Liquid fabric softener composition

Abstract

To provide a liquid softener excellent in deodorant property, usability, and separation stability at low temperature.SOLUTION: There is provided a liquid softener composition which comprises the following components (A) to (C): (A) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an amine compound having 1 to 3 hydrocarbon groups having 10 to 26 carbon atoms divided by an ester group (-COO-) and / or an amide group (-NHCO-) in the molecule, a salt thereof and a quaternarized product thereof; (B) a nonionic surfactant; and (C) a quaternary ammonium salt represented by the general formula (C) (wherein, R1 represents a hydrocarbon group having 14 to 16 carbon atoms, R2, R3 and R4 each independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms or a hydroxyalkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, X represents an anionic group), wherein the content of the component (A) is 4 mass% or more and less than 13 mass% based on the total amount of the liquid softener composition, the content of the component (B) is 1 mass% or more and less than 3 mass% based on the total amount of the liquid softener composition, and the liquid softener composition is of an emulsion type.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to liquid softener compositions. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the domestic fabric softener market has been expanding, and the share of fabric softeners with deodorizing functions has been growing year by year. However, most of the current deodorizing technologies rely on scent masking, raising concerns about issues such as smell harassment. Therefore, there is a demand for deodorizing technology that does not rely on fragrance. As a specific example, a technology is known in which a specific cationic surfactant, a quaternary ammonium salt, and a nonionic surfactant are mixed in specific amounts (Patent Document 5). In the field of liquid fabric softeners, a technique is known in which quaternary ammonium salts are blended for the purposes of improving freezing recovery, improving the dispersibility of encapsulated fragrances, suppressing solid precipitation due to exposure to sunlight, and maintaining a transparent appearance (Patent Documents 1 to 4 and 6). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-4145 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2015-34371 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2013-133547 A [Patent Document 4] JP 2014-125692 A [Patent Document 5] JP 2019-131943 A [Patent Document 6] JP 2019-94581 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when the present inventors examined the above-mentioned prior art, problems were found. The technology of Patent Document 5 had the following problems: (1) deodorizing properties were insufficient, (2) usability was deteriorated due to thickening depending on the type and amount of quaternary ammonium salt and nonionic surfactant, and (3) liquid separation occurred at low temperatures (separation stability was deteriorated). The technology of Patent Document 1, which does not mention deodorizing properties, was also found to have insufficient deodorizing properties. Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide a liquid fabric softener that is excellent in all of deodorizing properties, usability (suppression of thickening), and separation stability at low temperatures. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] As a result of intensive research into the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have found that in a liquid fabric softener containing a specific amount of a cationic surfactant as a main component, when a quaternary ammonium salt having a specific carbon chain length is combined with a specific amount of a nonionic surfactant, the deodorizing properties, usability (viscosity increase suppression properties), and separation stability at low temperatures are all improved. The present invention was made based on this finding.

[0006] That is, the present invention relates to the following [1] to [6]. [1] A liquid fabric softener composition comprising the following components (A) to (C): (A) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of amine compounds having 1 to 3 hydrocarbon groups having 10 to 26 carbon atoms in the molecule, which are interrupted by an ester group (-COO-) and / or an amide group (-NHCO-), a salt thereof, and a quaternary product thereof; (B) a nonionic surfactant; and (C) A quaternary ammonium salt represented by the general formula (C): TIFF0007681395000001.tif32170 (in the formula, R 1 is a hydrocarbon group having 14 to 16 carbon atoms, and R 2 and R 3 , R 4 are independently an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms or a hydroxyalkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and X is an anionic group, The content of the component (A) is 4% by mass or more and less than 13% by mass based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition, The content of the (B) component is 1% by mass or more and less than 3% by mass based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition, 1. A liquid fabric softener composition, characterized in that the liquid fabric softener composition is an emulsion type. [2] The liquid fabric softener composition according to the above [1], wherein a mass ratio (A / C) of the component (A) to the component (C) is 10 to 100. [3] The liquid fabric softener composition according to the above [1] or [2], wherein a mass ratio (B / C) of the component (B) to the component (C) is 2 to 30. [4] The liquid fabric softener composition according to any one of the above [1] to [3], wherein the component (B) is a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether having an alkyl group having 10 to 18 carbon atoms and an average added mole number of ethylene oxide of 40 to 70 moles. [5] The liquid fabric softener composition according to any one of the above [1] to [4], wherein the content of the component (C) is 0.1 to 1 mass % based on the total mass of the liquid fabric softener composition. [6] Further, the liquid softener composition contains 0.3 to 1 mass% of a fragrance (D) based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition. Effect of the Invention

[0007] As shown in the examples described later, the liquid fabric softener composition of the present invention is excellent in deodorizing properties (particularly, suppression of odors from clothes dried indoors), ease of use, and separation stability at low temperatures. Therefore, the present invention can provide a liquid fabric softener with added value not found in conventional products. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] [Component (A): Cationic Surfactant] Component (A) is a cationic surfactant which is "at least one compound selected from the group consisting of amine compounds having 1 to 3 hydrocarbon groups having 10 to 26 carbon atoms in the molecule, which are interrupted by ester groups (-COO-) and / or amide groups (-NHCO-), their salts, and their quaternary derivatives." Component (A) is a softening material, and is blended in the liquid softener composition to impart the effect of imparting softness (handle) to textile products.

[0009] The carbon number of the hydrocarbon group having 10 to 26 carbon atoms (hereinafter also referred to as "long-chain hydrocarbon group") is preferably 17 to 26, and more preferably 18 to 24. When the carbon number is 10 or more, the softening effect is good, and when it is 26 or less, the handleability of the liquid softener composition is good. The long-chain hydrocarbon group may be saturated or unsaturated. When the long-chain hydrocarbon group is unsaturated, the double bond may be located anywhere, but when there is one double bond, it is preferable that the double bond is located in the center of the long-chain hydrocarbon group or distributed around the median value. The long chain hydrocarbon group may be a chain-like hydrocarbon group or a hydrocarbon group containing a ring in the structure, and is preferably a chain-like hydrocarbon group. The chain-like hydrocarbon group may be either a straight chain or a branched chain. As the chain-like hydrocarbon group, an alkyl group or an alkenyl group is preferable, and an alkyl group is more preferable. The long-chain hydrocarbon group is interrupted by a interrupting group. The interruption may be at one location or at two or more locations, and is preferably at one location. The interrupting group is an ester group (-COO-) or an amide group (-NHCO-). When the long chain hydrocarbon group has two or more interrupting groups, each interrupting group may be the same or different. The carbon atoms of the dividing group are counted in the number of carbon atoms of the long-chain hydrocarbon group. The long-chain hydrocarbon group is usually introduced by using an industrially used unhydrogenated fatty acid derived from beef tallow, a fatty acid obtained by hydrogenating or partially hydrogenating an unsaturated portion, an unhydrogenated fatty acid or fatty acid ester derived from a plant such as palm or oil palm, or a fatty acid or fatty acid ester obtained by hydrogenating or partially hydrogenating an unsaturated portion. The number of long chain hydrocarbon groups in an "amine compound having 1 to 3 hydrocarbon groups having 10 to 26 carbon atoms in the molecule, which are interrupted by an ester group (-COO-) or an amide group (-NHCO-) ​​(hereinafter sometimes referred to as an "amine compound" in this specification)" is 1 to 3. The number is preferably 2 (secondary amine compound) or 3 (tertiary amine compound), and more preferably 3.

