Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
6~'8
DETERGENT COMPOSITION OF IMPROVED
OILY SOIL REMOVING CAPABILITY
This invention relates to detergent compositions.
More particularly, it relates to detergent compositions that
are useful for washing laundry in cold water or in room
temperature water, and for removing oily soils from
laundry despite the fact that the wash water is at a lower
temperature than is usually considered to be desirable for
good soil removal.
Various built heavy duty synthetic organic detergent
compositions, both in particulate and liquid form, have been
described in the literature and many of these have been and
are now being commercially marketed for-use in washing clothes,
usually by means of an automatic washing machine in a home
laundry. Many discoveries have been made of modifications
of the detergent composition formula to improve its detergency.
Among such discoveries was the synergistic detergency of
nonionic and cationic surface active agents, especially when
washing is effected at room temperature or lower. Such
detersive synergism is described in an article by Rubingh et
al. in 1982 Ind. Eng. Chem. Prod. Res. Dev. No. 21, pages
176-182. Also, U.S. patents 4,222,905 and 4,259,217 describe
heavy duty detergent compositions comprising nonionic ar.d
cationic surfactants~ Such patents mention that the
3~ '
6~3
compositions thereof are unusually effective in removing
greasy and oily soils, including body soils, from fabrics,
and are also effective in removing particulate soils. C21 nicarboxy
ic acid, which is available from Westvaco Corporation as
DIACI ~ 1550, has been taught to possess hydrotropic properties and
was said to have been used as soluble salts in deter~ents for its
hydrotropic or solubilizing effect on detergents that would
otherwise be less soluble than desired. In an article by
Ward et al.,entitled Industrial Utilization of C21 Di-
carboxylic Acid published at Vol. 52, J.A.O.C.S 219-224 (1975),
and in the article _
4~ 4YoL~ =ul~ at 20 Tenside Detergents No. 4 (1983),
at pages 177-180, the solubilizing effect of C21 dicarboxylic acid
salts is mentioned. In those articles it was reported that such
C21 diacid salts are unique in the degree of water solubi-
lity they possess, and that they are capable of assisting
in greatly solubilizing other substances into aqueous systems in
which such substances are normally quite insoluble. The
same articles mention that the C21 dicarboxylic salts supplement
the activity of the other substance so that less is required
to achieve the desired results. U.S. patent 3,965,161
teaches using C21 dicarboxylic acid salts as hydrotropes or
solubilizing agents in combination with nonionics to form
biodegradable and non-toxic cleaning compositions.
The art teaches that the presence of cationic
1~36~ 62301-1403
surfactant with nonionic detergent synergistically improves the
detergency of the nonionic, and it states that C21 dicarboxylic
salt can act as a hydrotrope and as a solubilizing agent for
various materials, including nonionic surface active agents.
Applicant does not believe that C21 dicarboxylic salt acts as a
hydrotrope in the systems of this invention. Applicant has
found that when C21 dicarboxylic salt is added to a nonionic
deteryent, without any cationic surfactant being present, it
does not increase the detergency of the nonionic, and when too
much dicarboxylic salt is added to cationic and nonionic
mixtures of detergents cleaning action is reduced. One who
knew such facts would have found it surprising that when the
C21 dicarboxylic salt is added to a mixture of nonionic
detergent and cationic surface active agents, and the C
dicarboxylic salt concentration is kept relatively low,
significant improvement in detergency is obtainable, especially
at low wash water temperatures. Accordingly, the present
invention is unobvlous from the prior art and from knowledge of
the adverse effects of the C21 dicarboxylic salt on the
nonionic detergent. Additionally, when too much C21 diacid
salt is present, e.g., 1/2 as much C21 diacid salt as detergent
(nonionic + cationic), soil solubilization and cleaning may be
decreased.
