Detergent tablet

Abstract

The present invention is in the field of cleaning compositions. More specifically, the present invention relates to a detergent tablet that provides a cleaning composition when dissolved. There is a need to provide a detergent product in "eco-friendly" sheet-like form that provides cleaning efficacy comparable to conventional products and is easy to use. It was found that a combination of a swellable disintegrant and a selected smooth additive provides an "eco-friendly" detergent tablet, the combination further containing a water-soluble polymer comprising a cellulose derivative and a surfactant. The tablets rapidly dissolve in water but do not adhere to each other when stored, and thus are easy to use. A method of making a detergent tablet and a method of providing a cleaning composition from a detergent tablet are also described.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention is in the field of cleaning compositions. More particularly, the present invention relates to a detergent tablet which provides a cleaning composition when dissolved in water. Background Art

[0002] Consumers tend to use various cleaning products for household chores. Laundry detergents, dishwashing detergents, hard surface cleaners are a few examples of such cleaning products. These products are generally available in various forms such as powders, bars, liquids, beads, tablets, etc.

[0003] Detergent products usually contain a detergent active substance for cleaning and some additional ingredients for enhancing the cleaning effect and feeling. Such ingredients include chelating agents, soil release polymers, anti-redeposition polymers, defoamers and spices. Conventional detergent products also contain a large amount of carrier materials, mainly water in liquid form and inert fillers in solid form. This usually makes the product bulky, so the product consumes a lot of packaging materials, such as polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, which are mainly derived from non-renewable resources.

[0004] It has been observed that consumers are now increasingly concerned about the environment. They prefer "eco-friendly" or "environmentally friendly" products, i.e. products that contain natural or biodegradable ingredients, or products whose ingredients are obtained through renewable sources or have low or no impact on the environment during the preparation or use of the product.

[0005] Products in concentrated form are one of the steps in this direction. The consumer buys the concentrated product and drops it into a washing container to provide a washing solution. Alternatively, he / she can prepare the detergent by diluting / dissolving it in water and subsequently use it. Such products are compact and consume less packaging substrate, thus reducing the consumption of packaging materials. Moreover, the processing and handling, especially transportation, of such products has less impact on the environment, as a large amount of such products can be carried / handled at one time, compared to conventional products.

[0006] In this regard, detergent tablets are one of the emerging product formats. Typically, detergent tablets contain a detersive active in a water-soluble polymer matrix. Consumers should dissolve one or more of such tablets in water to produce a wash liquor or liquid detergent and then use it. It is expected that products in tablet form should have sufficient amounts of detersive actives and other ingredients to provide cleaning efficacy comparable to conventional detergent products. It is also expected that the tablet dissolves quickly in water and should be easy to use.

[0007] In this regard, WO 2022 / 126232 (Dizolve Group Corp., 2022) discloses a water-soluble tablet for delivering a cationic biocide composition such as benzalkonium chloride to a volume of water for use as a hard surface cleaner or disinfectant.

[0008] CN 107 201 279 A (Kesh Chemical Ind Shenzhen Co. Ltd., 2017) discloses a detergent tablet and a preparation method thereof. The tablet is prepared from a film former, a nonionic surfactant, an anionic surfactant, a zwitterionic surfactant, a moisturizer, a chelating agent, a preservative, an edible coloring, a natural flavor, etc., and is prepared by the following steps of weighing, pulping, tableting, etc.

[0009] CN 105 886 145 A (Mingyan Biological Tech Co Ltd., 2016) discloses a super concentrated detergent tablet and a method for manufacturing the same. The super concentrated detergent tablet is prepared from 15 to 60% of anionic active agent, 15 to 45% of nonionic surfactant, 1 to 20% of amphoteric surfactant, 2 to 6% of small molecule peptide complex enzyme, 1 to 3% of thickener, 0.1 to 0.5% of antibacterial agent, 0.1 to 0.3% of preservative, 0.1 to 1% of fragrance, 1 to 3% of filler and an appropriate amount of deionized water.

[0010] WO 2017 / 164569 A1 (Yoo Shi Chang, 2017) discloses a paper-type detergent comprising 10 to 20 parts by weight of starch, 25 to 35 parts by weight of a nonionic surfactant, 8 to 12 parts by weight of an anionic surfactant, 10 to 20 parts by weight of an emulsifier, 6 to 10 parts by weight of a dispersant, 10 to 15 parts by weight of a film-forming agent, 2 to 5 parts by weight of a complex enzyme, 2 to 4 parts by weight of a nano-silver antibacterial agent, and 3 to 5 parts by weight of deionized water.

