Use of microcapsules in laundry compositions for improving softness of fabrics

Abstract

The present invention relates to the use of a composition comprising microcapsules for improving the softness of a fabric wherein the microcapsules comprise: a microcapsule wall comprising a biopolymer; and a polyisocyanate crosslinking agent.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention is in the field of laundry compositions, in particular laundry compositions for improving the softness of fabrics. Background Art

[0002] Fabric softness is an important attribute for consumers. Various ingredients have been added to laundry products to improve the softness of washed fabrics. However, adding ingredients to laundry compositions has the disadvantages of increased formulation complexity, increased cost, and ingredients that may not meet the environmental credentials that consumers desire.

[0003] Microcapsules are used in various laundry applications to deliver active materials to fabrics. Microcapsules are known to provide various benefits, such as delayed release of active materials to protect the active materials from other ingredients in the laundry composition. Conventional microcapsules typically have a microcapsule wall formed from a synthetic polymer such as melamine formaldehyde polymer or polyacrylate. Summary of the invention

[0004] It has been found that the use of microcapsules comprising proteins or polysaccharides results in improved softening of fabrics.

[0005] Thus, in a first aspect of the present invention there is provided the use of microcapsules in a laundry composition for improving the softness of fabrics, wherein the microcapsules comprise:

[0006] a) a microcapsule wall, the microcapsule wall comprising a biopolymer; and

[0007] b) Polyisocyanate crosslinking agent. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] By reading the following detailed description and the appended claims, these and other aspects, features and advantages will become clear to those of ordinary skill in the art. For the avoidance of doubt, any feature of one aspect of the present invention may be used in any other aspect of the present invention. The word "comprising" is intended to mean "including", but not necessarily "consisting of" or "consisting of". In other words, the steps or options listed do not have to be exhaustive. It should be noted that the examples given in the following description are intended to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention to those examples themselves. Similarly, unless otherwise indicated, all percentages are weight / weight percentages. Except in the examples and comparative examples, or in other clearly indicated places, all numerical values ​​of the amount of the indicating material or the conditions of the reaction, the physical properties of the material and / or the use in this specification should be understood to be modified by "about". The numerical range represented by the format "x to y" should be understood to include x and y. When multiple preferred ranges are described in the format "x to y" for a particular feature, it should be understood that all ranges combining different endpoints are also considered.

[0009] "Laundry composition" is understood herein to mean a consumer product suitable for use in a laundry process. Examples of such compositions include liquid laundry detergents, laundry detergent powders, fabric conditioners, auxiliary laundry compositions such as perfumes, and fabric spray compositions.

[0010] "Microcapsule composition" is understood herein to mean a composition added to a laundry composition comprising microcapsules. The microcapsule composition may comprise microcapsules alone, or may be in the form of a slurry comprising microcapsules.

[0011] "Microcapsule" is understood herein to mean the microcapsule (wall and core), ie without solvent or slurry.

[0012] The laundry product of the present invention comprises microcapsules. The microcapsules can be provided simply as microcapsules, but are preferably provided as microcapsule compositions comprising microcapsules in a slurry. The microcapsules comprise a microcapsule core containing an active ingredient and a microcapsule wall encapsulating the core. The microcapsule wall comprises a wall polymer and a crosslinking agent. Typically, the microcapsules comprise 10 to 98 wt % of a core material, 1 to 20 wt % of a wall polymer and optionally 0.2 to 6 wt % of a crosslinking agent.

[0013] The microcapsules can be prepared by any suitable method, including those exemplary methods described herein.

[0014] Microcapsule wall material

[0015] The microcapsule wall may also be referred to as a microcapsule shell. The microcapsule wall comprises a biopolymer. Biopolymers are natural polymers produced by cells of living organisms, and derivatives of natural polymers, i.e. polymers derived from biopolymers. Non-limiting examples of suitable biopolymers include: lignin, polysaccharides, proteins and nucleic acids. The microcapsule wall preferably comprises proteins, polysaccharides and mixtures thereof. The biopolymer may be treated by various methods to provide derivatives, including but not limited to hydrolysis, condensation, functionalization such as ethoxylation, cross-linking, etc. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that when treated with a composition comprising the microcapsules described herein, the use of proteins or polysaccharides improves the "hand feel" of the fabric. The microcapsule wall material is preferably in an aqueous solution. The microcapsule wall preferably comprises 20% to 98% by weight of protein, polysaccharide or a combination thereof, more preferably 30% to 95% by weight, more preferably 35% to 95% by weight, and most preferably 65% ​​to 90% by weight of protein, polysaccharide or a combination thereof, based on the weight of the microcapsule wall.

[0016] As conventional in the art, a "polypeptide" or "protein" is a linear organic polymer consisting of amino acid residues bonded together in a chain, forming part (or all) of a protein molecule. As used herein, "polypeptide" or "protein" refers to a natural polypeptide, a polypeptide derivative and / or a modified polypeptide. A polypeptide may exhibit an average molecular weight of 1,000 Da to 40,000,000 Da, preferably greater than 10,000 Da, more preferably 100,000 Da, most preferably greater than 1,000,000 Da, preferably less than 3,000,000 Da.

