Solid surfactant composition, process for producing the solid surfactant composition, use of a solid surfactant composition, and solid cleaning formulation.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a solid surfactant composition comprising a combination of at least one anionic surfactant, at least one zwitterionic surfactant, and a lubricating agent for use as an adjuvant in a solid cleaning formulation. Furthermore, a solid cleaning formulation is described, which may be a powdered soap, powdered detergent, or shampoo bar, exhibiting improved washing performance and being environmentally friendly, as it does not contaminate effluents through additive loading.

Description

SOLID SURFACTANT COMPOSITION, PROCESS OF PRODUCTION OF SOLID SURFACTANT COMPOSITION, USE OF SOLID SURFACTANT COMPOSITION, AND SOLID CLEANING FORMULATION FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a solid surfactant composition comprising at least one anionic surfactant, at least one zwitterionic surfactant, at least one lubricating agent, and, optionally, water. The solid surfactant composition acts as an adjuvant for use in a solid cleaning formulation intended for domestic, industrial, institutional, and personal hygiene cleaning. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Cleaning formulas for surfaces and clothing are well-known. These formulations typically contain ingredients designed to clean, that is, to remove stains and dirt.

[0003] Skin and hair cleansing formulas are equally well known, and similar to surface and clothing cleansing formulas, they also contain ingredients designed to remove dirt—such as excess sebum, continually produced by the sebaceous glands, as well as pollution, particulates, and other residues.

[0004] The main ingredient for cleaning is surfactant.

[0005] One of the characteristics of surfactants is their tendency to adsorb to surfaces / interfaces, primarily in an oriented manner. The orientation of surfactant molecules on surfaces / interfaces, in turn, determines how the surface / interface will be affected by surfactant adsorption—whether it becomes more hydrophilic or hydrophobic.

[0006] These properties provide information about the type and mechanism of interactions involving surfactant molecules at the surface / interface and its efficiency as a surfactant.

[0007] Surfactant is the most important ingredient present in every cleaning formulation since the surfactant: 1) improves the wetting capacity of water; 2) loosens and removes dirt with the help of the washing action; 3) emulsifies, solubilizes or suspends dirt in the washing solution.

[0008] Surfactants are classified by their ionic properties (electrical charge) in water. The following classes of surfactants are used in household, industrial, institutional, and personal care products: nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, and zwitterionic surfactants.

[0009] Laundry detergent is a product containing one or more surfactants and other ingredients to clean fabrics during washing. These surfactants differ in their ability to remove certain types of soil, their effectiveness on different fabrics, and their response to water hardness. Laundry detergent has traditionally been a powder or granular solid, although the use of liquid laundry detergents has gradually increased over the years (Bajpai, D., & Tyagi, V.K. (2007). Laundry Detergents: An Overview. Journal of Oleo Science, 56(7), pp. 327–340).

[0010] In addition to surfactants, laundry cleaning formulations typically include sequestering agents (builders such as polyphosphates, citrates, sodium carbonate, sodium silicate), zeolites, alkalizers (sodium carbonate, sodium silicate), corrosion inhibitors (sodium silicate), bleaches (sodium percarbonate, sodium tetraborate tetrahydrate), enzymes, anti-soil redeposition agents (carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium polyacrylate), optical brighteners, fillers or loading agents, among other processing aids and additives.

[0011] Fillers are materials that usually do not contribute to the cleaning power of the cleaning formulation, such as soap or powder detergent, but are added to increase the product's volume. They are generally inexpensive and abundant and do not react with the other ingredients in the formulation.

[0012] Fillers are added to soap or powder detergent for several reasons. One of the main reasons is to reduce the product's cost for manufacturers. By adding fillers, manufacturers can increase the product's volume without having to add expensive active ingredients like surfactants and enzymes. Another reason fillers are added to powder detergent is to improve the product's appearance. A product with a higher volume can appear more substantial and give the consumer the impression of a better value. Additionally, in some cases, fillers are used to alter the consistency of the cleaning formulation, making it more fluid, more soluble, and to help it disperse evenly.

[0013] However, cleaning formulations with a high filler content do not clean as effectively as those with a lower filler content, and, more importantly, fillers contribute to environmental pollution in waters and harm aquatic life.

