Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – With oxygen or halogen containing chemical bleach or oxidant...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-14
2003-06-24
Ogden, Necholus (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
With oxygen or halogen containing chemical bleach or oxidant...
C510S444000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06583098
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to particulate detergent components and improved detergent compositions containing them. The detergent compositions of the invention are suitable for any purpose, however, the invention is particularly directed to laundry detergent compositions. These may be used directly in their particulate form or may be formed into detergent tablets, for example, by compaction or any other standard tabletting process.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known that detergent compositions which comprise bleaching components may be problematic where localised concentrations of bleaching agent contact clothes. This is a particular problem in detergent products which do not dispense well or which have a tendency to gel on contact with water. Such gels tend to be exacerbated by the presence of highly viscous surfactant phases that may arise when the detergent comes into contact with water either in a dispensing drawer or in the washing machine or in a dispensing device which is placed into the drum of the machine. Bleaching agent trapped in such gels tends to form localised high concentrations of bleach which can cause local damage to fabrics, either in terms of damage to dyed fabrics or damage to the fabric strength. Many solutions have been proposed to try to overcome this problem. For example, in EP-A-652930 peroxy acid bleach precursors are incorporated into detergent compositions in an acid coated form. Coating processes are however inconvenient and alternative methods for producing highly effective bleaching in detergent compositions whilst minimising fabric damage are still required. The present invention is therefore aimed at the problem of providing a method for reducing fabric damage in bleach-containing detergent compositions. The invention may also enable the effectiveness of the incorporated bleaching agents to be maximised.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention there is now provided a bleaching granule for incorporation into a detergent composition comprising (a) no more than 50 wt % of a particulate bleaching component selected from bleach activator or bleach catalyst, and (b) builder and/or surfactant and optional detergent ingredients and/or fillers, the geometric mean particle diameter of the particulate bleach component being below 500 &mgr;m.
The present invention also relates to detergent compositions comprising such bleaching granules and to a process for making these bleaching granules comprising in a mixing step, mixing the bleaching component with builders and/or surfactants and optionally other detergent ingredients or fillers in a high, moderate or low shear mixer. The preferred mixing step comprises a moderate or low shear mixing step.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The particulate bleach component which is selected from bleach activators, bleach catalysts or pre-formed peroxy acid bleaches may be in the form of solid particulate raw material or may comprise the bleach component carried on a solid support or as an encapsulate. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the particulate bleach component is a particulate raw material such that it has an activity greater than 90%, preferably greater than 95%. Preferably the bleach component comprises bleach activator which is preferably an organic peroxy acid bleach precursor. The bleach component may comprise mixtures of more than one bleach activator or mixtures of bleach activator and bleach catalysts. Preferred mixtures of bleach activators comprise one hydrophobic peroxy acid bleach precursor and one hydrophilic peroxy acid bleach precursor. The production of the organic peroxy acid occurs then by an in-situ reaction in the wash water of the precursor with a source of hydrogen peroxide.
Peroxy acid bleach precursors suitable for use in the present invention may be represented as
where L is a leaving group and X is essentially any functionality, such that on perhydrolysis the structure of the peroxyacid produced is
The bleaching component which preferably comprises peroxyacid bleach precursor compounds are preferably incorporated at a level of from 0.5% to 20% by weight, more preferably from 1% to 15% by weight, most preferably from 1.5% to 10% by weight of the detergent granule.
Suitable peroxyacid bleach precursor compounds typically contain one or more N- or O-acyl groups, which precursors can be selected from a wide range of classes. Suitable classes include anhydrides, esters, imides, lactams and acylated derivatives of imidazoles and oximes. Examples of useful materials within these classes are disclosed in GB-A-1586789. Suitable esters are disclosed in GB-A-836988, 864798, 1147871, 2143231 and EP-A-0170386.
Leaving Groups
The leaving group, hereinafter L group, must be sufficiently reactive for the perhydrolysis reaction to occur within the optimum time frame (e.g., a wash cycle). However, if L is too reactive, this activator will be difficult to stabilize for use in a bleaching granule or tablet.
Preferred L groups are selected from the group consisting of:
and mixtures thereof, wherein R
1
is an alkyl, aryl, or alkaryl group containing from 1 to 14 carbon atoms, R
3
is an alkyl chain containing from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, R
4
is H or R
3
, and Y is H or a solubilizing group. Any of R
1
, R
3
and R
4
may be substituted by essentially any finctional group including, for example alkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, halogen, amine, nitrosyl, amide and ammonium or alkyl ammmonium groups.
The preferred solubilizing groups are —SO
3
−
M
+
, −CO
2
−
M
+
, −SO
4
−
M
+
, —N
+
(R
3
)
4
X
−
and O<—N(R
3
)
3
and most preferably —SO
3
−
M
+
and —CO
2
−
M
+
wherein R
3
is an alkyl chain containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, M is a cation which provides solubility to the bleach activator and X is an anion which provides solubility to the bleach activator. Preferably, M is an alkali metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium cation, with sodium and potassium being most preferred, and X is a halide, hydroxide, methylsulfate or acetate anion.
Alkyl Percarboxylic Acid Bleach Precursors
Alkyl percarboxylic acid bleach precursors form percarboxylic acids on perhydrolysis. Preferred precursors of this type provide peracetic acid on perhydrolysis.
Preferred alkyl percarboxylic precursor compounds of the imide type include the N—,N,N
1
N
1
tetra acetylated alkylene diamines wherein the alkylene group contains from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, particularly those compounds in which the alkylene group contains 1, 2 and 6 carbon atoms. Tetraacetyl ethylene diamine (TAED) is particularly preferred.
Other preferred alkyl percarboxylic acid precursors include sodium 3,5,5-tri-methyl hexanoyloxybenzene sulfonate (iso-NOBS), sodium nonanoyloxybenzene sulfonate (NOBS), sodium acetoxybenzene sulfonate (ABS) and pentaacetyl glucose, DOBS, LOBS and/or NACA-OBS.
Amide Substituted Alkyl Peroxyacid Precursors
Suitable amide substituted alkyl peroxyacid precursor compounds include those of the following general formulae:
wherein R
1
is an alkyl group with from 1 to 14 carbon atoms, R
2
is an alkylene group containing from 1 to 14 carbon atoms, and R
5
is H or an alkyl group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms and L can be essentially any leaving group. Amide substituted bleach activator compounds of this type are described in EP-A-0170386.
Perbenzoic Acid Precursor
Perbenzoic acid precursor compounds provide perbenzoic acid on perhydrolysis. Suitable O-acylated perbenzoic acid precursor compounds include the substituted and unsubstituted benzoyl oxybenzene sulfonates, and the benzoylation products of sorbitol, glucose, and all saccharides with benzoylating agents, and those of the imide type including N-benzoyl succinimide, tetrabenzoyl ethylene diamine and the N-benzoyl substituted ureas. Suitable imidazole type perbenzoic acid precursors include N-benzoyl imidazole and N-benzoyl benzimidazole. Other useful N-acyl group-containing perbenzoic acid precursors include N-benzoyl pyrrolidone, diben
Ogden Necholus
Petruncio John M
The Procter & Gamble & Company
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