[0010] The amine compound includes a compound represented by the following general formula (A1). TIFF0007681395000002.tif1954 (in the formula, R 1 ~R 3 are each independently -CH 2 CH(Y)OCOR 4 (Y is a hydrogen atom or CH 3 and R 4 is a hydrocarbon group having 7 to 21 carbon atoms), -(CH 2 ) n NHCOR 5 (n is 2 or 3, R 5 is a hydrocarbon group having 7 to 21 carbon atoms), a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, -CH 2 CH(Y)OH (Y is a hydrogen atom or CH 3 ), or -(CH 2 ) n NH 2 (n is 2 or 3), R 1 ~R 3 At least one of the groups is -CH 2 CH(Y)OCOR 4 and / or -(CH 2 ) n NHCOR 5 It is.) The group "-CH 2 CH(Y)OCOR 4 In the formula, Y is preferably a hydrogen atom. R 4 In the compound represented by the general formula (A1), R is preferably a hydrocarbon group having 15 to 19 carbon atoms. 4 When there are multiple R 4may be the same as each other or may be different from each other. R 4 The hydrocarbon group is a fatty acid having 8 to 22 carbon atoms (R 4 COOH) (a fatty acid residue) with the carboxyl group removed, and R 4 The fatty acids that are the basis of 4 COOH) may be a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid, and may be a straight-chain or branched fatty acid. Among them, a saturated or unsaturated straight-chain fatty acid is preferred. In order to impart good water absorbency to softened clothes, R 4 The saturated / unsaturated ratio (mass ratio) of the fatty acid from which the above is derived is preferably from 90 / 10 to 0 / 100, more preferably from 90 / 10 to 40 / 60, and particularly preferably from 90 / 10 to 70 / 30. R 4 When is an unsaturated fatty acid residue, it exists in cis and trans forms, and the mass ratio of cis / trans isomers is preferably 40 / 60 to 100 / 0, particularly preferably 70 / 30 to 90 / 10. R 4 Specific examples of fatty acids that serve as the base of the present invention include stearic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, lauric acid, oleic acid, elaidic acid, linoleic acid, partially hydrogenated palm oil fatty acid (iodine value 10 to 60), partially hydrogenated beef tallow fatty acid (iodine value 10 to 60), etc. Among these, it is preferable to use a fatty acid composition prepared by combining two or more kinds selected from stearic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, oleic acid, elaidic acid, and linoleic acid in predetermined amounts so as to satisfy the following conditions (a) to (c). (a) The ratio (mass ratio) of saturated fatty acids / unsaturated fatty acids is 90 / 10 to 0 / 100, more preferably 90 / 10 to 40 / 60, and particularly preferably 90 / 10 to 70 / 30. (b) The ratio (mass ratio) of cis isomer to trans isomer is 40 / 60 to 100 / 0, more preferably 70 / 30 to 90 / 10. (c) The amount of fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms is 60% by mass or more, and preferably 80% by mass or more, the amount of fatty acids having 20 carbon atoms is less than 2% by mass, and the amount of fatty acids having 21 to 22 carbon atoms is less than 1% by mass. In the general formula (A1), the group "-(CH 2) n NHCOR 5 In the above, n is preferably 3. R 5 In the compound represented by the general formula (A1), R is preferably a hydrocarbon group having 15 to 19 carbon atoms. 5 When there are multiple R 5 may be the same as each other or may be different from each other. R 5 As for R 4 Specific examples include the following:

[0011] In general formula (A1), R 1 ~R 3 At least one of them is -CH 2 CH(Y)OCOR 4 and / or -(CH 2 ) n NHCOR 5 ) R 1 ~R 3 Two of them are -CH 2 CH(Y)OCOR 4 and / or -(CH 2 ) n NHCOR 5 ) is preferred. R 1 ~R 3 Of these, one or two are -CH 2 CH(Y)OCOR 4 and / or -(CH 2 ) n NHCOR 5 ), the remaining two or one are a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, -CH 2 CH(Y)OH (Y is a hydrogen atom or CH 3 ), or -(CH 2 ) n NH 2 (n is 2 or 3), an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, -CH 2 CH(Y)OH or -(CH 2 ) n NH 2Here, the alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms is preferably a methyl group or an ethyl group, and more preferably a methyl group. 2 Y in CH(Y)OH is -CH 2 CH(Y)OCOR 4 Same as Y in -(CH 2 ) n NH 2 In the formula, n is -(CH 2 ) n NHCOR 5 Same as n in .

[0012] Preferred examples of the compound represented by general formula (A1) include tertiary amine compounds represented by the following general formulas (A1-1) to (A1-7). TIFF0007681395000003.tif189103 (In each formula (A1-1) to (A1-7), R 9 each independently represents a hydrocarbon group having 7 to 21 carbon atoms, and in each of the formulas (A1-6) to (A1-7), R 10 are each independently a hydrocarbon group having 7 to 21 carbon atoms.

[0013] R 9 and R 10 As the hydrocarbon group having 7 to 21 carbon atoms, R 4 In the general formula, the hydrocarbon group having 7 to 21 carbon atoms is the same as that in the formula, and preferably, the alkyl group and the alkenyl group having 15 to 17 carbon atoms. 9 When there are multiple R 9 may be the same as each other or may be different from each other.

[0014] The component (A) may be a salt of an amine compound. The salt of an amine compound can be obtained by neutralizing the amine compound with an acid. The acid used for neutralization may be an organic acid or an inorganic acid, such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, methylsulfuric acid, etc. The neutralization of the amine compound can be carried out by a known method. The quaternary product of an amine compound is obtained by reacting an amine compound with a quaternizing agent. Examples of the quaternizing agent include alkyl halides such as methyl chloride and dialkyl sulfates such as dimethyl sulfate. When these quaternizing agents are reacted with an amine compound, the alkyl group of the quaternizing agent is introduced to the nitrogen atom of the amine compound, and a salt of a quaternary ammonium ion and a halogen ion or a monoalkyl sulfate ion is formed. The alkyl group introduced by the quaternizing agent is preferably an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, more preferably a methyl group or an ethyl group, and particularly preferably a methyl group. The quaternization of an amine compound can be carried out by a known method.

[0015] The compounds represented by the general formulae (A1) and (A1-1) to (A1-7), their salts and their quaternary derivatives may be commercially available or may be produced by known methods. For example, a compound represented by general formula (A1-1) (hereinafter referred to as "compound (A1-1)") and a compound represented by general formula (A1-2) (hereinafter referred to as "compound (A1-2)") are each a compound represented by general formula (1) R 4 The fatty acid composition described in the section above or a fatty acid methyl ester composition in which the fatty acid in the fatty acid composition is replaced with a methyl ester of the fatty acid can be synthesized by a condensation reaction between methyldiethanolamine and the fatty acid composition described in the section above. In this case, from the viewpoint of providing good flexibility, it is preferable to synthesize the compound (A1-1) / compound (A1-2) so that the ratio of the compounds present is 99 / 1 to 50 / 50 by mass. Furthermore, when the quaternary product is used, it is more preferable to use dimethyl sulfate as the quaternary agent. In this case, from the viewpoint of imparting flexibility, it is preferable to synthesize the compound (A1-1) so that the abundance ratio represented by "quaternary product of compound (A1-1) / quaternary product of compound (A1-2)" is 99 / 1 to 50 / 50 by mass ratio.