[0011] In addition, detergent tablets based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are known in the art. However, polyvinyl alcohol is mainly obtained by non-renewable means. In addition, it has been observed that polyvinyl alcohol is incompatible with certain ingredients, such as chelating agents or soil release polymers or anti-redeposition polymers with carboxylic acids as functional groups. Such ingredients are included in conventional detergent products to improve cleaning performance and efficacy; however, it is impossible to include them in detergent tablets based on PVA. Therefore, compared with conventional detergent products, the efficacy of such detergent tablets may be impaired.

[0012] Therefore, there is a need to provide an "eco-friendly" detergent product in tablet form that provides cleaning efficacy comparable to conventional products and is easy to use.

[0013] The inventors have surprisingly found that the combination of a swellable disintegrant with high water absorption and a selected slip additive provides an "eco-friendly" detergent tablet, which also contains a water-soluble polymer comprising a cellulose-containing compound and a surfactant. The tablet dissolves rapidly in water. It has a low coefficient of friction, so it does not stick to each other during storage and is easy to use. Summary of the invention

[0014] In one aspect, the present invention provides a detergent tablet comprising:

[0015] a) 15 to 80% by weight of a surfactant;

[0016] b) a water-soluble polymer comprising a cellulose-containing compound having a solubility of at least 0.5% by weight in distilled water at 25° C.; and

[0017] c) a swellable disintegrant having a water absorption rate greater than 1; and

[0018] d) 0.1 to 10 wt % of a slip additive selected from erucamide, oleamide, stearamide, and combinations thereof.

[0019] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for preparing a detergent tablet according to the first aspect, comprising the steps of:

[0020] a) providing water in a container;

[0021] b) adding a water-soluble polymer comprising a cellulose-containing compound having a solubility of at least 0.5% by weight in distilled water at 25° C. to water and mixing to provide a liquid premix;

[0022] c) adding a swellable disintegrant having a water absorption rate greater than 1, a slip additive selected from erucamide, oleamide, stearamide and a combination thereof, and a surfactant to the premix and mixing; and

[0023] d) The premix is ​​then poured onto a surface and the water is allowed to evaporate.

[0024] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for providing a cleaning composition, comprising the steps of:

[0025] a) providing water in a container; and

[0026] b) dissolving a detergent tablet according to the first aspect, wherein the weight ratio of tablet to water is from 1:5 to 1:6000.

[0027] By reading the following detailed description, these and other aspects, features and advantages will become apparent 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 for 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 need to be exhaustive. It should be noted that the embodiments given in the following description are intended to illustrate the present invention, but are not intended to limit the present invention to these embodiments themselves. Similarly, unless otherwise stated, all percentages are weight / weight percentages. Except in the operating and comparative examples or where otherwise clearly indicated, all numbers representing the amount of material or the conditions of reaction, the physical properties of the material and / or the use in this specification should be understood to be modified by the word "about". The numerical range expressed in the form of "x to y" should be understood to include x and y. When multiple preferred ranges are described in the form of "x to y" for a particular feature, it should be understood that all ranges combining different endpoints are also considered. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] According to the present invention, there is provided a detergent tablet comprising 15 to 80 wt % of a surfactant, a water-soluble polymer, a swellable disintegrant having a water absorption rate greater than 1, and 0.1 to 10 wt % of a slip additive selected from erucamide, oleamide, stearamide and combinations thereof, wherein the water-soluble polymer comprises a cellulose-containing compound having a solubility of at least 0.5 wt % in distilled water at 25°C.

[0029] Surfactants

[0030] The detergent tablet comprises from 15 to 80 wt% surfactant. Preferably, the detergent tablet comprises from 20 to 75 wt%, more preferably from 25 to 70, most preferably from 30 to 65 wt% surfactant.

[0031] Preferably, the surfactant is selected from anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants and combinations thereof.

[0032] Preferably, the detergent tablet comprises an anionic surfactant.Preferably, the anionic surfactant is selected from alkyl sulfates, alkyl ether sulfates, linear alkyl benzene sulfonates and combinations thereof.

[0033] Anionic surfactants suitable for the present invention include salts of organic sulfates and sulfonates having an alkyl group containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, the term "alkyl" being used to include the alkyl portion of the higher acyl group. Examples of such materials include alkyl sulfates, alkyl ether sulfates, alkyl aryl sulfonates, alpha-olefin sulfonates and mixtures thereof. The alkyl group preferably contains 10 to 18 carbon atoms and may be unsaturated. The alkyl ether sulfates may contain 1 to 10 ethylene oxide or propylene oxide units per molecule, preferably 1 to 3 ethylene oxide units per molecule.

