Polymer blend to stabilize highly alkaline laundry detergent

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11248192-B2
Application number	US-202016749267-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2020
Priority date	Jan 22, 2019
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

Liquid detergent compositions with polymer blends to provide a stable aqueous use solution of a highly alkaline detergent composition are provided. The liquid detergent composition include concentrates and use solutions with blends of alkali-swellable polymers (ASE) and hydrophobically-modified alkali-swellable polymers (HASE). Methods for washing textiles using the liquid detergent compositions are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid detergent composition comprising:
a) between about 25 wt-% and about 40 wt-% alkalinity comprising alkali metal hydroxide;
b) between about 4 wt-% and about 7 wt-% rheology modifiers comprising:
i) a C12-C16 alkyl polyglycoside nonionic surfactant,
ii) at least one alkali-swellable polymer (ASE) according to the following formula:

wherein R is a hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl group;
wherein R1 is a hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl group;
wherein R2 is a hydrophobic alkyl group in the range from C4-C24;
wherein R3 can be any one of a hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl group;
wherein the ratio of x:y is from about 1:20 to about 20:1;
wherein the ratio of x:w is from about 1:20 to about 20:1; and
wherein the ratio of x:z is from about 1:1 to about 500:1, and

iii) at least one hydrophobically-modified alkali-swellable polymer (HASE) according to the following formula:

wherein R is a hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl group;
wherein R1 is a hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl group;
wherein R2 is a hydrophobic alkyl group in the range from C4-C24;
wherein R3 can be any one of a hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl group;
wherein the ratio of x:y is from about 1:20 to about 20:1;
wherein the ratio of x:w is from about 1:20 to about 20:1; and
wherein the ratio of x:z is from about 1:1 to about 500:1,

wherein the ASE rheology modifier has a molecular weight between about 20,000 to about 300,000 g/mol, and wherein the HASE rheology modifier has a molecular weight between about 50,000 to about 500,000 g/mol, and wherein the ratio of the HASE rheology modifier to the ASE rheology modifier is from about 1.1:1 to about 4.5:1;

c) between about 15 wt-% to about 35 wt-% ethoxylated alcohol nonionic surfactant(s);
d) between about 15 wt-% to about 40 wt-% water; and
e) optionally at least one of chelant/sequestrant/builder,
wherein the composition has a pH of between about 10 and about 14, wherein the liquid composition is stable for at least 8 weeks at a temperature of from about 40° C. to about 50° C., and wherein stability is measured according to phase separation of less than 5%.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the HASE rheology modifier to the ASE rheology modifier is from about 1.1:1 to about 4:1.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the rheology modifiers are included at an actives level between about 4 wt-% to about 5 wt-%.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the chelant/sequestrant/builder comprises an aminocarboxylate and/or polycarboxylate polymer.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the ethoxylated alcohol nonionic surfactant is a linear or branched alcohol containing 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and 7 to 20 ethylene oxide groups.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the chelant/sequestrant comprises between about 0 wt-% to about 10 wt % of the detergent composition.

7. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a hydrotrope and wherein the composition has a viscosity between about 500 to about 2500 cPs.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is in a concentrated form that may be diluted to a use cleaning concentration.

9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the liquid composition is a stable, opaque emulsion, wherein the liquid composition is further stable for at least 6 months at ambient temperatures, and wherein stability is measured according to phase separation of less than 5%.

10. A method of washing textiles comprising:
providing the liquid detergent composition according to claim 1 ; and
washing the textiles in an institutional or a household washing machine.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising diluting the liquid detergent composition at a point of use with water; and/or adding a bleaching composition to the liquid detergent composition or to diluted use composition.

12. A method of making a stable liquid detergent composition for washing textiles comprising:
combining the components of the liquid detergent composition according to claim 1 , wherein the rheology modifiers and surfactants are combined before the addition of the alkalinity, and
wherein the composition is a stable emulsion.

13. A liquid detergent composition comprising:
a) between about 25 wt-% and about 35 wt-% alkalinity comprising alkali metal hydroxide;
b) between about 4 wt-% and about 7 wt-% rheology modifiers comprising:
i) a C12-C16 alkyl polyglycoside nonionic surfactant,
ii) at least one alkali-swellable polymer (ASE) according to the following formula:

wherein R and/or R1 is a hydrogen, CH 3 or a C1 to C6 alkyl chain; and
wherein the ratio of x:y is from 1:10 to 10:1,

iii) at least one hydrophobically-modified alkali-swellable polymer (HASE) according to the following formula:

wherein R is a hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl group;
wherein R1 is a hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl group;
wherein R2 is a hydrophobic alkyl group in the range from C4-C24;
wherein R3 can be any one of a hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl group;
wherein the ratio of x:y is from about 1:20 to about 20:1;
wherein the ratio of x:w is from about 1:20 to about 20:1;
wherein the ratio of x:z is from about 1:1 to about 500:1, and

wherein the ASE rheology modifier has a molecular weight between about 20,000 to about 300,000 g/mol, and wherein the HASE rheology modifier has a molecular weight between about 50,000 to about 500,000 g/mol, and wherein the ratio of the HASE rheology modifier to the ASE rheology modifier is from about 1.1:1 to about 4.5:1;

c) between about 15 wt-% to about 35 wt-% ethoxylated alcohol nonionic surfactant(s);
d) between about 15 wt-% to about 40 wt-% water; and
e) optionally at least one of chelant, sequestrant, builder and/or hydrotrope;
wherein the composition has a viscosity between about 500 to about 2500 cPs,
wherein the composition has a pH of between about 10 and about 14, wherein the liquid composition is stable for at least 8 weeks at a temperature of from about 40° C. to about 50° C., and wherein stability is measured according to phase separation of less than 5%.

Assignees

• Ecolab Usa Inc

Inventors

• Bull Jessica
• Dotzauer David
• Duerrschmidt Thomas
• Conrad Gregory Scott
• Hantzsch Alyssa Ana
• West Kelsey

Classifications

• C11D3/3792

  Amine oxide containing polymers · CPC title

• C11D1/662

  Carbohydrates or derivatives · CPC title

• C11D1/66

  Non-ionic compounds {(C11D1/002, C11D1/004, C11D1/008 take precedence)} · CPC title

• C11D3/044

  Hydroxides or bases · CPC title

• C11D3/0047

  pH regulated compositions · CPC title