Concentrated, stable fabric softening composition

Details Concentrated, stable fabric softening composition Concentrated, stable fabric softening composition

1998-09-25

2001-11-27

Green, Anthony (Department: 1755)

Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions

Auxiliary compositions for cleaning, or processes of preparing

Textile softening or antistatic composition

C510S329000, C510S330000, C510S504000, C510S516000, C510S517000, C510S518000, C510S521000, C510S522000, C510S525000, C510S526000, C510S527000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06323172

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to preferably translucent, or, more preferably, clear, aqueous, concentrated, liquid softening compositions useful for softening cloth. It especially relates to textile softening compositions for use in the rinse cycle of a textile laundering operation to provide excellent fabric-softening/static-control benefits, the compositions being characterized by, e.g., reduced staining of fabric, excellent water dispersibility, rewettability, and/or storage and viscosity stability at sub-normal temperatures, i.e., temperatures below normal room temperature, e.g., 25° C.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The art discloses problems associated with formulating and preparing clear, concentrated fabric conditioning formulations. For example, European Patent Application No. 404,471, Machin et al., published Dec. 27, 1990, teaches isotropic liquid softening compositions with at least 20%. by weight softener and at least 5% by weight of a short chain organic acid.
Fabric softening compositions containing high solvent levels are known in the art. However, softener agglomerates can form and can deposit on clothes which can result in staining and reduced softening performance. Also, compositions may thicken and/or precipitate at lower temperatures, i.e., at about 40° F. (about 4° C.) to about 65° F. (about 18° C.). These compositions can also be costly for the consumer due to the high solvent levels associated with making a concentrated, clear product.
The present invention provides concentrated aqueous liquid textile treatment compositions with low organic solvent level (i.e., below about 40%, by weight of the composition), that have improved stability (i.e., remain clear or translucent and do not precipitate, gel, thicken, or solidify) at normal, i.e., room temperatures and sub-normal temperatures under prolonged storage conditions. Said compositions also provide reduced staining of fabrics, good cold water dispersibility, together with excellent softening, anti-static and fabric rewettability characteristics, as well as reduced dispenser residue buildup and excellent freeze-thaw recovery.
The object of the present invention is to provide aqueous, concentrated, translucent, or, preferably, clear, rinse-added liquid fabric softening compositions which provide one, or more benefits such as reduced staining on fabrics, ready dispersibility in rinse water, phase stability at low temperatures, and/or, preferably acceptable viscosity and viscosity stability at low temperatures, and/or recovery from freezing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The compositions herein comprise:
A. from about 2% to about 80%, preferably from about 13% to about 75%, more preferably from about 17% to about 70%, and even more preferably from about 19% to about 65%, by weight of the composition, of biodegradable fabric softener active selected from the group consisting of:
1. softener having the formula:
[(R)
4−m
—N
(+)
—[(CH
2
)
n
—Y—R
1
]
m
]X
(−)
  (1)
wherein each R substituent is H or a short chain C
1
-C
6
, preferably C
1
-C
3
alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, e.g., methyl (most preferred), ethyl, propyl, hydroxyethyl, and the like, benzyl, or mixtures thereof each m is 2 or 3; each n is from 1 to about 4, preferably 2; each Y is —O—(O)C—, —(R)N—(O)C—, —C(O)—N(R)—, or —C(O)—O—, preferably —O—(O)C—; the sum of carbons in each R
1
, plus one when Y is —O—(O)C— or —(R)N—(O)C— (hereinafter, R
1
and YR
1
, the “YR
1
sum” are used interchangeably to represent the hydrophobic chain, the R
1
chain lengths in general being even numbered for fatty alcohols and amines and odd for fatty acids), is C
6
-C
22
, preferably C
14
-C
20
, but no more than one YR
1
sum being less than about 12 and then the other YR
