and which are present in the premix have a melting point above 30 ° C., preferably above 40 ° C. and in particular above 50 ° C., it being preferred that those contained in the premix paraffins solid at room temperature have a solidification point according to DIN-ISO 2207 between 40 and 80 ° C, preferably between 50 and 70 ° C and in particular between 50 and 60 ° C.

Detergent tablets preferred in the context of the present invention are obtained by squeezing a particulate premix comprising at least one surfactant-containing granulate and at least one subsequently admixed powdery component. The production of the surfactant-containing granules can be carried out using conventional industrial granulation processes such as compacting, extrusion, mixer granulation, pelletizing or

Fluidized bed granulation takes place. It is advantageous for the later detergent tablets if the premix to be veφresses has a bulk density that comes close to the usual compact detergent. In particular, it is preferred that the particulate premix additionally contains granulate (s) containing surfactant and has a bulk density of at least 500 g / 1, preferably at least 600 g / 1 and in particular at least 700 g / 1.

In preferred process variants, the surfactant-containing granules also meet certain particle size criteria. Methods according to the invention are preferred in which the surfactant-containing granules have particle sizes between 100 and 2000 μm, preferably between 200 and 1800 μm, particularly preferably between 400 and 1600 μm and in particular between 600 and 1400 μm.

In addition to the active substances (anionic and / or nonionic and / or cationic and / or amphoteric surfactants), the surfactant granules preferably also contain carriers which particularly preferably come from the group of builders. Particularly advantageous processes are therefore characterized in that the surfactant Granules contain anionic and / or nonionic surfactants and builders and have total surfactant contents of at least 10% by weight, preferably at least 20% by weight and in particular at least 25% by weight.

Before the particulate premix is pressed into detergent and cleaning agent shaped bodies, the premix can be "powdered" with finely divided surface treatment agents. This can be of advantage for the quality and physical properties of both the premix (storage, molding) as well as the finished detergent tablets. Finely divided powdering agents are well known in the art, mostly zeolites, silicates or other inorganic salts being used. However, the premix is preferably “powdered” with finely divided zeolite, zeolites of the faujasite type being preferred. In the context of the present invention, the term “faujasite-type zeolite” denotes all three zeolites which form the faujasite subgroup of zeolite structure group 4 (compare Donald W. Breck: “Zeolite Molecular Sieves”, John Wiley & Sons, New York , London, Sydney, Toronto, 1974, page 92). In addition to the zeolite X, zeolite Y and faujasite and mixtures of these compounds can also be used, the pure zeolite X being preferred.

Mixtures or cocrystallizates of zeolites of the faujasite type with other zeolites, which do not necessarily have to belong to the zeolite structural group 4, can be used as powdering agents, it being advantageous if at least 50% by weight of the powdering agent from a zeolite of faujasite -Type exist.

In the context of the present invention, detergent tablets are preferred which consist of a particulate premix which contains granular components and subsequently admixed powdery substances, the or one of the subsequently admixed powdery components being a zeolite of the faujasite type with particle sizes below 100 μm, is preferably below 10 μm and in particular below 5 μm and is at least 0.2% by weight, preferably at least 0.5% by weight and in particular more than 1% by weight of the premix to be treated. In addition to the above-mentioned constituents surfactant, builder and disintegration aid, the premixes to be treated can additionally include one or more substances from the group of bleaching agents, bleach activators, enzymes, pH regulators, fragrances, perfume carriers, fluorescent agents, dyes, foam inhibitors, silicone oils, anti-redeposition agents, optical brighteners, Contains graying inhibitors, color transfer inhibitors and corrosion inhibitors. These substances have been described above.

The molded articles according to the invention are first produced by dry mixing the constituents, which can be wholly or partially pregranulated, and then providing information, in particular compresses to tablets, using conventional methods. To produce the shaped bodies according to the invention, the premix is compacted in a so-called die between two punches to form a solid compact. This process, which is briefly referred to as tableting in the following, is divided into four sections: metering, compression (elastic deformation), plastic deformation and ejection.

