United States Patent (19) . 11, 3,943,234 Roggenkamp (45) Mar. 9, 1976 54 ACIDIC EMOLLIENT LIQUID DETERGENT 3,449,430 6/1969 Dohr............................... 252/547 X COMPOSITION 3,470,102 9/1969 Heinz.............................. 252/528 X 3496, E 10 2/1970 Shumway.......................... 252/142 75) Inventor: Charles L. Roggenkamp, Cincinnati, 3,557,006 1197. Ferrara ............................... 252f 7 Ohio 3,658,985 4/1972 Olson.................................... 424/70 73) Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company, 3,679,611 7/972 Gerecht .............................. 252/542 3,711,44 | 1973 Hewitt.... 252/ 18 Cincinnati, Ohio 3,793,233 2/1974 Rose.... 252/547 22 Filed: Aug. 9, 1973 3,808,311 4/1974 Olson.................................... 424/70 (21) Appl. No.: 386,929 3,809,659 51974 Gerecht .............................. 252/542 Primary Examiner-Dennis E. Talbert, Jr. 52 U.S. C. ................ 424/343; 252/142; 252/43; Assistant Examiner-Dennis L. Albrecht 252/144; 252/153; 252/154; 252/173; Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Jerry J. Yetter; Richard C. 252/547; 252/DIG. 5; 252/DIG. 13; Witte; Thomas H. O Flaherty 252/DIG. 14; 424/325 (51) Int. Cl.?... C11D 1775; C1 1D 3120; C1D 3/46; C1 1D 17/08 (57) ABSTRACT 58 Field of Search ........... 252/117, 1 18, 142, 143, 252/144, 153, 173, 528,547, DIG. 5, DIG. Liquid compositions containing an amine oxide, an 13, DIG. 14, 154; 424/325, 343, 358 occlusive emollient, and a pH controlling agent exhibit enhanced adsorption of the emollient material on ke 56) References Cited ratinous substrates such as skin when employed as a UNITED STATES PATENTS detergent composition at an acid pH. 3,442,812 5/1969 Barnhurst........................... 252/42 7 Claims, No Drawings 3,943,234 1 2 the use of amine oxides in conjunction with many of the ACIDIC EMOLLIENT LIQUID DETERGENT usual detergent adjuvants, such use is consistently at COMPOSTION pH's within the basic range, rather than at the acidic ranges employed in the instant invention. Accordingly, BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION the prior art does not appear to have recognized that This invention relates to compositions specifically amine oxides can be employed under acidic conditions designed to promote the deposition of emollient mate to lipophilize the skin, thereby promoting the adsorp rials on skin while concurrently performing a cleaning tion of emollient materials thereto. function. More particularly, the invention encompasses It is an object of the present invention to provide liquid detergent compositions especially adapted for 10 liquid detergent compositions which achieve an emol dishwashing and other cleaning uses under conditions lient effect on keratinous surfaces such as skin and hair which involve the immersion of skin in water contain when employed in an aqueous washing solution. ing said detergent compositions. The detergent compo It is a further object herein to provide emollient de sitions herein enhance the deposition of the emollient tergent compositions specifically adapted to hand dish on the skin and provide an occlusive film thereon. 5 washing and hand laundering. The use of emollients in light duty liquid detergents These and other objects are obtained herein as will and shampoo compositions is well known. The desir be seen from the following disclosure. ability of compositions which provide an emollient benefit to skin concurrently with a detergent effect has SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION long been recognized, but has been difficult to achieve. 20 The present invention encompasses liquid detergent The mechanisms of emollient deposition and soil re compositions which provide emolliency benefits when moval are generally in conflict. Emollient materials are used in contact with skin, hair or other keratinous sur usually oily in nature and provide a "load' which sub faces, comprising: stantially detracts from the cleaning and sudsing of i. from about 0.5 to about 50% by weight of an amine detergent compounds. Conversely, the cleaning action 25 oxide of the formula RR'R''NO, wherein R is an of the detergent component of such compositions usu alkyl group containing from about 8 to about 30 ally removes oily or waxy emollients from the skin, carbon atoms, and wherein R' and R'' are each thereby frustrating the purpose for including such ma alkyl groups containing from about 1 to about 18 terials in detergent compositions. carbon atoms; By the present invention there are provided liquid 30 ii. from about 0.5 to about 20% by weight of a water detergent compositions comprising an emollient mate insoluble emolient; rial, an amine oxide and a pH controlling agent. It has iii. from about 0.1 to about 20% by weight of a pH been discovered that the use of an amine oxide at an controlling agent; acid pH results in an increase of the lipophilic charac iv. the balance of said composition comprising a ter of keratinous surfaces such as skin or hair. The 35 liquid carrier, increased lipophilic character of the keratinous surface the pH of a 0.2% by weight aqueous solution of said enhances the adsorption of waxy or oily emollients composition being in the acidic range. thereon. Accordingly, enhanced deposition of waxy The detergent compositions herein are preferably and oily emollients onto surfaces such as skin is employed in an aqueous solution at a concentration of achieved by the compositions herein. 