[0034] Suitable anionic surfactants can also include alkylbenzene sulfonates. Preferably, in an embodiment suitable for washing dishes, a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) having an alkyl chain length of 10 to 18 carbon atoms is included. Commercially available LAS is a mixture of closely related isomers and homologues of alkyl chain homologues, each containing an aromatic ring sulfonated in the "para-position" and connected to a linear alkyl chain at any position except the terminal carbon. The linear alkyl chain generally has a chain length of 11 to 15 carbon atoms, and the main material has a chain length of about C12. Each alkyl chain homologue is composed of a mixture of all possible sulfo-phenyl isomers except the 1-phenyl isomer. LAS is generally formulated into a composition in the form of an acid (i.e., HLAS) and then at least partially neutralized in situ. The counterions of anionic surfactants are generally alkali metals, such as sodium or potassium; or ammonia counterions. A mixture of such counterions can also be used. Preferred sodium and potassium.

[0035] Preferably, suitable anionic surfactants include alkyl sulfate surfactants (PAS), such as non-ethoxylated primary and secondary alkyl sulfates having an alkyl chain length of 10 to 18.

[0036] The detergent tablet may contain an alkyl ether sulfate having a linear or branched alkyl group having 10 to 18, more preferably 12 to 14 carbon atoms and containing an average of 1 to 3 ethylene oxide (EO) units per molecule. A preferred example is sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) in which the predominantly C12 lauryl alkyl group has been ethoxylated with an average of 3 EO units per molecule. The alkyl ether sulfate may be used alone or in combination with any other anionic surfactant.

[0037] Most preferably, the anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of primary alkyl sulfates, alkyl benzene sulfonates, alkyl ether sulfates, and combinations thereof.

[0038] Preferably, the amount of anionic surfactant is up to 100% by weight of the total amount of surfactant. More preferably, the amount of anionic surfactant is 10 to 100% by weight of the total amount of surfactant, even more preferably 20 to 100% by weight, even more preferably 30 to 100% by weight. Most preferably, the anionic surfactant is 50 to 100% by weight of the total amount of surfactant.

[0039] Preferably the detergent tablet comprises from 8 to 80 wt %, more preferably from 15 to 75 wt %, even more preferably from 20 to 70 wt %, most preferably from 25 to 60 wt % anionic surfactant.

[0040] In addition to anionic surfactants, the detergent tablet according to the invention may also comprise nonionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants.

[0041] Suitable nonionic surfactants include water-soluble aliphatic ethoxylated nonionic surfactants, including primary and secondary aliphatic alcohol ethoxylates. This includes condensation products of higher alcohols (e.g., alkanols containing about 8 to 16 carbon atoms in a straight or branched configuration) with about 4 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide, for example, condensation of lauryl or myristyl alcohol with about 10 moles of ethylene oxide (EO), condensation of tridecanol with about 6 to 15 moles of EO, condensation of myristyl alcohol with about 10 moles of EO per mole of myristyl alcohol, condensation products of EO with a coconut fatty alcohol fraction containing a mixture of fatty alcohols having an alkyl chain length of 10 to about 14 carbon atoms, and wherein the condensate contains about 6 moles of EO per mole of total alcohol or about 9 moles of EO per mole of alcohol, and tallow alcohol ethoxylates containing 6 to 11 EO per mole of alcohol.

[0042] Examples of the aforementioned nonionic surfactants include, but are not limited to, Neodol (trademark, available from Shell), which is a higher aliphatic primary alcohol containing about 9 to 15 carbon atoms, such as C9 to C11 alkanol condensed with 4 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide (Neodol91-8 or Neodol91-5), C12 to C13 alkanol condensed with 6.5 moles of ethylene oxide (Neodol23-6.5), C12 to C15 alkanol condensed with 12 moles of ethylene oxide (Neodol25-12), C14 to C15 alkanol condensed with 13 moles of ethylene oxide (Neodol45-13), etc. Such ethoxylated block copolymers (ethoxamers) have an HLB (hydrophobic lipophilic balance) value of about 8 to 15 and give good O / W emulsification, while ethoxylated block copolymers with an HLB value of less than 7 contain less than 4 ethylene oxide groups and tend to be poor emulsifiers and poor detergents.

[0043] Another group of suitable nonionic surfactants are the alkyl polyglycosides (APGs), which are sugar derivatives of fatty alcohols. Examples of such surfactants are decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside, myristyl glucoside.

[0044] Preferably the detergent tablet comprises from 0 to 50 wt %, more preferably from 5 to 45 wt %, even more preferably from 10 to 40 wt %, most preferably from 15 to 35 wt % nonionic surfactant.

[0045] In addition to anionic surfactants and / or nonionic surfactants, the detergent tablet may also contain amphoteric surfactants. Suitable amphoteric surfactants include derivatives of aliphatic quaternary ammonium, sulfonium and phosphonium compounds having an aliphatic group having 8 to 18 carbon atoms and an aliphatic group substituted with an anionic water-solubilizing group, such as 3-(NN-dimethyl-N-hexadecylammonium)propane-1-sulfonate betaine, 3-(dodecylmethylsulfonium)propane-1-sulfonate betaine and 3-(hexadecylmethylphosphonium)ethanesulfonate betaine.