First, the premix is introduced into the die, the filling quantity and thus the weight and the shape of the molded body being formed being determined by the position of the lower punch and the shape of the pressing tool. The constant dosing, even at high mold throughputs, is preferably achieved by volumetric dosing of the premix. As the tableting continues, the upper punch touches the premix and lowers further in the direction of the lower punch. During this compression, the particles of the premix are pressed closer together, the void volume within the filling between the punches continuously decreasing. From a certain position of the upper punch (and thus from a certain pressure on the premix), the plastic deformation begins, in which the particles flow together and the molded body is formed. Depending on the physical properties of the premix, some of the premix particles are also crushed and sintering of the premix occurs at even higher pressures. With increasing pressing speed, that is to say high throughput quantities, the phase of elastic deformation is shortened further and further, so that the resulting shaped bodies can have more or less large cavities. In the last step of tableting, the finished molded body is pressed out of the die by the lower punch and transported away by subsequent transport devices. At this point in time, only the weight of the molded body is finally determined, since the compacts can still change their shape and size due to physical processes (stretching, crystallographic effects, cooling, etc.). Tableting takes place in commercially available tablet presses, which can in principle be equipped with single or double punches. In the latter case, not only is the upper stamp used to build up pressure, the lower stamp also moves towards the upper stamp during the pressing process, while the upper stamp presses down. For small production quantities, eccentric tablet presses are preferably used, in which the punch or stamps are fastened to an eccentric disc, which in turn is mounted on an axis with a certain rotational speed. The movement of these rams is comparable to that of a conventional four-stroke engine. The pressing can take place with one upper and one lower stamp, but several stamps can also be attached to one eccentric disc, the number of die holes being correspondingly increased. The throughputs of eccentric presses vary depending on the type from a few hundred to a maximum of 3000 tablets per hour.

For larger throughputs, rotary tablet presses are selected in which a larger number of dies is arranged in a circle on a so-called die table. The number of matrices varies between 6 and 55 depending on the model, although larger matrices are also commercially available. Each die on the die table is assigned an upper and lower punch, and again the pressure can be built up actively only by the upper or lower punch, but also by both stamps. The die table and the stamps move around a common vertical axis, the stamps being brought into the positions for filling, compression, plastic deformation and ejection by means of rail-like curved tracks during the rotation. Wherever a particularly serious lifting or lowering of the punches is required (filling, compacting, ejecting), these cam tracks are supported by additional low-pressure pieces, low-tension rails and lifting tracks. The die is filled via a rigidly arranged feed device, the so-called filling shoe, which is connected to a storage container for the premix. The pressing pressure on the premix can be individually adjusted via the pressing paths for the upper and lower punches, the pressure being built up by rolling the punch shaft heads past adjustable pressure rollers.

Rundlauφressen can also be provided with two filling shoes to increase the throughput, with only a semicircle having to be run through to produce a tablet. For the production of two-layer and multi-layer molded bodies, several filling shoes are arranged one behind the other without the slightly pressed first layer being ejected before further filling. With suitable process control, jacket and dot tablets can also be produced in this way, which have an onion-shell-like structure, the top side of the core or the core layers not being covered in the case of the dot tablets and thus remaining visible. Rotary tablet presses can also be equipped with single or multiple tools, so that, for example, an outer circle with 50 and an inner circle with 35 holes can be used simultaneously for pressing. The throughputs of modern rotary tablet presses are over one million molded articles per hour.

When tableting with concentricity presses, it has proven to be advantageous to carry out the tabletting with the smallest possible fluctuations in the weight of the tablet. The fluctuations in hardness of the tablet can also be reduced in this way. Small fluctuations in weight can be achieved in the following ways:

- Use of plastic inserts with small thickness tolerances

- Low number of revolutions of the rotor

- Big filling shoes

- Matching the filler paddle speed to the speed of the rotor

- Filling shoe with constant powder height

- Decoupling of filling shoe and powder feed

All non-stick coatings known from the art are suitable for reducing stamp caking. Plastic coatings, plastic inserts or plastic stamps are particularly advantageous. Rotating punches have also proven to be advantageous, with the upper and lower punches being rotatable if possible should be. In the case of rotating stamps, a plastic insert can generally be dispensed with. The stamp surfaces should be electropolished here.

