Conditioning agent

STATEMENT OF RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This is a continuation application claiming priority under 35 U.S.C. §§ 119 and 365 of International Application No. PCT/EP02/00759, filed Jan. 25, 2002, in the European Patent Office, designating the United States, and application DE 101 12 318.3, filed Feb. 5, 2001, in the German Patent Office.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates to a conditioning agent and to the use of the conditioning agent in a washing or textile drying process. In addition, the invention relates to a conditioning substrate which comprises a conditioning agent, and to a conditioning process using the conditioning substrate in a textile drying process.

[0003] The use of conditioning agents and application thereof to carrier cloths for textile conditioning in a domestic dryer has been part of the prior art for a long time. Usually, the conditioning agents comprise cationic surfactants to establish a pleasant textile soft feel, and optionally textile conditioning additives, such as crease-resistant agents, deodorizing substances and perfumes. The conditioning agents are applied to the carrier cloth by melting on, so that they can be released at the temperatures which are customarily present in a domestic dryer.

[0004] WO 00/24853 describes liquid fabric softener formulations with crease-reducing components chosen from silicone derivatives and sulfated or sulfonated vegetable oils, and also dryer cloths which comprise one of the crease-reducing components.

[0005] EP 255 711 describes a conditioning cloth which is provided with a textile conditioning agent comprising cationic surfactants and polydiorganosiloxanes, where the textile conditioning agent has a melting point above 38° C.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,911 describes a textile conditioning article for a laundry dryer, where the conditioning agent which is applied to the article comprises a softening component and an aminosilicone component.

[0007] EP 317 135 discloses an aqueous fabric softener formulation which comprises a cationic and a nonionic softener component. The nonionic softener component here is a special siloxane which carries at least one C6-C22-alkyl group.

[0008] EP 544 493 describes high-concentration fabric softeners which have 60 to 99% by weight of a textile-softening component, and 1 to 40% by weight of an emulsified mixture of silicone oil and silicone emulsifier. Through the use of the emulsified silicone-containing mixture, and the high content of softener components, phase separation of the components is avoided, and uniform coating of dryer cloths is achieved. The conditioning agent composition for the dryer cloths here have a melting point of from 25 to 150° C.

[0009] The conditioning agents and conditioning cloths described in the prior art, however, have the disadvantage that stains often arise at the points of contact of conditioning cloth or conditioning agent with the textiles to be conditioned, which are caused by the transfer of active substances onto the damp textiles. The stains are very intensive particularly when the conditioning agents or the conditioning cloths comprise silicone oils.

[0010] It was, then, an object of the present invention to provide a laundry conditioning agent which avoids visible stains on textiles and at the same time brings about an excellent soft feel and significantly easier ironing of the conditioned textiles.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The invention therefore provides, in a first embodiment, a laundry conditioning agent which comprises up to 50% by weight of at least one fabric-softening component, at least one easier-iron component and at least one spreading agent.

[0012] As an essential constituent, the conditioning agents according to the invention comprise at least one fabric-softening component.

[0013] Examples of such fabric-softening components are quaternary ammonium compounds, cationic polymers and emulsifiers, as are used in haircare compositions and also in compositions for textile softening.

[0014] Suitable examples are quaternary ammonium compounds of the formulae (I) and (II)

[0015] where, in (I), R and R1 are an acyclic alkyl radical having 12 to 24 carbon atoms, R2 is a saturated C1-C4-alkyl or hydroxyalkyl radical, R3 is either R, R1 or R2 or is an aromatic radical, X31 is either a halide, methosulfate, methophosphate or phosphate ion and mixtures thereof. Examples of cationic compounds of the formula (I) are didecyldimethylammonium chloride, ditallow-dimethylammonium chloride or dihexadecyl-ammonium chloride.

[0016] Compounds of the formula (II) are so-called ester quats. Ester quats are characterized by excellent biodegradability. Here, R4 is an aliphatic alkyl radical having 12 to 22 carbon atoms with 0, 1, 2 or 3 double bonds; R5 is H, OH or O(CO)R7 R6 is, independently of R5, H, OH or O(CO)R8, where R7 and R8, independently of one another, are each an aliphatic alkyl radical having 12 to 22 carbon atoms with 0, 1, 2 or 3 double bonds. m, n and p can each, independently of one another, have the value 1, 2 or 3. X− can either be a halide, methosulfate, methophosphate or phosphate ion or mixtures thereof. Preference is given to compounds which contain the group O(CO)R7 for R5, and alkyl radicals having 16 to 18 carbon atoms for R4 and R7. Particular preference is given to compounds in which R6 is also OH. Examples of compounds of the formula (II) are methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N,N-di(tallow-acyloxyethyl)ammonium methosulfate, bis(palmitoyl)ethylhydroxyethylmethylammonium methosulfate or methyl-N,N-bis(acyloxyethyl)-N-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)ammonium methosulfate. If quaternized compounds of the formula (II) which have unsaturated alkyl chains are used, preference is given to the acyl groups whose corresponding fatty acids have an iodine number between 5 and 80, preferably between 10 and 60 and in particular between 15 and 45 and which have a cis/trans isomer ratio (in % by weight) greater than 30:70, preferably greater than 50:50 and in particular greater than 70:30. Standard commercial examples are the methylhydroxyalkyldialkoyloxyalkylammonium methosulfates sold by Stepan under the trade name Stepantex®, or the products from Cognis known under Dehyquart® or the products from Goldschmidt-Witco known under Rewoquat®. Further preferred compounds are the diester quats of the formula (III), which are available under the name Rewoquat® W222 LM or CR 3099 and, as well as softening, also ensure stability and color protection.

[0017] R21 and R22 are, independently of one another, each an aliphatic radical having 12 to 22 carbon atoms with 0, 1, 2 or 3 double bonds.

[0018] As well as the above-described quaternary compounds, other known compounds can also be used, such as, for example, quaternary imidazolinium compounds of the formula (IV),

[0019] where R9 is H or a saturated alkyl radical having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R10 and R11, independently of one another, are each an aliphatic, saturated or unsaturated alkyl radical having 12 to 18 carbon atoms, R10 may alternatively also be O(CO)R , where R20 is an aliphatic, saturated or unsaturated alkyl radical having 12 to 18 carbon atoms, and Z is an NH group or oxygen and X− is an anion. q can assume integer values between 1 and 4.

[0020] Further suitable quaternary compounds are described by formula (V),

[0021] where R12, R13 and R14, independently of one another, are a C1-4-alkyl, alkenyl or hydroxyalkyl group, R15 and R16 are each, chosen independently, a C8-28-alkyl group and r is a number between 0 and 5.

[0022] As well as the compounds of the formulae (I) and (II), short-chain, water-soluble, quaternary ammonium compounds can also be used, such as trihydroxyethylmethyl-methylammonium methosulfate or the alkyltrimethyl-ammonium chlorides, dialkyldimethylammonium chlorides and trialkylmethylammonium chlorides, e.g. cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, stearyltrimethyl-ammonium chloride, distearyldimethylammonium chloride, lauryldimethylammonium chloride, lauryldimethylbenzyl-ammonium chloride and tricetylmethylammonium chloride.

[0023] Protonated alkylamine compounds which have a softening action, and the nonquaternized, protonated precursors of the cationic emulsifiers are also suitable.

[0024] Further cationic compounds which can be used according to the invention represent the quaternized protein hydrolyzates.

[0025] Suitable cationic polymers include the polyquaternium polymers, as in the CTFA Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary (The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance, Inc. 1997), in particular the polyquaternium-6, polyquaternium-7, polyquaternium-10 polymers (Ucare Polymer IR 400; Amerchol), also referred to as merquats, polyquaternium-4 copolymers, such as graft copolymers with a cellulose backbone and quaternary ammonium groups which are bonded via allyldimethylammonium chloride, cationic cellulose derivatives, such as cationic guar, such as guar hydroxypropyltriammonium chloride, and similar quaternized guar derivatives (e.g. Cosmedia Guar, manufacturer: Cognis GmbH), cationic quaternary sugar derivatives (cationic alkyl polyglucosides), e.g. the commercial product Glucquat®100, according to CTFA nomenclature a “Lauryl Methyl Gluceth-10 Hydroxypropyl Dimonium Chloride”, copolymers of PVP and dimethylaminomethacrylate, copolymers of vinylimidazole and vinylpyrrolidone, aminosilicone polymers and copolymers.

