Improved textile care through copolymer-containing laundry detergent

Abstract

The present invention relates to a laundry detergent, which comprises a) at least one cationic acrylate-based copolymer as described herein, b) at least one surfactant, and c) at least one cellulase. The present invention further relates to the use of the laundry detergent according to the invention for improving the fiber properties of textiles washed with this laundry detergent, and the use of the described copolymers for improving the fiber properties of textiles in a washing or cleaning process.

Description

[0001] Improved textile care through detergents containing copolymers

[0002] The present invention relates to a detergent comprising a) at least one copolymer as defined herein, b) at least one surfactant, and c) at least one cellulase. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of the detergent according to the invention for improving the fiber properties of textiles washed therewith, and to the use of the copolymers described herein for improving the fiber properties of textiles in a washing or cleaning process.

[0003] Consumers demand detergents, such as liquid detergents, that not only offer excellent cleaning performance but are also gentle on fabrics and have as little adverse impact as possible on fabric stability, such as the elasticity of textile fibers, over as many wash cycles as possible. At the same time, such detergents should not cause graying of laundry and be stable over extended storage periods.

[0004] Surprisingly, it has been found that the aforementioned problems can be solved by detergents comprising a) at least one copolymer as defined herein, b) at least one surfactant, and c) optionally at least one cellulase. In particular, it has been found that such detergents exhibit good cleaning performance, can be formulated in stable form, do not lead to graying of the laundry, and simultaneously improve the fiber properties of the textiles washed therewith compared to those washed with known detergents.

[0005] Therefore, in a first aspect, the invention relates to a detergent comprising a) at least one copolymer; b) at least one surfactant; and c) at least one cellulase; and d) optionally at least one further ingredient, wherein the copolymer is obtainable by polymerization of at least one monomer of formula (I): in an amount of 1 to 70 mol%, where n is > 3, preferably 3 to 120, particularly preferably 5 to 50, even more preferably 5 to 7 or 7 to 46, and at least one monomer of the formula (II): in an amount of 30 to 99 mol%.

[0006] In a second aspect, the invention relates to the use of a detergent as described herein for improving the fiber properties of textiles washed therewith.

[0007] Finally, in a third aspect, the invention relates to the use of copolymers as described herein for improving the fiber properties of textiles in a washing or cleaning process.

[0008] "At least one," as used herein, refers to 1 or more, for example, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or more. In the context of components of the compounds described herein, this statement does not refer to the absolute amount of molecules, but rather to the type of component. "At least one surfactant" therefore means, for example, that only one type of surfactant or several different types of surfactants may be present, without specifying the amount of the individual compounds.

[0009] Unless otherwise stated, all quantities stated in connection with the detergents described herein refer to wt.%, each based on the total weight of the detergent. Furthermore, such quantities referring to at least one ingredient always refer to the total amount of that type of ingredient contained in the detergent, unless explicitly stated otherwise. This means that such quantities, for example in connection with "at least one surfactant," refer to the total amount of surfactants contained in the detergent, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

[0010] Numerical values ​​stated without decimal places refer to the full specified value with one decimal place. For example, "99%" stands for "99.0%."

[0011] The expressions “approximately”, “ca.” or “about”, in connection with a numerical value, refer to a variance of ±10% based on the stated numerical value, preferably ±5%, particularly preferably ±1%.

[0012] The term "essentially free of" means that the respective compound may in principle be present, but then in an amount that does not impair the function of the other components. Therefore, within the context of the present invention, the property "essentially free of" a particular compound is preferably considered to mean a total weight of less than 0.1 wt.%, more preferably less than 0.001 wt.%, in particular free of the compound, based on the total weight of the detergent.

[0013] Numerical ranges specified in the format "in / from x to y" include the specified values. If multiple preferred numerical ranges are specified in this format, it is understood that all ranges resulting from the combination of the different endpoints are also included.

[0014] Molecular weight data refer to the weight-average molecular weight in g / mol unless the number-average molecular weight is explicitly stated. It is preferably determined by GPC using polystyrene standards.

[0015] These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the following detailed description and claims. Any feature or embodiment from one aspect of the invention may be employed in any other aspect of the invention. For example, described features or embodiments of the detergents may also be applied to the claimed uses, and vice versa. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the examples contained herein are intended to describe and illustrate the invention, but not to limit it, and in particular, the invention is not limited to these examples.

[0016] The detergents of the invention contain at least one (cationic) copolymer which is obtainable by (radical) polymerization of at least one monomer of formula (I): in an amount of 1 to 70 mol%, where n is > 3, preferably 3 to 120, particularly preferably 5 to 50, even more preferably 5 to 7 or 7 to 46, and at least one monomer of the formula (II): in an amount of 30 to 99 mol%. In various embodiments of the invention, n can be 5, 7, 23, or 46. In general, the compounds used as monomers of formula (I) are typically mixtures of different compounds that differ in the number of ethylene oxide units, i.e., the variable n. The stated values ​​for n are therefore usually average values.

[0017] Such copolymers and their use in detergents are known, for example, from the international patent publication WO 2015 / 078736 A1, where they are used as soil release polymers. The synthesis of such copolymers is also described.

[0018] The copolymers used according to the invention are commercially available under the trade name Sokalan® SR400 from BASF (BASF SE, DE)

[0019] The copolymer is preferably present in the detergent according to the invention in an amount of 0.0001 to 7.0 wt.%, more preferably 0.001 to 3.5 wt.%, even more preferably 0.01 to 3 wt.%, for example 0.1 to 2 wt.%, based on the total weight of the detergent.

[0020] Furthermore, the detergent b) according to the invention contains at least one surfactant.

[0021] Anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic, and / or amphoteric surfactants can be used as surfactants b) in the detergent according to the invention. Anionic surfactants are important components of detergents because they remove a wide variety of textile soils and are particularly effective against greasy soils. They are widely available commercially and exhibit good cleaning performance on soiled surfaces. The surfactants used can be of petrochemical, plant, or microbiological origin. Anionic surfactants include, among others, those of the sulfonate and sulfate types.

[0022] Anionic surfactants usable according to the invention can be aliphatic sulfates such as fatty alcohol sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, dialkyl ether sulfates, monoglyceride sulfates, as well as aliphatic and aromatic sulfonates such as alkanesulfonates, olefinsulfonates, ethersulfonates, n-alkyl ether sulfonates, estersulfonates, ligninsulfonates, and alkylbenzenesulfonates. Also usable within the scope of the present invention are fatty acid cyanamides, sulfosuccinic acid esters, fatty acid isothionates, acylaminoalkanesulfonates (fatty acid taurides), fatty acid sarcosinates, ethercarboxylic acids, and alkyl (ether) phosphates.

[0023] Preferred alk(en)yl sulfates are the alkali metal salts, and especially the sodium salts, of the sulfuric acid semiesters of C12-C18 fatty alcohols, for example, coconut fatty alcohol, tallow fatty alcohol, lauryl, myristyl, cetyl, or stearyl alcohol, or C10-C20 oxo alcohols, and the semiesters of secondary alcohols (secondary alkyl sulfates) of these chain lengths. Secondary alcohols are compounds whose OH group is bonded to a carbon atom that is bonded to two other carbon atoms. Analogously, secondary alkyl sulfates are compounds whose sulfate group is bonded to a carbon atom that is bonded to two other carbon atoms. The hydrocarbon chain is preferably linear or branched, more preferably with up to 20 carbon atoms.Also preferred are alk(en)yl sulfates of the stated chain length, which contain a synthetic, petrochemically produced straight-chain alkyl radical, which exhibit degradation behavior similar to that of the corresponding compounds based on oleochemical raw materials. For rinsing purposes, C12-C16 alkyl sulfates and C12-C15 alkyl sulfates, as well as C14-C15 alkyl sulfates, are preferred.