[0014] Common fillers in cleaning formulations primarily include sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, and calcium carbonate.

[0015] Sodium carbonate is known to act as a detergent, removing calcium from hard water in the form of precipitated calcium carbonate. On the other hand, calcium carbonate tends to accumulate on washed fabrics, which can cause roughness in fabrics and on washing machine surfaces.

[0016] US3957695 discloses detergent compositions containing an alkali metal carbonate detergency builder that are improved by incorporating calcium carbonate in a finely divided form.

[0017] Despite being improved, the new compositions tend to form inorganic deposits on washed fabrics and therefore a feeling of roughness of the fabrics.

[0018] Currently, cleaning formulations are available on the market that contain 20 to 40% of fillers in the powder detergent formula.

[0019] Based on a prior art analysis, it is possible to identify documents published since the 1990s that present some latent challenges for the cleaning formulations field. Even after many years of research, there is still room and a need for technical improvement in order to obtain a granule / powder adjuvant with high solubility, low tendency to compaction and agglomeration due to moisture absorption during storage and transportation, free of fillers, and that contributes to the performance of solid cleaning compositions in terms of foam volume and stability in the presence of dirt.

[0020] Some examples of state-of-the-art patents that reinforce this technical challenge are presented below.

[0021] Patent BRPI0211408 BI reveals a granular composition aimed at the use of photobleaching agents for powder detergents, where the objective is to have a product that does not stain the fabric.

[0022] A polymer is used as a water-soluble material, carrier for the particles and, preferably, light sodium carbonate and particulate materials with a high liquid-carrying capacity such as zeolite and / or silica.

[0023] Patent EP 578871 BI describes the use of a highly soluble detergent and addresses the problem of leaving this product in the machine's dispenser with little or no solubility. The document reveals that if the powder has little or no solubility, this parameter will affect cleaning performance.

[0024] The filler particles for use in this invention are selected from sodium, potassium and magnesium salts, sulfates, carbonates, bicarbonates and silicates (silicates in their non-hygroscopic forms).

[0025] It is also described that a product with good fluidity is necessary and, for this, other active ingredients can be added to the composition.

[0026] Good flowability is essential to ensure easy processing, handling, and use of solid cleaning formulations. Solid cleaning formulations that clump and form lumps during storage become difficult for consumers to use. Powdered detergents, for example, can absorb moisture from the air, causing the particles to clump together and form lumps.

[0027] Consequently, solid surfactant compositions must also exhibit good fluidity during storage, especially when subjected to environments with high humidity and temperature conditions, as hygroscopic ingredients can contribute to agglomeration problems in solid cleaning formulations.

[0028] Document MX2014014389 A reports the problem of granule clumping and reveals that there are currently loads that dry this material, but they end up compromising the product's performance.

[0029] Thus, it is noted that there are many patent documents that disclose the use of different charges and particle sizes of the granules in order to demonstrate high solubility.

[0030] The present invention describes a cleaning formulation without the use of these ingredients that impair the performance of the product.

[0031] Because it has greater solubility and less compaction / agglomeration of the solid, the composition described here helps the end consumer at the time of washing, that is, this product when added to the soap or powder detergent formula can bring the benefit of rapid dissolution, not depositing on the fabric, thus ensuring less wear and tear on clothes during the process.

[0032] Another advantage of this technology is that without the use of filler, such as calcium carbonate, the waste water after washing will have a lower environmental impact, since this filler tends to promote alkalinization, thus strongly affecting the local fauna and flora.

[0033] Thus, there is still a need in the state of the art to develop a solid cleaning adjuvant that presents high solubility, low compaction or agglomeration, and that contributes to foam formation and stability in the presence of dirt. Additionally, it is interesting that the adjuvant contains no fillers, making it more environmentally friendly compared to currently used cleaning formulations. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0034] The objective of the present invention is to prepare a solid surfactant composition with high water solubility performance, low compaction / caking during storage and transportation, and high foam formation and stabilization capacity in the presence of dirt. The composition comprises at least one anionic surfactant, at least one zwitterionic surfactant, and at least one lubricating agent and, optionally, water.