It was also shown that long pressing times are advantageous. These can be set with pressure rails, several pressure rollers or low rotor speeds. Since the fluctuations in the hardness of the tablet are caused by the fluctuations in the pressing forces, systems should be used which limit the pressing force. Here elastic stamps, pneumatic compensators or resilient elements can be used in the force path. The pressure roller can also be designed to be resilient.

Tableting machines suitable within the scope of the present invention are available, for example, from the companies Apparatebau Holzwarth GbR, Asperg, Wilhelm Fette GmbH, Schwarzenbek, Hofer GmbH, Weil, Hom & Noack Pharmatechnik GmbH, Worms, IMA Veφackungssysteme GmbH Viersen, KILIAN, Cologne, KOMAGE, Kell am See, KORSCH Pressen AG, Berlin, and Romaco GmbH, Worms. Other providers include Dr. Herbert Pete, Vienna (AU), Mapag Maschinenbau AG, Bern (CH), BWI Manesty, Liveφool (GB), I. Holand Ltd., Nottingham (GB), Courtoy NV, Halle (BE / LU) and Mediopharm Kamnik (SI ). For example, the hydraulic double pressure press HPF 630 from LAEIS, D. Tablettierwerkzeuge are for example from the companies Adams Tablettierwerkzeuge, Dresden, Wilhelm Fett GmbH, Schwarzenbek, Klaus Hammer, Solingen, Herber% Söhne GmbH, Hamburg, Hofer GmbH, Weil, Hom & Noack, Pharmatechnik GmbH, Worms, Ritter Pharmatechnik GmbH, Hamburg, Romaco, GmbH, Worms and Notter Werkzeugbau, Tamm available. Other providers are e.g. Senss AG, Reinach (CH) and Medicopharm, Kamnik (SI).

The molded body can be manufactured in a predetermined spatial shape and a predetermined size. Practically all practical configurations can be considered as the spatial shape, for example, the design as a board, the bar or bar shape, cubes, cuboids and corresponding spatial elements with flat side surfaces, and in particular cylindrical configurations with a circular or oval cross section. This last embodiment covers the presentation form of the tablet up to compact cylinder pieces with a ratio of height to diameter above 1.

The portioned compacts can each be designed as separate individual elements that correspond to the predetermined dosage of the detergents and / or cleaning agents. It is also possible, however, to form compacts which connect a plurality of such mass units in one compact, the portioned smaller units being easy to separate, in particular by predetermined predetermined breaking points. For the use of textile detergents in machines of the type customary in Europe with horizontally arranged mechanics, the portioned compacts can be designed as tablets, in cylindrical or cuboid form, with a diameter / height ratio in the range from approximately 0.5: 2 to 2: 0.5 is preferred. Commercial hydraulic presses, eccentric presses or rotary presses are suitable devices, in particular for the production of such pressed articles.

The spatial shape of another embodiment of the molded body is adapted in its dimensions to the detergent dispenser of commercially available household washing machines, so that the molded body can be metered directly into the dispenser without metering aid, where it dissolves during the dispensing process. However, it is of course also possible to use the detergent tablets without problems using a metering aid and is preferred in the context of the present invention.

Another preferred molded body that can be produced has a plate-like or plate-like structure with alternating thick long and thin short segments, so that individual segments of this "bolt" at the predetermined breaking points, which represent the short thin segments, broken off and into the Machine can be entered. This principle of the "bar-shaped" shaped body detergent can also be realized in other geometric shapes, for example vertically standing triangles, which are connected to one another only on one of their sides along the side.