[0024] Fatty alcohol ether sulfates are particularly preferred within the scope of the present invention. Fatty alcohol ether sulfates are products of sulfation reactions on alkoxylated alcohols.

[0025] In this context, the person skilled in the art generally understands alkoxylated alcohols to be the reaction products of one or more alkylene oxides, preferably ethylene oxide, with alcohols, preferably within the meaning of the present invention the longer-chain alcohols, for example the straight-chain or branched alcohols with chain lengths of C7 to C21, such as 2-methyl-branched C9 to C11 fatty alcohols with an average of 3.5 EO or the C12 to C18 fatty alcohols with 1 to 10 EO. As a rule, a complex mixture of addition products with varying degrees of ethoxylation is formed from n moles of ethylene oxide and one mole of alcohol, depending on the reaction conditions. A further embodiment involves the use of mixtures of the alkylene oxides, preferably the mixture of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. Very particularly preferred within the meaning of the present invention are ethoxylated C12-18 fatty alcohols with 2 to 4 or 5 to 8 mol EO, for example with 2, 4 or 7 EO.

[0026] Also usable within the scope of the present invention are the alkanesulfonates, in particular the secondary alkanesulfonates obtained from unbranched paraffin hydrocarbons, in particular C12-C18 alkanes, for example by sulfochlorination or sulfoxidation followed by hydrolysis or neutralization. A preferred secondary alkanesulfonate is the secondary NaC13-C17 alkanesulfonate marketed by Clariant as Hostapur® SAS 60.

[0027] Other suitable sulfonate-type surfactants include alkylbenzenesulfonates and olefinsulfonates, i.e., mixtures of alkene and hydroxyalkanesulfonates, as well as disulfonates, such as those obtained, for example, from C12-C18 monoolefins with a terminal or internal double bond by sulfonation with gaseous sulfur trioxide and subsequent alkaline or acidic hydrolysis of the sulfonation products. Alkylbenzenesulfonates within the meaning of the invention are alkylbenzenesulfonates with straight-chain or branched, saturated or unsaturated C12-C22 alkyl radicals, preferably C5-C18 alkyl radicals, more preferably C8-C14 alkyl radicals, even more preferably C10-C13 alkyl radicals. They are used as alkali metal and / or alkaline earth metal salts, in particular sodium, potassium, magnesium and / or calcium salts, as well as ammonium salts or mono-, di- or trialkanolammonium salts, preferably mono-, di- or triethanol and / or isopropanolammonium salts, in particular mono-, di- or triethanolamine.Triethanolammonium salts, but also as alkylbenzenesulfonic acid together with the corresponding alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hydroxide and / or ammonia or mono-, di-, or trialkanolamine, are used. The use of such linear alkylbenzenesulfonates as anionic surfactants, for example, also in combination with the fatty alcohol ether sulfates described above, is preferred according to the invention.

[0028] The esters of 2-sulfofatty acids (ester sulfonates), e.g. the 2-sulfonated methyl esters of hydrogenated coconut, palm kernel or tallow fatty acids, are also suitable as anionic surfactants.

[0029] In general, anionic surfactants are typically used in the form of their alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts, especially sodium, potassium, and magnesium salts, as well as ammonium and mono-, di-, tri-, or tetraalkylammonium salts, and in the case of sulfonates, also in the form of the acid, e.g., dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, C10-C14 alkylbenzenesulfonic acid, and / or C10-C14 alkylbenzenesulfonic acid. When sulfonic acid is used, it is usually neutralized in situ with one or more appropriate bases, e.g., alkali metal and alkaline earth metal hydroxides, especially sodium, potassium, and magnesium hydroxide, as well as ammonia or mono-, di-, tri-, or tetraalkylamine—depending on the pH value of the composition to be adjusted—to form the aforementioned salts.

[0030] The compositions contain one or more anionic surfactants in an amount, based on the composition, of 0.1 to 50 wt.%, preferably of 1 to 40 wt.%, more preferably of 2 to 35 wt.%, even more preferably of 3 to 30 wt.%, even more preferably of 4 to 25 wt.%, for example up to 20 wt.% or up to 15 wt.%. Examples are amounts used of 5-15 wt.%. In various embodiments, the surfactant is a surfactant system based on anionic surfactant(s), i.e. the proportion of anionic surfactant(s) is at least half of the total amount of surfactants, in particular even more than half of the total amount of surfactants. Furthermore, all upper and lower limits of the surfactant concentrations disclosed in this section can be combined with one another.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, anionic surfactants are present in the detergents of the invention. In various embodiments, at least one anionic surfactant, preferably a linear or branched alkylbenzenesulfonate (e.g. with C9-C13) and / or an alkyl ether sulfate (e.g. with C12-18), for example sodium lauryl ether sulfate, for example with 2EO or 7EO, and / or an alpha-olefin sulfonate, can be comprised in the detergent according to the invention as the at least one further surfactant b). Particular preference is given to fatty alcohol ether sulfates and / or linear alkylbenzenesulfonates, with both being very particularly preferably present. Linear or branched alkylbenzenesulfonates, especially linear alkylbenzenesulfonates, can be present in particular in amounts of 1 to 15% by weight, for example 2 to 12% by weight, based on the total weight of the detergent. Fatty alcohol ether sulfates can, for example, be present in amounts of 1 to 10% by weight.-%, for example 2 to 6 wt.%, based on the total weight of the detergent.

[0032] If a fatty acid soap is included in the detergent, saturated and unsaturated fatty acid soaps, such as the salts of lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, (hydrogenated) erucic acid, and behenic acid, are suitable, as are soap mixtures derived from natural fatty acids, for example, coconut, palm kernel, olive oil, or tallow fatty acids. Soaps, if present, can preferably be in the form of their sodium, potassium, or magnesium salts.

[0033] In a further preferred embodiment, the at least one surfactant b) comprises a nonionic surfactant, preferably a nonionic surfactant from the group of alkoxylated fatty alcohols, alkoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, fatty acid amides, alkoxylated fatty acid amides, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, alkylphenol polyglycol ethers, amine oxides, alkyl polyglucosides and mixtures thereof, more preferably from the group of alcohol ethoxylates, even more preferably a C 12-18 alcohol ethoxylate having 2 to 10, for example 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 EO units. The nonionic surfactant is preferably present in an amount of 0.1 to 50 wt.%, more preferably 0.2 to 20 wt.%, even more preferably 0.5 to 10 wt.%, based on the total weight of the detergent.