1
sum is at least about 16, with each R
1
being a long chain C
6
-C
22
(or C
5
-C
21
) hydrocarbyl, or substituted hydrocarbyl substituent, preferably C
10
-C
20
(or C
9
-C
19
) alkyl or alkenyl (unsaturated alkyl, including polyunsaturated alkyl, also referred to sometimes as “alkylene”), most preferably C
12
-C
18
(or C
11
-C
17
) alkyl or alkenyl, and where, when said sum of carbons is C
16
-C
18
and R
1
is a straight chain group, the Iodine Value (hereinafter referred to as IV) of the parent fatty acid of this R
1
group is preferably from about 20 to about 140, more preferably from about 50 to about 130; and most preferably from about 70 to about 115 (As used herein, the Iodine Value of a “parent” fatty acid, or “corresponding” fatty acid, is used to define a level of unsaturation for an R
1
group that is the same as the level of unsaturation that would be present in a fatty acid containing the same R
1
group.); and wherein the counterion, X
−
, can be any softener-compatible anion, preferably, chloride, bromide, methylsulfate, ethylsulfate, sulfate, and nitrate, more preferably chloride;
2. softener having the formula:
wherein each Y, R, R
1
, and X
(−)
have the same meanings as before (Such compounds include those having the formula:
[CH
3
]
3
N
(+)
[CH
2
CH(CH
2
O(O)CR
1
)O(O)CR
1
]Cl
(−)
where C(O)R
1
is derived from unsaturated, e.g., oleic, fatty acid and, preferably, each R is a methyl or ethyl group and preferably each R
1
is in the range of C
15
to C
19
with degrees of branching and substitution optionally being present in the alkyl chains); and
3. mixtures thereof;
[In one preferred biodegradable quaternary ammonium fabric softening compound, —(O)CR
1
is derived from unsaturated fatty acid, e.g., oleic acid, and/or fatty acids and/or partially hydrogenated fatty acids, derived from vegetable oils and/or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as: canola oil; safflower oil; peanut oil; sunflower oil; soybean oil; corn oil; tall oil; rice bran oil; etc. and in another preferred biodegradable quaternary ammonium fabric softening compound, —(O)CR
1
is a saturated, (the Iodine Value is preferably 10 or less, more preferably less than about 5), C
8
-C
14
, preferably a C
12-14
hydrocarbyl, or substituted hydrocarbyl substituent derived from, e.g., coconut oil.] [As used hereinafter, these biodegradable fabric softener actives containing ester linkages are referred to as “DEQA”, which includes both diester, triester, and monoester compounds containing from one to three, preferably two, long chain hydrophobic groups. The corresponding amide softener actives and the mixed ester-amide softener actives can also contain from one to three, preferably two, long chain hydrophobic groups. Preferred fabric softener actives have the characteristic that they can be processed by conventional mixing means at ambient temperature, at least in the presence of about 15% of solvent C. as disclosed hereinafter.]
B. less than about 40%, preferably from about 10% to about 35%, more preferably from about 12% to about 25%, and even more preferably from about 14% to about 20%, by weight of the composition of principal solvent having a ClogP of from about 0.15 to about 0.64, preferably from about 0.25 to about 0.62, and more preferably from about 0.40 to about 0.60, said principal solvent containing insufficient amounts of solvents selected from the group consisting of: 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol; the ethoxylate, diethoxylate, or triethoxylate derivatives of 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol; and/or 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol, and/or mixtures thereof, when used by themselves, to provide a clear product, preferably insufficient to provide a stable product, more preferably insufficient to provide a detectable change in the physical characteristics of the composition, and especially completely free thereof, and the principal solvent preferably being selected from the group consisting of:
I. mono-ols including:
a. n-propanol; and/or
b. 2-butanol and/or 2-methyl-2-propanol;
II. hexane diol isomers including: 2,3-butanediol, 2,3-dimethyl-; 1,2-butanediol, 2,3-dimethyl-; 1,2-butanediol, 3,3-dimethyl-; 2,3-pentanediol, 2-methyl-; 2,3-pentanediol, 3-methyl-; 2,3-pentanediol, 4-methyl-; 2,3-he

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