[0046] Examples of amphoteric surfactants suitable for the present invention include cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB), cocamidopropylamine oxide (CAPAO), coconut diethanolamide (CDEA) and coconut monoethanolamide (CMEA).

[0047] Preferably, the detergent tablet comprises from 0 to 30 wt%, more preferably from 1 to 25 wt%, even more preferably from 2 to 20 wt%, most preferably from 3 to 20 wt% amphoteric surfactant.

[0048] Preferably, the surfactant comprises a combination of anionic surfactant, nonionic surfactant and amphoteric surfactant. It has been observed that the combination of surfactants further accelerates the dissolution of the detergent tablet. The weight ratio of anionic surfactant to nonionic surfactant to amphoteric surfactant is preferably at least 3:1:1. Preferably, the weight ratio of anionic surfactant to nonionic surfactant to amphoteric surfactant is 3:1:1 to 10:1:1.

[0049] Water soluble polymer

[0050] The detergent tablet comprises a water soluble polymer.Since the present invention provides a product in a tablet form, the water soluble polymer acts as a carrier or matrix for this form.

[0051] The water-soluble polymer comprises a cellulose-containing compound having a solubility of at least 0.5% by weight in distilled water at 25°C. The cellulose-containing compound is within the meaning of a cellulose derivative as understood by a person skilled in the art. Preferably, the cellulose-containing compound is readily soluble in water at 25°C. The term "readily soluble" herein means that the polymer dissolves in water at room temperature, thereby providing a visually clear or transparent solution without any lumps remaining in the solution. Visually clear or transparent herein refers to a solution having a turbidity value of less than 50 NTU (nephelometric turbidity units).

[0052] Preferably, the cellulose-containing compound is a cellulose ether derivative. Usually, a cellulose ether derivative is obtained by replacing one or more hydrogen atoms of the hydroxyl groups in the anhydroglucose unit of cellulose with an alkyl group or a substituted alkyl group. Degree of substitution (DS) is one of the factors that define the properties of cellulose ether derivatives, particularly solubility in water. It is defined as the number of substituted hydroxyl groups on each glucose molecule, and its range is between 0 and 3. For example, a cellulose ether derivative with a degree of substitution value of 1.2 to 2.4 is soluble in cold water. Examples of cellulose ether derivatives suitable for the present invention include methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, ethylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxyethylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, ethylhydroxyethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose and sodium carboxymethylcellulose.

[0053] Preferably, the cellulose ether derivative is selected from cellulose alkyl ether derivatives or cellulose hydroxyalkyl ether derivatives.Nonionic cellulose ether derivatives, ie derivatives containing nonionic functional groups such as hydroxyl, methoxy, ethoxy, hydroxyethyl, hydroxypropyl, dihydroxypropyl and dihydroxybutyl are also suitable for the present invention.

[0054] Preferably, the cellulose ether derivative is selected from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose and combinations thereof. The most preferred cellulose derivative is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose.

[0055] Generally, pure cellulose is almost insoluble in distilled water, but they form gels by absorbing water. Therefore, they cannot be used as carriers or matrices in the form of sheets.

[0056] In addition to cellulose-containing compounds, non-limiting examples of suitable water-soluble polymers include starch, gelatin, and polysaccharides such as xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan.

[0057] Preferably, the amount of water soluble polymer in the detergent tablet is from 5 to 50 wt %, more preferably from 7 to 45 wt %, even more preferably from 9 to 40 wt % and from 10 to 35 wt % of the detergent tablet.

[0058] Typically, cleaning products or detergents in sheet form contain polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). PVA is an easily available water-soluble substrate. However, the present invention may not contain PVA as a water-soluble polymer. Preferably, the detergent tablet does not contain polyvinyl alcohol or its derivatives. The term "does not contain" herein means that the detergent tablet contains less than 10% by weight, more preferably less than 8% by weight, even more preferably less than 5% by weight, still more preferably less than 3% by weight, most preferably less than 1% by weight of polyvinyl alcohol and / or its derivatives.

[0059] Swellable disintegrant

[0060] The detergent tablet comprises a swellable disintegrant. The swellable disintegrant herein refers to a component that swells when in contact with water and thereby accelerates the dissolution of the detergent tablet. In particular, in the present invention, a swellable disintegrant refers to a disintegrant having a water absorption rate (WAR) greater than 1.

[0061] Water absorption (WAR) is a measure of how much water a material absorbs under controlled and defined conditions. The method described by ASTM D570 is used in this application.

[0062] The swellable disintegrant is selected from microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate and mixtures thereof. The most preferred swellable disintegrant is microcrystalline cellulose. Microcrystalline cellulose absorbs water and swells, and has a WAR value greater than 5.