[0017] Suitable proteins for use in the present invention include whey protein, vegetable protein and gelatin. Preferably, vegetable protein is used. Suitable preferred proteins include proteins selected from: pea, potato protein, brown rice, white rice, wheat, egg, barley, pumpkin seed, oat, almond, whey, casein, silk, gelatin, algae, rye, spelt, gluten, rapeseed, sunflower, corn, soybean, kidney bean (bean), chickpea, lentil, lupine, peanut, alfalfa, hemp (hemp), protein produced by fermentation, protein from food waste, and combinations thereof. Particularly preferred proteins include proteins selected from: chickpea, pea protein, potato protein, brown rice protein, white rice protein, wheat protein, barley protein, pumpkin seed protein, oat protein, almond protein, and combinations thereof. This includes derivatives of the above-mentioned proteins.

[0018] As used herein, "whey protein" refers to the protein contained in whey, i.e. the dairy liquid obtained as the supernatant of the curd when milk or a dairy liquid containing a milk component is processed into cheese curd to obtain cheese curd in semi-solid form. Whey protein is generally understood in principle to include globular proteins b-lactoglobulin and a-lactalbumin in various ratios, e.g. 1:1 to 5:1 (e.g. 2:1). It may also include lower amounts of serum albumin, immunoglobulins and other globulins. The term "whey protein" is also intended to include partially or completely modified or denatured whey proteins. Purified b-lactoglobulin and / or a-lactalbumin polypeptides may also be used to prepare the microcapsules of the present invention.

[0019] Gelatin refers to a mixture of proteins produced by partial hydrolysis of collagen, which is extracted from the skin, bones and connective tissue of animals. Gelatin can be derived from any type of collagen, such as type I, II, III or IV collagen. Such proteins are characterized by including Gly-Xaa-Yaa triplets, where Gly is the amino acid glycine and Xaa and Yaa can be the same or different and can be any known amino acid. At least 40% of the amino acids are preferably present in the form of continuous Gly-Xaa-Yaa triplets.

[0020] A preferred type of protein is vegetable protein. Vegetable proteins are proteins that accumulate in various plant tissues. Preferred vegetable proteins can be divided into two categories: seed or grain proteins, and vegetable proteins. Seed / grain proteins are a group of proteins that accumulate to high levels in seeds / grains during the later stages of seed / grain development, while vegetable proteins are proteins that accumulate in vegetative tissues such as leaves, stems, and (depending on the plant species) tubers.

[0021] Preferred examples of seed / cereal / legume storage proteins are proteins from soy, lupin, pea, chickpea, alfalfa, faba bean, lentil and lentil; oilseed plants such as colza, cottonseed and sunflower; cereals such as wheat, maize, barley, malt, oats, rye and rice (e.g. brown rice protein), or combinations thereof.

[0022] Preferred examples of vegetable proteins are proteins from potato tubers or sweet potato tubers.

[0023] The term "plant protein" is intended to include plant protein isolates, plant protein concentrates, or combinations thereof. Plant protein isolates and concentrates are generally understood to be composed of several proteins. For example, pea protein isolates and concentrates may contain legumin, pea globulin, and convicilin. Similarly, brown rice protein isolates may include albumin, globulin, and gluten. The term "plant protein" is also intended to include partially or completely modified or denatured plant storage proteins. Individual polypeptides (e.g., legumin, pea globulin, convicilin, albumin, globulin, or gluten) may also be used to prepare microcapsules of the present invention.

[0024] Native proteins may be preferred. However, the method may include the step of denaturing the protein by: pH adjustment; heating; or adding a chaotropic agent to the oil-in-water emulsion, or adding a chaotropic agent to the protein and then to the oil-in-water emulsion.

[0025] Denaturation is a process in which proteins (polypeptides) lose their quaternary, tertiary, and secondary structures present in their native state by applying denaturing conditions. During denaturation, proteins change their conformational structure by unfolding, thereby making amine and hydroxyl groups available for crosslinking (e.g., with polyisocyanates) to form the microcapsule wall. Exemplary conditions for protein denaturation include, but are not limited to, radiation; exposure to heat or cold; pH changes with acids or bases; exposure to denaturants, such as detergents, inorganic salts, organic solvents (e.g., alcohols, ethyl acetate, and chloroform), urea, or other chaotropic agents; or mechanical stress, including shear. Exemplary chaotropic agents are guanidine salts (e.g., guanidine hydrochloride and guanidine carbonate), urea, polysorbate, sodium benzoate, vanillin, o-cresol, phenol, propanol, formamide, ethanol, fructose, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, potassium sulfate, potassium chloride, potassium iodide, potassium nitrate, potassium phosphate, sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, sodium bromide, sodium nitrate, sodium phosphate, guanidine thiocyanate, xylose, glycerol, benzyl alcohol, ethyl acetate, triton X-100, ethyl acetate, cetyl trimethyl ammonium halide, acetone, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, polyethylene glycol, glutaraldehyde, and combinations thereof. Any amount of the chaotropic agent can be used.

[0026] It is preferred that the protein is denatured with a chaotropic agent such that 20 to 100 wt %, preferably 40 to 100 wt %, more preferably 60 to 100 wt %, most preferably 90 to 100 wt % of the protein used to prepare the microcapsules is denatured.

[0027] The proteins used in the microcapsules can also be derivatized or modified (e.g., derivatized or chemically modified). For example, the protein can be modified by covalently attaching sugars, lipids, cofactors, peptides, or other chemical groups, including phosphates, acetates, methyl groups, and other natural or non-natural molecules.

[0028] Polysaccharides are a class of carbohydrates containing multiple monosaccharide units. As used herein, "polysaccharide" refers to natural polysaccharides, polysaccharide derivatives and / or modified polysaccharides. Suitable polysaccharides can be selected from fiber, starch, sugar alcohol, sugars and mixtures thereof.