[0034] In general, alkoxylated, advantageously ethoxylated, especially primary alcohols with preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms and an average of 1 to 12 moles of ethylene oxide (EO) per mole of alcohol are preferred as nonionic surfactants. The alcohol radical can be linear or, preferably, methyl-branched in the 2-position, or can contain linear and methyl-branched radicals in the mixture, as is usually the case in oxo alcohol radicals. However, alcohol ethoxylates with linear radicals from alcohols of native origin with 12 to 18 carbon atoms, for example, from coconut, palm, tallow, or oleyl alcohol, and an average of 2 to 8 EO per mole of alcohol are particularly preferred.Preferred ethoxylated alcohols include, for example, C12-C14 alcohols with 3 EO, 4 EO, or 7 EO, C9-C11 alcohols with 7 EO, C13-C15 alcohols with 3 EO, 5 EO, 7 EO, or 8 EO, C12-C18 alcohols with 3 EO, 5 EO, or 7 EO, and mixtures thereof, such as mixtures of C12-C14 alcohols with 3 EO and C12-C18 alcohols with 7 EO. The stated degrees of ethoxylation represent statistical averages, which can be a whole or fractional number for a specific product. Preferred alcohol ethoxylates have a narrow homolog distribution (narrow range ethoxylates, NRE). In addition to these nonionic surfactants, fatty alcohols with more than 12 EO can also be used. Examples of these are tallow fatty alcohol with 14 EO, 25 EO, 30 EO, or 40 EO. Nonionic surfactants containing EO and PO groups in the molecule can also be used according to the invention. Block copolymers with EO-PO block units orPO-EO block units can be used, as can EO-PO-EO copolymers or PO-EO-PO copolymers. Mixed alkoxylated nonionic surfactants, in which EO and PO units are distributed randomly rather than in blocks, can also be used. Such products are obtainable by the simultaneous action of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide on fatty alcohols.

[0035] In addition, alkyl glucosides of the general formula RO(G)x can also be used as further nonionic surfactants, in which R is a primary straight-chain or methyl-branched, in particular 2-methyl-branched, aliphatic radical having 8 to 22, preferably 12 to 18, carbon atoms, and G is the symbol representing a glycoside unit having 5 or 6 carbon atoms, preferably glucose. The degree of oligomerization x, which indicates the distribution of monoglycosides and oligoglycosides, is any number between 1 and 10; preferably, x is between 1.2 and 1.4.

[0036] Another class of preferred nonionic surfactants, which are used either as the sole nonionic surfactant or in combination with other nonionic surfactants, are alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or ethoxylated and propoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, preferably with 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, in particular fatty acid methyl esters.

[0037] Nonionic / amphoteric / zwitterionic surfactants of the amine oxide type, for example N-cocoalkyl-N,N-dimethylamine oxide and N-tallowalkyl-N,N-dihydroxyethylamine oxide, and fatty acid alkanolamides may also be suitable. The amount of these nonionic surfactants is preferably no more than that of the ethoxylated fatty alcohols, in particular no more than half that amount.

[0038] In preferred embodiments, the at least one surfactant b) of the detergent according to the invention comprises an anionic surfactant and / or a non-ionic surfactant, wherein the anionic surfactant is preferably a linear or branched alkylbenzenesulfonate and / or an alkyl ether sulfate and / or alpha-olefin sulfonate and / or the non-ionic surfactant preferably comes from the group of alkoxylated fatty alcohols, alkoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, fatty acid amides, alkoxylated fatty acid amides, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, alkylphenol polyglycol ethers, amine oxides, alkyl polyglucosides and mixtures thereof, more preferably from the group of (fatty) alcohol ethoxylates, even more preferably it comprises a C12-18 alcohol ethoxylate having 7 EO units. The anionic and / or non-ionic surfactant in the detergent according to the invention is preferably present in a total amount of 0.1 to 50 wt.%, more preferably 0.2 to 25 wt.%, even more preferably 1 to 20 wt.%.-%, based on the total weight of the detergent. The total surfactant content of the detergent may also be in this range from 0.1 to 50 wt.%, more preferably from 0.2 to 35 wt.%, or 0.5 to 30 wt.%, or 1 to 25 wt.%, or 2 to 20 wt.%, based on the total weight of the detergent.

[0039] Suitable amphoteric surfactants (zwitterionic surfactants) are, for example, betaines, alkylamidoalkylamines, alkyl-substituted amino acids, acylated amino acids or biosurfactants, of which the betaines, if amphoteric surfactants are used, are preferred within the scope of the teaching according to the invention.

[0040] Furthermore, the detergent c) according to the invention contains at least one cellulase.

[0041] Cellulases are technically important enzymes whose use in detergents and cleaning agents is industrially established. For this reason, they are often included in modern, high-performance detergents and cleaning agents. Cellulases form a group of enzymes belonging to three subclasses: 1) Endoglucanases (EC 3.2.1.4) catalyze the endohydrolysis of 1,4-ß-D-glucosidic bonds, thereby splitting the cellulose into larger segments. 2) Exoglucanases (EC 3.2.1.91) catalyze the hydrolysis of the 1,4-ß-D-glucosidic bonds of cellulose starting from the non-reducing end of the cellulose chain. 3) Cellobiases or ß-glucosidases (EC 3.2.1.21) catalyze the hydrolysis of tetra- and disaccharides (ß-glucosidase). Endoglucanases are particularly used in detergents.

[0042] Cellulases with broad substrate spectra are predominantly used in detergents and cleaning agents, since usually inhomogeneous raw materials or substrate mixtures have to be converted. The cellulases used in the washing or cleaning agents known from the state of the art are usually of microbial origin and generally originate from bacteria or fungi, for example from Exidia glandulosa, Crinipellis scabella, Farnes fomentarius, Spongipellis sp., Rhizophlyctis rosea, Rhizom ucor pusillus, Phycomyces nitens, Chaetostylum fresenii, Diplodia gossypina, Microsphaeropsis sp., Ulospora bilgramii, Aureobasidium sp., Macrophomina phaseolina, Ascobolus stictoides, Saccobolus dilutellus, Peziza sp., Penicillium verruculosum, Penicillium chrysogenum, Thermomyces verrucosus, Trichoderma reesei aka Hypocrea jecorina, Diaporthe syngenesia, Colletotrichum lagenanum, Xylaria hypoxylon, Nigrospora sp., Nodulisporum sp., Poronia punctata, Cylindrocarpon sp., Nectria pinea, Volutella colletotrichoides, Sordaria fimicola, Sordaria macrospora, Thielavia thermophila, Syspastospora boninensis, Cladorrhinum foecundissimum, Chaetomium murorum, Chaetomium virescens, Chaetomium brasiliensis, Chaetomium cunicolorum, Myceliophthora thermophila, Gliocladium catenulatum, Scytalidium thermophila, Acremonium sp Fusarium solani, Fusarium anguioides, Fusarium poae, Fusarium oxysporum ssp. lycopersici, Fusarium oxysporum ssp. passiflora, Humicola nigrescens, Humicola grisea, Fusarium oxysporum, Thielavia terrestris and Humicola insolens. Cellulases are usually produced by suitable microorganisms using known biotechnological processes, for example by transgenic expression hosts of the genera Bacillus or by filamentous fungi.

[0043] A particularly extensively characterized cellulase is disclosed in WO96 / 29397 as SEQ ID NO:9. WO98 / 12307 (Example 1), WO91 / 017243 (SEQ ID NO:2), and WO94 / 007998 also disclose endoglucanases (EG). An example of another cellulase is the fungal, endoglucanase-rich cellulase preparation, or its further developments, offered by Novozymes under the trade name Celluzyme®. The products Endolase® and Carezyme®, also available from Novozymes, are based on the 50 kDa EG and the 43 kDa EG, respectively, from Humicola insolens DSM 1800. Other commercially available products from this company are Cellusoft®, Renozyme®, and Celluclean®. Other suitable products include the 20 kDa EG from Melanocarpus, available from AB Enzymes, Finland, under the trade names Ecostone® and Biotouch®. Other commercial products from AB Enzymes include Econase® and Ecopulp®.Other well-known cellulases are those derived from Bacillus sp. CBS 670.93 and CBS 669.93, with the one derived from Bacillus sp. CBS 670.93 being available from Danisco / Genencor under the trade name Puradax®. Other commercial products from Danisco / Genencor are "Genencor detergent cellulase L" and IndiAge®Neutra.