In accordance with the present invention a detergent
composition for removal of oily soil from substrates comprise 1
to 30 parts of a nonionic detergent, 1 to 10 parts of a
cationic surface active agent, 0.1 to 3 parts of a water
soluble C21 dicarboxylic salt, and a water soluble builder or
filler salt or enzyme, with proportions of the first three such
components being such that the proportion of the combination of
nonionic detergent and cationic surface active agent is a
1~36~8 62301-1403
detersive proportion and the proportion of the C21 dicarboxylic
salt is sufficient to improve the oily soil detergency of the
combination of nonionic detergent and cationic surfactant,
especially in cold water. Preferred detergent compositions are
spray dried, particulate, heavy duty laundry detergent
compositions in which substantially inorganic spray dried base
beads are post sprayed with liquid state normally solid
nonionic detergent, but heavy duty detergent compositions in
mixed powder, agglomerate, cake, foam, gel, paste and liquid
forms are also withln the invention, as are processes for
washing laundry at comparatively low temperatures with
components of the invented compositions.
The nonionic detergents employed in the practice of
this invention are condensation products of lower alkylene
oxide wlth hydroxy-containing lipophiles. Normally, the lower
alkylene oxide wlll be ethylene oxide and the detergent~ will
be made by condensation of ethylene oxide with a lipophile-
containing compound, such as a higher fatty or linear alcohol
of 10 to 18, preferably 11 to 16, and more preferably 12 to 15,
e.g., 14, 15, carbon atoms content (average). However,
suitable mixtures of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide,
sometimes with some butylene oxide, may also be employed as the
hydrophile donors. Instead of the higher alcohol, higher
alkyl-substituted phenols may be employed, such as those
wherein the alkyl is linear and of 7 to 9 carbon atoms. Block
copolymers of ethylene oxide (hydrophilicJ with propylene oxide
and/or butylene oxide (lipophilic) may also be employed, such
as those sold under
1~36~8
the trademark Pluronic~ e.g., Pluronics F-68 and L-44. ~hen the
nonionic detergent is a condensation product of ethylene oxide
and higher fatty alcohol or alkyl phenol there will normally be
from 3 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of nonionic deter-
gent product. Preferably such range will be from 5 to 20 andmost preferably from 6 to 15, e.g., 7, 9, 11 or 12. Of course,
the number of moles of lower alkylene oxide per mole of detergent
is an average because such detergents are made as mixtures.
The cationic surface active agent utilized in the pre-
sent invention is preferably a quaternary ammonium halide, although
analogous phosphonium compounds may be employed under certain
circumstances. Various quaternary ammonium halides may be utilized
but those which are most satisfactory are those which contain a
higher alkyl substituent, preferably accompanied by a plurality
of lower alkyl substituents. Thus, it may be of the formula
CH~
R ~ X
C 3 C 3
wherein R is a hydrocarbyl chain from 8 to 22 carbon atoms and
X is a halogen selected from the group consisting of chlorine
and bromine. The higher alkyl,which may be of 10 to 18 carbon
atoms, is preferably a single higher alkyl, and three lower alkyls,
of 1 to 3 carbon atoms, are also present. Still, in some
circumstances one of such lower alkyls may be replaced by
another higher alkyl. Preferred higher alkyls are those of
12 to 16 carbon atoms, and the preferred lower alkyl is
1~936~
methyl. While all halogens may be used to make quaternary
ammonium halides, normally employment of the fluoride and
iodide will be avoided and the chlorides and bromides will
be most effective. The following are representative of some
of the preferred quaternary ammonium halides employed:
myristyl trimethylammonium bromide, lauryl trimethylammonium
bromide, cetyl trimethylammonium bromide, myristyl trimethyl-
ammonium chloride, lauryl trimethylammonium chloride and cetyl
trimethylammonium chloride. Dimyristyl dimethylammonium
bromide and the corresponding chloride are also operati~e but
preferably the corresponding trimethylammonium derivatives
will be used instead.
