MX2008010714A - Shading dye granule its use in a detergent formulation and process to make it - Google Patents

Abstract

A shading dye granule for use as an additive in a laundry powder composition, the granule having a particle size distribution such that 90 wt%of the particles are less than 300 microns, preferably 250 microns, in diameter, the granule comprising:0.05 to 0.5 wt%water soluble fabric substantive shading dye (solids) absorbed into at least 80 wt%hydratable salt.

Description

GREAT OR WHAT IS OF YOU NTE MATIZANTE. S U USE IN A FORMU DETERGENT FORMATION AND PROCESS TO DO IT This invention relates to laundry detergent powder compositions that include a matting dye or substantive dye of a genre, it refers in particular to the inclusion of a matting dye granule towards an essentially colorless detergent composition. White genera can be treated with dye in order to intensify whiteness. The dye used is usually blue or violet. When these treated goods have been washed repeatedly with a detergent composition, the dye can be removed from the fabric, leading to yellowing of the fabric. The prior art has suggested remedying this effect by delivering matting dye to the fabric during the laundry washing process. For example, WO 2005/003274 describes a laundry treatment composition, which comprises a surfactant and from 0.0001 to 0.1% by weight of a combination of dyes, which together have a visual effect on the human eye as a single dye having a peak absorption wavelength on cotton from 540 nm to 640 nm, preferably from 570 nm to 630 nm, the combination comprising a photostable dye, which is substantive to cotton. Such a dye or combination of dyes can be referred to as a matting dye. WO 2005/003275 shows that such matting dye can be incorporated into a treatment composition in a variety of shapes. For example, dyes that are not sensitive to heat can be included in a paste and spray dried. Alternatively, the dye can be incorporated into granules that are post-dosed to a detergent powder. However, it has been found to higher concentrations of matting dye in the granules of this type, which could be a danger of staining and damage of dye on the fabrics. WO 2005/003275 suggests that these problems can be avoided if the concentration of dye in the granules is less than 0.1% by weight. The granules can be formed by charging an inorganic salt with soluble dye solution. One problem with this is that the solution can leak from the granule when mixed with the rest of the laundry detergent composition. This is especially likely if the composition is moist and / or lukewarm: for example, during storage. The leakage phenomenon of the dye in the surrounding composition is called bleeding. It is a particularly significant problem for colorless or pale-colored detergent powder compositions. Color granules containing a dye have also been used in detergent powder formulations as chlorinated specks to provide visual cues. These granules or particles are large and contain as little dye as possible due to their non-functional nature. The dye is not substantive of gender and a matting dye is therefore unsuitable for this purpose. EP 0336 635 describes a process for preparing a granular alkali metal silicate colored This is a type of visual sign of speck and uses non-substantive stain. Non-substantive dyes can be incorporated at a higher level without fear of staining damage if the dye granule comes into direct contact with a fabric. It is stated in this document that the amount of colorant in the speck granule should be low, in order not to interfere with the washing process. The process involves atomizing the inorganic material without dye or pigment and a solvent. It is shown that the silicate can be mixed with other inorganic materials, such as zeolite, sodium sulfate or sodium phosphate. The preferred particle size of the colored granules is 0.8 to 1.6 mm. It is suggested that the dye be incorporated at a low level: 0.1 to 2% by weight of the granules and said to be present as a coating on the silicate. WO 2000/27980 also refers to visible spots. The preferred starting size is 500 to 1440 μ? T? . The speck comprises a dye in a crystalline material that can be a hydrated salt, such as crystalline silicate. The preferred level of dye may be below 0.1% by weight of the speck particle. US 5073295 relates to coating granules containing, for example, soluble dye. The coatings provide excellent protection against the decomposition and separation of other components, for example, in detergent compositions. The preferred particle size of the dye granules is 200 to 700 microns.

