Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification – Cleaning or laundering
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-07
2003-09-09
Gupta, Yogendra N. (Department: 1751)
Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification
Cleaning or laundering
C510S319000, C510S330000, C510S334000, C510S340000, C510S356000, C510S466000, C510S467000, C510S475000, C510S504000, C510S511000, C510S515000, C510S528000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06616705
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns the field of laundry detergents and relates to compositions comprising a conditioning surfactant system.
Among laundry detergents available on the market are compositions which not only clean the laundry but give it a soft hand. Such compositions, sometimes known as “soft detergents”, include conditioners which are generally cationic surfactants of the type of the tetraalkylammonium compounds, usually together with phyllosilicates. Since laundry detergents are customarily based on anionic surfactants, the presence of cationic surfactants tends to cause undesirable salt formation, which leads to the deactivation of a portion of the detersive components and also to deposits on the fibers. Consequently, manufacturers of soft detergents need to preserve a balance and include only as much cationic surfactant in the formulation as is possible without signficant salt formation. This amount is generally below 0.5% by weight. Given such low use concentrations, it is of course immediately clear why soft detergents have hitherto not been very successful in the marketplace and have hitherto been unable to displace liquid fabric conditioners added in the post-rinse cycle, i.e., after conclusion of the actual wash.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide novel laundry detergent compositions, preferably in the form of powders, granules, extrudates or agglomerates, where the problem of salt formation between anionic and cationic surfactants has been solved, so that larger amounts of cationic surfactants may be used for the same high detergency and hence a better fiber hand finish may be achieved.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides laundry detergent compositions including
(a) anionic surfactants, nonionic and/or amphoteric surfactants,
(b) cationic polymers,
(c) phosphates and optionally
(d) phyllosilicates,
wherein component (b) is preferably present in amounts from 1 to 20%, preferably from 2 to 15%, especially from 3 to 10%, particularly preferably from 4 to 8%, by weight.
The laundry detergent compositions of the invention surprisingly meet the aforementioned requirements in an excellent manner. Combined with nonionic and/or amphoteric surfactants, the cationic polymers not only exhibit an improved soft hand but also a reduced tendency to form salts with anionic surfactants, which makes it possible to manufacture laundry detergent compositions having a higher cationic surfactant content than the prior art. In addition, the combination with phosphate builders provides a particularly advantageous conditioning effect which may be improved still further by the addition of phyllosilicates and/or by using a surfactant system which is free of anionics and is based on nonionic and/or amphoteric surfactants, specifically alk(en)yl oligoglycosides and/or betaines.
Anionic Surfactants
The laundry detergents may comprise as component (a) anionic, nonionic and/or amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactants; preferably, however, anionic surfactants or combinations of anionic and nonionic surfactants are present. Typical examples of anionic surfactants are soaps, alkylbenzenesulfonates, alkanesulfonates, olefinsulfonates, alkyl ether sulfonates, glycerol ether sulfonates, &agr;-methyl ester sulfonates, sulfo fatty acids, alkyl sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, glycerol ether sulfates, hydroxy-mixed ether sulfates, monoglyceride (ether) sulfates, fatty acid amide (ether) sulfates, mono- and dialkyl sulfosuccinates, mono- and dialkyl sulfosuccinamates, sulfotriglycerides, amide soaps, ether carboxylic acids and salts thereof, fatty acid isethionates, fatty acid sarcosinates, fatty acid taurides, N-acyl amino acids such as, for example, acyl lactylates, acyl tartrates, acyl glutamates and acyl aspartates, alkyl oligoglucoside sulfates, protein fatty acid condensates (especially plant products based on wheat), and alkyl (ether) phosphates. Where the anionic surfactants contain polyglycol ether chains, these chains may have a conventional or, preferably, a narrowed homolog distribution. Preference is given to using alkylbenzenesulfonates, alkyl sulfates, soaps, alkanesulfonates, olefinsulfonates, methyl ester sulfonates, and mixtures thereof.
Alkylbenzenesulfonates
Preferred alkylbenzenesulfonates conform preferably to the formula (I)
R—Ph—SO
3
X (I)
in which R is a branched or, preferably, a linear alkyl radical having from 10 to 18 carbon atoms, Ph is a phenyl radical, and X is an alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal, ammonium, alkylammonium, alkanolammonium or glucammonium. Of these, particular suitability is possessed by dodecylbenzenesulfonates, tetradecylbenzenesulfonates, hexadecylbenzenesulfonates, and their technical-grade mixtures in the form of sodium salts.
Alkyl and/or Alkenyl Sulfates
Alkyl and/or alkenyl sulfates, frequently also referred to as fatty alcohol sulfates, are the sulfation products of primary and/or secondary alcohols, conforming preferably to the formula (II)
R
2
O—SO
3
Y (II)
in which R
2
is a linear or branched, aliphatic alkyl and/or alkenyl radical having from 6 to 22, preferably from 12 to 18 carbon atoms, and Y is an alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal, ammonium, alkylammonium, alkanolammonium or glucammonium. Typical examples of alkyl sulfates that may be used in the context of the invention are the sulfation products of caproyl alcohol, caprylyl alcohol, capryl alcohol, 2-ethylhexyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, palmoleyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, isostearyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, elaidyl alcohol, petroselinyl alcohol, arachyl alcohol, gadoleyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, and erucyl alcohol, and their technical mixtures obtained by high-pressure hydrogenation of industrial methyl ester fractions or aldehydes from the Roelen oxo synthesis. The sulfation products may be used preferably in the form of their alkali metal salts and in particular of their sodium salts. Particular preference is given to alkyl sulfates on C
16/18
tallow fatty alcohols or vegetable fatty alcohols of comparable C-chain distribution in the form of their sodium salts. In the case of branched primary alcohols, the compounds in question are oxo alcohols, as obtainable, for example, by reacting carbon monoxide and hydrogen with alpha-olefins by the Shop process. Such alcohol mixtures are available commercially under the trade names DOBANOL® or Neodol®. Suitable alcohol mixtures are DOBANOL 91®, 23®, 25®, and 45®. A further possibility are oxo alcohols such as are obtained by the classic oxo process of Enichema or of Condea by addition reaction of carbon monoxide and hydrogen with olefins. These alcohol mixtures comprise a mixture of highly branched alcohols. Such alcohol mixtures are available commercially under the trade name LIAL®. Suitable alcohol mixtures are LIAL 91®, 111®, 123®, 125®, and 145®.
Soaps
Soaps, finally, are fatty acid salts of the formula (III)
R
3
Co—OX (III)
in which R
3
CO is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated acyl radical having from 6 to 22 and preferably from 12 to 18 carbon atoms, and X is alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal, ammonium, alkylammonium or alkanolammonium. Typical examples are the sodium, potassium, magnesium, ammonium and triethanolammonium salts of caproic acid, caprylic acid, 2-ethylhexanoic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, isotridecanoic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, palmoleic acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid, oleic acid, elaidic acid, petroselinic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, eleostearic acid, arachinic acid, gadoleic acid, behenic acid, and erucic acid, and also their technical-grade mixtures. Preference is given to using coconut or palm kernel fatty acid in the form of their sodium or potassium salts.
Nonionic Surfactants
Typical examples of nonionic surfactants are fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, alkylphenol polyglycol ethers, fatty acid polyglycol esters, fatty amide polyglycol ethers, fatty amine polyglycol ethers, alkoxylated triglycerides, mixed ethers an
Kischkel Ditmar
Stute Jutta
Weuthen Manfred
Cognis Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG
Drach John E.
Mruk Brian P.
Trzaska Steven J.
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