Surfactant, process for producing the same and detergent...

Details Surfactant, process for producing the same and detergent... Surfactant, process for producing the same and detergent...

2001-03-29

2004-06-15

Delcotto, Gregory (Department: 1751)

Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions

Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing

Liquid composition

C510S119000, C510S130000, C510S137000, C510S138000, C510S235000, C510S506000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06750192

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a novel nonionic surfactant, an anionic surfactant anionizing it and a detergent composition. More specifically, the invention relates to non-alkylphenol type nonionic and anionic surfactants.
BACKGROUND ART
Heretofore, aliphatic alcohol alkylene oxide adducts, obtained by addition-polymerizing an alkylene oxide with aliphatic alcohols in the presence of a basic catalyst or an acidic catalyst, and anionized products thereof have been known as various surfactants, solvents, intermediates for chemicals. As compared with alkylphenol-based nonionic surfactants, aliphatic alcohol alkylene oxide adducts known heretofore, however, do not manifest sufficient surface activity in some case, for instance, result in insufficient emulsifiability, emulsion stability and low-foaming properties when used as emulsifiers. With respect to anionized products of aliphatic alcohol alkylene oxide adducts, there have been remained problems of foaming properties, detergency, stability with time of products and irritation to human skin.
In addition, there has been known a method using perchlorates as catalysts for addition of an alkylene oxide (U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,231). This method has not yet become industrially used; since the catalysts are of low catalytic activity, and, when used in an increased amount to shorten the reaction time, they cause problems such that the resulting product severely discolored to result in worsened product appearance and that the product contains aldehyde in high content.
The inventors have devoted deep study to resolve the above problems, and have found that nonionic surfactants comprising aliphatic alcohol alkylene oxide adducts having a specific composition and a specific molecular weight distribution exhibit excellent emulsifiability and detergency. Besides, they have found that such aliphatic alcohol alkylene oxide adducts can be directly produced by using two specific catalysts in combination to reach the present invention. Further, it has been found that products obtained by anionizing the resulting aliphatic alcohol alkylene oxide adducts have improved foaming properties, detergency, stability with time of products and irritation to human skin.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an aliphatic alcohol alkylene oxide adduct, having surface activities comparable to alkylphenol-based nonionic surfactants and moreover having no fear of environmental endocrine disrupters like alkylphenol-based nonionic surfactants.
It is another object of this invention to provide an anionic surfactant having improved foaming properties, detergency, stability with time of products and irritation to human skin by anionizing an aliphatic alcohol alkylene oxide adduct.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a detergent composition using the above anionic surfactant and having excellent detergency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, according to the present invention, provided are the following (I), (II), (III) and (IV).
(I) A nonionic surfactant comprising an aliphatic alcohol alkylene oxide adduct (A),
said (A) being directly produced by adding an alkylene oxide (b1) to an aliphatic alcohol (a1) and satisfying the following (i), (ii) and (iii):
(i) It comprises one compound represented by the following general formula (1) or a mixture of two or more thereof.
R
1
O—[(C
2
H
4
O)
m
/(AO)
n
]—(C
2
H
4
O)
p
—H  (1)
In the formula, R
1
is an aliphatic hydrocarbon group containing 8-24 carbon atoms or a cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon group containing 8-24 carbon atoms; A is an alkylene group containing at least 3 carbon atoms; m is 0 or an integer of 1 or more, the average thereof being in the range of 0-4, n is 0 or an integer of 1 or more, the average thereof being in the range of 0-3, p is 0 or an integer of 1 or more, the average thereof being in the range of 1-80, (m+n+p) is an integer, the average thereof being in the range of 3-81, and average of (m+p)/(m+n+p) is at least 0.5. In case of m≠0 and n≠0, [(C
2
H
4
O)
m
/(AO)
n
] represents block addition or random addition.
(ii) The ratio Mw/Mn of a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) to a number-average molecular weight (Mn) satisfies the following relation (2) or (3).
Mw/Mn≦
0.030×Ln(
v
)+1.010 (in case of
v
<10)  (2)
Mw/Mn≦−
0.026×Ln(
v
)+1.139 (in case of
v
≧10)  (3)
Herein, v represents the average of (m+n+p) in the above general formula (1).
(iii) A distribution constant (c), determined by the following equation (4) derived from Weibull distribution law, is 1.0 or less. This is required only in the case of v up to 12.
c
=(
v+n
0


00−
1)/[Ln(
n
00


0
)+
n
0


00
−1]  (4)
Herein, v is the same in the above, n
00
, is the molar number of the aliphatic alcohol (a1) used in the reaction, and n
0
is the molar number of the aliphatic alcohol (a1) unreacted.
(II) A process for producing an aliphatic alcohol alkylene oxide adduct,
which comprises addition reaction of an aliphatic alcohol alkylene oxide adduct (e), obtainable by adding 1-2.5 moles on the average of an alkylene oxide (b2) containing at least two carbon atoms to an aliphatic alcohol (a2) containing 1-24 carbon atoms in the presence of a catalyst (d) providing an adduct having a distribution constant c′ of 1.0 or less as determined by the following equation (4′) derived from Weibull distribution law,
with an alkylene oxide (b3) containing at least two carbon atoms in the presence of an alkaline catalyst (f).
c′=
(
v′+n
0
′

00
′−1)/[Ln(
n
00
′

0
′)+
n
0
′

00
′−1]  (4′)
Herein, v′ represents the average addition molar number of alkylene oxide added per 1 mole of the aliphatic alcohol (a2), n
00
′ represents the molar number of the aliphatic alcohol (a2) used in the reaction, and n
0
′ represents the molar number of the aliphatic alcohol (a2) unreacted.
(III) An anionic surfactant obtainable by anionization of an aliphatic alcohol alkylene oxide adduct (A′),
said (A′) being directly produced by adding an alkylene oxide (b1) to an aliphatic alcohol (a1) and satisfying the following (ii′), (iii′) and (iv).
(ii′) The ratio Mw/Mn of a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) to a number-average molecular weight (Mn) satisfies the following relation (2′) or (3′).
Mw/Mn≦
0.030×Ln(
v″
)+1.010 (in case of
v″<
10)  (2′)
Mw/Mn≦−
0.026×Ln(
v″
)+1.139 (in the case of
v″≧
10)  (3′)
Herein, v″ represents the average of (m′+n′+p′) in the following general formula (1′).
(iii′) A distribution constant c″, determined by the following equation (4″), is 1.0 or less. This is required only in the case of v″ up to 12.
c″=
(
v″+n
0


00
−1)/[Ln(
n
00


0
)+
n
0


00
−1]  (4″)
Herein, v″ is the same in the above. n
00
represents the molar number of the aliphatic alcohol (a1) used in the reaction, and n
0
represents the molar number of the aliphatic alcohol (a1) unreacted.
(iv) It comprises one compound represented by the following general formula (1′) or a mixture of two or more thereof.
R
1
O—[(C
2
H
4
O)
m
′/(AO)
n
′]—(C
2
H
4
O)
p
′—H  (1′)
Herein, R
1
is an aliphatic hydrocarbon group containing 8-24 carbon atoms or a cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon group containing 8-24 carbon atoms; A is an alkylene group containing at least 3 carbon atoms; m′ is 0 or an integer of 1 or more, the average thereof being in the range of 0-5, n′ is 0 or an integer of 1 or more, the average thereof being in the range of 0-5, p′ is 0 or an integer of 1 or more, the average thereof being in

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