Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Solid – shaped macroscopic article or structure
Reexamination Certificate
1995-05-09
2001-09-04
Ogden, Necholus (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Solid, shaped macroscopic article or structure
C510S424000, C510S428000, C510S509000, C510S511000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06284724
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Heavy duty powder detergent compositions for home use fabric laundering generally perform well and are widely accepted. With the increasing trend to cold water washing of fabrics at wash water temperatures below about 60° F. for energy conservation, commercial laundry detergent compositions tend to leave a cold water residue (CWR) of undissolved detergent solids after completion of the wash machine cycles.
The detergency of powder detergent compositions in fabric laundering applications is directly affected by the hardness of the wash water. Control of water hardness typically is achieved with detergency builders, such as water-soluble sequestering builders, water-insoluble ion exchange builders, and water-soluble precipitating builders.
Sodium carbonate is a preferred detergent builder because of cost considerations, but it has inherent disadvantages. Sodium carbonate alone is not capable of reducing the calcium ion concentration in hard water to a level sufficient to provide high detergency under conventional fabric washing conditions. Also, precipitated calcium carbonate tends to coat undissolved detergent particles.
Particularly in the case of cold water laundering of fabrics, the coating of detergent particles with precipitated calcium carbonate suppresses dissolution of the sodium carbonate ingredient. This results in a substantial loss of detergency building activity, and there is a consequential remainder of a cold water residue of undissolved detergent solids.
Laundry detergent formulations which have been developed for use in cold water washing of fabrics are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,196,095; 4,530,774; 4,695,284; and 5,180,515.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,292 is of background interest with respect to a detergent active surfactant composition which is a novel embodiment of the present invention.
There is continuing interest in the development of heavy duty laundry detergents which exhibit improved properties for cold water laundry applications.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a powder detergent composition which performs with a minimized amount of residual undissolved detergent solids under cold water fabric laundering conditions.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a nonionic/anionic surfactant blend composition which contributes improved cold water residue properties as an ingredient in a heavy duty powder, or improved dispersibility of a liquid laundry detergent product.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention shall become apparent from the accompanying description and examples.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
One or more objects of the present invention are accomplished by the provision of a powder laundry detergent composition with improved cold water residue properties, which is a granulated blend of ingredients comprising (1) between about 40-90 weight percent of a water-soluble detergent builder ingredient wherein at least one third of the detergent builder ingredient is sodium carbonate; and (2) between about 5-40 weight percent of a detergent active ingredient which is a surfactant blend comprising (a) between about 40-80 weight percent, based on the surfactant weight, of an anionic salt compound corresponding to the formula:
R—O—(CH
2
CH
2
O)
n
—SO
3
M
where R is a C
10
-C
14
alkyl group, n is an average number of ethoxylate groups between about 2-6, and M is an alkali metal or ammonium cation, and (b) between about 20-60 weight percent, based on surfactant weight, of a nonionic compound corresponding to the formula:
R—O—(CH
2
CH
2
O)
n
—H
where R is a C
10
-C
14
alkyl group, and n is an average number of ethoxylate groups between about 2-6.
In another embodiment this invention provides a novel detergent active composition which is a surfactant blend comprising (a) between about 40-80 weight percent of an anionic salt compound corresponding to the formula:
R—O—(CH
2
CH
2
O)
n
—SO
3
M
where R is a C
10
-C
14
alkyl group, n is an average number of ethoxylate groups between about 2-6, and M is an alkali metal or ammonium cation, and (b) between about 20-60 weight percent of a nonionic compound corresponding to the formula:
R—O—(CH
2
CH
2
O)
n
—H
where R is a C
10
-C
14
alkyl group, and n is an average number of ethoxylate groups between about 2-6.
As described more fully hereinafter, a present invention laundry detergent product exhibits excellent cold water residue properties when it includes the above represented surfactant blend composition as an ingredient, and the R alkyl group in the nonionic and anionic formulas is a C
10
-C
14
alkyl substituent, and preferably is a C
12
-C
14
alkyl or C
12
-C
13
alkyl mixture.
Suitable water-soluble detergent builder compounds for a present invention laundry detergent product as defined herein include alkali metal and ammonium carbonates, bicarbonates, sesquicarbonates, silicates, phosphates, orthophosphates, pyrophosphates, tripolyphosphates, silicates, borates, and the like. Sodium and potassium carbonates, bicarbonates, sesquicarbonates and tripolyphosphates are illustrative of preferred types of inorganic salt detergent builder compounds.
Other types of detergent builders include sequestering compounds such as alkali metal and ammonium salts of nitrilotriacetate, polyhydroxysulfonate, oxydisuccinate, polysaccharide carboxylate, and the like; and ion-exchange compounds such as amorphous and crystalline aluminosilicates, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,868,336, 4,473,485 and 4,695,284, incorporated by reference.
The term “water-soluble” as employed herein refers to a chemical compound which has a solubility of at least about 2 grams per 100 grams of water at 25° C.
A present invention laundry detergent product can contain other optional detergent adjuncts, which include lather boosters such as alkanolamines, lather depressants such as alkyl phosphates or silicones, anti-redeposition agents such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose, oxygen-releasing bleaching agents such as sodium perborate or sodium percarbonate, fabric softening agents, fluorescent agents, perfumes, enzymes, germicides, colorants, and the like.
A preferred type of anti-redeposition agent is sodium polyacrylate having a molecular weight of 2000-50,000.
It is generally desirable to include a sodium or potassium silicate ingredient in the laundry detergent composition to provide buffering capacity and to prevent corrosion of metal parts in washing machines.
The novel detergent active surfactant blend ingredient of a present invention laundry detergent is prepared by a partial sulfation procedure similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,292, incorporated by reference.
In a typical sulfation procedure, a nonionic ethoxylated alcohol mixture, such as Neodol 23-3 (Shell), is admixed with 96-100% concentrated sulfuric acid, in a proportion of about 1-2 moles of sulfuric acid per mole of nonionic ethoxylated alcohol mixture. The exothermic reaction admixture is maintained at a temperature between about 120°-180° F. for a sufficient period between about 0.5-45 minutes to convert about 40-80 weight percent of the initial ethoxylated alcohol mixture to a sulfate ester derivative.
The resulting partially sulfated nonionic ethoxylated alcohol blend is a liquid mixture of residual unsulfated ethoxylated alcohols, and sulfated ethoxylated alcohols.
A commercial nonionic ethoxylated alcohol product such as Neodol 23-3 is composed of a mixture of C
12
-C
13
alcohols which have an average content of three ethoxylate groups per alcohol molecule. A commercial nonionic ethoxylated alcohol product such as Neodol 23-3 typically has a content of up to about 20 weight percent of unethoxylated alcohols such as C
12
-C
13
alcohols. Nominally, 24-3 refers to a mixture of C
12
-C
14
alcohols which have an average content of three ethoxylate groups per alcohol molecule.
The partially sulfated surfactant blend is neutralized with a basic reagent such as alkali metal or ammonium hydroxide or carbonate.
For purposes of the present invention, the neutralization of the partially sulfated surf
Conley Bruce R.
Falotico Anthony J.
Marder Herman L.
Mazzola Louis R.
Church & Dwight & Co., Inc.
Fishman Irving M.
Ogden Necholus
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