Claims
- 1. A process for the production of a powder suitable for use as a granular detergent composition or a component thereof, which comprises the steps of
- (i) preparing an aqueous slurry comprising from about 5 to 70% sodium carbonate, and from 0 to about 50% sodium sulphate,
- (ii) drying the slurry to form a powder,
- the total amount of sodium carbonate and sodium sulphate being at least 10% by weight based on the dried powder, the weight ratio of sodium carbonate to sodium sulphate in the slurry being at least 0.37:1, the process being characterised in that an effective amount of a crystal growth modifier which is a polymeric polycarboxylate selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid homopolymers, acrylic acid/maleic acid copolymers, acrylic phosphinates and mixtures thereof, is incorporated in the slurry not later than the sodium carbonate, whereby needle-shaped crystal-growth-modified Burkeite is formed in the slurry.
- 2. A process as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that step (ii) comprises spray-drying the slurry to form a powder.
- 3. A process as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the total amount of sodium carbonate and sodium sulphate in the dried powder is at least 15% by weight.
- 4. A process as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the total amount of sodium carbonate and sodium sulphate in the dried powder is at least 20% by weight.
- 5. A process as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the crystal growth modifier is incorporated as an amount of from 0.1 to 60% by weight based on the total amount of sodium carbonate and sodium sulphate in the dried powder.
- 6. A process as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the crystal growth modifier is incorporated in an amount of from 0.1 to 20% by weight, based on the total amount of sodium carbonate and sodium sulphate in the dried powder.
- 7. A process as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the crystal growth modifier is incorporated in an amount of from 0.2 to 5% by weight, based on the total amount of sodium carbonate and sodium sulphate in the dried powder.
- 8. A process as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the crystal growth modifier is sodium polyacrylate.
- 9. A process as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the polymeric polycarboxylate has a molecular weight within the range of from 1,000 to 250,000.
- 10. A process as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the polymeric polycarboxylate has a molecular weight within the range of from 3,000 to 100,000.
- 11. A process as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the polymeric polycarboxylate has a molecular weight within the range of from 10,000 to 70,000.
- 12. A process as claimed in claim 1, which comprises the further step of
- (iii) incorporating a liquid or liquefiable detergent composition in liquid form in the dried powder of step (ii).
- 13. A process as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that the liquid or liquefiable detergent component is a nonionic surfactant.
- 14. A process as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that the liquid or liquefiable detergent component is an ethoxylated nonionic surfactant having an average degree of ethoxylation of 10 or less.
- 15. A process as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that the liquid or liquefiable detergent component is a nonionic surfactant and is incorporated in an amount such that the product of step (iii) comprises from 5 to 40% by weight of nonionic surfactant and from 60 to 95% by weight of the dried powder.
Priority Claims (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
8526996 |
Nov 1985 |
GBX |
|
8612459 |
May 1986 |
GBX |
|
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation application of Ser. No. 921,666, filed Oct. 21, 1986 now abandoned.
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
921666 |
Oct 1986 |
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