Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02165766 1999-06-09
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LOW SUDSING LIQUID DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS
Technical Field
The present invention relates to low sudsing liquid detergent
compositions.
Backeround of the Invention
Anionic surfactant compositions are well known in the art and are desirable
components in liquid detergents due to their good cleaning ability, especially
with
respect to hydrophobic greasy soil removal. However, the incorporation of
anionic
surfactants in typical detergent compositions results in high sudsing
formulations.
A number of systems have been described in the art for use in detergent
compositions in order to counter act the sudsing ability of the surfactants.
Such suds
suppressing systems include anti-foam agents such as silicone. However, anti-
foam
agents have problems associated with them such as the difficulty to maintain
them as
a dispersion in liquid compositions. In addition silicone anti-foam agents are
di~cult
to process and are expensive.
Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid
detergent
composition comprising an anionic surfactant, said composition having a
controlled
sudsing profile, said composition requiring a minimum amount of conventional
suds
suppressing agents.
It has now been found that this can be achieved by formulating a liquid
detergent composition comprising a conventional anionic surfactant in
combination
with a branched anionic surfactant.
It has unexpectedly been found that such surfactant combinations provide
controlled sudsing, and simultaneously improve said compositions' performance
on
hydrophobic greasy soil removal.
CA 02165766 1999-06-09
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Another advantage of the present invention is that the sudsing is reduced by
the adaptation of straight chain anionic surfactants to their branched
counterparts, i.e.
Guerbet anionic surfactants and thus other suds suppressing agent may only be
required in minimum amounts.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the surfactants are easier
to
formulate due to the increased solubility of the surfactant. Furthermore, said
compositions are easier to form as ' concentrated' compositions because of the
almost
total omission of conventional suds suppressing agents. In addition the
compositions
are cheaper to formulate.
Another advantage of the compositions of the present invention is that said
compositions are phase stable.
The team "Guerbet" surfactant as used herein refers to branched surfactants
derived from 2-alkyl-allcanol.
Guerbet surfactants are known in the art. DE 41 11 335 discloses a low
sudsing ternary surfactant mixture comprising an alkylglycoside, linear and
branched
secondary dialkylethersulphates and sulphate and sulphonate anionic
surfactants. There
is no specific mention of Guerbet anionic surfactants.
WO 91/16409 discloses a liquid detergent composition comprising branched
primary alkyl sulphates. There is no mention of suds suppressing properties or
any
specific mention of Guerbet anionic surfactants.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention is a liquid detergent composition comprising one or more
of an anionic surfactant according to the formula:
R,
RZ-~-CHZ (OC,oHzmJ"R3
H
wherein R) is a C3-CZZ alkyl group, RZ is a C3-C~ alkyl group, m is 2, 3 or 4,
n is
between about 3 and 14 and R3 is a sulphate or a sulphonate.
~ Sl-~ ~ ~~
2a
In another embodiment there is provided a liquid detergent composition
comprising one or more of an anionic surfactant having the formula:
R,
Rz-C-CHz [OCmH2m~nR3
H
wherein R, is a C3-C22 alkyl group, RZ is a C3-C22 alkyl group, m is 2, 3 or
4, n is 0
and R3 is a sulphate.
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All weights ratios and percentages are given by the weight of the total
composition unless otherwise stated.
Detailed Description of the Invention
The detergent compositions according to the present invention comprise an
anionic surfactant, characterized in that said anionic surfactant comprises
from 1 % to
99% by weight of said anionic surfactant of a compound according to the
formula:
R,
R2-C-CHZ-(OCo,H2~,J"R3
H
herein after referred to as Guerbet anionic surfactant. Said Guerbet anionic
surfactants
are low sudsing due to the branching. The compositions of the present
invention
require only a minimum amount of other suds suppressing agents. Said amount as
used
herein being an amount less than that used in conventional liquid detergents
comprising anionic surfactants.
According to the present invention R~ is a C3-Cue, preferably a C3-Coo, more
preferably a C3-C$ alkyl group. Said R~ allryi group may be linear or
branched,
saturated or unsaturated. Rz is a C3-C2z, preferably a C6-C~4, more preferably
a C6-C12
alkyl group. Said RZ alkyl group may be linear or branched, saturated or
unsaturated.
n is between 0 and 14, preferably between 0 and 7, more preferably between 0
and
5. R3 is a sulphate or a sulphonate or mixtures thereof.
The Guerbet anionic surfactant is typically present at levels from 1 to 70%,
preferably from 5 to 50%, more preferably from 5 to 25% by weight of the total
detergent composition.