According to the present invention, a granule having a particle size distribution is provided so that 90% in The weight of the particles are less than 250 microns in diameter, the granule comprising 0.05 to 0.5% by weight of matting dye solids absorbed in at least 80% by weight of hydratable salt comprising light commercial soda. In this specification, "matting dye" means one, or a combination of, water-soluble, stable, water-soluble dyes, which, in cotton has a peak absorption wavelength from 540 nm to 650 nm, preferably from 570 nm to 630 nm. Such matting dyes are solid at ambient temperatures and are usually made in processable liquids upon dissolving or dispersing in an aqueous medium. In this specification, except in the examples, references to amounts of matting dye mean the amount of matting dye solids and not the amount of matting dye solution or dispersion. Also according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing such a matting dye granule comprising the steps of dry blending inorganic carrier materials, comprising light commercial soda, and then atomizing a dyeing-comprising liquid onto the mixture. Matting and water. Matting dye can be supplied as a dispersion or solution in water. It can be used as supplied or it can be further diluted when adding water. If used undiluted, care must be taken about the rate of addition of dye to the inorganic material. If it is used undiluted in addition, then the proportion of water added to matting dye solution should preferably be minus 2: 1 The dilution of the dye matizante with water allows a better control of the amount being added and helps the dispersion of the dye on the inorganic solids. The mixing and atomization preferably takes place in a drum mixer. The amount of atomized liquid should be less than that which would lead to agglomeration of the inorganic carrier materials. This allows the retention of carrying capacity of reserve liquid in the inorganic material. It has been found that by retaining at least 10% of the total liquid carrier capacity of the inorganic material, the bleeding performance of the granule can be significantly improved. Advantageously, the zeolite is added after the initial mixing of the aqueous dye liquid and the inorganic carrier materials comprising light commercial soda. It is also possible to atomize the tine on the zeolite and then dilute this mixture with inorganic salt. A second problem with the use of a highly charged (or auxiliary) matting dye granule is that it becomes visible against a colorless detergent powder because of its contrasting color. In this invention, this is mitigated by preventing the agglomeration of particles containing matting dye during the manufacturing process. This is done by limiting the total amount of water and matting dye liquid to 15% by weight, preferably 10% by weight, of the amount of the carrier materials comprising light commercial soda. As mentioned before, such a limitation also has the advantage that the salt is not completely charged with the diluted dyeing dye. This means that the problem of bleeding is reduced. It is thought that this is due to the ability of the matting dye liquid to expand upon heating without being forced out of the matting dye granule. The use of these liquid loading levels also avoids cake problems. The concentration of matting dye (on a solid basis) in the atomized liquid should not be greater than 25%, preferably not greater than 10%, most preferably not greater than 2.5%. In this way, a normal concentration range of matting dye (solid base) in the matting dye granule will be 0.05 to 0.4% by weight of the matting dye granule, preferably 0.07 to 0.2% by weight. It has been found that higher levels of matting dye lead to damage of width if a fabric is left in contact with dust. On the other hand, lower concentrations of matting dye mean that a too high proportion of matting dye granules need to be added to a powder formulation to obtain the required level of inclusion of matting dye in the total formulation. This, in turn, leads to bleeding of the matting dye into the formulation over time. Normal levels of the matting dye granule in powder formulation are in the range of 0.1 to 2.0% by weight. The granule can be used in conjunction with any laundry detergent powder formulation. It is especially useful for use with formulations that are white, or relatively light in hue, as these would have suffered in particular from any bleeding that happen over time. It has also been found that the selection of the inorganic salt has a bleeding effect and spotting performance of the matting dye granules. Light commercial soda is found to give the best results and has a low particle size - less than about 10% above 250 microns. However, it would also be possible to use magnesium sulfate, sodium tripolyphosphate and zeolite in combination with sodium carbonate. The invention will now be illustrated further with reference to the following limiting examples. Two standard tests are carried out in the examples, they are the spotting test and the bleeding test.

Stain test This test is designed to check if a powder containing a matting tint granule gives rise to staining and / or splashing of test sorts. A load of 1 00% cotton t-shirts (= 73 g) is added to a three-liter bucket containing one liter of water. Three replicas of a monitor (1 5 x 1 5 cm) are placed in the cuvette and 10 g of the test powder is spread over them. After 2 hours, monitors are removed and visually assessed for spot damage. The damage is classified according to the following rating scale: (1) - Very low damage (2) - Low damage (3) - Medium damage (4) - High damage (5) - Very high damage Bleed test This test checks the hue change in finished powders containing matting dye granules. A quantity of matting dye granules is incorporated into a standard detergent powder when mixed in a plastic bag. 30 grams of this product and a reference powder without dyeing granules are stored in open petri dishes at 37 ° C / 70% relative humidity for 4 weeks. A visual comparison against the reference is made weekly to verify if a shade color change is observed. The evaluation is performed in a visual cabinet under daylight. The classification is: (Good): Sin, or very light, observed bleeding. (Acceptable): Observed light bleeding, but the hue change is still fine. (Rejected): Severe bleeding with clear color change of hue.

EJ EMPLOS Example 1 A granule of matting dye was made with the ingredients shown below: Light commercial soda = 89.0 Zeolite 4A = 2.1 Water = 8.1 5 Matting stain = 0.75 (0.075 solids of matting stain + water and stabilizers) The matting dye used was an aqueous dispersion of the trisetoxy tripropanol-amine salt of direct Violet 9. The salt was present at a concentration of about 10% by weight and stabilized at this level in dispersion / aqueous solution by surfactant and other ingredients minors The water and dye were mixed together and atomized on the light comed soda in a low / medium cut batch mixer, with subsequent addition of zeolite towards the end of the batch cycle. Except where otherwise specified, the light commercial soda used had 100% by weight of particles below 250 microns.

