Laundry detergent composition comprising a dye fixative and a stabilizer

Abstract

The present invention is titled "Laundry Detergent Composition Comprising a Dye Fixative and a Stabilizer". The present invention discloses a laundry detergent composition comprising a dye fixative and a crystalline hydroxy-containing stabilizer. The laundry detergent composition is characterized in that the stabilizer can improve the stability of the laundry detergent composition comprising the dye fixative.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a laundry detergent composition comprising a dye fixative and a stabilizer. Background Art

[0002] With the development of detergent products, consumers' needs in terms of cleaning have been well met. However, there are still some other unmet consumer needs in the field of laundry washing. Specifically, one of the unmet needs is to prevent colored textiles from fading or bleeding during the washing cycle.

[0003] Due to the release of dyes from textiles, especially in the case of dark textiles made of cotton and cotton blend fabrics, colored textiles can fade during several washing cycles. On the other hand, bleeding may occur, that is, textiles of different colors or white may be dyed by the dyes released from the dyed textiles, so if dyed textiles are washed simultaneously, the dye concentration in the washing liquid is relatively high. Fading or bleeding will lead to a rapid deterioration of the appearance of colored textiles. Therefore, there is a continuing need for laundry detergent compositions that can prevent fading and / or bleeding.

[0004] Currently, to solve the problem of fading or bleeding, so-called dye fixatives are used in detergent compositions. Such dye fixatives are usually cationic polymers, which can bind negatively charged dyes on the textile or in the washing liquid in order to prevent the dyes from detaching from the colored textile, or prevent the dyes from redepositing on white textiles or textiles with different dyes. However, introducing such dye fixatives into liquid detergent compositions may impair the stability of the liquid detergent compositions, that is, the dye fixatives have a tendency to phase separate and / or flocculate from the aqueous phase.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need to provide a stable laundry detergent composition comprising a dye fixative. Specifically, it is desirable that a laundry detergent composition comprising a dye fixative be sufficiently stable during its shelf life. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention surprisingly and unexpectedly finds that incorporating a crystalline hydroxyl-containing stabilizer into a laundry detergent composition comprising a dye fixative can significantly improve the stability of the laundry detergent composition.

[0007] Accordingly, the present invention in one aspect relates to a laundry detergent composition comprising:

[0008] a) 0.01% to 10% by weight of the composition of a dye fixative, wherein the dye fixative is selected from:

[0009] i) reaction products of polyamines with cyanamide and acids (such as organic acids and / or inorganic acids),

[0010] ii) reaction products of cyanamide with aldehydes and ammonium salts,

[0011] iii) reaction products of cyanamide with aldehydes and amines, or

[0012] iv) reaction products of amines with epichlorohydrin; and

[0013] v) any combination thereof.

[0014] b) 0.01% to 10% by weight of the composition of a crystalline hydroxy-containing stabilizer.

[0015] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the composition is a liquid composition, and the liquid composition comprises:

[0016] a) 0.15% to 0.9% by weight of the composition of a dye fixative, wherein the dye fixative is selected from the reaction product of dimethylamine and epichlorohydrin;

[0017] b) 0.05% to 1% by weight of the composition of hydrogenated castor oil (HCO) and / or 0.05% to 1% by weight of the composition of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC);

[0018] c) 0.15% to 2% by weight of the composition of an amine oxide, the amine oxide being a C6-C20 alkyldimethylamine oxide;

[0019] d) 4% to 15% by weight of the composition of a nonionic surfactant system, the nonionic surfactant system comprising C10-C16 ethoxylated alcohols having a weight-average degree of ethoxylation in the range of: 5 to 15, preferably 6 to 12, and more preferably 7 to 10; and

[0020] e) 1% to 10% by weight of the composition of an anionic surfactant system, the anionic surfactant system comprising C10-C16 LAS and C10-C16 alkyl ethoxysulfates, wherein preferably, the C10-C16 LAS is present in an amount in the range of 10% to 90% by weight of the anionic surfactant system;

[0021] wherein the weight ratio of the nonionic surfactant system to the anionic surfactant system is between 1.5 and 8.

[0022] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the composition is a unit-dose composition, and the unit-dose composition comprises:

[0023] a) 0.5% to 3% by weight of the composition of the dye fixative, wherein the dye fixative is selected from the reaction product of dimethylamine and epichlorohydrin;

[0024] b) 0.05% to 1% of hydrogenated castor oil by weight of the composition and / or 0.05% to 2% of microcrystalline cellulose by weight of the composition;

[0025] c) 0.5% to 8% of the amine oxide by weight of the composition, the amine oxide being C6-C 20 alkyl dimethyl amine oxide;

[0026] d) 10% to 35% of the non-ionic surfactant system by weight of the composition, the non-ionic surfactant system comprising C 10 -C 16 ethoxylated alcohol with a weight average degree of ethoxylation in the range of 7 to 9; and

[0027] e) 3% to 25% of the anionic surfactant system by weight of the composition, the anionic surfactant system comprising C 10 -C 16 LAS and C 10 -C 16 alkyl ethoxysulfate, wherein the C 10 -C 16 LAS is present in an amount in the range of 40% to 90% by weight of the anionic surfactant system;

[0028] wherein the weight ratio of the non-ionic surfactant system to the anionic surfactant system is between 1.5 and 8.

