Heavy-duty liquid detergent and process

• US 4,129,515 A
• Filed: 02/14/1978
• Issued: 12/12/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Foster, Gregory S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Willis, Jr., P.E.
• Application Number:
  US05/877,631
• Time in Patent Office: 301 Days
• Field of Search: 252/531, 252/532, 252/535, 252/539, 252/540, 252/550, 252/551, 252/554, 252/558, 252/559, 252/529, 252/548, 252/DIG. 14
• US Class Current: 510/340
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/83 Mixtures of non-ionic with anionic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 11/04 by chemical means, e.g. by sulfonating in the presence of other compounding ingredients followed by neutralising
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/30 Amines; Substituted amines ; Quaternized amines

Abstract

Single-phase, heavy-duty liquid detergent compositions containing detergency boosting levels of magnesium cations and alkanolamines are formulated by first underbasing with magnesium hydroxide and therafter adding the alkanolamine.

Claims

1. In a process for preparing a clear homogeneous heavy-duty liquid detergent composition which contains a surfactant component comprising detersive amounts of both anionic and nonionic surfactants, as well as alkanolamines and magnesium salts, the improvement which comprises:

(a) mixing the surfactant component comprising a detersive amount of an anionic surfactant, or mixtures thereof, in the free acid form, with sufficient magnesium hydroxide to provide a mixture characterized by a solution pH of from about 1 to about 5.5; and

(b) thereafter admixing sufficient alkanolamine with the foregoing mixture to provide a finished composition characterized by a solution pH of from about 6 to about 9.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the surfactant component comprises a detersive amount of an anionic surfactant, or mixtures thereof, in the free acid form, and a detersive amount of a nonionic surfactant.

3. A process according to claim 2 wherein the anionic surfactant is a member selected from the group consisting of linear alkyl benzene sulfonates containing from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group;

branched alkyl benzene sulfonates containing from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group;

the tallow range alkyl sulfates;

the coconut range alkyl glyceryl sulfonates;

alkyl ether (ethoxylated) sulfates wherein the alkyl moiety contains from about 12 to about 18 carbon atoms and wherein the average degree of ethoxylation varies between 1 and 12;

the sulfated condensation products of tallow alcohol with from about 3 to about 12 moles of ethylene oxide;

olefin sulfonates containing from about 14 to about 16 carbon atoms;

soaps; and

mixtures thereof.

4. A process according to claim 3 wherein the nonionic surfactant is the condensate of ethylene oxide with an alcohol or alkyl phenol.

5. A process according to claim 4 wherein the nonionic surfactant is the condensate of 1 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide with a C₉ -C₁₈ primary or secondary alcohol, or mixture of said condensates.

6. A process according to claim 1 wherein the alkanolamine is a member selected from the group consisting of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, and triethanolamine.

7. A process according to claim 1 which is carried out in the presence of a solvent selected from the group consisting of water and mixtures of water and a water-soluble organic solvent.

8. A process according to claim 1 wherein the surfactant component is mixed with sufficient magnesium hydroxide to provide solution pH of from about 1 to about 3.

9. A process according to claim 8 wherein the finished composition is characterized by a solution pH of from about 7 to about 9.

10. A process according to claim 9 wherein the finished composition is characterized by a solution pH of from about 7 to about 8.

11. A detergent composition prepared by:

(a) mixing a surfactant component comprising a detersive amount of an anionic surfactant, or mixtures thereof, in the free acid form, with sufficient magnesium hydroxide to provide a mixture characterized by a solution pH of from about 1 to about 5.5; and

(b) thereafter admixing sufficient alkanolamine with the foregoing mixture to provide a finished composition characterized by a solution pH of from about 6 to about 9.

12. A composition according to claim 11 wherein the surfactant component comprises a detersive amount of an anionic surfactant, or mixtures thereof, in the free acid form, and a detersive amount of a nonionic surfactant.

13. A composition according to claim 12 wherein the anionic surfactant is a member selected from the group consisting of linear alkyl benzene sulfonates containing from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group;

branched alkyl benzene sulfonates containing from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group;

the tallow range alkyl sulfates;

the coconut range alkyl glyceryl sulfonates;

alkyl ether (ethoxylated) sulfates wherein the alkyl moiety contains from about 12 to about 18 carbon atoms and wherein the average degree of ethoxylation varies between 1 and 12;

the sulfated condensation products of tallow alcohol with from about 3 to about 12 moles of ethylene oxide;

olefin sulfonates containing from about 14 to about 16 carbon atoms;

soaps; and

mixtures thereof.

14. A composition according to claim 13 wherein the nonionic surfactant is the condensate of ethylene oxide with an alcohol or alkyl phenol.

15. A composition according to claim 13 wherein the nonionic surfactant is the condensate of 1 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide with a C₉ -C₁₈ primary alcohol, or mixtures of said condensates.

16. A composition according to claim 15 wherein the alkanolamine is a member selected from the group consisting of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine.

17. A composition according to claim 16 which comprises from about 5% to about 70% by weight of a solvent selected from the group consisting of water and mixtures of water and a water-soluble organic solvent.

18. A composition according to claim 17 wherein the surfactant component is mixed with sufficient magnesium hydroxide to provide a mixture characterized by a solution pH of from about 1 to about 3 and thereafter admixed with sufficient alkanolamine to provide a finished composition characterized by a solution pH of from about 7 to about 8.