Viscous compositions containing amido betaines and salts

A viscous liquid, paste, or gel composition comprising:

• (a) 5 to 25% by weight of one or more amido betaines represented by the formula:
• ##STR12## wherein:
• (1) R is an alkyl or alkenyl chain containing 9 to 17 carbon atoms;
• (2) x is an integer from 2 to 4;
• (3) y is an integer from 0 to 3;
• (4) z is an integer from 0 to 3:
• (b) 2.5 to 40% by weight of one or more water-soluble inorganic or organic salts, the inorganic salt being selected from the group consisting of:
• (1) sulfates of metal from Groups IA, IIA, IIB, and IIIA of the periodic table;
• (2) sulfates of non-metallic ions;
• (3) alkali metal carbonates.
• the organic salt being incapable of forming micelles and being selected from the group consisting of the citrates, tartrates, succinates, and carboxymethyloxysuccinates of metals from Groups IA, IIA, IIB, and IIIA of the periodic table and the citrates, tartrates, succinates and carboxymethyloxysuccinates of ammonium ions.
• (c) about 2.5 to 4.0% of a micelle-forming anionic surfactant;
• and
• (d) water to 100%;
• the composition having a Brookfield viscosity of about 150 to about 1,500,000 cps at ambient temperatures.

A viscous, liquid, paste, or gel composition comprising:

• (a) 5 to 25% by weight of one or more amido betaines represented by the formula:
• ##STR15## wherein:
• (1) R is an alkyl or alkenyl chain containing 9 to 17 carbon atoms;
• (2) x is an integer from 2 to 4;
• (3) y is an integer from 0 to 3;
• (4) z is an integer from 0 to 3;
• (b) 0.25-4.0% by weight of one or more micelle-forming anionic surfactants.
• (c) 5-40% by weight of one or more water-soluble inorganic or organic salt, the inorganic salt being selected from the group consisting of:
• 1. sulfates of metals from group IB of the periodic table;
• 2. alums;
• 3. alkali metal sesquicarbonates;
• 4. alkali metal tripolyphosphates and pyrophosphates;
• 5. salts of halogen acid selected from the group consisting of potassium chloride and ammonium chloride;
• 6. alkali metal silicates;
• the organic salt being incapable of forming micelles and being selected from the group consisting of the alkali metal salts of acetic acid, and the alkali metal salts of nitrilotriacetic acid.
• (d) water;
• the composition having a Brookfield viscosity of 150 to 1,500,000 cps at ambient temperatures.