The C21 dicarboxylic acid, which is usually employed
in the form of its alkali metal, ammonium or lawer (2 to 3
carbon atoms alkyl) alkanolamine salt, preferably a di-salt
of sodium, potassium,ammonia or triethanolamine,is a cyclo-
aliphatic dicarboxylic acid of the structure:
/CH _ CH
3 (CH2)X C~ fH (CH2)y~COOH
CH CH
Z Z
wherein x and y are integers from 3 to 9, x and y together
equal 12, and wherein one Z is hydrogen and the other is a
carboxylic acid group. The isomers wherein x is 5 and y is
7 form a preponderance of the acid composition but there are
also present minor amounts of the C21 dicarboxylic acid
1~;36~8
62301-1403
wherein the cyclohexene ring varies in position along the
carbon chain, and minor amounts of dicarboxylic acids of other
molecular weights. Typically, the C21 dicarboxylic acid is of
a molecular weight of 352.5, a saponi.fication number of 312, a
refrac~ive index at 25C. of 1.485, and a density at 25C. of
1.024 g./ml. The C21 dicarboxylic acid, the salts thereof, the
physical characteristics thereof and methods for manufacturing
it are described in U.S. patent 3,956,161. The C
dicarboxylic salts are made by neutralizing the C21
dicarboxylic acid with a suitable neutralizing agent, such as
ammonia, triethanolamine, diethanolamine, sodium hydroxide or
potassium carbonate, and the products of such neutralization
may be the corresponding mono- and/or di-salts. Of ~hese, it -
is considered that the di-salts are best in the present
compositions and processes, but in some cases the mono-salts
are operative, too, and mixtures are also useful.
The various water soluble salts, such as builder and
filler salts, which may be employed in the invented
compositions, to improve low temperature washing
characteristics thereof further, are those normally utilized in
detergent compositions. Thus, in particulate heavy duty or
built laundry detergent compositions it will be preferable to
utilize water soluble builder salts, such as polyphosphates,
pyrophosphates, carbonates, bicarbonates, borates and
silicates,
1~3i~
preferably as their sodium salts, and in such products there
may also be present filler salts, such as sodium sulfate and
sodium chloride. For unbuilt products, often the use of the
filler salts alone will be preferred. For liquid heavy duty
detergents the more soluble forms of builder salts, which
may be potassium or sodium salts, will usually be employed,
and the more soluble filler salts may be used in light duty
or unbuilt liquid detergents, which are usually of lower pH.
Such filler salts, while usually of alkali metal, may be of
other cations, such as magnesium, as in magnesium chloride
and magnesium sulfate.
With the "active" components mentioned above there
may also be included various other materials for producing
special washing effects. Such adjuvants include: water
insoluble builders, such as zeolites; fabric softening
materials, such as bentonite; laundry whitening additives,
such as fluorescent or optical brighteners; antibacterial
materials, such as trichlorocarbanilide; soil suspending
agents, such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose; soil release
promoting agents, such as polyethylene terephthalate-poly-
oxyethylene terephthalate copolymers; spray dried beads'
properties control agents, such as sodium polyacrylate;
colorants; foaming agents, such as lauric myristic di-
ethanolamide; antifoams, such as dimethyl silicone; enzymes,
such as proteases and amylases; whitening agents, such as
-- 8 --
1~3~
sodium perborate; and perfumes (with the last three components
normally being post-added to spray dried products). While
ionizable inorganic salts are useful to improve detergency
of the present particulate detergent compositions, sometimes
the presence of such ionizable salts in liquid detergents
can destabilize the detergent, and in such instances it will
often be desirable to employ enzymes instead of such builder
salts to increase detergency with respect to any proteinaceous
and amylaceous soils. However, often the water soluble
salts can be present in the heavy duty liquid detergent and
will not destabilize such composition to an objectionable
degree.
The proportions in the present detergent compositions
of the nonionic detergent, cationic surface active agent and
C21 dicarboxylic salt are usually from 1 to 30 parts of
nonionic detergent, 1 to lO parts of cationic surface active
agent, and 0.1 to 3 parts of C21 dicarboxylic salt, and
preferably the ratio of nonionic detergent : cationic surface
active agent (surfactant) will be in the range of 4:1 to
1:1. Preferably, especially in heavy duty laundry detergent
compositions, there will also be present from 5 to 70 parts
of water soluble salt, and in heavy duty laundry detergent
compositions such salt will be builder salt or a major
proportion thereof will preferably be builder salt. For
better detergency improving results the C21 dicarboxylic
1~936613
salt will be from 3 to 15%, more preferably 5 to 10% of the
sum of the nonionic detergent and cationic surfactant. The
proportions given will also be the proportions of the recited
components in the wash water. Such wash water solution of
detergent composition components is preferably made by
dissolving the detergent composition in the water, but
alternatively, such components may be added to the water or
the water may be added to them. In either case the result
is improved detergency with respect to the removal of oily
soil from the laundry, especially when it is washed at room
temperature or lower. By "oily soil" in this specification
are meant both oily and fatty soils, those which are in
either liquid or solid state at room temperature. It has
been found that the usual "oily" soils are mixtures of
liquid oily material held inside solid fatty deposits. For
convenience, and because it has been considered by some to
be a standard for testing oily and fatty soil removal,
triolein has been employed in some testings of the present
detergent compositions, but sebum body soil and lard were also used
in such testings. The invented compositions are also effec-
tive detergents for other oily soils, such as those including
beef tallows, lards, hamburger greases, shortenings, cooking
oils, mayonnaise, salad dressings, face and skin creams, salves
and petroleum oils and greases.
