Gel composition containing sulfonate and application thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a sulfonate-containing gel composition and application thereof. The composition comprises (a) salt of N-long-chain acyl amino acid, (b) free N-long-chain acyl amino acid, (c) a hydrophilic nonionic surfactant, (d) an ampholytic surfactant and (e) a sulfonate surfactant, the related composition can be used for preparing personal care products, household cleaning products and industrial cleaning products.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of gel product technology, and particularly to sulfonate-containing gel compositions, and their applications in personal care products, household cleaning products, and industrial cleaning products. Background Technology

[0002] Gel-type products are widely used in cosmetics, detergents, toothpastes, and other fields due to their clear / transparent / semi-transparent appearance, unique rheological properties that allow them to suspend small particles, their aesthetic appeal, non-greasy feel, ease of application, and ease of cleaning.

[0003] Currently, gel formation is mainly achieved by adding various polymeric thickeners or gelling agents. Commonly used thickeners include cellulose-based, mucopolysaccharide-based, polyvinyl alcohol-based, gelling agents, sodium polyacrylate-based, polyvinylpyrrolidone-based, and vinyl polymers. Commonly used varieties include starch, gelatin, sodium alginate, guar gum, chitosan gum, gum arabic, xanthan gum, soybean protein gum, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, modified paraffin resin, carbomer resin, and styrene-butadiene rubber. For AES systems, sodium chloride can also be used for thickening.

[0004] The team of this invention utilizes the self-thickening properties of N-long-chain acyl amino acids and bases (such as basic amino acids / inorganic bases) to form gels without the need to add various polymer thickeners or gelling agents. The relevant content is disclosed in WO2024078286A1 and CN117883307A.

[0005] However, the self-thickening gel formation using N-long-chain acyl amino acids and basic amino acids / inorganic bases requires a total weight percentage of over 30 wt% for both N-long-chain acyl amino acids and basic amino acids / inorganic bases. This higher addition level leads to higher costs. Furthermore, considering that the usage limit for some N-long-chain acyl amino acids in cosmetics is below 20 wt%, this significantly restricts the practical application of high-content N-long-chain acyl amino acid solutions. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The inventors discovered that in the presence of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids, the synergistic effect of (c) a hydrophilic nonionic surfactant and (d) an amphoteric surfactant significantly improves the viscosity of the formulation. When the amount of N-long-chain acyl amino acids / salts is insufficient, or when inorganic bases or organic amines are used to replace the relatively expensive basic amino acids, viscosity can be increased by introducing one or more of the following surfactants: sulfonate surfactants, alkyl glycoside surfactants, alkanolamide surfactants, and sodium amphoteric acetate surfactants.

[0007] However, the aforementioned thickening system is still not universally applicable for gel formation and requires further refinement and screening.

[0008] Specifically, the present invention provides the following technical solution.

[0009] The present invention provides a sulfonate-containing gel composition comprising (a) a salt of N-long-chain acyl amino acid, (b) free N-long-chain acyl amino acid, (c) a hydrophilic nonionic surfactant, (d) an amphoteric surfactant, and (e) a sulfonate surfactant.

[0010] Alternatively, the gel composition comprises (a') an N-long-chain acyl amino acid partially neutralized with an alkali, (c) a hydrophilic nonionic surfactant, (d) an amphoteric surfactant, and (e) a sulfonate surfactant. Wherein, (a') the N-long-chain acyl amino acid partially neutralized with an alkali refers to the product of the partial neutralization of the N-long-chain acyl amino acid with an alkali, the final product present in the composition being the salt of the N-long-chain acyl amino acid and the unneutralized free N-long-chain acyl amino acid.

[0011] Alternatively, the gel composition may contain (a'') a base and an N-long-chain acyl amino acid, wherein the molar number of the base is less than that of the N-long-chain acyl amino acid, such that the neutralization degree of the N-long-chain acyl amino acid is less than 100%, (c) a hydrophilic nonionic surfactant, (d) an amphoteric surfactant, and (e) a sulfonate surfactant. Although the base and the N-long-chain acyl amino acid are added to the formulation separately, they will inevitably react. Since the neutralization degree is less than 100%, what ultimately exists in the composition are the salts of the N-long-chain acyl amino acid and unneutralized free N-long-chain acyl amino acids.

