Detergent composition consisting essentially of biodegradable nonionic surfactant and cationic surfactant containing ester or amide

• US 4,260,529 A
• Filed: 06/26/1978
• Issued: 04/07/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Letton, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitlick, Harris A.
• Application Number:
  US05/919,344
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 252/547, 252/528, 252/8.8, 560/198, 560/155, 260/404, 260/567.6 M, 260/567.6 R
• US Class Current: 510/350
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/62 Quaternary ammonium compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/72 Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/835 Mixtures of non-ionic with cationic compounds

Abstract

Laundry detergent compositions containing specific mixtures of selected nonionic surfactants and specifically defined biodegradable cationic surfactants are disclosed. These compositions are unusually effective in removing particulate soils and greasy/oily soils from fabrics, and, in addition, provide the fabrics with fabric softening, static control, and dye transfer inhibition benefits.

Claims

1. A detergent composition, containing no more than about 20% of phosphate builder materials, having a pH of no greater than about 11 in the laundry solution, and which is substantially free of oily hydrocarbon materials, comprising from about 5% to about 100% of a surfactant mixture consisting essentially of:

(a) a biodegradable nonionic surfactant having the formula R(OC₂ H₄)_n OH wherein R is a primary or secondary alkyl chain of from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms and n is an average of from about 2 to about 12, having an HLB of from about 5 to about 17; and

(b) a cationic surfactant having the formula ##STR40## wherein each R¹ is C₁ to C₄ alkyl or hydroxyalkyl;

R² is C₅ to C₃₀ straight or branched chain alkyl, alkenyl, alkylbenzyl, or alkyl phenyl group or ##STR41## wherein s is from 0 to 5;

R³ is C₁ to C₂₀ alkylene or alkenylene;

a is 0 or 1, n is 0 or 1, and n is 1 when a is 1, m is from 1 to 5;

Z¹ and Z² are each selected from the group consisting of;

##STR42## and wherein at least one of said groups is selected from the group consisting of ester, reverse ester, amide and reverse amide; and

X is an anion which makes the surfactant at least water-dispersible;

wherein the ratio of said nonionic surfactant to said cationic surfactant is in the range of from about 1;

1 to about 100;

1.

2. The composition according to claim 1 wherein, in the cationic surfactant, Z² is ##STR43##

3. The composition according to claim 2 wherein, in the cationic surfactant, a is 1 and Z¹ is ##STR44##

4. The composition according to claim 3 wherein, in the cationic surfactant, n is 1 and R³ is C₂ alkylene.

5. The composition according to claim 4 wherein, in the cationic surfactant, R¹ is CH₃.

6. The composition according to claim 3 wherein, in the cationic surfactant, R² is ##STR45## wherein s is from 0 to 5.

7. The composition according to claim 6 wherein, in the cationic surfactant, R¹ is CH₃.

8. The composition according to claim 2 wherein, in the cationic surfactant, n is 0 and a is 0.

9. The composition according to claim 8 wherein, in the cationic surfactant, R² is C₈ to C₂₀ alkyl.

10. The composition according to claim 9 wherein, in the cationic surfactant, m is 2.

11. The composition according to claim 10 wherein, in the cationic surfactant, R¹ is CH₃.

12. The composition according to claim 11 wherein, in the cationic surfactant, X is selected from the group consisting of halides, methyl sulfate, sulfate, and nitrate.

13. The composition according to claim 12 wherein, in the cationic surfactant, X is selected from the group consisting of chloride, bromide, iodide, methyl sulfate and sulfate.

14. The composition according to claim 13 wherein, in the nonionic surfactant, R is an alkyl chain of from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms, and n is an average of from about 2 to about 9.

15. The composition according to claim 14 wherein the ratio of nonionic surfactant to cationic surfactant is from about 1:

1 to 5;

1, and the reduced cationic monomer concentration of the cationic/nonionic surfactant mixture is from about 0.005 to about 0.2.

16. The composition according to claim 15 wherein the ratio of nonionic surfactant to cationic surfactant is from about 5:

3 to 5;

1.

17. The composition according to claim 16 which is substantially free of phosphate, polyphosphate, silicate, and polycarboxylate builder anions, carboxymethylcellulose, and anionic surfactants.