[0035] The solid surfactant composition acts as an adjuvant to be used in a solid cleaning formulation, intended for domestic, industrial, institutional cleaning and personal hygiene. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0036] Figure 1 shows a graph of the dissolution time of samples comprising different combinations of surfactants.

[0037] Figure 2 shows a graph of the maximum foam height of samples comprising different surfactant combinations.

[0038] Figure 3 presents a graph of the comparative result of the compaction / agglomeration test between samples comprising a combination of surfactants containing or not a lubricating agent.

[0039] Figure 4 shows a graph of the comparative result of the foam volume test between samples comprising a combination of surfactants containing or not a lubricating agent. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] Currently, various additives are used in the cleaning product market to enhance the properties of a formulation. For example, fillers are used in powdered laundry detergents to, among other things, aid in drying the particles. However, these fillers also contribute to the detergent's encrustation on clothes, causing stains on the fabric and impairing stain removal performance. Generally, the powdered detergent formulation typically sold contains 20 to 40% filler by weight.

[0041] Therefore, one of the unique features of the present invention is the preparation of a solid surfactant composition for use as an adjuvant in a solid cleaning formulation, such as a powdered detergent, which does not require fillers to aid in particle flow and drying. Furthermore, the cleaning formulation prepared from the solid surfactant composition contributes to improved wash performance, since without fillers and with a combination of surfactants in a specific proportion, the detergent has greater solubility, meaning it does not accumulate in the washing machine or on clothes after washing.

[0042] Another advantage is that without the use of filler (for example, calcium carbonate, which is the most commonly used filler in powder detergents), the water discarded after washing has a lower environmental impact, since this filler tends to promote alkalinization, which strongly affects fauna and flora.

[0043] Thus, an objective of the present invention is to prepare a solid surfactant composition, with high water solubility performance, low compaction / agglomeration and high formation capacity and foam stabilization in the presence of dirt, comprising at least one anionic surfactant, at least one zwitterionic surfactant, at least one lubricating agent and, optionally, water.

[0044] In this context, it is important to emphasize that, although amphoteric surfactants are sometimes referred to as zwitterionic surfactants, there are relevant differences between them.

[0045] Amphoteric surfactants behave like cationic surfactants at low pH and like anionic surfactants at high pH. At medium pH, they carry both positive and negative charges, i.e., the structure of a bipolar ion. Unlike amphoteric surfactants, so-called zwitterionic surfactants maintain a bipolar structure over a wide pH range. In this group of products, betaines are the most commonly used (Ho, LTT (2000). Formulating Detergents and Personal Care Products: A Guide to Product Development. AOCS Press, pp. 31-32).

[0046] Thus, true amphoteric surfactants contain both positive and negative groups in the same molecule, which leads to their unique and useful properties. At acidic pH, an amphoteric surfactant is predominantly cationic, while at alkaline pH, it is anionic. The ionic nature of amphoteric surfactants therefore depends on the pH. At an intermediate pH, the strength of the positive and negative charges will be equal, and the molecule will have both a positive and a negative charge. At this point, it is a zwitterion. The pH at which both charges are equal in intensity is called the isoelectric point. The isoelectric point is not a sharp point, but depends on the nature of the anionic and cationic groups. At the isoelectric point, amphoteric surfactants generally exhibit minimal solubility. Betaines contain a quaternary nitrogen atom in their molecule (essentially a permanent positive charge), which distinguishes them from other amphoteric surfactants. Due to the quaternary nitrogen, betaine cannot exist in the anionic form, even at alkaline pH.Therefore, betaines can only exist in cationic or zwitterionic forms (Arif, S., &. Friedli, F. E. (2001). Nitrogen-Containing Specialty Surfactants 71. In M. R. Schick (Ed.), Specialty Surfactants (pp. 71). Marcel Dekker, Inc.).

[0047] The at least one anionic surfactant used in the present invention comprises sulfated fatty alcohols and sulfated ethoxylated fatty alcohols containing from about 6 to about 22 carbons in their fatty chain and from 0 to about 3 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of ethoxylated fatty alcohols.