[0016] The compound represented by the general formula (A1-3) (hereinafter referred to as "compound (A1-3)"), the compound represented by the general formula (A1-4) (hereinafter referred to as "compound (A1-4)"), and the compound represented by the general formula (A1-5) (hereinafter referred to as "compound (A1-5)") are each a compound represented by the general formula (1) R 4The fatty acid composition or fatty acid methyl ester composition described in the section above can be synthesized by a condensation reaction between triethanolamine and the fatty acid composition or fatty acid methyl ester composition described in the section above. In this case, from the viewpoint of imparting flexibility, the content ratio of each component relative to the total mass of the compounds (A1-3), (A1-4) and (A1-5) is preferably 1 to 60 mass% for the compound (A1-3), 5 to 98 mass% for the compound (A1-4) and 0.1 to 40 mass% for the compound (A1-5), and more preferably 30 to 60 mass% for the compound (A1-3), 10 to 55 mass% for the compound (A1-4) and 5 to 35 mass% for the compound (A1-5). In addition, when the quaternary product is used, it is more preferable to use dimethyl sulfate as the quaternary agent in order to sufficiently proceed with the quaternization reaction. The ratio of the quaternary products of the compounds (A1-3), (A1-4), and (A1-5) is preferably 1 to 60 mass% of the quaternary product of the compound (A1-3), 5 to 98 mass% of the quaternary product of the compound (A1-4), and 0.1 to 40 mass% of the quaternary product of the compound (A1-5) in terms of imparting flexibility, more preferably 30 to 60 mass% of the quaternary product of the compound (A1-3), 10 to 55 mass% of the quaternary product of the compound (A1-4), and 5 to 35 mass% of the quaternary product of the compound (A1-5). In addition, when the compounds (A1-3), (A1-4), and (A1-5) are quaternized, generally, non-quaternized esteramine remains even after the quaternization reaction. In this case, the ratio of "quaternized product / non-quaternized esteramine" is preferably within the range of 70 / 30 to 99 / 1 by mass ratio.

[0017] The compound represented by the general formula (A1-6) (hereinafter referred to as "compound (A1-6)") and the compound represented by the general formula (A1-7) (hereinafter referred to as "compound (A1-7)") are each a compound represented by the general formula (1) R 4It can be synthesized by a condensation reaction of the fatty acid composition described in the above section with N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-methyl-1,3-propylenediamine, which is synthesized from an adduct of N-methylethanolamine and acrylonitrile by a known method described in J. Org. Chem., 26, 3409 (1960). In this case, it is preferable to synthesize the compound (A1-6) / compound (A1-7) so that the mass ratio of the compound (A1-6) / compound (A1-7) is 99 / 1 to 50 / 50. When the quaternary product is used, it is preferable to use methyl chloride as a quaternizing agent, and it is preferable to synthesize the compound so that the abundance ratio represented by "quaternary product of compound (A1-6) / quaternary product of compound (A1-7)" is 99 / 1 to 50 / 50 by mass ratio.

[0018] The component (A) is At least one selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by general formula (A1), a salt thereof, and a quaternary compound thereof is preferred, More preferably, the compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by general formulas (A1-1) to (A1-7), salts thereof, and quaternary compounds thereof. At least one selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by general formulas (A1-3) to (A1-5), salts thereof and quaternary products thereof is more preferable.

[0019] Component (A) is a known substance and is readily available on the market or can be prepared. The component (A) may be a single type, or a combination of two or more types (for example, a mixture of compounds represented by general formulas (A1-3) to (A1-5)).

[0020] The content of component (A) is 4% by mass or more and less than 13% by mass, preferably 6 to 12% by mass, and more preferably 8 to 12% by mass, based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition. When the content of component (A) is 4% by mass or more, the effect of the combined use of components (B) and (C) (suppression of liquid separation at low temperatures) can be obtained while achieving the blending purpose, and when the content is less than 13% by mass, thickening of the liquid softener composition is suppressed, resulting in good usability.

[0021] [Component (B): Nonionic surfactant] The component (B) is blended in the liquid softener composition containing the component (A) in the above-mentioned blending amount in order to suppress liquid separation at low temperatures (improve separation stability) and further suppress thickening. As the nonionic surfactant, any component known in the field of liquid softeners can be used without any particular limitation. Examples of the nonionic surfactant include those derived from polyhydric alcohols, higher alcohols, higher amines, or higher fatty acids. More specifically, the nonionic surfactant may include glycerin fatty acid esters or pentaerythritol formed by ester-bonding fatty acids having 10 to 22 carbon atoms to glycerin or pentaerythritol; polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers having alkyl or alkenyl groups having 10 to 22 carbon atoms and an average number of moles of ethylene oxide (EO) added of 10 to 100 moles; polyoxyethylene fatty acid alkyl esters (wherein the alkyl has 1 to 3 carbon atoms); polyoxyethylene alkylamines having an average number of moles of EO added of 10 to 100 moles; alkyl polyglucosides having alkyl or alkenyl groups having 8 to 18 carbon atoms; and hydrogenated castor oil having an average number of moles of EO added of 10 to 100 moles. Of these, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers having an alkyl group with 10 to 18 carbon atoms and an average added mole number of EO of 20 to 80 moles (preferably 40 to 80 moles, and more preferably 50 to 70 moles) are preferred.

[0022] Examples of polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers include those in which an average of 60 moles of EO are added to primary isotridecyl alcohol (carbon number 13), those in which an average of 40 moles of EO are added to lauryl alcohol (carbon number 12), and those in which an average of 20 moles of EO are added to lauryl alcohol (carbon number 12).

[0023] Component (B) is a known substance and is readily available on the market or can be prepared. The component (B) may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

[0024] The content of the (B) component is 1% by mass or more and less than 3% by mass, preferably 1.5% by mass or more and less than 3% by mass, and more preferably 1.5% by mass or more and less than 2.5% by mass, based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition. When the (B) component content is 1% by mass or more, liquid separation at low temperatures is suppressed, and good separation stability is obtained. When the (B) component content is less than 3% by mass, thickening of the liquid softener composition is suppressed, and good usability is obtained.

[0025] [Component (C): Quaternary ammonium salt] Component (C) is a quaternary ammonium salt represented by general formula (C). TIFF0007681395000004.tif32170 (in the formula, R 1 is a hydrocarbon group having 14 to 16 carbon atoms, and R 2 and R 3 , R 4 are independently an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms or a hydroxyalkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and X is an anionic group. Component (C) has antibacterial activity and is incorporated in the liquid fabric softener composition to impart deodorizing properties.