[0063] The detergent tablet may comprise from 1 to 30 wt% of a swellable disintegrant. More preferably, the detergent tablet comprises from 2 to 25 wt%, even more preferably from 3 to 20 wt% of a swellable disintegrant.

[0064] The detergent tablet may also contain a non-swelling disintegrant. Non-swelling disintegrants herein refer to those disintegrants having a water absorption rate (WAR) of less than 1. Examples of non-swelling disintegrants include polyvinyl pyrrolidone, calcium silicate, starch, magnesium stearate, and mixtures thereof. The non-swelling disintegrant may account for 1 to 20% by weight of the detergent tablet, more preferably 1.5 to 15% by weight, even more preferably 2 to 10% by weight, and most preferably 3 to 8% by weight.

[0065] Slip Additives

[0066] The detergent tablet comprises 0.1 to 10 wt % of a slip additive. Slip additives are known in the context of films and are used to reduce the coefficient of friction, thereby reducing the stickiness between films. Unexpectedly, it was observed that the selected slip additives act synergistically with the swellable disintegrant to reduce the dissolution time of the detergent tablet and reduce the coefficient of friction.

[0067] Preferably, the detergent tablet comprises 0.2 to 8 wt%, more preferably 0.5 to 7 wt%, even more preferably 1.0 to 6 wt%, further preferably 1.0 to 5 wt%, still more preferably 1.0 to 4 wt%, most preferably 1.0 to 3 wt% detergent tablet.

[0068] The slip additive is selected from the group consisting of stearamide, erucamide and oleamide, and mixtures thereof.

[0069] The most preferred slip additives are erucamide and / or oleamide.

[0070] Graphene or its derivatives

[0071] The detergent tablet may also comprise 0.001 to 1.0 wt % of graphene or a derivative thereof.

[0072] Graphene is an allotrope formed by a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice structure. Graphene or its derivatives are reported to have good thermal and electrical conductivity and are commonly used in various electrical and electronic fields, such as semiconductors, communications, sensors, etc. The most common graphene derivatives are graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO).

[0073] Graphene is hydrophobic and can be obtained in two ways. The first way is by peeling layers from graphite until a graphene monolayer is obtained. The second way is called chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which can be obtained and controlled with large-scale uniformity.

[0074] Preferably, the graphene derivative suitable for the present invention is graphene oxide. Graphene oxide (GO) is hydrophilic and can be manufactured by Hummer method. One of the ways to prepare reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is by thermal and / or chemical reduction of graphene oxide. More details about graphene and its derivatives can be found in the literature, such as "Review on graphene and its derivatives:Synthesis methods and potential industrial implementation", Lee et al., Journal of the Institute of Chemical Engineers, Vol. 98, May 2019, pp. 163-180, Elsevier; "Functionalization of Graphene", Vasilios Georgakilas, Willy-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co, Germany, ISBN: 9783527672783. Graphene oxide (GO) is also commercially available and can be obtained from suppliers such as Platonic Nanotech.

[0075] Preferably, the detergent tablet comprises 0.01 to 1.0 wt. %, more preferably 0.01 to 0.8 wt. %, even more preferably the detergent tablet comprises 0.02 to 0.8 wt. %, further preferably 0.03 to 0.7 wt. %, still more preferably 0.04 to 0.6 wt. %, most preferably 0.05 to 0.5 wt. % graphene or a derivative thereof.

[0076] water

[0077] Detergent tablets according to the present invention are in sheet form or dry form. It may not contain a large amount of water, particularly free water. "Free water" herein refers to water added or visually perceptible on the product. However, the method for preparing detergent tablets includes a step of preparing a solution of ingredients in water and casting on the surface. Therefore, water residues may be contained therein. Preferably, the detergent tablets contain less than 25 % by weight, more preferably less than 20 % by weight, most preferably less than 15 % by weight of water. Preferably, the detergent tablets contain 5 to 25 % by weight, more preferably 5 to 20 % by weight, even more preferably 8 to 15 % by weight, most preferably 10 to 15 % by weight of water, and water is combined with the detergent tablets. Water content can be measured by thermogravimetric method, such as moisture balance or thermogravimetric analyzer.

[0078] Other optional ingredients

[0079] The detergent tablet can also contain optional ingredients to enhance performance and / or consumer acceptability. Examples of such ingredients include foam control agents or defoamers, preservatives (e.g., bactericides), fluorescent whitening agents, soil release polymers, anti-redeposition polymers, optical brighteners, degreasing agents, dyes, spices, etc. Each of these ingredients will exist in an amount that effectively achieves its purpose. Typically, the content of these optional ingredients is at most 10 weight % of the detergent tablet. Examples suitable for soil release polymers of the present invention include copolyesters of dicarboxylic acids, diols, cellulose derivatives, and polyester polyamide polymers. Suitable defoamers include silicones and fatty acids.