[0029] Examples of suitable fibers include: specific celluloses; cellulose derivatives, such as hydroxyethylcellulose (especially quaternized hydroxyethylcellulose), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC); hemicelluloses; lichen polysaccharides; chitin; chitosan; lignin; xanthan gum; plant fibers, especially cereal fibers, potato fibers, apple fibers, citrus fibers, bamboo fibers, extracted beet fibers; oat fibers and soluble dietary fibers, especially inulin, especially natural inulin, highly soluble inulin, granulated inulin, high-performance inulin; pectin; alginates; agar; carrageenan; gum arabic (Senegal type, Seyal type); konjac gum; gellan gum; curdlan (paramylon); guar gum; locust bean gum; xanthan gum; raffinose; xylose; polydextrose; and lactulose; and combinations thereof. This includes derivatives of the above-mentioned polysaccharides.

[0030] Examples of suitable starches include starches from wheat, potato, corn, rice, tapioca and oats, modified starches, and starch derivatives such as dextrins or maltodextrins, in particular dextrins and maltodextrins from wheat, potato, corn, rice, peas, chickpeas and oats, oligosaccharides, in particular oligofructose. Preferred starches are selected from the group consisting of corn starch, potato starch, rye starch, wheat starch, barley starch, oat starch, rice starch, pea starch, chickpea starch, tapioca starch and mixtures thereof.

[0031] Examples of suitable sugar alcohols include: sorbitol, mannitol, isomalt, maltitol, maltitol syrup, lactitol, xylitol, erythritol.

[0032] Examples of suitable sugars include: glucose.

[0033] Particularly preferred polysaccharides include: gum arabic, dextrin and maltodextrin are particularly preferred.

[0034] The polysaccharides used in the microcapsules can also be derivatized or modified (e.g., derivatized or chemically modified). For example, proteins can be modified by covalently attaching sugars, lipids, cofactors, peptides, or other chemical groups, including phosphate groups, acetate groups, methyl groups, and other natural or non-natural molecules. Examples of suitable polysaccharide derivatives include: glycolic acid starch, carboxymethyl starch, hydroxyalkyl cellulose, and cross-linked modified cellulose.

[0035] The microcapsules as described herein may optionally comprise additional polymers in the microcapsule wall. Such additional polymers may include: sol-gel polymers (e.g., silica), polyacrylates, polyacrylamides, poly(acrylate-co-acrylamide), polyureas, polyurethanes, starches, gelatin and gum arabic, poly(melamine-formaldehyde), poly(urea-formaldehyde), and combinations thereof. Preferably, however, the microcapsule wall polymer consists essentially of a protein, a polysaccharide, or a combination thereof.

[0036] The microcapsules preferably comprise 0.1 to 30 wt% microcapsule wall, preferably 0.5 to 25 wt%, more preferably 1 to 20 wt% and 2 to 15 wt% microcapsule wall, based on the weight of the microcapsule.

[0037] The microcapsule wall polymer described herein is crosslinked. The microcapsules contain a polyisocyanate crosslinker. The polyisocyanate crosslinker is preferably present at a level of 0.1 to 10 wt % by weight of the microcapsule, more preferably 0.5 to 9 wt % by weight of the microcapsule, even more preferably 1 to 8 wt % by weight of the microcapsule.

[0038] Without wishing to be bound by theory, the selection of the isocyanate crosslinking agent improves the softening of fabrics treated with the composition comprising the microcapsules.

[0039] The polyisocyanate each has at least two isocyanate (-NCO) groups reactive to proteins or polysaccharides. The polyisocyanate can be aromatic, aliphatic, linear, branched or cyclic, preferably, the polyisocyanate comprises: a polyisocyanate selected from aliphatic, alicyclic, hydrogenated aromatic, aromatic or heterocyclic polyisocyanates, their substitution products and their mixtures, most preferably a polyisocyanate selected from aromatic, aliphatic polyisocyanates and their combinations. Particularly preferred is the presence of more than one polyisocyanate. The isocyanate can be water-soluble or water-dispersible, alternatively, it can be dissolved in an organic solvent or aromatic oil. Preferably, the polyisocyanate is water-insoluble. Preferably, the polyisocyanate comprises 2 to 4 isocyanate groups. More preferably, the polyisocyanate comprises 3 to 4 isocyanate functional groups.

[0040] Examples of suitable polyisocyanates include trimer of hexamethylene diisocyanate, trimer of isophorone diisocyanate, biuret of hexamethylene diisocyanate, polyisocyanurate of toluene diisocyanate, trimethylolpropane-adduct of toluene diisocyanate, trimethylolpropane-adduct of xylylene diisocyanate, and combinations thereof.

[0041] Preferably, the polyisocyanate used in the present invention is an aromatic polyisocyanate. Preferably, the aromatic polyisocyanate comprises a phenyl, tolyl, xylyl, naphthyl or diphenyl moiety as an aromatic component. Particularly preferably, the aromatic polyisocyanate is a polyisocyanurate of toluene diisocyanate, a trimethylolpropane-adduct of toluene diisocyanate, or a trimethylolpropane-adduct of xylylene diisocyanate.

[0042] One class of suitable aromatic polyisocyanates are those having the general structure shown below, and its structural isomers:

[0043]

[0044] Where n can vary from zero to a desired value (e.g., 0-50, 0-20, 0-10, and 0-6) depending on the type of crosslinking agent used. Preferably, the value of n is limited to less than 6. The starting polyisocyanate can also be a mixture of polyisocyanates, in which the value of n can vary from 0 to 6. In the case where the starting polyisocyanate is a mixture of various polyisocyanates, the average value of n preferably falls between 0.5 and 1.5.