[0044] All the aforementioned cellulases as well as all other cellulases known in the prior art and intended for use in washing and cleaning agents can be used in the washing agents of the invention.

[0045] The cellulases may be present in the detergents according to the invention in an amount of from 0.00001% by weight to 1% by weight, preferably from 0.0001% by weight to about 0.5% by weight, more preferably from 0.001% to about 0.3% by weight and in particular from 0.005% to about 0.3% by weight, based on the total weight of the detergent and on active protein.

[0046] The detergent of the present invention may further contain at least one further enzyme, or a combination of different further enzymes.

[0047] Other enzymes preferably used according to the invention are amylases, proteases, hemicellulases, peroxidases, and / or lipases. Amylases can be added, for example, to remove starch and glycogen. Alpha-, beta-, and gamma-amylases (α-, β-, γ-amylases), as well as glucoamylases and maltogenic amylases, can be used according to the invention. The amylases can originate from any source, such as bacteria, fungi, pancreatic glands of animal origin, germinated grains, yeasts, etc. Genetically modified amylases can also be used, possibly even with preference, in the detergents according to the invention.

[0048] The amylases may be present in the detergents according to the invention in an amount of from 0.00001% by weight to 5% by weight, preferably from 0.0001% by weight to about 1% by weight, more preferably from 0.0005 to about 0.5% by weight and in particular from 0.001 or 0.01 to about 0.4% by weight, based on the total weight of the detergent and on active protein.

[0049] In addition to amylases, proteases can also be added to the detergents according to the invention to cleave proteins and peptide residues. Proteases are particularly suitable for the hydrolytic cleavage and removal of protein residues, especially dried-on protein residues.

[0050] Proteases suitable according to the invention are proteinases (endopeptidases) and peptidases (exopeptidases). Usable proteases can be of plant, animal, bacterial, and / or fungal origin. Suitable proteases are, in particular, serine, cysteine, aspartate, and metalloproteases. Genetically modified proteases can also be used, possibly even with preference, in the detergents according to the invention.

[0051] Typically, proteases are used in amounts of active protein in the range of 0.00001 to 1.5 wt%, preferably in the range of 0.0001 to 0.75 wt%, based on the total weight of the detergents.

[0052] Furthermore, lipases can be added to detergents according to the invention to remove stubborn greasy soils. Lipases are thus a bio-alternative to surfactants and can support the cleaning effect of surfactants in quantities (active protein) ranging from 0.0001 to 1 wt.%. Suitable lipases can be obtained from plants (e.g., castor oil species), microorganisms, and animal sources, such as pancreatic lipases.

[0053] The aforementioned enzymes can be added individually or in any desired combination of mixtures with one another to the detergents and cleaning agents according to the invention. Amylases, in particular alpha-amylases and proteases, are particularly preferred for use in detergents and cleaning agents according to the invention. The addable enzymes can optionally be combined with any other enzymes to further improve the cleaning performance of the detergents. Other enzymes suitable according to the invention are reductases, oxidases, ligninases, cutinases, hexosaminidases, pectinases, xylanases, phenoloxidases, lipoxygenases, tannases, pentosanases, malanases, glucanases, arabinosidases, and any desired mixtures of these enzymes.

[0054] Such enzymes can be used in the washing and cleaning agent according to the invention in an amount of 0.00001 to 5 wt.%, preferably 0.0001 to 2 wt.%, more preferably 0.001 to 1.0 wt.%, based on the total weight of the washing agent and active protein.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment, the detergent additionally comprises d) at least one further component, also referred to herein as “additive”.

[0056] Suitable components can be selected from, for example, builders, bleaching agents, bleach catalysts, bleach activators, electrolytes, pH adjusters, perfumes, perfume carriers, fluorescent agents, dyes, hydrotropes, complexing agents, foam inhibitors, silicone oils, soil-release polymers, graying inhibitors, shrinkage inhibitors, crease inhibitors, antimicrobial agents, solvents, germicides, fungicides, antioxidants, preservatives, corrosion inhibitors, antistatic agents, bittering agents, ironing aids, phobic and impregnating agents, skin-care agents, swelling and slip-resistant agents, softening components as well as UV absorbers and mixtures thereof.

[0057] The compounds or components optionally used as further constituents / additives d) are different from the compounds or components used as a), b) or c) of the detergent according to the invention.

[0058] In a preferred embodiment, the detergent according to the invention comprises the at least one additive in an amount of 0.0001 to 80 wt.%, preferably 0.1 to 70 wt.%, more preferably 1 to 65 wt.%, based on the total weight of the detergent.

[0059] Typically, the amount of such additional components, such as builders and bleaching agents, is greater in solid detergents than in liquid detergents, which often do not contain bleaching agents and sometimes even builders.

[0060] The detergent preferably contains at least one perfume or fragrance, or optionally a mixture of different perfumes or fragrances as the at least one additive. Individual fragrance compounds, e.g., synthetic products of the ester, ether, aldehyde, ketone, alcohol, and hydrocarbon type, can be used as perfume oils or fragrances within the scope of the present invention. However, mixtures of different fragrances are preferably used, which together produce an appealing fragrance. Such perfume oils can also contain natural fragrance mixtures, such as those obtainable from plant sources, e.g., pine, citrus, jasmine, patchouli, rose, or ylang-ylang oil.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment, the detergent contains one or more fragrances in an amount of typically up to 15% by weight, preferably 0.01 to 5% by weight, in particular 0.3 to 3% by weight, based on the total weight of the detergent.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, the detergent according to the invention additionally contains a bleaching agent as the at least one additive.

[0063] Among the compounds used as bleaching agents that yield H2O2 in water, sodium perborate tetrahydrate and sodium perborate monohydrate are particularly important. Other useful bleaching agents include sodium percarbonates, peroxypyrophosphates, citrate perhydrates, and H2O2-yielding peracidic salts or organic peracids such as perbenzoates, peroxophthalates, diperazelaic acid, diperdodecanedioic acid, 4-phthalimidoperoxobutanoic acid, 5-phthalimidoperoxopentanoic acid, 6-phthalimidoperoxohexanoic acid, 7-phthalimidoperoxoheptanoic acid, N,N'-terephthaloyl-di-6-aminoperoxohexanoic acid, and mixtures thereof. Preferred peracids include the phthalimidoperoxoalkanoic acids, especially 6-phthalimidoperoxohexanoic acid (PAP). The bleaching agent, if present, may have been formulated in particulate form in a known manner using inert carrier materials; it is preferably used in coated form.It is important that the coating material releases the coated bleaching agent under the detergent's application conditions (at elevated temperatures, pH changes due to dilution with water, or similar). A preferred coating material is one that consists at least partially of saturated fatty acids.

[0064] The amount of bleaching agent is preferably between 0.5 and 20 wt% based on the total weight of the detergent.

[0065] To achieve improved bleaching performance when washing at temperatures of 60 °C and below, bleach activators can be incorporated into detergents and cleaning agents. Compounds that produce aliphatic peroxycarboxylic acids under perhydrolysis conditions can be used as bleach activators. Preferred are multiply acylated alkylenediamines, in particular tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED), acylated triazine derivatives, in particular 1,5-diacetyl-2,4-dioxohexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (DADHT), acylated glycolurils, in particular tetraacetylglycoluril (TAGU), N-acylimides, in particular N-nonanoylsuccinimide (NOSI), acylated phenolsulfonates, in particular n-nonanoyl- or isononanoyloxybenzenesulfonate (n- or iso-NOBS), carboxylic acid anhydrides, in particular phthalic anhydride, acylated polyhydric alcohols, in particular triacetin, ethylene glycol diacetate and 2,5-diacetoxy-2,5-dihydrofuran.