[0048] In a particular embodiment, the anionic surfactant is alkyl sulfate, whose generic formula is: R - O - SO3 - M + where: R = carbon chain with 6 to 22 carbon atoms M+ = type of salt, to be selected from: Na, K, Mg, ammonium, mono-, di- or triethanolamine.

[0049] Most preferably, the anionic surfactant is sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).

[0050] The zwitterionic surfactant of the present invention is a betaine.

[0051] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one zwitterionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alkyl amidopropyl betaines and alkyl betaines.

[0052] In an even more preferred embodiment, the zwitterionic surfactant is alkylamidopropyl betaine, with the structure: RCO - NH(CH2)3 - N+(CH3)2 - CH2COO- where R = carbon chain with 8 to 18 carbon atoms

[0053] Most preferably, the zwitterionic surfactant is cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB).

[0054] Furthermore, the appropriate lubricating agent has the characteristics of being environmentally friendly, being readily biodegradable and entirely derived from renewable plant-based raw materials, it also has high spreadability and low stickiness properties, making it an excellent alternative to mineral oils.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment, the lubricating agent described herein is an ester.

[0056] In a more preferred embodiment, the lubricating agent is an ester of amyl alcohol and its isomers 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 2,2-dimethyl-1-propanol, 3-pentanol, 2-pentanol, 3-methyl-2-butanol, and 2-methyl-2-butanol with fatty acids derived from renewable vegetable oils.

[0057] As an example, the lubricating agent used in the preparation of the solid surfactant composition may be isoamyl palmitate / stearate.

[0058] After testing, it was found that the solid surfactant composition containing the surfactant combination of the present invention in a specific ratio results in an unexpected synergistic effect in the cleaning formulation, resulting in a product with high water solubility, low compaction / agglomeration, and greater foam formation and stability. Furthermore, no fillers are included.

[0059] The advantages obtained by the cleaning formulation comprising the solid surfactant composition of the present invention include the non-accumulation of charges in the washing machine or on the clothes after washing and the fact that the water discharged after washing has a lower environmental impact.

[0060] Thus, in one embodiment of the invention, the anionic surfactant is present in a concentration ranging from about 89.5% by weight to about 94.5% by weight of the solid surfactant composition and the zwitterionic surfactant is present in a concentration ranging from about 5% by weight to about 10% by weight of the solid surfactant composition.

[0061] The lubricating agent content in the solid surfactant composition varies between approximately 0.1% and approximately 1.0% by weight of the composition.

[0062] Preferably, the lubricating agent is present in the composition in an amount of about 0.2% to about 0.8% by weight, and more preferably about 0.5% by weight of the composition.

[0063] In addition, the surfactant composition is presented in the form of powder, granular solid, needle-shaped solid, flake-shaped solid, flakes, pellets, needles, tablets, molten solid, extruded solid block or pressed solid.

[0064] In one object of the invention, the solid surfactant composition described herein can be used as an adjuvant in a solid cleaning formulation.

[0065] The solid cleaning formulation can be intended for domestic, industrial, institutional cleaning and personal hygiene, such as bar soap, washing powder, powder detergent, abrasive cleaners, stain removers, bar shampoos, bar soaps, syndet cleaning bars, exfoliants, bath salts and other concentrated formulations, intended for cleaning clothes, surfaces, skin and hair.

[0066] The solid cleaning formulation comprises, in addition to the solid surfactant composition, other components that vary according to the final application, such as laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, surface cleaner, or others intended for domestic cleaning, institutional / industrial cleaning or personal hygiene.

[0067] Considering the solid cleaning formulation, the content of the solid surfactant composition ranges from about 0.5% to about 99.5% by weight.

[0068] The examples that will be presented illustrate the potential of the solid cleaning formulation comprising the solid surfactant composition as described in the present invention. EXAMPLES Example 1

[0069] Initially, tests were carried out with various surfactant combinations to demonstrate the best performance of the claimed surfactant combination in combination with the lubricating agent.