[0045] Commercially available polyisocyanates include products sold under the following trade names: M20 (chemical name: polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, i.e. "PMDI"; commercially available from BASF, containing 31.5% by weight of isocyanate groups "NCO"), wherein the average value n is 0.7; PAPI TM 27 (PMDI commercially available from Dow Chemical having an average molecular weight of 340 and containing 31.4 wt % NCO), wherein the average n is 0.7; MR (PMDI containing 31 wt % or more NCO, commercially available from Covestro, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania), wherein the average n is 0.8; MR Light (PMDI containing 31.8 wt. % NCO, commercially available from Covestro), where the average n is 0.8; 489 (PMDI containing 30 to 31.4 wt. % NCO commercially available from Covestro), wherein the average value n is 1; poly[(phenylisocyanate)-co-formaldehyde] (Aldrich Chemical, Milwaukee, WI), other isocyanate monomers, such as N3200 (poly(hexamethylene diisocyanate) commercially available from Covestro), and Takenate TM D110N (trimethylolpropane adduct of xylylene diisocyanate, Mitsui Chemicals America, Inc., Rye Brook, NY, containing 11.5 wt. % NCO), L75 (a toluene diisocyanate-based polyisocyanate commercially available from Covestro), and IL (another polyisocyanate based on toluene diisocyanate commercially available from Covestro).

[0046] An alternative suitable type of polyisocyanate is a diisocyanate having the general structure O=C=NRN=C=O, wherein R represents an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic group. Preferably, the group has five or more carbon atoms.

[0047] Other examples of aromatic polyisocyanates include 1,5-naphthylene diisocyanate, 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), hydrogenated MDI, xylylene diisocyanate (XDI), tetramethylxylene diisocyanate (tetramethylxylene diisocyanate, diisocyanate), 4,4'-diphenyldimethylmethane diisocyanate, di- and tetra-alkyl-diphenylmethane diisocyanates, 4,4'-dibenzyl diisocyanate, 1,3-phenylene diisocyanate, 1,4-phenylene diisocyanate, isomers of toluene diisocyanate (TDI), 4,4'-diisocyanatophenyl-perfluoroethane, diisocyanatoethyl phthalate, and polyisocyanates having reactive halogen atoms, such as 1-chloromethylphenyl 2,4-diisocyanate, 1-bromomethyl-phenyl 2,6-diisocyanate and 3,3-dichloromethyl ether 4,4'-diphenyl diisocyanate, and combinations thereof.

[0048] The weight average molecular weight of useful polyisocyanates is preferably from 200 Da to 2500 Da, more preferably from 250 Da to 1000 Da, most preferably from 275 Da to 500 Da.

[0049] The polyisocyanate is preferably present in the wall in an amount of 0.1 to 40 wt%, more preferably 0.2 to 25 wt%, even more preferably 0.25 to 15 wt%, most preferably 0.5 to 5 wt% by weight, based on the weight of the microcapsule wall. Preferably, the ratio of polysaccharide and / or protein to polyisocyanate is from 1:1 to 10:1.

[0050] During the process of preparing the microcapsule composition of the present invention, the polyisocyanate may be added to the water phase, the oil phase or the oil-in-water emulsion.

[0051] Further examples of suitable polyisocyanates can be found in WO 2004 / 054362 and WO 2017 / 192648.

[0052] The microcapsules may optionally contain an additional cross-linking agent. The additional cross-linking agent may be selected from the following: transglutaminase; peroxidase; secondary plant matter, the secondary plant matter selected from polyphenols, especially tannins; gallic acid; ferulic acid; hesperidin; cinnamaldehyde; vanillin; carvacrol; and mixtures of two or more of the above cross-linking agents.

[0053] Microcapsule core material

[0054] The core may also be referred to as the internal phase. The core of the microcapsule comprises the active material, and optionally further comprises a solvent, a crosslinking agent as described above, or a combination thereof. The core is preferably non-aqueous.

[0055] The non-aqueous internal phase may preferably comprise: 20 to 80 wt %, preferably 25 to 75 wt %, even more preferably 33 to 50 wt % of the active material to be encapsulated; and preferably 0.1 to 5 wt %, preferably 0.15 to 3.5 wt %, even more preferably 0.5 to 2.5 wt % of a cross-linking agent; and the remainder of the composition solvent.

[0056] Exemplary active materials include: fragrances; malodorants, such as: uncomplexed cyclodextrins, odor blockers, reactive aldehydes, flavonoids, zeolites, activated carbon, and mixtures thereof; dye transfer inhibitors; hueing dyes; silicone oils, resins, and their modifications, such as linear polydimethylsiloxanes and cyclic polydimethylsiloxanes, amino-modified silicone oils, alkyl (allcyl) silicone oils, aryl silicone oils, and alkylaryl silicone oils, which preferably have a viscosity greater than 50,000 cSt; insect repellents; Organic sunscreen actives, such as octyl methoxycinnamate; antimicrobial agents, such as 2-hydroxy-4,2,4-trichlorodiphenyl ether; ester solvents, such as isopropyl myristate; lipids and lipid-like substances, such as cholesterol; hydrocarbons such as paraffin, petrolatum and mineral oil; fish oils and vegetable oils; hydrophobic plant extracts; waxes; pigments comprising inorganic compounds having a hydrophobically modified surface and / or dispersed in an oil or hydrophobic liquid; sugar esters, such as sucrose polyesters (SPE); and combinations thereof.

