Treatment compositions

Abstract

The present invention relates to treatment compositions containing polymer systems that provide stability and benefit agent deposition as well as methods of making and using same. Such treatment compositions may be used for example as through the wash and/or through the rinse fabric enhancers as well as unit dose treatment compositions.

Claims

1. A composition comprising, based upon total composition weight: a) from about 0.01% to about 2.5% of a polymeric mixture that comprises a first polymer and a second polymer; said first polymer being derived from the polymerization of from about 5 to 100 mole percent of a cationic vinyl addition monomer, from about 0 to 95 mole percent of a non-ionic vinyl addition monomer, from about 0 to about 50 mole percent of an anionic monomer, from about 50 ppm to 1,950 ppm of a cross-linking agent comprising two or more ethylenic functions, 0 ppm to about 10,000 ppm chain transfer agent, wherein the cationic monomers are selected from the group consisting of methyl chloride quaternized dimethyl aminoethyl acrylate, methyl chloride quaternized dimethyl aminoethyl methacrylate and mixtures thereof, and the non-ionic monomers are selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, dimethyl acrylamide and mixtures thereof, wherein said first polymer has a viscosity slope >3.7; said second polymer being derived from saccharides; and b) from about 1% to about 35% of a fabric softener active said composition being a fabric and home care product.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said first polymer is derived from the polymerization of from about 10 to 95 mole percent of a cationic vinyl addition monomer, from about 5 to 90 mole percent of a non-ionic vinyl addition monomer, from about 60 ppm to 1,900 ppm of a cross-linking agent comprising two or more ethylenic functions, and 75 to 1,800 ppm to about 10,000 ppm chain transfer agent, with the proviso that said first polymer does not comprise an acrylamide unit.

3. A composition according to claim 1, said second polymer being derived from are catatonically modified saccharides and having a cationic charge density ranging from about 0.2 meq/gm to about 5 meq/gm, at the pH of intended use of the fabric softening composition.

4. A composition according to claim 1, wherein said fabric softener active is selected from the group consisting of a quaternary ammonium compound, a silicone polymer, a polysaccharide, a clay, an amine, a fatty ester, a dispersible polyolefin, a polymer latex and mixtures thereof.

5. A composition according to claim 4, wherein; a) said quaternary ammonium compound comprises an alkyl quaternary ammonium compound and mixtures thereof; b) said silicone polymer is selected from the group consisting of cyclic silicones, polydimethylsiloxanes, aminosilicones, cationic silicones, silicone polyethers, silicone resins, silicone urethanes, and mixtures thereof; c) said clay comprises a smectite clay; d) said dispersible polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and mixtures thereof; and e) said fatty ester is selected from the group consisting of a polyglycerol ester, a sucrose ester, a glycerol ester and mixtures thereof.

6. A composition according to claim 5, wherein said fabric softener active comprises a material selected from the group consisting of monoesterquats, diesterquats, triesterquats, and mixtures thereof.

7. A composition according to claim 4 wherein the fabric softening active has an Iodine Value of between 0-140, or when said fabric softening active comprises a partially hydrogenated fatty acid quaternary ammonium compound said fabric softening active has a Iodine Value of 25-60.

8. A composition according to claim 4, said composition comprising a quaternary ammonium compound and a silicone polymer.

9. A composition according to claim 4, said composition comprises, in addition to said fabric softener active, from about 0.001% to about 5% of a stabilizer that comprises a alkyl quaternary ammonium compound.

10. A composition according to claim 1 wherein said cross-linking agent is selected from the group consisting of 1,2,4-trivinylcyclohexane 1,7-octadiene, allyl acrylates and methacrylates, allyl-acrylamides and allyl-methacrylamides, allyl-acrylamides and allyl-methacrylamides, bisacrylamidoacetic acid, bisacrylamidoacetic acid, butadiene diacrylates and dimethacrylates of glycols and polyglycols, N,N′-methylene-bisacrylamide and polyol polyallylethers, tetra allyl ammonium chloride, di(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, di(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate, divinyl benzene, ethylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, N,N′-(1,2-dihydroxyethylene)bisacrylamide, tetra(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, tri(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate and mixtures thereof; and/or wherein said chain transfer agent is selected from the group consisting of mercaptanes, malic acid, lactic acid, formic acid, isopropanol and hypophosphites, and mixtures thereof.

