Diammonium compound containing fabric softening and antistatic detergent composition

Abstract

A water-soluble diammonium compound, such as N-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-tallowalkyl-N'-methyl-N'-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-propylene-diammonium methosulfate, is homogeneously and finely dispersed in a spray-dried detergent bead or granule. The spray-dried bead is blended with a clay mineral fabric softener. The final composition exhibits antistatic action even at low levels (e.g. less than 2%) of the antistat without adversely effecting softening, cleaning or whitening. In a typical formulation, the spray-dried beads include linear alkyl benzene sulfonate or other anionic surfactant, an inorganic polyphosphate and/or other inorganic and/or organic detergent builder salt, diammonium compound antistatic agent, and other heat stable and pH insensitive detergent additives and fillers. In addition to a smectite clay fabric softener, other post-added ingredients typically include a nonionic surfactant, enzyme, perfume, bleach, and other detergent additives which may be pH sensitive, heat sensitive, water-insoluble, or reactive with one or more of the components of the spray-dried beads.

Description

Claims

1. A free-flowing powdery or granular laundry detergent and softener and antistatic composition which consists of

(A) from about 1 to about 95% by weight of at least one detergent compound selected from the group consisting of anionic synthetic detergent, nonionic synthetic detergent, amphoteric synthetic detergent, zwitterionic synthetic detergent and mixtures thereof;

(B) from about 1 to about 50% by weight of at least one clay mineral fabric softener;

(C) from about 2 to about 80% by weight of at least one detergent builder;

(D) from about 0.2 to 5% by weight of at least one quaternary ammonium compound, said at least one quaternary ammonium compound being a water-soluble diammonium compound antistatic agent having the formula (I) ##STR9## wherein R.sub.1 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having from about 12 to about 30 carbon atoms,

each of R.sub.2, R.sub.3 R.sub.4, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are independently selected from the group consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbon groups having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms with the proviso that the total number of carbon atoms in all the aliphatic hydrocarbon groups, including R.sub.1, is no more than about 75 and with the further proviso that no more than three of the R.sub.2 -R.sub.6 groups have more than 12 carbon atoms, and alkanol groups of the formula ##STR10## wherein m and n are independently 0 or positive numbers with the sum of m and n from all of the groups R.sub.2 -R.sub.6 being at least 2 but no more than 30, with the still further proviso that at least one of R.sub.2 -R.sub.6 is said alkanol group, and

R.sub.7 is a divalent linking group of at least 2 but not more than 100 carbon atoms, and

X is a water-soluble salt forming anion;

(E) form 0 to 2% by weight enzymes;

(F) from 0 to 15% by weight corrosion inhibitors;

(G) from 0 to 15% by weight anti-foam agents and suds suppressors;

(H) from 0 to 10% by weight soil suspending or antiredeposition agents and anti-yellowing agents;

(I) from 0 to 2% by weight colorants, perfumes, brighteners and bluing agents;

(J) from 0 to 5% by weight pH modifiers and pH buffers;

(K) from 0 to 40% by weight bleaching agent;

(L) from 0 to 15% by weight of bleach stabilizers and bleach activators; and

(M) moisture,

wherein said diammonium compound of formula (I) is present in the composition as a component of a spray-dried bead comprised of said diammonium compound, an anionic surfactant, detergent builder salt and, optionally, pH insensitive and heat stable detergent additives, fillers and mixtures thereof; and said at least one clay fabric softener is solely uniformly blended with said spray-dried beads.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the formula (I)

R.sub.1 is a linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms;

R.sub.2 -R.sub.6, independently, are selected from the group consisting of alkyl or alkenyl having from 1 to 16 carbon atoms, with the proviso that the total number of carbon atoms in all the aliphatic hydrocarbon groups R.sub.1 -R.sub.6 is no more than about 50, and with the further proviso that no more than 2 of R.sub.2 -R.sub.6 have more than 12 carbon atoms, and alkanol groups of the formula ##STR11## wherein m and n are, independently, 0 or a positive number such that the sum of m+n from all of the alkanol groups R.sub.2 -R.sub.6 is at least 3 but no more than 25, with the proviso that at least one of the groups R.sub.2 to R.sub.6 is said alkanol group.

3. The composition of claim 2 wherein R.sub.2 -R.sub.6, independently, are alkyl or alkenyl of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or said alkanol groups with the provisos that the total number of carbon atoms in all of the aliphatic hydrocarbon groups R.sub.1 -R.sub.6 is no more than about 35 and the sum of m+n from all of the alkanol groups R.sub.2 to R.sub.6 is no more than 15, and R.sub.7 is --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 -- or --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the diammonium compound antistatic agent is ##STR12##

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein said at least one detergent compound comprises an anionic synthetic detergent and said at least one detergent builder comprises an inorganic polyphosphate builder salt.