According to the present invention the compositions may further comprise non
Guerbet anionic surfactants. Suitable anionic surfactants are selected from
the group
of sulphates and sulphonates. The like anionic surfactants are well known in
WO 95100117 PCTIUS94107200
~165'~66
4
the detergent art and have found wide application in commercial detergents.
Preferred
anionic sulphates and sulphonates have in their molecular structure an alkyl
radical
containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms. Examples of such preferred .
anionic surfactants are the reaction products obtained by sulphating Cg-C 1 g
fatty
alcohols derived from e.g. tallow oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut
oil: alkyl ,
benzene sulphonates wherein the alkyl group contains from about 9 to about I S
carbon atoms;sodium alkylglyceryl ether sulphonates; ether sulphates of fatty
alcohols
derived from tallow and coconut oils; coconut fatty acid monoglyceride
sulphates and
sulphonates; water soluble salts of paraffin sulphonates having from about 8
to about
22 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain. Sulphonated olefin surfactants as more
fully
described in e.g. US-A 3 332 880 can also be used. The neutralizing canon for
the
anionic synthetic sulphonates and/or sulphates is represented by conventional
cations
which are widely used in detergent technology such as sodium, potassium or
alkanolammonium.
A suitable anionic synthetic surfactant component herein is represented by the
water soluble salts of an alkylbenzene sulphonic acid, preferably sodium
alkylbenzene
sulphonates, preferably sodium alkylbenzene sulphonates having from about 10
to 15
carbon atoms in the alkyl group.
Another anionic surfactant suitable for use herein can be alkyl alkoxylated
sulphate surfactants. Alkyl alkoxylated sulphate surfactants hereof are water
soluble
salts or acids of the formula RO(A)mS03M wherein R is an unsubstituted C 10-
C24
alkyl or hydroxylalkyl group having a C l0-C24 alkyl component, preferably a C
12-
C 1 g alkyl or hydroxylalkyl, A is an ethoxy or propoxy unit) m is greater
than zero,
typically between about 0. 5 and about 6, more preferably between about 0. 5
and 3 ,
and M is H or a cation which can be for example a metal cation (e.g. sodium,
potassium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, etc.), ammonium or substituted-
ammonium
cation. Alkyl ethoxylated sulphates as well as alkyl propoxylated sulphates
are
contemplated herein. Specific examples of substituted ammonium cations include
methyl-, dimethyl, trimethyl-ammonium cations and those derived from
alkanolamines, eg. monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine
Exemplary surfactants are C 12-C 1 g alkyl polyethoxylate ( 1.0) sulphate (C 1
~-
C 1 gE( 1.0)M), C 12-C 1 g alkyl polyethoxylate (2.25 ) sulphate (C 1 ~-C 1
gE( 3.2 5 )M ).
C 12-C 1 g alkyl polyethoxylate (3 .0) sulphate (C 12-C I gE(3 .0)M), C 12-C i
g alkyl
""'~ WO 95/00117 r' PCT/US94I07200
J
polyethoxylate (4.0) sulphate (C 12-C 1 gE(4.0)M), wherein M is conveniently
selected
from sodium and potassium.
Another type of anionic surfactant suitable for use herein are alkyl ester
sulphonate, which can be synthesized according to known methods disclosed in
the
technical literature. For instance, linear esters of Cg-C20 carboxylic acids
can be
sulphonated with gaseous S03 according to "The Journal of the American Oil
Chemists Society", 52 (1975), pp. 323-329. Suitable starting materials would
include
natural fatty substances as derived from tallow, palm and coconut oils. The
preferred
alkyl ester sulphonate, comprise alkyl ester sulphonates of the structural
formula
O
R4--CH--C---ORS
S03M
wherein R4 is a Cg-C20 hydrocarbyl, preferably an alkyl or combination
thereof, RS
is a C 1-C6 hydrocarbyl, preferably an alkyl or combination thereof and M is a
soluble
salt forming cation. Suitable salts include metal salts such as sodium,
potassium and
lithium salts and substituted or unsubstituted ammonium salts, such as methyl-
,
dimethyl-, trimethyl and dimethyl piperdinium and cations derived from
alkanolamines, e.g. monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine
Preferably R4 is C 10-C 16 alkyl and R5 is methyl, ethyl or isopropyl.
Especially
preferred are the methyl ester sulphonates wherein R4 is C 14-C 16 alkyl.
When included herein, the non-Guerbet anionics are present at levels from 1
to 40%, preferably from 3% to 20%, by weight of the total detergent
composition.
The rest of the liquid detergent composition according to the present
invention is
made of conventional detergency ingredients, i. e. water, surfactants,
builders and
others.
