Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
.... WO 95/03381 216 7 3 7 0 ~T~S94/07842
-1-
THICKENED HYPOCH:LORITE DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS WITH IMPROVED
CLEANING PERFORMANCE
Technical Field
The present invention relates to thickened aqueous
bleaching and cleaning compositions based on hypochlorite.
Background of the Invention
Liquid compositions comprising hypochlorite bleach and
the combination of long chain amine oxides and fatty acids as
a thickening agent therein are well-known in the art.
It is desirable that such compositions should have good
' cleaning properties. However, long chain amine oxides do not
provide the optimem cleaning effect. Therefore, it is a first
object of the present invention to provide hypochlorite based
bleaching compositions with improved cleaning.
WO 95/03381 216 l 3 7 ~ PCT/US94/07842
2
In response to this object, it has now been found that
the incorporation of short chain surfactants is beneficial
and meets this object thereby enhancing the cleaning
performance. However, it has been observed that the
incorporation of short chain surfactants in such compositions
results in the reduction of the viscosity of said
compositions. Yet, it is considered highly desirable that
said compositions should be viscous so that the compositions
adhere longer to vertical surfaces and surfaces which are
inclined to the horizontal.
Therefore it is a further object of the present
invention to provide a liquid composition which comprises a
hypochlorite bleach and short chain surfactants, which
retains viscosity.
In response to this object, the present invention
proposes to formulate a liquid composition which comprises
long chain amine oxides and fatty acids, further comprising
short chain surfactants to boost cleaning and a long chain
tertiary alcohol to restore viscosity.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the
stability of the bleach is not affected by the tertiary
alcohol which resists the oxidation of the hypochlorite.
Thickened bleaching compositions comprising long chain
amine oxides and fully saturated fatty acids are well-known
in the art.
US 4 282 109 discloses a thickened bleach composition
comprising hypochlorite and linear and branched long chain
C10-Clg amine oxides as thickeners. There is no mention of
short chain C6-Cg amine oxides or tertiary alcohols.
EP 274 885 discloses thickened bleaching compositions
comprising alkali metal hypochlorite and straight chain C14
amine oxide with a mixture of branched and straight chain
~_.._. T
.. WO 95/03381
216 7 3 7 Q PCT/US94/07842
3
C15 amine oxide and optionally fatty acids. There is no
mention of short chain amine oxide or. tertiary alcohols.
EP 233 666 dig>closes a process for the manufacture of a
thickened bleaching compositions comprising hypochlorite, a
hypochlorite-soluble surfactant and an alkali metal salt of a
fatty acid. The detergent actives include amine oxides,
preferably laurylclimethylamine. There is no mention of
tertiary alcohols.
DE 28 37 880 covers bleaching compositions comprising
alkali metal hypochlorite and mixtures of branched and linear
amine oxides of varying chain length, (C5-C1~~ for increased
viscosity. The compositions optionally comprise fatty acids,
but there is no disclosure of tertiary alcohols.
EP 30 401 covers thickened bleaching compositions
comprising hypochlorite and a certain number of product
characteristics including pH and viscosity. Mixtures of Cg-
Ci8 amine oxides and fatty acids are preferred as thickening
agents. There is no disclosure of tertiary alcohols.
Summary of the Invention
The compositions according to the present invention are
liquid bleaching .compositions having a viscosity of from
20cps to 200cps at a 50 r.p.m. shear rate and a pH greater
than 12, comprising an alkali metal hypochlorite, a
hypochlorite compatible long chain amine oxide and an alkali-
metal salt of a fatty acid. Said composition further
comprises a a hypochlorite compatible short chain surfactant
for improved cleaning and a tertiary alcohol to restore
viscosity.
The long chain amine oxides suitable include amine
oxides according t:o the formula RiR2R3N0, wherein R1 is a
C10-Cig alkyl group and R2 and R3 are independently C1 to C3
WO 95/03381
i 6 ~ 3 7 0 pCT~S94/07842
4
alkyl groups and 'wherein the ratio of said long chain amine
oxide to short chain surfactants is from 4:1 to 1.5:1. The
tertiary alcohol is selected from R~RBRgCOH, wherein R~ is a
C4-Cg alkyl group, Rg and Rg are C1-C3 alkyl groups and total
number of carbon atoms is from 8 to 12.
