Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-11
2001-03-27
Liott, Caroline D. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S356000, C510S445000, C510S504000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06207632
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to detergent compositions containing a cationic surfactant and a hydrophobic organic peroxyacid bleaching system, which are suitable for use in laundry and dishwashing methods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The satisfactory removal of greasy soils/stains, that is soils/stains having a high proportion of triglycerides or fatty acids, is a challenge faced by the formulator of detergent compositions for use in laundry and dish washing methods. Surfactant components have traditionally been employed in detergent products to facilitate the removal of such greasy soils/stains. In particular, surfactant systems comprising cationic esters have been described for use in greasy soil/stain removal.
A particular challenge to the formulator of detergent compositions for use in a laundry washing method is the satisfactory removal of bleachable soils/stains such as tea, fruit juice and coloured vegetable soils from stained fabrics. It is known that stained fabrics have a tendency to present a ‘dingy’ appearance after frequent washing. Bleaches are traditionally employed in detergents to remove the bleachable stains or soils, and also those responsible for the ‘dingy’ appearance of the fabric. It is well established that peroxygen bleaches and bleaching systems, based on organic peroxyacids can provide stain and/or soil removal from fabrics. The organic peroxyacids are often obtained by the in situ perhydrolysis of organic peroxyacid bleach precursor compounds (bleach activators). To remove greasy stains/soils, which are of hydrophobic nature, hydrophobic organic peroxyacids can be employed in detergent products. Such organic peroxyacids generally comprise long chain (>7 carbon atoms) alkyl moieties. Hydrophobic bleaches are known to have a tendency to migrate rapidly to the surface of fabrics under wash conditions.
Bleaches which may be hydrophobic are disclosed for example in EP-A-0170386. It is stated that these bleaches may be used in compositions which incorporate different types of surfactant materials. Anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic and amphoteric surfactants are disclosed. Hydrophobic bleaching agents are also described in WO95/3226 as useful suds suppressants in detergent compositions containing high levels of surfactant.
Quaternary ammonium compounds are known cationic surfactants. For example in GB-A-2040990 alkoxylated nonionic and cationic surfactants and anionic surfactants are used in combination to produce detergents for fabric washing.
It has now been found that a problem with hydrophobic bleaches is that despite their tendency to migrate to the fabric surface, they do not necessarily interact fully with the stain or soil components. It has been found that the hydrophobic bleaches can be prevented from migration onto the greasy stains/soils by deposited ‘lime soaps’ (formed by alkaline earth ions with fatty acids, present in the wash solution) on the fabric. Thereby, their bleaching performance can be diminished. This result in a lessening of the dingy soil cleaning performance of the hydrophobic bleach.
The Applicants have found that this problem can be ameliorated by use of a particular combination of cationic surfactant and bleach resulting in a surprising enhancement of the bleach efficacy of the hydrophobic organic peroxyacid bleaching system. Thereby, the overall cleaning performance of the detergent are improved.
Three mechanisms are believed to be responsible for this unexpected benefit. First, the cationic surfactant is capable of reducing ‘lime soap’ deposition on the fabric surface, thereby facilitating the partition of the hydrophobic organic bleaches into the greasy stains/soils. Secondly, the cationic surfactant reduces the surface tension between the fabric and the wash solution. Thereby, the interaction with the greasy stains/soils on the fabric by the hydrophobic organic bleach agent will be facilitated. Thirdly, the cationic surfactant and the negatively charged hydrophobic organic peroxyacids, formed in the wash, can form a non-polar associated couple, which will partition rapidly into hydrophobic, greasy stains/soils on the fabric.
All documents cited in the present description are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A detergent composition according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises
(a) a cationic surfactant of the formula I:
in which R
1
is a hydroxyalkyl group having no greater than 6 carbon atoms; each of R
2
and R
3
is independently selected from C
1-4
alkyl or alkenyl; R
4
is C
6-11
alkyl or alkenyl and X
−
is an anion; and
(b) a hydrophobic organic peroxyacid bleaching system capable of providing a hydrophobic organic peroxyacid compound.
Preferred cationic surfactants of formula I are those in which R
1
is —CH
2
CH
2
OH or —CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
OH; each of R
2
and R
3
are, independently, C
1-4
alkyl; R
4
is C
6-11
alkyl or alkenyl and X
−
is an anion.
An essential feature of detergent compositions of the invention is a hydrophobic organic peroxyacid bleaching system capable of providing a hydrophobic organic peroxyacid compound. By hydrophobic organic peroxyacid compound it is meant herein an organic peroxyacid whose parent carboxylic acid has a critical micelle concentration less than 0.5 moles/litre and wherein said critical micelle concentration is measured in aqueous solution at 20°-50° C.
Preferably, the hydrophobic organic peroxyacid contains at least 7 carbon atoms, more preferably at least 9 carbon atoms, most preferably at least 11 carbon atoms. In a preferred aspect the peroxyacid has an alkl chain comprising at least 7 carbon atoms, more preferably at least 8 carbon atoms, most preferably at least 9 carbon atoms.
A preferred hydrophobic organic peroxyacid bleaching system is capable of providing a peroxyacid compound of the formula:
wherein R
5
is an alkyl, aryl or aralkyl group containing from 1 to 14 carbon atoms, R
7
is an alkylene, arylene or alkarylene group containing from 1 to 14 carbon atoms, and R
6
is H or an alkyl, aryl or alkaryl group containing from 1 to 10 carbon atoms.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a detergent composition comprising
A detergent composition comprising
(a) less than 5% by weight of a cationic surfactant of the formula
in which R
1
is a hydroxyalkyl group having no greater than 6 carbon atoms; each of R
2
and R
3
is independently selected from C
1-4
alkyl or alkenyl; R
4
is a C
12-14
alkyl or alkenyl and X
−
is an anion; and
(b) a hydrophobic organic peroxyacid bleaching system, capable of providing a peroxyacid compound of the formula:
wherein R
5
is an alkyl, aryl or aralkyl group containing from 1 to 14 carbon atoms, R
7
is an alkylene, arylene or alkarylene group containing from 1 to 14 carbon atoms, and R
6
is H or an alkyl, aryl or alkaryl group containing from 1 to 10 carbon atoms.
Particularly preferred cationic surfactants of formula I in which R
1
is HOCH
2
CH
2
— or HOCH
2
CH
2
CH
2
—; each of R
2
and R
3
are, independently, C
1-4
alkyl; R
4
is C
12-14
alkyl or alkenyl and X
−
is an anion.
Preferred detergent compositions of the invention additionally comprise a hard base polymeric component.
Unless otherwise stated alkyl or alkenyl as used herein may be branched, linear or substituted. Substituents may be for example, aromatic groups, heterocyclic groups containing one or more N, S or O atoms, or halo substituents.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Cationic Surfactant
An essential element of the detergent compositions of the invention is a cationic quaternary ammonium surfactant. The cationic surfactant unless otherwise stated may be present in amounts up to 10.0% by weight of the detergent composition. However, preferably the maximum amount of the cationic surfactant in the detergent composition is below 5%. Most preferably, the cationic surfactant will be present in an amount below 4% or even 4.5% by weight of the detergent composition. Generally there will be at least 0.05% by
Brooker Alan Thomas
Dodd Ian Martin
Hartshorn Richard Timothy
Jacques Kamiel Thoen Christiaan Arthur
Moss Michael Alan John
Cook C. Brant
Liott Caroline D.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Zerby Kim W.
LandOfFree
Detergent composition comprising a cationic surfactant and a... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Detergent composition comprising a cationic surfactant and a..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Detergent composition comprising a cationic surfactant and a... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2511342