[0026] R 1 The number of carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon group is 14 to 16. When the number of carbon atoms is within this range, the adsorption to textile products is improved, and excellent deodorizing properties can be obtained. R 1 Specific examples include a tetradecyl group (having 14 carbon atoms) and a hexadecyl group (having 16 carbon atoms). R 2 , R 3 and R 4 Specific examples of the alkyl group include a methyl group, an ethyl group, and a hydroxyethyl group, and preferably a methyl group. Examples of X include methyl sulfate, bromine, and chlorine, with chlorine being preferred.

[0027] Specific examples of the component (C) include tetradecyltrimethylammonium chloride, hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, and the like, with tetradecyltrimethylammonium chloride and hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride being preferred.

[0028] Component (C) is a known substance and is readily available on the market or can be prepared. The component (C) may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

[0029] The content of component (C) is not particularly limited as long as the blending purpose can be achieved, but is preferably 0.1 to 2 mass%, preferably 0.1 to 1 mass%, more preferably 0.2 to 0.7 mass%, and even more preferably 0.2 to 0.5 mass% based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition. If the content of component (C) is 0.1 mass% or more, a higher blending effect can be obtained, and if it is 2 mass% or less, the viscosity increase can be further suppressed, resulting in a liquid softener composition with excellent usability.

[0030] [Mixing ratio of components (A) to (C)] The mass ratio (A / C) of the component (A) to the component (C) is preferably from 10 to 100, more preferably from 15 to 100, and particularly preferably from 20 to 50. When the mass ratio is within the above range, higher deodorizing properties can be obtained while maintaining excellent usability (suppression of thickening). The mass ratio (B / C) of the component (B) to the component (C) is preferably 2 to 30, more preferably 3 to 25, and particularly preferably 4 to 15. When the mass ratio is within the above range, the effect of combined use of the component (B) and the component (C) (separation stability at low temperatures) can be further enhanced.

[0031] [Emulsion-type liquid fabric softener composition] The liquid fabric softener composition is an emulsion type. "Emulsion" means that the visible light transmittance (wavelength 660 nm) of the sample is less than 30% when a glass cell with an optical path length of 10 mm is used as the measurement cell and ion-exchanged water is placed in the control cell.

[0032] [Optional ingredients] The liquid softener composition may contain the following optional components other than the essential components (A) to (C) as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

[0033] [(D) Ingredient: Fragrance] Component (D) is blended in order to impart fragrance to the liquid softener composition and also to impart fragrance to textile products after treatment with the composition. Component (D) is a fragrance that is not encapsulated in a capsule (free fragrance), and is different from the fragrance contained as a core substance in the encapsulated fragrance (functional capsule) described below. As the (D) component, any fragrance commonly used in the field of fabric softeners can be used without any particular restrictions, and a list of usable fragrance raw materials can be found in various documents, such as "Perfume and Flavor Chemicals", Vol. I and II, Steffen Arctander, Allured Pub. Co. (1994), "Synthetic Fragrances: Chemistry and Product Knowledge", Indo Genichi, Chemical Industry Daily Co. (1996), "Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin", Steffen Arctander, Allured Pub. Co. (1994), "Encyclopedia of Fragrance", edited by the Japan Fragrance Manufacturers Association, Asakura Shoten Publishing Co. (1989), "Perfumery Material Performance V.3.3", Boelens Aroma Chemical Information Service (1996), and "Flower oils and Floral Compounds In Perfumery", Danute Lajaujis Anonis, Allured Pub. Co. (1993), etc. In addition, some compounds used as fragrance components act as antagonists of odor receptors. In order to enhance the deodorizing effect of the liquid softener composition, for example, olfactory receptor antagonists described in JP 2017-101224 A, JP 2015-193643 A, and JP 2020-500589 A may be used as component (D).

[0034] The component (D) may be used alone or in combination with a plurality of different types (free fragrance composition). There are no particular limitations on the fragrance components used in the fragrance composition and they may be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. Examples of the component (D) include aldehydes, phenols, alcohols, ethers, esters, hydrocarbons, ketones, lactones, musks, fragrances having a terpene skeleton, natural fragrances, animal fragrances, etc. Specific examples of each fragrance are as follows: Examples of aldehydes include undecylenic aldehyde, lauryl aldehyde, aldehyde C-12 MNA, mirac aldehyde, α-amyl cinnamic aldehyde, cyclamen aldehyde, citral, citronellal, ethyl vanillin, heliotropin, anisaldehyde, α-hexyl cinnamic aldehyde, octanal, ligustral, lilial, lyral, tripral, vanillin, and helional. Examples of phenols include eugenol and isoeugenol. Examples of alcohols include citronellol, dihydromyrcenol, dihydrolinalool, geraniol, linalool, nerol, sandalol, santalex, terpineol, tetrahydrolinalool, menthol, borneol, 1-decanal, bacdanol, and phenylethyl alcohol. Examples of the ethers include cedrumbar, grisalva, methyl eugenol, and methyl isoeugenol. Esters include cis-3-hexenyl acetate, cis-3-hexenyl propionate, cis-3-hexenyl salicylate, p-cresyl acetate, pt-butylcyclohexyl acetate, amyl acetate, methyl dihydrojasmonate (dihydromethyl jasmonate), amyl salicylate, benzyl salicylate, benzyl benzoate, benzyl acetate, cedryl acetate, citronellyl acetate, decahydro- Examples of such acetates include β-naphthyl acetate, dimethylbenzylcarbinyl acetate, Erica propionate, ethyl acetoacetate, Erica acetate, geranyl acetate, geranyl formate, hedione, linalyl acetate, β-phenylethyl acetate, hexyl salicylate, styrallyl acetate, terpinyl acetate, vetiberyl acetate, ot-butylcyclohexyl acetate, manzanate, and allyl heptanoate. Examples of the hydrocarbons include limonene (particularly d-limonene), α-pinene, β-pinene, myrcene, camphene, and terpinolene. Examples of ketones include α-ionone, β-ionone, methyl-β-naphthyl ketone, α-damascone, β-damascone, δ-damascone, damascenone, cis-jasmone, methylionone, allylionone, cashmeran, dihydrojasmone, isoe-super, vertofix, isolonedifolanone, coavone, carvone, rosephenone, raspberry ketone, dynascone, and maltol. Examples of lactones include γ-decalactone, γ-undecalactone, γ-nonalactone, γ-dodecalactone, coumarin, and ambroxan. Examples of musks include cyclopentadecanolide, ethylene brassylate, galaxolide, musk ketone, tonalide, and nitro musks. Examples of fragrances having a terpene skeleton include geraniol, nerol, linalool, citral, citronellol, menthol, mint, citronellal, myrcene, α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, terpineol, carvone, ionone (e.g., β-ionone), camphene, and borneol. Examples of natural fragrances include essential oils such as orange oil, lemon oil, lime oil, petitgrain oil, yuzu oil, neroli oil, bergamot oil, lavender oil, lavandin oil, abies oil, anise oil, bay oil, boreal rose oil, ylang-ylang oil, citronella oil, geranium oil, peppermint oil, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, eucalyptus oil, lemongrass oil, patchouli oil, jasmine oil, rose oil, cedar oil, vetiver oil, galbanum oil, oakmoss oil, pine oil, camphor oil, sandalwood oil, camphor oil, turpentine oil, clove oil, clove leaf oil, cassia oil, nutmeg oil, cananga oil, and thyme oil. Examples of animal-derived fragrances include musk, spirit cat fragrance, beaver fragrance, ambergris, and the like.