[0012] When the amounts of components (a), (a'), and (a'') are insufficient, or when inorganic bases or organic amines are used to neutralize N-long-chain acyl amino acids, the specially selected component (e), a sulfonate surfactant, can ensure that the system forms a gel.

[0013] For the N-long-chain acyl amino acid in the composition, the N-long-chain acyl group in the N-long-chain acyl amino acid is derived from a saturated or unsaturated straight-chain or branched fatty acid with 8 to 22 carbon atoms. Further, the N-long-chain acyl group in the N-long-chain acyl amino acid is selected from one or more of octanoyl, decanoyl, undecanoyl, lauroyl, myristoyl, pentadecanoyl, palmitoyl, stearoyl, oleoyl, linoleoyl, isostearoyl, coconut oil fatty acyl, and palm oil fatty acyl, preferably coconut oil fatty acyl or lauroyl, and most preferably lauroyl.

[0014] The amino acids in the N-long-chain acyl amino acids are derived from one or more of glycine, alanine, glutamic acid, sarcosine, aspartic acid, leucine, isoleucine, valine, threonine, proline, phenylalanine, arginine, lysine, and (methyl)taurine. Further, the amino acids in the N-long-chain acyl amino acids are derived from one or more of alanine, glycine, glutamic acid, sarcosine, arginine, lysine, and (methyl)taurine, preferably alanine, and most preferably L-alanine. The N-long-chain acyl (methyl)taurine described in this invention refers to N-long-chain acylmethyl taurine or N-long-chain acyl taurine.

[0015] As an example, N-long-chain acyl amino acids can be selected from cocoyl alanine, lauroyl alanine, cocoyl sarcosine, lauroyl sarcosine, lauroyl glutamic acid, cocoyl glutamic acid, oleyl glutamic acid, cocoyl glycine, lauroyl glycine, stearoyl glutamic acid, etc.

[0016] This invention discovers that N-long-chain acyl amino acids with different structures exhibit varying thickening abilities. Free N-long-chain acylglutamic acid has a weaker thickening effect than its counterparts, N-long-chain acylalanine, glycine, and sarcosine. N-long-chain acylglycine possesses good thickening ability, but its formulation is prone to precipitation and exhibits poor stability, making it suitable for gel-forming products where high transparency is not required. The surprising discovery of this invention is that, under the same formulation conditions, lauroylalanine's thickening ability far surpasses that of other long-chain acyl amino acids, being 5-10 times stronger than similar structures such as lauroylsarcosine and cocoylalanine (cocoylaminopropionic acid). This superior, much-anticipated thickening ability can completely solve the problem of difficult thickening of amino acid surfactant systems and is highly beneficial for gel formation.

[0017] (a) A salt of an N-long-chain acyl amino acid is a salt formed by an N-long-chain acyl amino acid and a base. The base is selected from one or more of inorganic bases, organic amines, and basic amino acids. The inorganic base is selected from one or more of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and potassium carbonate, preferably sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. The organic amine is selected from amines, alkanolamines, etc. For basic amino acids, it is selected from one or more of arginine, lysine, citrulline, ornithine, creatine, histidine, diaminobutyric acid, and diaminopropionic acid, preferably arginine and / or lysine, and most preferably L-arginine. The bases described in (a') and (a'') also have the same definition.

[0018] N-long-chain acyl amino acids can be directly mixed into commercially available long-chain acyl amino acid salts such as Puji's YB02-30 (sodium cocoylaminopropionate), AS02-30 (sodium lauroyl sarcosinate), Tianci's AMIN LS30 (sodium lauroyl sarcosinate), Suzhou Weimei's LA-Arg 30 (lauroyl alanine arginine salt), and LA-Na 30 (sodium lauroyl alanine), or N-long-chain acyl amino acids can be directly mixed into a formulation containing (a) N-long-chain acyl amino acid salts to obtain (a) N-long-chain acyl amino acid salts and (b) free N-long-chain acyl amino acids.