11. A composition according to claim 1, said composition having a Brookfield viscosity of from about 20 cps to about 1,000 cps.

12. A composition according to claim 1, said composition comprising an adjunct material selected from the group consisting of surfactants, builders, chelating agents, dye transfer inhibiting agents, dispersants, enzymes, and enzyme stabilizers, catalytic materials, bleach activators, hydrogen peroxide, sources of hydrogen peroxide, preformed peracids, polymeric dispersing agents, clay soil removal/anti-redeposition agents, brighteners, suds suppressors, dyes, hueing dyes, perfumes, perfume delivery systems, structure elasticizing agents, carriers, structurants, hydrotropes, processing aids, solvents and/or pigments and mixtures thereof.

13. A composition according to claim 12, said composition comprising perfume and/or a perfume delivery system.

14. A composition according to claim 1, said composition comprising one or more types of perfume microcapsules.

15. A composition according to claim 1, said composition having a pH from about 2 to about 4.

16. A composition according to claim 1, said composition comprising a perfume delivery system, wherein said perfume delivery system comprises perfume microcapsules.

17. A composition according to claim 16, said perfume microcapsules comprising a cationic coating.

18. A composition according to claim 1, wherein said polysaccharide is derived from a member of the group consisting of starch, cellulose, guar, and a mixture thereof.

19. A composition according to claim 18, wherein said member is hydrophobically, hydrophilically, and/or cationically modified.

Description

EXAMPLES

Example 1.

(1) Compositions having the listed amounts of materials are made by combining the ammonium quat active with water using shear then the other materials are combined with the ammonium quat/water and mixed to form a fabric softener composition. Adjunct ingredients such as perfume, dye and stabilizer may be added as desired.

(2) TABLE-US-00001 Silicone Ammonium First Second Active Quat Active Polymer* Polymer* 0-0.5%; 1-18%; 0.01-0.50%; 0.01-0.35%; 0-5.0%; 2-14%; 0.02-0.20%; 0.02-0.15%; 1.0-3.0%; 7-10%; 0.03-0.15%; or or or or 0.03-0.12% 1.5-2.5% 4-8% 0.04-0.12% *As described in the present specification.

