Nonaqueous, particulate-containing liquid detergent compositions with surfactant-structured liquid phase

• US 6,576,602 B1
• Filed: 06/24/1997
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CHIEF PATENT COUNSEL
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Jones, Roger J., Goderis, Iwein J. M. J., Broeckx, Walter A. M., Kahn, Jay I., Smerznak, Mark Allen, Wevers, Jean, Parry, Diane
• Primary Examiner(s): Webb, Gregory E.
• Application Number:
  US08/881,457
• Time in Patent Office: 2,177 Days
• Field of Search: 510/304, 510/338, 510/407, 510/413, 510/415, 510/418, 510/369, 510/371, 510/372, 510/375, 510/309, 510/311, 510/312, 510/313, 510/314, 510/374, 510/376, 510/378
• US Class Current: 510/407
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/22 derived from aromatic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/72 Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/83 Mixtures of non-ionic with anionic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0004 Non aqueous liquid compositions comprising insoluble particles
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/046 Salts
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2068 Ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2086 Hydroxy carboxylic acids-salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3472 additionally containing -COOH groups or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3947 Liquid compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/43 Solvents

Abstract

Disclosed are nonaqueous, particulate-containing liquid laundry detergent compositions which are in the form of a suspension of particulate material, preferably including peroxygen bleaching agent and an organic detergent builder, dispersed in a liquid phase structured with alkylbenzene sulfonate anionic surfactant-containing powder. Such compositions provide especially desirable cleaning and bleaching of fabrics laundered therewith and also exhibit especially desirable pourability and chemical and phase stability.

Claims

1. A non-aqueous, liquid, heavy-duty detergent in the form of a suspension of solid, substantially insoluble particulate material dispersed throughout a structured, surfactant-containing liquid phase, wherein:

A) said composition comprises from about 45% to 95% by weight of the composition of a structured, surfactant-containing liquid phase formed by combining;

i) from about 50% to 80% by weight of said liquid phase of one or more non-aqueous organic diluents; and

ii) from about 20% to 50% by weight of said liquid phase of an anionic surfactant-containing powder which is formed by co-drying;

a) one or more alkali metal salts of C_10-16 linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acids; and

b) a non-surfactant salt selected from the group consisting of alkali metal salts of sulfates citrates, sulfo-succinates and mixtures thereof;

to produce a powder which contains from about 80% to 94% by weight of said powder of said alkyl benzene sulfonic acid salts, from about 2% to 15% by weight of said powder of said non-surfactant salts and from about 0.5% to 4% by weight of said powder of residual water; and

which contains from about 10% to 25% by weight of said powder of a solid phase which is insoluble in said non-aqueous organic diluents; and

B) said composition also comprises from about 5% to 55% by weight of the composition of additional particulate material which ranges in size from about 0.1 to 1500 microns, which is substantially insoluble in said liquid phase and which is selected from peroxygen bleaching agents, bleach activators, ancillary anionic surfactants, organic detergent builders and inorganic alkalinity sources and combinations of said particulate material types.

2. A composition according to claim 1 wherein

(A) the alkyl group of said alkylbenzene sulfonic acid is linear and contains from about 11 to 14 carbon atoms;

(B) the non-surfactant salts are selected from akali metal sulfates, citrates, carbonates and xylene sulfonates;

(C) the liquid phase comprises both a non-aqueous liquid nonionic surfactant and a non-aqueous low polarity non-surfactant solvent; and

(D) said particulate material comprises peroxygen bleaching agents selected from percarboxylic acids and salts thereof and alkali metal perborates and percarbonates.

3. A composition according to claim 2 wherein

(A) said alkylbenzene sulfonate surfactant comprises from about 0.5% to 60% by weight of the composition;

(B) said nonaqueous liquid phase comprises from about 15% to 70% by weight of the composition and utilizes an alcohol alkoxylate liquid nonionic surfactant in a ratio to non-surfactant solvent of from 3;

1 to 1;

3; and

(C) said particulate material comprises from about 5% to 50% by weight of the composition.

4. A composition according to claim 3 wherein

(A) said peroxygen bleaching agent is selected from alkali metal perborates and percarbonates and comprises from about 1% to 30% by weight of the composition;

and

(B) said particulate material also comprises from about 0.5% to 20% by weight of the composition of particles of a bleach activator which can react with said peroxygen bleaching agent to form a peroxy acid.

5. A composition according to claim 4 wherein

(A) said alcohol alkoxylate nonionic surfactant comprises ethoxylated materials containing from about 8 to 15 carbon atoms and having from about 3 to 10 ethylene oxide moieties per molecule;

and

(B) said nonaqueous low-polarity non-surfactant solvent is selected from

i) mono, di, tri, tetra C₂-C₃ alkylene glycol mono C₂-C₆ alkyl ethers; and

ii) non-vicinal alkylene glycols containing from about 4 to 8 carbon atoms.