[0066] In addition to or instead of conventional bleach activators, so-called bleach catalysts can also be incorporated into liquid detergents and cleaning agents. These substances are bleach-enhancing transition metal salts or

[0067] Transition metal complexes such as Mn, Fe, Co, Ru, or Mo salen complexes or carbonyl complexes. Mn, Fe, Co, Ru, Mo, Ti, V, and Cu complexes with nitrogen-containing tripod ligands, as well as Co, Fe, Cu, and Ru ammine complexes, can also be used as bleaching catalysts.

[0068] If the preferably liquid, more preferably liquid, aqueous detergent contains a bleaching agent, a bleach activator and / or a bleach catalyst, it is particularly advantageous for these to be present in encapsulated form in the detergent.

[0069] In preferred embodiments, the detergent according to the invention can contain at least one complexing agent. Complexing agents are also known as chelating agents or sequestering agents. Typically, a complexing agent can bind metal ions to prevent them from reacting with other components of a composition. For example, they can be added to detergent or cleaning compositions to complex Ca and Mg ions to soften the water. Other complexing agents can preferably also contribute to the washing or cleaning performance.

[0070] Suitable complexing agents include condensed phosphates, phosphonates, and / or aminocarboxylic acids.

[0071] Examples of condensed phosphates include, but are not limited to, sodium and potassium orthophosphate, sodium and potassium pyrophosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, and sodium hexametaphosphate.

[0072] Examples of phosphonic acids, phosphonates, or derivatives thereof include, but are not limited to, 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (PBTC), 1-hydroxyethane-(1,1-diphosphonic acid) (HEDP), amino methylenephosphonic acid (ATMP), 2-hydroxyethyliminobis(methylenephosphonic acid), diethylenetriaminepenta-(methylenephosphonic acid) (DTPMP), ethylenediaminetetra(methylenephosphonic acid) (EDTMP), hexamethylenediamine(tetramethylenephosphonic acid), bis(hexamethylene)triamine(pentamethylenephosphonic acid), phosphoric acid, or suitable salts thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the detergent according to the invention further contains a phosphonate-containing compound, preferably HEDP, DTPMP, or suitable salts thereof.

[0073] In one embodiment, the detergent according to the invention is substantially free of phosphates or other phosphorus-containing compounds, in particular those which are not phosphonates.

[0074] In another embodiment, the detergent according to the invention is also substantially free of phosphonates, such as diphosphonic acids or derivatives or salts thereof.

[0075] Suitable aminocarboxylic acids include, but are not limited to, N-hydroxyethylaminodiacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), hydroxyethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), N-hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA), methylglycinediacetic acid (MGDA), glutamic acid-N,N-diacetic acid (GLDA), ethylenediaminesuccinylic acid (EDDS), 2-hydroxyethyliminodiacetic acid (HEIDA), iminodisuccinylic acid (IDS), 3-hydroxy-2-2'-iminodisuccinylic acid (HIDS) and other similar acids or salts thereof having an amino group with a carboxylic acid substituent.

[0076] If a complexing agent is to be used in the detergent according to the invention, it is preferably used in an amount of 0.01 to 30 wt.%, preferably 0.1 to 20 wt.%, more preferably 0.5 to 15 wt.%, based on the total weight of the detergent.

[0077] The detergent according to the invention may further contain one or more builders.

[0078] In a further preferred embodiment, the detergent contains water-soluble and / or water-insoluble builder, in particular selected from inorganic carbonates, alkali aluminosilicate, crystalline alkali silicate with modulus above 1, monomeric polycarboxylate, polymeric polycarboxylate and mixtures thereof, in particular in amounts in the range from 2.5 wt.% to 30 wt.%, based on the total weight of the detergent.

[0079] Water-soluble organic builder substances include, in particular, those from the class of polycarboxylic acids, especially citric acid and sugar acids, as well as polymeric (poly)carboxylic acids, especially the polycarboxylates obtainable by oxidation of polysaccharides, polymeric acrylic acids, methacrylic acids, maleic acids, and copolymers thereof, which may also contain small amounts of polymerizable substances without carboxylic acid functionality. The relative molecular weight of homopolymers of unsaturated carboxylic acids is generally between 5,000 g / mol and 200,000 g / mol, and that of copolymers between 2,000 g / mol and 200,000 g / mol, preferably 50,000 g / mol to 120,000 g / mol, based on the free acid. A particularly preferred acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer has a relative molecular weight of 50,000 g / mol to 100,000 g / mol.Suitable, albeit less preferred, compounds of this class are copolymers of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with vinyl ethers, such as vinyl methyl ethers, vinyl esters, ethylene, propylene, and styrene, in which the acid content is at least 50% by weight. Citric acid and its salts, as well as the above-mentioned aminocarboxylic acids, which can also be used as builders, are particularly preferred.

[0080] Citric acid or citrate, e.g., sodium or potassium citrate, possibly generated in situ from citric acid and hydroxide, can be used. For the purposes of the present invention, the citrates are preferably the salts of triply deprotonated citric acid. However, mono- and dihydrogen citrates can also be used according to the invention.

[0081] Terpolymers which contain two carboxylic acids and / or their salts as monomers and vinyl alcohol and / or a vinyl alcohol derivative or a carbohydrate as the third monomer can also be used as water-soluble organic builder substances. The first acidic monomer or its salt is derived from a monoethylenically unsaturated C5-C10 carboxylic acid and preferably from a C3-C4 monocarboxylic acid, in particular from (meth)acrylic acid. The second acidic monomer or its salt can be a derivative of a C4-C8 dicarboxylic acid, with maleic acid being particularly preferred. The third monomeric unit in this case is formed from vinyl alcohol and / or preferably an esterified vinyl alcohol. In particular, vinyl alcohol derivatives which are an ester of short-chain carboxylic acids, for example of C1-C4 carboxylic acids, with vinyl alcohol are preferred. Preferred terpolymers contain 60% to 95% by weight, in particular 70% to 90% by weight.-% (meth)acrylic acid and / or (meth)acrylate, more preferably acrylic acid and / or acrylate, and maleic acid and / or maleate and 5 wt.% to 40 wt.%, preferably 10 wt.% to 30 wt.% vinyl alcohol and / or vinyl acetate. Very particular preference is given to terpolymers in which the weight ratio of (meth)acrylic acid and / or (meth)acrylate to maleic acid and / or maleate is between 1:1 and 4:1, preferably between 2:1 and 3:1 and in particular 2:1 and 2.5:1. Both the amounts and the weight ratios are based on the acids. The second acidic monomer or its salt can also be a derivative of an allylsulfonic acid which is substituted in the 2-position by an alkyl radical, preferably by a C1-C4-alkyl radical, or an aromatic radical, which is preferably derived from benzene or benzene derivatives. Preferred terpolymers contain 40 wt.% to 60 wt.%, in particular 45 to 55 wt.-% (meth)acrylic acid and / or (meth)acrylate, more preferably acrylic acid and / or acrylate, 10 wt.% to 30 wt.%, preferably 15 wt.% to 25 wt.% methallylsulfonic acid and / or methallylsulfonate and as a third monomer 15 wt.% to 40 wt.%, preferably 20 wt.% to 40 wt.% of a carbohydrate. This carbohydrate can, for example, be a mono-, di-, oligo-, or polysaccharide, with mono-, di-, or oligosaccharides being preferred, and sucrose is particularly preferred. The use of the third monomer presumably creates predetermined breaking points in the polymer, which are responsible for the good biodegradability of the polymer. These terpolymers generally have a relative molecular mass between 1000 g / mol and 200000 g / mol, preferably between 2000 g / mol and 50000 g / mol and in particular between 3000 g / mol and 10000 g / mol.They can be used, particularly for the production of liquid agents, in the form of aqueous solutions, preferably in the form of 30 to 50 percent by weight aqueous solutions. All of the polycarboxylic acids mentioned are generally used in the form of their water-soluble salts, especially their alkali metal salts.