[0026] It is likewise possible to use polyquaternized polymers (e.g. Luviquat Care from BASF) and also cationic biopolymers based on chitin and derivatives thereof, for example the polymer obtainable under the trade name Chitosan® (manufacturer: Cognis).

[0027] Likewise suitable according to the invention are cationic silicone oils, such as, for example, the commercially available products Q2-7224 (manufacturer: Dow Corning; a stabilized trimethylsilylamodimethicone), Dow Corning 929 emulsion (comprising a hydroxylamino-modified silicone, which is also referred to as amodimethicone), SM-2059 (manufacturer: General Electric), SLM-55067 (manufacturer: Wacker) Abil®-Quat 3270 and 3272 (manufacturer: Goldschmidt-Rewo; diquaternary polydimethylsiloxanes, quaternium-80) and Siliconquat Rewoquat® SQ 1 (Tegopren® 6922, manufacturer: Goldschmidt-Rewo).

[0028] It is likewise possible to use compounds of the formula (VI)

[0029] which may be alkylamidoamines in their nonquaternized or, as shown, their quaternized form. R17 may be an aliphatic alkyl radical having 12 to 22 carbon atoms with 0, 1, 2 or 3 double bonds. s can assume values between 0 and 5. R18 and R19 are, independently of one another, each H, C1-4-alkyl or hydroxyalkyl. Preferred compounds are fatty acid amidoamines, such as the stearylamidopropyldimethylamine obtainable under the name Tego Amid® S18, or the 3-tallow-amidopropyltrimethylammonium methosulfate obtainable under the name Stepantex® X 9124, which are characterized, not only by a good conditioning effect, but also by color-transfer-inhibiting effect and in particular by their good biodegradability. Particular preference is given to alkylated quaternary ammonium compounds in which at least one alkyl chain is interrupted by an ester group and/or amido group, in particular N-methyl-N-(2hydroxyethyl) -N,N-(ditallow-acyloxyethyl)ammonium methosulfate and/or N-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N, N-(palmitoyloxyethyl)ammonium methosulfate.

[0030] Preferred nonionic softeners are primarily polyoxyalkylene glycerol alkanoates, as are described in British patent specification GB 2,202,244, polybutylenes, as are described in British patent specification GB 2,199,855, long-chain fatty acids, as are described in EP 13780, ethoxylated fatty acid ethanolamides, as are described in EP 43547, alkyl polyglycosides, in particular sorbitan mono-, di- and triesters, as are described in EP 698140 and fatty acid esters of polycarboxylic acids, as are described in German patent specification DE 2,822,891.

[0031] In the laundry conditioning agent according to the invention, softener components are present in amounts up to 50% by weight, preferably from 0.1 to 45% by weight, particularly preferably from 5 to 40% by weight and in particular from 11 to 35% by weight, in each case based on the total agent.

[0032] As a further component, the conditioning agents according to the invention comprise at least one easier-iron component. For the purposes of the invention, easier-iron components are understood as meaning substances which, as a result of their effect on textile fabrics, ensure that the textile has a low frictional resistance upon ironing. Particularly suitable easier-iron components have been found to be the following silicone oils having the formulae I to III.

[0033] where R=phenyl or C1-C5-alkyl, particularly preferably methyl and x=5 to 100 000.

[0034] where R2=linear or branched alkyl having 6 to 50 carbon atoms and where the linkage to the Si atom is via an Si—O—C or an Si—C bond, or is a linear or branched aminoalkyl radical where x=0 to 10 000 and y=1 to 10 000.

[0035] where R4 and R5independently of one another, are linear or branched alkyl groups having 6 to 50 carbon atoms. The linkages to the Si atoms are via C—Si or C—O—Si bonds. The number z is between 1 and 10 000.

[0036] Further easier-iron components are the partially oxidized polyethylenes.

[0037] Partially oxidized polyethylene is primarily understood as meaning linear polyethylene waxes which are products with relatively low molar masses in the range from 500 to 50 000. The polyethylene waxes are generally prepared by direct low-pressure polymerization or, preferably, high-pressure polymerization of the monomers or by targeted depolymerization of products of higher molar masses. The modified polyethylene waxes used here can be prepared by polymerization of ethylene, preferably in the absence of a catalyst with premature polymerization termination, and subsequent oxidation, e.g. by introducing air, or by copolymerization of ethylene with suitable other monomers such as, for example, acrylic acid, where the proportion of acrylic acid units preferably does not exceeed 20%, in particular 10%. Finally, it is possible to improve the dispersibility of polyolefins by oxidative surface treatment. Reviews on this topic can be found, for example, in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 4th edition, 24, 36, and in Encycl. Polym. Sci. Eng. 17, 792f.

[0038] The easier-iron component(s) are present in amounts up to 10% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 8% by weight and in particular from 0.5 to 5% by weight, in each case based on the total agent.

[0039] As further component, the conditioning agents according to the invention comprise at least one spreading agent. The spreading agent has a wetting function and ensures that the other components are optimally distributed over a large area. This is achieved by preventing partial over-concentrations on the textile surface which would be visible as stains.

[0040] Suitable spreading agents are polyether-modified siloxanes as shown, for example, in

[0041] The groups R1 and R3 in the formulae IV and V are, independently of one another, —Rr (C2H4O)m—(C3H6O)nR6—, where

[0042] Rr is a divalent alkylene radical, e.g. —CH2— or —C2H4—

[0043] R6=H, methyl or C2-C6-alkyl

[0044] x and y are in each case 1 or more, where the sum of x+y extends to 10 000

[0045] z is between 1 and 10 000

[0046] m and n may assume numerical values from 0 to 300, where, however, the sum of m+n is between 1 and 300.

[0047] The spreading agent is present in amounts up to 10% by weight, preferably from 0.01 to 5% by weight, particularly preferably from 0.05 to 2% by weight and in particular from 0.1 to 1% by weight, in each case based on the total agent.

[0048] Advantageously, the weight ratio in the conditioning agents according to the invention of easier-iron component(s) to spreading agent is 10:6 to 40:1, preferably 10:4 to 30:1, particularly preferably 10:3 to 20:1 and in particular 10:2.5 to 15:1, for example 4:1.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment, the conditioning agents according to the invention are present in liquid form. To achieve a liquid consistency, the use both of liquid organic solvents, and also that of water may be appropriate. The laundry conditioning agents according to the invention therefore optionally comprise solvents.

[0050] Solvents which may be used in the agents according to the invention originate, for example, from the group of mono- or polyhydric alcohols, alkanolamines or glycol ethers, provided they are miscible with water in the given concentration range. Preferably, the solvents are chosen from ethanol, n- or isopropanol, butanols, glycol, propanediol or butanediol, glycerol, diglycol, propyl or butyl diglycol, hexylene glycol, ethylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol ethyl ether, ethylene glycol propyl ether, ethylene glycol mono-nbutyl ether, diethylene glycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, propylene glycol methyl, ethyl or propyl ether, butoxypropoxypropanol (BPP), dipropylene glycol monomethyl or monoethyl ether, diisopropylene glycol monomethyl or monoethyl ether, methoxy, ethoxy or butoxy triglycol, 1-butoxyethoxy-2-propanol, 3-methyl-3-methoxybutanol, propylene glycol t-butyl ether, and mixtures of these solvents.

[0051] Some glycol ethers are available under the trade names Arcosolv® (Arco Chemical Co.) or Cellosolve®, Carbitol® or Propasol® (Union Carbide Corp.); these also include, for example, ButylCarbitol®, HexylCarbitol®, MethylCarbitol® and Carbitol® itself, (2-(2-ethoxy)ethoxy)ethanol. The choice of glycol ether can readily be made by the person skilled in the art on the basis of its volatility, solubility and water, its percentage by weight of the total dispersion and the like. Pyrrolidone solvents, such as N-alkylpyrrolidones, for example N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone or N-C8-C12-alkylpyrrolidone, or 2-pyrrolidone, can likewise be used. Also preferred as the sole solvents or as a constituent of the solvent mixture are glycerol derivatives, in particular glycerol carbonate.

[0052] The alcohols which can be used in the present invention as cosolvents include liquid polyethylene glycols, with a low molecular weight, for example polyethylene glycols with a molecular weight of 200, 300, 400 or 600. Further suitable cosolvents are other alcohols, for example (a) lower alcohols, such as ethanol, propanol, isopropanol and n-butanol, (b) ketones, such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone, (c) C2-C4-polyols, such as a diol or a triol, for example ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerol or mixtures thereof. From the class of diols, particular preference is given to 1,2-octanediol.