[0019] Alternatively, N-long-chain acyl amino acids can be partially neutralized with a base to obtain (a') N-long-chain acyl amino acids partially neutralized with a base. Alternatively, a base and an N-long-chain acyl amino acid can be added to the formulation separately (corresponding to (a'')). Since the base is used for partial neutralization and the N-long-chain acyl amino acid is in excess, the system will contain both the neutralized N-long-chain acyl amino acid salt and the unneutralized free N-long-chain acyl amino acid, which is essentially equivalent to (a) the salt of the N-long-chain acyl amino acid + (b) the free N-long-chain acyl amino acid.

[0020] From a cost control perspective, the weight percentage of components (a), (a'), or (a'') in the gel composition is less than 20 wt%, preferably less than 15 wt%, and more preferably less than 12 wt%. The salt of (a) is an inorganic base salt or organic amine salt of the N-long-chain acyl amino acid, such as one or more of sodium salt, potassium salt, ammonium salt, or TEA salt. The base mentioned in (a') and (a'') is one or more of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, amine, or alkanolamine. Of course, selecting basic amino acids and higher contents of (a), (a'), or (a'') makes gel formation easier. The present invention aims to ensure that the formulation can still form a gel even with lower dosages or when using inorganic salts.

[0021] Further, the weight percentage of component (a), (a'), or (a'') in the gel composition is 3-20 wt%, preferably 5-15 wt%. Exemplary examples include 3 wt%, 4 wt%, 5 wt%, 6 wt%, 7 wt%, 8 wt%, 9 wt%, 10 wt%, 11 wt%, 12 wt%, 13 wt%, 14 wt%, 15 wt%, 16 wt%, 17 wt%, 18 wt%, 19 wt%, and 20 wt%. The weight percentage of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids in the gel composition is 0.3-5 wt%, preferably 0.5-3 wt%. Exemplary examples include 0.3 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, 1.5 wt%, 2 wt%, 2.5 wt%, 3 wt%, 3.5 wt%, 4 wt%, 4.5 wt%, and 5 wt%.

[0022] Inorganic base salts and organic amine salts of N-long-chain acyl amino acids have lower solubilizing properties for free N-long-chain acyl amino acids than basic amino acid salts. In this case, it is preferable to reduce the amount of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids in the formulation system. Furthermore, for (a') and (a''), the degree of neutralization is controlled between 80% and 95%, preferably above 85%. For example, the degree of neutralization is 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, and 94%. If the neutralization is too low, there will be too much free N-long-chain acyl amino acid, and the formulation will easily precipitate. If the neutralization is too high, there will be insufficient free N-long-chain acyl amino acids, and the thickening effect will be limited. The aforementioned degree of neutralization refers to the percentage of N-long-chain acyl amino acids that are neutralized. For example, 80% neutralization means that 80% of all N-long-chain acyl amino acids are neutralized by the base to form salts, leaving 20% ​​as free N-long-chain acyl amino acids. Correspondingly, for component (a), the molar ratio (a) / (b) to component (b) is 4-19.

[0023] The synthesis process of N-long-chain acyl amino acid surfactants can refer to the general synthesis methods of N-acyl amino acid type surfactants, and is divided into direct methods and indirect methods. Direct synthesis methods from fatty acid raw materials include enzyme-catalyzed synthesis and dehydration condensation. Indirect synthesis methods include acylation of fatty acid acyl chlorides, hydrolytic acylation of fatty acid nitriles, acylation of fatty acid anhydrides, and amide carbonylation reactions. A preferred method is preparation via the amino reaction of fatty acyl chlorides with amino acids (Shotten-Baumann condensation reaction or Shotten-Baumann reaction).

[0024] A typical preparation process suitable for this invention is as follows: amino acids and sodium hydroxide are dissolved in water or a mixture of water and acetone to obtain an amino acid salt solution; then lauroyl chloride and sodium hydroxide solution are slowly added dropwise to the amino acid salt solution, controlling the pH of the reaction system; after the addition is complete, post-processing of the product is performed. Representative methods are disclosed in CN1798821A, US6703517B2, CN102875409B, JPH0570418A, etc.