[0082] As water-insoluble, water-dispersible inorganic builder materials, crystalline or amorphous alkali aluminosilicates are used in particular, in amounts of up to 50 wt. %, preferably not more than 40 wt. %, and in liquid compositions in particular from 1 wt. % to 5 wt. %. Among these, crystalline aluminosilicates of detergent quality, in particular zeolite NaA and optionally NaX, are preferred. Amounts close to the stated upper limit are preferably used in solid, particulate compositions. Suitable aluminosilicates, in particular, have no particles with a grain size larger than 30 μm and preferably consist of at least 80 wt. % particles with a size smaller than 10 μm. Their calcium binding capacity, which can be determined according to the information in German patent DE 24 12 837 A1, is in the range of 100 to 200 mg CaO per gram.Suitable substitutes or partial substitutes for the aluminosilicate mentioned are crystalline alkali silicates, which can be present alone or in a mixture with amorphous silicates. The alkali silicates usable as builders in the agents preferably have a molar ratio of alkali oxide to SiO2 of less than 0.95, in particular of 1:1.1 to 1:12, and can be amorphous or crystalline. Preferred alkali silicates are sodium silicates, in particular amorphous sodium silicates, with a molar Na2O:SiO2 ratio of 1:2 to 1:2.8. Those with a molar Na2O:SiO2 ratio of 1:1.9 to 1:2.8 are preferably added as a solid during production rather than in the form of a solution.As crystalline silicates, which can be present alone or in a mixture with amorphous silicates, preference is given to using crystalline layered silicates of the general formula Na2SixO2x+i yH2O, in which x, the so-called modulus, is a number from 1.9 to 4 and y is a number from 0 to 20, and preferred values ​​for x are 2, 3 or 4. Preferred crystalline layered silicates are those in which x in the general formula mentioned assumes the values ​​2 or 3. In particular, both β- and β-sodium disilicates (Na2Si2O5 yH2O) are preferred. Practically anhydrous crystalline alkali silicates of the above general formula, in which x is a number from 1.9 to 2.1, prepared from amorphous alkali silicates, can also be used in the agents described herein. In a further preferred embodiment of the agent according to the invention, a crystalline sodium layer silicate with a modulus of 2 to 3 is used, such as can be produced from sand and soda.Crystalline sodium silicates with a modulus in the range from 1.9 to 3.5 are used in a further preferred embodiment in detergents. Their alkali silicate content is preferably 1 wt. % to 50 wt. % and in particular 5 wt. % to 35 wt. %, based on the anhydrous active substance. If alkali aluminosilicate, in particular zeolite, is also present as an additional builder substance, the alkali silicate content is preferably 1 wt. % to 15 wt. % and in particular 2 wt. % to 8 wt. % based on the anhydrous active substance. The weight ratio of aluminosilicate to silicate, in each case based on the anhydrous active substances, is then preferably 4:1 to 10:1. In agents which contain both amorphous and crystalline alkali silicates, the weight ratio of amorphous alkali silicate to crystalline alkali silicate is preferably 1:2 to 2:1 and in particular 1:1 to 2:1.

[0083] In addition to or as an alternative to the above-mentioned inorganic silicate builder, further water-soluble or water-insoluble inorganic substances may be contained in the agents used together with it or employed in the methods according to the invention.

[0084] Particularly suitable in this context are alkali carbonates, alkali hydrogen carbonates and alkali sulfates as well as their mixtures, more preferably sodium carbonate (soda).

[0085] The preferred solvent in the detergents according to the invention is water, but organic solvents can also be present in the detergents and partially replace the water.

[0086] Suitable organic solvents are, for example, saturated or unsaturated, preferably saturated, branched or unbranched C1-20 hydrocarbons, preferably C2-15 hydrocarbons, having one or more hydroxyl groups, preferably one hydroxyl group, and optionally one or more ether functions COC, ie oxygen atoms interrupting the carbon atom chain.

[0087] Preferred solvents are the C1-6 alcohols, in particular ethanol, n-propanol or isopropanol as well as the C2-6 alkylene glycols and poly-C2-3 alkylene glycol ethers - optionally etherified on one side with a C1-6 alkanol - having an average of 1 to 9 identical or different, preferably identical, alkylene glycol groups per molecule, in particular the poly-C2-3 alkylene glycol ethers etherified on one side with a C1-6 alkanol having an average of 1 to 9, preferably 2 to 3, ethylene or propylene glycol groups, for example PPG-2 methyl ether (dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether).

[0088] Beispielhafte Lösungsmittel sind die folgenden gemäß INCI benannten Verbindungen: Alcohol (Ethanol), Buteth-3, Butoxydiglycol, Butoxyethanol, Butoxyisopropanol, Butoxypropanol, n-Butyl Alcohol, t-Butyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Butyloctanol, Diethylene Glycol, Dimethoxydiglycol, Dimethyl Ether, Dipropylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Ethoxyethanol, Ethyl Hexanediol, Glycol, Hexanediol, 1 ,2,6-Hexanetriol, Hexyl Alcohol, Hexylene Glycol, Isobutoxypropanol, Isopentyldiol, Isopropyl Alcohol (iso-Propanol), 3-Methoxybutanol, Methoxydiglycol, Methoxyethanol, Methoxyisopropanol, Methoxymethylbutanol, Methoxy PEG-10, Methylal, Methyl Alcohol, Methyl Hexyl Ether, Methylpropanediol, Neopentyl Glycol, PEG-4, PEG-6, PEG-7, PEG-8, PEG- 9, PEG-6 Methyl Ether, Pentylene Glycol, PPG-7, PPG-2-Buteth-3, PPG-2 Butyl Ether, PPG-3 Butyl Ether, PPG-2 Methyl Ether, PPG-3 Methyl Ether, PPG-2 Propyl Ether, Propanediol, Propyl Alcohol (n- Propanol), Propylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Butyl Ether,Propylene Glycol Propyl Ether, Tetrahydrofurfury I Alcohol, Trimethylhexanol, together with aliphatic or aromatic alcohols, e.g. methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, n-butanol, tert-butanol or phenol, or carboxylic acids, e.g. acetic or carbonic acid, etherified or esterified monomers or homo- or heteropolymers, in particular monomers and homodi- and trimers, C2-C4 alkylene glycols.

[0089] If the detergents according to the invention are formulated in multiple phases, they may contain one or more phase separation agents. Suitable phase separation agents, in addition to citric acid and citrates, include, for example, alkali metal and alkaline earth metal halides, especially chlorides, and sulfates and nitrates, especially sodium and potassium chloride and sulfate, as well as ammonium chloride and sulfate, or mixtures thereof.

[0090] Such salts, as strong electrolytes that increase ionic strength, support phase separation through the salt effect. Sodium chloride has proven particularly effective in this regard, while sodium sulfate and especially magnesium sulfate have a lesser phase-separating effect. The detergents may contain phase separation aids in amounts, based on the total weight of the detergent, of 0.1 to 30 wt.%, preferably 1 to 20 wt.%, more preferably 3 to 15 wt.%, and even more preferably 5 to 12 wt.%.