[0057] The beneficial agent may be dissolved in a solvent. Examples of suitable solvents include vegetable oils, glycerides, esters of fatty acids and branched alcohols, hydrocarbons, etc. Specific examples include: diethyl phthalate, isopropyl myristate, (rosin resin, available from Eastman), benzyl benzoate, ethyl citrate, limonene or other terpenes, triacetin or isoparaffins, preferably Benzyl benzoate, limonene or other terpenes, isoparaffins or combinations thereof. Preferably, if present, the solvent is 0 to 30% by weight of the active material, more preferably 0 to 20% by weight, most preferably 0 to 10% by weight of the active material.

[0058] Most preferably, the active material comprises a fragrance. Fragrance components are well known in the art. Available fragrance components may include materials of both natural and synthetic origin. They include single compounds and mixtures. Specific examples of such components may be found in existing literature, for example, Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients, 1975, CRC Press; MB Jacobs' Synthetic Food Adjuncts, 1947, edited by Van Nostrand; or S. Arctander's Perfume and Flavor Chemicals, 1969, Montclair, NJ (USA). These substances are well known to those skilled in the art of flavoring, seasoning and / or aromatizing consumer products.

[0059] Particularly preferred fragrance components are blooming fragrance components and substantive fragrance components. Blooming fragrance components are defined by a boiling point below 250°C and a LogP greater than 2.5. Preferably, the encapsulated fragrance composition comprises at least 20% by weight of blooming fragrance ingredients, more preferably at least 30% by weight, and most preferably at least 40% by weight of blooming fragrance ingredients. Substantive fragrance components are defined by a boiling point above 250°C and a LogP greater than 2.5. Preferably, the encapsulated fragrance composition comprises at least 10% by weight of substantive fragrance ingredients, more preferably at least 20% by weight, and most preferably at least 30% by weight of substantive fragrance ingredients. The boiling point is measured at standard pressure (760 mm Hg). Preferably, the fragrance composition will comprise a mixture of blooming fragrance components and substantive fragrance components. The fragrance composition may comprise other fragrance components.

[0060] It is common for a plurality of perfume components to be present in the microcapsules. In the compositions used in the present invention, it is envisaged that three or more, preferably four or more, more preferably five or more, most preferably six or more different perfume components will be present in the microcapsules. An upper limit of 300 perfume components may apply.

[0061] Preferably, the amount of encapsulated active material is 5 to 95 wt%, preferably 10 to 90 wt%, more preferably 15 to 85 wt%, most preferably 20 to 80 wt%, based on the weight of the microcapsule.

[0062] Additional Microencapsulated Ingredients

[0063] The microcapsule composition may include additional ingredients. Preferred additional ingredients are polyphenols. Particularly preferred are phenols with 3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl or 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl, such as tannic acid. In addition to polyphenols, other polyols may also be used to prepare the microcapsule composition of the present invention. Examples include pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol, glycerol, polyglycerol, ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, trimethylolpropane, neopentyl glycol, sorbitol, erythritol, threitol, arabitol, xylitol, ribitol, mannitol, galactitol, fucitol, iditol, inositol, heptyl alcohol, isomalt, maltitol, lactitol, maltotriitol, maltotetraitol, polyglycitol, polyphenols, and combinations thereof.

[0064] The polyphenols, polyols and polyfunctional aldehydes are preferably present at levels of 0 to 40 wt%, preferably 1 to 35 wt%, more preferably 5 to 35 wt%, most preferably 10 to 30 wt%.

[0065] Microcapsule composition

[0066] The microcapsules described herein preferably have a diameter of 0.1 to 1000 microns, more preferably 0.5 to 500 microns, even more preferably 1 to 200 microns, most preferably 1 to 100 microns.

[0067] The microcapsule can be positively charged or negatively charged, wherein the zeta potential is preferably -200mV to +200mV, more preferably 25mV to 200mV, and most preferably 40mV to 100mV. Preferably, the microcapsule is positively charged. The zeta potential is a measure of the dynamic potential in the microcapsule. From a theoretical point of view, the zeta potential is the potential difference between the aqueous phase (i.e., the dispersion medium) and the stable layer of water attached to the surface of the microcapsule. The zeta potential can be calculated by using a theoretical model and experimentally determined electrophoretic mobility or dynamic electrophoretic mobility. The zeta potential is usually measured by methods such as microelectrophoresis, or electrophoretic light scattering or electroacoustic phenomena. For a more detailed discussion of measuring the zeta potential, see Dukhin and Goetz, "Ultrasound for characterizing colloids", Elsevier, 2002.

[0068] The microcapsule composition of the present invention may be a slurry containing a solvent, preferably water. The microcapsules are preferably present in the slurry at 0.1 wt % to 80 wt %, more preferably 1 wt % to 65 wt %, and most preferably 5 wt % to 45 wt %, based on the weight of the microcapsule composition. The slurry may contain a thickener or suspending agent, such as xanthan gum, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) or guar gum.

[0069] Alternatively, the microcapsule composition of the present invention may also be dried into a solid form by, for example, spray drying, heat drying, and belt drying.