Example 2. Fabric Softener Products

(3) TABLE-US-00002 (% wt) F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 FSA.sup.a 11.2 7 9 — — — FSA.sup.b — — — — — 6 FSA.sup.c — — — 14.5 13 — Coco oil 0.6 0.5 0.45 — — — Low MW Alcohol.sup.d 1.11 0.7 0.9 1.5 1.3 0.5 Perfume 1.75 0.6 2.1 1.5 2 1.2 Perfume encapsulate.sup.e 0.19 0.6 0.5 0.25 0.6 0.4 Calcium Chloride (ppm) 0.06 0.03 0.025 0.12 0.06 — Chelant.sup.f 0.005 0.005 0.005 0.005 0.005 0.006 Preservative.sup.g 0.04 0.04 0.02 0.04 0.03 0.05 Acidulent (Formic Acid) 0.051 0.03 0.04 0.02 0.03 — Antifoam.sup.h 0.05 Polymer 1.sup.i 0.17 0.15 0.2 0.12 0.16 0.35 Polymer 2.sup.i 0.03 0.05 0.1 0.03 0.5 0.1 Water soluble dialkyl quat.sup.j 0.25 0.2 0.1 0.5 0.25 Dispersant.sup.k Stabilizing Surfactant.sup.l — — — — — 0.1 PDMS emulsion.sup.m — — 0.5 — 2 — Amino-functional Organosiloxane Polymer 3 2 1 — — Dye (ppm) 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.04 0.04 0.02 Hydrochloric Acid 0.0075 0.0075 0.008 0.01 0.01 0.01 Deionized Water Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance (% wt) F7 F8 F9 F10 Fl1 F12 FSA.sup.a 12 9.5 8 6.5 5.3 2.5 FSA.sup.b — — — — — — FSA.sup.c — — — — — — Coco oil 0.6 0.475 0.4 0.325 0.265 0.125 Low MW Alcohol.sup.d 0.9 1.11 0.95 1.05 0.78 0.35 Perfume 3 1.41 1.00 0.55 1.55 1 Perfume encapsulate.sup.e 0.6 0.15 0.25 0.62 0.98 0.25 Calcium Chloride (ppm) 0.07 0.23 0.16 — — — Chelant.sup.f 0.005 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 Preservative.sup.g 0.04 — — — — — Acidulent (Formic Acid) 0.05 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06 — Antifoam.sup.h Polymer 1.sup.i 0.14 0.08 0.12 0.06 0.04 0.08 Polymer 2.sup.i 0.1 0.12 0.12 0.08 0.04 — Water soluble dialkyl quat.sup.j 0.35 0.11 0.11 — 0.52 0.1 Dispersant.sup.k — — — — — — Stabilizing Surfactant.sup.l — — — — — — PDMS emulsion.sup.m 2 — — — — 3 Amino-functional Organosiloxane — — — — — Polymer Dye (ppm) 0.02 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.02 Hydrochloric Acid 0.005 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.02 Deionized Water Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance (% wt) F13 F14 F15 F16 F17 F18 FSA.sup.a 14.7 14.7 11.1 9.5 6.25 5.1 FSA.sup.b — — — — — — FSA.sup.c — — — — — — Coco oil 0.735 0.735 0.555 0.475 0.3125 0.255 Low MW Alcohol.sup.d 0.88 0.58 0.45 0.52 0.33 0.22 Perfume 1.65 1.65 1.65 1.4 3.12 0.65 Perfume encapsulate.sup.e 0.26 0.26 0.26 0.43 0.26 0.75 Calcium Chloride (ppm) 0.23 0.23 — 0.23 0.23 0.23 Chelant.sup.f 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 Preservative.sup.g — 0.001 — 0.001 0.001 0.001 Acidulent (Formic Acid) 0.06 — — — — — Antifoam.sup.h — — — — — — Polymer 1.sup.i 0.07 0.07 0.05 0.06 0.06 0.06 Polymer 2.sup.i 0.09 0.09 0.05 0.09 0.09 0.09 Water soluble dialkyl quat.sup.j — 0.29 0.29 0.29 0.29 0.29 Dispersant.sup.k — — — — — — Stabilizing Surfactant.sup.l — — — — — — PDM emulsion.sup.m — 1.12 — — — — Amino-functional Organosiloxane — — — — — — Polymer — — 1.8 2.2 3.1 1.8 Dye (ppm) 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 Hydrochloric Acid 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 Deionized Water Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance (% wt) F19 F20 F21 F22 F23 F24 FSA.sup.a 14.7 6.25 10.2 5 11 15 FSA.sup.b — — — — — — FSA.sup.c — — — — — — Coco oil 0.735 0.3125 0.51 0.3 0.6 0.8 Low MW Alcohol.sup.d 0.58 0.11 0.58 0.95 0.95 0.95 Perfume 1.65 0.35 1.65 1.00 1.00 1.00 Perfume encapsulate.sup.e 0.26 1.33 0.26 0.25 0.25 0.25 Calcium Chloride (ppm) 0.23 0.42 0.23 0.16 0.16 0.16 Chelant.sup.f 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 Preservative.sup.g 0.001 — 0.001 — — — Acidulent (Formic Acid) — 0.06 — 0.06 0.06 0.06 Antifoam.sup.h — 0.02 — — — — Polymer 1.sup.i 0.03 0.25 0.01 0.12 0.12 0.12 Polymer 2.sup.i 0.04 0.18 0.02 0.12 0.12 0.12 Water soluble dialkyl quat.sup.j 0.29 0.29 0.29 0.11 0.11 0.11 Dispersant.sup.k — — 0.15 — — — Stabilizing Surfactant.sup.l — — 0.45 — — — PDMS emulsion.sup.m 1.12 — 0.85 — — — Amino-functional Organosiloxane — — — — — — Polymer — 3.1 0.95 — — — Dye (ppm) 0.03 0.03 — 0.03 0.03 0.03 Hydrochloric Acid 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 Deionized Water Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance .sup.aN,N-di(alkanoyloxyethyl)-N,N-dimethylammonium chloride where alkyl consists predominatly of C16-C18 alkyl chains with an IV value of about 20 available from Evonik .sup.bMethyl bis[ethyl (tallowate)]-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate available from Stepan .sup.cN,N-di(alkanoyloxyethyl)-N,N-dimethylammonium chloride where alkyl consists predominatly of C16-C18 alkyl chains with an IV value of about 52 available from Evonik .sup.dLow molecular weight alcohol such as ethanol or isopropanol .sup.ePerfume microcapsules available ex Appleton Papers, Inc. .sup.fDiethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid or hydroxyl ethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid .sup.g1,2-Benzisothiazolin-3-ONE (BIT) under the trade name Proxel available from Lonza .sup.hSilicone antifoam agent available from Dow Corning ® under the trade name DC2310 .sup.iPolymer 1 and Polymer 2 are chosen such that one polymer is synthetic and the other polymer is bio-derived. Such polymers are described as First Polymer and Second Polymer in the present specification. .sup.jDidecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride under the trade name Bardac® 2280 or Hydrogenated tallowalkyl(2-ethylhexyl)dimethyl ammonium methylsulfate from AkzoNobel under the trade name Arquad® HTL8-MS .sup.kNon-ionic surfactant from BASF under the trade name Lutensol ® XL-70 .sup.lNon-ionic surfactant, such as TWEEN 20 ™TM or TAE80 (tallow ethoxylated alcohol, with average degree of ethoxylation of 80) .sup.mPolydimethylsiloxane emulsion from Dow Corning under the trade name DC346®.