[0035] When component (D) is a fragrance composition, the content of the fragrance component having a ClogP value of 5 or more is preferably 25% by mass or more, more preferably 30% by mass or more, even more preferably 35% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 40% by mass or more, based on the total mass of the fragrance composition. With this content, better fragrance persistence can be obtained. The type of flavoring ingredient having a ClogP value of 5 or more is not particularly limited, but preferred examples include habanolide (5.0), ambroxan (5.3), tonalide (6.3), hexyl salicylate (5.1), galaxolide (6.1), muscone (6.0), exaltolide (6.2), isoe super (5.2), vertofix (acetyl cedrene) (5.0), cedryl methyl ether (5.1), etc. (The numbers in parentheses indicate the ClogP value.) Of these, habanolide, ambroxan, galaxolide, isoe super, and tonalide are more preferred.

[0036] The ClogP value is the 1-octanol / water partition coefficient P, which represents the ratio of the equilibrium concentrations in 1-octanol and water for a chemical substance, expressed in the form of the logarithm to the base 10, logP. The ClogP value can be calculated by decomposing the chemical structure of a compound into its components and integrating the hydrophobic fragment constant f value of each fragment using the f value method (hydrophobic fragment constant method) (see, for example, Clog 3 Reference Manual Daylight Software 4.34, Albert Leo, David Weininger, Version 1, March 1994). In general, the larger the ClogP value of a fragrance, the more hydrophobic it is. Therefore, a fragrance composition containing a large number of fragrance components with small ClogP values ​​can be said to be more hydrophilic than a fragrance composition containing a large number of fragrance components with large ClogP values.

[0037] The fragrance composition may contain a solvent commonly used in liquid fabric softeners. Examples of fragrance solvents include acetin (triacetin), MMB acetate (3-methoxy-3-methylbutyl acetate), sucrose diacetate hexaisobutyrate, ethylene glycol dibutyrate, hexylene glycol, dibutyl sebacate, Deltyle Extra (isopropyl myristate), methyl carbitol (diethylene glycol monomethyl ether), carbitol (diethylene glycol monoethyl ether), TEG (triethylene glycol), benzyl benzoate (BB), propylene glycol, diethyl phthalate, tripropylene glycol, Aborin (dimethyl phthalate), Deltyle Prime (isopropyl palmitate), dipropylene glycol (DPG), Examples of such ingredients include farnesene, dioctyl adipate, tributyrin (glyceryl tributanoate), hydrolyte-5 (1,2-pentanediol), propylene glycol diacetate, cetyl acetate (hexadecyl acetate), ethyl abietate, Abarin (methyl abietate), Citroflex A-2 (acetyl triethyl citrate), Citroflex A-4 (tributyl acetyl citrate), Citroflex No. 2 (triethyl citrate), Citroflex No. 4 (tributyl citrate), Durafix (methyl dihydroabietate), MITD (isotridecyl myristate), polylimonene (limonene polymer), and 1,3-butylene glycol. The content of the solvent is, for example, 0.1 to 30 mass %, and preferably 1 to 20 mass %, relative to the total mass of the fragrance composition.

[0038] The fragrance composition may contain an antioxidant commonly used in liquid fabric softeners. Examples of antioxidants for fragrances include 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene (BHT), t-butyl-p-hydroxyanisole (BHA), p-methoxyphenol, β-naphthol, phenyl-α-naphthylamine, tetramethyldiaminodiphenylmethane, γ-oryzanol, vitamin E (α-tocopherol, β-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, δ-tocopherol), 2,2'-ethylidenebis(4,6-di-t-butylphenol), tris(tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol) 1 / 3 citrate, bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl)sebacate, quercetin, and 4,4'-bis(α,α-dimethylbenzyl)diphenylamine. Preferred is 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene (BHT). The content of the antioxidant is, for example, 0.001 to 10 mass %, and preferably 0.01 to 5 mass %, relative to the total mass of the fragrance composition.

[0039] The content of component (D) is not particularly limited as long as it is an amount that can achieve the blending purpose, but is preferably 0.3 to 2 mass %, more preferably 0.5 to 1 mass %, based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition. If the content of component (D) is 0.3 mass % or more, a higher blending effect can be obtained, and if it is 1 mass % or less, excellent separation stability can be obtained.

[0040] [Water-soluble solvent] The water-soluble solvent is added to the liquid softener composition in order to further improve the stability (particularly the freeze recovery property) of the liquid softener composition. The water-soluble solvent is preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, glycol ether solvents, and polyhydric alcohols. Specifically, it is preferable to blend a solvent component selected from ethanol, isopropanol, glycerin, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, hexylene glycol, polyoxyethylene phenyl ether, and water-soluble solvents represented by the following general formula (X). R4 -O-(C 2 H 4 O) y -(C 3 H 6 O) Z -H (X) (In the formula, R 4 is an alkyl or alkenyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, preferably 2 to 4 carbon atoms; y and z are each the average number of moles added, y is 1 to 10, preferably 2 to 5, and z is 0 to 5, preferably 0 to 2. Among the above, ethanol, ethylene glycol, butyl carbitol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether, and diethylene glycol monobutyl ether are preferred. The water-soluble solvent may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds. The content of the water-soluble solvent is not particularly limited as long as the purpose of the blending can be achieved, but is preferably 0.01 to 4 mass %, more preferably 0.01 to 3 mass %, and particularly preferably 0.1 to 3 mass %, relative to the total mass of the liquid softener composition.

[0041] [Functional Capsule] The functional capsules are formulated to impart various functions resulting from the core substance encapsulated in the capsule to the liquid softener composition. The functional capsule is composed of a core substance and a wall substance that covers the core substance.

[0042] As the core material, any material generally used as an encapsulating material in the field of liquid fabric softeners can be used without any particular limitation, including, for example, perfumes, essential oils, whitening agents, insect repellents, silicones, waxes, flavorings, vitamins, skin care agents, enzymes, probiotics, dyes, pigments, perfume precursors, cooling agents, warming agents, attractants such as pheromones, antibacterial agents, bleaching agents, flavorings, sweeteners, waxes, medicines, fertilizers, herbicides, etc. The core material may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

[0043] As the wall material, any material generally used as an encapsulating material in the field of liquid softener compositions can be used without any particular limitation.Specific examples include natural polymers such as gelatin and agar, oily film-forming substances such as fats and oils and waxes, and synthetic polymers such as polyacrylic acid, polyvinyl, polymethacrylic acid, melamine, and urethane, and the like.One of these can be used alone, or two or more can be used in combination as appropriate.