[0025] For the post-processing of N-long-chain acyl amino acid products, conventional methods such as recrystallization, water washing, and drying can be used. A preferred post-processing step includes the following steps: mixing the crude N-long-chain acyl amino acid with a solvent, optionally stirring, and controlling the temperature T of the mixed system to be above the melting point of the long-chain fatty acid and below the melting point of the N-long-chain acyl amino acid. The solvent is water, an organic solvent, or a mixture of water and an organic solvent. After temperature control, solid-liquid separation is performed. Related methods are disclosed by the inventors in CN202210867760.7 and PCT / CN2022 / 107270, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0026] For component (c), hydrophilic nonionic surfactants, it refers to a class of nonionic surfactants that are hydrophilic and can be dispersed or dissolved in water to form emulsions or translucent to transparent solutions.

[0027] The present invention primarily prefers O / W type emulsifiers, or solubilizing nonionic surfactants, or nonionic surfactants with HLB 6 or higher.

[0028] The O / W type emulsifier refers to a type of substance that enables the oil phase (O, abbreviated as O) to be uniformly dispersed in the aqueous phase (Water, abbreviated as W) in the form of tiny droplets, forming an oil-in-water (O / W) emulsion. In this invention, the O / W type emulsifier can stabilize free N-long-chain acyl amino acids, ensuring they do not precipitate, and can also have a synergistic effect on thickening.

[0029] The solubilizing nonionic surfactant refers to a nonionic surfactant with solubilizing properties, which can dissolve lipophilic raw materials in water. In this invention, it specifically refers to a surfactant that can dissolve lipophilic free N-long-chain acyl amino acids in water, ensuring that they do not precipitate, and can also have a synergistic effect on thickening.

[0030] For nonionic surfactants with an HLB value of 6 or higher, the relative strength of the hydrophilic and lipophilic groups in the HLB value reflects their partitioning ability in the aqueous and oil phases. An HLB value of 6 or higher can maximize the stability of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids. The present invention particularly prefers nonionic surfactants with an HLB value of 8 or higher, and more preferably 10, 12, or even 14 or higher.

[0031] Furthermore, (c) the hydrophilic nonionic surfactant can be of the polyoxyethylene type, polyol type, alkylamide type, etc. Preferably, the hydrophilic nonionic surfactant of this invention comprises a polyoxyethylene unit or a polyglycerol unit in its hydrophilic group.

[0032] Polyoxyethylene units can be understood as EO repeating units, PEG units, or oxyethylene units. The higher the number of polyoxyethylene units, the better the hydrophilicity, which is beneficial for thickening and low-temperature stability. It is advantageous to have more than 50 PEG units, preferably 60, 80, or 100 or more, such as 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, and 160. For example, substances with a high number of PEG units, such as PEG-120 methyl glucoside dioleate, PEG-150 pentaerythritol tetrastearate, PEG-160 sorbitan triisostearate, PEG-100 stearate, and PEG-60 glyceryl isostearate, all exhibit excellent thickening and low-temperature stability.

[0033] Polyglycerol units refer to polyglycerol groups obtained by glycerol polymerization. The more polyglycerol units there are, the better the hydrophilicity, which is beneficial for thickening and low-temperature stability. It is advantageous to have 6 or more polyglycerol units, preferably 8 or 10 or more, for example, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20. For example, substances with a high number of polyglycerol units, such as polyglycerol-10 laurate, exhibit excellent thickening and low-temperature stability.

[0034] In addition to the aforementioned hydrophilicity and HLB value, (c) the spatial configuration of the hydrophilic nonionic surfactant is also very important. A three-dimensional structure indicates better thickening properties. This invention particularly favors PEG-150 pentaerythritol tetrafatty acid esters (typically PEG-150 pentaerythritol tetrastearate), which possesses both excellent hydrophilicity and a high PEG unit number, as well as a favorable spatial configuration, making it suitable for gel preparation.

[0035] The amount of (c) hydrophilic nonionic surfactant is related to the amount of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids, amphoteric surfactants, and sulfonate surfactants. If the amount of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids, amphoteric surfactants, or sulfonate surfactants is high, the amount of (c) hydrophilic nonionic surfactant can be appropriately reduced. Conversely, if the amount of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids, amphoteric surfactants, or sulfonate surfactants is low, the amount of (c) hydrophilic nonionic surfactant can be appropriately increased.

