LIQUID DETERGENT COMPOSITION

Abstract

A liquid detergent composition comprising manganese 1,4,7-triazacyclononane (MnTACN) and derivatives thereof, a hydrotrope and a non-ionic surfactant, wherein the composition is contained in a water-soluble film; and wherein the hydrotope is selected from the group comprising salts of cumenesulphonate, xylenesulphonate and/or toluenesulphonate. Use of the composition in an automatic dishwashing process.

Claims

1. A liquid detergent composition comprising: manganese 1,4,7-triazacyclononane (MnTACN) and derivatives thereof; a hydrotrope; and a non-ionic surfactant, wherein the liquid detergent composition is contained in a water-soluble film, and wherein the hydrotope is selected from the group consisting of salts of cumenesulphonate, xylenesulphonate, and toluenesulphonate.

2. The liquid detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the liquid detergent composition further comprises an organic solvent.

3. The liquid detergent composition according to claim 2, wherein the organic solvent is present in an amount of from 50 to 90% by weight.

4. The liquid detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the liquid detergent composition further comprises water in an amount of from 1 to 20% by weight.

5. The liquid detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the hydrotrope is present in an amount of from 0.1 to 20% by weight.

6. The liquid detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the MnTACN is present in an amount from 0.2 to 5% by weight.

7. The liquid detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the non-ionic surfactant is present in an amount of from 5 to 45% by weight.

8. The liquid detergent composition according to claim 1 further comprising a dye.

9. The liquid detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the liquid detergent composition contains less than 1% by weight of percarbonate.

10. The liquid detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the liquid detergent composition is transparent.

11. The liquid detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the water-soluble film is a polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) film.

12. The liquid detergent composition according to claim 11, wherein the liquid detergent composition weighs from 0.1 to 3 g.

13. The liquid detergent composition according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the liquid detergent composition is contained within a multi-chamber detergent pouch.

14. A method of making the liquid detergent composition according to claim 1, comprising: sequentially adding the hydrotrope, the water, the MnTACN, the organic solvent if present, and the surfactant.

15. A method of using the liquid detergent composition according to claim 1 in an automatic dishwashing process, the method comprising: adding the liquid detergent composition to a machine dishwasher.

16. The liquid detergent composition according to claim 2, wherein the organic solvent is dipropylene glycol.

17. The liquid detergent composition according to claim 12, wherein the liquid detergent composition weighs from 0.15 to 1 g.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0032] The colour and stability of the MnTACN complex in selected solvents was reviewed and the results presented in Table 1.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Formulations (weight %) Ingredients 1 2 3 Water 99.57 Nonionic surfactant* 89.57 89.29 Sodium cumenesulphonate 10.00 10.00 (40% aq.) MnTACN 0.43 0.43 0.60 Red dye 0.11 Results Initial visual observation Clear dissolution Clear dissolution Clear dissolution Visual evaluation after 8 days at Slight Discolouration Discolouration 50? C. in glass beaker discolouration Visual evaluation after 8 days at Not compatible Precipitate and Precipitate and 50? C. in PVOH colourless colourless crystals formed, crystals formed, liquid liquid separation, separation, PVOH stiff and PVOH stiff and hardened hardened *fatty alcohol alkoxylate

[0033] The testing demonstrated that (1) the MnTACN fully dissolves in water, (2) low water levels are already sufficient to achieve dissolution, (3) sodium cumenesulphonate is a suitable hydrotrope to achieve a homogeneous surfactant containing solution phase and (4) fine tuning of the desired colour can be achieved via addition of a conventional red dye.

[0034] However, it was also shown that this approach is incompatible with the desired water-soluble films, resulting in plasticisation of the poly(vinyl alcohol). Moreover, storage in PVOH sachets results in clear signs of MnTACN degradation (i.e. discoloration and precipitation).

[0035] On this basis the formulation as set out in Table 2 was prepared and evaluated in storage stability trials, with the results shown in Table 3.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Ingredients Formulation (%) Order of addition Water 5.0 2 Nonionic surfactant* 19.1 5 Sodium cumenesulphonate 5.0 1 (40% aq.) MnTACN 0.9 3 Dipropylene glycol 70.0 4 *fatty alcohol alkoxylate

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Storage Conditions Results after 6 weeks 5? C./50% RH No visual change 30? C./70% RH No visual change 40? C./75% RH Slight darkening of liquid, no precipitation or flocculation PVOH foil slightly wrinkled 50? C./20% r.h. No visual change

[0036] In conclusion, a balanced composition comprising a surfactant, a hydrotrope and water has been developed in order to successfully solubilize the MnTACN complex and have suitable stability properties. Furthermore, dipropylene glycol has been identified a suitable inert bulk solvent.