[0080] The detergent tablet may comprise an effective amount of one or more enzymes, preferably selected from hemicellulases, peroxidases, proteases, cellulases, hemicellulases, xylanases, xanthanases, lipases, phospholipases, esterases, cutinases, pectinases, carrageenase, mannanases, pectate lyases, keratinases, reductases, oxidases, phenoloxidases, lipoxygenases, ligninases, pullulanases, tannases, pentosanases, maleases, beta-glucanases, arabinosidases, hyaluronidases, chondroitinase, laccases, tannases, amylases, nucleases (such as deoxyribonucleases and / or ribonucleases), phosphodiesterases, or mixtures thereof. Particularly preferred are mixtures of proteases, amylases, lipases, cellulases, phosphodiesterases and / or pectate lyases.

[0081] The detergent tablet may contain a chelating agent. Preferably, the chelating agent is selected from an organic detergent builder or a chelating agent material. Examples include alkali metals, citrates, succinates, malonates, carboxymethyl succinates, carboxylates, polycarboxylates and polyacetyl carboxylates. Specific examples include sodium, potassium and lithium salts of oxydisuccinic acid, mellitic acid, benzene polycarboxylic acids and citric acid. Other examples are DEQUEST TM , organic phosphonate-type chelating agents sold by Monsanto, and alkylhydroxyphosphonates.

[0082] Other suitable organic builders / chelants include the higher molecular weight polymers and copolymers known to have builder properties. For example, such materials include suitable polyacrylic acids, polymaleic acids and polyacrylic acid / polymaleic acid copolymers and their salts, such as those available from BASF under the name SOKALAN TM Preferred chelating agents are 2066 (diethylenetriamine penta(methylenephosphonic acid) or heptasodium DTPMP). Another suitable chelating agent is HEDP (1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid), for example sold as Dequest 2010.

[0083] Since the present invention provides a product in sheet form, it may optionally contain conventional additives for packaging or film substrates. Examples of such ingredients include, but are not limited to, antioxidants, foaming agents, dyes, fillers, colorants, crosslinking agents, inhibitors, pigments, stabilizers, biocides.

[0084] Method for making detergent tablets

[0085] The present invention provides a method for preparing a detergent tablet. The method comprises the following steps: preparing a liquid premix homogenized in water by providing water in a container, adding a water-soluble polymer to the water and mixing, the water-soluble polymer comprising a cellulose-containing compound having a solubility of at least 0.5% by weight in distilled water at 25° C. The homogenization process may include heating the water to increase the solubility of the polymer. Subsequently, a swellable disintegrant having a water absorption greater than 1, a slip additive and a surfactant are added to the premix. The examples, categories and types of surfactants, water-soluble polymers, swellable disintegrants and chelating agents described above are all suitable for incorporation into the method. The ingredients can be obtained in powder or dry solid form, which can also be used in the present invention.

[0086] On it, the premix is ​​cast on the surface as a sheet or film with a certain thickness. Preferably, an applicator is used to control the thickness. The casting process includes removing water by evaporation, thereby providing a detergent tablet. Casting can be carried out at room temperature or at an elevated temperature, preferably at less than 100° C., more preferably less than 95° C. Most preferably, the casting process is carried out at 70 to 90° C. The method for preparing the detergent tablet may also include any other conventional method for forming a film or sheet.

[0087] Preferably, casting removes at least 75% by weight, more preferably at least 80% by weight, even more preferably 85% by weight, most preferably at least 90% by weight of water. The flakes obtained by this method contain 5 to 25% by weight of water. Preferably, the flakes contain 5 to 20% by weight, more preferably 8 to 15% by weight, most preferably 10 to 15% by weight of water. In a most preferred embodiment, the flakes obtained by this method contain about 10% by weight of water.

[0088] Preferably, the premix comprises 3 to 30 wt% surfactant. More preferably, the premix comprises 4 to 25 wt%, most preferably 5 to 20 wt% surfactant.

[0089] The premix may comprise from 1 to 20 wt% of the water soluble polymer. More preferably, the premix comprises from 2 to 15 wt%, most preferably from 3 to 12 wt% of the water soluble polymer.

[0090] Preferably, the premix comprises 1 to 12 wt% of a swellable disintegrant.Preferably, the premix comprises 1.5 to 10 wt%, most preferably 2 to 9 wt% of a swellable disintegrant.

[0091] The premix is ​​prepared by adding water as the balance. Preferably, the premix comprises 40 to 90 wt %, more preferably 45 to 80 wt %, more preferably 50 to 75 wt % of water.

[0092] Preferably, the premix comprises 0.01 to 5 wt% slip additive.Preferably, the premix comprises 0.1 to 4 wt%, even more preferably 0.2 to 3 wt%, most preferably 0.2 to 2 wt% slip additive.