[0036] Furthermore, (c) the hydrophilic nonionic surfactant in the gel composition has a weight percentage of 0.5-10 wt%, preferably 1-5 wt%. For example, it can be 0.5 wt%, 0.7 wt%, 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, 4 wt%, 5 wt%, 6 wt%, 7 wt%, 8 wt%, or 9 wt%. (c) If the amount of hydrophilic nonionic surfactant is too high, although it is beneficial to the formation of gel, it will affect the washing feel / touch feel of the product to some extent.

[0037] For component (d), amphoteric surfactants refer to surfactants whose molecular structure contains both anionic groups (such as carboxylate, sulfonate, and phosphate groups) and cationic groups (such as ammonium and quaternary ammonium groups). Representative examples include betaine derivatives, imidazoline derivatives, amine oxide derivatives, and sodium amphoteric acetate derivatives. This invention has found that betaine derivatives have the best thickening effect, safety, and user experience.

[0038] Furthermore, (d) the amphoteric surfactant is a betaine-based amphoteric surfactant. The betaine-based amphoteric surfactant is selected from one or more of alkyl betaine (Formula I), alkylamidopropyl betaine (Formula II), alkyl hydroxysulfonyl betaine (Formula III), and alkylamidopropyl hydroxysulfonyl betaine (Formula IV). Alkyl hydroxysulfonyl betaine is preferred in this invention.

[0039] (I); (II); (III); (VI) The amount of (d) amphoteric surfactant is related to the amount of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids, nonionic surfactants, and sulfonate surfactants. If the amount of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids, nonionic surfactants, and sulfonate surfactants is high, the amount of (d) amphoteric surfactant can be appropriately reduced. Conversely, if the amount of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids, nonionic surfactants, and sulfonate surfactants is low, the amount of (d) amphoteric surfactant can be appropriately increased. Generally, the weight percentage of (d) amphoteric surfactant in the gel composition is 0.1-15 wt%, preferably 1-10 wt%, more preferably 2-8 wt%. For example, it can be 0.5 wt%, 0.7 wt%, 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, 4 wt%, 5 wt%, 6 wt%, 7 wt%, 8 wt%, 9 wt%, 10 wt%, 11 wt%, 12 wt%, 13 wt%, 14 wt%, or 15 wt%.

[0040] For component (e), sulfonate surfactants refer to a class of surfactants containing sulfonate groups. Further, (e) the sulfonate surfactant is selected from one or more of succinate sulfonates and acyl hydroxyethanesulfonates, preferably one or more of disodium lauryl ether sulfosuccinate, sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate, sodium cocoyl hydroxyethanesulfonate, sodium lauroyl hydroxyethanesulfonate, and sodium lauroyl methyl hydroxyethyl sulfonate.

[0041] The amount of (e) sulfonate surfactants used is related to the amount of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids, hydrophilic nonionic surfactants, and amphoteric surfactants. For example, when the weight percentage of (c) hydrophilic nonionic surfactants in the gel composition is less than 1 wt%, it is necessary to increase the weight percentage of (e) sulfonate surfactants in the gel composition, preferably to 5 wt% or more, more preferably 8 wt% or more.

[0042] Furthermore, (e) the sulfonate surfactant has a weight percentage of 5-20 wt%, preferably 8-15 wt%, in the gel composition. For example, it can be 5 wt%, 6 wt%, 7 wt%, 8 wt%, 9 wt%, 10 wt%, 11 wt%, 12 wt%, 13 wt%, 14 wt%, 15 wt%, 16 wt%, 17 wt%, 18 wt%, 19 wt%, or 20 wt%. The higher the content of component (e), the more favorable it is for gel formation.

[0043] From the perspective of gel formation, α-olefin sulfonates (representative components: C14-16 α-olefin sulfonate sodium, C12-14 α-olefin sulfonate sodium) are less effective at forming gels than succinate sulfonates and acyl hydroxyethanesulfonates. This means that they require a relatively high dosage or a high amount of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids, hydrophilic nonionic surfactants, and amphoteric surfactants to form a gel.

[0044] The gel composition may further contain other ingredients such as preservatives, fragrances / flavors, conditioning agents, dyes, chelating agents, extracts, amino acids, nucleic acids, vitamins, enzymes, anti-inflammatory agents, bactericides, antioxidants, UV absorbers, antiperspirants, pH adjusters, pearlescent agents, etc.

