JPH06102794B2 - Detergent composition - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to detergent compositions, in particular fabric laundry detergent compositions.

The fabric laundry composition contains as an essential component a surfactant system which has the role of helping to remove mud stains on the fabric and its suspension in the wash liquor. Suitable detergent active surfactants are of many types, including anionic, nonionic and cationic materials. Commercial products include materials selected from one or more of these types.

The most widely used anionic surfactants are the alkylbenzene sulfonates, which provide satisfactory results, especially at elevated temperatures. There has been a desire to find alternative anionic surfactants that can be used in environments where the use of alkylbenzene sulfonates is undesirable.

Such alternative anionic surfactants have the general formula: (In the formula, R ¹ is usually a fatty acid-derived alkyl group from a natural source, R ² is usually a short-chain alkyl group which is a methyl group,
And M is, for example, an alkali metal) fatty acid ester sulfonate (FAES).

For example, US Pat. No. 4,416,809 (assigned to Magari et al., Lion Corp.) discloses compositions containing FAES, soap and salts of polycarboxylic acids. The disclosed FAES is a substance in which R ¹ is derived from tallow and R ² is methyl. Ethyl or propyl are also mentioned as possible for R ² .

However, we have found such a recommendation if the composition also contains a low HLB nonionic surfactant.
It has been found that the performance of FAES materials is not satisfactory. The use of such nonionic surfactants has many benefits, including an overall increase in detergency (see British Patent No. 1,241,754-Unilever, Inc.). Performance improvement of FAES materials in the presence of materials is required.

It has been surprisingly found that this object can be achieved by the use of substances in which R ² is butyl or higher alkyl.

That is, according to the invention, the surfactant system comprises i) a fatty acid ester sulfonate and ii) a nonionic surfactant having an HLB of less than 10.5, preferably less than 9.5, wherein the fatty acid ester sulfonate is , General formula: (In the formula, R ¹ and R ² are independent hydrocarbon groups having at least 4 carbon atoms, the total number of carbon atoms of the R ¹ group and the R ² group is 8 to 30, and M is 1 A detergent composition comprising said surfactant system having a cation of a valency).

The fatty acid ester sulfonates of the above general formula can be formed from fatty acids in a conventional manner. Desirable starting fatty acids are, for example, those derived from tallow, palm kernel oil or coconut oil. That is, it is preferred that the R ¹ group contains 12 to 18 carbon atoms, which may be fully or substantially saturated. R ²
The group may have fewer carbon atoms than the R ¹ group. For example, the R ² group may have 4 to 8 carbon atoms, in particular it may be a butyl group.

The sum of the carbon atoms of the R ¹ and R ² groups is preferably in the range 12-24. Particularly, when the total number of carbon atoms of the R ¹ group and the R ² group is 14 or more, it is preferable that R ¹ and R ² are different. A preferred FAES material is where R ¹ is coco alkyl and R ² is butyl.

As mentioned above, a mixture of FAES materials may be used. Small amounts of other FAES substances such as tallow methyl substances may be included, but doing so is not particularly advantageous.

It is preferred to use water-soluble salts of these anionic surfactants, especially their alkali metal (sodium or potassium) salts.

Suitable nonionic surfactants which can be used are compounds having a hydrophobic group and a reactive hydrogen atom, such as aliphatic alcohols, acids, amides or alkylphenols, and alkylene oxides, especially ethylene oxide alone or else propylene oxide and ethylene oxide. , The reaction product of. Specific nonionic detergent compounds include alkyl (C _{6 to} C ₂₂ ) phenol-ethylene oxide condensates, aliphatic (C _{8 to} C ₁₈ ) primary or secondary linear or branched chain alcohols. And a condensation product of ethylene oxide, and a condensation product of a reaction product of propylene oxide and ethylenediamine and ethylene oxide.

When using an alkylene oxide adduct of a fatty substance as the nonionic surfactant, the number of alkylene oxide groups per molecule has a significant effect on the HLB of the nonionic surfactant. Since the chain length and nature of the fatty substance also influence,
The preferred number of alkylene oxide groups per molecule depends on the nature and chain length of the fatty substance. The weight ratio of anionic surfactant to alkoxylated nonionic surfactant is 4: 1 to 1: 1.
4, an advantage of being most preferably 3: 1 to 1: 2 has been found, while the advantages of the invention are unlikely to be achieved.