[0070] The microcapsule composition can be purified by washing the capsule slurry with water until a neutral pH (pH of 6 to 8) is achieved. For the purposes of the present invention, the capsule suspension can be washed using any conventional method, including the use of a separatory funnel, filter paper, centrifugation, etc. The capsule suspension can be washed once, twice, three times, four times, five times, six times or more until a neutral pH, such as pH 6 to 8 and 6.5 to 7.5, is achieved. The pH of the purified capsule can be determined using any conventional method, including but not limited to pH test paper, pH indicator or pH meter. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the purification of the capsule includes an additional step of adding a salt to the capsule suspension before the step of washing the capsule suspension with water. Exemplary salts used in this step of the present invention include but are not limited to sodium chloride, potassium chloride or bisulfite. See US 2014 / 0017287.

[0071] Preparation of microcapsules

[0072] When preparing microcapsules, the polymer can be provided in a solvent. Suitable solvents for preparing the microcapsule wall include water, or a mixture of water and at least one water-miscible organic solvent. Suitable organic solvents include glycerol, 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol and other analogs. Preferably, the solvent is water.

[0073] A stabilizer may also be present. The stabilizer may be selected from: acrylic copolymers, preferably acrylic copolymers with sulfonate groups, copolymers of acrylamide and acrylic acid, copolymers of alkyl acrylates and N-vinyl pyrrolidone, for example K15, K30 or K90 (BASF); sodium polycarboxylates; sodium polystyrene sulfonates; vinyl and methyl vinyl ether-maleic anhydride copolymers and ethylene, isobutylene or styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers; microcrystalline cellulose, which is commercially available, for example under the name Commercially available: diutan gum; xanthan gum; or carboxymethyl cellulose.

[0074] The crosslinking of the microcapsules preferably involves a catalyst. The catalyst may be present in the microcapsule core active material or added separately to the oil-in-water emulsion or dispersion. A preferred catalyst for forming the microcapsules of the present invention is diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO), also known as triethylenediamine (TEDA). Also suitable are: bismuth- or tin-based catalysts; transglutaminases; peroxidases; secondary plant compounds selected from polyphenols, in particular tannins; gallic acid; ferulic acid; hesperidin; cinnamaldehyde; vanillin; carvacrol; and mixtures thereof.

[0075] Alternatively or additionally, the formation of the microcapsules may be catalysed by heating the oil-in-water emulsion or dispersion, for example, to a temperature in the range of 60°C to 90°C.

[0076] Various suitable preparation methods can be implemented to prepare microcapsules suitable for use in the present invention.

[0077] One suitable method is interfacial polymerization. An example of interfacial polymerization involves the following steps:

[0078] (i) providing a microcapsule core material, the core material comprising at least one first cross-linking agent, wherein the cross-linking agent is substantially dissolved with the core material. This is the oil phase. A non-aqueous solvent may optionally be present;

[0079] (ii) providing a microcapsule wall material, the wall material comprising at least one protein, at least one polysaccharide, or a combination thereof. This is the aqueous phase. An aqueous solvent may optionally be present;

[0080] (iii) the microcapsule core material is emulsified or dispersed with the microcapsule wall material. Preferably in a ratio in the range of 70:30 to 60:40, preferably 30:70 to 60:40. Optionally, an emulsifier may be used. Emulsification may be achieved by using high speed mixing. After this stage is completed, there is an oil-in-water emulsion or dispersion in which the inner phase with the active material to be encapsulated is finely emulsified or dispersed in the outer wall material phase in the form of droplets;

[0081] (iv) a first crosslinking to obtain a microcapsule slurry, optionally by adding at least one catalyst for crosslinking, optionally by adding additional protein, polysaccharide polymer or a combination thereof for crosslinking;

[0082] (v) curing the microcapsule slurry, followed by cooling, preferably at a temperature of at least 60° C., preferably for at least 30 minutes;

[0083] (vi) optionally drying, by using methods such as spray drying, filtration or freeze drying.

[0084] An alternative method involves 3D printing microcapsules. Both the microcapsule shell and the microcapsule core can be printed using a printing system. See WO2016172699A1. The printing step typically involves depositing the active material and the microcapsule shell material in a layer-by-layer manner, preferably by separate printer heads.

[0085] Laundry composition

[0086] The laundry compositions of the present invention comprise from 0.05 wt% to 20 wt% microcapsules by weight of the composition. More preferably from 0.075 to 10 wt% microcapsules, most preferably from 0.1 to 6 wt% microcapsules.

[0087] The laundry composition described herein can be any suitable laundry composition. The composition can be selected from: liquid detergents, powder detergents, fabric conditioners, auxiliary compositions such as liquid fragrance enhancers or perfume beads, and fabric sprays. Preferably, the composition is a fabric conditioner, an auxiliary composition, or a fabric spray. More preferably, the composition is a fabric conditioner.

[0088] Liquid detergents and powder detergents are cleaning compositions intended for use in the washing stage of a laundry process. Detergents contain anionic surfactants and / or nonionic surfactants for cleaning fabrics. Preferably, the liquid detergent contains at least 3%, preferably 5 to 60%, more preferably 6 to 50% (by weight based on the total weight of the composition) of one or more anionic surfactants and / or nonionic surfactants. Preferred anionic surfactants include: alkylbenzene sulfonates, preferably linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS); alkyl ethers, preferably sulfates sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES); alkyl sulfate ester surfactants, preferably primary alkyl sulfate (sulfanant) (PAS). Particularly preferred anionic surfactants are selected from: linear alkylbenzene sulfonates, sodium lauryl ether sulfonates with 1 to 3 moles (average) ethoxylation, primary alkyl sulfonates, methyl ether sulfates, and secondary alkyl sulfonates, or mixtures thereof. Preferred nonionic surfactants are polyoxyalkylene compounds. Particularly preferred nonionic surfactants are selected from: C8 to C22 alkylphenol ethoxylates having an average of 5 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alkylphenol; and C8 to C18 aliphatic alcohol ethoxylates having an average of 2 to 40 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol.