[0044] Specific examples of encapsulated fragrances having a fragrance as a core material include BLUEFLOWERPOP "FFMHN2814" manufactured by Firmenich; GREEN BREEZE CAPS, ORCHARD GARDEN CAPS, RAINBOW CAPS, VELVET CAPS, AURORACAPS, and COSMIC CAPS manufactured by Givaudan; and UNICAP101 and UNICAP503 manufactured by IFF. Specific examples of cooling capsules that contain a cooling agent as the core material include MultiSal SalCool, HydroSal FreshCool, and SalSphere SalCool manufactured by SALVONA Technologies, and Neoage AROMA-C manufactured by NICCA CHEMICAL CO., LTD. Specific examples of heat-sensitive capsules that have a heat-sensitive agent as the core material include Riken Resin RMC-TO manufactured by Miki Riken Co., Ltd. and Hydrosal Heat manufactured by SALVONA Technologies. Other specific examples include Riken Resin NFHO-W (antibacterial effect), Riken Resin RMC-HBP (insect repellent effect) and RMC-PT (insect repellent effect) manufactured by Miki Riken Co., Ltd.

[0045] The average particle size of the functional capsules is preferably 10 to 30 μm. The functional capsules having the above particle size have excellent adsorptivity to clothes and can be stably dispersed in the liquid softener composition.

[0046] The functional capsules may be of a single type or of a combination of multiple types. The content of the functional capsule is not particularly limited as long as the blending purpose can be achieved, but it is preferably 0.0001 to 1% by mass based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition.

[0047] 〔Water〕 The liquid softener composition is preferably an aqueous composition containing water. As the water, tap water, ion-exchanged water, pure water, distilled water, etc. can be used. Among them, ion-exchanged water is preferable. The content of water is not particularly limited, but it is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition. When the content is 50% by mass or more, the handleability becomes better.

[0048] 〔Water-soluble nonionic polymer〕 The water-soluble nonionic polymer is a structure viscosity-imparting agent and is blended to further improve the dispersibility of the functional capsule. "Water-soluble" means the property of forming a solution in which no precipitation, layer separation, etc. are observed macroscopically when 1 g of the target nonionic polymer is added to 1000 g of water (25 °C), stirred, and allowed to stand at 25 °C for 24 hours. The water-soluble nonionic polymer is a known substance and is easily available on the market or can be prepared. Specific examples include polymer dextrin (trade name: Sandex #30, manufactured by Sanwa Starch Industry Co., Ltd.), branched glucan having a cyclic structure (described in JP-A 2012-120471), highly branched cyclic dextrin (trade name: Cluster Dextrin, manufactured by Glyco Nutritional Foods Co., Ltd.), etc. The water-soluble nonionic polymer may be used alone or in combination of plural kinds. The content of the water-soluble nonionic polymer is not particularly limited as long as the blending purpose can be achieved, but it is preferably 0.01 to 5% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 3% by mass, particularly preferably 0.2 to 2% by mass based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition. When the content of the water-soluble nonionic polymer is 5% by mass or less, the blending effect can be obtained while maintaining good usability of the liquid softener composition.

[0049] 〔Viscosity regulator〕 The viscosity modifier is added to the liquid softener composition to further improve the ease of use. Specific examples of the viscosity adjuster include calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, sodium p-toluenesulfonate, sodium citrate, etc. Among these, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and sodium citrate are preferred. The viscosity modifier may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds. The content of the viscosity adjuster is 0.001 to 0.5% by mass, preferably 0.003 to 0.2% by mass, and more preferably 0.005 to 0.1% by mass, based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition.

[0050] [Preservatives] The preservative is mainly added to the liquid fabric softener composition in order to enhance the preservative and bactericidal power of the composition and to maintain the preservative properties during long-term storage. As the preservative, any component known in the field of liquid fabric softeners can be used without particular limitation, specific examples of which include isothiazolone-based organic sulfur compounds, benzisothiazolone-based organic sulfur compounds, benzoic acids, 2-bromo-2-nitro-1,3-propanediol, etc. Examples of the isothiazolone organic sulfur compound include 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, 2-n-butyl-3-isothiazolone, 2-benzyl-3-isothiazolone, 2-phenyl-3-isothiazolone, 2-methyl-4,5-dichloroisothiazolone, 5-chloro-2-methyl-3-isothiazolone, 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, and mixtures thereof. Among these, 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one and 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one are preferred, a mixture of 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one and 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one is more preferred, and a mixture of about 77% by mass of the former and about 23% by mass of the latter or a dilution thereof (e.g., an isothiazolone solution) is particularly preferred. Examples of benzisothiazolone-based organic sulfur compounds include 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one, 2-methyl-4,5-trimethylene-4-isothiazolin-3-one, and related compounds such as dithio-2,2-bis(benzmethylamide), and mixtures thereof. Among these, 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one is particularly preferred. Examples of the benzoic acids include benzoic acid or a salt thereof, parahydroxybenzoic acid or a salt thereof, methyl parahydroxybenzoate, ethyl parahydroxybenzoate, propyl parahydroxybenzoate, butyl parahydroxybenzoate, and benzyl parahydroxybenzoate. A single type of preservative may be used, or multiple types may be used in combination. The content of the preservative is not particularly limited as long as the purpose of blending can be achieved, but is preferably 0.0001 to 1 mass% based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition. If it is 0.0001 mass% or more, the blending effect of the preservative can be sufficiently obtained, and if it is 1 mass% or less, the high storage stability of the liquid softener composition can be sufficiently maintained.

[0051] [Other optional ingredients] In addition to the above-mentioned components, antioxidants and reducing agents for improving the stability of the fragrance and color tone of the liquid fabric softener composition, opacifiers (polystyrene emulsions, etc.), opacifying agents, shrink prevention agents, washing wrinkle prevention agents, shape retention agents, drape retention agents, ironing improvers, oxygen bleaching inhibitors, brightening agents, whitening agents, fabric softening clays, antistatic agents, dye transfer inhibitors (polyvinylpyrrolidone, etc.), polymer dispersants, stain release agents, scum dispersants, fluorescent whitening agents (4,4-bis(2-sulfostyryl)biphenyl disodium (Ciba Specialty Chemicals' Chinopearl CBS-X, etc.), dye fixatives, anti-fading agents (1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine, etc.), stain removers, fiber surface modifiers, etc. In addition, it is possible to appropriately blend in the following: agents (enzymes such as cellulase, amylase, protease, lipase, and keratinase), foam inhibitors, components that impart the texture and functions of silk, such as moisture absorption and release properties (silk protein powder, surface modified products thereof, and emulsified dispersions, specifically K-50, K-30, K-10, A-705, S-702, L-710, FP series (Idemitsu Petrochemicals), hydrolyzed silk liquid (Jomo), Silkgen G Soluble S (Ichimaru Falcos)), and stain-preventing agents (non-ionic polymer compounds consisting of alkylene terephthalate and / or alkylene isophthalate units and polyoxyalkylene units, such as FR627 manufactured by GOO Chemical Industry and SRC-1 manufactured by Clariant Japan).

[0052] [pH of liquid softener composition] The pH of the liquid softener composition is not particularly limited, but the pH at 25° C. is preferably adjusted to within the range of 1 to 6, more preferably 2 to 4, from the viewpoint of suppressing hydrolysis of the component (A) over storage time. For pH adjustment, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, alkyl sulfuric acid, benzoic acid, paratoluenesulfonic acid, citric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, hydroxyethanediphosphonic acid, phytic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, short-chain amine compounds such as dimethylamine, alkali metal hydroxides such as sodium hydroxide, alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal silicates, etc. can be used.