Example 3. Fabric Preparation Example

(4) Fabrics are assessed using Kenmore FS 600 and/or 80 series washer machines. Wash Machines are set at: 32° C./15° C. wash/rinse temperature, 6 gpg hardness, normal cycle, and medium load (64 liters). Fabric bundles consist of 2.5 kilograms of clean fabric consisting of 100% cotton. Test swatches are included with this bundle and comprise of 100% cotton Euro Touch terrycloth towels (purchased from Standard Textile, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio). Prior to treatment with any test products, the fabric bundles are stripped according to the Fabric Preparation-Stripping and Desizing procedure before running the test. Tide Free liquid detergent (1× recommended dose) is added under the surface of the water after the machine is at least half full. Once the water stops flowing and the washer begins to agitate, the clean fabric bundle is added. When the machine is almost full with rinse water, and before agitation has begun, the fabric care testing composition is slowly added (1× dose), ensuring that none of the fabric care testing composition comes in direct contact with the test swatches or fabric bundle. When the wash/rinse cycle is complete, each wet fabric bundle is transferred to a corresponding dryer. The dryer used is a Maytag commercial series (or equivalent) electric dryer, with the timer set for 55 minutes on the cotton/high heat/timed dry setting. This process is repeated for a total of three (3) complete wash-dry cycles. After the third drying cycle and once the dryer stops, 12 Terry towels from each fabric bundle are removed for actives deposition analysis. The fabrics are then placed in a constant Temperature/Relative Humidity (21° C., 50% relative humidity) controlled grading room for 12-24 hours and then graded for softness and/or actives deposition.

(5) The Fabric Preparation-Stripping and Desizing procedure includes washing the clean fabric bundle (2.5 Kg of fabric comprising 100% cotton) including the test swatches of 100% cotton EuroTouch terrycloth towels for 5 consecutive wash cycles followed by a drying cycle. AATCC (American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists) High Efficiency (HE) liquid detergent is used to strip/de-size the test swatch fabrics and clean fabric bundle (lx recommended dose per wash cycle). The wash conditions are as follows: Kenmore FS 600 and/or 80 series wash machines (or equivalent), set at: 48° C./48° C. wash/rinse temperature, water hardness equal to 0 gpg, normal wash cycle, and medium sized load (64 liters). The dryer timer is set for 55 minutes on the cotton/high/timed dry setting.