[0091] To adjust the viscosity, a liquid detergent according to the invention may contain one or more thickeners, preferably in an amount of 0.01 to 5 wt.%, more preferably 0.05 to 2.5 wt.%, even more preferably 0.1 to 1 wt.%.

[0092] Suitable thickeners are, for example, organic natural thickeners (agar-agar, carrageenan, tragacanth, gum arabic, alginates, pectins, polyoses, guar flour, locust bean gum, starch, dextrins, gelatin, casein), organic modified natural substances (carboxymethylcellulose and other cellulose ethers, hydroxyethyl and propylcellulose and the like, kernel flour ethers), organic fully synthetic thickeners (polyacrylic and polymethacrylic compounds, vinyl polymers, polycarboxylic acids, polyethers, polyimines, polyamides) and inorganic thickeners (polysilicic acids, clay minerals such as montmorillonites, zeolites, silicic acids).

[0093] Polyacrylic and polymethacrylic compounds include, for example, the high-molecular-weight homopolymers of acrylic acid crosslinked with a polyalkenyl polyether, in particular an allyl ether of pentaerythritol or propylene (INCI name according to the International Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients of The Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA): Carbomer), which are also referred to as carboxyvinyl polymers.Furthermore, the following acrylic acid copolymers fall under this category: (i) copolymers of two or more monomers from the group of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and their simple esters, preferably formed with C 1-4 -alkanols (INCI Acrylates Copolymer), which include, for example, the copolymers of methacrylic acid, butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate (CAS designation according to Chemical Abstracts Service: 25035-69-2) or of butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate (CAS 25852-37-3); (ii) crosslinked high molecular weight acrylic acid copolymers, which include, for example, the copolymers of C 10-30 alkyl acrylates crosslinked with an allyl ether of pentaerythritol with one or more monomers from the group of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and their simple esters, preferably formed with C 1-4 -alkanols (INCI Acrylates / C 10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer). In addition to the thickening effect, these compounds can have other effects in detergents, such as protection against graying.

[0094] In a preferred embodiment, the polyacrylic and polymethacrylic compounds suitable as thickeners have a weight-average molecular weight of >100,000 g / mol, preferably <500,000 g / mol.

[0095] Preferred thickeners are polysaccharides and heteropolysaccharides, especially polysaccharide gums, for example gum arabic, agar, alginates, carrageenans and their salts, guar, guaran, tragacanth, gellan, ramsan, dextran or xanthan and their derivatives, e.g., propoxylated guar, as well as mixtures thereof. Other polysaccharide thickeners, such as starches or cellulose derivatives, can be used alternatively, but preferably in addition, to a polysaccharide gum, for example, starches of various origins and starch derivatives, e.g., hydroxyethyl starch, starch phosphate esters or starch acetates, or carboxymethylcellulose or its sodium salt, methyl, ethyl, hydroxyethyl, hydroxypropyl, hydroxypropylmethyl or hydroxyethylmethylcellulose, or cellulose acetate.

[0096] Polysaccharides and heteropolysaccharides suitable as thickeners preferably have a weight-average molecular weight of >1,500 g / mol, more preferably >5,000 g / mol, and even more preferably >50,000 g / mol. Generally, their weight-average molecular weight is <250,000 g / mol.

[0097] A particularly preferred polymer is the microbial anionic heteropolysaccharide xanthan gum, which is produced by Xanthomonas campestris and some other species under aerobic conditions with a molecular weight of 2 to 15 x 10 6 g / mol is produced.

[0098] In a preferred embodiment, the detergent according to the invention is in liquid, gel, or powder form, preferably in liquid, aqueous, or powder form. The detergent according to the invention is preferably a laundry detergent, a laundry aftertreatment agent, or a laundry care agent, more preferably a laundry detergent.

[0099] In one embodiment, the detergents according to the invention are liquid detergents, more preferably liquid, aqueous detergents, even more preferably single-phase, liquid, aqueous detergents. In another embodiment, the detergents are solid detergents, in particular in powder form.

[0100] Furthermore, an insoluble solid component can also be present as a separate solid phase in single-phase detergents. When such detergents according to the invention are shaken, an emulsion of the liquid phase temporarily forms, dispersing the solid phase within it.

[0101] Multiphase formulations are also covered by this invention.

[0102] "Aqueous" in the context of this invention means that water is the main solvent in the detergent according to the invention. The water content can be 1 to 90 wt.%, for example 10 to 80 wt.%, for example 50 to 80 wt.%, based on the total weight of the detergent. In other embodiments, the water content is up to 20 wt.%, typically 1 to 18 wt.%. In these embodiments, too, the detergent is preferably liquid. In various embodiments, the detergent is liquid and thus does not contain filler salts typical of solid detergents, such as sodium sulfate, in particular not in amounts greater than 5 wt.%.

[0103] However, the detergent may contain water-soluble organic solvents, such as alcohols, in addition to water.

[0104] The term "liquid" preferably refers to a composition that flows at room temperature (approx. 20 °C) and ambient pressure (approx. 1013 mbar at sea level). This term can also include gel-like and pasty compositions.

[0105] The viscosity of the liquid detergents at 20°C is preferably 5 to 100,000 mPas, more preferably 10 to 5,000 mPas, even more preferably 10 to 200 mPas, measured with a Brookfield rotational viscometer of the LVT or LVDV-II+ type with a small sample adapter at a speed of 30 m / s. 1The Brookfield spindle used as the measuring body should be selected so that the torque is within a favorable range and the measuring range is not exceeded. In this context, spindle 31 is preferred, and—if necessary for viscosities above approximately 240 mPas—spindle 25 is preferably used. The pH of the detergents according to the invention is preferably 4 to 11, both in concentrated form and in diluted application solution.

[0106] In one embodiment of the invention, the detergents are neutral to slightly acidic, with a pH of 5 to 7. To adjust such a pH, acids can be added to the detergents according to the invention. Suitable acids are inorganic acids, for example mineral acids, e.g. hydrochloric acid, and organic acids, for example saturated or unsaturated C1-C8 mono-, di- and tricarboxylic acids and hydroxycarboxylic acids with one or more hydroxyl groups, such as citric acid, maleic acid, formic acid and acetic acid, aminosulfuric acid, C6-C22 fatty acids and anionic sulfonic acids, and mixtures thereof. Particularly preferred acids are citric acid, more preferably used in the form of its monohydrate citric acid x 1 H2O, and the anionic sulfonic acids, as well as combinations of citric acid with one or more anionic sulfonic acids, in particular with alkylarylsulfonic acids.The citric acid advantageously combines acid, phase separation aid and builder properties, while the anionic sulfonic acids act simultaneously as acid and anionic surfactant.

[0107] If necessary, one or more alkalis may additionally be used, for example alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and ammonium hydroxides and carbonates and ammonia or amines, preferably sodium and potassium hydroxide and alkanolamines, with monoethanolamine being particularly preferred.

[0108] Since, for example, pH-altering substances are often introduced into the washing or cleaning liquor in large quantities during the washing or cleaning process, it is preferable to add appropriate buffer substances, for example acetates, hydrogen phosphates, hydrogen sulfates, soda, or alkali metal bicarbonates, to the detergent according to the invention at the application dilution to stabilize or buffer the pH. Particularly suitable buffer systems are potassium hydrogen phthalate / sodium hydroxide, potassium dihydrogen phosphate / sodium hydroxide, and the like.