[0045] The gel composition of the present invention can be used to prepare personal care products, household cleaning products, industrial cleaning products, etc. The personal care products include bath gels, shampoo gels, facial cleansing gels, makeup remover gels, and shaving gels; the household cleaning products include laundry gels, fabric cleaning gels, or kitchen cleaning gels.

[0046] In each implementation, details such as the selection of types and dosages not discussed can be referred to the relevant guidance of other implementations if there is no conflict in the content. For the sake of brevity, each implementation has not been described in detail.

[0047] Unless otherwise specified, "above," "below," and "A~B" in this invention all include the stated number. Since the solid content of raw materials varies among different manufacturers, the weight percentage (wt%) of each raw material mentioned in this invention refers to the weight percentage of that component after conversion to 100%. For example, if 10wt% sodium cocoaminopropionate (30% solid content) is added, the actual weight percentage of sodium cocoaminopropionate after conversion to 100% is 3wt%.

[0048] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial technical effects: 1. This invention is the first to discover that, in the presence of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids, the synergistic effect of (c) a hydrophilic nonionic surfactant and (d) an amphoteric surfactant can significantly improve the viscosity of the formulation. Introducing (e) a sulfonate surfactant can further enhance the viscosity.

[0049] 2. When using lower amounts of N-long-chain acyl amino acids / salts, and replacing relatively expensive basic amino acids with inorganic bases / organic amines, gel formation can be ensured by introducing specific (e)sulfonate surfactants.

[0050] The present invention will be further illustrated below with reference to embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, it should be understood that after reading the teachings of this invention, those skilled in the art can make various alterations or modifications to the invention, and these equivalents also fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

[0051] Example Test Material Description LA stands for lauroyl alanine (from Suzhou Weimei), Arg stands for arginine (from Suzhou Weimei), CMMEA stands for cocamidomethyl MEA, 430 stands for sorbitol polyether-30 tetraoleate (purchased from Kao), 150 stands for PEG-150 pentaerythritol tetrastearate (purchased from Heda), 160 stands for PEG-160 dehydrated sorbitol triisostearate (purchased from Kao), DOE120 stands for PEG-120 methyl glucodioleate (purchased from Lubrizol), CAB stands for cocamidopropyl betaine, and LAB stands for lauroamide propyl betaine.

[0052] The 30% marked in the raw materials (e.g., sodium cocoaminopropionate (30%)) means that the added raw materials are solutions with a solid content of 30%. For example, if 100g of sodium cocoaminopropionate (30%) is added, the actual amount of sodium cocoaminopropionate added is 30g.

[0053] 2. Test instruments Viscometer: Lichen rotational viscometer, model LC-NDJ-55.

[0054] 3. Experimental Procedure Unless otherwise specified, weigh each component according to the formula, heat to 70-85℃, and keep stirring until homogeneous. After the prepared sample has stabilized, remove it, select a suitable rotor and speed, and test the sample viscosity with a viscometer. Low-temperature testing involves keeping it at -5℃ for 48 hours for observation.

[0055] Table 1.1 Effect of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids (sodium cocoylaminopropionate)

[0056] The results showed that for formulations containing sodium cocoylaminopropionate, the solution had almost no viscosity if free N-long-chain acyl amino acids were lacking; however, after adding lauroyl alanine, the viscosity increased by several tens of times, and the solution became transparent and had good low-temperature stability.

[0057] Table 1.2 Effect of free N-long chain acyl amino acids (lauroyl glycine, LA)

[0058] The results showed that, whether it was lauroylglycine or lauroylalanine, if it was completely neutralized with alkali, there were no free N-long-chain acyl amino acids, and the formulation solution had almost no viscosity; if it was partially neutralized with alkali (80% neutralization), about 20% of the N-long-chain acyl amino acids in the formulation were in a free state, and the solution viscosity increased significantly.

[0059] Table 1.3 Effect of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids (lauroyl sarcosine)

[0060] The results showed that for formulations containing lauroyl sarcosine, if the free N-long-chain acyl amino acid is lacking (100% neutralization with alkali), the solution has no viscosity; however, if the solution is partially neutralized with alkali (80% neutralization), the viscosity of the solution increases, especially when the hydrophilic nonionic surfactant is 150 or 160, the viscosity increase is significant.