The detergent compositions of this invention will
usually comprise from 2 to 35~ of nonionic detergent, 1 to 15%
- 10 -
1~366~3
of cationic surface active agent, 0.1 to 4~ of water soluble
C2l dicarboxylic salt, and lO or 20 to 80% of water soluble
salt, of which a major proportion is preferably of a builder
~alt for the nonionic detergent. Conventional adjuvants
and fillers for such compositions, and solvents and dispers-
ing media, when the product is a liquid, may make up any
balances, to 100%. Preferred percentages of the mentioned
components are 10 to 22, 1 to 10, 0.6 to 3, and 25 to 60,
respectively, with more preferred proportions for a particulate
detergent composition being about 20~, 3~, 2%, and 40%,
respectively. Any balances (to 100%) are made up by water
and adjuvants. Liquid detergent compositions of the invention
preferably contain 15 or 20 to 40% of nonionic detergent, 1
to 20% of cationic surface active agent, 1 to 5% of salt of
C21 dicarboxylic acid, and the balance of aqueous medium
(which may be aqueous alcoholic), which may include water
soluble salt and adjuvants, as previously described.
When laundry is washed with the invented compositions
(or with the components thereof in the described proportions)
the concentration of the composition (or the components) will
normally be in the range of 0.02 to 0.7%, preferably 0.1 to
0.5%, and more preferably about 0.15 to 0.3%. While the lower
concentrations within the above ranges are more frequently
used, that is for economic reasons; the more of the product
that is employed, the better its performance. Normally the
detergent compositions will be utilized in automatic washing
machines of the home laundry type but they may also be useful
12936f~3
in commercial laundering. The machines employed typically
include automatic washing and rinse cycles, and after comple-
tion of washing the laundry is usually dried in an automatic
laundry dryer. The wash time, which will generally be from
five minutes to an hour, is normally dependent on the type of
material that constitutes the laundry, the extent to which
it is soiled, and the nature of the soil. The wash water will
preferably be relatively soft but the invented detergent
compositions and the components thereof are capable of effectively
washing laundry in waters up to 250 p.p.m. of mixed calcium
and magnesium hardness, as calcium carbonate, although hard-
ness is preferably in the 0 to 100 or 150 p.p.m. range.
Generally, the hotter (or warmer) the water the better the
wash, because hot water tends to dissolve soils better and
also helps to melt or liquefy low melting binding materials,
such as fats and greases, which tend to hold the soil or
dirt onto the fabrics of the laundry. The compositions of
this invention are useful for hot water washing but are
especially useful for room temperature or cold water washing
of laundry because, without the need for melting the fatty or
greasy binder, the combination of active components of this
invention significantly promotes the release of such oily
- binders and soils from laundry during washing in room tempera-
ture or cold water. While water temperatures up to boiling
may be employed, if feasible, the normal washing temperature
1~93668
will be from 10 to 70C., and often what is considered to be
warm water, in conventional American home laundering by
automatic washing machine, is in the temperature range of 10
to 50C. The present detergent compositions result in
satisfactory removal from laundry of oily and other soils
at lower temperatures, such as those in the range of 10 to
40C. While cleaning is not as good in the lower part of this
range as in the upper part, it is feasible to conduct wash-
ing at temperatures in the range of 10 to 20C., with the
results obtainable being comparable to those obtained when
washing at higher recommended temperatures with conventional
commercial heavy duty laundry detergents. It is preferred
that the wash water be at a temperature in the range of 20 or 25
to 35C., e.g., 28C. and 30C., for best "room temperature"
washing, in which significant improvements in detergency are
obtained, compared to control commercial detergent composi-
tions. Another advantage of the invented low temperature
washing process, in addition to saving the cost of heating
the wash water,is that the lower temperature of washing does
not cause settings ofstains and subsequent difficulties in
removing them from the laundry, which can result from hot
water washing of laundry containing certain stains.