[0053] The conditioning agents according to the invention can, in a preferred embodiment, comprise one or more water-soluble organic solvents and/or water. Water-soluble is understood here as meaning that the organic solvent is soluble in the amount present in an optionally aqueous agent.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment, the conditioning agent according to the invention comprises one or more solvents from the group consisting of C1- to C4-monoalcohols, C2- to C6-glycols, C3- to C12-glycol ethers and glycerol, in particular ethanol. The C3- to C12-glycol ethers according to the invention comprise alkyl or alkenyl groups having fewer than 10 carbon atoms, preferably up to 8, in particular up to 6, particularly preferably 1 to 4 and most preferably 2 to 3 carbon atoms.

[0055] Preferred C1- to C4-monoalcohols are ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol and tert-butanol. Preferred C2- to C6-glycols are ethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, 1,5-pentanediol, neopentyl glycol and 1,6-hexanediol, in particular ethylene glycol and 1,2-propylene glycol. Preferred C3- to C12-glycol ethers are di-, tri-, tetra- and pentaethylene glycol, di-, tri- and tetrapropylene glycol, propylene glycol monotertiary-butyl ether and propylene glycol monoethyl ether, and the solvents referred to according to INCI as butoxydiglycol, butoxyethanol, butoxyisopropanol, butoxypropanol, butyloctanol, ethoxydiglycol, ethoxyethanol, ethyl hexanediol, isobutoxypropanol, isopentyldiol, 3-methoxybutanol, methoxethanol, methoxyisopropanol and methoxymethylbutanol.

[0056] Particularly preferred solvents are ethanol, 1,2propylene glycol and dipropylene glycol, and mixtures thereof, in particular ethanol and isopropanol.

[0057] The agent according to the invention optionally comprises one or more solvents and/or in particular water in an amount of customarily up to 95% by weight, preferably 20 to 90% by weight and in particular 50 to 80% by weight, in each case based on the total agent.

[0058] In a preferred embodiment, the conditioning agents according to the invention can additionally comprise nonionic surfactants.

[0059] The nonionic surfactants used are preferably alkoxylated, advantageously ethoxylated and/or propoxylated, in particular primary alcohols having preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms and on average 1 to 12 mol of ethylene oxide (EO) and/or 1 to 10 mol of propylene oxide (PO) per mole of alcohol. Particular preference is given to C8-C16-alcohol alkoxylates, advantageously ethoxylated and/or propoxylated C10-C15-alcohol alkoxylates, in particular C12-C14-alcohol alkoxylates, with a degree of ethoxylation between 2 and 10, preferably between 3 and 8, and/or a degree of propoxylation between 1 and 6, preferably between 1.5 and 5. The alcohol radical can preferably be linear or particularly preferably methyl-branched in the 2 position or contain linear and methyl-branched radicals in a mixture, as are customarily present in oxo alcohol radicals. However, alcohol ethoxylates with linear radicals from alcohols of native origin having 12 to 18 carbon atoms, e.g. from coconut, palm, tallow fatty or oleyl alcohol, and on average 2 to 8 EO per mole of alcohol are particularly preferred. Preferred ethoxylated alcohols include, for example, C12-14-alcohols having 3 EO or 4 EO, C9-11-alcohol having 7 EO, C13-15-alcohols having 3 EO, 5 EO, 7 EO or 8 EO, C12-18alcohol having 3 EO, 5 EO or 7 EO and mixtures of these, such as mixtures of C12-14-alcohol with 3 EO and C12-18-alcohol with 5 EO. The given degrees of ethoxylation and propoxylation are statistical average values which may be an integer or a fraction for a specific product. Preferred alcohol ethoxylates and propoxylates have a narrowed homolog distribution (narrow range ethoxylates/propoxylates, NRE/NRP). In addition to these nonionic surfactants, fatty alcohols with more than 12 EO can also be used. Examples thereof are tallow fatty alcohol with 14 EO, 25 EO, 30 EO or 40 EO.

[0060] Also suitable are alkoxylated amines, advantageously ethoxylated and/or propoxylated, in particular primary and secondary amines having preferably 1 to 18 carbon atoms per alkyl chain and on average 1 to 12 mol of ethylene oxide (EO) and/or 1 to 10 mol of propylene oxide (PO) per mole of amine.

[0061] In addition, further nonionic surfactants which may be used are also alkyl glycosides of the general formula RO(G)x, e.g. as compounds, particularly with anionic surfactants, in which R is a primary straight-chain or methyl-branched, in particular methyl-branched in the 2 position, aliphatic radical having 8 to 22, preferably 12 to 18 carbon atoms, and G is the symbol which stands for a glycose unit having 5 or 6 carbon atoms, preferably glucose. The degree of oligomerization x, which gives the distribution of monoglycosides and oligoglycosides, is any number between 1 and 10; preferably x is 1.2 to 1.4.

[0062] A further class of preferred nonionic surfactants, which are used either as the sole nonionic surfactant or in combination with other nonionic surfactants, are alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or ethoxylated and propoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, preferably having 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, in particular fatty acid methyl esters, as are described, for example, in Japanese patent application JP 58/217598 or which are preferably prepared in accordance with the process described in international patent application WO-A-90/13533.

[0063] Nonionic surfactants of the amine oxide type, for example N-cocoalkyl-N,N-dimethylamine oxide and N-tallow-alkyl-N,N-dihydroxyethylamine oxide, and of the fatty acid alkanolamide type may also be suitable.

[0064] Suitable further surfactants are so-called gemini surfactants. This is generally understood as meaning those compounds which have two hydrophilic groups and two hydrophobic groups per molecule. These groups are generally separated from one another by a so-called spacer. This spacer is usually a carbon chain which should be long enough for the hydrophilic groups to be adequately spaced so that they can function independently of one another. Such surfactants are generally characterized by an unusually low critical micelle concentration and the ability to greatly reduce the surface tension of water. In exceptional cases, however, the expression gemini surfactants is understood as meaning not only dimeric surfactants, but also trimeric surfactants.

[0065] Suitable gemini surfactants are, for example, sulfated hydroxy mixed ethers according to German patent application DE-A-43 21 022 or dimer alcohol bis- and trimer alcohol tris-sulfates and ether sulfates according to international patent application WO-A-96/23768. Terminally capped dimeric and trimeric mixed ethers according to German patent application DE-A-195 13 391 are characterized in particular by their bi- and multifunctionality. Thus, said terminally capped surfactants have good wetting properties and are low-foam, meaning that they are suitable in particular for use in machine washing and cleaning processes.

[0066] It is, however, also possible to use gemini-polyhydroxy fatty acid amides or poly-polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, as are described in international patent applications WO-A-95/19953, WO-A-95/19954 and WO-A-95/19955.

[0067] Further suitable surfactants are polyhydroxy fatty acid amides of the following formula,

[0068] in which RCO is an aliphatic acyl radical having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, R5 is hydrogen, an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl radical having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and [Z] is a linear or branched polyhydroxyalkyl radical having 3 to 10 carbon atoms and 3 to 10 hydroxyl groups. The polyhydroxy fatty acid amides are known substances which can usually be obtained by reductive amination of a reducing sugar with ammonia, an alkylamine or an alkanolamine and subsequent acylation with a fatty acid, a fatty acid alkyl ester or a fatty acid chloride.

[0069] The group of polyhydroxy fatty acid amides also include compounds of the following formula,

[0070] in which R is a linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl radical having 7 to 12 carbon atoms, R6 is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl radical or an aryl radical having 2 to 8 carbon atoms and R7 is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl radical or an aryl radical or an oxyalkyl radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, where C1-4-alkyl or phenyl radicals are preferred and [Z] is a linear polyhydroxyalkyl radical whose alkyl chain is substituted by at least two hydroxyl groups, or alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or propoxylated, derivatives of these radicals.

[0071] [Z] is preferably obtained by reductive amination of a reduced sugar, for example glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, galactose, mannose or xylose. The N-alkoxy- or N-aryloxy-substituted compounds can then be converted into the desired polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, for example in accordance with the teaching of international application WO-A-95/07331 by reaction with fatty acid methyl esters in the presence of an alkoxide as catalyst.

[0072] The nonionic surfactants are usually present in amounts up to 20% by weight, preferably from 0.5 to 10% by weight and particularly preferably from 0.8 to 5% by weight, in each case based on the total agent.

[0073] In a further preferred embodiment, the conditioning agents according to the invention additionally optionally comprise electrolytes. Electrolytes serve to regulate the viscosity (viscosity regulator) and can usually be used in amounts up to 15% by weight, preferably up to 10% by weight, particularly preferably from 0.5 to 8% by weight and in particular from 1 to 6% by weight, in each case based on the total agent.

