Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PEARLESCENT AGENT SLURRY FOR LIQUID TREATMENT COMPOSITION
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a slurry, which is suitable for use as a
component of liquid
treatment compositions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the preparation of liquid treatment compositions, it is an aim to improve
technical capabilities
thereof and aesthetics. One method of improving the aesthetics of a liquid
treatment composition
is to make it pearlescent.
Pearlescence can be achieved by incorporation of a pearlescent agent into the
liquid treatment
composition. Pearlescent agents include inorganic natural substances, such as
mica, bismuth
oxychloride and titanium dioxide, and organic compounds such as metal salts of
higher fatty
acids, fatty glycol esters and fatty acid alkanolamides. The present invention
relates only to the
use of inorganic pearlescent agents. The pearlescent agent can be acquired as
a powder,
suspension of the agent in a suitable suspending agent or, where the agent is
a crystal, it may be
produced in situ.
Detergent compositions and pearlescent dispersions comprising pearlescent
agent fatty acid
glycol ester are disclosed in the following art; US 4,717,501 (to Kao); US
5,017,305 (to Henkel);
US 6,210,659 (to Henkel); US 6,835,700 (to Cognis). Liquid treatment
compositions containing
pearlescent agents are disclosed in US 6,956,017 (to Procter & Gamble). Liquid
detergents for
washing delicate garments containing pearlescent agent are disclosed in EP
520551 B1 (to
Unilever).
The present invention relates to a slurry comprising inorganic pearlescent
agent. The slurry
described in W02007/111899 A2 (to Procter & Gamble) uses water as the carrier
for pearlescent
agent. However, the Applicants have discovered that using water as the carrier
for pearlescent
agent only allows up to six weeks of physical stability, before the
pearlescent agent starts to
settle.
The inorganic pearlescent agent slurry of W02007/11189 is prepared in a batch
process. A
measured quantity of the inorganic pearlescent agent slurry is then added to
the continuous
process used to prepare liquid treatment compositions. However, as discussed
above, the
inorganic pearlescent agents tend to settle from the slurry suspension. This
settling causes
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problems in the continuous processing used to prepare the liquid treatment
compositions, since
there will be points when there may be too much pearlecence or no pearlecence
at all.
One potential solution to these problems may be to increase the viscosity of
the slurry. However
the end products necessarily have relatively low viscosity, especially at high
shear, such that they
may be poured or processed. Therefore components of the liquid treatment
composition, like the
slurry, should not have too high viscosity. Contrarily, if the slurry has low
viscosity at low shear,
the particulates have a tendency to fall out of suspension and either float or
sink upon storage.
This results in an undesired, non-homogenous slurry, wherein part of the
slurry is pearly and part
of it is clear and homogeneous. Such a slurry clearly would have an
undesirable effect on the
aesthetics of the final composition, which may have too much pearlecence or no
pearlecence at
all. Hence the Applicant has found that simply varying the viscosity of the
slurry, does not
adequately solve the problems as set out in the present invention.
Moreover, inorganic pearlescent agents are insoluble and without adequate
solution, behave like
wet sand, causing problems in processing of the slurry. The wet sand behavior
makes the slurry
difficult to mix and requires considerable effort from the equipment used in
the mixing process.
The present invention provides a slurry and a procedure to prepare the slurry
suitable for further
processing into a liquid treatment compositions. The present invention
specifically relates to
improving the physical stability and process lifetime of an inorganic
pearlescent agent slurry, and
thereby improving the process of preparation and quality of the liquid
treatment composition.
The present invention also relates to the use of combination of solvent and
rheology modifier in a
slurry of inorganic pearlescent agents to improve the physical stability and
the process lifetime of
the slurry. The Applicants have discovered that replacing water by either
glycerol or sorbitol
solvent increases the physical stability of the slurry, in that the slurry
remains physically stable
16 weeks. The present invention also relates to an optimized the process of
preparing the
inorganic pearlescent agent slurry wherein the addition of inorganic
pearlescent agent is strictly
controlled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided an inorganic pearlescent
agent slurry
suitable for use in a liquid treatment composition comprising:
a) inorganic pearlescent agent
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b) organic solvent, selected from the group consisting of glycerol,
sorbitol and mixtures
thereof.
c) rheology modifier.
The present invention also relates to a process of preparing an inorganic
pearlescent agent slurry,
for use in liquid treatment compositions, comprising the steps of:
a) combining organic solvent, selected from the group consisting of
glycerol and sorbitol
and mixtures thereof and from 10% to 66% by weight of the 100% active
inorganic pearlescent
agent;
b) adding rheology modifier and mixing; and
c) adding remaining inorganic pearlescent agent.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, the term slurry is used herein to mean a liquid
composition that is
typically flowable at ambient temperature and contains water-insoluble solid
particulates or other
solid matter.
The inorganic pearlescent agent slurry of the present invention is suitable
for use as a component
of liquid treatment compositions suitable for laundry or house hold care
applications. By the term
laundry treatment composition it is meant to include all liquid compositions
used in the treatment
of laundry including cleaning and softening or conditioning compositions. By
the term hard
surface treatment composition it is meant to include all liquid compositions
used in the treatment
of hard surfaces, such as kitchen or bathroom surfaces, as well as dish and
cook ware in the hand
or automatic dishwashing operations.