The following examples illustrate but do not limit
the invention. All parts in the examples and in the specifi-
cation and claims are by weight and temperatures are in C.unless otherwise indicated.
1~936~`8
It will be noted that in some of the working examples,
which follow, washing concentrations ofthe present compositions
are higher than that which is normally employed. Such higher
concentrations were used to accentuate differences between
experimental and control products but significant differences
are also obtainable when conventional washing concentrations are
employed, as was previously described. Also, in some instances
comparatively long soaking times may be used to accentuate
differences in oily soil solubilization between experimental
and control compositions, but significant differences are
obtainable with shorter soaking periods and in washing opera-
tions that do not include pre-soakings.
EXAMPLE 1
Component Percent
Nonionic detergent (Neodol 23-6.5)* 0.08
Quaternary ammonium halide (myristyl 0.02
trimethylammonium bromide)
C21 dicarboxylic acid, potassium salt 0.01
Sodium tripolyphosphate 0.2
Water (100 p.p.m. hardness, as CaCO3) 99.69
100 . 00
* Condensation product of higher fatty (linear alcohol of
12 to 13 carbon atoms per mole, with 6.5 moles of ethylene
oxide.
- 14 -
1~93~
99.69 Parts of wash water of 100 p.p.m. (as calcium
carbonate) mixed calcium and magnesium hardness, at a tempe-
rature of 25C., has dissolved in it the above listed four
detergent composition components, to yield a 0.31~ solution
of the described 4-member composition. Such wash water is
employed in a laboratory washing machine (Ter~otometer),
using a standard laboratory washing cycle, to wash out oily
stains from various pre-stained normal laundry material (cotton,
polyester and cotton-polyester blend [65:35]) swatches, stained
with triolein. Approximately 72% of the oily material (triolein)
is found to be removed from the test swatches, which is
considered to correspond to almost complete removal of normal
oily (and fatty) soil on normal laundry. Such washing is
significantly superior to that obtained by using commercial
heavy duty detergent compositions at manufacturers' recommended
concentrations, using wash water at the same temperature (25C.).
To obtain similar oily soil removal by utilization of a hydro-
trope instead of the C21 dicarboxylic salt it is found that
as much as 10 times as much or more of sodium cumene sulfonate,
sodium xylene sulfonate or ammonium xylene sulfonate has to
be employed.
Results similar to those of the invention of this
example are obtained when, instead of employing triolein as
the oily soil, lard or sebum soil is substituted. Also, even
better results are obtainable when ammonium and triethanolamine
1~936~1~
salts of C2l dicarboxylic acids are used. The corresponding
sodium salt is expected to be as effective as the potassium
salt.
Instead of the described quaternary ammonium com-
pound, cocoyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, tallowyl tri-
methyl ammonium chloride, and cetyl trimethyl ammonium
bromide may be substituted, as may be other quaternary
ammonium bromides and chlorides, and in some instances,
corresponding phosphonium compounds, and similar results are
obtainable. While the presence of the sodium tripolyphosphate
is important to the obtaining of a building function for
the nonionic detergent, good oily soil removing activity
results when other builders or mixtures thereof are substituted
for all or part of the sodium tripolyphosphate, e.g., sodium
pyrophosphate, sodium carbonate, sodium silicate, borax.