[0074] As electrolytes from the group of inorganic salts, it is possible to use a broad number of very different salts. Preferred cations are the alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, preferred anions are the halides and sulfates. From a preparation point of view, the use of NaCl, CaCl2 or MgCl2 in the agents according to the invention is preferred.

[0075] In order to bring the pH of the agents according to the invention into the desired range, the use of pH extenders may be appropriate. Here, it is possible to use all known acids or alkaline solutions provided their use is not prohibited for application or ecological reasons or for reasons of consumer protection. The amount of these extenders usually does not exceed 2% by weight of the total formulation.

[0076] The conditioning agents according to the invention have a pH of from 2 to 7, preferably from 2.2 to 5 and in particular from 2.4 to 3.

[0077] As well as relatively small amounts of anionic and amphoteric surfactants, the agents according to the invention can optionally comprise one or more customary auxiliaries and additives, in particular from the group of builders, enzymes, bleaches, bleach activators, complexing agents, fragrances, perfume carriers, fluorescent agents, dyes, thickeners, foam inhibitors, graying inhibitors, crease resistance agents, antimicrobial active ingredients, germicides, fungicides, antioxidants, antistats, UV absorbers, optical brighteners, antiredeposition agents, pearlizing agents, color-transfer inhibitors, antishrink agents, corrosion inhibitors, preservatives, phobicizing and impregnation agents, hydrotropic agents, and swelling agents and nonslip agents.

[0078] In a preferred embodiment, the agent according to the invention can optionally additionally comprise one or more complexing agents.

[0079] Complexing agents (INCI chelating agents) also called sequestrants, are ingredients which are able to complex and deactivate metal ions in order to prevent their disadvantageous effect on the stability or the appearance of the agent, for example turbidity. On the one hand, it is important to complex the calcium and magnesium ions of water hardness which are incompatible with numerous ingredients. The complexation of the ions of heavy metals such as iron or copper delays the oxidative decomposition of the finished agent.

[0080] Suitable complexing agents are, for example, the following complexing agents named in accordance with INCI, which are described in more detail in International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook: Aminotrimethylene Phosphonic Acid, BetaAlanine Diacetic Acid, Calcium Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Cyclodextrin, Cyclohexanediamine Tetraacetoc Acid, Diammonium Citrate, Diammonium EDTA, Diethylenetriamine Pentamethylene Phosphonic Acid, Dipotassium EDTA, Disodium Azacycloheptane Diphosphonate, Disodium EDTA, Disodium Pyrophosphate, EDTA, Etidronic Acid, Galactaric Acid, Gluconic Acid, Glucuronic Acid, HEDTA, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Methyl Cyclodextrin, Pentapotassium Triphosphate, Pentasodium Aminotrimethylene Phosphonate, Pentasodium Ethylenediamine tetramethylene Phosphonate, Pentasodium Pentetate, Pentasodium Triphosphate, Pentetic Acid,

[0081] Phytic Acid, Potassium Citrate, Potassium EDTMP, Potassium Gluconate, Potassium Polyphosphate, Potassium Trisphosphonomethylamine Oxide, Ribonic Acid, Sodium Chitosan Methylene Phosphonate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Diethylenetriamine Pentamethylene Phosphonate, Sodium Dihydroxyethylglycinate, Sodium EDTMP, Sodium Gluceptate, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Glycereth-1 Polyphosphate, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Sodium Metaphosphate, Sodium Metasilicate, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Polydimethylglycinophenolsulfonate, Sodium Trimetaphosphate, TEA-EDTA, TEA-Polyphosphate, Tetrahydroxyethyl Ethylenediamine, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine, Tetrapotassium Etidronate, Tetrapotassium Pyrophosphate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Tripotassium EDTA, Trisodium Dicarboxymethyl Alaninate, Trisodium EDTA, Trisodium HEDTA, Trisodium NTA and Trisodium Phosphate.

[0082] Preferred complexing agents are tertiary amines, in particular tertiary alkanolamines (aminoalcohols) . The alkanolamines have both amino and also hydroxyl and/or ether groups as functional groups. Particularly preferred tertiary alkanolamines are triethanolamine and tetra-2-hydroxypropylethylenediamine (N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine).

[0083] A particularly preferred complexing agent is etidronic acid (1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid, 1-hydroxyethyane-1,1-diphosphonic acid, HEDP, acetophosphonic acid, INCI etidronic acid) including its salts. In a preferred embodiment, the agent according to the invention accordingly comprises, as complexing agent, etidronic acid and/or one or more of its salts.

[0084] In a particular embodiment, the agent according to the invention comprises a complexing agent combination of one or more tertiary amines and one or more further complexing agents, preferably one or more complexing agent acids or salts thereof, in particular of triethanolamine and/or tetra-2-hydroxypropylethylene-diamine and etidronic acid and/or one or more of its salts.

[0085] The agent according to the invention comprises complexing agents in an amount of usually 0 to 20% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 15% by weight, in particular 0.5 to 10% by weight, particularly preferably 1 to 8% by weight, most preferably 1.5 to 6% by weight, for example 1.5, 2.1, 3 or 4.2% by weight.

[0086] In a further embodiment, the agent optionally comprises one or more thickeners.

[0087] The viscosity of the optionally liquid agent can be measured using customary standard methods (for example Brookfield viscometer RVD-VII at 20 rpm and 20° C., spindle 3) and is preferably in the range from 10 to 5000 mPas. Preferred liquid to gel-like agents have viscosities of from 20 to 4000 mPas, particular preference being given to values between 40 and 2000 mpas. If the conditioning agents according to the invention are used as impregnation liquid for the conditioning substrates according to the invention, then a viscosity below 150 mPas is advantageous, preferably between 10 and 100 mPas and in particular between 20 and 80 mpas.

[0088] Suitable thickeners are inorganic or polymeric organic compounds. It is also possible to use mixtures of two or more thickeners.

[0089] The inorganic thickeners include, for example, polysilicic acids, clay minerals, such as montmorillonites, zeolites, silicas, aluminum silicates, phyllosilicates and bentonites.

[0090] The organic thickeners originate from the groups of natural polymers, modified natural polymers and completely synthetic polymers.

[0091] Polymers originating in nature which are used as thickeners are, for example, xanthan, agar-agar, carrageen, tragacanth, gum arabic, alginates, pectins, polyoses, guar flour, gellan gum, carob seed flour, starch, dextrins, gelatins and caseine.

[0092] Modified natural substances originate primarily from the group of modified starches and celluloses, examples which may be mentioned here being carboxymethylcellulose and other cellulose ethers, hydroxyethylcellulose and hydroxypropylcellulose, highly etherified methylhydroxyethylcellulose, and carob flour ether.

[0093] A large group of thickeners which is used widely in very diverse fields of application are the completely synthetic polymers, such as polyacrylic and polymethacrylic compounds which may be crosslinked or uncrosslinked and optionally cationically modified, vinyl polymers, polycarboxylic acids, polyethers, activated polyamide derivatives, castor oil derivatives, polyimines, polyamides and polyurethanes. Examples of suitable polymers are acrylic resins, ethyl acrylate-acrylamide copolymers, acrylic estermethacrylic ester copolymers, ethyl acrylate-acrylic acid-methacrylic acid copolymers, N-methylolmethacrylamide, maleic anhydride-methyl vinyl ether copolymers, polyether-polyol copolymers, and butadiene-styrene copolymers.

[0094] Further suitable thickeners are derivatives of organic acids and alkoxide adducts thereof, for example aryl polyglycol ethers, carboxylated nonylphenol ethoxylate derivatives, sodium alginate, diglycerol monoisostearate, nonionogenic ethylene oxide adducts, coconut fatty acid diethanolamide, isododecenylsuccinic anhydride, and galactomannan.