18. The composition according to claim 17 wherein the nonionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of the condensation product of C₁₀ alcohol with 3 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of coconut alcohol with 5 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_12-13 alcohol with 6.5 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_12-13 alcohol with 3 moles of ethylene oxide, and the same product which is stripped so as to remove substantially all lower ethoxylated and nonethoxylated fractions, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 7 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C₁₂ alcohol with 5 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_12-13 alcohol with 9 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 3 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 4 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 9 moles of ethylene oxide, and mixtures thereof.

19. The composition according to claim 14 wherein the ratio of nonionic surfactant to cationic surfactant is from 5.1:

1 to about 100;

1, the cloud point of the nonionic/cationic surfactant mixture is from about 0°

to about 95°

C., and the reduced cationic monomer concentration of the cationic/nonionic surfactant mixture is from about 0.002 to about 0.2.

20. The composition according to claim 19 which additionally contains from about 1 to 60% of a detergency builder salt.

21. The composition according to claim 19 which forms separated phases when placed in water at a temperature of about 45°

C., at a concentration of from about 0.01 to about 0.3%.

22. The composition according to claim 19 wherein the ratio of nonionic surfactant to cationic surfactant is from 5.1:

1 to about 50;

1.

23. The composition according to claim 22 wherein the nonionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of the condensation product of C₁₂ alcohol with 5 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C₁₀ alcohol with 3 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of coconut alcohol with 5 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_12-13 alcohol with 3 moles of ethylene oxide, and the same product which is stripped to remove substantially all lower ethoxylate and nonethoxylated fractions, the condensation product of C_12-13 alcohol with 6.5 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_12-13 alcohol with 9 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 3 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 4 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 7 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 9 moles of ethylene oxide, and mixtures thereof.

24. The composition according to claim 1 wherein n is 0, a is 0, and Z² is selected from the group consisting of ester, reverse ester, amide and reverse amide.

25. The composition according to claim 1 having a pH of at least about 6.5 in an aqueous laundry solution.

26. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of nonionic surfactant to cationic surfactant is from about 1:

1 to 5;

1, and the reduced cationic monomer concentration of the cationic/nonionic surfactant mixture is from about 0.005 to about 0.2.

27. The composition according to claim 26 wherein the ratio of nonionic surfactant to cationic surfactant is from about 5:

3 to 5;

1.

28. The composition according to claim 27 which is substantially free of phosphate, polyphosphate, silicate, and polycarboxylate builder anions, carboxymethylcellulose, and anionic surfactants.

29. The composition according to claim 28 wherein the nonionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of the condensation product of C₁₀ alcohol with 3 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of coconut alcohol with 5 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_12-13 alcohol with 6.5 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_12-13 alcohol with 3 moles of ethylene oxide, and the same product which is stripped so as to remove substantially all lower ethoxylated and nonethoxylated fractions, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 7 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C₁₂ alcohol with 5 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_12-13 alcohol with 9 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 3 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 4 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 9 moles of ethylene oxide, and mixtures thereof.

30. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of nonionic surfactant to cationic surfactant is from 5.1:

1 to about 100;

1, the cloud point of the nonionic/cationic surfactant mixture is from about 0°

to about 95°

C., and the reduced cationic monomer concentration of the cationic/nonionic surfactant mixture is from about 0.002 to about 0.2.

31. The composition according to claim 30 which additionally contains from about 1 to 60% of a detergency builder salt.

32. The composition according to claim 30 which forms separated phases when placed in water at a temperature of about 45°

C., at a concentration of from about 0.01 to about 0.3%.

33. The composition according to claim 30 wherein the ratio of nonionic surfactant to cationic surfactant is from 5.1:

1 to about 50;

1.

34. The composition according to claim 33 wherein the nonionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of the condensation product of C₁₂ alcohol with 5 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C₁₀ alcohol with 3 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of coconut alcohol with 5 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_12-13 alcohol with 3 moles of ethylene oxide, and the same product which is stripped to remove substantially all lower ethoxylate and nonethoxylated fractions, the condensation product of C_12-13 alcohol with 6.5 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_12-13 alcohol with 9 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 3 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 4 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 7 moles of ethylene oxide, the condensation product of C_14-15 alcohol with 9 moles of ethylene oxide, and mixtures thereof.

35. The composition according to claim 1 having a pH of not greater than about 10 in the laundry solution.

36. The composition according to claim 1 having a pH of greater than about 7 in the laundry solution.