Alternatively, a portion of the builder content, such as up
to half thereof, may be replaced by other electrolytes, such
as sodium sulfate or sodium chloride, and good oily soil
removing properties are noted. The described nonionic deter-
gent may be replaced by other nonionic detergents, such as;nonyl phenol polyoxyethylene ethanol, wherein the polyoxy-
ethylene chain is of 3 to 20 ethylene oxide groups, e.g., 8
such groups; other condensation products of higher fatty
alcohols and ethylene oxide, such as Neodol 25-7 and Neodol
45-ll; and ethylene Gxide-propylene oxide block copolymers,
- 16 -
1~36f~
such as Pluronics L-44 and F-68, and the same type of improved
cold water oily soil removal and detergency for laundry will be
obtained.
When the water temperature is increased to 60C. even
better oily soil removal characteristics are obtained but the
difference in such property between the invented compositions
(or wash water) and a "control", wherein a greater proportion
of hydrotrope (twice as much) is employed instead of the salt
of the C21 dicarboxylic acid, is not considered to be as signifi-
cant as it is at lower temperatures, such as 25C., 30C. and
35C
EXAMPLE 2
Component Percent
Neodol 23-6.5 20.7
15 Sodium tripolyphosphate 40.6
Sodium pyrophosphate 16.2
Sodium orthophosphate 0.7
Sodium silicate 9.5
Proteolytic enzyme 1.3
20 Fluorescent brightener (Tinopal 5BM Extra Conc.) 1.3
Blue dye 0.1
Perfume 0.3
Myristyl trimethylammonium bromide 1.2
C21 dicarboxylic acid, ammonium salt 1.1
25 Water 7.0
100 . O
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~936~3
The above detergent composition, in particulate
spray dried form, is made by spray drying an aqueous crutcher
mix of all the components except the nonionic detergent,
enzyme, perfume, myristyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, and
S C21 dicarboxylic diammonium salt, to base beads of sizes
within the range of No's. 10 to 100 U.S. Sieve Series, after
which the nonionic detergent, in molten form and at elevated
temperature, is sprayed onto the base beads so as to be
absorbed by them, and subsequently the enzyme, quaternary
ammonium halide, C21 dicarboxylic salt and perfume are ble~ded
with the product. Alternatively, the solid materials may be
mixed with the base beads prior to application of the nonionic
detergent, and the perfume may be applied afterward.
The detergent composition of this example, when
tested against a control particulate deter~ent of the same
formula, but omitting the quaternary ammonium halide and the
C21 dicarboxylic acid salt, in a cold water (20C.) wash,
using a commercial automatic washing machine, removes more
than 50% more lard from pre-soiled swatches of polyester, cotton
and cotton:polyester blends than does the control, using
the same washing machine and washing procedure. The concen-
tration of detergent composition in the wash water is about
0.65% but appreciable improvement in oily and fatty soil
removing capability, compared to a control, can be observed
at concentrationsof the detergent composition as low as 0.02%.
- 18 -
lZ936~
EXAMPLE 3
Component Percent
-
Water (essentially 0 hardness) 47.2
Ethanol 5.0
5 Triethanolamine dodecylbenzene sulfonate 9.8
Neodol 23-6.5 32.0
Enzyme ~Alcalase) 0.6
Enzyme (Termamyl) 0-4
Sodium formate - 1,0
10 Fluorescent brightener 0.3
Dye 0.1
Perfume 0 4
Myristyl trimethyl ammonium bromide 1.2
Ammonium salt of C21 dicarboxylic acid 2.0
100.0
A liquid detergent of the above formula is made by
mixing the components together, which results in a product
having a viscosity of about 125 centipoises, at 2SC.,
employing a Brookfield RV Viscometer, using Spindle No. 1
at 20 r.p.m. The pH of the product is about 7.7 and its
specific gravity at 25C. is 1.026. In a variation of the
formula the anionic detergent component is omitted to avoid
any interaction with the cationic surfactant, so that storage
stability will be improved.
When the liquid detergent is used to wash mixed
laundry containing test swatches pre-soiled with triolein,
-- 19 --
1~936~3
lard and sebum (on polyester, cotton, and cotton-polyester
blends), in room temperature water (25C.) against a control
detergent composition containing all the components in the
described proportions, except omitting the quaternary
ammonium halide and C21 dicarboxylic salt, a significant
improvement in fatty soil removal is obtained over the control,~
often with almost twice as much of the oily soil being removed by
the "experimental" product in the same washing time. Normal
use concentration of the liquid detergent (and the same
concentration is employed in this experiment) is about 0.1%
but such detergent is found to be effective at concentrations
as low as 0.02%, although best results are obtained at higher
concentrations, e.g., 0.3%. Similar results are obtainable
for the formula omitting the anionic detergent.