[0095] Thickeners from said classes of substance are commercially available and are offered, for example, under the trade names Acusol®-820 (methacrylic acid (stearyl alcohol-20-EO) ester-acrylic acid copolymer, 30% strength in water, Rohm & Haas), Dapral®-GT-282-S (alkyl polyglycol ether, Akzo), Deuterol®-Polymer-11 (dicarboxylic acid copolymer, Schoner GmbH), Deuteron®-XG (anionic heteropolysaccharide based on β-D-glucose, D-manose, D-glucuronic acid, Schoner GmbH), Deuteron®-XN (nonionogenic polysaccharide, Schoner GmbH), Dicrylan®-Verdicker-O (ethylene oxide adduct, 50% strength in water/isopropanol, Pfersse Chemie), EMA®-81 and EMA®-91 (ethylene-maleic anhydride copolymer, Monsanto), Verdicker-QR-1001 (polyurethane emulsion, 19-21% strength in water/diglycol ether, Rohm & Haas), Mirox®-AM (anionic acrylic acid-acrylic ester copolymer dispersion, 25% strength in water, Stockhausen), SER-AD-FX-1100 (hydrophobic urethane polymer, Servo Delden), Shellflo®-S (high molecular weight polysaccharide, stabilized with formaldehyde, Shell), Shellflo®-XA (xanthan biopolymer, stabilized with formaldehyde, Shell), Kelzan, Keltrol T (Kelco).

[0096] In a further preferred embodiment, the agent optionally comprises one or more enzymes.

[0097] Suitable enzymes are, in particular, those from the classes of hydrolases, such as the proteases, esterases, lipases or lipolytically effective enzymes, amylases, cellulases or other glycosylhydrolases and mixtures of said enzymes. All of these hydrolases contribute, during washing, to the removal of stains such as proteinaceous, grease-containing or starchy stains and graying. Cellulases and other glycosylhydrolases can, moreover, contribute to color retention and to an increase in the softness of the textile by removing pilling and microfibrils. For the bleaching and for inhibiting color transfer it is also possible to use oxireductases. Particularly highly suitable are enzymatic active ingredients obtained from bacterial strains or fungi such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Streptomyceus griseus and Humicola insolens. Preference is given to using proteases of the subtilisin type and in particular proteases obtained from Bacillus lentus. In this connection, enzyme mixtures, for example of protease and amylase or protease and lipase or lipolytically effective enzymes or protease and cellulase or of cellulose and lipase or lipolytically effective enzymes or of protease, amylase and lipase or lipolytically effective enzymes or protease, lipase or lipolytically effective enzymes and cellulase, but in particular protease and/or lipase-containing mixtures or mixtures with lipolytically effective enzymes are of particular interest. Examples of such lipolytically effective enzymes are the known cutinases. Peroxidases or oxidases have also proven to be suitable in some cases. Suitable amylases include, in particular, α-amylases, isoamylases, pullulanases and pectinases. As cellulases, preference is given to using cellobiohydrolases, endoglucanases andβ-glucosidases, which are also called cellobiases, or mixtures thereof. Since various types of cellulase differ in their CMCase and avicelase activities, the cellulases can be mixed in a targeted manner to achieve the desired activities.

[0098] The enzymes can be embedded as shaped bodies adsorbed or coated onto carrier substances in order to protect against premature decomposition. The proportion of enzymes, enzyme mixtures or enzyme granulates can, for example, be about 0.1 to 5% by weight, preferably 0.12 to about 2% by weight.

[0099] The agents can optionally comprise bleaches. Among the compounds serving as bleaches which produce H2O2 in water, sodium percarbonate, sodium perborate tetrahydrate and sodium perborate monohydrate are of particular importance. Further bleaches which can be used are, for example, peroxopyrophosphates, citrate perhydrates, and H2O2-producing peracidic salts or peracids, such as persulfates or persulfuric acid. It is also possible to use the urea peroxohydrate percarbamide, which can be described by the formula H2N—CO—NH2.H2O2. Particularly when the agents are used for the cleaning of hard surfaces, for example for machine dishwashing, they can, if desired, also comprise bleaches from the group of organic bleaches, although their use is in principle also possible for agents for textile washing. Typical organic bleaches are the diacyl peroxides, such as, for example, dibenzoyl peroxide. Further typical organic bleaches are the peroxy acids, particular examples being the alkylperoxy acids and the arylperoxy acids. Preferred representatives are peroxybenzoic acid and its ring-substituted derivatives, such as alkylperoxybenzoic acids, but also peroxy-α-naphthoic acid and magnesium monoperphthalate, the aliphatic or substituted aliphatic peroxy acids, such as peroxylauric acid, peroxystearic acid, ε-phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid (phthalimidoperoxyhexanoic acid, PAP), o-carboxybenz-amidoperoxycaproic acid, N-nonenylamidoperadipic acid and N-nonenylamidopersuccinates, and aliphatic and araliphatic peroxydicarboxylic acids, such as 1,12-diperoxycarboxylic acid, 1,9-diperoxyazelaic acid, diperoxysebacic acid, diperoxybrassylic acid, the diperoxyphthalic acids, 2-decyldiperoxybutane-1,4-dioic acid, N,N-terephthaloyl-di(6-aminopercaproic acid) can be used.

[0100] The bleaches can be coated in order to protect against premature decomposition.

[0101] In a preferred embodiment, the composition optionally comprises one or more perfumes in an amount of usually up to 10% by weight, preferably 0.01 to 5% by weight, in particular 0.05 to 3% by weight, particularly preferably 0.2 to 2% by weight, most preferably 0.3 to 1.8% by weight. The perfume intensifies the deodorizing effect of the agent according to the invention additionally for—partial or complete—odor removal by the deodorizing active ingredient on the basis of its odor-concealing action. Of advantage here is the indifference of the deodorizing active ingredient component according to the invention, in particular on zinc ricinoleate, toward most perfumes, meaning that neither the deodorizing active ingredient binds the perfume and both components deactivate one another, nor the perfume is destroyed by the deodorizing active ingredient.

[0102] Perfume oils or fragrances which may be used are individual odorant compounds, e.g. the synthetic products of the ester, ether, aldehyde, ketone, alcohol and hydrocarbon type. Fragrance compounds of the ester type are, for example, benzyl acetate, phenoxyethyl isobutyrate, p-tert-butylcyclohexyl acetate, linalyl acetate, dimethylbenzylcarbinyl acetate, phenylethyl acetate, linalyl benzoate, benzyl formate, ethyl methylphenylglycinate, allyl cyclohexylpropionate, styrallyl propionate and benzyl salicylate. The ethers include, for example, benzyl ethyl ether, the aldehydes include, for example, the linear alkanals having 8-18 carbon atoms, citral, citronellal, citronellyloxyacetaldehyde, cyclamenaldehyde, hydroxycitronellal, lilial and bourgeonal, the ketones include, for example, the ionones, α-isomethylionone and methyl cedryl ketone, the alcohols include anethole, citronellol, eugenol, geraniol, linalool, phenylethyl alcohol and terpineol, the hydrocarbons include mainly the terpenes, such as limonene and pinene. Preference is, however, given to using mixtures of different odorants which together produce a pleasing scent note. Such perfume oils may also comprise natural odorant mixtures, as are obtainable from plant sources, e.g. pine oil, citrus oil, jasmine oil, patchouli oil, rose oil or ylang ylang oil. Likewise suitable are muscatel, sage oil, camomile oil, oil of cloves, balm oil, mint oil, cinnamon leaf oil, lime blossom oil, juniperberry oil, vetiver oil, olibanum oil, galbanum oil and labdanum oil, and orange blossom oil, neroliol, orange peel oil and sandalwood oil.

[0103] Dyes can optionally be used in the agent according to the invention, the amount of one or more dyes being chosen to be so low that no visible residues remain following use of the agent. However, the agent according to the invention is preferably free from dyes.

[0104] In addition, the agent according to the invention can optionally have one or more antimicrobial active ingredients or preservative in an amount of usually 0.0001 to 3% by weight, preferably 0.0001 to 2% by weight, in particular 0.0002 to 1% by weight, particularly preferably 0.0002 to 0.2% by weight, most preferably 0.0003 to 0.1% by weight.

[0105] Particularly in cases where the conditioning agent according to the invention is used as impregnation fluid for the conditioning substrates according to the invention, the use of antimicrobial active ingredients may be appropriate for destroying the bacteria located on the substrate.

[0106] Antimicrobial active ingredients or preservatives are differentiated, depending on the antimicrobial spectrum and mechanism of activity, between bacteriostats and bacteriocides, fungistats and fungicides etc. Important substances from these groups are, for example, benzalkonium chlorides, alkylarylsulfonates, halophenols and phenol mercuriacetate. For the purposes of the teaching according to the invention, the terms antimicrobial effect and antimicrobial active ingredient have the standard specialist meanings which are given, for example, by K. H. WallhäuBer in “Praxis der Sterilisation, Desinfektion—Konservierung: Keimidentifizierung—Betriebshygiene” [Practice of Sterilization, Disinfection—Preservation: Microbial Identification—Operational Hygiene] (5th edition Stuttgart; New York: Thieme, 1995), where all of the substances with an antimicrobial effect described therein can be used. Suitable antimicrobial active ingredients are preferably chosen from the groups of alcohols, amines, aldehydes, antimicrobial acids or salts thereof, carboxylic esters, acid amides, phenols, phenol derivatives, diphenyls, diphenylalkanes, urea derivatives, oxygen-, nitrogen-acetals and formals, benzamidines, isothiazolines, phthalimide derivatives, pyridine derivatives, antimicrobial surface-active compounds, guanidines, antimicrobial amphoteric compounds, quinolines, 1,2-dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane, iodo-2-propylbutyl carbamate, iodine, iodophores, peroxo compounds, halogen compounds and any mixtures of the above.