The liquid detergent compositions herein may additionally comprise as an
optional ingredient from 1% to 50%, preferably from 5% to 25% of an organic
surface-active agent selected from nonionic, cationic and zwitterionic surface
active
agents and mixtures thereof.
WO 95/00117 PCT/US94/07200
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The nonionic surfactants suitable for use herein include those produced by
condensing ethylene oxide with a hydrocarbon having a reactive hydrogen atom,
e. g. ,
a hydroxyl, carboxyl, or amido group, in the presence of an acidic or basic
catalyst,
and include compounds having the general formula RA(CH2CH20)nH wherein R q
represents the hydrophobic moiety, A represents the group carrying the
reactive
hydrogen atom and n represents the average number of ethylene oxide moieties.
R
typically contains from about 8 to 22 carbon atoms They can also be formed by
the
condensation of propylene oxide with a lower molecular weight compound. n
usually
varies from about 2 to about 24.
A preferred class of nonionic ethoxylates is represented by the condensation
product of a fatty alcohol having from 12 to 15 carbon atoms and from about 4
to 10
moles of ethylene oxide per mole or fatty alcohol. Suitable species of this
class of
ethoxylates include: the condensation product of C 12-C 15 oxo-alcohols and 3
to 9
moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol; the condensation product or
narrow cut
C 14-C 15 oxo-alcohols and 3 to 9 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of
fatty(oxo)alcohol; the condensation product of a narrow cut C 12-C 13
fatty(oxo)alcohol and 6, 5 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of fatty alcohol;
and the
condensation products of a C 10-C 14 coconut fatty alcohol with a degree of
ethoxylation (moles EO/mole fatty alcohol) in the range from 4 to 8. The fatty
oxo
alcohols while mainly linear can have, depending upon the processing
conditions and
raw material olefins, a certain degree of branching, particularly short chain
such as
methyl branching. A degree of branching in the range from 15% to 50% (weight%)
is
frequently found in commercial oxo alcohols.
The compositions according to the present invention contain from 0% to 30%
preferably from 0% to 10% of nonionic surfactants.
Suitable cationic surfactants for use herein include quaternary ammonium
compounds of the formula R1R2R3R4N+ where R1,R2 and R3 are methyl groups)
and R4 is a C 12-1 S alkyl group, or where R 1 is an ethyl or hydroxy ethyl
group, R~ ,
and R3 are methyl groups and R4 is a C12-15 alkyl group. The compositions
according to the present invention contain from 0% to 20% of cationic
surfactants.
Another optional ingredient are zwitterionic surfactants. Suitable zwittenomc
surfactants include derivatives of aliphatic quaternary ammonium, phosphonium,
and
~~WO 95/00117 ~" ~ PCT/US94I07200
sulphonium compounds in which the aliphatic moiety can be straight or branched
chain and wherein one of the aliphatic substituents contains from about 8 to
about 24
carbon atoms and another substituent contains, at least) an anionic water-
solubilizing
group. Particularly preferred zwitterionic materials are the ethoxvlated
ammonium
sulphonates and sulfates disclosed in U.S. Patents 3,925,262, Laughlin et al.,
issued
December 9, 1975 and 3,929,678, Laughlin et al., issued December 30, l97>. The
compositions according to the present invention contain from 0% to
20°~0 ~f
zwitterionic surfactants.
Semi-polar nonionic surfactants include water-soluble amine oxides containing
one alkyl or hydroxy alkyl moiety of from about 8 to about 28 carbon atoms and
two
moieties selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups and hydroxy alkyl
groups,
containing from 1 to about 3 carbon atoms which can optionally be joined into
ring
structures.
Also suitable as nonionic surfactants are poly hydroxy fatty acid amide
surfactants of the formula
R2 - C(O) - N(R1) - Z,
wherein R 1 is H, or R 1 is C 1-4 hydrocarbyl, 2-hydroxy ethyl, 2-hydroxy
propyl or a
mixture thereof, R2 is CS_31 hydrocarbyl, and Z is a polyhydroxyhydrocarbyl
having
a linear hydrocarbyl chain with at least 3 hydroxyls directly connected to the
chain, or
an alkoxylated derivative thereof. Preferably, R 1 is methyl, R2 is a straight
C 11-15
alkyl or alkenyl chain such as coconut alkyl or mixtures thereof, and Z is
derived from
a reducing sugar such as glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, in a reductive
amination
reaction.
The compositions according to the present invention may further comprise a
builder system. Any conventional builder system is suitable for use herein
including
polycarboxylates and fatty acids, materials such as ethylenediamine
tetraacetate) metal
ion sequestrants such as aminopolyphosphonates, particularly ethylenediamine
tetramethylene phosphoric acid and diethylene triamine
pentamethylenephosphonic
acid. Though less preferred for obvious environmental reasons, phosphate
builders
can also be used herein.