[0029] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for protecting the color of a colored fabric, the method comprising contacting the colored fabric with a laundry detergent composition as described above. Preferably, the protection of the color is achieved by fixing the dye in the colored fabric and / or preventing the colored fabric from fading or bleeding.

[0030] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for preventing a colored fabric from fading or bleeding, the method comprising contacting the colored fabric with a laundry detergent composition as described above.

[0031] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for fixing a dye in a colored fabric, the method comprising contacting the colored fabric with a laundry detergent composition as described above.

[0032] The advantage of the laundry detergent composition is to provide improved stability to a laundry detergent composition containing a dye fixative.

[0033] Another advantage of the laundry detergent composition is the delivery of effective color protection to colored fabrics, including, for example, preventing fading and / or bleeding and dye fixation.

[0034] Another advantage of the laundry detergent composition is the provision of a balance in performance between colored fabrics having different colors (e.g., red and blue). Detailed Description

[0035] Definition

[0036] As used herein, when used in the claims, the articles "a" and "an" shall be understood to mean one or more of the substances claimed or described.

[0037] As used herein, the terms "comprise", "comprises", "comprising", "include", "includes", "including", "contain", "contains", "containing" are non-limiting, i.e., other steps and other ingredients may be added without affecting the result. The above terms encompass the terms "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of".

[0038] As used herein, when a composition is "substantially free of" a particular ingredient, it means that the composition contains less than a trace, or less than 0.1%, or less than 0.01%, or less than 0.001% by weight of the composition of the particular ingredient.

[0039] As used herein, the term "laundry detergent composition" refers to a composition for cleaning contaminated materials, including fabrics. Such compositions can be used as laundry pre-treatment agents, laundry post-treatment agents, or can be added during the rinse cycle or wash cycle of a laundry washing operation. The laundry detergent composition can have a form selected from the following: liquid, powder, unit dose such as single-compartment or multi-compartment unit dose, sachet, tablet, gel, paste, bar, or sheet. Preferably, the laundry detergent composition is a liquid or unit dose composition. The term "liquid laundry detergent composition" as used herein refers to a composition in a form selected from: pourable liquid, gel, cream, and combinations thereof. The liquid laundry detergent composition can be aqueous or non-aqueous, and can be anisotropic, isotropic, or a combination thereof. The term "unit dose laundry detergent composition" as used herein refers to a water-soluble sachet containing a certain volume of liquid, the liquid being encapsulated by a water-soluble film.

[0040] As used herein, the term "primary surfactant" refers to a surfactant present in a composition in an amount greater than any other surfactant contained in such composition. Similarly, the term "primary anionic surfactant" refers to an anionic surfactant present in a composition in an amount greater than any other anionic surfactant contained in such composition.

[0041] As used herein, the term "majority surfactant" refers to a surfactant present in such composition in an amount of at least 50% by weight of the total surfactant content. Similarly, the term "majority anionic surfactant" refers to an anionic surfactant present in such composition in an amount of at least 50% by weight of the total anionic surfactant content.

[0042] As used herein, the term "alkyl" refers to a branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon moiety. Included in the term "alkyl" is the alkyl portion of an acyl group.

[0043] As used herein, the term "washing solution" refers to an aqueous solution in a typical amount for one laundry cycle, preferably 1 L to 50 L, or 1 L to 20 L for hand washing and 20 L to 50 L for machine washing.

[0044] As used herein, the term "soiled fabric" is used non-specifically and can refer to any type of fabric made of natural or man-made fibers, including natural fibers, man-made fibers and synthetic fibers, such as but not limited to cotton, linen, wool, polyester, nylon, silk, acrylic, etc., as well as various blends and combinations.

[0045] Dye Fixative

[0046] The dye fixative of the present invention is a cationic polymer. Without being bound by any theory, it is believed that such a dye fixative having a positive charge can bind to a dye having a negative charge through charge interaction, and then prevent the dye from leaving the textile or prevent the dye from redepositing onto a textile of a different color. Specifically, the dye fixative can be selected from the reaction products of: i) polyamines with cyanamide and organic and / or inorganic acids, ii) cyanamide with aldehydes and ammonium salts, iii) cyanamide with aldehydes and amines, or iv) amines with epichlorohydrin. Preferably, the dye fixative can be selected from the reaction products of amines with epichlorohydrin, wherein the amine is a primary amine, a secondary amine or a tertiary amine. More preferably, the dye fixative can be selected from the reaction products of dimethylamine with epichlorohydrin. Most preferably, the dye fixative can be poly(2-hydroxypropyl dimethyl ammonium chloride), also known as poly(dimethylamine-co-epichlorohydrin), for example, a polymer (CAS#: 25988-97-0) commercially available under the trade name TEXCARE DFC 6 from Clariant.

