Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Liquid composition
Patent
1997-02-21
1998-12-29
McAvoy, Ellen M.
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Liquid composition
510426, 510429, 510498, C11D 129, C11D 137
Patent
active
058541969
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to detergent compositions, for use in cleaning processes comprising alkyl alkoxylated sulphates and essentially no alkyl benzene sulphonate.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One of the most common surfactants currently incorporated in detergent compositions is alkyl benzene sulphonate, particularly linear benzene sulphonate, herein referred to as LAS. The use of alkyl benzene sulphonate usually in combination with other anionic or nonionic surfactants has been found to give particularly effective cleaning performance, especially on greasy and oily stains over a wide range of temperatures and conditions.
The detergent industry is however continually seeking surfactant systems with improved environmental profiles. Low LAS detergent compositions have been described in the art, for example in EP-A 544 490 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,529. However, such detergent compositions generally have a low overall level of anionic surfactant which may result in a lower soil suspension capacity and less effective whiteness and colour brightness maintenance in the presence of high level of soils and cationic fabric conditioner residues.
The art also describes the use of anionic surfactant based detergent compositions, preferably alkyl sulphate, comprising low levels of LAS. For example GB 1 399966 discloses detergent compositions comprising primary alcohol sulphate (PAS) and nonionic surfactants. EP-A 342 917 discloses detergent compositions comprising PAS having a range of chain lengths to improve the cleaning performance at lower temperatures. However, it has been observed that such detergent compositions do not exhibit the same cleaning performance as the corresponding LAS compositions.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to replace the alkyl benzene sulphonate in surfactant systems with an anionic surfactant system which provides similar overall performance over a range of temperatures compared with the alkyl benzene sulphonate surfactant systems. In addition, another object of the present invention is to develop a surfactant system which is readily biodegradable.
It has now been found that these objectives can be reached by the use of an anionic surfactant system comprising an alkyl alkoxylated sulphate having an average alkoxylation degree of from 0.1 to 10, having certain ratios of alkyl monoalkoxylated sulphate, alkyl dialkoxylated sulphate and alkyl alkoxylated sulphates with 3 or more alkoxyl groups per alkyl group.
It has been found that said alkyl alkoxylated sulphates in combination with other surfactants provide excellent cleaning benefits over a wide range of temperatures. Indeed, it has been found that specific combinations of ratios of the alkyl alkoxylated sulphates of the present invention have been found to give superior cleaning performance in comparison with alkyl alkoxylated sulphates having a similar average alkoxylation degree but having different ratios of mono-, di- and trialkoxylated sulphates, which are derived from mixtures of alkyl sulphates and alkyl alkoxylated sulphates.
An additional advantage of the surfactant system of the present invention is that it exhibits increased solubility over alkyl sulphates, which are the currently preferred substitutes for alkyl benzene sulphonate.
Another advantage of the surfactant system of the present invention is the excellent wetting properties, which is a highly desirable property in detergent compositions.
Furthermore, the surfactant system of the present invention is particularly efficient in the removal of sebum, a major constituent of body soils.
Alkyl ethoxy sulphates (referred to herein as AES) have been described in various contexts in the art. For example WO 92/06158 discloses detergent compositions comprising AES with an ethoxylation degree greater than 0, preferably from 0.5 to 3. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 92 05659 discloses detergent compositions comprising AES with a preferred average ethoxylation of from 0.5 to 2. EP-A 4671894 discloses liquid detergent composi
REFERENCES:
patent: 3775349 (1973-11-01), Tuvell et al.
patent: 4052342 (1977-10-01), Fernley et al.
patent: 4079020 (1978-03-01), Mills et al.
patent: 4140657 (1979-02-01), Okumura et al.
patent: 4144201 (1979-03-01), Winterbotham et al.
patent: 4435317 (1984-03-01), Gerritsen et al.
patent: 4592875 (1986-06-01), Kesling, Jr. et al.
patent: 4753754 (1988-06-01), Messenger et al.
patent: 4857213 (1989-08-01), Caswell et al.
patent: 4877546 (1989-10-01), Lai
patent: 5246629 (1993-09-01), Fukumoto et al.
patent: 5476614 (1995-12-01), Adamy et al.
patent: 5529723 (1996-06-01), Drapier
patent: 5565421 (1996-10-01), Aszman et al.
patent: 5580848 (1996-12-01), Drapier
patent: 5610127 (1997-03-01), Erilli et al.
patent: 5688754 (1997-11-01), Drapier
patent: 5696073 (1997-12-01), Jakubicki et al.
Baillely Gerard Marcel
Ingram Barry Thomas
Vermote Christian Leo Marie
Bolam Brian M.
McAvoy Ellen M.
Robinson Ian S.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Zerby Kim William
LandOfFree
Detergent compositions 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 compositions, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Detergent compositions will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1424801