[0070] The production process of the solid surfactant composition comprises the following steps: 1) at room temperature, under moderate to strong mechanical agitation, combine, in this order, the surfactants, the lubricating agent and the water, until the mixture is completely homogeneous; 2) dry the mixture until constant humidity is achieved, using spray drying, fluidized bed drying, granulation, agglomeration, combination of the previous processes or any other suitable processes to obtain particulate solids; 3) classify the product obtained on granulometric sieves.

[0071] Table 1 below presents examples of various combinations of anionic, nonionic, amphoteric and zwitterionic surfactants that were evaluated. Table 1: Samples prepared with the combination of different surfactants

[0072] From the above formulations, the graphs in Figure 1 and Figure 2 were prepared.

[0073] As can be seen in Figure 1, the dissolution time of the FIO formulation (formulation prepared according to the present invention) is much shorter than the dissolution time of the other formulations.

[0074] Thus, the specific blend of an anionic surfactant, a zwitterionic surfactant and a lubricating agent clearly results in an improved cleaning formulation.

[0075] From Figure 2, it can be seen that, in relation to the maximum height of the foam obtained, the FIO formulation is also among the best results.

[0076] Therefore, it is concluded that the combination of the specific surfactants sodium lauryl sulfate and cocamidopropyl betaine with a lubricating agent in the proportions mentioned in Table 1 was the one that actually showed the best performance. Example 2

[0077] Furthermore, new tests were carried out to prove the efficiency of adding a lubricating agent to the solid surfactant composition.

[0078] For this purpose, two samples of solid surfactant compositions containing the same surfactants were tested, however sample 1 does not comprise the lubricating agent and samples 2 to 6 comprise the lubricating agent according to the present invention, as shown in Table 2 below: Table 2: Composition of samples 1 to 6 tested

[0079] The first test was performed to evaluate the performance of the samples with respect to compaction or agglomeration (caking test). To obtain the result, the samples were evaluated and given a score according to Table 3 (the higher the score, the better the result). This scoring method was described in document EP 1 249 271 Al (see Table 2, on page 5). Table 3: Scoring for defining the compaction test result

[0080] In the compaction test, a mass of 100.0 + / - 1.0 g of the sample to be tested is placed in a transparent vial. A second vial containing a 1.0 kg weight is placed on the level surface of the sample. This set of two vials, sample, and weight, is placed in an oven at 60°C for 20 hours. After this period, the 1.0 kg weight is removed, and the vial containing the sample is left to rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour. After resting, the vial is inverted to allow the sample to flow freely. The flow rate is evaluated and classified according to the criteria presented in Table 3. The test is performed in triplicate. A mean score of 8 is considered adequate, meaning the sample has good flowability and does not exhibit compaction or agglomeration that would hinder its handling. The tests were repeated three times for each sample, and statistical analysis was performed using Tukey's method with a 95% confidence interval.

[0081] The scores for each test are presented in Table 4 below: Table 4: Compaction test result

[0082] From these results, the graph in Figure 3 was drawn, where it is clearly noted that the addition of the lubricating agent in the combination of anionic and zwitterionic surfactants has an extremely positive effect on reducing particle agglomeration. Example 3

[0083] Finally, a foam volume test was carried out.

[0084] The test was performed by measuring the initial volume and final volume of the foam for compositions 1 and 6 in Table 2, as well as the drainage time of this volume.

[0085] This test is important because consumers often consider that the disappearance of foam as the wash begins is an indicator that the washing power is exhausted, which, however, is not necessarily the reality, since, although the dirt in the product to be washed has an anti-foaming effect, this does not necessarily mean that the cleaning capacity of the cleaning formulation is no longer guaranteed.

[0086] For this reason, however, high foaming capacity should be considered an advantage for consumers. This advantage is even more pronounced the stronger the foaming capacity as the wash begins.

[0087] Such an improvement in foam formation capacity and stability indicates to the consumer greater washing power and in particular greater “reach” of the washing agent, and is therefore considered to have superior performance.

[0088] This perception of improved cleaning performance prevents the consumer from using a larger amount of the cleaning formulation, thus avoiding unnecessary waste of the product.

[0089] The results of the foam volume test are presented in Table 4: Table 4: Foam volume test of samples 1 and 6

[0090] With this data, the graph in Figure 4 is obtained, which clearly proves that sample 6, that is, the sample that contains 0.5% by weight of lubricating agent, advantageously presents a much higher final foam volume compared to the sample that does not contain the lubricating agent.