[0047] The term "amine" includes monoamines and polyamines. The monoamines used herein can be primary amines, secondary amines, and tertiary amines. They can be aliphatic amines, such as dialkylamines, especially dimethylamine; cycloaliphatic amines, such as cyclohexylamine; and aromatic amines, such as aniline. However, the amines used herein can also have aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, and aromatic substituents simultaneously. In addition, heterocyclic compounds, such as pyridine, can also be used. The term "polyamine" includes, for example, diamines, triamines, tetraamines, etc. in this article, and also includes similar N-alkyl polyamines and N,N-dialkyl polyamines. Examples thereof are ethylenediamine, propylenediamine, butylenediamine, pentylenediamine, hexamethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, and higher polyamines. Particularly preferred polyamines can be ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, and dimethylaminopropylamine. Ammonium salts are salts of ammonia, especially ammonium chloride or the above-mentioned amines or polyamines with different inorganic acids or organic acids, or other quaternary ammonium salts.

[0048] Cyanamide can be monocyanamide or dicyanamide. The aldehydes used herein can include, for example, aliphatic aldehydes, such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde; dialdehydes, such as glyoxal; unsaturated aldehydes, such as acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and aromatic aldehydes such as benzaldehyde. Particularly preferred aldehydes can be aliphatic aldehydes such as formaldehyde.

[0049] The dye fixatives used herein can also be homopolymers and copolymers based on diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DADMAC). Copolymers based on DADMAC contain other vinyl monomers as other components, such as vinylimidazole, vinylpyrrolidone, vinyl alcohol, vinyl acetate, (meth)acrylic acid / ester, acrylamide, styrene, styrenesulfonic acid, acrylamidomethylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), etc. The homopolymer based on DADMAC can be obtained under the trade names 3954, Dodigen 4033, and Genamin PDAC (from Clariant).

[0050] Preferably, the dye fixatives suitable for the present disclosure can be selected from the reaction products of amines and epichlorohydrin, where the amine is a primary amine, secondary amine, or tertiary amine. More preferably, the dye fixatives suitable for the present invention can be selected from the reaction products of dimethylamine and epichlorohydrin. Most preferably, the dye fixative can be poly(2-hydroxypropyl dimethylammonium chloride).

[0051] In one embodiment, the dye fixative is poly(2-hydroxypropyl dimethylammonium chloride) of formula (I):

[0052]

[0053] where n is an integer from 5 to 1000.

[0054] The dye fixative in the composition according to the present disclosure may be present in an amount within the following ranges by weight of the composition: 0.02% to 5%, preferably 0.05% to 2%, more preferably 0.1% to 1.5%, most preferably 0.15% to 0.9%, for example 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.9%, 1.0% or any range therebetween.

[0055] Stabilizer

[0056] The stabilizer suitable for the present invention may be a crystalline hydroxy-containing stabilizer.

[0057] Preferably, the stabilizer may be selected from microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) or its derivatives, castor oil or its derivatives, hydrogenated castor oil (HCO) or its derivatives, and any combination thereof. More preferably, the stabilizer may be microcrystalline cellulose or its derivatives and / or hydrogenated castor oil or its derivatives.

[0058] MCC is a naturally occurring polymer. It is composed of glucose units linked by 1-4β glycosidic bonds. These linear cellulose chains are bundled together in the form of microfibrils that are helically linked in the plant cell wall. It has been used in food applications and pharmaceutical tablets.

[0059] Castor oil may include glycerides containing a C 10 to C 22 alkyl or alkenyl moiety, especially triglycerides. The hydrogenation of castor oil used to prepare HCO converts the double bonds that may be present in the castor oil-based moiety in the starting oil to convert the castor oil-based moiety into a saturated hydroxyalkyl moiety, such as hydroxystearyl. In some embodiments, the HCO herein may be selected from: glyceryl trihydroxystearate; glyceryl dihydroxystearate; and mixtures thereof. HCO may be treated in any suitable starting form, including but not limited to those selected from solids, melts, and mixtures thereof.

[0060] In some preferred embodiments, the stabilizer is incorporated into the liquid detergent composition by using one or more external structuring systems (ESSs) comprising the stabilizer. The ESSs suitable for the present invention may comprise: (a) a stabilizer; (b) an alkanolamine, such as monoethanolamine (MEA); (c) an anionic surfactant, such as: linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS); and (d) additional components.

[0061] HCO is typically present in the ESS of the present invention in an amount of about 2% to about 10%, about 3% to about 8%, or about 4% to about 6% by weight of the structured system. In some embodiments, the corresponding percentage of hydrogenated castor oil delivered to the finished laundry detergent product is less than about 1.0%, typically 0.1% to 0.8%.

[0062] The available HCO may have the following characteristics: a melting point of about 40°C to about 100°C, or about 65°C to about 95°C; and / or an iodine value range of 0 to about 5, 0 to about 4, or 0 to about 2.6. The melting point of HCO can be measured using ASTM D3418 or ISO 11357; both tests utilize DSC: differential scanning calorimetry.

[0063] The HCO used in the present invention includes those that are commercially available. Non-limiting examples of commercially available HCOs for use in the present invention include those obtained from Rheox, Inc. The source of castor oil used for hydrogenation to form HCO can be any suitable source, such as from Brazil or India. In a suitable embodiment, castor oil is hydrogenated using a noble metal such as a palladium catalyst, and the hydrogenation temperature and pressure are controlled to optimize the hydrogenation of the double bonds of natural castor oil while avoiding unacceptable levels of dehydroxylation.