[0053] [Viscosity of Liquid Softener Composition] The liquid softener composition according to the present invention has its thickening suppressed, and thus has a viscosity that makes its usability (particularly, the handling property when introduced into a washing machine and the discharge efficiency from the inlet of the washing machine) good. Specifically, the viscosity (25 °C) is preferably less than 500 mPa·s, more preferably less than 300 mPa·s. The viscosity can be measured using a B-type viscometer (manufactured by TOKIMEC).

[0054] 〔Manufacturing method〕 The liquid softener composition can be produced by a known method, for example, a method similar to the manufacturing method of a conventional liquid softener composition using a cationic surfactant as the main ingredient. For example, an oil phase containing component (A), component (B), component (C), and component (D) and an aqueous phase are mixed under temperature conditions equal to or higher than the melting point of component (A) to prepare an emulsion, and other components are added and mixed to the obtained emulsion as necessary, whereby the liquid softener composition can be produced. Note that the blending of component (B) is not limited to the above addition method. For example, a part or all of component (B) and component (C) may be blended in the aqueous phase, and this aqueous phase may be mixed with the oil phase containing component (A) and component (D) to form an emulsion. As another blending method of component (B), a part of component (B) is blended in the oil phase containing component (A), component (C), and component (D), and then mixed with the aqueous phase under temperature conditions equal to or higher than the melting point of component (A) to prepare an emulsion, and the remaining amount of component (B) may be added to this emulsion. When component (B) is added in portions, liquid separation at low temperatures can be further suppressed. The ratio of the divided addition of component (B) (the amount added to the oil phase: the remaining amount) is preferably 1:1 to 9:1, more preferably 1:1 to 5:1 (it is preferable to blend 50 to 90% by mass of the total amount of component (B) in the oil phase, more preferably 50 to 83% by mass).

[0055] 〔Method of using the liquid softener composition〕 The method of treating textile products using the liquid softener composition is not particularly limited, and it can be used in the same way as conventional liquid softeners. For example, the liquid softener composition is dissolved in rinsing water at the stage of washing and treated, or the liquid softener composition is dissolved in water in a container such as a basin, and then the textile product is placed in the container and soaked in the composition. In either case, the composition is used after being diluted to an appropriate concentration, and the liquor ratio (weight ratio of the treatment liquid to the textile product) is preferably 3 to 100 times, particularly 5 to 50 times. Specifically, the composition is used in an amount such that the concentration of the (A) component is preferably 0.01 ppm to 1000 ppm, more preferably 0.1 ppm to 300 ppm, based on the total amount of water used. The type of textile product that can be treated with the liquid fabric softener composition is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include clothing, curtains, sofas, carpets, towels, handkerchiefs, sheets, pillowcases, etc. The material of the textile product may be natural fibers such as cotton, silk, wool, etc., or chemical fibers such as polyester. EXAMPLES

[0056] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the examples and comparative examples, the blending amount of each component is shown in mass % (based on the pure content unless otherwise specified).

[0057] [Component (A): Cationic Surfactant] The following A-1 was used. A-1: A cationic surfactant synthesized according to the procedure described in Example 4 of JP-A-2003-12471. A-1 is a compound represented by the general formulae (A1-3), (A1-4) and (A1-5) (wherein R 9 is an alkyl or alkenyl group having 15 to 17 carbon atoms) quaternized with dimethyl sulfate. A-2: Trade name "Stepantex SE-88", manufactured by Stepan Corporation. A-2 is a compound represented by general formulas (A1-3), (A1-4) and (A1-5) (wherein R 9is an alkyl or alkenyl group having 15 to 17 carbon atoms) quaternized with dimethyl sulfate.

[0058] [Component (B): Nonionic surfactant] The following B-1 to B-3 were used. B-1: Polyoxyethylene isotridecyl ether EO 60 moles (average EO 60 moles adduct of primary isotridecyl alcohol (C13)) B-2: Polyoxyethylene lauryl ether EO 40 moles (average 40 moles adduct of lauryl alcohol (C12)). B-3: Polyoxyethylene lauryl ether EO 20 moles (average 20 moles of lauryl alcohol (C12) adduct)

[0059] [Component (C): Quaternary ammonium salt] The following C-1 to C-4 were used. C-1: Tetradecyltrimethylammonium chloride (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.). C-1 is a compound represented by the general formula (C): 1 is a hydrocarbon group having 14 carbon atoms, and R 2 is a methyl group, and R 3 is a methyl group, and R 4 is a methyl group and X is chlorine. C-2: Hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.). C-2 is a compound represented by the general formula (C): 1 is a hydrocarbon group having 16 carbon atoms, and R 2 is a methyl group, and R 3 is a methyl group, and R 4 is a methyl group and X is chlorine. C-3: Hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (manufactured by Lion Specialty Chemicals). Product name: Lipocard 16-29. C-4: Octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.). C-4 is a compound represented by the general formula (C): 1 is a saturated hydrocarbon group having 18 carbon atoms, and R 2 is a methyl group, and R 3 is a methyl group, and R 4 C-4 is a compound in which R in general formula (C) is a methyl group and X is a chlorine atom. 1 Since it does not satisfy the requirement (carbon number 14 to 16), it was used as a comparative example. C-5: Dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.). C-5 is a compound represented by the general formula (C): 1 is a hydrocarbon group having 12 carbon atoms, and R 2 is a methyl group, and R 3 is a methyl group, and R 4 C-5 is a compound in which R in general formula (C) is a methyl group and X is a chlorine atom. 1 Since it does not satisfy the requirement (carbon number 14 to 16), it was used as a comparative example.

[0060] [(D) Ingredient: Fragrance] Fragrance compositions D-1 to D-3 having the compositions shown in the table below were used. The numerical value of each fragrance component in the table is the mass % relative to the total mass of fragrance composition D-1.

[0061] D-1 TIFF0007681395000005.tif125144

[0062] D-2 TIFF0007681395000006.tif119151

[0063] D-3 TIFF0007681395000007.tif109145

[0064] [Other ingredients] The following common components E-1 to E-2 were used. The contents in the table are values ​​relative to the total mass of the liquid fabric softener composition.

[0065] E-1 TIFF0007681395000008.tif52159

[0066] E-2 TIFF0007681395000009.tif52145

[0067] [Method of preparing liquid softener composition] Liquid fabric softener compositions were prepared having the formulations shown in Table 1 below. In Table 1, the units of the numerical values ​​for each component are mass % relative to the total mass of the liquid fabric softener composition. In Table 1, "A / C" indicates the mass ratio of component (A) to component (C), and "B / C" indicates the mass ratio of component (C) to component (C).

