Concentrated Fabric Softener Compositions Containing Biodegradable Fabric Softeners
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^ ^ ^ ^ I ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ II ^ ^ ^ II ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ I ^ European Patent Office Office europeen des brevets EP 0 894 848 A1 EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION (43) Date of publication: (51) |nt CI * C1 1 D 1/62, C1 1 D 1/645, 03.02.1999 Bulletin 1999/05 C1 p 1/335 C-| -| D 3/00 (21) Application number: 98870175.1 (22) Date of filing: 03.05.1993 (84) Designated Contracting States: • Wahl, Errol Hoffman AT BE CH DE ES FR GB IE IT LI NL Cincinnati, Ohio 45242 (US) • Baker, Ellen Schmidt (30) Priority: 12.05.1992 US 881979 Cincinnati, Ohio 45241 (US) • Bodet, Jean-Francois (62) Document number(s) of the earlier application(s) in 1330 Rixensaert (BE) accordance with Art. 76 EPC: • Demeyere, Hugo Jean Marie 93910964.1 /0 640 121 1785 Merchtem (BE) • Hartman, Frederick Anthony (71 ) Applicant: THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY Cincinnati, Ohio 45242 (US) Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (US) (74) Representative: Engisch, Gautier et al (72) Inventors: BVBA Procter & Gamble Europe SPRL, • Hubesch, Bruno Albert Jean Temselaan 100 3601 Leefdaal(BE) 1853 Strombeek-Bever (BE) • Mermelstein, Robert, (NMN) Cincinnati, Ohio 45224 (US) Remarks: • Taylor, Lucille Florence This application was filed on 05 - 08 - 1 998 as a West Chester, Ohio 45069 (US) divisional application to the application mentioned under INID code 62. (54) Concentrated fabric softener compositions containing biodegradable fabric softeners (57) Compositions are disclosed containing fabric ethoxylated nonionic surfactants and/or mixtures there- softener compound having two hydrophobic groups at- of. Premix mixtures of the DEQA and viscosity modifiers tached to the remainder of the compound through ester to lower the viscosity of the molten DEQA are disclosed. linkages (DEQA), said compositions being concentrat- Processes for making aqueous liquid compositions from ed and containing viscosity/dispersibility modifiers solid particulate compositions containing the DEQA and which are single long chain cationic surfactants, highly processes of softening fabrics with the compositions are also disclosed. < 00 ^- 00 ^> O) CO o a. LU Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR) EP 0 894 848 A1 Description TECHNICAL FIELD 5 [0001] The present invention relates to concentrated solid textile treatment compositions. In particular, it relates to textile treatment compositions for use in the rinse cycle of a textile laundering operation to provide fabric softening/ static control benefits, the compositions being characterized by excellent storage stability and viscosity characteristics, as well as biodegradability. 10 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The prior art discloses many problems associated with formulating and preparing fabric conditioning formu- lations. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,533, Neiditch etal. issued Sept. 9, 1975. Japanese Laid Open Publication 1,249,129, filed Oct. 4, 1989, discloses a problem with dispersing fabric softener actives containing two long hydro- 's phobic chains interrupted by ester linkages ("diester quaternary ammonium compounds") and solves it by rapid mixing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,414, Chang, issued Nov. 19, 1991, teaches and claims compositions containing mixtures of qua- ternary ammonium salts containing at least one ester linkage, nonionic surfactant such as a linear alkoxylated alcohol, and liquid carrier for improved stability and dispersibility. U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,547, Straathof et al., issued Aug. 30, 1 988, claims compositions containing either diester, or monoester quaternary ammonium compounds where the nitro- 20 gen has either one, two, or three methyl groups, stabilized by maintaining a critical low pH of from 2.5 to 4.2. [0003] U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,578, Verbruggen, issued Aug. 30, 1983 discloses hydrocarbons, fatty acids, fatty acid esters, and fatty alcohols as viscosity control agents for fabric softeners (the fabric softeners are disclosed as optionally comprising ester linkages in the hydrophobic chains). WO 89/1 1 5 22-A (DE 3,81 8,061 -A; EP-346,634-A), with a priority of May 27, 1 988, discloses diester quaternary ammonium fabric softener components plus a fatty acid. European Pat. 25 No. 243,735 discloses sorbitan esters plus diester quaternary ammonium compounds to improve dispersions of con- centrated softener compositions. [0004] The art also teaches compounds that alter the structure of diester quaternary ammonium compounds by substituting, e.g., a hydroxy ethyl for a methyl group or a polyalkoxy group for the alkoxy group in the two hydrophobic chains. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,867, Kang et al., issued Oct. 28, 1975, discloses the substitution of a hydrox- 30 yethyl group for a methyl group. A softener material with specific cis/trans content in the long hydrophobic groups is disclosed in Jap. Pat. Appln. 