The pearlescent agent slurry according to the present invention for this use
comprises from 30%
to 60% water. However there is preferably no freely added water. Where water
does exist in the
slurry, it is preferably present as a component of another ingredient of the
slurry, such as the
rheology modifier premix.
The inorganic pearlescent agent slurry of the present invention preferably has
viscosity from
21000 to 65000 centipoises at 0.5 s-1 and from 1000 to 3000 centipoises at 20s-
1. Viscosity can be
determined by conventional methods. Viscosity according to the present
invention is however
measured using an AR 550 rheometer from TA instruments using a plate steel
spindle at 40 mm
diameter and a gap size of 500 um. The high shear viscosity at 20s-1 and low
shear viscosity at
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0.5-1 can be obtained from a logarithmic shear rate sweep from 0.1-1 to 25-1
in 3 minutes time at
21 C.
The slurry of the present invention preferably has a pH of from 7 to 11, more
preferably from 7
to 9 when measured directly from the slurry.
The temperature of the slurry and throughout the preparation and storage is
preferably below 35
C. When the used rheology modifier is Hydrogenated Castor Oil (HCO), the
temperature is
more preferably between 10 C and 30 C. HCO has a low melting point and will
lose the
rheology modifier activity when melted and cause the instability of the
slurry.
Pearlescent Agent
The pearlescent agents according to the present invention are inorganic
crystalline or glassy
solids, transparent or translucent compounds capable of reflecting and
refracting light to produce
a pearlescent effect. Typically, the pearlescent agents are crystalline
particles insoluble in the
composition in which they are incorporated. Preferably the pearlescent agents
have the shape of
thin plates or spheres. Spheres, according to the present invention, are to be
interpreted as
generally spherical. Particle size is measured across the largest diameter of
the sphere. Plate-like
particles are such that two dimensions of the particle (length and width) are
at least 5 times the
third dimension (depth or thickness). Other crystal shapes like cubes or
needles or other crystal
shapes do not display pearlescent effect. Many pearlescent agents like mica
are natural minerals
having monoclinic crystals. Shape appears to affect the stability of the
agents. The spherical,
even more preferably, the plate-like agents being the most successfully
stabilised.
The mechanism of pearlescence is described by R. L. Crombie in International
Journal of
Cosmetic Science Vol 19, page 205-214. Light reflected from pearl platelets or
spheres, as they
lie essentially parallel to each other at different levels in the composition
creates a sense of depth
and luster. Some light is reflected off the pearlescent agent, and the
remainder will pass through
the agent. Thus light passing through the pearlescent agent, may pass directly
through or be
refracted. Reflected, refracted light produces a different colors, brightness
and luster.
The smaller the particle size and distribution of the pearlescent agent, the
more easily they are
suspended. However as the particle size of the pearlescent agent is decreased,
the efficacy of the
agent is also decreased. It is therefore preferred that in the present
invention the pearlescent agent
has particle size preferable between 5 and 32 micrometers and more preferably
between 5 and 26
micrometers.
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The slurry of the present invention preferably comprise from 1% to 35% by
weight of the slurry
of a 100% active inorganic pearlescent agent. More preferably the slurry
comprises from 10 % to
30%, more preferably from 10% to 20%, by weight of the slurry of the 100%
active inorganic
pearlescent agent.
5 The pearlescent agents of the present invention are inorganic. Inorganic
pearlescent agents
provide both dynamic and static pearlescent effect. By dynamic pearlescence it
is meant that the
composition exhibits a pearlescent effect when the composition is in motion.
By static
pearlescence it is meant that the composition exhibits pearlescence when the
composition is
static.
Inorganic Pearlescent Agents:
Inorganic pearlescent agents include those selected from the group consisting
of mica, metal
oxide coated mica, silica coated mica, bismuth oxychloride coated mica,
bismuth oxychloride,
myristyl myristate, glass, metal oxide coated glass, guanine, glitter
(polyester or metallic) and
mixtures thereof.
Suitable micas include muscovite or potassium aluminum hydroxide fluoride. The
platelets of
mica are preferably coated with a thin layer of metal oxide. Preferred metal
oxides are selected
from the group consisting of rutile, titanium dioxide, ferric oxide, tin
oxide, alumina and
mixtures thereof.
Pearlecence effect in these pearlescent agents develops through interference
between light rays
reflecting at specular angles from the top and bottom surfaces of the metal-
oxide layer. The
agents loose color intensity as viewing angle shifts to non-specular angles
and gives it the
pearlescent appearance.
More preferably inorganic pearlescent agents are selected from the group
consisting of mica and
bismuth oxychloride and mixtures thereof. More preferably inorganic
pearlescent agents are
mica. More preferably the pearlescent agent is metal oxide coated mica, more
preferable titanium
oxide coated mica, bismuth oxychloride coated mica or silica coated mica and
mixtures thereof.
Commercially available suitable inorganic pearlescent agents are available
from Merck under the
trademarks Iriodin, Biron, Xirona, Timiron Colorona, Dichrona, Candurin and
Ronastar. Other
commercially available inorganic pearlescent agent are available from BASF
(Engelhard, Mearl)
under trademarks Biju, Bi-Lite, Chroma-Lite, Pearl-Glo, Mearlite and Eckart
under the
trademarks Prestige Soft Silver and Prestige Silk Silver Star.