All ratios, percentages and parts given herein are by %
weight of the total composition unless otherwise specified.
eta' ed Description of the Invention
The liquid detergent composition according to the
present invention comprises an alkali metal hypochlorite, an
alkali metal salt of a fatty acid and a hypochlorite
compatible long c)zain amine oxide. The cleaning ability of
said composition Ihas been improved by the addition of a a
hypochlorite compatible short chain surfactant and the
viscosity is restored by the addition of a Cg-C12 tertiary
alcohol.
Thus an essential ingredient for use herein is a
hypochlorite bleaching agent, preferably an alkali metal
hypochlorite. Although alkali metal hypochlorites are
preferred other hypochlorite compounds may also be used
herein and can be selected from calcium and magnesium
hypochlorite. Prel:erred alkali metal hypochlorite for use
herein is sodium h,ypochlorite. Compositions according to the
present invention .comprise said hypochlorite bleaching agents
such that the content of active chlorine in the compositions
is from 0.4% to 4%, preferably from 1% to 2%.
Another essential component according to the present
invention is the combination of a hypochlorite compatible
long chain amine oxide and a fatty acid. Said combination is
used as a thickening aid.
Suitable long chain amine oxides for use herein may be
chosen from amine oxides according to the formula R1R2R3N0,
WO 95/03381 ~ PCT/US94/07842
wherein R1 is a Clp-Clg alkyl group, preferably Clp to C14
and R2 and R3 are independently C1 to C3 alkyl groups and
mixtures thereof.
Preferred long chain amine oxides for use herein are be
GenaminoxR LA, (a.vailable from Hoechst) and C12-C14 AromoxR
DMMCO-W (AKZO). According to the present invention, said
compositions may ~~omprise from 0.6% to 3% of said long chain
amine oxides.
Suitable fatty acids for use herein are alkali metal
salt of a Cg-C1~; fatty acid. Suitable fatty acids can be
any Cg-Clg fatty acids, preferably fully saturated fatty
acids preferably a sodium, potassium or lithium salt, more
preferably the sodium salt. Fatty acids for use herein may be
selected from caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid,
myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid and mixtures of
fatty acids suitably hardened, derived from natural sources
such as tallow, coconut oil, ground oil and babassu oil.
Fatty acids according to the present invention may comprise
from 0.2% to 2% by weight of the total composition.
It has been found that the cleaning performance of the
composition according to the present invention can be boosted
by the incorporation of hypochlorite compatible short chain
surfactants.
The compositions according to the present invention
comprise a hypoch:lorite compatible short chain surfactant, or
mixtures thereof. All surfactants have in common that they
comprise a hydrophobic portion and a hydrophilic portion. By
short chain surfactant, it is meant herein surfactants which
comprise a C6-Clp alkyl chain as their hydrophobic portion.
Such short chain surfactants are accordingly those
conventionally used in this field, but with a shorter alkyl
chain, and can beg of any type. Accordingly, suitable short
chain surfactant:: for use herein include C6-Clp alkyl
21 67370
sulfates (C6-C1oS04) , alkyl ether sulfates (C6-Clo (OCHzCH2) eS04) ,
alkyl sulphonatf~s (C6-C1oS03) , alkyl succinates (C6-
C1o00CCHzCH2COOZ) , alkyl carboxylates (C6-C1oC00M) , alkyl ether
carboxylates (C6-Clo (OCHzCH2) eCOOM) , alkyl sarcosinates (C6-
CIOCON (CH3) R) , alky:l sulpho succinates (C6-C1o00CCH (S03M) CH2COOZ) ,
amine oxides (C6-C;loRR'NO) and betaines (C6-CloN' (CH3) 2CHZC00-) .
In the formulae in brackets, a and p are independently from 0
to 20, Z is M or R, M is H or any counterion such as those known
in the art, including Na, K, Li, NH4, amine, X is a
polyhydroxyhydrocarbyl having a linear hydrocarbyl chain with
at least 3 hydroxyls directly connected to the chain, or an
alkoxylated derivative thereof, R and R' are C1-CS alkyl groups,
possibly functionalized with hydroxyl groups, R and R' are
preferably C1-C3, most preferably methyl. The compositions
according to the present invention may comprise any of the above
surfactants alone, or any combination thereof, depending on the
end use envisioned.
Preferred nonionic surfactants are amine oxides. Suitable
short chain amine oxides for use herein may be selected from
amine oxides according to the formulae RzR3R4N0, wherein R4 is a
C6-CB alkyl group, and RZ and R3 are independently Cl to C3 alkyl
groups, and mixtures thereof.
