Fabric softening compound
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorsHugo Jean-Marie Demeyere, Robert Otis Keys, Jans-Jurgen Kohle, Johan De Poortere, Errol Hoffman Wahl
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a biodegradable softener compounds with an acid value of no more than 6.5. A process for making said compound is also provided. The softener can be incorporated into softener compositions to form solid and liquid compositions, including liquid dispersions and clear compositions
Claims37
A biodegradable fabric softener compound comprising a quaternary ammonium salt, the quaternized ammonium salt being a quaternized product of condensation between:
- (a) a fraction of saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched fatty acids, or of derivatives of said acids, said fatty acids or derivatives each possessing a hydrocarbon chain in which the number of atoms is between 5 and 21, and
- (b) alkanolamine having alkanol groups of 1 to 4 carbon atoms,
- wherein said condensation product has an acid value, measured by titration of the condensation product with a standard KOH solution against a phenolphthalein indicator, of 3 or less.
A biodegradable fabric softener compound comprising a quaternary ammonium salt, the quaternized ammonium salt being a quaternized product of condensation between:
- (a) a fraction of saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched fatty acids, or of derivatives of said acids, said fatty acids or derivatives each possessing a hydrocarbon chain in which the number of atoms is between 5 and 21, and
- (b) alkanolamine having alkanol groups of 1 to 4 carbon atoms,
- wherein an IV of the unsaturated fatty acids is between about 70 and 140 and a mole ratio of (a) to (b) is less than 1.6:1.
A biodegradable fabric softener compound comprising a quaternary ammonium salt, the quaternized ammonium salt being a quaternized product of condensation between:
- (a) a fraction of saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched fatty acids, or of derivatives of said acids, said fatty acids or derivatives each possessing a hydrocarbon chain in which the number of atoms is between 5 and 21, and
- (b) methyl diethanolamine;
- wherein a mole ratio of (a) to (b) is less than 1.6:1.
A clear liquid fabric softening composition comprising
- (a) a biodegradable fabric softener compound, wherein the softener compound comprises a quaternary ammonium salt, the quaternised ammonium salt being a quaternised product of a condensation product between:
- (i) a fraction of saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched fatty acids, or of derivatives of said acids, said fatty acids or derivatives each possessing a hydrocarbon chain in which the number of atoms is between 5 and 21, and
- (ii) alkanolamine having alkanol groups of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein said condensation product has an acid value measured by titration of the condensation product with a standard solution against a phenolphthalein indicator, of less than 6.5;
- (b) water;
- and
- (c) principal solvent in an amount effective to provide a clear composition.
A method of softening fabrics in a laundry washing process, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing a wash solution comprising anionic surfactant and water;
- (b) contacting said fabrics with said wash solution;
- (c) removing said wash solution from said fabrics, wherein residual anionic surfactant remains on said fabrics;
- (d) preparing a rinse solution comprising water;
- (e) contacting said fabrics with said rinse solution whereby said rinse solution further comprises said residual anionic surfactant;
- and
- (f) before removing said rinse solution from said fabrics, adding a fabric softening composition to said rinse solution, wherein said fabric softening composition comprises a biodegradable fabric softener compound comprising a quaternary ammonium salt, said quaternary ammonium salt being a quaternized product of condensation between:
- (i) a fraction of saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched fatty acids, or of derivatives of said acids, said fatty acids or derivatives each possessing a hydrocarbon chain in which the number of atoms is between 5 and 21, and
- (ii) alkanolamine having alkanol groups of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein a mole ratio of (i) to (ii) is less than 1.8:1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.