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Inorganic pearlescent agents are preferably incorporated as a powder, and are
used to prepare the
slurry without the need for any additional process steps. Process to prepare
the slurry will be
described in more details later on.
Organic Solvent system
The solvent system in combination with the rheology modifier are essential in
driving physically
stability in the slurry. Suitable solvents according to the present invention
are organic solvents,
selected from the group consisting of glycerol and sorbitol and mixtures
thereof. Solvent is
typically present at levels in the range from 10% to 50%, preferably from 20%
to 40% by weight
of the slurry.
Glycerol is a colorless, odorless and viscous liquid. It is sweet-tasting and
of low toxicity.
Glycerol has three hydroxyl groups that are responsible for its solubility in
water and its
hydroscopic nature.
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol, which has six hydroxyl groups that are
responsible for its solubility in
water and its hydroscopic nature.
Without wishing to be bound by the theory it is believed that a synergy exits
between the solvent
and rheology modifier. It is further believed that the system comprising these
two elements
created more elasticity within the system. This elasticity appears to mean the
system or network
is able to recover more quickly following shear.
Rheology Modifier
The slurry of the present invention comprises a rheology modifier. The overall
objective
in adding such a rheology modifier to the slurry herein is to arrive at a
slurry which is suitably
functional and aesthetically pleasing from the standpoint of slurry thickness,
pourability,
physically stability, optical properties, and/or particles suspension
performance. Thus the
rheology modifier will serve to establish appropriate rheological
characteristics of the slurry and
will do so without imparting any undesirable attributes to the product such as
unacceptable
optical properties or unwanted phase separation. By rheological
characteristics are meant
characteristics of the flow of the slurry under stress and strain.
The rheology modifier component of the pearlescent agent slurry herein can be
characterized as
an "external" or "internal" rheology modifier. An "external" rheology
modifier, for the purposes
of this invention, is a material which has as its primary function that of
providing rheological
alteration of the liquid matrix. Generally, therefore, an external rheology
modifier will not, in and
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of itself, provide any significant fabric cleaning or fabric care benefit or
any significant
ingredient solubilization benefit. An external rheology modifier is thus
distinct from an "internal"
rheology modifier which may also alter matrix rheology but which has been
incorporated into the
liquid product for some additional primary purpose. Thus, for example, a
preferred internal
rheology modifier would be anionic surfactants which can serve to alter
rheological properties of
the slurry, but which have been added to the slurry primarily to act as the
cleaning ingredient in
the final product.
The rheology modifier of the slurry of the present invention is used to
provide a liquid
matrix for the pearlescent agent slurry which has certain rheological
characteristics. The principal
characteristic is that the matrix must be "shear-thinning". A shear-thinning
fluid is one with a
viscosity which decreases as shear is applied to the fluid. Thus, at rest,
i.e., during storage or
shipping of the slurry the liquid matrix of the slurry should have a
relatively high viscosity.
When shear is applied to the pearlescent agent slurry, however, such as in the
act of pouring,
pumping or mixing the slurry the viscosity of the matrix should be lowered to
the extent that
dispensing and mixing of the slurry is easily and readily accomplished.
One type of rheological modifier agent which is especially useful in the
slurry of the
present invention comprises non-polymeric (except for conventional
alkoxylation), crystalline
hydroxy-functional materials which can form thread-like structuring systems
throughout the
liquid matrix when they are crystallized within the matrix in situ. Such
materials can be generally
characterized as crystalline, hydroxyl-containing fatty acids, fatty esters or
fatty waxes.
Specific examples of preferred crystalline, hydroxyl-containing rheology
modifiers
include castor oil and its derivatives. Especially preferred derivatives are
such as hydrogenated
castor oil (HCO) and hydrogenated castor wax. Commercially available, castor
oil-based,
crystalline, hydroxyl-containing rheology modifiers include THIXCIN from
Rheox, Inc. (now
Elementis).
Alternative commercially available materials are those suitable for use as
crystalline,
hydroxyl-containing rheology modifiers. An example of a rheology modifier of
this type is 1,4-
di-O-benzyl-D-Threitol in the R,R, and S,S forms and any mixtures, optically
active or not.
All of these crystalline, hydroxyl-containing rheology modifiers as
hereinbefore described
are believed to function by forming thread-like structuring systems when they
are crystallized in
situ within the liquid matrix of the slurry herein or within a pre-mix which
is used to form such a
liquid matrix. Such crystallization is brought about by heating an aqueous
mixture of these
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materials to a temperature above the melting point of the rheology modifier,
followed by cooling
of the mixture to room temperature while maintaining the liquid under
agitation.
Other types of rheology modifiers, besides the non-polymeric, crystalline,
hydroxyl-
containing rheology modifiers described hereinbefore, may be utilized in the
slurry herein.
Polymeric materials which will provide shear-thinning characteristics to the
aqueous liquid
matrix may also be employed.
Suitable polymeric rheology modifiers include those of the polyacrylate,
polysaccharide or
polysaccharide derivative type. Polysaccharide derivatives typically used as
rheology modifiers
comprise polymeric gum materials. Such gums include pectine, alginate,
arabinogalactan (gum
Arabic), carrageenan, gellan gum, xanthan gum and guar gum.