[0089] The detergent may additionally comprise: co-surfactants other than anionic and / or nonionic surfactants, for example amphoteric (zwitterionic) and / or cationic surfactants; builders, for example hydroxides, carbonates, silicates, zeolites and mixtures thereof; fatty acids, for example aliphatic carboxylic acids; dye transfer inhibitors; anti-redeposition polymers; soil release polymers; transition metal chelators; hydrotropes; hueing dyes; fluorescent agents; enzymes; and combinations thereof.

[0090] Fabric conditioners are compositions used in the rinse stage of a laundry process. Fabric conditioners contain fabric softening actives. The fabric softening actives may be selected from: quaternary ammonium compounds, silicone polymers, polysaccharides, clays, amines, fatty esters, dispersible polyolefins, polymer latexes, and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the fabric softening active is a quaternary ammonium compound, preferably a quaternary ammonium compound linked with an ester, such as a triethanolamine (TEA) quaternary ammonium compound or diethyl dialkyl ester dimethyl ammonium chloride linked with an ester.

[0091] Fabric conditioners may additionally comprise: nonionic surfactants; co-softeners, such as fatty esters and fatty alcohols; cationic polymers; rheology modifiers; and combinations thereof.

[0092] Auxiliary compositions are compositions intended to be used in addition to detergent or fabric conditioner compositions. Auxiliary compositions deliver additional benefit agents during the laundry process. As separate products, these compositions allow consumers to customize benefit agents to suit the laundry load and their personal preferences. The auxiliary laundry composition can be liquid or solid.

[0093] The liquid auxiliary laundry composition comprises a liquid carrier, preferably water, and the microcapsules described herein.The liquid auxiliary laundry composition may preferably comprise ingredients such as: nonionic surfactants, emulsifiers, rheology modifiers, unencapsulated benefit agents.

[0094] The solid auxiliary laundry composition comprises a solid carrier. The carrier material can be selected from: synthetic polymers (e.g., polyethylene glycol, ethylene oxide / propylene oxide block copolymers, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, and their derivatives), proteins (e.g., gelatin, albumin, casein), sugars (e.g., dextrose, fructose, galactose, glucose, isoglucose, sucrose), polysaccharides (e.g., starch, xanthan gum, cellulose or their derivatives), water-soluble or water-dispersible fillers (e.g., sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, sodium carbonate / bicarbonate, zeolite, silica, clay), vegetable soaps (e.g., coconut soap beads or palm soap), ethoxylated nonionic surfactants (having the formula R1O(R2O) x H, wherein R1 preferably contains 12 to 20 carbon atoms, R2 is a C2H4 unit, or a mixture of a C2H4 unit and a C3H6 unit, and x=8 to 120), urea, and combinations thereof. Preferred carrier materials may be selected from: synthetic polymers (e.g., polyethylene glycol, ethylene oxide / propylene oxide block copolymers, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, and their derivatives), polysaccharides (e.g., starch, xanthan gum, cellulose or their derivatives), sugars (e.g., dextrose, fructose, galactose, glucose, isoglucose, sucrose), vegetable soaps (e.g., coconut soap beads or palm soap), ethoxylated nonionic surfactants (having the formula R1O(R2O) x H, wherein R1 preferably contains 12 to 20 carbon atoms, R2 is a C2H4 unit, or a mixture of a C2H4 unit and a C3H6 unit, and x=8 to 120) and combinations thereof. The solid auxiliary composition may preferably contain ingredients such as: unencapsulated benefit agents and dyes.

[0095] Fabric sprays are compositions suitable for spraying onto fabrics. The sprays comprise a liquid carrier, preferably water, and the microcapsules described herein. The spray compositions may preferably comprise ingredients such as nonionic surfactants, unencapsulated benefit agents, lubricants, structured polymers, anti-malodor ingredients, and combinations thereof.

[0096] The laundry compositions described herein preferably comprise from 0.01 to 20 wt% perfume microcapsules, more preferably from 0.05 to 15 wt% perfume microcapsules, more preferably from 0.1 to 10 wt% perfume microcapsules, more preferably from 0.5 to 8 wt% perfume microcapsules, based on the weight of the laundry composition.

[0097] In addition to the microcapsules described herein, the laundry compositions described herein preferably also comprise free perfume.The composition preferably comprises from 0.1 to 15 wt% free perfume, more preferably from 0.5 to 8 wt% free perfume.

[0098] Particularly preferred perfume components are aroma-releasing perfume components and substantial perfume components. The aroma-releasing perfume component is defined by a boiling point below 250°C and a LogP greater than 2.5. The substantial perfume component is defined by a boiling point above 250°C and a LogP greater than 2.5. The boiling point is measured at standard pressure (760 mm Hg). Preferably, the perfume composition will contain a mixture of aroma-releasing perfume components and substantial perfume components. The perfume composition may contain other perfume components.

[0099] It is common for a variety of fragrance components to be present in free oil fragrance compositions. In the compositions used in the present invention, it is envisaged that there will be three or more, preferably four or more, more preferably five or more, most preferably six or more different fragrance components. An upper limit of 300 fragrance components may apply.