[0093] Ingredients such as surfactants, swellable disintegrants and water-soluble polymers are available in powder or dry solid form and may also be used in the present invention.

[0094] In the method, every kind of composition is taken with respect to the amount of premix, but the premix provides detergent tablets by removing water or concentrating it. Therefore, in the solidification process, in the detergent tablets according to the first aspect, the amount of every kind of composition increases proportionally. That is, the detergent tablets obtained by the method preferably contain 15 to 80 % by weight of surfactants, 5 to 50 % by weight of water-soluble polymers, 1 to 30 % by weight of swellable disintegrants and 0.01 to 10 % by weight of the slippery additive described above. Such ratio or ratio are a part of any sheet or film preparation method, and are well known in the art.

[0095] The premix is ​​in liquid form having a viscosity suitable for casting on a surface to form a thin layer. -1 The shear rate and viscosity at 25° C. may be 10 to 2000 mPa·s, more preferably 15 to 1500 mPa·s, even more preferably 20 to 1000 mPa·s, most preferably 25 to 500 mPa·s.

[0096] application

[0097] The detergent tablet can be provided in unit dose form. The term "unit dose" herein refers to the dosage of a product suitable for single use. The detergent tablet can contain multiple unit doses in one sheet, wherein it is provided with perforated marks indicating the unit dose. In practice, the consumer tears off the unit dose according to the mark and uses it.

[0098] Preferably, the unit dose form of detergent tablets is provided in the form of a booklet, with each tablet being suitable for a single wash. Preferably, the tablets have a low coefficient of friction or may contain a slip additive so that they do not stick together.

[0099] Detergent tablets according to the present invention can be formulated for laundry or dishwashing. The term "laundry" herein refers to processing or washing fabrics. Laundry can include hand washing and machine washing. In hand washing, consumers dissolve a unit dose of detergent tablets in a bucket of water to form a washing liquid, and soak their load of clothes in the washing liquid and then wash. The detergent tablets can also be used for machine washing, wherein consumers directly drop a unit dose of detergent tablets in a washing machine and wash their load of clothes. "Dishwashing" herein refers to washing tableware, kitchenware utensils and any other hard surface associated with cooking or serving food. In the dishwashing process, consumers preferably dissolve a unit dose of detergent tablets in equal parts of water, thereby providing a cleaning composition for dishwashing.

[0100] In another case, detergent tablets can be formulated to provide liquid detergents. Consumers can prepare liquid detergents by dissolving the detergent tablets in a second container and store it for multiple uses. Liquid detergents differ from washing liquids in terms of detergent content and certain product attributes, such as viscosity and feel.

[0101] Detergent tablets according to the invention may be formulated for hard surface cleaning.Hard surface cleaning compositions are typically used to clean surfaces such as floors, tiles, kitchen counters, tabletops and the like.

[0102] The present invention provides a method for providing a liquid cleaning composition, comprising the steps of providing water in a container, adding a detergent tablet according to the present invention, wherein the weight ratio of the detergent tablet to water is from 1:5 to 1:6000.

[0103] Cleaning compositions can be provided in the form of washing liquid, so that use immediately.Consumers can drop detergent tablets into buckets or washing containers.In such cases, particularly in the case of machine washing, the weight ratio of the detergent tablets to water is 1:500 to 1:6000, more preferably 1:1000 to 1:5000, even more preferably 1:1500 to 1:4000, most preferably 1:2000 to 1:3500.For example, a detergent tablet weighing 10 to 20gm can be dropped into 20 to 40 liters of water contained in a washing machine.However, in the case of hand washing, the weight ratio of the detergent tablets to water can be 1:50 to 1:2000, more preferably 1:100 to 1:1000, most preferably 1:200 to 1:500.For example, a detergent tablet weighing 10 to 20gm can be dropped into 5 to 15 liters of water contained in a bucket or washing container.

[0104] The cleaning composition may be provided in the form of a liquid detergent. The liquid detergent may be stored in a second container and used at a subsequent stage by further dilution in water. In such cases, the weight ratio of the detergent tablet to water is from 1:5 to 1:100, more preferably from 1:7 to 1:80, even more preferably from 1:10 to 1:60, and most preferably from 1:15 to 1:40.

[0105] Example

[0106] The materials used in the examples are listed in Table 1 below.

[0107] Table 1

[0108] Material (%w / w) Full name supplier Na-LAS Sodium linear alkylbenzene sulfonate Unger Surfactants, Norway HPMC Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose Shinetsu, Dow, Ashland glycerin glycerin Sigma-aldrich Tinopal CBC Distyrylbiphenyl derivatives BASF SE Acusol Carboxylic acid copolymer Dow Chemical International Pvt.Ltd. Dequest 2010 1-Hydroxyethylidene 1,1-diphosphonic acid Italmatch UK Ltd. EPEI Ethoxylated polyethyleneimine BASF SE Texcare Polyester copolymer Clarient Ltd. MCC Microcrystalline Cellulose Keval Export Erucamide - Croda Chemicals India. Cocamide MEA - BASF India Ltd. Graphene oxide Graphene oxide Platonic Nanotech Pvt. Ltd.