[0091] It is therefore proven that the addition of a lubricating agent provides greater stability for the foam formed.

[0092] Furthermore, the use of a lubricating agent does not affect the size or number of bubbles generated.

[0093] Thus, from the results obtained, it was possible to demonstrate that the solid surfactant composition comprising a combination of surfactants in specific concentrations and a lubricating agent to be used as an adjuvant in a solid cleaning formulation improves washing performance, in addition to being environmentally friendly since there is no contamination of effluents through added loads.

[0094] Having described preferred embodiment examples, it should be understood that the scope of the present invention encompasses other possible variations, being limited only by the content of the appended claims, including possible equivalents.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A solid surfactant composition comprising a combination of at least one anionic surfactant, at least one zwitterionic surfactant, and at least one lubricating agent, wherein the anionic surfactant is present in a concentration of about 89.5% to about 94.5% by weight of the composition, the zwitterionic surfactant is present in a concentration of about 5% to about 10% by weight of the composition, and the lubricating agent is present in a concentration of about 0.1% to about 1.0% by weight of the composition.

2. Composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the anionic surfactant comprises sulfated fatty alcohols and sulfated ethoxylated fatty alcohols containing about 6 to about 22 carbons in their carbon chain and from 0 to about 3 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of ethoxylated fatty alcohols.

3. Composition according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the anionic surfactant is alkyl sulfate, of generic formula: R - O - SO3 - M + where: R = carbon chain with 6 to 22 carbon atoms M+ = type of salt, to be selected from: Na, K, Mg, ammonium, mono-, di- or triethanolamine.

4. Composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the anionic surfactant is sodium lauryl sulfate.

5. Composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the zwitterionic surfactant is a betaine.

6. Composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the zwitterionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alkyl amidopropyl betaines and alkyl betaines.

7. Composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the zwitterionic surfactant is alkylamidopropyl betaine, with structure: RCO - NH(CH2)3 - N+(CH3)2 - CH2COO where: R = carbon chain with 8 to 18 carbon atoms 8. Composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the zwitterionic surfactant is cocamidopropyl betaine.

9. Composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lubricating agent is biodegradable, with high spreadability and low stickiness.

10. Composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lubricating agent is an ester.

11. Composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lubricating agent is an ester of amyl alcohol and its isomers 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 2,2-dimethyl-1-propanol, 3-pentanol, 2-pentanol, 3-methyl-2-butanol, and 2-methyl-2-butanol with fatty acids derived from renewable vegetable oils.

12. Composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lubricating agent is isoamyl palmitate / stearate.

13. Composition according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the lubricating agent is present in a proportion of about 0.2% to about 0.8% by weight and, more preferably, about 0.5% by weight of the composition.

14. Composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises approximately 94.5% by weight of anionic surfactant, approximately 5% by weight of zwitterionic surfactant and approximately 0.5% by weight of lubricating agent.

15. Composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it additionally comprises water.

16. Composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the composition is in the form of a powder, granular solid, solid in the form of flakes, flakes, pellets, needles, tablets, molten solid, extruded solid block or pressed solid.

17. Process for producing the solid surfactant composition as defined in any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: 1) at room temperature, under mechanical agitation, combine the surfactants, the lubricating agent and the water, until the mixture is completely homogeneous; 2) dry the mixture until it is at constant humidity; 3) classify the product obtained on granulometric sieves.

18. Process according to claim 17, characterized in that the drying is carried out by atomization processes (spray drying), fluidized bed drying, granulation, agglomeration, combination of the previous processes or any other processes suitable for obtaining particulate solids.

19. Use of a solid surfactant composition as defined in claim 1, characterized by the fact that it is an adjuvant in a solid cleaning formulation, intended for domestic, industrial, institutional cleaning and personal hygiene.

20. Solid cleaning formulation, characterized by the fact that it comprises a solid surfactant composition as defined in claim 1.

21. Formulation according to claim 20, characterized in that it additionally comprises builders and additives.

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