Dishwashing compositions comprising modified alkybenzene...

Details Dishwashing compositions comprising modified alkybenzene... Dishwashing compositions comprising modified alkybenzene...

2001-07-19

2003-01-14

Ogden, Necholus (Department: 1751)

Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions

Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing

For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...

C510S424000, C510S426000, C510S428000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06506717

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to dishwashing compositions comprising particular types of inproved alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant mixtures adapted for use by controlling compositional parameters, especially a 2/3-phenyl index and a 2-methyl-2-phenyl index.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Historically, highly branched alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactants, such as those based on tetrapropylene, known as “ABS” or “TPBS”, were used in detergents. However, these were found to be very poorly biodegradable. A long period followed of improving manufacturing processes for alkylbenzene sulfonates, making them as linear as practically possible, hence the acronym “LAS”. The overwhelming part of a large art of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant manufacture is directed to this objective. All relevant large-scale commercial alkylbenzene sulfonate processes in use today are directed to linear alkylbenzene sulfonates. However, linear alkylbenzene sulfonates are not without limitations; for example, they would be more desirable if improved for hard water cleaning and/or cold water cleaning properties. They can often fail to produce good cleaning results, for example when. used in hard water areas.
As a result of the limitations of the alkylbenzene sulfonates, consumer cleaning formulations have often needed to include a higher level of cosurfactants, builders, and other additives than would have been needed given a superior alkylbenzene sulfonate.
The art of alkylbenzene sulfonate detergents is replete with references which teach both for and against almost every aspect of these compositions. Moreover, there are believed to be erroneous teachings and technical misconceptions about the mechanism of LAS operation under in-use conditions, particularly in the area of hardness tolerance. The volume of such references debases the art as a whole and makes it difficult to select the useful teachings from the useless without repeated experimentation. To further understand the state of the art, it should be appreciated that there has been not only a lack of clarity on which way to go to fix the unresolved problems of linear LAS, but also a range of misconceptions, not only in the understanding of biodegradation but also in basic mechanisms of operation of LAS in presence of hardness.
Also, while the currently commercial, essentially linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactants are relatively simple compositions to define and analyze, compositions containing both branched and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactants are complex. In general such compositions can be highly varied, containing one or more different kinds of branching in any of a number of positions on the aliphatic chain. A very large number, e.g., hundreds, of distinct chemical species are possible in such mixtures. Accordingly there is an onerous burden of experimentation if it is desired to improve such compositions so that they can clean better in detergent compositions while at the same time remaining biodegradable. The formulator's knowledge is key to guiding this effort.
Yet another currently unresolved problem in alkylbenzene sulfonate manufacture is to make more effective use of current LAB feedstocks. It would be highly desirable, both from a performance point of view and from an economic point of view, to better utilize certain desirable types of branched hydrocarbons.
Accordingly there is a substantial unmet need for further improvements in alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant mixtures, especially with respect to those offering one or more of the advantages of superior cleaning, hardness tolerance, satisfactory biodegradability, and cost.
BACKGROUND ART
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,659,099, 5,393,718, 5,256,392, 5,227,558, 5,139,759, 5,164,169, 5,116,794, 4,840,929, 5,744,673, 5,522,984, 5,811,623, 5,777,187, WO 9,729,064, WO 9,747573, WO 9,729,063, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,026,933; 4,990,718; 4,301,316; 4,301,317; 4,855,527; 4,870,038; 2,477,382; EP 466,558, Jan. 15, 1992; EP 469,940, Feb. 5, 1992; FR 2,697,246, Apr. 29, 1994; SU 793,972, Jan. 7, 1981; U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,564,072; 3,196,174; 3,238,249; 3,355,484; 3,442,964; 3,492,364; 4,959,491; WO 88/07030, Sep. 25, 1990; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,962,256, US 5,196,624; 5,196,625; EP 364,012 B, Feb. 15, 1990; U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,312,745; 3,341,614; 3,442,965; 3,674,885; 4,447,664; 4,533,651; 4,587,374; 4,996,386; 5,210,060; 5,510,306; WO 95117961, Ju. 6, 1995; WO 95/18084; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,510,306; 5,087,788; 4,301,316; 4,301,317; 4,855,527; 4,870,038; 5,026,933; 5,625,105 and 4,973,788. See Vol 56 in “Surfactant Science” series, Marcel Dekker, New York, 1996, including in particular Chapter 2 entitled “Alkylarylsulfonates: History, Manufacture, Analysis and Environmental Properties”, pages 39-108, “Surfactant Science” series, Vol 73, Marcel Dekker, New York, 1998 and “Surfactant Science” series, Vol 40, Marcel Dekker, New York, 1992. See also copending U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 60/053,319 filed on Jul. 21st, 1997, Ser. No. 60/053,318, filed on Jul. 21st, 1997, Ser. No. 60/053,321, filed on Jul. 21st, 1997, Ser. No. 60/053,209, filed on Jul. 21st, 1997, Ser. No. 60/053,328, filed on Jul. 21st, 1997, Ser. No. 60/053,186, filed on Jul. 21st, 1997 and the art cited therein. Documents referenced herein are incorporated in their entirety.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been determined that the use of certain alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant mixtures, hereinafter “modified alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant mixtures”, as outlined in detail below, leads to improved cleaning of tough food stains, removal of grease/oil, improved benefits in dissolution, rinsing and low temperature product stability when compared to the use LAS in conventional detergent compositions.
The hand dishwashing compositions according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises:
(i) from about 0.01% to about 95%, preferably from about 1% to about 50%, preferably from about 2% to about 30%, by weight of composition of a modified alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant mixture comprising:
(a) from about 60% to about 95% by weight, preferably from about 65% to about 90%, more preferably from about 70% to about 85%, by weight of surfactant mixture, a mixture of branched alkylbenzene sulfonates having formula (I):
wherein L is an acyclic aliphatic moiety consisting of carbon and hydrogen, said L having two methyl termini and said L having no substituents other than A, R
1
and R
2
; and wherein said mixture of branched alkylbenzene sulfonates contains two or more, preferably at least three, optionally more, of said branched alkylbenzene sulfonates differing in molecular weight of the anion of said formula (I) and wherein said mixture of branched alkylbenzene sulfonates has
a sum of carbon atoms in R
1
, L and R
2
of from 9 to 15, preferably from 10 to 14;
an average aliphatic carbon content, i.e., based on R
1
, L and R
2
and excluding A, of from about 10.0 to about 14.0 carbon atoms, preferably from about 11.0 to about 13.0, more preferably from about 11.5 to about 12.5; M is a cation or cation mixture, preferably M is selected from H, Na, K, Ca, Mg and mixtures thereof, more preferably M is selected from H, Na, K and mixtures thereof, more preferably still, M is selected from H, Na, and mixtures thereof, M having a valence q, typically from 1 to 2, preferably 1; a and b are integers selected such that said branched alkylbenzene sulfonates are electroneutral (a is typically from 1 to 2, preferably 1, b is 1); R
1
is C
1
-C
3
alkyl, preferably C
1
-C
2
alkyl, more preferably methyl; R
2
is selected from H and C
1
-C
3
alkyl (preferably H and C
1
-C
2
alkyl, more preferably H and methyl, more preferably H and methyl provided that in at least about 0.5, more preferably 0.7, more preferably 0.9 to 1.0 mole fraction of said branched alkylbenzene sulfonates, R
2
is H); A is a benzene moiety (typically A is the moiety—C
6
H
4
—, with the SO
3
moiety of Formula (I) in para- position to the L moiety, though in some proportion, usually no more than about 5%, preferably from 0 to 5% by weight, the SO
3

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