[0064] The stabilizer in the composition according to the present disclosure may be present in an amount within the following ranges by weight of the composition: 0.01% to 9%, preferably 0.02% to 8%, more preferably 0.03% to 5%, still more preferably 0.05% to 3%, most preferably 0.06% to 2%, such as 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.5%, 0.7%, 1%, 2% or any range therebetween.

[0065] Oxidized Amine

[0066] The amine oxides suitable for use in the present invention may be selected from C6-C 20 alkyldimethylamine oxides (AO) and combinations thereof.

[0067] Preferably, the amine oxide is characterized by the following structure:

[0068]

[0069] wherein R 1 is a C 6-20 alkyl, C 6-20 hydroxyalkyl, or C 6-20 alkylphenyl group; each R 2 is a C 2-5 alkylene, or C 2-5 hydroxyalkylene group; x is from 0 to about 3; and each R3 is C 1-3 alkyl, C 1-3 hydroxyalkyl, or poly(ethylene oxide) containing from about 1 to about 3 ethyleneoxy (EO) units. Preferably, the amine oxide can be C 8-18 alkyldimethylamine oxide, preferably C 10-16 alkyldimethylamine oxide.

[0070] Preferably, the amine oxide is selected from dodecyldimethylamine oxide, tetradecyldimethylamine oxide, and combinations thereof. More preferably, the amine oxide comprises dodecyldimethylamine oxide having the following formula (III):

[0071]

[0072] Such compounds are also known as lauryldimethylamine oxide or dodecyldimethylamine-N-oxide (DDAO). It can be commercially obtained under the trade name LO from Huntsman.

[0073] The amine oxide in the composition according to the present disclosure can be present in an amount in the following ranges by weight of the composition: 0.01% to 10%, preferably 0.02% to 8%, more preferably 0.1% to 3%, most preferably 0.15% to 2%, for example 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.9%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, 4%, 5% or any range therebetween.

[0074] Anionic Surfactant

[0075] The laundry detergent composition of the present invention may comprise an anionic surfactant system. Specifically, the laundry detergent composition of the present invention may comprise from 0.1% to 50% of an anionic surfactant system by weight of the composition.

[0076] Preferably, the anionic surfactant system may comprise an anionic surfactant selected from C6-C 20 linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), C6-C 20 alkyl sulfates (AS), C6-C 20 alkyl alkoxysulfates (AAS), C6-C 20 methyl ester sulfonates (MES), C6-C 20 alkyl ether carboxylates (AEC), and any combination thereof. More preferably, the anionic surfactant system may comprise C6-C 20 LAS and optionally additional anionic surfactants such as C6-C 20 AS and / or C6-C20 AAS. In one embodiment, LAS is C 10 -C 16 LAS, preferably C 12 -C 14 LAS.

[0077] LAS is typically prepared by sulfonating (using SO2 and SO3) alkylbenzene followed by neutralization. Suitable alkylbenzene feedstocks can be prepared from olefins, paraffins, or mixtures thereof using any suitable alkylation scheme (including sulfuric acid and HF-based methods). By varying the exact alkylation catalyst, the position at which benzene is covalently linked to the aliphatic hydrocarbon chain can be varied to a large extent. Thus, the 2-phenyl isomer and / or internal isomer content of LAS herein can vary widely.

[0078] In some embodiments of the laundry detergent composition, C6-C 20 LAS may be present in an amount within the following ranges based on the weight of the anionic surfactant: 1% to 100%, preferably 10% to 99%, more preferably 20% to 95%, most preferably 30% to 90%, for example 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% or any range therebetween.

[0079] In some embodiments of the laundry detergent composition, the content of LAS is preferably higher than the content of any other anionic surfactant contained in such composition, i.e., LAS is the main anionic surfactant in such composition.

[0080] Anionic surfactants suitable for the present disclosure may also include C6-C 20 alkyl sulfates (AS), C6-C 20 alkyl alkoxysulfates (AAS), C6-C 20 methyl ester sulfonates (MES), C6-C 20 alkyl ether carboxylates (AEC), or any combination thereof. For example, the laundry detergent composition may contain C6-C 20 alkyl alkoxysulfates (AA x S), where x is about 1 - 30, preferably about 1 - 15, more preferably about 1 - 10, and most preferably x is about 1 - 3. Such AA x S may have a straight-chain or branched-chain alkyl chain, and among them, mid-chain branched AA x S surfactants are particularly preferred. Preferred AA x S groups include C 12 -C 14 alkyl alkoxysulfates with x being about 1 - 3. AA xThe amount of surfactant S can be in the following ranges by weight of the composition: about 0.05% to about 100%, preferably about 0.1% to about 80%, more preferably about 0.5% to about 50%, most preferably about 1% to about 30%, such as 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% or any range therebetween.

[0081] In some embodiments, the weight ratio of LAS to AA x is at least 0.6, preferably at least 0.8, more preferably at least 0.9, most preferably at least 1, such as 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1, 1.2, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 or any range therebetween.