[0061] Table 1.4 Effect of free N-long-chain acyl amino acids (LA)

[0062] The results showed that, compared to lauroyl sarcosine (1-9 to 1-12), the thickening effect of the formulation containing lauroyl alanine (1-13 to 1-20) was improved by more than 5-10 times. Partial neutralization of lauroyl alanine with a basic amino acid (arginine) resulted in significantly better low-temperature stability than partial neutralization with an inorganic base (sodium hydroxide).

[0063] Table 2. Effect of alkanolamide surfactants (wt% is the content after 100% conversion) Formula number 2-1 2-2 2-3 2-4 Element Amount added / wt% Amount added / wt% Amount added / wt% Amount added / wt% LA 15 15 20 20 NaOH 1.88 (85% neutralized) 1.88 (85% neutralized) 2.51 (85% neutralized) 2.51 (85% neutralized) 160 0.32 0.32 0.32 0.32 CAB 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 CMMEA 0 3.2 0 3.2 water margin margin margin margin Appearance (at room temperature) non-gel non-gel non-gel non-gel The results showed that even with the addition of an alkanolamide surfactant, a gel could not be formed at room temperature (25°C).

[0064] Table 3 Effect of sodium amphoteric acetate surfactants (wt% is the content after conversion to 100%) Formula number 3-1 3-2 3-3 3-4 Element Amount added / wt% Amount added / wt% Amount added / wt% Amount added / wt% LA 5 5 5 0 NaOH 0.66 (90% neutralized) 0.66 (90% neutralized) 0.66 (90% neutralized) 0 150 2 1 1 1 Lauryl hydroxysulfonyl betaine 4.2 4.2 4.2 0 Sodium lauroylamphoacetate 5 0 0 0 Sodium cocoamphoacetate 0 5 0 11 Disodium cocoamphodiacetate 0 0 5 0 water margin margin margin margin Appearance (at room temperature) non-gel non-gel non-gel watery The results showed that even with the addition of sodium amphoteric acid surfactant, no gel could be formed at room temperature (25°C).

[0065] Table 4. Effect of sulfonate surfactants (wt% is the content after 100% conversion) Formula number 4-1 4-2 4-3 4-4 Element Amount added / wt% Amount added / wt% Amount added / wt% Amount added / wt% LA 9 5 5 0 NaOH 1.19 (90% neutralized) 0.66 (90% neutralized) 0.66 (90% neutralized) 0 150 2 2 1 1 Lauryl hydroxysulfonyl betaine 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 Sodium cocoyl hydroxyethyl sulfonate 8.5 8.5 4.2 10 water margin margin margin margin Appearance (at room temperature) gel gel non-gel non-gel Formula number 4-5 4-6 4-7 4-8 Element Amount added / wt% Amount added / wt% Amount added / wt% Amount added / wt% LA 5 5 5 5 NaOH 0.66 (90% neutralized) 0.66 (90% neutralized) 0.66 (90% neutralized) 0.66 (90% neutralized) 150 1 1 1 1 Lauryl hydroxysulfonyl betaine 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 Disodium lauryl ether sulfosuccinate monoester 10 0 0 0 Sodium C14-C16 olefin sulfonate 0 10 0 0 Sodium lauroyl methyl ethanesulfonate 0 0 10 0 Sodium lauryl hydroxyethyl sulfonate 0 0 0 10 water margin margin margin margin Appearance (at room temperature) gel non-gel gel gel The results showed that, due to the introduction of sulfonate surfactants, the formulation was still able to form a gel even with only 5% lauroyl alanine added. Sodium C14-C16 olefin sulfonate was less effective than other sulfonate surfactants, requiring a higher dosage to achieve gel formation.

[0066] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that although some embodiments described herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not others, combinations of features from different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention and form different embodiments.