If polymeric rheology modifiers are employed herein, a preferred material of
this type is
gellan gum. Gellan gum is a heteropolysaccharide prepared by fermentation of
Pseudomonaselodea ATCC 31461. GeIlan gum is commercially marketed by CP Kelco
U.S., Inc.
under the KELCOGEL trademark. Processes for preparing gellan gum are described
in U.S.
Patent Nos. 4,326,052; 4,326,053; 4,377,636 and 4,385,123.
In an other preferred embodiment the Theology modifier is a polyacrylate of
unsaturated
mono- or di-carbonic acid and 1-30C alkyl ester of the (meth) acrylic acid.
Such copolymers are
available from Noveon Inc under the trademark Carbopol Aqua 30.
Preferably the rheology modifier of the present invention is an external
rheology modifier.
The rheology modifier is selected from the group consisting of non-polymeric
crystalline,
hydroxy-functional materials, polymeric Theology modifiers and mixtures
thereof. The theology
modifier imparts shear thinning characteristics to the slurry. Crystalline,
hydroxy-functional
materials are rheology modifiers which form thread-like structuring systems
throughout the
matrix of the composition upon in situ crystallization in the matrix.
Polymeric rheology modifiers
are preferably selected from polyacrylates, polymeric gums, other non-gum
polysaccharides, and
combinations of these polymeric materials,
The pearlesccnt agent slurry of the present invention preferably comprise from
40% to
80% by weight of the inorganic pearlescent agent slurry of theology modifier.
Preferably from
40% to 60% by weight, more preferably from 40% to 50% by weight, of the
inorganic
pearlescent agent slurry herein.
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Detersives surfactants
The slurry may also comprise a surfactant. Said surfactant may be a component
of the
rheology modifier or not. Surfactant is used in present invention as detersive
surfactant for soil
suspension purposes.
Detersive surfactants utilized can be of the anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic,
ampholytic or
cationic type or can comprise compatible mixtures of these types. More
preferably surfactants
are selected from the group consisting of anionic, nonionic, cationic
surfactants and mixtures
thereof. Preferably the compositions are substantially free of betaine
surfactants. Detergent
surfactants useful herein are described in U.S. Patent 3,664,961, Norris,
issued May 23, 1972,
U.S. Patent 3,919,678, Laughlin et al., issued December 30, 1975, U.S. Patent
4,222,905,
Cockrell, issued September 16, 1980, and in U.S. Patent 4,239,659, Murphy,
issued December
16, 1980. Anionic and nonionic surfactants are preferred.
Useful anionic surfactants can themselves be of several different types. For
example,
water-soluble salts of the higher fatty acids, i.e., "soaps", are useful
anionic surfactants in the
compositions herein. This includes alkali metal soaps such as the sodium,
potassium,
ammonium, and alkyl ammonium salts of higher fatty acids containing from about
8 to about 24
carbon atoms, and preferably from about 12 to about 18 carbon atoms. Soaps can
be made by
direct saponification of fats and oils or by the neutralization of free fatty
acids. Particularly
useful are the sodium and potassium salts of the mixtures of fatty acids
derived from coconut oil
and tallow, i.e., sodium or potassium tallow and coconut soap.
Additional non-soap anionic surfactants which are suitable for use herein
include the
water-soluble salts, preferably the alkali metal, and ammonium salts, of
organic sulfuric reaction
products having in their molecular structure an alkyl group containing from
about 10 to about 20
carbon atoms and a sulfonic acid or sulfuric acid ester group. (Included in
the term "alkyl" is the
alkyl portion of acyl groups.) Examples of this group of synthetic surfactants
are a) the sodium,
potassium and ammonium alkyl sulfates, especially those obtained by sulfating
the higher
alcohols (C8-C18 carbon atoms) such as those produced by reducing the
glycerides of tallow or
coconut oil; b) the sodium, potassium and ammonium alkyl polyethoxylate
sulfates, particularly
those in which the alkyl group contains from 10 to 22, preferably from 12 to
18 carbon atoms,
and wherein the polyethoxylate chain contains from 1 to 15, preferably 1 to 6
ethoxylate
moieties; and c) the sodium and potassium alkylbenzene sulfonates in which the
alkyl group
contains from about 9 to about 15 carbon atoms, in straight chain or branched
chain
configuration, e.g., those of the type described in U.S. Patents 2,220,099 and
2,477,383.
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Especially valuable are linear straight chain alkylbenzene sulfonates in which
the average
number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group is from about 11 to 13, abbreviated
as C11-C13 LAS.
Preferred nonionic surfactants are those of the formula R1(0C21-L4)110H,
wherein le is a
C10-C16 alkyl group or a C8-C12 alkyl phenyl group, and n is from 3 to about
80. Particularly
5 preferred are condensation products of C12-C15 alcohols with from about 5
to about 20 moles of
ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol, e.g., C12-C13 alcohol condensed with about
6.5 moles of
ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol.
The inorganic pearlescent agent slurry of the present invention may comprise
from about 6% to
13% by weight of the slurry of a surfactant. Surfactant is a particularly
preferred ingredient of the
10 slurry when the rheology modifier is Hydrogenated Castor Oil.