Preferred compositions of the present invention contain the surfactant system in an amount of 2 to 50% by weight of the composition, preferably 4 to 30%.

The surfactant system may contain other surfactants in addition to the specific sulfonate and nonionic material. These other surfactants, other anionic detergent actives,
It may be selected from zwitterionic or amphoteric detergent actives or mixtures thereof.

Any such surfactant material generally accounts for less than 50%, preferably 40% or less of the total amount of surfactant in the composition.
% Present at a level of 5% or less of the total composition.

Other anionic detergent actives may be the common water-soluble alkali metal salts of organic sulphates and sulphonates with alkyl groups containing about 8 to 22 carbon atoms and the term alkyl Used to include the alkyl portion of the higher acyl group. Examples of suitable synthetic anionic detergent compounds are alkyl sodium and potassium sulfate, in particular such as higher produced from tallow or coconut oil (C ₈ ~C ₁₈₎ compounds obtained alcohol was sulphated, alkyl (C ₉ ~
C ₂₀₎ sodium benzene sulfonate and potassium, particularly linear secondary alkyl (C ₁₀ ~C ₁₅₎ sodium benzenesulfonate, alkyl glyceryl ether sodium sulfate, especially synthetic derived from higher alcohols and oil from tallow or coconut oil ether compounds alcohol; coconut oil fatty monoglyceride sodium sodium sulfate and sulfonate; higher (C ₈ ~C ₁₈₎ fatty alcohol - alkylene oxides, especially ethylene oxide, sodium and potassium salts of sulfuric acid esters of the reaction product; Reaction products obtained by esterifying a fatty acid such as coconut fatty acid with isethionic acid and neutralizing with sodium hydroxide; sodium and potassium salts of fatty acid amide of methyl taurine; for example, α-olefin (C ₈ -C ₂₀ ) With sodium bisulfite Alkane mono sulphonate guide, and is reacted with paraffins and SO ₂ and Cl _2, then a random alkane monosulfonic acid salt derived by hydrolysis with a base.

The composition of the present invention may contain a detergent builder material,
This material can be any material that can reduce the level of free calcium ions in the wash liquor, and also has other beneficial properties such as making the pH alkaline and removing and suspending dirt dirt from the fabric. It is preferred to provide the composition.

Specific examples of the phosphorus-containing inorganic detergent builder when contained include water-soluble salts, particularly alkali metal pyrophosphate salts, orthophosphoric acid alkali metal salts, polyphosphoric acid alkali metal salts and phosphinic acid alkali metal salts. Specific examples of inorganic phosphate builders include sodium and potassium tripolyphosphate, sodium and potassium orthophosphate,
And sodium and potassium hexametaphosphate.

A specific example of a phosphorus-free inorganic detergent builder when contained,
Water-soluble alkali metal carbonates, bicarbonates,
Includes alkali metal silicates and crystalline and amorphous alkali metal aluminosilicates.

Specific examples include sodium carbonate (with or without calcium carbonate nuclei), potassium carbonate (with or without calcium carbonate nuclei), sodium and potassium bicarbonate and sodium and potassium silicate.

Specific examples of the organic detergent builder when contained include polyacetic acid, carboxylic acid, polycarboxylic acid, polyacetylcarboxylic acid and polyhydroxysulfonic acid alkali metal salts, ammonium salts and substituted ammonium salts. Specific examples include the sodium, potassium, lithium, ammonium and substituted ammonium salts of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, oxydisuccinic acid, mellitic acid, benzene polycarboxylic acid and citric acid.

The composition of the present invention is preferably alkaline. That is, the pH at 25 ° C. in distilled water at a concentration of 1 g / should be at least 8, preferably at least 10.
To this end, the composition may contain water-soluble alkali salts. The salt may be a detergent builder or a non-builder alkaline material.

Apart from the components already mentioned, numerous optional components may be present.

Examples of other ingredients that may be present in the composition include fabric softeners such as aliphatic amines, fabric softening clay materials such as alkanolamides, especially monoethanolamide derived from palm kernel fatty acids and coconut fatty acids. Foaming agents, foaming inhibitors, oxygen-based bleaching agents such as sodium perborate and sodium percarbonate, peracid bleach precursors, chlorine-based bleaching agents such as trichloroisocyanuric acid, sodium sulfate Inorganic salts, as well as fluorescent agents, which are usually included in very small amounts, perfumes including deodorant fragrances, enzymes such as proteases, cellulases, amylases and lipases, bactericides and colorants are included.