[0082] The anionic surfactant system in the composition according to the present disclosure can be present in an amount in the following ranges by weight of the composition: 0.1% to 45%, preferably 0.5% to 40%, more preferably 1% to 35%, most preferably 2% to 30%, such as 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50% or any range therebetween.

[0083] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the anionic surfactant in the composition according to the present disclosure may comprise less than 30%, preferably less than 20%, more preferably less than 10%, most preferably less than 5% soap by weight of the anionic surfactant.

[0084] Nonionic Surfactant (NI)

[0085] The laundry detergent composition of the present invention may comprise a nonionic surfactant system. The nonionic surfactant system may comprise a nonionic surfactant selected from alkyl alkoxylated alcohols, alkyl alkoxylated phenols, alkyl polysaccharides, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, alkoxylated fatty acid esters, alkyl polyglycosides (APG), methyl ester ethoxylates (MEE), sucrose esters, sorbitan esters and alkoxylated derivatives of sorbitan esters, and any combination thereof. Preferably, the nonionic surfactant system may comprise C6-C 20 alkoxylated alcohols having a weight average degree of alkoxylation in the following ranges: 1 to 20, preferably 5 to 15, more preferably 7 to 10. More preferably, the nonionic surfactant system may comprise C8-C 18 ethoxylated alcohols having a weight average degree of ethoxylation in the following ranges: 1 to 20, preferably 5 to 15, more preferably 7 to 10.

[0086] Non-limiting examples of nonionic surfactants suitable for use herein include: C12 -C 18 Alkyl ethoxylates, such as C where EO is 7 - 9 12 -C 14 Alkyl ethoxylates; available from Shell Nonionic surfactants; C6 - C 12 Alkylphenol alkoxylates, where the alkoxylate units are a mixture of ethyleneoxy and propyleneoxy units; C 12 -C 18 Alcohols and C6 - C 12 Condensates of alkylphenols with ethylene oxide / propylene oxide block alkyl polyamine ethoxylates, such as those available from BASF C 14 -C 22 Mid-chain branched alkyl alkoxylates, BAEx, where x is from about 1 to about 30; alkyl polysaccharides, specifically alkyl polyglycosides; polyhydroxy fatty acid amides; and ether-capped poly(alkoxylated) alcohol surfactants. Also useful herein as nonionic surfactants are alkoxylated ester surfactants, such as those having the formula R 1 C(O)O(R2O)nR 3 where R 1 is selected from straight-chain or branched C6 - C 22 alkyl or alkylene moieties; R 2 is selected from C2H4 and C3H6 moieties, and R 3 is selected from H, CH3, C2H5, and C3H7 moieties; and n has a value between about 1 and about 20. Such alkoxylated ester surfactants include aliphatic methyl ester ethoxylates (MEE) and are well known in the art.

[0087] In a specific embodiment, the alkoxylated nonionic surfactant comprised by the laundry detergent composition of the present invention is a C6 - C 20 alkoxylated alcohol, preferably a C8 - C 18 alkoxylated alcohol, more preferably a C 10 -C 16 alkoxylated alcohol. The C6 - C 20 alkoxylated alcohol is preferably an alkyl alkoxylated alcohol having an average degree of alkoxylation of from about 1 to about 50, preferably from about 3 to about 30, more preferably from about 5 to about 20, and even more preferably from about 5 to about 9. The alkoxylation herein can be ethoxylation, propoxylation, or a mixture thereof, but is preferably ethoxylation. In one embodiment, the alkoxylated nonionic surfactant is a C6 - C 20 ethoxylated alcohol, preferably a C8 - C 18 alcohol ethoxylated with an average of about 5 to about 20 moles of ethylene oxide, more preferably a C 10-C 16 alcohol. The most preferred alkoxylated nonionic surfactant is a C 12 -C 15 alcohol ethoxylated with an average of about 7 moles of ethylene oxide, e.g., 25 - 7.

[0088] The nonionic surfactant system in the compositions according to the present disclosure can be present in an amount in the following ranges by weight of the composition: 1% to 45%, preferably 2% to 40%, more preferably 3% to 35%, most preferably 4% to 30%, e.g., 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30% or any range therebetween.

[0089] In some embodiments, the weight ratio of the nonionic surfactant system to the anionic surfactant system is between 1.5 and 20, preferably between 1.7 and 15, more preferably between 1.9 and 10, and most preferably between 2 and 8, e.g., 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and any range therebetween.

[0090] Other Ingredients

[0091] The laundry detergent composition according to the present disclosure may further comprise a surfactant synergistic polymer in an amount of 0.01% to 10%, preferably 0.1% to 5%, more preferably 0.2% to 3%, most preferably 0.3% to 2% by weight of the composition, preferably a polyvinyl acetate-grafted polyethylene oxide copolymer.

[0092] The laundry detergent composition of the present invention may further comprise a cationic surfactant. Non-limiting examples of cationic surfactants include: quaternary ammonium surfactants which may have up to 26 carbon atoms, including: alkoxylated quaternary ammonium (AQA) surfactants; dimethyl hydroxyethyl quaternary ammonium; dimethyl hydroxyethyl lauryl ammonium chloride; polyamine cationic surfactants; and amino surfactants, specifically amidopropyl dimethylamine (APA).

