Claims
- 1. A light-duty liquid or gel dishwashing detergent composition comprising, by weight:
- (a.) from about 5% to 70% of a surfactant mixture consisting essentially of, by weight:
- (i) from about 80% to 100% of alkyl ethoxy carboxylates of the formula:
- RO(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.x CH.sub.2 COO.sup.- M.sup.+
- wherein R is a C.sub.12 to C.sub.16 alkyl group, x ranges from 0 to about 10 and the ethoxylate distribution is such that, on a weight basis, the amount of material where x is 0 is less than about 20% and the amount of material where x is greater than 7 is less than about 25%, the average x is from about 2 to 4 when the average R is C.sub.13 or less, and the average x is from about 3 to 6 when the average R is greater than C.sub.13, and M is a cation which is not calcium;
- (ii) from 0% to about 10% of alcohol ethoxylates of the formula:
- RO(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.x H
- wherein R is a C.sub.12 to C.sub.16 alkyl group and x ranges from 0 to about 10 and the average x is less than about 6; and
- (iii) from 0% to about 10% of soaps of the formula:
- RCOO.sup.- M.sup.+
- wherein R is a C.sub.11 to C.sub.15 alkyl group and M is a cation;
- (b.) from about 0.1% to 4% of the calcium ions, said calcium ions added as salt selected from the group consisting of chloride, acetate, nitrate and mixtures thereof; and
- (c.) from about 0.5% to about 3% of a calcium chelating agent which forms a soluble calcium complex, having a log of formation constant, log K.sub.f, between about 1.0 and about 3.5, the agent being selected from the group consisting of bicine (bis(2-ethanol)glycine), N-(2-hydroxyethyl)iminodiacetic acid (HIDA), N-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)iminodiacetic acid (GIDA), their alkali metal salts and mixtures thereof in an amount sufficient to prevent the formation of calcium carbonate precipitates in the composition; wherein a 10% by weight aqueous solution of said composition has a pH from about 7 to 11.
- 2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the pH is from about 8 to 10.
- 3. The composition of claim 2 wherein the pH is from about 8 to 9.5.
- 4. The composition of claim 1 further comprising from 0% to about 35% of a co-surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkyl benzene sulfonates, alkyl sulfates, paraffin sulfonates, olefin sulfonates, alkyl ether sulfates, fatty acid ester sulfonates, alkyl polyglucosides, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, and mixtures thereof.
- 5. The composition of claim 1 further comprising less than about 15% of a suds booster selected from the group consisting of betaines, fatty acid amides, amine oxide semi-polar nonionics, cationic surfactants, and mixtures thereof.
- 6. The composition of claim 4 further comprising less than about 15% of a suds booster selected from the group consisting of betaines, fatty acid amides, amine oxide semi-polar nonionics, cationic surfactants, and mixtures thereof.
- 7. The composition of claim 6 wherein the pH is from about 8 to 9.5.
- 8. The composition of claim 7 comprising from about 0.5% to about 3% of calcium ions.
- 9. The composition of claim 1 wherein R in (a) is a C.sub.12 to C.sub.14 alkyl group.
- 10. A liquid composition of claim 1 comprising from about to 30% of the surfactant mixture.
- 11. The composition of claim 1 wherein the surfactant mixture comprises from about 85% to 95% of the alkyl ethoxy carboxylates.
- 12. The composition of claim 11 wherein the surfactant mixture comprises from about 90% to 95% of the alkyl ethoxy carboxylates.
- 13. The composition of claim 9 wherein the surfactant mixture comprises from about 85% to 95% of the alkyl ethoxy carboxylates.
- 14. The composition of claim 13 wherein the surfactant mixture comprises from about 90% to 95% of the alkyl ethoxy carboxylates.
- 15. The composition of claim 1 wherein the surfactant mixture comprises less than about 8% of the alcohol ethoxylates.
- 16. The composition of claim 15 wherein the surfactant mixture comprises less than about 5% of the alcohol ethoxylates.
- 17. The composition of claim 1 wherein the surfactant mixture comprises less than about 5% of the soaps.
- 18. The composition of claim 9 wherein the surfactant mixture comprises from about 90% to 95% alkyl ethoxy carboxylates, less than about 5% alcohol ethoxylates, and less than 5% soaps.
- 19. The composition of claim 18 comprising from about 0.5% to 3% calcium ions wherein the pH is from about 7 to 11.