[0068] A liquid fabric softener composition was prepared using a glass container (inner diameter 100 mm, height 150 mm) and an agitator (Ajiter SJ type, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) according to the following procedure. First, component (A), a portion of component (B), component (C) and component (D) were mixed and stirred to obtain an oil phase mixture. On the other hand, the preservative was dissolved in ion-exchanged water for the balance to obtain an aqueous phase mixture, the mass of which corresponded to the remainder obtained by subtracting the total amount of the oil phase mixture, the remainder of component (B), and component (E) (excluding the preservative) from 980 g. Next, the oil phase mixture heated to above the melting point of component (A) was placed in a glass container and stirred, while the aqueous phase mixture heated to above the melting point of component (A) was added in two separate portions and stirred. The aqueous phase mixture was divided into two portions at a ratio of 30:70 (mass ratio), and stirring (rotation speed 1,000 rpm) was performed for 3 minutes after the first addition of the aqueous phase mixture and for 2 minutes after the second addition of the aqueous phase mixture. Thereafter, the remainder of component (B) and component (E) other than the preservative were added, and if necessary, an appropriate amount of hydrochloric acid (reagent 1 mol / L, Kanto Chemical) or sodium hydroxide (reagent 1 mol / L, Kanto Chemical) was added to adjust the pH to 2.8 (25°C), and ion-exchanged water was added to bring the total mass to 1,000 g to obtain the desired liquid fabric softener composition. When the appearance was visually evaluated, each of the liquid fabric softener compositions of the Examples and Comparative Examples was not transparent, but was cloudy to the extent that it was immediately possible to determine that the visible light transmittance under the above-mentioned conditions was less than 30%, and thus was a milky type.

[0069] [Usability of the liquid softener composition] The usability related to the viscosity of the liquid softener composition was evaluated. Specifically, 400 mL of the liquid softener composition was filled from a pouch container into a commercially available bottle container of liquid softener (a bottle of "Soflan Premium Deodorizer" manufactured by Lion Corporation). The usability of the liquid softener composition was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria from the viewpoints of ease of refilling from the pouch to the bottle, viscosity increase (viscosity increase over time after filling), and ease of pouring when measuring with a measuring cap. The evaluation was performed by five expert panelists. The usability of the liquid softener composition was judged by applying the average score (calculated to the first decimal place) of the five panelists to the following judgment criteria. The judgment results are shown in the "Usability (thickening suppression)" column in Table 1. ◯, ◎, ◎◎, and ◎◎◎ were judged to be acceptable in terms of commercial value. <Evaluation criteria> 3 points: Can be measured without any problems and can be refilled. 2 points: Viscosity increases, but the product can be measured and refilled without any problems. 1 point: Viscosity increases, making it difficult to measure or refill. 0 points: A significant increase in viscosity was observed, and the product could not be measured or refilled. <Judgment criteria> ◎◎◎:3.0 points ◎◎: 2.5 points or more, less than 3.0 points ◎: 2.0 points or more, less than 2.5 points ○: 1.5 points or more, less than 2 points △: 1.0 points or more, less than 1.5 points ×: Less than 1.0 points

[0070] [Suppresses odors from clothes dried indoors] The evaluation cloth was a worn-out towel that is found in a general household and has a worrying damp odor. The evaluation cloth was washed for 10 minutes with a commercial detergent "Top Platinum Clear" (manufactured by Lion Corporation) using a two-tub washing machine (Mitsubishi Electric CW-C30A1-H) (standard usage amount, standard course, bath ratio 20 times, tap water at 25 ° C.), the first rinse (3 minutes), and the second rinse was softened for 3 minutes with a liquid fabric softener composition (5 mL of liquid fabric softener composition for 1 kg of test cloth, bath ratio 20 times, tap water at 25 ° C.). The evaluation cloth that was dehydrated after the softening treatment was left indoors (25 ° C., 100% RH) for 6 hours (drying indoors). The odor of the evaluation cloth after drying indoors was subjected to a sensory evaluation according to the following evaluation criteria. The evaluation was performed by six expert panelists. The average score of the six panelists (calculated to one decimal place) was applied to the following evaluation criteria to evaluate the indoor drying odor suppressing effect of the liquid fabric softener composition. The evaluation results are shown in the "Deodorizing property" column in Table 1. ○, ◎, ◎◎, and ◎◎◎ were evaluated as passing in terms of commercial value. <Evaluation criteria> 0: No strange odor at all. 1 point: The odor is barely perceptible. 2 points: The odor is weak. 3 points: The odor is somewhat strong. 4 points: A strong unpleasant odor is detected. 5 points: A strong odor is felt. <Judgment criteria> ◎◎◎: Less than 1.0 points ◎◎: 1.0 points or more, less than 1.5 points ◎: 1.5 points or more, less than 2.0 points ○: 2.0 points or more, less than 2.5 points △: 2.5 points or more, less than 3.0 points ×: 3.0 points or more

[0071] [Evaluation of liquid separation (separation stability) at low temperatures] An 80 mL portion of the liquid fabric softener composition was placed in a lightweight PS glass bottle (PS-No. 11, manufactured by Tanuma Glass Industry Co., Ltd.) and sealed to prepare an evaluation sample. The evaluation sample was stored at 5°C for one month, and the state after storage (degree of separation of the liquid fabric softener composition) was evaluated based on the following criteria. The evaluation was performed by five expert panelists. The average score of the five panelists (calculated to one decimal place) was applied to the following criteria to judge the separation stability of the liquid fabric softener composition. The results are shown in the "liquid separation stability" column in Table 1. ○, ◎, ◎◎ and ◎◎◎ were judged to be acceptable in terms of commercial value. <Evaluation criteria> 4 points: No phase separation, equivalent to the sample before storage 3 points: A very thin semi-transparent layer is barely visible on the top or bottom. 2 points: A slightly translucent layer is visible on the top or bottom. 1 point: A clearly translucent layer is visible on the top or bottom 0 points: A clear transparent layer is clearly visible on the top or bottom. <Judgment criteria> ◎◎◎:4.0 points ◎◎: 3.5 points or more, less than 4.0 points ◎: 3.0 points or more, less than 3.5 points ○: 2.5 points or more, less than 3.0 points △: 2.0 points or more, less than 2.5 points ×: Less than 2.0 points [Industrial Applicability]

[0072] The present invention can be used in the field of fabric softeners.

[0073] [Table 1]

Claims

1. A liquid fabric softener composition comprising the following components (A) to (C): (A) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of amine compounds having 1 to 3 hydrocarbon groups having 10 to 26 carbon atoms in the molecule, which are interrupted by an ester group (-COO-) and / or an amide group (-NHCO-), a salt thereof, and a quaternary product thereof; (B) a nonionic surfactant; and (C) A quaternary ammonium salt represented by general formula (C): (In the formula, R 1 is a hydrocarbon group having 14 to 16 carbon atoms, R 2 and R 3 , R 4 are independently an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms or a hydroxyalkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and X is an anionic group; The content of the component (A) is 4% by mass or more and less than 13% by mass based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition, The content of the component (B) is 1% by mass or more and 2.9% by mass or less based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition, The content of the component (C) is 0.1 to 0.5% by mass based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition, 1. A liquid fabric softener composition, characterized in that the liquid fabric softener composition is an emulsion type.

2. 2. The liquid fabric softener composition according to claim 1, wherein a mass ratio (A / C) of the component (A) to the component (C) is 10 to 100.

3. The liquid softener composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mass ratio (B / C) of the component (B) to the component (C) is 2 to 30.

4. The liquid softener composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein component (B) is a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether having an alkyl group having 10 to 18 carbon atoms and an average added mole number of ethylene oxide of 40 to 70 moles.

5. The liquid softener composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising 0.3 to 1 mass % of a fragrance (D) based on the total mass of the liquid softener composition.

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