[0109] Example 1 and Examples A to E were prepared according to the formulations provided in Table 2. The amounts of each ingredient mentioned in the table are considered based on a premix solution for casting into a sheet form. Example 1 is within the scope of the present invention, and Examples A to E are comparative examples.

[0110] Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) was weighed and dissolved in hot water (80°C) to provide a homogenized premix. Subsequently, the remaining ingredients were weighed, added to the premix and mixed thoroughly. The premix was cast on a surface using a TQC Compact Film Applicator (TQC Sheen) with a scraper to form a wet film. The film was dried at 70 to 90°C for 2 hours to form a detergent tablet. As the water content of the detergent tablet was reduced to 10 to 15%, the amount of each ingredient was increased proportionally.

[0111] To evaluate the dissolution of the detergent tablets, each example was added to 250 mL of water and allowed to dissolve. A stopwatch was used to record the dissolution time. The coefficient of friction of each tablet was measured in a coefficient of friction tester M10D (Packtest Machines Inc.) according to ASTM D-1814 method.

[0112] Table 2

[0113]

[0114] The shorter the dissolution time, the better, as it provides a clean composition quickly. A lower coefficient of friction (COF) means the sheet is less sticky and easier to use. As is evident from Table 2, Example 1 dissolves quickly but has a significantly lower coefficient of friction compared to Examples A to E.

[0115] The detergent tablets are formed by casting the premix and evaporating water from the premix. The water content of the detergent tablets is 10 to 15% by weight. This results in a proportional increase in the amount of each ingredient. Therefore, the amount of each ingredient in Example 1 is estimated taking into account a 10% water content and is summarized in Table 2A below.

[0116] Table 2A

[0117] Material (%w / w) Example 1* Anionic surfactant (Na-LAS) 30.4 Soluble polymer (HPMC) 11.0 Plasticizers 3.5 Tinopol CBC 1.2 Acusol 7.5 Chelating agents 1.2 EPEI 5.2 Texcare 2.5 spices 5.5 Graphene oxide 0.00 Swellable disintegrant (MCC) 19.9 Slip additive (erucamide) 2.0 water 10.0

[0118] *Detergent tablet form

Claims

1. A detergent tablet which provides a cleaning composition when dissolved in water, comprising: a) 15 to 80% by weight of a surfactant; b) a water-soluble polymer comprising a cellulose-containing compound having a solubility of at least 0.5% by weight in distilled water at 25° C.; and c) a swellable disintegrant having a water absorption rate greater than 1; and d) 0.1 to 10 wt % of a slip additive selected from erucamide, oleamide, stearamide, and combinations thereof.

2. The detergent tablet according to claim 1, wherein the detergent tablet is free of polyvinyl alcohol.

3. The detergent tablet according to claims 1 to 2, wherein the surfactant is selected from anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants and combinations thereof.

4. The detergent tablet according to claim 3, wherein the anionic surfactant is 50 to 100% by weight of the total amount of the surfactant.

5. The detergent tablet according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the amount of the water-soluble polymer is 5 to 50% by weight of the detergent tablet.

6. The detergent tablet according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cellulose-containing compound is a cellulose ether derivative.

7. The detergent tablet according to claim 6, wherein the cellulose ether derivative is selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose and combinations thereof.

8. A detergent tablet according to claim 7, wherein the cellulose derivative is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose.

9. The detergent tablet according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the amount of the swellable disintegrant is 1 to 30% by weight of the detergent tablet.

10. The detergent tablet according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the swellable disintegrant is selected from microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate and combinations thereof.

11. A detergent tablet according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the amount of slip additive is from 0.1 to 5% by weight of the detergent tablet.

12. The detergent tablet according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising 0.001 to 1% by weight of graphene or a derivative thereof.

13. A detergent tablet according to any one of claims 1 to 12 in unit dose form.

14. A process for preparing a detergent tablet according to any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising the following steps: a) providing water in a container; b) adding a water-soluble polymer comprising a cellulose-containing compound having a solubility of at least 0.5% by weight in distilled water at 25° C. to the water and mixing to provide a liquid premix; c) adding and mixing a swellable disintegrant having a water absorption rate greater than 1, a slip additive selected from erucamide, oleamide, stearamide and combinations thereof, and a surfactant into the premix; and d) The premix is ​​then poured onto a surface and the water is allowed to evaporate.

15. A method for providing a cleaning composition comprising the steps of: a) providing water in a container; and b) Dissolving a detergent tablet according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the weight ratio of detergent tablet to water is from 1:5 to 1:6000.

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