Example 2 A matting dye granule was manufactured using a process similar to that used for example 1 with the ingredients shown below: Light commercial soda = 53.1 Sodium sulphate = 38.6 Zeolite 4A = 1 .2 Water = 7.1 Matting hue = 0.75 (0.075 solids dye matting + water + stabilizers) The matting dye was the same as that used in example 1. The water and dye were mixed together and atomized on the commercial soda in a low / medium cut batch mixer, with subsequent addition of zeolite and then dilution with sodium sulfate towards the end of the batch cycle.

Example 3 (comparative) A matting dye granule was manufactured in a high cut batch mixer using a process similar to that used for example 1, with the ingredients shown below: Anhydrous STPP = 50.0 Sodium sulphate = 47.0 Water = 1.5 shading dye = 1.5. (0.1 5 dyeing solids + water + stabilizers) The matting dye was the same as that used in Example 1. The water and dye were mixed together and sprayed onto STPP in a high shear batch mixer, with subsequent addition of sulphate sodium towards the end of the batch cycle.

Example 4 (Comparative) A matting dye granule was manufactured in a high cut batch mixer using a similar process used for example 3, with the ingredients shown below: Magnesium sulfate = 85.0 Water = 14.0 Matting dye = 1.0 (0.1 dyeing solids + water + stabilizers) Example 5 A matting dye granule was manufactured in a high cut batch mixer using a process similar to that used for example 1, with the ingredients shown below: Light Commercial Soda = 76.0 Zeolite 4A = 20.0 Water = 3.0 Matting Stain = 1.0 (0.1 Matting Stain Solids + Water + Stabilizers) The matting dye was the same as that used in example 1. The water and dye were mixed together and atomized on zeolite in a batch mixer with high cutting, with subsequent addition of light commercial soda towards the end of the batch cycle.

Example 6 The matting titne granule of Example 1 was added to a detergent powder, formed with phosphate, at a level of 0.1-5% by weight. The appearance of the powder was not adversely affected by the incorporation of the matting dye granule.

Example 7 The tinting granule of example 2 was added to a zeolite-forming detergent powder formulation at a level of 0.5% by weight. The appearance of the powder was not adversely affected by the incorporation of the matting dye granule.

EXAMPLE 8 A tinting bead granule was produced as Example 1, except that a light commercial soda with the following particle size was used: 90% by weight per low of 250 microns 1 0% by weight in re 250-500 microns Example 9 (comparative) A matting tint granule was produced as Example 1, except that a light commercial soda with the following particle size was used: 75% by weight below 250 microns 25% by weight between 250-500 microns Example 10 (comparative) A matting granule was produced as example 1, except that a light commercial soda with the following particle size was used: 40% by weight below 250 microns 40% by weight between 250-500 microns 20% by weight above 500 microns The granules of examples 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 1 0 were scored for spotting and bleeding. The results are given in table 1.

Table 1 As can be seen from Table 1, the use of the heavier grades of commercial soda in Comparative Examples 9 and 10 leads to poorer spotting scores.

Claims (4)

REIVI N DICACIONES

1 . A granule for use as an additive in a laundry powder composition, the granule having a particle size distribution such that 90% by weight of the particles are less than 250 microns in diameter, the granule comprising: 0.05 to 0.5% by weight of matting dye solids, absorbed in at least 80% by weight of hydratable salt, wherein the hydratable salt comprises light commercial soda and wherein the matting dye is one or more sun-stable photostable dyes in water, its cotton content and having a peak absorption wavelength in cotton from 540 nm to 650 nm, preferably from 570 to 630 nm.

2. A matting dye granule according to claim 1, wherein the granule further comprises sodium sulfate as a hydratable salt.

3. A detergent powder composition comprising 0.1 to 2.5% by weight of a matting dye granule according to any of claims 1 or 2.

4. A process for the manufacture of a matting dye granule according to with any of claims 1 or 2, including the steps of: adding light commercial soda to a low / medium cutting mixer, optionally mixing aqueous matting dye solution with additional water, the ratio of water to dye solution being matizing at least 2: 1, and atomizing the aqueous matting dye solution and optional additional water mixture onto the light commercial soda while mixing, optionally adding additional inorganic material with liquid carrying capacity, which may further include zeolite or hydratable salt, wherein the agglomeration of the matting dye granules is prevented by using a total amount of water and dyeing dye solution of less than 15% by weight, preferably less than 10% by weight, of the weight of the granule produced .