Claims

1. A sulfonate-containing gel composition, characterized in that, The gel composition comprises (a) a salt of N-long-chain acyl amino acid, (b) free N-long-chain acyl amino acid, (c) a hydrophilic nonionic surfactant, (d) an amphoteric surfactant, and (e) a sulfonate surfactant. Alternatively, the gel composition comprises (a') an N-long-chain acyl amino acid neutralized with an alkali portion to a degree of neutralization of less than 100%, such that it contains a salt of the N-long-chain acyl amino acid and unneutralized free N-long-chain acyl amino acid, (c) a hydrophilic nonionic surfactant, (d) an amphoteric surfactant, and (e) a sulfonate surfactant. Alternatively, the gel composition comprises (a'') a base and an N-long-chain acyl amino acid, wherein the molar number of the base is less than that of the N-long-chain acyl amino acid, such that the neutralization degree of the N-long-chain acyl amino acid is less than 100%, thereby containing a salt of the N-long-chain acyl amino acid and free N-long-chain acyl amino acid, (c) a hydrophilic nonionic surfactant, (d) an amphoteric surfactant, and (e) a sulfonate surfactant.

2. The sulfonate-containing gel composition according to claim 1, characterized in that, The N-long chain acyl group in the N-long chain acyl amino acid is derived from saturated or unsaturated straight-chain or branched fatty acids with 8 to 22 carbon atoms. And / or, the amino acids in the N-long-chain acyl amino acids are derived from one or more of alanine, glycine, glutamic acid, sarcosine, arginine, lysine, and (methyl)taurine; And / or, the salt of the N-long-chain acyl amino acid is one or more of the following: inorganic base salt, organic amine salt, and basic amino acid salt of N-long-chain acyl amino acid; And / or, the base is selected from one or more of inorganic bases, organic amines, and basic amino acids.

3. The sulfonate-containing gel composition according to claim 1, characterized in that, The N-long-chain acyl amino acid mentioned in (a), (a'), (a''), and (b) is lauroyl alanine.

4. The sulfonate-containing gel composition according to claim 1, characterized in that, (a) The salt of N-long chain acyl amino acid is one or more of the sodium salt, potassium salt, ammonium salt, and TEA salt of N-long chain acyl amino acid; the base mentioned in (a') and (a'') is one or more of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, amine, and alkanolamine.

5. The sulfonate-containing gel composition according to claim 1, characterized in that, (c) The hydrophilic nonionic surfactant is an O / W type emulsifier, or a solubilizing nonionic surfactant, or a nonionic surfactant with an HLB of 6 or higher; preferably, (c) the hydrophilic nonionic surfactant contains PEG-150 pentaerythritol tetrafatty acid ester.

6. The sulfonate-containing gel composition according to claim 1, characterized in that, (d) The amphoteric surfactant is a betaine-based amphoteric surfactant, preferably containing alkyl hydroxysulfonate betaine.

7. The sulfonate-containing gel composition according to claim 1, characterized in that, (e) The sulfonate surfactant is selected from one or more of succinate sulfonates and acyl hydroxyethanesulfonates, preferably one or more of disodium lauryl ether sulfosuccinate, sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate, sodium cocoyl hydroxyethanesulfonate, sodium lauroyl hydroxyethanesulfonate, and sodium lauroyl methyl hydroxyethyl sulfonate.

8. The sulfonate-containing gel composition according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the weight percentage of (c) hydrophilic nonionic surfactant in the gel composition is less than 1 wt%, and the weight percentage of (e) sulfonate surfactant in the gel composition is more than 5 wt%, preferably more than 8 wt%.

9. The sulfonate-containing gel composition according to claim 1, characterized in that, The weight percentage of component (a), (a'), or (a'') in the gel composition is 3-20 wt%, preferably 5-15 wt%; And / or, (b) the free N-long-chain acyl amino acids in the gel composition are present in a weight percentage of 0.3-5 wt%, preferably 0.5-3 wt%; And / or, (c) the hydrophilic nonionic surfactant is present in the gel composition at a weight percentage of 0.5-10 wt%, preferably 1-5 wt%; And / or, (d) the amphoteric surfactant is present in the gel composition at a weight percentage of 0.1-15 wt%, preferably 1-10 wt%; And / or, (e) the sulfonate surfactant is present in the gel composition at a weight percentage of 5-20 wt%, preferably 8-15 wt%.

10. The use of a sulfonate-containing gel composition as described in any one of claims 1-9 in the preparation of personal care products, household cleaning products, and industrial cleaning products.

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