LIQUID TREATMENT COMPOSITION
The inorganic pearlescent agent slurry is preferably used as a component of a
liquid treatment
composition. It is therefore preferable that the slurry meets requirements of
the liquid treatment
composition and is processable with other components thereof. Suitable
components of the liquid
treatment composition are listed and discussed in detail below.
The Inorganic Pearlescent Slurry
The slurry is described and discussed in detail above.
Rheology Modifier
The liquid treatment composition preferably comprises rheology modifier, in
addition to
that used in the pearlescent agent slurry. The function and choice of rheology
modifier in the
liquid treatment composition is the same as is already described with respect
to the slurry.
Detersive Surfactants
The liquid treatment composition preferably comprises detersive surfactant, in
addition to
that used in the pearlescent agent slurry. The function and choice of
detersive surfactant in the
liquid treatment composition is the same as is already described with respect
to the slurry.
Optional Ingredients of the Liquid Treatment Composition
The liquid treatment composition may comprise other ingredients selected from
the list of
optional ingredients set out below. Unless specified herein below, an
"effective amount" of a
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particular laundry adjunct is preferably from 0.01%, more preferably from
0.1%, even more
preferably from 1% to 20%, more preferably to 15%, even more preferably to
10%, still even
more preferably to 7%, most preferably to 5% by weight of the detergent
compositions.
Fabric Care Benefit Agents
According to a preferred embodiment of the compositions herein there is
comprised a fabric care
benefit agent. As used herein, "fabric care benefit agent" refers to any
material that can provide
fabric care benefits such as fabric softening, color protection, pill/fuzz
reduction, anti-abrasion,
anti-wrinkle, and the like to garments and fabrics, particularly on cotton and
cotton-rich garments
and fabrics, when an adequate amount of the material is present on the
garment/fabric. Non-
limiting examples of fabric care benefit agents include cationic surfactants,
silicones, polyolefin
waxes, latexes, oily sugar derivatives, cationic polysaccharides,
polyurethanes, fatty acids and
mixtures thereof. Fabric care benefit agents when present in the treatment
composition are
suitably at levels of up to about 30% by weight of the composition, more
typically from 1% to
20%, preferably from 2% to 10% in certain embodiments.
Builder
The liquid treatment compositions may optionally comprise a builder. Suitable
builders are
discussed below:
Suitable polycarboxylate builders include cyclic compounds, particularly
alicyclic compounds,
such as those described in U.S. Patents 3,923,679; 3,835,163; 4,158,635;
4,120,874 and
4,102,903.
Other useful detergency builders include the ether hydroxypolycarboxylates,
copolymers of
maleic anhydride with ethylene or vinyl methyl ether, 1, 3, 5-trihydroxy
benzene-2, 4, 6-
trisulphonic acid, and carboxymethyloxysuccinic acid, the various alkali
metal, ammonium and
substituted ammonium salts of polyacetic acids such as ethylenediamine
tetraacetic acid and
nitrilotriacetic acid, as well as polycarboxylates such as mellitic acid,
succinic acid, oxy-
disuccinic acid, polymaleic acid, benzene 1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid,
carboxymethyloxysuccinic
acid, and soluble salts thereof.
Citrate builders, e.g., citric acid and soluble salts thereof (particularly
sodium salt), are
polycarboxylate builders of particular importance for heavy duty liquid
detergent formulations
due to their availability from renewable resources and their biodegradability.
Oxydisuccinates are
also especially useful in such compositions and combinations.
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Also suitable in the liquid treatment compositions are the 3,3-dicarboxy-4-oxa-
1,6-hexanedioates
and the related compounds disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,566,984, Bush, issued
January 28, 1986.
Useful succinic acid builders include the C5-C20 alkyl and alkenyl succinic
acids and salts
thereof. A particularly preferred compound of this type is dodecenylsuccinic
acid. Specific
examples of succinate builders include: laurylsuccinate, myristylsuccinate,
palmitylsuccinate, 2-
dodecenylsuccinate (preferred), 2-pentadecenylsuccinate, and the like.
Laurylsuccinates are the
preferred builders of this group, and are described in EP-A-0 200 263,
published November 5,
1986.
Specific examples of nitrogen-containing, phosphor-free aminocarboxylates
include ethylene
diamine disuccinic acid and salts thereof (ethylene diamine disuccinates,
EDDS), ethylene
diamine tetraacetic acid and salts thereof (ethylene diamine tetraacetates,
EDTA), and diethylene
triamine penta acetic acid and salts thereof (diethylene triamine penta
acetates, DTPA).
Other suitable polycarboxylates are disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,144,226,
Crutchfield et al, issued
March 13, 1979 and in U.S. Patent 3,308,067, Diehl, issued March 7, 1967. See
also Diehl U.S.
Patent 3,723,322. Such materials include the water-soluble salts of homo-and
copolymers of
aliphatic carboxylic acids such as maleic acid, itaconic acid, mesaconic acid,
fumaric acid,
aconitic acid, citraconic acid and methylenemalonic acid.
Bleach system
Bleach system suitable for use in liquid treatment compositions contain one or
more bleaching
agents. Nonlimiting examples of suitable bleaching agents are selected from
the group consisting
of catalytic metal complexes, activated peroxygen sources, bleach activators,
bleach boosters,
photobleaches, bleaching enzymes, free radical initiators, and hyohalite
bleaches.