[0107] Here, the antimicrobial active ingredient can be chosen from ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, 1,3-butanediol, phenoxyethanol, 1,2-propylene glycol, glycerol, undecylenic acid, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, dihydracetic acid, o-phenylphenol, N-methylmorpholinium acetonitrile (MMA), 2-benzyl-4-chlorophenol, 2,2′-methylenebis(6-bromo-4-chlorophenol), 4,4′-dichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl ether (dichlosan), 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl ether (trichlosan), chlorhexidine, N-(4-chlorophenyl)-N-3,4-dichlorophenyl)urea, N,N′-(1,10-decanediyldil-pyridinyl-4-ylidene)bis(1-octanamine) dihydrochloride, N,N′-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)-3,12-diimino-2,4,11,13-tetraazatetradecanediimide amide, glucoprotamines, antimicrobial surface-active quaternary compounds, guanidines, including the bi- and poly-guanidines, such as, for example, 1,6-bis(2-ethyl-hexylbiguanidohexane) dihydrochloride, 1,6-di (N1, N1′- phenyldiguanido-N5,N5′)hexane tetrahydrochloride, 1,6-di (N1, N1′-phenyl-N1, N1′-methyldiguanido-N5, N5′) hexane dihydrochloride, 1,6-di (N1,N1′-o-chlorophenyldiguanido-N5,N5′)hexane dihydrochloride, 1,6-di (N1,N1′-2,6-dichlorophenyldiguanido-N5,N5′)hexane dihydrochloride, 1,6-di [N1, N1′-β- (p-methoxyphenyl) diguanido-N5, N5′] hexane dihydrochloride, 1,6-di (N1,N1′-α-methyl-β-phenyldiguanido-N5,N5′)hexane dihydrochloride, 1,6-di(N1,N1′-p-nitrophenyldiguanido-N5,N5′) hexane dihydrochloride, ω:ω-di (N1,N1′-phenyldiguanido-N5,N5′) -di-n-propyl ether dihydrochloride, ω: ω′-di (N1,N1′-p-chlorophenyldiguanido-N5,N5′) -di-n-propyl ether tetrahydrochloride, 1,6-di (N1,N1′-2,4-dichlorophenyldiguanido-N5,N5′)hexane tetrahydrochloride, 1,6-di (N1,N1′-p-methylphenyldiguanido-N5,N5′)hexane dihydrochloride, 1,6-di (N1,N1′-2,4,5-trichlorophenyldiguanido-N5,N5′) hexane tetrahydrochloride, 1,6-di [N1,N1′-α- (p-chlorophenyl)ethyldiguanido-N5,N5′]hexane dihydrochloride, ω:ω′-di(N1,N1′-p-chlorophenyldiguanido-N5,N5′)-m-xylene dihydrochloride, 1,12-di(N1,N1′-p-chlorophenyldiguanido-N5,N5′)dodecane dihydrochloride, 1,10-di(N1,N1,′-phenyldiguanido-N5,N5′)decane tetrahydrochloride, 1,12-di (N1,N1′-phenyldiguanido-N5,N5′)dodecane tetrahydrochloride, 1,6-di(N1,N1′-o-chlorophenyldiguanido-N5,N5′) hexane dihydrochloride, 1,6-di (N1,N1′-o-chlorophenyldiguanido-N5,N5′)hexane tetrahydrochloride, ethylenebis(l-tolylbiguanide), ethylenebis(p-tolylbiguanide), ethylenebis(3,5-dimethylphenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(p-tertamylphenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(nonylphenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(phenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(N-butylphenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(2,5-diethoxyphenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(2,4-dimethylphenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(o-diphenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(mixed amyl-naphthylbiguanide), N-butylethylenebis(phenylbiguanide), trimethylenebis(o-tolylbiguanide), N-butyltrimethylebis(phenylbiguanide) and the corresponding salts, such as acetates, gluconates, hydrochlorides, hydrobromides, citrates, bisulfites, fluorides, polymaleates, N-cocoalkyl sarcosinates, phosphites, hypophosphites, perfluorooctanoates, silicates, sorbates, salicylates, maleates, tartrates, fumarates, ethylenediaminetetraacetates, iminodiacetates, cinnamates, thiocyanates, arginates, pyromellitates, tetracarboxybutyrates, benzoates, glutarates, monofluorophosphates, perfluoropropionates and any mixtures thereof. Also suitable are halogenated xylol and cresol derivatives, such as p-chlorometacresol or p-chlorometaxylol, and natural antimicrobial active ingredients of vegetable origin (e.g. from spices or herbs) animal origin, or microbial origin. Preference may be given to using antimicrobially active surface-active quaternary compounds, a natural antimicrobial active ingredient of vegetable origin and/or a natural antimicrobial active ingredient of animal origin, most preferably at least one natural antimicrobial active ingredient of vegetable origin from the group which includes caffeine, theobromine and theophylline and essential oils such as eugenol, thymol and geraniol, and/or at least one natural antimicrobial active ingredient of animal origin from the group which includes enzymes such as milk protein, lysozyme and lactoperoxidase, and/or at least one antimicrobially active surfaceactive quaternary compound having an ammonium, sulfonium, phosphonium, iodonium or arsonium group, peroxo compounds and chlorine compounds. Substances of microbial origin, so called bacteriocines, can also be used. Glycine, glycine derivatives, formaldehyde, compounds which readily release formaldehyde, formic acid and peroxides are preferably used.

[0108] When the conditioning agent according to the invention is used as an impregnation liquid for the conditioning substrate according to the invention, dehydroacetic acid and glycolic acid are particularly suitable.

[0109] The quaternary ammonium compounds (QACS) suitable as antimicrobial active ingredients have the general formula (R1) (R2) (R3) (R4) N+X−, in which R1 to R4 are identical or different C1-C22-alkyl radicals, C7-C28-aralkyl radicals or heterocyclic radicals, where two, or in the case of an aromatic incorporation as in pyridine, even three radicals, together with the nitrogen atom, form the heterocycle, e.g. a pyridinium or imidazolinium compound, and X− are halide ions, sulfate ions, hydroxide ions or similar anions. For optimal antimicrobial action, preferably at least one of the radicals has a chain length of from 8 to 18, in particular 12 to 16, carbon atoms.

[0110] QACs can be prepared by reacting tertiary amines with alkylating agents, such as, for example, methyl chloride, benzyl chloride, dimethyl sulfate, dodecyl bromide, and also ethylene oxide. The alkylation of tertiary amines having one long alkyl radical and two methyl groups proceeds particularly readily, and the quaternization of tertiary amines having two long radicals and one methyl group can also be carried out using methyl chloride under mild conditions. Amines which have three long alkyl radicals or hydroxy-substituted alkyl radicals are less reactive and are preferably quaternized using dimethyl sulfate.

[0111] Examples of suitable QACs are benzalkonium chloride (N-alkyl-N,N-dimethylbenzylammonium chloride, CAS No. 8001-54-5), benzalkone B (m,p-dichlorobenzyldimethyl-C12-alkylammonium chloride, CAS No. 58390-78-6), benzoxonium chloride (benzyldodecylbis(2-hydroxyethyl)-ammonium chloride), cetrimonium bromide (N-hexadecylN,N-trimethylammonium bromide, CAS No. 57-09-0), benzetonium chloride (N,N-dimethyl-N-[2[2-[p(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenoxy]ethoxy]ethyl]benzyl ammonium chloride, CAS No. 121-54-0), dialkyldimethylammonium chlorides such as di-n-decyldimethylammonium chloride (CAS No. 7173-51-5-5), didecyldimethylammonium bromide (CAS No. 2390-68-3), dioctyldimethylammonium chloride, 1-cetylpyridinium chloride (CAS No. 123-03-5) and thiazoline iodide (CAS No. 15764-48-1) and mixtures thereof. Particularly preferred QACs are the benzalkonium chlorides having C8-C18-alkyl radicals, in particular C12-C14-alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride.