WO 95/00117 PCT/US94/07200
Suitable polycarboxylates builders for use herein include citric acid,
preferably
in the form of a water-soluble salt, derivatives of succinic acid of the
formula
R_CH(COOH)CH2(COOH) wherein R is C 10-20 alkyl or alkenyl, preferably C 1 ~_
16. or wherein R can be substituted with hydroxyl, sulpho sulphoxyl or
sulphone
substituents. Specific examples include lauryl succinate, myristyl succinate,
palmityl ,
succinate, 2-dodecenylsuccinate, 2-tetradecenyl succinate. Succinate builders
are
preferably used in the form of their water-soluble salts, including sodium,
potassium
ammonium and alkanolammonium salts.
Other suitable polycarboxylates are oxodisuccinates and mixtures of tartrate
monosuccinic and tartrate disuccinic acid such as described in US 4,663,071.
Suitable fatty acid builders for use herein are saturated or unsaturated C 10-
18
fatty acids) as well as the corresponding soaps. Preferred saturated species
have from
12 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain. The preferred unsaturated fatty acid
is oleic
acid.
A preferred builder system for use herein consists of a mixture of citric
acid)
fatty acids and succinic acid derivatives described herein above. The builder
system
according to the present invention preferably represents from 0% to 3 0%,
preferably
from 5% to 25% by weight of the total composition.
The compositions according to the invention preferably comprise enzymes.
Suitable enzymes for use herein are protease, lipases, cellulases and amylases
and
mixtures thereof. The compositions according to the present invention may also
comprise an enzyme stabilizing system. Any conventional enzyme stabilizing
system
is suitable for use herein, and preferred enzyme stabilizing systems are based
on boric
acid or derivatives thereof, 1,2-propanediol) carboxylic acids, and mixtures
thereof.
The compositions according to the present invention contain from 0% to 15%,
more
preferably from 0% to 5% of enzymes.
The compositions herein can contain a series of further, optional ingredients.
Examples of the like additives include solvents) alkanolamines, pH adjusting
agents,
suds suppressing agents such as silicones and 2-alkyl-alkanol, opacifiers,
agents to
improve the machine compatibility in relation to enamel-coated surfaces,
perfumes,
dyes, bactericides, brighteners, soil release agents, softening agents and the
like.
PCTIUS94/07200
~165~66
WO 95100117
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The compositions according to the present invention can be formulated as
conventional liquid detergent compositions or, as an alternative as so-called
"concentrated" liquid detergent compositions, i.e. liquid detergent
compositions
comprising less than 30% by weight of water.
Whilst the detergent compositions of the invention are of particular utility
in
machine washing processes, most especially when formulated as heavy duty
liquid
laundry detergent compositions, they may also be usefully be employed in other
washing processes where suds control is of importance. In particular the
compositions of the invention may be usefully be formulated as machine
dishwashing
compositions, especially granular machine dishwashing compositions.
PCT/US94107200
WO 95/00117
EXAMPLES
The following compositions are made by combining the following ingredients
in the listed proportions.
Composition in % A B C D E w
-Branched C 12-C 15 alkyl
sulphate* 5 10 20 25 -
-Branched C 12-C 15 alkyl
3E0 sulphate** - - - -
Linear C 12-C 14 alkyl I 5 I 0 1 1 -
sulphate
Fatty alcohol (C 12-C 1 12 12 12 12 12
S) ethoxylate
Fatty acid 10 10 10 10 10
Oleic acid 4 4 4 4 4
Citric acid 1 1 1 1 1
Diethylenetriaminepenta-
methylene phosphonic acid 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5
Monoethanolamine 3 3 3 3 3
Propanediol 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5
Ethanol I 0 10 10 10 10
Ethoxylated tetraethylene 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7
pentamine
ThermamylR 300 KNU/g 0.13 0.13 0.13 0.13 0.13
CarezymeR 5000 CEVLT/g 0.014 0.014 014 0.014 0.014
0.
Protease 40mg/g 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 t .8
LipolaseR 100 KLU/g 0.14 0.14 0.14 0.14 0.14
Endoglucanase A 5000 CEVLI/g0.53 0.53 0.53 0.53 0.53
Water & Minors (suds
suppressors, perfume) up to 00 parts
1
pH adjusted to 7.5-9 with
NaOH
C 12-C 15 alkyl sulphate a salt ared the alcohol
N prep from Lial
* Lial C
12-C
15
-
available from Enichem
* * Lial C 12-C 15 alkyl
ethoxy sulphate Na salt
prepared from the Lial
C 12-C 15
alcohol 3 times ethoxylated Emichem
available from