- 20. The composition of claim 19 comprising from about 0.5% to 3% calcium ions wherein the pH is from about 8 to 9.5.
- 21. The composition of claim 18 further comprising from 0% to about 35% of a co-surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkyl ether sulfates, fatty acid ester sulfonates, alkyl sulfates, alkyl polyglucosides, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, and mixtures thereof.
- 22. The composition of claim 18 further comprising from about 0.5% to about 12% of a suds booster selected from the group consisting of betaines, amine oxide semi-polar nonionics, fatty acid amides, and mixtures thereof.
- 23. The composition of claim 22 further comprising from about 5% to about 25% of a co-surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkyl ether sulfates, fatty acid ester sulfonates, alkyl polyglucosides, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, and mixtures thereof, and from about 0.5% to about 3% of calcium ions are present and the pH is from about 8 to 9.5.
- 24. A gel composition of claim 1 comprising from about 10% to 45% of the surfactant mixture.
- 25. The composition of claim 8 wherein the co-surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alkyl benzene sulfates in which the alkyl group contains 9 to 15 carbon atoms, alkyl sulfates having the formula ROSO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+ where R is C.sub.8-22 alkyl group and M is a mono- and/or divalent cation, paraffin sulfonates having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, olefin sulfonates having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, alkyl ether sulfates having the formula RO(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.x SO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+ where R is C.sub.8-22 alkyl, x is 1-30 and M is a mono- or divalent ion, alkyl glyceryl sulfonates having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, fatty acid ester sulfonates of the formula R.sub.1 --CH(SO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+)CO.sub.2 R.sub.2 wherein R.sub.1 is straight or branched alkyl from about C.sub.8 to C.sub.18 and M.sup.+ represents a mono or divalent ions, fatty alkylpolyglucosides having straight chain or branched chain C.sub.8 to C.sub.15 and an average of from about 1 to about 5 glucose units, polyhydroxy fatty acid amide surfactant of the formula ##STR5## wherein R.sup.1 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 hydrocarbyl, 2-hydroxyethyl, or 2-hydroxy propyl, and mixtures thereof.
- 26. The composition of claim 25 wherein the suds booster is selected from the group consisting of betaine detergent surfactants having the general formula ##STR6## wherein R is a hydrophobic group selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups containing from about 10 to about 22 carbon atoms, alkyl aryl and aryl alkyl groups and similar structures interrupted by amido or ether linkages, each R.sup.1 is an alkyl group containing from 1 to about 3 carbon atoms, and R.sup.2 is an alkylene group containing from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms; condensation products of aliphatic alcohols with ethylene oxide containing from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms; amide surfactants of the general formula:
- R.sub.1 --CO--N(H).sub.m-1 (R.sub.2 OH).sub.3-m
- wherein R is a saturated or unsaturated, aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having from about 7 to 21 carbon atoms, R.sub.2 represents a methylene or ethylene group, and m is 1, 2, or 3; amine oxide semi-polar nonionic surfactants having the formula ##STR7## wherein R.sub.1 is an alkyl, 2-hydroxyalkyl, 3-hydroxyalkyl, or 3-alkoxy-2-hydroxypropyl radical in which the alkyl and alkoxy, respectively, contain from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, 2-hydroxyethyl, 2-hydroxypropyl, or 3-hydroxypropyl, and n is from 0 to about 10; cationic quaternary ammonium surfactants of the formula
- [R.sup.1 (OR.sup.2).sub.y ][R.sup.3 (OR.sup.2).sub.y ].sub.2 R.sup.4 N.sup.+ x.sup.-
- wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl or alkyl benzyl group having from about 6 to about 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, each R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)--, --CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.2 OH)--, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, and mixtures thereof, each R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 hydroxyalkyl, benzyl, and hydrogen when y is not 0, R.sup.4 is the same as R.sup.3 or is an alkyl chain wherein the total number of carbon atoms of R.sup.1 plus R.sup.4 is from about 8 to about 16, and y is from 0 to about 10, and the sum of the y values is from 0 to about 15, and X is any compatible anion; and mixtures thereof.