[0112] Benzalkonium halides and/or substituted benzalkonium halides are, for example, commercially available as Barquat® ex Lonza, Marquat® ex Mason, Variquat® ex Witco/Sherex and Hyamine® ex Lonza, and Bardac® ex Lonza. Further commercially available antimicrobial active ingredients are N-(3-chloroallyl)hexaminium chloride such as Dowicide® and Dowicil® ex Dow, benzethonium chloride such as Hyamine® 1622 ex Rohm & Haas, methylbenzethonium chloride such as Hyamine® 10X ex Rohn & Haas, cetylpyridinium chloride such as cepacol chloride ex Merrell Labs.

[0113] The agents can also optionally comprise UV absorbers which attach to the treated textiles and improve the light resistance of the fibers and/or the light resistance of the other formulation constituents. UV absorbers are understood as meaning organic substances (light protection filters) which are able to absorb ultraviolet rays and emit the absorbed energy again in the form of longer-wave radiation, e.g. heat. Compounds which have these desired properties are, for example, the compounds which are active via radiationless deactivation, and derivatives of benzophenone with substituents in the 2 and/or 4 position. Also suitable are substituted benzotriazoles, such as, for example, the water-soluble benzenesulfonic acid 3-(2Hbenzotriazol-2-yl)-4-hydroxy-5-(methylpropyl)monosodium salt (Cibafast® H), acrylates phenyl-substituted in the 3 position (cinnamic acid derivatives), optionally with cyano groups in the 2 position, salicylates, organic Ni complexes and natural substances, such as umbelliferone and endogenous urocanic acid. Particular importance is given to biphenyl and primarily stilbene derivatives, as are described, for example, in EP 0728749 A and are available commercially as Tinosorb® FD or Tinosorb® FR ex Ciba. UV-B absorbers to be mentioned are 3-benzylidenecamphor or 3-benzylidenenorcamphor and derivatives thereof, e.g. 3-(4-methylbenzylidene)camphor, as described in EP 0693471 B1; 4-aminobenzoic acid derivatives, preferably 2-ethylhexyl 4-(dimethylamino)benzoate, 2-octyl 4-(dimethylamino)benzoate and amyl 4-(dimethylamino)benzoate; esters of cinnamic acid, preferably 2-ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate, propyl 4-methoxycinnamate, isoamyl 4-methoxycinnamate, 2-ethylhexyl 2-cyano-3,3-phenylcinnamate (octocrylene); esters of salicylic acid, preferably 2-ethylhexyl salicylate, 4-isopropylbenzyl salicylate, homomenthyl salicylate; derivatives of benzophenone, preferably 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy4′-methylbenzophenone, 2,2′-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone; esters of benzylmalonic acid, preferably di-2ethylhexyl 4-methoxybenzmalonate; triazine derivatives, such as, for example, 2,4,6-trianilino(p-carbo-2′ethyl-1′-hexyloxy)-1,3,5-triazine and octyl triazone, as described in EP 0818450 Al or dioctylbutamidotriazone (Uvasorb® HEB); propane-1,3-diones, such as, for example, 1-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-3(4′methoxyphenyl)propane-1,3-dione; ketotricyclo-(5.2.1.0)decane derivatives, as described in EP 0694521 B1. Also suitable are 2-phenylbenzimidazole-5-sulfonic acid and the alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, alkylammonium, alkanolammonium and glucammonium salts thereof; sulfonic acid derivatives of benzophenones, preferably 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone-5-sulfonic acid and its salts; sulfonic acid derivatives of 3-benzylidenecamphor, such as, for example, 4-(2-oxo-3-bornylidenemethyl)benzenesulfonic acid and 2-methyl-5-(2-oxo-3-bornylidene)sulfonic acid and salts thereof.

[0114] Suitable typical UV-A filters are, in particular, derivatives of benzoylmethane, such as, for example, 1-(4′-tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4′-methoxyphenyl)propane1,3-dione, 4-tert-butyl-4′-methoxydibenzoylmethane (Parsol 1789), 1-phenyl-3-(4′-isopropylphenyl)propane-1,3-dione, and enamine compounds, as described in DE 19712033 Al (BASF). The UV-A and UV-B filters can of course also be used in mixtures. As well said soluble substances, insoluble light protection pigments, namely finely dispersed, preferably nanoiozed metal oxides or salts are also suitable for this purpose. Examples of suitable metal oxides are, in particular, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide and in addition oxides of iron, zirconium, silicon, manganese, aluminum and cerium, and mixtures thereof. Salts which can be used are silicates (talc), barium sulfate or zinc stearate. The oxides and salts are already used in the form of the pigments for skin care and skin-protecting emulsions and decorative cosmetics. The particles here should have an average diameter of less than 100 nm, preferably between 5 and 50 nm and in particular between 15 and 30 nm. They can have a spherical form, although it is also possible to use those particles which have an ellipsoidal shape or shape which deviates in some other way from the spherical configuration. The pigments may also be present in surface-treated form, i.e. hydrophilized or hydrophobicized. Typical examples are coated titanium dioxide, such as, for example, titanium dioxide T 805 (Degussa) or Eusolex® T2000 (Merck). Suitable hydrophobic coating compositions here are primarily silicones and in particular trialkoxyoctylsilanes or simethicones. Preference is given to using micronized zinc oxide. Further suitable UV light protection filters are given in the review by P. Finkel in SÖFW-Journal 122, 543 (1996).

[0115] The UV absorbers are usually used in amounts of from 0.01% by weight to 5% by weight, preferably from 0.03% by weight to 1% by weight.

[0116] In a second embodiment, the invention provides for the use of the conditioning agent according to the invention for the conditioning of textile fabrics in a textile drying process or in a washing process.

[0117] For the purposes of this invention, the term “conditioning” is understood as meaning the finishing treatment of textiles, materials and fabrics. The conditioning imparts positive properties to the textiles, such as, for example, improved soft feel, increased shine and color brilliance, reduction in creasing behavior and in static charging, and in particular easier-iron behavior. The easier-iron behavior is expressed here not only by a lower sliding friction of the iron to the conditioned texile, but also by the fact that the creases and folds to be smoothed disappear as a result of a shorter application time of pressure and heat during the ironing operation.

[0118] The use according to the invention of the conditioning agents according to the invention can take place in a washing process directly, for example by integrating the conditioning agent according to the invention into a detergent formulation and/or preferably into a softening cycle which follows the washing process. Advantageously, the conditioning agents according to the invention can be used in a device for drying textiles, preferably in a domestic laundry dryer.

[0119] The invention thirdly provides a conditioning substrate, which is a substrate which is impregnated and/or saturated with the conditioning agent according to the invention.

[0120] The substrate material consists of porous materials which are able to reversibly yield and release an impregnation liquid. Suitable for this purpose are three-dimensional structures, such as, for example, sponges, but preferably porous, flat cloths. They can consist of a fibrous or cellular flexible material which has adequate thermal stability for use in the dryer and which can retain adequate amounts of an impregnation or coating agent in order to effectively condition substances without noteworthy leakage or bleeding of the agent taking place during storage. These cloths include cloths made of woven and nonwoven synthetic and natural fibers, felt, paper or foamed material, such as hydrophilic polyurethane foam.

[0121] Preference is given here to using conventional cloths made of nonwoven material (nonwovens). Nonwovens are generally defined as adhesively bonded fibrous products which have a mat or layered fiber structure, or those which include fiber mats in which the fibers are distributed randomly or in statistical arrangement. The fibers may be natural, such as wool, silk, jute, hemp, cotton, linen, sisal or ramie; or synthetic, such as rayon, cellulose ester, polyvinyl derivatives, polyolefins, polyamides, viscose or polyesters. In general, any fiber diameter or titer is suitable for the present invention. The nonwoven materials used here have a tendency, due to the random or statistical arrangement of fibers in the nonwoven material, to impart excellent strength in all directions, not to tear or disintegrate when they are used, for example, in a customary domestic laundry dryer. Examples of nonwoven substances which are suitable as substrates in the present invention are known, for example, from WO 93/23603. Preferred porous and flat conditioning cloths consist of one or different fiber materials, in particular of cotton, finished cotton, polyamide, polyester or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the conditioning substrates in cloth form have an area of from 0.2 to 0.005 m2, preferably from 0.15 to 0.01 m2, in particular from 0.1 to 0.03 cm2 and particularly preferably from 0.09 to 0.06 m2. The grammage of the material here is usually between 20 and 500 g/m2. preferably from 25 to 200 g/m2, in particular from 30 to 100 g/m2 and particularly preferably from 40 to 80 2 g/m2.