Perfume
Perfumes are preferably incorporated into the liquid treatment compositions.
The perfume
ingredients may be premixed to form a perfume accord prior to adding to the
detergent
compositions of the present invention. As used herein, the term "perfume"
encompasses
individual perfume ingredients as well as perfume accords. More preferably the
liquid treatment
compositions comprise perfume microcapsules. Perfume microcapsules comprise
perfume raw
materials encapsulated within a capsule made of materials selected from the
group consisting of
urea and formaldehyde, melamine and formaldehyde, phenol and formaldehyde,
gelatine,
polyurethane, polyamides, cellulose ethers, cellulose esters, polymethacrylate
and mixtures
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thereof, most preferably the perfume is encapsulated with a shell of melamine
and formaldehyde.
Encapsulation techniques can be found in "Microencapsulation": methods and
industrial
applications edited by Benita and Simon (marcel Dekker Inc 1996).
Exemplary perfume ingredients and perfume accords are disclosed in U.S. Pat.
5,445,747; U.S.
Pat. 5,500,138; U.S. Pat. 5,531,910; U.S. Pat. 6,491,840; and U.S. Pat.
6,903,061.
Solvent system of liquid treatment composition
The solvent system in the liquid treatment compositions, by contrast with that
of the slurry, can
be a solvent system containing water alone or mixtures of organic solvents
with water. Preferred
organic solvents include 1,2-propanediol, ethanol, glycerol, dipropylene
glycol, methyl propane
diol and mixtures thereof. Other lower alcohols, C1-C4 alkanolamines such as
monoethanolamine
and triethanolamine, can also be used. Solvent systems can be absent, for
example from
anhydrous solid embodiments of the invention, but more typically are present
at levels in the
range of from 0.1% to 98%, preferably at least 10% to 95%, more usually from
25% to 75%.
Fabric substantive and Hueing Dye
Dyes are conventionally defined as being acid, basic, reactive, disperse,
direct, vat, sulphur or
solvent dyes, etc. For the liquid treatment compositions direct dyes, acid
dyes and reactive dyes
are preferred, direct dyes are most preferred. Direct dyes are a group of
water-soluble dye taken
up directly by fibers from an aqueous solution containing an electrolyte,
presumably due to
selective adsorption. In the Color Index system, directive dye refers to
various planar, highly
conjugated molecular structures that contain one or more anionic sulfonate
group. Acid dyes are
a group of water soluble anionic dyes that is applied from an acidic solution.
Reactive dyes are a
group of dyes containing reactive groups capable of forming covalent linkages
with certain
portions of the molecules of natural or synthetic fibers. From the chemical
structure point of
view, suitable fabric substantive dyes useful herein may be an azo compound,
stilbenes, oxazines
and phthalocyanines.
Suitable fabric substantive dyes for use herein include those listed in the
Color Index as Direct
Violet dyes, Direct Blue dyes, Acid Violet dyes and Acid Blue dyes.
The hueing dye is included in the laundry detergent composition in an amount
sufficient to
provide a tinting effect to fabric washed in a solution containing the
detergent.
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Encapsulated composition
The treatment composition, and thus the slurry, of the present invention, may
be encapsulated
within a water-soluble film. The water-soluble film may be made from polyvinyl
alcohol or other
suitable variations, including carboxy methyl cellulose, cellulose
derivatives, starch, modified
starch, sugars, PEG, waxes, or combinations thereof.
In another embodiment the water-soluble film may include other adjuncts such
as co-polymer of
vinyl alcohol and a carboxylic acid. US patent 7,022,656 B2 (Monosol)
describes such film
compositions and their advantages.
The water-soluble film may further comprise additional co-monomers. Suitable
additional co-
monomers include sulphonates and ethoxylates. An example of preferred
sulphonic acid is 2-
acrylamido-2-methyl- 1 -propane sulphonic acid (AMPS). A suitable water-
soluble film for use in
the context of the present invention is commercially available under tradename
M8630Tm from
Mono-Sol of Indiana, US. The water-soluble film herein may also comprise
ingredients other
than the polymer or polymer material. For example, it may be beneficial to add
plasticisers, for
example glycerol, ethylene glycol, diethyleneglycol, propane diol, 2-methy1-
1,3-propane diol,
sorbitol and mixtures thereof, additional water, disintegrating aids, fillers,
anti-foaming agents,
emulsifying/dispersing agents, and/or antiblocking agents. It may be useful
that the pouch or
water-soluble film itself comprises a detergent additive to be delivered to
the wash water, for
example organic polymeric soil release agents, dispersants, dye transfer
inhibitors. Optionally the
surface of the film of the pouch may be dusted with fine powder to reduce the
coefficient of
friction. Sodium aluminosilicate, silica, talc and amylose are examples of
suitable fine powders.
The encapsulated pouches can be made using any convention known techniques.
More
preferably the pouches are made using horizontal form filling thermoforming
techniques.
