A process for preparing light-colored aqueous surfactant compositions containing 10% by weight to 60% by weight, based on the total composition, of one or more alpha-sulfo fatty acid disalts (A) of general formula (I),
R.sup.1CH(SO.sub.3M.sup.1)COOM.sup.2  (I), in which radical R.sup.1 is a linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl radical having 6 to 18 carbon atoms and radicals M.sup.1 and M.sup.2, independently, are selected from the group comprising H, Li, Na, K, Ca/2, Mg/2, ammonium, and alkanolamines, and water, in which fatty acids of the general formula (Ia),
R.sup.2CH.sub.2COOH  (Ia) in which radical R.sup.2 is a linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl radical having 6 to 18 carbon atoms, (i) are subjected to sulfonation with gaseous sulfur trioxide, (ii) the acidic sulfonation product is neutralized, and then (iii) is subjected to bleaching with hydrogen peroxide at a pH above 7 in a temperature range of 80 to 95° C. in the presence of 50 to 500 ppm, based on the total composition of a stabilizer selected from the group comprising magnesium oxide, magnesium salts, water glass, nitrilotriacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, gluconic acid, and salts thereof.

A detergent composition for improved textile softening and anti-redeposition includes a surfactant component, water, and a cationic polymer. The surfactant component includes (1) an alcohol ethoxy sulfate having a C.sub.8-C.sub.20 backbone that is ethoxylated with from about 1 to about 10 moles of ethylene oxide, (2) at least one non-ionic surfactant having an alkoxylated alcohol; and (3) at least one anionic surfactant having a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate. The surfactants (1), (2), and (3) are present in a weight ratio of actives of about (0 to 0.55):(0 to 0.55):(0.15 to 0.9), so long as at least two of (1), (2), and (3) are each present in an amount of greater than zero. Water is present in a total amount of from about 10 to about 85 weight percent while the cationic polymer is present in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 1 weight percent actives.

A detergent composition for improved textile softening and anti-redeposition includes a surfactant component, water, and a cationic polymer. The surfactant component includes (1) an alcohol ethoxy sulfate having a C.sub.8-C.sub.20 backbone that is ethoxylated with from about 1 to about 10 moles of ethylene oxide, (2) at least one non-ionic surfactant having an alkoxylated alcohol; and (3) at least one anionic surfactant having a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate. The surfactants (1), (2), and (3) are present in a weight ratio of actives of about (0 to 0.55):(0 to 0.55):(0.15 to 0.9), so long as at least two of (1), (2), and (3) are each present in an amount of greater than zero. Water is present in a total amount of from about 10 to about 85 weight percent while the cationic polymer is present in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 1 weight percent actives.

Suggested are surfactant compositions comprising: One or more alpha-sulfofatty acid disalts (A) of general formula (I), RICH (SO3M1) COOM2 (I), wherein the radical R 1 denotes a linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl radical having 6 to 18 C atoms and the radicals M 1 and M 2-independently of one another-are selected from the group H, Li, Na, K, Ca/2, Mg/2, Ammonium and alkanolamines and one or more polysaccharides (B) selected from the group consisting of dextrin and its derivatives, starch and its derivatives, cellulose and its derivatives, preferably one or more dextrins (B) of the general formula (II), (II) in which n is an integer between 3 and 200.

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Suggested are surfactant compositions comprising: One or more alpha-sulfofatty acid disalts (A) of general formula (I), RICH (SO3M1) COOM2 (I), wherein the radical R 1 denotes a linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl radical having 6 to 18 C atoms and the radicals M 1 and M 2-independently of one another-are selected from the group H, Li, Na, K, Ca/2, Mg/2, Ammonium and alkanolamines and one or more polysaccharides (B) selected from the group consisting of dextrin and its derivatives, starch and its derivatives, cellulose and its derivatives, preferably one or more dextrins (B) of the general formula (II), (II) in which n is an integer between 3 and 200.

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The invention comprises a process for preparing mixtures of DEFI and amide taurate (ATA) having excellent yields of ATA and substantial absence of browning of final ATA and DEFI mixtures. The process permits much greater flexibility in ratios of DEFI to ATA. The invention further relates to mixtures prepared by processes of the invention.

The invention comprises a process for preparing mixtures of DEFI and amide taurate (ATA) having excellent yields of ATA and substantial absence of browning of final ATA and DEFI mixtures. The process permits much greater flexibility in ratios of DEFI to ATA. The invention further relates to mixtures prepared by processes of the invention.

The present invention is a hydrophilization treatment agent composition containing (A) a branched anionic surfactant, (B) a di-long chain hydrocarbon cationic surfactant, and water, wherein a molar ratio of (B) to a total of (A) and (B), (B)/[(A)+(B)], is 0.1 or more and 0.8 or less.

Bio-based surfactants have great opportunity for use in a variety of applications such as laundry detergents, industrial cleaners, adjuvants, and oil & gas. Surfactants in these applications can be nonionic, anionic, cationic, or amphoteric. Utilizing high oleic soybean oil as a platform chemical, a variety of surfactants and properties can be produced. While early work focused solely on surfactant use in laundry cleaning and fracking, recent work has expanded functional groups and application evaluations in hard surface cleaning.

The current invention expands on Battelle's high oleic soybean oil (HOSO) surfactant technology. Use of HOSO overcomes the limitations of regular soybean oil and significantly reduces or eliminates undesirable byproducts in most chemistries. However, with use of select reagents, a few candidates were achievable with regular epoxidized soybean oil (ESO). The HOSO surfactant platform offers several key advantages including: a highly water miscible (not typical of C18 surfactants) and water stable surfactant; ability to adjust and vary hydrophilic-lipophilic (HLB) values for stain removal performance; and increased biodegradability without toxic or persistent by-products.

The invention comprises a process for preparing mixtures of DEFI and amide taurate (ATA) having excellent yields of ATA and substantial absence of browning of final ATA and DEFI mixtures. The process permits much greater flexibility in ratios of DEFI to ATA. The invention further relates to mixtures prepared by processes of the invention.