[0122] The invention fourthly provides a conditioning process for conditioning damp textiles by means of the conditioning substrate according to the invention.

[0123] The conditioning process is carried out by using the conditioning substrate according to the invention together with damp textiles which originate, for example, from a prior washing process, in a textile drying process. The textile drying process usually takes place in a device for drying textiles, preferably in a domestic laundry dryer.

[0124] Surprisingly, it has been found that the agents according to the invention for conditioning and the conditioning substrates according to the invention prepared therefrom bring about a reduction in the linting and the pilling on conditioned textiles.

[0125] The invention therefore fifthly provides for the use of the agents according to the invention and/or of the conditioning substrates according to the invention for reducing the linting of fabrics. The invention further provides for the use of the agents according to the invention and/or of the conditioning substrates according to the invention for reducing the pilling of textile fabric.

[0126] Linting arises when fibers break on textile surfaces. The fiber sections are then found again in a domestic dryer with fluff filter. The fiber particles are transported through the stream of air to the fluff filter. Pilling proceeds in a similar manner. Pills are more or less spherical structures which are bonded to the fabrics by anchor fibers and whose density is such that no light penetrates through and a shadow is cast.

[0127] This change can arise either during the washing operation or also during use. Pills are formed when fibers work themselves out of a fabric and become entangled during use. Such surface changes are undesired. Generally, the degree of pilling is determined by the rate of the following processes which occur in parallel: a) fiber entanglement which leads to pilling; b) formation of other surface fibers and c) rubbing off of fibers and pills.

EXAMPLES

[0128] Conditioning agents according to the invention are, for example, I1 and I2, a comparison formulation is C1, the compositions of which are given in Table 1.

1TABLE 1Composition in % by wt.I1I2I3I4C1Dehyquart AU 56[a]27.7527.525.0−27.5Stepantex VA 90[b]−−−22.5Tinotex-CMA (silicone7.57.52.2557.5oil emulsion)[c]Tegopren 5843[d]0.750.750.750.75−MgCl2.6H2O4.0+0.50.5+Propan-2-ol−−2.8−−Fatty alcohol−−0.2−−ethoxylatePerfume++1.61.6+Dye+++++Water, demineralizedadadadadad100100100100100[a]Bispalmitoylethyl(hydroxyethyl)methylammonium methosulfate ex Cognis [b]N-methyl-N(2-hydroxyethyl)-N,N-(ditallow-acyloxyethyl)ammonium methosulfate ex Stepan [c]Dimethylpolysiloxane ex Ciba [d]Polyether-modified polysiloxane ex Goldschmidt

[0129] To prepare conditioning substrates according to the invention, nonwovens made of viscose (area 0.08 m2; grammage: 60 g/m2) were saturated in each case with 19 g of one of the conditioning agents I1 and I2.

[0130] Stain formation on test fabrics:

[0131] 3 kg (2 kg of colored textiles; 1 kg of white textiles) of dry laundry (mixed fabric of 34% polyester and 66% cotton) were washed with a standard commercial color detergent and then spun. Subsequently, the damp laundry was placed in a domestic dryer together with a nonwoven made of viscose (area 0.08 m2; grammage: 60 g/m2 ), which was impregnated with 19 g of conditioning agent II and the laundry was dried. The experiment was repeated except that the viscose nonwoven was saturated with the agent C1.

[0132] A visual comparison of the treated textiles showed that significant stains were visible on the fabric treated with the agent C1, whereas the treatment with the conditioning substrate according to the invention which was saturated with I1 had no visible stains. Ironing test:

[0133] The weight of 2940 g was produced by supplying the iron, which itself weighed 1700 g, with an additional weight in order to simulate the pressure which is normally exerted on the iron during ironing.

[0134] The fabric used was a rough cotton fabric which is known under the name bleached cheesecloth and is used for table linen and bed linen. The sections of fabric were each, following final finishing, furnished with a standard commercial fabric softener in a concentration of 12 g/kg of dry laundry.

[0135] The items of laundry finished in this way were ironed using an exact measurement apparatus developed by ourselves. For this, the iron from Rowenta (model Rowenta professional DE-811 inox steam iron), which was on setting III, was drawn over the fabric to be tested at a constant rate of 800 mm/min over a length of 670 mm. The necessary forces here were determined by means of a universal testing machine from Zwick (model 2.5/TN1P).

[0136] The examples show the easier-iron effect as a result of the conditioning substrates. Whereas for untreated textiles the ironing force applied varied between 7 and 8.5 N, it was 6 N for a conventional fabric softener, and just 3 N for the fabrics treated with the conditioning substrate according to the invention.

[0137] This shows the clearly improved ironing properties of the textiles which have been treated with the conditioning cloths according to the invention.

[0138] Linting and pilling:

[0139] A conditioning substrate according to the invention was prepared by saturating a 24.5×39 cm cloth (100% Airlaid (cellulose)) with 20 g of the conditioning agent I4.

[0140] 3.5 kg of dry laundry consisting of 6 terry hand towels, 8 pillows, 5 tea towels, 2 m of white 100% Co woven fabric (shirt grade), 2 m×1.5 m of white 100% PES microfiber woven fabric, 2 m×1.5 m of white 100% PES microfiber jersey, 0.5 m×1.5 m of white 50% CO/50% PES poplin fabric, 2 m×1.5 m of white 100% CO single jersey and 2 pairs of underpants (cotton) are washed with tower powder at 30° C. in an automatic washing machine (Miele Novotronic W 985; normal wash program 30° C.) and then dried in a domestic laundry dryer (Miele Electronic T 352 C.; cupboard-dry, easycare).

[0141] Following the drying operation, the previously tared fluff filter of the domestic dryer is weighed.

[0142] The washing-drying-weighing cycles were repeated 10 times under the following conditions:

[0143] a) the textiles were dried without conditioning substrate

[0144] b) the textiles were placed in the domestic dryer with a conditioning substrate which was impregnated with a standard commercial conditioning agent (Vernel) [24.5×39 cm cloth (100% Airlaid (cellulose)) with 20 g of the conditioning agent].

[0145] c) the textiles were placed into the domestic dryer with a conditioning substrate according to the invention prepared by impregnating a 24.5×39 cm cloth (100% Airlaid (cellulose)) with 20 g of the conditioning agent I4.

[0146] The weight of the fluff was determined after each drying cycle and added over the 10 cycles. The fluff weights were as follows: a) 7.58 g; b) 8.39 and for the use according to the invention c) 4.05 g.

[0147] Thus, the use of the conditioning substrates according to the invention considerably reduces linting and protects the textiles.

[0148] Under the same conditions as given above, experiments relating to pilling were carried out. The experiments were carried out in accordance with DIN EN ISO 12945 Part 2 “Determination of the tendency of fabrics toward linting on the surface and the pilling tendency” using a Martindale abrasion and pilling tester model 404. The investigations were carried out in a climatically controlled room (textile climate 20° C., 65% relative atmospheric humidity). The principle of the Martindale test is that test samples are abraded against a defined fabric in a continually changing movement which ensures that the surface fibers of the samples are bent in all directions. The resulting pills on the surface of the test samples are evaluated after a defined number of revolutions by visual comparison against a standard set. The abrasion disks with a diameter of 140 mm are mounted above the abrasion tables, with standard felt disks underneath. The test specimens (diameter 140 mm) are fixed in special sample holders and placed with the right side to the counter-textile. The guide plate of the instrument is mounted above, and spindles with weights attached are introduced through the guide plate into the sample holder underneath. The drive mechanism consists of two external and one internal drive which forces the guide plate of the sample holder to describe a Lissajous figure. The Lissajous movement changes to a circular movement, then gradually narrowing ellipses until it becomes a straight line, from which progressively extending ellipses develop in a diagonally opposite direction before the pattern is repeated.

[0149] The degree of pilling is determined by comparing the test specimen against prepared photographs of standard materials.

[0150] The measurement has shown that the pilling of textiles treated with the conditioning substrate c) according to the invention is considerably reduced compared with samples from a) and b).

[0151] Following the treatment of textiles with the conditioning agents I1 to I4 according to the invention, the textiles likewise exhibited significantly less pilling than the textiles which were treated with the conventional after-treatment agents.

	Number	Date	Country
Parent	PCT/EP02/00759	Jan 2002	US
Child	10634926	Aug 2003	US

Conditioning agent

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