Patent Application
20170073618
This invention relates to a composition for cleaning textiles, including carpets, clothing and fabrics and to a method of using said composition.
Compositions exist for cleaning stains, spills and the like from carpets, clothing and other fabrics and textile materials. However, problems arise in the relation to the use of these compositions in that simply spraying the material onto a fabric or carpet and then rubbing the composition into the stain with a cloth does not give consistent results and does not make for best use of the compositions provided. Certain agents have been found to provide effective stain removal but are disadvantageous in that the agents themselves leave a reside.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a composition comprising a source of oxygen and a polyurethane for use in a treatment operation in cleaning a fabric material.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method comprising the application of a composition comprising a source of oxygen and a polyurethane to a fabric material in a treatment operation in cleaning a fabric material.
Preferably the treatment operation comprises a cleaning operation. Most preferably the cleaning operation comprises a pre-treatment operation. Herein it is to be understood that the pre-treatment comprises a step in a washing process; wherein as a preferred example the composition is applied to a fabric material, followed by a more through washing of the fabric material, e.g. in or with the use of an automatic washing machine.
Preferably the fabric material comprises a clothing material. Consequently preferably the washing operation comprises washing in an automatic laundry washing machine.
The polyurethane (provided as a softening agent), was found to deliver unexpected cleaning/stain removal additional benefits when formulated into fabric treatment compositions. The effect was achieved without any residue being left on the fabric being cleaned.
Preferably the source of oxygen is present in an amount of up to 13 wt %,
more preferably 1 to 12 wt %, more preferably 2 to 11 wt %, more preferably 3 to 10 wt % and most preferably 4% to 9 wt %.
Examples of source of oxygen that may be used are oxygen bleaches/peroxygen bleaching actives.
Peroxygen bleaching actives are: perborates, peroxides (e.g. hydrogen peroxide), peroxyhydrates, persulfates, percarbonate; and especially the coated grades that have better stability. The persalts can be coated with silicates, borates, waxes, sodium sulfate, sodium carbonate and surfactants solid at room temperature. For liquid compositions the bleach is preferably peroxide bleach, most preferably hydrogen peroxide. A preferred source of oxygen is hydrogen peroxide. Sources of oxygen other than H2O2 can be used. Preferably the composition is liquid in format. This shall be taken to comprise all fluids/liquids such as gels and suspensions.
Preferably the polyurethane is present in an amount of 0.01 to 10 wt %, more preferably 0.05 to 5 wt %, more preferably 0.08 to 3 wt %, more preferably 0.08 to 2 wt % and most preferably 0.1% to 0.8 wt %.
Generally the polyurethane is a reaction product of a polyhydroxyl compound with a diisocyante. Preferably, the diisocyanate has the formula Q(NCO)2, wherein Q is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon chain with 4 to 12 carbon atoms, a cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon chain with 6 to 25 carbon atoms, an aromatic hydrocarbon chain with 6 to 15 carbon atoms, or an aryliphatic hydrocarbon chain with 7 to 15 carbon atoms. The most preferred diisocyanate is hexamethylene diisocyanate.
The polyhydroxyl compound is preferably selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide polyethers and ethylene oxide/propylene oxide mixed polyethers (with a block or random distribution) having 2 or 3 hydroxyl groups with a predominant proportion by weight of ethylene oxide units. The polyether groups may also contain secondary or tertiary amine groups. These compounds provide polyurethane with polyoxyalkylene groups.
The polyurethane preferably comprises polyoxyalkylene groups and ionic groups. The ionic groups include alkali and ammonium carboxylate and sulfonate groups, together with ammonium groups. Preferably, the polyurethane product comprises terminal polyalkylene oxide chains with an ethylene oxide unit content of 0.5 to 10 wt. %, relative to the polyurethane. Preferably, the polyurethane comprises 0.1 to 15 milliequivalents of ammonium, sulfonium, carboxylate, and/or sulfonate groups per 100 g of polyurethane.
Free isocyanate groups that are left unreacted after the reaction of the polyhydroxyl compound with the diisocyanate can be blocked with usual blocking agents like sodium hydrogensulfite or ketone oximes and the like.
The most preferred polyurethane is a polyether-based sulfite-blocked oligourethane in particular a sodium hydrogensulphite adduct of a ethylene oxide/propylene oxide copolymer reacted with a diisocyanate such as hexamethylene diisocyanate.
The preferred compositions contain from about 0.05% to about 15 wt % of a nonionic surfactant. Suitable examples of which include C8-C18 alcohols alkoxylated with 3 to 6 moles of ethylene oxide. A wide variety of alkoxylated fatty alcohols are known to the art and these vary considerably in HLB (hydrophile-lipophile balance). For purposes of this invention, it is preferable to employ an alkoxylated alcohol which is relatively hydrophobic. Preferred surfactants are fatty alcohols having from about 8 about 15 carbon atoms, alkoxylated with about 4 to 6 moles of ethylene oxide. A particularly preferred surfactant is that sold under the trademark Empilan KCL5 and has a formulation of C12-C15 alcohols alkoxylated with 5 moles of ethylene oxide. These nonionic surfactants are preferably present in the compositions of this invention in amounts ranging from 0.1% to 2 wt %, more preferably from 0.3% to 1 wt %.
To bring the pH to within the desired range of a sufficient amount of an acid or an alkali is added to adjust the pH.