Preferred short chain anionic surfactants for use herein are
C6-Clo alkyl sulfates (C6-C1oS04) and alkyl sulphonates (C6-C1oS03) .
Most preferred are: the C6-Ce alkyl sulfates and sulphonates .
Such short chain anionic surfactants can be made by well known
sulphation or sulphonation processes followed by neutralization,
but said anionic sizort chain surfactants are more conveniently
commercially available, for instance from Rhone Poulenc under
the trade mark Rhodapon OLS, or from Witco under the trade mark
Witconate.
_ WO 95/03381 216 7 3 7 0 pCT~S94/07842
7
Preferred short chain surfactants for use herein are
dimethyloctylamine oxide, dimethylhexylamine oxide and octyl
sulphate. Suitable: short chain surfactants for use herein are
preferably hypoch:Lorite compatible. According to the present
invention, the compositions comprise from 0.5% to 2%
preferably from l~c to 1.5% of short chain surfactants.
The compositions according to the present invention
comprise said long chain amine oxides and said short chain
surfactants in the ratio of from 4:1 to 1:1, preferably 2:1
to 1:1 more preferably 1.5:1 to 1:1.
The incorporation of short chain surfactants in the
compositions according to the present invention results in
the decrease of said compositions viscosity. It has been
found that the vi:acosity of the compositions can be restored
by the addition of a tertiary alcohol.
Suitable tertiary alcohols for use herein can be
selected from alcohols according to the formula, R~RgRgCOH ,
wherein R~ is C4-~Cg, preferably C6-Cg, Rg and Rg are C1-Cg
preferably methyl groups. The present invention comprises a
viscosity restoring amount of tertiary alcohols. The
compositions may comprise from 0.05% to 1%, preferably from
0.05% to 0.8%, more preferably from 0.05% to 0.5% of said
tertiary alcohol. Suitable tertiary alcohols for use herein
are those having from 8 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably
dimethylhexylcarbi.nol and dimethyloctyl carbinol.
The compositions according to the present invention
comprise said tertiary alcohols and said short chain
surfactants in the ratio of from 0.04 to 1, preferably from
0.2 to 0.6.
The tertiary alcohols of the present invention thicken
the compositions to a viscosity of from 2ocps to 20ocps,
preferably from 20cps to 150cps measured with a Brookfield
i
WO 95/03381 7 ~ PCT/US94/07842
8
viscosimeter RVT at a temperature of 25°C, using a number 3
spindle at 50 r.p.m.
Another essential requirement of the compositions according
to the present invention is that the pH is greater than 12,
preferably greater than 12.5, more preferably greater than 12.8.
This is achieved by the addition of from 0.5$ to 2$ of a caustic
alkali. Suitable caustic alkalis for use herein include sodium
and potassium hydroxide.
The compositions according to the present invention may
further comprise as an optional ingredient other long chain
surface active agents. Suitable long chain surface actives
include alkyl sarcosinates, alkyl ether sulphates and paraffin
sulphonates.
The compositions according to the present invention may also
comprise a number of additional ingredients such as hypochlorite
soluble and stable colourants and perfumes, and hydrotopes such
as sodium xylene sulphonate.
The compositions according to the present invention are
prepared by methods well-known in the art such as the methods
described in GB 1 329 086.
The compositions of the present invention may be used for a
variety of bleaching purposes such as bleaching hard surfaces
whereby said compositions thickened nature results in longer
adhesion to vertical or inclined surfaces than non-thickened
bleaching compositions.
The compositions according to the present invention can be
illustrated by the following examples.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26~
... T. . ,
WO 95/03381 216 7 3 7 0 PCT/US94/07842
9
Examples
CONSTITUENTS I II III IV V VI
C12 amine oxide 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8
coconut fatty acid 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 -
sodium hypochlorite 1 1.1 1 1 1.1 1
octyl dimethyl amine 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 - -
oxide
octyl sulfate - - - - 1.2 1.2
sodium hydroxide 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8
perfume 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
dimethyl n-octyl carbir..ol0.2 0.05 0.1 0.2 - -
dimethyl n-hexyl carbir.,ol- - - - 0.1 0.20
water and minors -------------balance---------------------
viscosity, cps 100 50 70 80 100 130
~BSTI'NTE SHEET (RULE 26~