63-194316, filed Nov. 21, 1988. Compounds with alkoxy, acyloxy, and alkyl groups are disclosed in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,642, Rutzen et al., issued May 8, 1990. [0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,823, Jaques et al., issued July 4, 1 989, teaches fabric softener compositions containing, as one option, 3% to 20% diester quaternary ammonium compound, as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,867, supra, and fatty 35 alcohol to improve softening performance. [0006] Diester quaternary ammonium compounds with a fatty acid, alkyl sulfate, or alkyl sulfonate anion are disclosed in European Pat. No. 336, 267-A with a priority of April 2, 1988. European Pat. No. 418,273, with a priority date of May 22, 1988, discloses, e.g., diester quaternary ammonium compounds and DTDMAC (ditallow dimethyl ammonium chlo- ride) for improved release from a substrate in an automatic clothes dryer. 40 [0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,642, Rutzen et al., issued May 8, 1990, discloses ester fabric softener materials, but with a different fatty acid, i.e., one that is etherified. (The fatty acid is substituted with hydroxy, alkoxy, etc. groups.) [0008] Ger. Often. 1 ,935,499, Distler et al., published Jan. 14, 1971 , discloses the reaction of fatty acid methyl esters with alkyl diethanolamine and quaternized by methyl sulfate to create a diester quaternary ammonium fabric softener. [0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,554, Walz et al., issued June 26, 1 984, discloses alkyl diacyloxyalkyl amines quaternized 45 by trialkyl phosphonates or phosphites. [0010] Ger. Often. DE 638,918, Henkel, published May 18, 1988 as EP 267,551-A, discloses diester quaternary ammonium compounds in which the fatty acid is substituted by a hydroxy fatty acid. [0011] E.P Pat. Appln. 284,036-A, Hofinger et al., published Mar. 23, 1988, discloses preparation of diester quater- nary ammonium compounds by reacting alkanolamine with a glyceride. (The German equivalent is DE 3710064). so [0012] U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,321 , Walley, issued Feb. 28, 1989, teaches fabric softener compositions comprising mo- noester analogs of ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride which are dispersed in a liquid carrier as sub-micron particles through high shear mixing, or particles can optionally be stabilized with emulsifiers such as nonionic C14-18 ethoxy- lates. [0013] Ger. Often. 8,911 ,522, Volkel et al., published May 27, 1988, describes aqueous fabric softener compositions 55 with a diester quaternary ammonium compound having two C10 to C22 acyloxyalkyl chains and a fatty acid. [0014] Ger. Often. 9,101 ,295, Trius etal., published July 17, 1989, describes a process to prepare diester quaternary ammonium compounds by reacting alkanolamine and fatty acid. Thereafter, the amine is alkylated to form the quater- nary compound. 2 EP 0 894 848 A1 [0015] E. P. Appln. 336,267, Rutzen et al., with a priority date of April 2, 1988, and published Oct. 11, 1989, discloses diester quaternary ammonium compounds having at least one hydroxyalkyl group. [0016] EP 523 287 (E.P Appln. No. 91201887.6, Demeyere etal.,) filed July 8, 1991, teaches perfume/active mixes adsorbed on finely divided silica. 5 [0017] E.P. Appln. 243,735, Nusslein et al., published Nov. 4, 1987, discloses sorbitan ester plus diester quaternary ammonium compounds to improve dispersibility of concentrated dispersions. [0018] E.P. Appln. 409,502, Tandela et al., published Jan. 23, 1991, discloses, e.g., ester quaternary ammonium compounds, and a fatty acid material or its salt. [0019] E.P. Appln. 240,727, Nusslein et al., priority date of March 12, 1986, teaches diester quaternary ammonium 10 compounds with soaps or fatty acids for improved dispersibility in water. [0020] U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,554, Lange et al., issued Oct. 17, 1989, discloses diester quaternary ammonium com- pounds having polyethoxy groups and the process of making these compounds for use in hair cosmetic preparations. [0021] WO 93/16157 discloses a liquid fabric softening composition comprising a quaternary ammonium fabric sof- tener compound and a quaternised fattty acid amidoamine salt as a viscosity regulator. is [0022] WO 93/19147 discloses a liquid fabric softener composition comprising a quaternary ammonium fabric sof- tener compound in an amount of from 1% to 40% by weight and an ethoxylated hydrophobic material as a scum dispersant in an amount of from 0.2% to 12% by weght. [0023] EP-0,568,297 discloses a solid fabric softening composition comprising a cationic fabric softener of 1 -trimethyl ammonium-2,3-di-hardened tallowoyloxy propane chloride type and a nonionic dispersant. All the examples are dis- 20 closing coco alcohol with 10 mols ethoxylation as the nonionic dispersant. [0024] EP-0,569, 1 84 discloses a solid fabric softening composition comprising a cationic fabric softener of the 1 -tri- methyl ammonium-2,3-di-hardened tallowoyloxy propane chloride type and a nonionic dispersant. [0025] All of the above patents and patent applications are incororated herein by reference. 25 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0026] The concentrated fabric softener compositions herein are selected from the group consisting of: I. a solid particulate composition comprising: 30 (A) from about 50% to about 95% of biodegradable diester quaternary ammonium fabric softening compound; and (B) from about 3% to about 30% of viscosity and/or dispersibility modifier selected from the group consisting of: 35 1.