The compositions of this invention desirably also contain at least one organic solvent which is preferably water-miscible. Such useful organic solvents include: the linear alcohols such as ethanol, isopropanol and the isomers of butanol; diols; glycols such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol and hexylene glycol; glycol ethers, etc. Low molecular weight solvents, i.e. those from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, are preferred. A particularly preferred solvent is propylene glycol.
The composition additionally comprises up to 10% wt, 8% wt, 6% wt, 4% wt, 2% wt, 1% wt or 0.5% wt of minor ingredients selected from one or more of the following: dye, fragrance, preservative, optical brightener, antibacterial agent, dye transfer inhibitor or a bittering agent.
In order to provide desirable rheologic characteristics to the composition of this invention, thickeners should be added. These include polymeric substances which function as viscosity stabilizers and aid in enzyme stabilization. Exemplary of such polymeric compositions are polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, acrylic/methacrylic acid copolymers, hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, hydrolyzed polymethacrylamide, hydrolyzed polyacrylonitrile, hydrolyzed polymethacrylonitrile, etc. Water soluble salts or partial salts of these polymers, as well as their respective alkali metal or ammonium salts can also be used. A preferred polymeric substance is sold under the trademark Polygel DA, which is a polyacrylic acid having a molecular weight greater than 1,000,000. These polymers are used in amounts ranging from about 0.1% to 1 wt %, preferably about 0.4 wt %.
A preferred thickening agent is xanthan gum which may be present in an amount of from between 0.1% and 0.5 wt %, preferably about 0.3 wt %. In addition to providing beneficial viscosity characteristics to the compositions, xanthan gum also assists in the removal of certain stains.
Cellulose derivatives such as hydroxyethyl cellulose, may be used as thickeners as can (co)polymeric thickeners, e.g. those based on acrylates, such as Polygel W301 from 3V Sigma.
Additionally the desired viscosity may be achieved through the use of surfactants/combination of surfactants, e.g. with the surfactants of the invention.
Optionally, the compositions may additionally comprise from 0.01 to 30% wt, preferably from 2 to 20% wt of bleach precursors. Suitable bleach precursors are peracid precursors, i.e. compounds that upon reaction with hydrogen peroxide product peroxyacids. Examples of peracid precursors suitable for use can be found among the classes of anhydrides, amides, imides and esters such as acetyl triethyl citrate (ATC), tetra acetyl ethylene diamine (TAED), succinic or maleic anhydrides.
Suitable preservatives include the isothiazolinones sold under the trademark Kathon DP3 and available from Rohm & Haas.
The compositions may also comprise suspended particles which differ in colour or shade from the aqueous liquid composition. These particles (speckles) can serve an aesthetic purpose. Speckles can be present in amounts ranging from about 0.01 to about 1.0 weight percent. Typically, they will consist of a solid material which can function as an additional stabilizing agent, a coating which melts at a suitable temperature, and a small amount of dye.
The amount of water present in the composition is at least 50% wt, 60% wt, 70% wt or 80% wt.
The invention shall be described with reference to the following non-limiting Examples.
A formulation in accordance with the invention was prepared as below. (product A)
A comparative formulation was prepared as below. (Product B)
A reference formulation was prepared as below. (Product C)
These formulae were tested as below:
The washing conditions used tap water at 25° F. hardness, 40° C. washing under a deep cleaning program in a front-loading European washing machine, using 3.5 kg of new and clean cotton ballast, with four replications. Final drying in a tumble drier and ironing of technical swatches. Instrumental evaluation was performed via spectrophotometer (Y value), where mean and standard deviation of 8 measurements (2 measurements each swatch) were calculated. Evaluation of statistical differences was calculated with the t-test (two sided case, 95% statistical certainty) according to ISO 2854 (1976, page 14 Table C).
The laundry additive was dosed directly on each stain (2 ml), left for 10 minutes; the stain was rubbed and put through the standard wash cycle described above.
The following results were obtained
The results show that the composition of the invention achieves better performance compared to the reference additive on: butter, mustard, make up, motor oil, soy sauce, rice starch, chocolate bar, blueberry juice, grass, tea, curry.
The comparison composition doesn't achieve any better performance while achieves worse performance compared to the reference additive on: make up, hamburger grease, olive oil, skin grease, dirty motor oil, motor oil, soy sauce, salad dressing, potato starch, rice starch, chocolate bar, carrot baby food, blueberry juice, red wine, tomato puree, tea, coffee, curry.
A key benefit that has been observed is when the composition/method of the invention is used in a pre-treatment operation (in particular when compared to the same formulation containing standard softening agents such as polyquat and silicone), delivering better stain removal performance. Polyquat and silicone actives are filming on the stains making them harder to be removed.
A formulation in accordance with the invention was prepared as below. (product A)
A comparative formulation was prepared as below. (Product B)
These formulae were tested as below:
The washing conditions used tap water at 28° F. hardness, 40° C. washing under a deep cleaning program in a front-loading European washing machine (Bosch 20162), using 3.5 kg of new and clean cotton ballast, with four replications. Final drying in a tumble drier and ironing of technical swatches. Instrumental evaluation was performed via spectrophotometer (Y value), where mean and standard deviation of 8 measurements (2 measurements each swatch) were calculated. Evaluation of statistical differences was calculated with the t-test (two sided case, 95% statistical certainty) according to ISO 2854 (1976, page 14 Table C).
The following results were obtained
The results show that the composition of the invention achieves better performance compared to the reference additive on: cocoa, potato starch, chocolate, blueberry juice, coffee, curry, grass, spaghetti sauce with meat, soy sauce.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1403550.5 | Feb 2014 | GB | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/GB2015/050505 | 2/23/2015 | WO | 00 |