Other adjuncts
Examples of other suitable cleaning adjunct materials include, but are not
limited to, alkoxylated
benzoic acids or salts thereof such as trimethoxy benzoic acid or a salt
thereof (TMBA); enzyme
stabilizing systems; chelants including aminocarboxylates, aminophosphonates,
nitrogen-free
phosphonates, and phosphorous- and carboxylate-free chelants; inorganic
builders including
inorganic builders such as zeolites and water-soluble organic builders such as
polyacrylates,
acrylate / maleate copolymers and the likescavenging agents including fixing
agents for anionic
dyes, complexing agents for anionic surfactants, and mixtures thereof;
effervescent systems
comprising hydrogen peroxide and catalase; optical brighteners or fluorescers;
soil release
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polymers; dispersants; suds suppressors; dyes; colorants; filler salts such as
sodium sulfate;
hydrotropes such as toluenesulfonates, cumenesulfonates and
naphthalenesulfonates;
photoactivators; hydrolysable surfactants; preservatives; anti-oxidants; anti-
shrinkage agents;
anti-wrinkle agents; germicides; fungicides; color speckles; colored beads,
spheres or extrudates;
5 sunscreens; fluorinated compounds; clays; luminescent agents or
chemiluminescent agents; anti-
corrosion and/or appliance protectant agents; alkalinity sources or other pH
adjusting agents;
solubilizing agents; processing aids; pigments; free radical scavengers, and
mixtures thereof.
Suitable materials include those described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,705,464,
5,710,115, 5,698,504,
5,695,679, 5,686,014 and 5,646,101. Mixtures of adjuncts - Mixtures of the
above components
10 can be made in any proportion.
Slurry Preparation
The slurry of the present invention is prepared by mixing the ingredients
together. However
the order and quantity of addition of inorganic pearlecent agent is important
and the inorganic
15 pearlescent agent should be added in two parts. Said process comprises
the steps of
a) combining organic solvent, selected from the group consisting of
glycerol, sorbitol and
mixtures thereof and from 10% to 66% by weight of the 100% active inorganic
pearlescent agent
b) adding rheology modifier and mixing; and
c) adding remaining inorganic pearlescent agent.
The inorganic pearlescent agents are insoluble and without adequate solution,
behave like wet
sand, causing problems in processing of the slurry. The wet sand behavior
makes the slurry
difficult to mix and requires considerable effort from the equipment used in
the mixing process.
By adding the inorganic pearlescent agent in two parts will produce
processable and homogenous
slurry. In first inorganic pearlescent agent addition from 10% to 66% by
weight of the inorganic
pearlescent agent is added in steps and mixed.
Hydrogenated castor oil is a preferred rheology modifier. When hydrogenated
castor oil is
used as the rheology modifier, it is preferred that a premix of the
hydrogenated castor oil and
surfactant are prepared in a batch process. The water is heated from 80 C to
98 C. The
surfactant is then added into the solution and pH is adjusted to 7-8 by using
a suitable pH
adjusting agent e.g. NaOH and buffer. The hydrogenated castor oil rheology
modifier is
dispersed in solution, at the temperature above the melting point of rheology
modifier and the
mixture is emulsified. The premix is then crystallized by cooling the emulsion
down by 1 C/min
0.2 C/min to an end point of 25 C.
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The remaining inorganic pearlescent agent is added in steps and mixed.
The mixing speed of the pearlescent agent slurry depends on the composition of
the slurry;
higher percentage proportion of pearlescent agent requires faster mixing speed
compared to
lower percentage of pearlescent agent. Adequate and constant mixing speed is
required to ensure
blending and incorporation of pearlescent agent. However the shear stress on
the process should
be kept to a minimum to avoid destroying the network created by the rheology
modifier.
EXAMPLES
The following nonlimiting examples are illustrative of the present invention.
Percentages are by
weight unless otherwise specified.
Viscosity according to the present invention is measured using an AR 550
rheometer from TA
instruments using a plate steel spindle at 40 mm diameter and a gap size of
500 um. The high
shear viscosity (HSV) at 20s-1 and low shear viscosity (LSV) at 0.5-1 can be
obtained from a
logarithmic shear rate sweep from 0.1-1 to 25-1 in 3 minutes time at 21 C.
Example 1
In an example 1, examples A-D are examples of the slurry of the present
invention.
A B C D
Mica 10.00 10.00 25.00 30.00
Water 30.40 48.64 30.40 30.40
Glycerol 50.00 26.00 35.00 30.00
Rheology modifier 1.60 2.56 1.60 1.60
Surfactant 6.40 10.24 6.40 6.40
NaOH (50%) 1.60 2.56 1.60 1.60
Total 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00
LSV, cPs 21013 29934 32681 31386
HSV, cPs 1101 1297 1756 1821
Slurry A
Detailed example of the process of making the slurry A is described in the
table below. The table
set outs the process through time. Addition of inorganic pearlescent agent in
two main steps is
indicated in the table as follows: Et mica addition (10% - 66% of the weight
of the inorganic
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pearlescent agent) in steps and 2'd mica addition (remaining weight of the
inorganic pearlescent
agent) also in steps.
A batch size is 1100g and beaker diameter is 140 mm. Impeller type is pitched
blade turbine and
impeller diameter is 100 mm. The clearance C (mm) is the distance from the
bottom of the
beaker to the impeller and it can be measured with any measuring device i.e.
meter or ruler.