6. A composition according to claim 4 wherein said particulate material also comprises from about 2% to 20% by weight of the composition of an organic detergent builder selected from alkali metal citrates, succinates, malonates, carboxymethylsuccinates, carboxylates, polycarboxylates, polyacetylcarboxylates and fatty acid soaps.

7. A composition according to claim 6 wherein said organic detergent builder is selected from sodium citrate and poly-acrylate/maleate copolymers of molecular weight ranging from about 5,000 to 100,000.

8. A composition according to claim 4 wherein said particulate material also comprises from about 1% to 25% by weight of the composition of an alkalinity source selected from water-soluble alkali metal carbonates, bicarbonates, borates, silicates and metasilicates.

9. A composition according to claim 8 wherein said alkalinity source is sodium carbonate.

10. A composition according to claim 4 which additionally contains from about 0.1% to 4% by weight of the composition of a chelating agent selected from amino carboxylates, phosphonates, amino phosphonates, polyfunctional substituted aromatic chelating agents and combinations of these chelating agents.

11. A composition according to claim 10 wherein said chelating agent is selected from diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid, ethylene diamine disuccinic acid, dipicolinic acid and hydroxyethyldiphosphonic acid and the salts of these chelating agents.

12. A composition according to claim 4 which additionally contains from about 0.001% to 5% by weight of the composition of enzyme prills wherein said prills range in size from about 100 to 1,000 microns, and wherein said enzyme is selected from proteases, amylases, cellulases, and lipases.

13. A composition according to claim 4 which additionally contains

(A) from about 0.1% to 4% by weight of the composition of a thickening, viscosity control and/or dispersing agent selected from acrylic acid-based polymers having a molecular weight ranging from about 2,000 to 100,000;

and/or

(B) from about 0.01% to 5% by weight of the composition of an ethoxylated tetraethylenepentamine clay soil removal/anti-redeposition agent; and

/or

(C) from about 0.0001% to 2% by weight of a compatible brightener, suds suppressor, titanium dioxide, bleach catalyst, dye and/or perfume.

14. A non-aqueous, liquid, heavy-duty detergent with bleach composition in the form of a suspension of solid, substantially insoluble particulate material dispersed throughout a structured, surfactant-containing liquid phase, wherein:

A) said composition comprises from about 50% to 70% by weight of the composition of a structured, surfactant-containing liquid phase formed by combining;

i) from about 50% to 99% by weight of said liquid phase of non-aqueous liquids which comprise;

a) an alcohol ethoxylate component comprising C₁₀-C₁₄ alcohols containing from about 3 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide; and

b) a non-aqueous organic solvent selected from diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, dipropylene glycol monobutyl ether, butoxy-propoxy-propanol and hexylene glycol;

in an alcohol ethoxylate to organic solvent weight ratio of from about 2;

1 to 1;

2; and

ii) from about 1% to 50% by weight of said liquid phase of an anionic surfactant-containing powder which is formed by co-drying;

a) sodium C_10-14 linear alkyl benzene sulfonates; and

b) one or more non-surfactant salts selected from sodium, calcium and magnesium sulfates;

to produce a powder which contains from about 45% to 94% by weight of said powder of said alkyl benzene sulfonic acid salts, from about 2% to 50% by weight of said powder of said non-surfactant salts and from about 0.5% to 4% by weight of said powder of residual water; and

which contains from about 10% to 60% by weight of said powder of a solid phase which is insoluble in said non-aqueous liquids; and

B) said composition also comprises additional particulate material which ranges in size from about 0.1 to 900 microns, and which is selected from

i) particles of a peroxygen bleaching agent which is selected from sodium and potassium perborates and percarbonates; and

which is present to the extent of from about 1% to 20% by weight of the composition;

ii) particles of a bleach activator which is selected from nonanoyloxybenzene sulfonate, (6-C₈-C₁₀ alkamido-caproyl) oxybenzene sulfonate and tetraacetyl ethylene diamine; and

which is present to the extent of from about 1% to 10% by weight of the composition;

iii) particles of alkali metal carbonate;

which is present to the extent of from about 2% to 15% by weight of the composition.

15. A composition according to claim 14 wherein said composition further comprises from about 1% to 10% by weight of the composition of particles of a bleach activator which can react with said peroxygen bleaching agent to form a peroxy acid.

16. A composition according to claim 15 which additionally contains from about 2% to 20% by weight of the composition or an organic detergent builder selected from alkali metal citrates, succinates, malonates, carboxymethylsuccinates, carboxylates, polycarboxylates, polyacetylcarboxylates and fatty acid soaps.

17. A composition according to claim 16 which additionally contains from about 2% to 15% by weight of an additional alkalinity source selected from water-soluble alkali metal bicarbonates, borates, silicates and metasilicates.