[0093] The laundry detergent composition of the present disclosure may include adjuvant components. Suitable adjuvant materials include, but are not limited to: builders, chelating agents, rheology modifiers, dye transfer inhibitors, dispersants, enzymes and enzyme stabilizers, catalytic materials, bleach activators, hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen peroxide sources, preformed peracids, polymeric dispersants, clay soil removal / antiredeposition agents, optical brighteners, antifoaming agents, dyes, photobleaches, fragrances, fragrance microcapsules, structurants, fabric softeners, carriers, hydrotropes, processing aids, solvents, colorants, structuring agents, and / or pigments. The exact nature of these adjuvant components and their amounts in the laundry detergent composition will depend on the physical form of the composition and the nature of the cleaning operation for which it is used.

[0094] In some embodiments, the laundry detergent composition according to the present disclosure may further include fatty acids in an amount of 0.01% to 10%, preferably 0.1% to 5%, more preferably 0.2% to 3%, and most preferably 0.3% to 2% by weight of the composition.

[0095] Preparation of Composition

[0096] The laundry detergent composition of the present invention is generally prepared by conventional methods, such as methods known in the art for preparing laundry detergent compositions. Such methods generally involve mixing the essential and optional components in any desired order to a relatively uniform state, with or without heating, cooling, applying a vacuum, etc., to provide a laundry detergent composition containing the components at the required concentrations.

[0097] Method of Use

[0098] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of treating fabrics using a laundry detergent composition. Such methods can deliver color protection benefits. The method includes the step of applying 5 g to 120 g of the above-described laundry detergent composition to a laundry washbasin containing water to form a wash solution. The wash solution in the laundry washbasin herein preferably has a volume of 1 L to 50 L, or 1 L to 20 L for hand washing, and a volume of 20 L to 50 L for machine washing. The temperature of the laundry wash solution is preferably in the range of 5°C to 60°C.

[0099] The dosage in the methods herein may vary depending on the type of wash. In one embodiment, the method includes applying about 5 g to about 60 g of the laundry detergent composition to a washbasin for hand washing (e.g., about 2 - 4 L). In an alternative embodiment, the method includes applying about 5 g to about 100 g, preferably about 10 g to about 65 g of the laundry detergent composition to a washing machine (e.g., about 30 - 45 L).

[0100] Test Method

[0101] Test 1: Stability Test

[0102] The stability test is carried out by visual inspection as described below:

[0103] 1) Prepare a sample of the liquid composition to be tested by mixing the components in a 30 ml transparent glass bottle;

[0104] 2) Store the sample prepared in step 1) at different temperatures (5 °C or 40 °C) for a certain period of time (1 week, 2 weeks or 4 weeks), or subject the sample prepared in step 1) to freeze / thaw (-18 °C and 15 °C) cycles (1, 2 or 3 cycles) (if more than 1 cycle, repeat) by freezing the sample in a refrigerator (-18 °C) for 24 hours and then thawing the sample in a container (15 °C) for 24 hours;

[0105] 3) Visually inspect the samples after step 2) to determine whether they are still a homogeneous system. If any phase separation, such as the formation of separated layers or flocculation, occurs, it is determined as "unqualified". If no phase separation occurs, it is determined as "qualified".

[0106] Test 2: Dye Bleeding Test

[0107] The dye bleeding test is carried out using a Tergotometer (model: RHLQ1V, obtained from Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry (RIDCI)) as follows:

[0108] 1) Cut out each piece of test fabric (ASIE-130 or ASIE-133) weighing approximately 1.0 g for each tube of the tergotometer;

[0109] 2) Add 1 L of reverse osmosis (RO) water with a water hardness level of approximately 9 gpg (where the weight ratio of Ca 2+ to Mg 2+ is approximately 4:1) and heat it to 40 °C using a water bath;

[0110] 3) Dissolve approximately 2.0 g of the sample liquid detergent composition to form a washing liquid with a detergent dosage of approximately 2000 ppm;

[0111] 4) Adjust the pH of the solution to approximately 8.5;

[0112] 5) Take out approximately 30 ml of the solution to measure L* / a* / b* before washing (measured using a 5 cm × 1 cm sample cell with UltraScan VIS (obtained from HunterLab, Virginia, USA));

[0113] 6) Add a 1.0 g test fabric piece to each tube and wash for about 20 minutes;

[0114] 7) Take out about 30 ml of the solution under the same conditions as in step 5) to measure L* / a* / b; and

[0115] 8) Calculate ΔE based on the measurement results before and after washing. The higher ΔE is, the more serious the dye bleeding is.

[0116] Examples

[0117] Example 1: Stability of a Liquid Laundry Detergent Composition Containing a Dye Fixative

[0118] Prepare a liquid laundry detergent composition containing a dye fixative, and the liquid laundry detergent composition contains the following components as shown in Table 1.