[0109] Solid detergents are also encompassed within the scope of this invention. A substance is referred to as "solid" if it exists in a solid state at room temperature (approx. 20 °C) and ambient pressure (approx. 1013 mbar at sea level).

[0110] The detergents according to the invention, especially when they are liquid or pasty, can be prepared by simply mixing the ingredients in an automatic mixer.

[0111] In a preferred embodiment, the agents are preferably in liquid, gel, or paste form, preferably as a portion in a fully or partially water-soluble coating, more preferably in single-dose portions. The portioning facilitates dosing for the consumer.

[0112] The products can be packaged in foil pouches, for example. Pouches made of water-soluble foil eliminate the need for consumers to tear open the packaging. This allows for convenient dosing of a single portion, sufficient for one wash cycle, by placing the pouch directly into the washing machine or by dropping it into a specific amount of water, for example, in a bucket, bowl, or hand basin. The foil pouch surrounding the wash portion dissolves without leaving any residue when a certain temperature is reached.

[0113] In the prior art, there are numerous processes for producing water-soluble detergent portions, which in principle can also be used in the context of the present invention.

[0114] However, the detergent according to the invention can also be provided unportioned in liquid, gel, paste or solid form in storage bottles or packages.

[0115] The detergents according to the invention can be used for washing and / or cleaning textile fabrics. The invention preferably relates to detergents for washing textile fabrics.

[0116] One aspect of the invention relates to the use of the detergent according to the invention for improving textile stability, in particular the fiber properties of the textiles washed therewith. Regarding the fiber properties, an improvement or improved retention of fiber elasticity, especially after multiple wash cycles, is particularly desirable and is achieved with the detergents according to the invention in an improved manner (compared to known detergents).

[0117] A further aspect of the invention relates to the use of the copolymers described herein to improve the fiber properties of textiles in a washing process, such as in an automatic washing machine. Regarding the fiber properties, an improvement or improved retention of the elasticity of the fibers, especially after multiple wash cycles, is particularly desirable here.

[0118] The invention is illustrated in more detail in the following examples. Examples

[0119] Example 1

[0120] Liquid detergent formulations (quantities in % by weight based on the total weight)

[0121] Powder detergent formulations (quantities in % by weight based on the total weight) Copolymer (Sokalan® SR400) 0 0.6 | 3.3

[0122] The tested textiles were pre-washed five times in a Miele Novotronic W1514 with a standard powder detergent formulation. They were then washed ten times in the Easy-Care + program at 40°C, 16°C, 800 rpm, with a dosage of 60 ml (A / B) or 50 ml (C / D) and a load of 2.5 kg, using an SBL2004 cloth. Each wash was then line-dried. The tested textiles were standard WFK fabrics (80A) and commercially available textiles.

[0123] Measurement method: Zwick according to DIN EN ISO 53835-13

[0124] Elasticity to evaluate strength through a single load within specified expansion limits.

[0125] Device: Zwick / Roell Z010

[0126] Carrying out the measurements

[0127] • The samples are stretched accordingly for 1 minute

[0128] • Afterwards the samples can relax

[0129] • The final remaining elongation is determined in %.

[0130] Results Elongation Warp Direction (data in % remaining elongation)

[0131] CO = Cotton; PA = Polyamide; EL = Elastane; PES = Polyester; CV = Viscose; MM = MicroModal (Viscose)

[0132] It is shown that the use of the copolymer (Sokalan® SR400) results in lower measured values ​​than for the standard formulation (A / C), which indicates improved strength / elasticity of the textiles (= less remaining stretch).

Claims

Patent claims 1. A detergent comprising a) at least one copolymer; b) at least one surfactant; and c) at least one cellulase; and d) optionally containing at least one further component, wherein the copolymer is obtainable by polymerization of at least one monomer of formula (I): in an amount of 1 to 70 mol%, where n is > 3, preferably 3 to 120, particularly preferably 5 to 50, even more preferably 5 to 7 or 7 to 46, and at least one monomer of the formula (II): in an amount of 30 to 99 mol%.

2. Detergent according to claim 1, wherein the at least one copolymer is present in the detergent according to the invention in an amount of 0.0001 to 7.0 wt.%, preferably 0.001 to 3.5 wt.%, more preferably 0.01 to 3 wt.%, in particular 0.1 to 2 wt.%, based on the total weight of the detergent.

3. Detergent according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one surfactant comprises at least one anionic surfactant, preferably a linear or branched alkylbenzenesulfonate and / or an alkyl ether sulfate and / or an alpha-olefin sulfonate, preferably at least one linear or branched alkylbenzenesulfonate and at least one alkyl ether sulfate; and optionally in an amount of 1 to 40 wt.%, preferably 3 to 30 wt.%, more preferably 5 to 15 wt.%, based on the total weight of the detergent, preferably in an amount of alkylbenzenesulfonate of 1 to 15 wt.% and fatty alcohol ether sulfate of 1 to 10 wt.%, based on the total weight of the detergent.

4. Detergent according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one surfactant comprises a nonionic surfactant, preferably a nonionic surfactant from the group of alkoxylated fatty alcohols, alkoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, fatty acid amides, alkoxylated fatty acid amides, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, alkylphenol polyglycol ethers, amine oxides, alkyl polyglucosides and mixtures thereof, more preferably from the group of fatty alcohol ethoxylates, even more preferably a C 12-18 alcohol ethoxylate having 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 EO units; and is optionally present in an amount of 0.1 to 50% by weight, preferably 0.2 to 20% by weight, more preferably 0.5 to 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the detergent.

5. Detergent according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the total surfactant content is from 0.1 to 50% by weight, more preferably from 1 to 35% by weight, based on the total weight of the detergent, wherein the detergent preferably comprises at least one nonionic and at least one anionic, particularly preferably at least one nonionic and two anionic surfactants.

6. Detergent according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cellulase is present in an amount of from 0.00001% by weight to 1% by weight, preferably from 0.0001% by weight to about 0.5% by weight, more preferably from 0.001% to about 0.3% by weight and in particular from 0.005% to about 0.3% by weight, based on the total weight of the detergent and active protein.

7. Detergent according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the at least one further component is selected from builders, bleaching agents, bleach catalysts, bleach activators, electrolytes, pH adjusters, perfumes, perfume carriers, fluorescent agents, dyes, hydrotropes, complexing agents, foam inhibitors, silicone oils, soil-release polymers, graying inhibitors, shrinkage inhibitors, crease inhibitors, antimicrobial agents, solvents, germicides, fungicides, antioxidants, preservatives, corrosion inhibitors, antistatic agents, bittering agents, ironing aids, repellents and impregnating agents, skin-care agents, swelling and slip-resistant agents, softening components and UV absorbers and mixtures thereof; and optionally in an amount of 0.0001 to 80 wt.%, preferably 0.1 to 70 wt.%, more preferably 1 to 65 wt.%, based on the total weight of the detergent, based on the total weight of the detergent.

8. Detergent according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the agent is in solid, liquid or gel form, preferably in liquid, aqueous form, and / or in unit dose form.

9. Use of a detergent according to any one of claims 1 to 8 for improving the fiber properties of textiles washed therewith.

10. Use of at least one copolymer for improving the fiber properties of a textile in a washing or cleaning process, wherein the copolymer is obtainable by polymerization of at least one monomer of formula (I): in an amount of 1 to 70 mol%, where n is > 3, preferably 3 to 120, particularly preferably 5 to 50, even more preferably 5 to 7 or 7 to 46, and at least one monomer of the formula (II): in an amount of 30 to 99 mol%.

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