In modifications of these formulas, potassium pyro-
phosphate (21% of the formula) is substituted for 10% of
water, 10% of Neodol 23-6.5 and the 1% of enzyme, in both the
formulas, containing and omitting anionic detergent. The
results are built heavy duty liquid detergents of good cold
water washing properties, useful to remove oily soil from
laundry, and better in such respect than control products
from which the quaternary ammonium halide and C21 dicarboxylic
salt were omitted.
- 20 -
1~936~8
EXAMPLE 4
A particulate built synthetic organic detergent
composition is made by mixing together 40 parts of sodium
tripolyphosphate, 3 parts of tallowalkyl trimethyl ammonium
chloride, 2 parts of the diammonium salt of C21 dicarboxylic
acid and 25 parts of sodium sulfate (with 10 parts of water
contained in such particulate materials, either absorbed or
as a hydrate), after which 20 parts of Neodol 25-7, a nonionic
detergent made by Shell Chemical Company, which is the condensa-
tion product of a molar proportion of a higher fatty alcoholof 12 to 15 carbon atoms with 7 moles of ethylene oxide, in
molten state at 50C., are sprayed onto the mixture so as to
be absorbed by it. The resulting particulate product is
tested against a control commercial particulate detergent
product of the formula given in Example 2, but omitting the
quaternary ammonium salt and the C21 dicarboxylic salt. In
such test, which utilizes automatic washing machine washing
of laundry stained with normal oily stains, including fatty
soil, greases, both animal and mineral, and sebum soil, the
detergent composition concentration in the wash water is
0.15% and the wash water temperature is 25C.
The described invented composition washes the
laundry si~nificantly better (as can be established by
comparisons of reflectance readings of washed laundry)
than the control, apparently at least in part due to its
superior capability of promoting the release of oily and
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1~36~8
fatty binder materials from the substrate fibers of the
laundry.
When a liquid composition of the same proportions
of nonionic detergent, builder salt (STPP) and C2l di-
carboxylic ammonium salt, with 30 parts of deionized waterand 5 parts of ethanol, is tested against a corresponding
control in the same manner, using the same washing concen-
tration of the composition, the same type of laundry, and
operating at the same temperature, essentially the same
significant improvement in detergency vs. the corresponding
control will be obtained.
From the preceding description it is clear that
the subject of this patent application is a heavy duty
detergent composition in which improved cleaning of laundry
is obtained by use of nonionic detergent, cationic surface
active agent, C2l dicarboxylic salt and water soluble
builder and/or filler salt, preferably builder salt, and/or
enzyme. Preferably, water soluble inorganic builder salt
and/or enzyme will be present to improve the detergency so
that the composition will be "heavy duty", capable of washing
out from laundry normally hard to removal soils. Of the
builder salts the phosphates are preferred and it is often
desirable that a major proportion of the builder salt present
should be phosphate, more preferably, sodium tripolyphosphate.
Often the percentage of inorganic builder salt present will
desirably be in the range of 5 to 25~ in liquid detergent
- 22 -
1~936b8
compositions and the proportions of enzyme will be in the
range of 0.5 to 5%. The "enzymes" referred to are commercial
enzyme preparations (which usually include only minor propor-
tions of active enzyme material). Mixtures of enzymes and
mixtures of builder salts may be employed, and, when in the
specification reference is to the singular, with respect to
any of the components of this invention, it is to be under-
stood that mixtures are encompassed thereby.
In the foregoing examples particulate and liquid
detergent compositions of the invention have been described,
and such forms are usually preferred. However, the invented
compositions may also be made in paste, gel, cream, agglom-
erate, briquette, bar and cake forms,or the individual
components may be added separately to the water or may be
admixed shortly before intended use.
The invention has been described with respect to
illustrations and working embodiments thereof but is not to
be limited to these because it is evident that one of skill
in the art, with the present specification before him, will
be able to utilize substitutes and equivalents without
departing from the invention.
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