Mixing Amount
time Clearance Addition rate
Step speed compound
(min) C (mm) (kg/min/m'2)
(rpm) added (g)
glycerol addition 0
1st mica addition 1 200 10 6 0.39
increase rpm 1.5 400 10
1st mica addition 2 400 10 12.24 0.80
1st mica addition 3 400 10 12.56 0.82
1st mica addition 3.5 400 10 6.04 0.78
blending 3.5 400 10
blending 4 100 10
Rheology modifier
5.5 200 10
addition
increase rpm 6.5 250 10
Rheology modifier
7.5 250 10
addition
blending 8 200 10
blending 9 250 10
2nd mica addition 10 250 10 13.6 0.88
2'd mica addition 11 300 10 16.4 1.07
2nd mica addition 12 300 10 15.5 1.01
2'd mica addition 12.5 300 10 15 1.95
2'd mica addition 13.5 300 10 13.25 0.86
blending 14 250 10
blending 17 250 10
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Slurry B
Detailed example of the process of making the slurry B is described in the
table below. The table
set outs the process through time. Addition of inorganic pearlescent agent in
two main steps is
indicated in the table as follows: 1st mica addition (10% - 66% of the weight
of the inorganic
pearlescent agent) in steps and 2'd mica addition (remaining weight of the
inorganic pearlescent
agent) also in steps.
A batch size is 1100g and beaker diameter is 140 mm. Impeller type is pitched
blade turbine and
impeller diameter is 100 mm. The clearance C (mm) is the distance from the
bottom of the
beaker to the impeller and it can be measured with any measuring device i.e.
meter or ruler.
Mixing Amount
time speed Clearance compound Addition rate
Step (min) (rpm) C (mm) added (g) (kg/min/m^2)
glycerol addition
1st mica addition 1 200 10 13.1 0.85
1st mica addition 2 300 10 15.3 0.99
1st mica addition 2.5 300 10 8.3 1.08
Rheology
modifier addition 3.5 300 10
Rheology
modifier addition 5.5 300 10
blending 6 200 10
blending 7 200 10
increase rpm 7.5 350
2nd mica addition 8 300 10 14.7 0.95
2'd mica addition 9 400 10 14.3 0.93
2'd mica addition 10 400 10 17.4 1.13
2'd mica addition 11 400 10 13.4 0.87
2'd mica addition 12 400 10 13.9 0.90
blending 13 300 10
blending 15 300 10
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Slurry C
Detailed example of the process of making the slurry C is described in the
table below. The table
set outs the process through time. Addition of inorganic pearlescent agent in
two main steps is
indicated in the table as follows: 1st mica addition (10% - 66% of the weight
of the inorganic
pearlescent agent) in steps and 2'd mica addition (remaining weight of the
inorganic pearlescent
agent) also in steps.
A batch size is 1100g and beaker diameter is 140 mm. Impeller type is pitched
blade turbine and
impeller diameter is 100 mm.
Mixing Amount
time Clearance Addition rate
Step speed compound
(min) C (mm) (kg/min/m A2)
(rpm) added (g)
glycerol addition 0
1st mica addition 1 250 10 16.6 1.08
1st mica addition 2 250 10 14.7 0.95
1st mica addition 3 250 10 14.0 0.91
1st mica addition 4 250 10 16.3 1.06
1st mica addition 5 250 10 11.4 0.74
1st mica addition 6 250 10 20.6 1.34
blending 6 300 10
blending 6.5 250 10
Rheology
7.5 300 10
modifier addition
Rheology
8.5 300 10
modifier addition
blending 9 300 10
blending 9.5 200 10
blending 10 200 10
2'd mica addition 11 250 10 16.8 1.09
2'd mica addition 12 250 10 17.5 1.14
2'd mica addition 13 300 10 11.8 0.77
2'd mica addition 14 300 10 13.8 0.90
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2nd mica addition 15 300 10 13.6 0.88
2nd mica addition 16 300 10 15.3 0.99
2nd mica addition 17 300 10 16.6 1.08
2nd mica addition 18 350 10 14.3 0.93
2nd mica addition 19 350 10 13.6 0.88
2nd mica addition 20 350 10 16.4 1.07
2'd mica addition 21 350 10 10.8 0.70
2'd mica addition 22 350 10 22.4 1.45
blending 22.5 400 10
blending 23.5 300 10
blending 25 200 10
blending 26 200 10
Slurry D
Detailed example of the process of making the slurry D is described in the
table below. Addition
of inorganic pearlescent agent in two main steps is indicated in the table as
follows: 1st mica
5 addition (10% - 66% of the weight of the inorganic pearlescent agent) in
steps and 2'd mica
addition (remaining weight of the inorganic pearlescent agent) also in steps.
A batch size is 30 kg and tank diameter is 390 mm. Impeller type is pitched
blade turbine and
impeller diameter is 250 mm. The clearance C (mm) is the distance from the
bottom of the tank
to the impeller and it can be measured with any measuring device i.e. meter or
ruler.
Mixing Amount
Clearance C Addition rate
Step speed compound
(mm) (kg/min/m^2)
(rpm) added (g)
glycerol addition 100 60
1st mica addition 100 60 2980 0.80
blending 100 60
Rheology modifier
100 60
addition
blending 150 100
2'd mica addition 190 150 5600 1.20
blending 190 150
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The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being
strictly limited to
the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each
such dimension is
intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range
surrounding that
value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean
"about 40 mm".