[0100] The laundry composition may additionally contain other ingredients of laundry compositions as will be known to those skilled in the art. Among such materials, mention may be made of: defoamers, insect repellents, shading or hueing dyes, preservatives (e.g. bactericides), pH buffers, hydrotropes, anti-redeposition agents, soil release agents, polyelectrolytes, anti-shrinkage agents, anti-wrinkle agents, antioxidants, dyes, colorants, sunscreens, anti-corrosion agents, drape-imparting agents, antistatic agents, chelating agents, pearlescent agents, sunscreens and ironing aids.

[0101] Use of the composition

[0102] The microcapsules in the compositions described herein are used to improve softening. The compositions are applied to fabrics during the laundry process and improved softening is achieved. Softening can be assessed by sensory evaluation using mechanical measurements. Improvement in softening can be assessed using a sensory evaluation provided by Nu Cybertek, Inc. to measure.

[0103] Example

[0104] Preparation of microcapsules

[0105] The following microcapsules were used to evaluate the effects of the compositions described herein:

[0106] Microcapsule A-mixture of pea protein and sodium alginate with salt cross-linking

[0107] Microencapsulated 1-pea protein and cross-linked with polyisocyanate (poly[(phenylisocyanate)-co-formaldehyde])

[0108] The same model fragrance composition was used in all microcapsules.

[0109] Microcapsules A were prepared as follows: A 10% w / v solution of pea protein was prepared in deionized water and the pH was adjusted to pH 9 using a few drops of sodium carbonate solution. It was heated to 85°C and mixed on a tornado mixer at 300 rpm for 2 hours. After 2 hours, the pH was lowered to pH 7 using a few drops of 2M HCl solution and 1.5 g of sodium alginate was added.

[0110] It was further mixed at 300 rpm for 90 minutes until homogeneous and then left overnight to cool. Once cooled the next day, 22.5 g of fragrance oil was added and mixed at 300 rpm for 1 hour. The prepolymer mixture was then added to 80 ml of a solution containing different concentrations of Tween 80, calcium chloride and DI water. The solution was homogenized to produce a suspension.

[0111] Table 1: Microcapsule A composition

[0112]

[0113] Microcapsule 1 was prepared as follows: First, an oil phase was prepared by mixing 23.2 g of a model fragrance and 4.8 g of caprylic / capric triglyceride, 0.38 g of benzyl benzoate, and 0.38 g of an aromatic polyisocyanate. In a separate beaker, an aqueous solution was obtained by mixing 1.182 g of pea protein isolate in 170 g of water. The oil phase was then emulsified into the water phase using an ultra turrax mixer at a shear rate of 5000 revolutions per minute (RPM) to form an oil-in-water emulsion. The oil-in-water emulsion was then cured at 55°C for 2 hours.

[0114] Table 2: Microcapsule 1 composition

[0115]

[0116] Preparation of fabric conditioner

[0117] Table 3: Fabric Conditioner Composition

[0118]

[0119] Fabric softening actives 1 -Dialkoxyethyl hydroxyethyl methyl ammonium methyl sulfate

[0120] A fabric conditioner was prepared by melting the fabric softening active at ~65°C. The water was heated to ~40°C. Minors and fabric softening active were added under stirring. The water was then cooled slightly. The composition was then cooled to room temperature. The perfume microcapsules were then added to the composition. The 2 wt% was based on the weight of the microcapsules.

[0121] Washing method

[0122] Washing was performed in a Terg-O-Tometer jar. 0.5 ml of the test fabric conditioner composition and 1 L of water were added to the tergo jar followed by 40 g of knitted cotton. The test monitor was rinsed in the liquid for 10 minutes and spun for 30 seconds. The fabric was then hung to dry under ambient conditions.

[0123] analyze

[0124] The properties of the fabric were evaluated using a Phabrometer from NUCybertek*. 11.3 cm discs were cut from the test fabric. Fabric measurements were performed using the Phabrometer according to AATCC Standard TM202. Ten replicates were measured for each fabric and the results were averaged.

[0125] Table 4: Results

[0126] Microcapsule Type Softness Microcapsule A 85.87 Microcapsule 1 87.55

[0127] Higher values ​​indicate improved softening performance. Fabrics treated with a laundry product comprising microcapsules with a polyisocyanate crosslinker are softer.

Claims

1. Use of microcapsules in laundry compositions for improving the softness of fabrics, wherein the microcapsules comprise: a) a microcapsule wall, the microcapsule wall comprising a biopolymer; and b) Polyisocyanate crosslinking agent.

2. The use according to claim 1, wherein the microcapsules encapsulate a fabric benefit agent.

3. Use according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the microcapsules encapsulate a fragrance.

4. Use according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the laundry composition comprises from 0.05 to 20 wt% microcapsules.

5. Use according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the laundry composition is selected from the group consisting of liquid laundry detergents, powder laundry detergents, fabric conditioners, auxiliary laundry compositions and fabric sprays.

6. Use according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the laundry composition is a fabric conditioner composition.

7. Use according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the biopolymer comprises a polymer selected from proteins, polysaccharides or combinations thereof.

8. Use according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the microcapsules comprise from 0.1% to 40% by weight of a crosslinking agent, based on the weight of the microcapsules.

9. Use according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the polyisocyanate crosslinking agent comprises 2 to 4 isocyanate groups.

10. The use according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the polyisocyanate crosslinking agent comprises an aromatic polyisocyanate.

11. Use according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the polyisocyanate crosslinking agent has a weight average molecular weight of 200 Da to 2500 Da.

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