[0119] Table 1

[0120]

[0121] 1 Dye fixative: Poly(2-hydroxypropyl dimethyl ammonium chloride), which can be commercially obtained from Clariant under the trade name TEXCARE DFC 6.

[0122] Then, by adding different stabilizers to the liquid laundry detergent composition containing the dye fixative shown in Table 1, Samples 1 to 6 and a control (i.e., Comparative Sample 1) were prepared, where hydrogenated castor oil (HCO), microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), starch, alcohol ethoxylate, and polymer thickener were tested as stabilizers, and no stabilizer was added for the control. The stability of these samples under various conditions (i.e., stored at 5 °C or 40 °C for 2 weeks or frozen / thawed (F / T) 1 or 2 cycles at -18 °C / 15 °C) was determined according to Test 1: Stability Test described above. The stability results of these samples are shown in Table 2. Surprisingly, only HCO and MCC can stabilize the liquid laundry detergent composition containing the dye fixative, i.e., passing all stability tests.

[0123] Table 2

[0124]

[0125]

[0126] 1 HCO, purchased from Nidera BV

[0127] 2 MCC, purchased from CP Kelco

[0128] 3 CMC, purchased from UGUR SELULOZ KIMYA

[0129] 4 Starch, purchased from Tianjin Zhiyuan

[0130] 5 Lutensol XP, purchased from BASF

[0131] 6 ACUSOL TM 845, purchased from Dow

[0132] Example 2: Color Protection Achieved by a Laundry Detergent Composition Containing a Dye Fixative

[0133] Prepare a sample liquid laundry detergent composition (Sample 7) containing a dye fixative and a control (Comparative Sample 2, i.e., the Chinese national standard liquid detergent) without a dye fixative, which contains the following components.

[0134] Table 3

[0135]

[0136] 1 Dye fixative: Poly(2-hydroxypropyl dimethyl ammonium chloride), which can be commercially obtained under the trade name TEXCARE DFC 6 from Clariant.

[0137] 2 HCO, purchased from Nidera BV

[0138] According to Test 2 described above (dye bleeding test, in which a fabric colored with a blue dye (ASIE-133) is used), measure the ΔE of these samples as the measurement result of dye bleeding. The higher the ΔE, the more serious the dye bleeding, and the lower the ΔE, the more effective the color protection. The results are shown in the table above, indicating that the laundry detergent composition containing a color fixative shows excellent color protection performance (0.85 vs. 1.4) compared to Comparative Sample 2 without a color fixative.

[0139] In addition, prepare another sample liquid laundry detergent composition (Sample 8) containing a dye fixative and a control (Comparative Sample 3) containing a similar surfactant system but without a color fixative, which contains the following components.

[0140] Table 4

[0141]

[0142] 1 Dye fixative: Poly(2-hydroxypropyl dimethyl ammonium chloride), which can be commercially obtained under the trade name TEXCARE DFC 6 from Clariant.

[0143] According to Test 2 as described above: Dye bleeding test, in which a fabric colored with a blue dye (ASIE-133) was used. The results showed that the laundry detergent composition containing a color fixative exhibited significantly better performance in terms of color protection (0.63 vs. 1.09) compared to a comparative sample containing a similar surfactant system but no color fixative.

[0144] Example 3: Exemplary Formulation of a Liquid Laundry Detergent Composition Containing a Dye Fixative

[0145] Prepare the following liquid laundry detergent compositions shown in Table 5, which contain the listed ingredients in the listed proportions (wt%).

[0146] Table 5

[0147]

[0148] 1 Dye fixative: Poly(2-hydroxypropyl dimethyl ammonium chloride), which is commercially available from Clariant under the trade name TEXCARE DFC 6

[0149] Example 4: Exemplary Formulation of a Unit Dose Laundry Detergent Composition Containing a Dye Fixative

[0150] Prepare the exemplary formulations for unit-dose laundry detergents shown in Table 6. These compositions are encapsulated in unit-dose compartments by using a polyvinyl alcohol-based film.

[0151] Table 6

[0152]

[0153] 1 Dye fixative: Poly(2-hydroxypropyl dimethyl ammonium chloride), which is commercially available from Clariant under the trade name TEXCARE DFC 6

[0154] The dimensions and values disclosed herein should not be construed as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to represent the recited value and a range functionally equivalent around that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to represent "about 40 mm".

[0155] Each document cited herein, including any cross-referenced or related patent or patent application and any patent application or patent from which this application claims priority or the benefit of, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed in this application or claimed in this application or that it alone, or in any combination with any one or more other references, teaches, suggests, or discloses any such invention. Further, when any meaning or definition of a term in this invention conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this invention shall govern.

[0156] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that all such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the invention be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A laundry detergent composition, the laundry detergent composition comprising: a) 0.01% to 10% by weight of the composition of a dye fixative, wherein the dye fixative is selected from the reaction product of dimethylamine and epichlorohydrin, b) 0.01% to 10% by weight of the composition of a crystalline hydroxy-containing stabilizer, wherein the crystalline hydroxy-containing stabilizer is selected from microcrystalline cellulose, hydrogenated castor oil, and any combination thereof.

2. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the dye fixative is present in an amount in the range of 0.02% to 5% by weight of the composition.

3. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dye fixative is poly(2-hydroxypropyl dimethyl ammonium chloride).

4. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the stabilizer is present in an amount in the range of 0.01% to 9% by weight of the composition.

5. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the composition further comprises: c) 0.01% to 10% by weight of the composition of an amine oxide; and / or d) 0.1% to 50% by weight of the composition of a nonionic surfactant system; and / or e) 0.1% to 50% by weight of the composition of an anionic surfactant system.

6. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the amine oxide is present in an amount in the range of 0.02% to 8% by weight of the composition.

7. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the amine oxide is selected from amine oxides, fatty amine derivatives, and any combination thereof.

8. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the amine oxide is selected from C6-C 20 alkyldimethylamine oxides and any combination thereof.

9. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the amine oxide is selected from C 10 -C 16 alkyl dimethyl amine oxide and any combination thereof.

10. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the amine oxide is dodecyl dimethyl amine oxide and / or tetradecyl dimethyl amine oxide.

11. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the nonionic surfactant system is present in an amount in the range of 1% to 45%.

12. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the nonionic surfactant system comprises a nonionic surfactant selected from alkyl alkoxylated alcohols, alkyl alkoxylated phenols, alkyl polysaccharides, alkyl polyglycosides, methyl ester ethoxylates, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, alkoxylated fatty acid esters, sucrose esters, sorbitan esters, and alkoxylated derivatives of sorbitan esters, and any combination thereof.

13. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the nonionic surfactant system comprises a C6-C alkoxylated alcohol having a weight-average degree of alkoxylation in the range of 1 to 20 20 alkoxylated alcohol.

14. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the nonionic surfactant system comprises C8-C ethoxylated alcohols having a weight-average degree of ethoxylation in the range of 1 to 20. 18 ethoxylated alcohols.

15. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the anionic surfactant system is present in an amount in the range of 0.1% to 45% by weight of the composition.

16. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the anionic surfactant system comprises an anionic surfactant selected from C6-C 20 linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), C6-C 20 alkyl sulfates (AS), C6-C 20 alkyl alkoxysulfates (AAS), C6-C 20 methyl ester sulfonates (MES), C6-C 20 alkyl ether carboxylates (AEC), and any combination thereof.

17. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the anionic surfactant system comprises C6-C 20 LAS and optionally additional anionic surfactants.

18. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 17, wherein the additional anionic surfactant is C6-C 20 AS and / or C6-C 20 AAS.

19. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 17, wherein the C6-C 20 LAS is present in an amount in the range of 10% to 100% by weight of the anionic surfactant system.

20. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the composition further comprises 0.01% to 10% by weight of the composition of a fatty acid.

21. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the composition is a liquid composition or a unit dose composition.

22. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the composition is a liquid composition, and the liquid composition comprises: a) 0.15% to 0.9% of the dye fixative based on the weight of the composition; b) 0.1% to 1% of hydrogenated castor oil based on the weight of the composition and / or 0.5% to 5% of microcrystalline cellulose based on the weight of the composition; c) 0.15% to 2% of the amine oxide, by weight of the composition, the amine oxide being a C6-C 20 alkyl dimethyl amine oxide; d) from 4% to 15% by weight of the composition of the non-ionic surfactant system, the non-ionic surfactant system comprising a C with a weight average degree of ethoxylation in the range of 7 to 9 10 -C 16 ethoxylated alcohol; and e) 1% to 10% of the anionic surfactant system based on the weight of the composition, the anionic surfactant system comprising C 10 -C 16 LAS and C 10 -C 16 alkyl ethoxysulfates, wherein the C 10 -C 16 LAS is present in an amount in the range of 40% to 90% based on the weight of the anionic surfactant system; wherein the weight ratio of the nonionic surfactant system to the anionic surfactant system is between 2 and 8.

23. The laundry detergent composition according to claim 5, wherein the composition is a unit dose composition, and the unit dose composition comprises: a) 0.5% to 3% of the dye fixative based on the weight of the composition; b) 0.1% to 1% of hydrogenated castor oil based on the weight of the composition and / or 0.1% to 1% of microcrystalline cellulose based on the weight of the composition; c) from 0.5% to 8% of said amine oxide, based on the weight of the composition, said amine oxide being a C6-C 20 alkyl dimethyl amine oxide; d) from 10% to 35% by weight of the composition of the non-ionic surfactant system, the non-ionic surfactant system comprising a C with a weight-average degree of ethoxylation in the range of 7 to 9 10 -C 16 ethoxylated alcohol; and e) 3% to 25% of the anionic surfactant system based on the weight of the composition, the anionic surfactant system comprising C 10 -C 16 LAS and C 10 -C 16 alkyl ethoxysulfates, wherein the C 10 -C 16 LAS is present in an amount in the range of 40% to 90% based on the weight of the anionic surfactant system; wherein the weight ratio of the nonionic surfactant system to the anionic surfactant system is between 2 and 8.

24. A method for protecting the color of a colored fabric, the method comprising contacting the colored fabric with the laundry detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the protection of the color is achieved by fixing the dye in the colored fabric and / or preventing the colored fabric from fading or bleeding.

Images