Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Specific organic component
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-19
2003-07-22
Hardee, John (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Specific organic component
C510S515000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06596685
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a softener composition for textiles.
BACKGROUND ART
At present, domestic softener compositions are compositions based on a quaternary ammonium compound containing two long-chain alkyl groups in one molecule and being typified by di(hydrogenated tallow alkyl) dimethyl ammonium. The reason for use of such softener compositions is that the quaternary ammonium compound, even in a small amount, has a good softening effect on various fibers. However, these softener compositions suffer from the problem of oily finish of fibers and deterioration in water absorption properties of cotton towels etc.
JP-B 4-28826 and JP-B 7-23584 disclose the technique of using a quaternary ammonium salt having an unsaturated alkyl chain as the means of improving water absorption properties, by which the water absorption properties of cotton towels are improved, but slimy feeling peculiar to the quaternary ammonium salt is still not solved.
JP-A 9-111660 describes use of a mixture of a polycation having at least one long-chain hydrophobic group and an anionic surfactant, but this technique also failed to satisfy water absorption properties and preferable feeling.
On the other hand, there is the problem that discoloration of clothes proceeds by repeated washing, resulting in deterioration in the appearance. This is due to the influence of residual chlorine present in tap water, and the technique of preventing discoloration by scavenging such residual chlorine has been found. JP-A 10-506966 discloses a softener composition comprising a chlorine scavenger. In respect of costs and storage stability, however, it was very unfavorable to incorporate a chlorine scavenger besides softening components into the softener composition.
As an automatic laundering machine becomes distributed in recent years, there is an increasing opportunity to use a softener composition by introducing it into an automatic inlet, but if conventional softening components are used, they will remain in the inlet thus forming gel with time to cause clogging in the inlet or the problem of an aesthetically unfavorable appearance.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a softener composition endowing clothes with a high softening effect and preferable feeling without deteriorating the water absorption properties of textiles. Further, the present invention provides a softener composition capable of endowing cotton in particular with a preferred softness, elasticity (fluffy feeling) and feeling of dryness with small oiliness while being excellent in the discoloration-preventing effect. Furthermore, the present invention can also provide a softener composition not causing gelation in an automatic inlet in a laundering machine.
That is, the present invention provides a softener composition which comprises a compound having one or more C
8-36
hydrocarbon groups and two or more groups selected from an amino group and a quaternary ammonium group in the molecule (component (a)), an anionic surfactant having a C
8-36
hydrocarbon group (component (b)) and a nonionic surfactant (component (c)), wherein the molar ratio of the component (a) to the component (b) is from 90/10 to 50/50.
The component (a) has a softener action.
Preferably, at least of the component (a) and the component (b) has at least one hydrocarbon group selected from:
<1> C
8-36
hydrocarbon group having one or more unsaturated bonds, and
<2> C
8-36
branched alkyl group.
Preferably, the component (a) is a compound having at least one C
8-36
hydrocarbon group, at least one quaternary ammonium group and at least one tertiary amino group, and the cation equivalent of quaternary ammonium group of the component (a) to the anion equivalent of the component (b) is from 90/10 to 40/60.
The component (a) is preferably a compound represented by formula (2):
R
1
—[A—P]
n
—[B—Q]
m
—C—R
2.
aX
−
(2)
wherein at least one of R
1
and R
2
is a C
8-36
alkyl or alkenyl group which may be interrupted by an ester group or an amide group, and the other group is a C
1-5
alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group; A, B and C each represent a group —N
+
(R
3
)(R
4
)— or —N (R
5
)— provided that at lest one of A, B and C is —N
+
(R
3
)(R
4
)— and A, B and C are simultaneously not —N
+
(R
3
)(R
4
)—, R
3
, R
4
and R
5
are the same as or different from one another and represent a C
1-5
alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group; P and Q each represent a C,
5
alkylene group which may be interrupted by an ester group, an ether group or an amide group or may be substituted with a hydroxy group or an ether group; “a” is the number of —N
+
(R
3
)(R
4
)— groups in A, B and C; “n” is a number of 1 to 3, and “m” is a number of 0 to 2; and X
−
is an anion.
Alternatively, in the formula, at least one of R
1
and R
2
is a C
8-36
alkyl or alkenyl group which may be interrupted by an ester group or an amide group, and the other group is a C
1-5
alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group; A, B and C may be the same as or different from one another and each represent a group —N
+
(R
3
)(R
4
)— or —N(R
5
)—, R
3
, R
4
and R
5
maybe the same as or different from one another and represent a C
1-5
alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group; P and Q each represent a C
1-5
alkylene group which may be interrupted by an ester group, an ether group or an amide group or may be substituted with a hydroxy group or an ether group; “a” is the number of —N
+
(R
3
)(R
4
)— groups in A, B and C; “n” is a number of 1 to 3, and “m” is a number of 0 to 2; and X
−
is an anion.
The composition of the present invention can further comprise 0.5 to 20% by weight of a component (d) whose &dgr; is 20 to 40 as determined by formula (1):
&dgr;=[(14820+99.2 Tb+0.084 Tb
2
)/V]
1/2
(1)
wherein Tb is a boiling temperature (°K) and V is a molar volume (cm
3
/mol) at 20° C.
Further, the present invention encompasses a composition which comprises 3 to 50% by weight of a compound having two or more quaternary ammonium groups or tertiary amino groups and one or more C
8-36
alkyl or alkenyl group in the molecule as the component (a), 0.5 to 30% by weight of an anionic surfactant as the component (b), 0.1 to 10% by weight of a nonionic surfactant as the component (c) and 0.5 to 20% by weight of the component (d).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The embodiment (1) of the component (a) is a compound having one or more C
8-36
hydrocarbon groups and two or more groups selected from an amino group and a quaternary ammonium group in the molecule, and is preferably represented by the formula (2).
Alternatively, the component (a) is a compound having two or more, more preferably two or three and most preferably two groups selected from a quaternary ammonium group and a tertiary amino group and one or more, more preferably one or two and most preferably one group selected from C
8-36
alkyl and alkenyl groups, and it is the principal component for softening.
Preferable examples of such compounds include the following compounds:
wherein R
1
to R
5
and X
−
have the same meanings as defined above, R
6
is a hydrogen atom or a C
1-12
alkyl group or an oxyethylene group with an average condensation degree of 1 to 20; Y is a group selected from —COO—, —OCO—, —CONH—, —NHCO— and —O— and l and “k” may be the same as or different from each other and represent a number of 1 to 5.
Among the above compounds in the present invention, (I) (II), (IV) and (V) are preferable, and (II) and (V) are particularly preferable.
In the present invention it is also preferable that R
1
and/or R
2
, preferably R
1
or R
2
, is a C
14-24
alkyl or alkenyl group interrupted by an ester group and/or an amide group, and it is particularly preferably a group selected from R
7
—COZ—R
8
— and R
7
—ZCO—R
8
—. In the formula, R
7
is a C
13-19
alkyl or alkenyl group, and R
8
is an alkylene group containing 1 to 5 carbon atoms, preferably 1 to 3 carbon atoms. “Z” represents —O— or —NH—.
Among the compounds exemplified
Hayashi Hiromitsu
Tagata Shuji
Ushio Noriaki
Hardee John
Kao Corporation
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