- 27. The composition of claim 21 wherein the co-surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alkyl benzene sulfates in which the alkyl group contains 9 to 15 carbon atoms, alkyl sulfates having the formula ROSO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+ where R is C.sub.8-22 alkyl group and M is a mono- and/or divalent cation, paraffin sulfonates having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, olefin sulfonates having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, alkyl ether sulfates having the formula RO(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.x SO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+ where R is C.sub.8-22 alkyl, x is 1-30 and M.sup.+ is a mono- or divalent ion, alkyl glyceryl sulfonates having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, fatty acid ester sulfonates of the formula R.sub.1 --CH(SO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+)CO.sub.2 R.sub.2 wherein R.sub.1 is straight or branched alkyl from about C.sub.8 to C.sub.18 and M.sup.+ represents a mono or divalent ions, fatty alkylpolyglucosides having straight chain or branched chain C.sub.8 to C.sub.15 and an average of from about 1 to about 5 glucose units, polyhydroxy fatty acid amide surfactant of the formula ##STR8## wherein R.sup.1 is H, C.sub.1-4 hydrocarbyl, 2-hydroxyethyl, or 2-hydroxy propyl, and mixtures thereof.
- 28. The composition of claim 22 wherein the suds booster is selected from the group consisting of betaine detergent surfactants having the general formula ##STR9## wherein R is a hydrophobic group selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups containing from about 10 to about 22 carbon atoms, alkyl aryl and aryl alkyl groups and similar structures interrupted by amido or ether linkages, each R.sup.1 is an alkyl group containing from 1 to about 3 carbon atoms, and R.sup.2 is an alkylene group containing from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms; condensation products of aliphatic alcohols with ethylene oxide containing from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms; amide surfactants of the general formula
- R.sub.1 --CO--N(H).sub.m -1 (R.sub.2 OH).sub.3-m
- wherein R is a saturated or unsaturated, aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having from about 7 to 21 carbon atoms, R.sub.2 represents a methylene or ethylene group, and m is 1, 2, or 3; amine oxide semi-polar nonionic surfactants having the formula ##STR10## wherein R.sub.1 is an alkyl, 2-hydroxyalkyl, 3-hydroxyalkyl, or 3-alkoxy-2-hydroxypropyl radical in which the alkyl and alkoxy, respectively, contain from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, 2-hydroxyethyl, 2-hydroxypropyl, or 3-hydroxypropyl, and n is from 0 to about 10, cationic quaternary ammonium surfactants of the formula
- [R.sup.1 (OR.sup.2).sub.y ][R.sup.3 (OR.sup.2).sub.y ].sub.2 R.sup.4 N.sup.+ x.sup.-
- wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl or alkyl benzyl group having from about 6 to about 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, each R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)--, --CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.2 OH)--, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, and mixtures thereof, each R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 hydroxyalkyl, benzyl, and hydrogen when y is not 0, R.sup.4 is the same as R.sup.3 or is an alkyl chain wherein the total number of carbon atoms of R.sup.1 plus R.sup.4 is from about 8 to about 16, and y is from 0 to about 10, and the sum of the y values is from 0 to about 15, and X is any compatible anion; and mixtures thereof.
- 29. The composition of claim 23 wherein the co-surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alkyl sulfates having the formula ROSO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+ where R is C.sub.8-22 alkyl group and M is a mono- and/or divalent cation, paraffin sulfonates having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, olefin sulfonates having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, alkyl ether sulfates having the formula RO(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.x SO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+ where R is C.sub.8-22 alkyl, x is 1-30 and M is a mono- or divalent ion, fatty acid ester sulfonates of the formula R.sub.1 --CH(SO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+)CO.sub.2 R.sub.2 wherein R.sub.1 is straight or branched alkyl from about C.sub.8 to C.sub.18 and M represents a mono or divalent ions, fatty alkylpolyglucosides having straight chain or branched chain C.sub.8 to C.sub.15 and an average of from about 1 to about 5 glucose units, polyhydroxy fatty acid amide surfactant of the formula ##STR11## wherein R.sup.1 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 hydrocarbyl, 2-hydroxyethyl, or 2-hydroxy propyl, and mixtures thereof.
- 30. The composition of claim 8 wherein the calcium chelating agent is selected from the group consisting of bicine (bis(2-ethanol)glycine), N-(2-hydroxyethyl)iminodiacetic acid, N-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)iminodiacetic acid, and mixtures thereof.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/819,556, filed on Jan. 13, 1992 now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 614,531, filed Nov. 16, 1990, now abandoned.
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Continuations (1)
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Date |
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819556 |
Jan 1992 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
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614531 |
Nov 1990 |
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