40 about 0.2% by weight. Of course, the amount employed Previous efforts have been directed to the formula will depend on the desires of the user and the soil load tion of detergent compositions and shampoos contain encountered. ing emollient materials. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. The compositions herein can be used to cleanse fab 2,519,062; 1,674,580 and British Pat. No. 1,054,244 rics, hard surfaces such as dishes, floors and walls, or disclose compositions comprising an anionic surfactant 45 for personal care. The compositions are especially and oily or waxy emollient materials. However, the adapted for use in hand laundering and hand dishwash compositions disclosed in these patents are not specifi ing operations and provide desirable skin softening and cally designed to promote the adsorption of the emol emolliency benefits concurrently with cleaning. lients onto skin in the manner of the present invention. The use of amine oxides in emollient-containing de 50 DETALED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION tergent compositions is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. The liquid detergent compositions herein comprise 3,533,955 and in THE CHEMICAL FORMULARY, three essential components, as well as a carrier liquid. Vol. XVI, page 88. An aerosol shaving cream compris The compositions can optionally contain auxiliary ma ing a stearic acid soap, an amine oxide and a silicone terials designed to augment their cleaning and aesthetic fluid is described in THE CHEMICAL FORMULARY, 55 attributes. These various components are described in Vol. XVI, page 120. U.S. Pat. No. 3,098,794 relates to detail, below. hair grooming compositions comprising fatty alcohols and amine oxides. British Pat. No. 1,254,309 discloses The Amine Oxide Component shampoos comprising amine oxide conditioning agents. The amine oxides employed in the present invention However, none of the foregoing references discloses 60 are of the general formula RR'R''NO, wherein R is an the use of amine oxides in combination with waterin alkyl group containing from about 8 to about 30, pref soluble emollients and a pH controlling agent capable erably about 8 to about 18, carbon atoms. Groups R' of maintaining the pH of an aqueous washing medium and R'' are each alkyl groups containing from about within the acid range. to about 18, preferably from about 1 to about 4, carbon Amine oxides are well known for use in detergent 65 atons. compositions; see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,001,945; 3,223,647; Amine oxides of the type useful herein can be pre 3,281,368; 3,441,508, 3,441,611; 3,441,612; pared by the oxidation of tertiary amines in the manner 3,450,637; and 3,313,734. While these patents suggest set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,223,647 and British Pat. No. 3,943,234 3 4 437,566. In general terms, amine oxides are prepared Cetyl alcohol (hexadecanol) is an especially pre by the controlled oxidation of the corresponding ter ferred emollient material for use in the present compo tiary amines. sitions. Non-limiting examples of tertiary amine oxides useful in the compositions herein are dodecyldimethyl amine The pH Controlling Agent oxide, tridecyldimethyl amine oxide, tetradecyl The amine oxide component of the instant composi dimethyl amine oxide, pentadecyldimethyl amine ox tions performs its lipophilizing effect on skin when ide, hexadecyldimethyl amine oxide, heptadecyl employed under acidic conditions. Accordingly, the dimethyl amine oxide, octadecyldimethyl amine oxide, compositions herein are formulated to provide an dodecyldiethyl amine oxide, tetradecyldiethyl amine O acidic pH in aqueous cleaning solutions. Since neither oxide, hexadecyldiethyl amine oxide, octadecyldiethyl the amine oxide nor the emollient component of the amine oxide, dodecyldipropyl amine oxide, tetradecyl compositions appreciably contributes to the acidula dipropyl amine oxide, hexadecyldipropyl amine oxide. tion of the cleaning solution, a pH controlling agent is octadecyldipropyl amine oxide, dodecyldibutyl amine employed in the compositions. oxide, tetradecyldibutyl amine oxide, hexadecyldibutyl 5 While the compositions herein are useful at any pH amine oxide, octadecyldibutyl amine oxide, dodecyl below neutrality, it is preferred that they be employed methylethyl amine oxide, tetradecylethylpropyl amine in a cleaning solution at a pH of from 4.0 to 6.9. oxide, hexadecylpropylbutyl amine oxide, and oc Inorganic acids, such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric tadecylmethylbutyl amine oxide. acid and the like can be employed in the instant com Also useful herein are the amine oxides which are positions to maintain the pH of the aqueous cleaning prepared by the oxidation of tertiary amines prepared solution within the desired pH range.