Example 4: Silicone on Fabric Measurement Method

(6) Silicone is extracted from approximately 0.5 grams of fabric (previously treated according to the test swatch treatment procedure) with 12 mL of either 50:50 toluene:methylisobutyl ketone or 15:85 ethanol:methylisobutyl ketone in 20 mL scintillation vials. The vials are agitated on a pulsed vortexer for 30 minutes. The silicone in the extract is quantified using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). ICP calibration standards of known silicone concentration are made using the same or a structurally comparable type of silicone raw material as the products being tested. The working range of the method is 8-2300 μg silicone per gram of fabric. Concentrations greater than 2300 μg silicone per gram of fabric can be assessed by subsequent dilution. Deposition efficiency index of silicone is determined by calculating as a percentage, how much silicone is recovered, via the aforementioned extraction and measurement technique, versus how much is delivered via the formulation examples. The analysis is performed on terrycloth towels (EuroSoft towel, sourced from Standard Textile, Inc, Cincinnati, Ohio) that are treated according to the wash procedure outlined herein.

Example 5: Example for Determining the Recovery Index for Organo Siloxane Polymer

(7) The Recovery Index is measured using a Tensile and Compression Tester Instrument, such as the Instron Model 5565 (Instron Corp., Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.). The instrument is configured by selecting the following settings: the mode is Tensile Extension; the Waveform Shape is Triangle; the Maximum Strain is 10%, the Rate is 0.83 mm/sec, the number of Cycles is 4; and the Hold time is 15 seconds between cycles. 1) Determine the weight of one approximately 25.4 cm square swatch of 100% cotton woven fabric, (a suitable fabric is the Mercerized Combed Cotton Warp Sateen, Product Code 479, available from Testfabrics Inc., West Pittston, Pa., USA). 2) Determine the amount of organo siloxane polymer required to deposit 5 mg of the polymer per gram of fabric swatch and weigh that amount into a 50 ml plastic centrifuge tube with a lid. 3) Dilute the organo siloxane polymer to 1.3 times the weight of the swatch with a solvent that completely dissolves or disperses the organo siloxane polymer (examples: isopropyl alcohol, THF, N,N-dimethylacetamide, water). 4) Thoroughly disperse or dissolve silicone polyurethaneurea with shaking or vortex stirring as needed. 5) Place fabric swatch lying flat into a stainless steel tray that is larger than the swatch. 6) Pour the organo siloxane polymer solution over the entire swatch as evenly as possible. 7) Fold the swatch twice to quarter, then roll it up while gently squeezing to disperse solution to the entire swatch. 8) Unfold and repeat Step 7, folding in the opposite direction 9) To make a control swatch, repeat the procedure described above using 1.3× weight of solvent only (nil active). 10) Lay each swatch on a separate piece of aluminum foil and place in a fume hood to dry overnight. 11) Cure each swatch in an oven with appropriate ventilation at 90° C. for 5 minutes, (a suitable oven is the Mathis Labdryer, with 1500 rpm fan rotation) (Werner Mathis AG, Oberhasli, Switzerland). 12) Condition fabrics in a constant temperature (21° C.+/−2° C.) and humidity (50% RH+/−5% RH) room for at least 6 hours. 13) With scissors, cut the edge of one entire side of each swatch in the warp direction and carefully remove fabric threads one at a time without stressing the fabric until an even edge is achieved. 14) Cut 4 strips of fabric from each swatch (die or rotary cut), parallel to the even edge, that are 2.54 cm wide and at least 10 cm long 15) Evenly clamp the top and bottom (narrower edges) of the fabric strip into the 2.54 cm grips on the tensile tester instrument with a 2.54 cm gap setting, loading a small amount of force (0.1N-0.2N) on the sample. 16) Strain to 10% at 0.83 mm/s and return to 2.54 cm gap at the same rate. 17) Release bottom clamp and re-clamp sample during the hold cycle, loading 0.1N-0.2N of force on the sample. 18) Repeat Steps 15-16 until 4 hysteresis cycles have been completed for the sample. 19) Analyze 4 fabric samples per treatment swatch by the above method and average the tensile strain values recorded at 0.1N unload for Cycle 4. Recovery is calculated as follows:

(8) $\%\mathrm{Recovery}=\frac{\left(10-\mathrm{Tensile}\mathrm{Strain}\mathrm{at}0.1N\right)}{10}\times 100$ 20)

(9) $\mathrm{Recovery}\mathrm{Index}=\frac{\%\mathrm{Recovery}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{Treatment}}{\%\mathrm{Recovery}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{Control}}$

Example 6: Fabric Friction Measures Example

(10) For the examples cited a Thwing-Albert FP2250 Friction/Peel Tester with a 2 kilogram force load cell is used to measure fabric to fabric friction. (Thwing Albert Instrument Company, West Berlin, N.J.). The sled is a clamping style sled with a 6.4 by 6.4 cm footprint and weighs 200 g (Thwing Albert Model Number 00225-218). A comparable instrument to measure fabric to fabric friction would be an instrument capable of measuring frictional properties of a horizontal surface. A 200 gram sled that has footprint of 6.4 cm by 6.4 cm and has a way to securely clamp the fabric without stretching it would be comparable. It is important, though, that the sled remains parallel to and in contact with the fabric during the measurement. The distance between the load cell to the sled is set at 10.2 cm. The crosshead arm height to the sample stage is adjusted to 25 mm (measured from the bottom of the cross arm to the top of the stage) to ensure that the sled remains parallel to and in contact with the fabric during the measurement. The following settings are used to make the measure:

(11) TABLE-US-00003 T2 (Kinetic Measure): 10.0 sec Total Time: 20.0 sec Test Rate: 20.0 cm/min

(12) The 11.4 cm×6.4 cm cut fabric piece is attached, per FIG. 2, to the clamping sled (10) with the face down (11) (so that the face of the fabric on the sled is pulled across the face of the fabric on the sample plate) which corresponds to friction sled cut (7) of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the loops of the fabric on the sled (12) are oriented such that when the sled (10) is pulled, the fabric (11) is pulled against the nap of the loops (12) of the test fabric cloth (see FIG. 2). The fabric from which the sled sample is cut is attached to the sample table such that the sled drags over the area labeled “Friction Drag Area” (8) as seen in FIG. 1. The loop orientation (13) is such that when the sled is pulled over the fabric it is pulled against the loops (13) (see FIG. 2). Direction arrow (14) indicates direction of sled (10) movement.

(13) The sled is placed on the fabric and attached to the load cell. The crosshead is moved until the load cell registers between ˜1.0-2.0 gf, and is then moved back until the load reads 0.0 gf. At this point the sled drag is commenced and the Kinetic Coefficient of Friction (kCOF) recorded at least every second during the sled drag. The kinetic coefficient of friction is averaged over the time frame starting at 10 seconds and ending at 20 seconds for the sled speed set at 20.0 cm/min. For each treatment, at least ten replicate fabrics are measured.

Example 7: Perfume Release from Head Space Over Fabric Measurement Method

(14) Fabrics were treated with compositions of the current invention using the Fabric Preparation method described within. The perfume release over fabric data was generated using standard dynamic purge and trap analysis of fabric headspace with gas chromatography (GC) and detector to measure perfume headspace levels. The headspace analysis was performed on wet and dry fabric and total perfume counts were normalized to one of the test legs to show the relative benefit of compositions of the present invention. For example, a wet fabric perfume headspace (normalized to 1.0) shows that Leg C has 50% more perfume headspace above the wet fabric than Leg A.

(15) GC—Detector Analysis of Fabric Samples for Perfume Release:

(16) A total of 3 pieces of treated fabric 1″×2″ in size are placed into 3 clean 40 ml bottles (for a total of 9 fabrics) and allowed to equilibrate for about 1 hour. The fabric pieces are cut from different fabrics within each load to account for fabric-to-fabric variability. Instrument conditions should be modified to achieve adequate PRM signal detection while avoiding peak saturation. A DB 5 column was used with 20 sec sample collection with a ramp of 40-180° C. at 5-10 deg/sec and a detector temperature of 35° C.

(17) The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm”.

(18) All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this written document shall govern.

(19) While particular aspects of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.