The detergent compositions of the present invention can be manufactured in a number of different ways depending on their physical form. In the case of a granular product, it may be produced by dry mixing or coaggregation. The preferred physical form is granules mixed with detergent builder salts, which are generally prepared by spray drying at least a portion of the composition. In this method, a slurry is prepared by including a heat insensitive component of the composition such as a surfactant system, a builder substance and a filler salt. The slurry is spray-dried to form a base powder granules, which may be mixed with any heat sensitive ingredients such as bleach and enzyme containing ingredients. The particular nonionic surfactant may be liquefied by melting or solvent dissolution and may be sprayed onto the base powder granules, rather than being included in the slurry for spray drying. The present invention will be described in more detail by the following examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-5 A laundry liquor was prepared with water having a hardness of 25 ° FH (corresponding to a free calcium ion concentration of 2.5 x 10 ^-3 mol). The washing liquor contained 6 g / composition (wt%) containing: Specific anionic surfactant 9% Specific nonionic surfactant 4% Sodium tripolyphosphate 23% Sodium carbonate 6% Alkaline Sodium silicate 5.5% Sodium sulphate 30.8% Sodium chloride 2.93% Water Residual amount Sodium chloride was included to make the ionic strength equivalent to the actual 5% sodium perborate hydrate. No bleach was added in these experiments to avoid confusion between the cleaning and bleaching effects in interpreting the results.

50: 1 wash liquor to laundry ratio to wash out fabric stain load
The above washing liquid was used. A large amount of C ¹⁴
A number of polyester monitors pre-deposited with triolein labeled with were included. Measurements of labeled triolein levels after washing using the standard radiotracer method are indicative of the resulting detergency or degree of dirt removal.

The washing time was 20 minutes, and the mixture was stirred at 70 rpm. Washing temperature is 40 ℃
It was fixed at. In each case, 1 nonionic surfactant
SYNPERONIC A7 (eg ICI), which is mainly C ₁₃ / C ₁₅ alcohol ethoxylated with an average of 7 moles ethylene oxide per molecule having an HLB of 1.7, or
It is a mixture of SYNPERONIC A3 and a weight ratio of 1: 3,
This mixture has an HLB of 9.0 and SYNPERONIC A3 is 1
It is a substance similar to the above compound containing an average of 3 moles of ethylene oxide per molecule.

The anionic surfactants used are as follows.

CM: Palm methyl FAES TEXIN ES 68: Tallow methyl FAES (eg Henkel) LB: C ₁₂ alkylbutyl FAES The results obtained were as follows: These results show that in the presence of high HLB nonionics (Comparative Examples 1-3), the difference between the anionic surfactants tested is very small. However, low HL
It is clear that in the presence of the B nonionic mixture (A7 / A3), C ₁₂ butyl FAES is significantly more suitable than the others tested.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Dennis Jiles United Kingdom, Merseyside L63.0E.H., Wirral, Broomborough, Brookhurst Road. 33 (56) References 49-64609 (JP, A) JP 54-132609 (JP, A) JP 55-108496 (JP, A)

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A detergent composition comprising a surfactant system, comprising:
At least 50% by weight of the surfactant system comprises: i) a general formula: (In the formula, R ¹ and R ² are each a hydrocarbon group having at least 4 carbon atoms, the total number of carbon atoms of the R ¹ group and the R ² group is 8 to 30, and M is a monovalent group. A fatty acid ester sulfonate having a cation species of 1) and ii) a nonionic surfactant having an HLB of less than 10.5. 2. The detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the total number of carbon atoms of the R ¹ group and the R ² group is 12 to 24. 3. The detergent composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the R ¹ group is a hydrocarbon group containing 12 to 18 carbon atoms. 4. The detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the fatty acid ester sulfonate is an alkali metal salt of coconut fatty acid butyl ester sulfonic acid. 5. The detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the nonionic surfactant has an HLB of 9.5 or less. 6. A detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 in which the surfactant system comprises 2 to 50% by weight of the total composition.