However, it is also possible that the various components are not pressed into a single tablet, but that shaped bodies are obtained that have several Have layers, that is, at least two layers. It is also possible that these different layers have different dissolving speeds. This can result in advantageous application properties of the molded body. If, for example, components are contained in the molded body that mutually influence each other negatively, it is possible to integrate one component in the more rapidly soluble layer and to incorporate the other component in a more slowly soluble layer so that the first component has already reacted. when the second goes into solution. The layer structure of the molded body can take place in a stack-like manner, with the inner layer (s) already loosening at the edges of the molded body when the outer layers have not yet been completely removed, but it is also possible for the inner layer (s) to be completely encased ) can be achieved by the layer (s) lying further outwards, which leads to the premature dissolution of components of the inner layer (s).

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, a molded body consists of at least three layers, that is to say two outer and at least one inner layer, at least one peroxy bleaching agent being contained in at least one of the inner layers, while in the case of the stacked molded body the two cover layers and in the case of the molded body the outermost layers, however, are free of peroxy bleach. Furthermore, it is also possible to spatially separate peroxy bleaching agents and any bleach activators and / or enzymes that may be present in a molded body. Such multilayer molded bodies have the advantage that they can be used not only via a dispensing chamber or via a metering device which is added to the washing liquor; rather, in such cases it is also possible to put the molded body into direct contact with the textiles in the machine without the risk of bleaching from bleaching agents and the like.

Similar effects can also be achieved by coating individual constituents of the detergent and cleaning agent composition to be treated or the entire molded article. For this purpose, the bodies to be coated can, for example, be sprayed with aqueous solutions or emulsions, or else they can be coated using the melt coating method. After pressing, the detergent tablets have a high stability. The breaking strength of cylindrical shaped bodies can be determined via the measured variable of the diametrical breaking load. This can be determined according to

2P πDt

Herein σ stands for diametral fracture stress (DFS) in Pa, P is the force in N that leads to the pressure exerted on the molded body that causes the molded body to break, D is the molded body diameter in meters and t the height of the molded body.

Another object of the present invention is the use of paraffins which are solid at room temperature to improve the abrasion resistance of detergent tablets. This inventive use of solid paraffins at room temperature leads to moldings with advantageous properties, as the examples below show. With regard to preferred embodiments of the use according to the invention (particle sizes, further ingredients, composition of the premix, etc.), what has been said above for the method according to the invention applies analogously.

Examples:

Granulation in a 50 liter ploughshare mixer from Lödige produced a surfactant-containing granulate (for composition, see Table 1), which was used as the basis for a particulate premix. Following the granulation, the granules were dried in a fluidized bed apparatus from Glatt at a supply air temperature of 60 ° C. over a period of 30 minutes. After drying, fine particles <0.6 mm and coarse particles> 1.6 mm were screened off.

This premix was prepared by mixing the surfactant-containing granules with bleach, bleach activator and other processing components. Example E according to the invention was admixed with 2% by weight of paraffin (DAB 10, 90% by weight <400 μm, melting point 58-60 ° C.) in the preparation of the premix. The proportions of the other components therefore differ in percentage terms from those of the Comparative Example V containing no paraffin. The premixes E and V were pressed in a Korsch eccentric press into tablets (diameter: 44 mm, height: 22 mm, weight: 37.5 g). Table 2 shows the composition of the premixes to be treated (and thus the shaped body).

Table 1: Composition of the surfactant granules [% by weight]

Table 2: Composition of the premixes [% by weight]:

To determine the friability or the abrasion behavior and the brittle fracture behavior, the tablets E according to the invention or the comparison tablets V were placed in a friabilator (rotating, vertical glass drum, 0 180 mm, width 40 mm, the three spaced at right angles to the direction of rotation and at the same distance triangular Hindemis ribs located from each other with a height of 20 mm and a foot width of 15 mm). At a rotational speed of 20 rpm, the time within which a tablet broke into several large parts was determined. The results of the measurements are shown in Table 3:

Table 3: Results from brittle fracture and friability measurements [s]

The data in Table 3 show that the addition of the paraffin, which is solid at room temperature, means that the detergent tablets do not break into several parts until they are mechanically stressed, that is to say they are more stable. In addition, the tendency of the molded bodies to abrasion is significantly reduced and the brittle fracture behavior is improved.

Claims

Claims:

1. Detergent and cleaning agent molded body made of compressed particulate detergent and cleaning agent, containing surfactant (s), builders (s) and optionally other conventional detergent and cleaning agent ingredients, characterized in that, based on the weight of the molded article, they are up to 10% by weight .-% of one or more paraffins solid at room temperature.

2. Detergent and molded article according to claim 1, characterized in that the content of the molded articles of paraffins solid at room temperature is 0.25 to 7.5% by weight, preferably 0.3 to 5% by weight and in particular 0.5 up to 3% by weight, based in each case on the weight of the molded article.

3. Detergent and molded article according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that at least 60% by weight, preferably at least 75% by weight and in particular at least 90% by weight of the paraffins particle sizes contained therein which are solid at room temperature below Have 400 μm.

4. Detergent form according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that all of the paraffins contained therein at room temperature have particle sizes below 400 microns, it being preferred that at least 30 wt .-%, preferably at least 40 wt. -% and in particular at least 50% by weight of the paraffin particles have particle sizes below 200 μm.

5. Detergent and molded article according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the paraffins contained in them at room temperature have a melting point above 30 ° C, preferably above 40 ° C and in particular above 50 ° C.

6. Washing and cleaning agent shaped body according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the paraffins contained in them are solid at room temperature have a solidification point according to DIN-ISO 2207 between 40 and 80 ° C, preferably between 50 and 70 ° C and in particular between 50 and 60 ° C.

7. Detergent form according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it additionally contains a disintegration aid, preferably a cellulose-based disintegration aid, preferably in granular, cogranulated or compacted form, in amounts of 0.5 to 10% by weight. , preferably from 3 to 7 wt .-% and in particular from 4 to 6 wt .-%, each based on the molded body weight.

8. Detergent form according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that they contain anionic (s) and / or nonionic (s) surfactant (s) and total surfactant contents above 2.5 wt .-%, preferably above 5% by weight and in particular above 10% by weight, in each case based on the molded body weight.

9. A process for the preparation of washing and cleaning agent shaped articles by shaping a particulate premix in a manner known per se, characterized in that the premix contains solid paraffins at room temperature in amounts of 0J to 10% by weight, based on the premix.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that at least 60 wt .-%, preferably at least 75 wt .-% and in particular at least 90 wt .-% of the paraffins contained in the premix at room temperature have particle sizes below 400 microns, with particular preference it is preferred that all of the paraffins contained in the premix which are solid at room temperature have particle sizes below 400 μm and at least 30% by weight, preferably at least 40% by weight and in particular at least 50% by weight of the paraffin particles have particle sizes below 200 μm .

1 1. The method according to any one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that the paraffins contained in the premix at room temperature have a melting point above 30 ° C, preferably above 40 ° C and in particular above 50 ° C, it being preferred that the paraffins contained in the premix which are solid at room temperature have a solidification point according to DIN-ISO 2207 between 40 and 80 ° C, preferably between 50 and 70 ° C and in particular between 50 and 60 ° C.

12. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the particulate premix additionally contains surfactant-containing granules (s) and a bulk density of at least 500 g / 1, preferably at least 600 g / 1 and in particular at least 700 g / 1 has.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the surfactant-containing granules have particle sizes between 100 and 2000 microns, preferably between 200 and 1800 microns, particularly preferably between 400 and 1600 microns and in particular between 600 and 1400 microns.

14. The method according to any one of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that the surfactant-containing granules contain anionic and / or nonionic surfactants and builders and total surfactant contents of at least 10 wt .-%, preferably at least 20 wt .-% and in particular at least 25 % By weight.

15. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 14, characterized in that the particulate premix additionally one or more substances from the group of bleaching agents, bleach activators, enzymes, pH adjusting agents, fragrances, perfume carriers, fluorescent agents, dyes, foam inhibitors, silicone oils, anti-redeposition agents , optical brighteners, graying inhibitors, color transfer inhibitors and corrosion inhibitors.

16. Use of paraffins which are solid at room temperature to improve the abrasion resistance of detergent and cleaning product bodies.