Compositions and process for treating textiles

A textile treating composition, useful as a composition for the softening of textiles during the rinse cycle of a laundry operation, comprises a cationic surfactant which is substantive to water rinse on textiles and a polydiorganosiloxane having at least one amido containing substitutent, preferably of the formula ##STR1## where R is an alkylene group. The composition is preferably utilized in the form of an aqueous dispersion. A process for treating textile fabrics is also described. Textile fabrics when treated with this composition exhibit a less greasy feel than prior art textile fabrics and also have an improved rewet time.

This invention relates to compositions for the treatment of textiles to 
impart desirable properties such as softness thereto. It also relates to a 
process for treating textiles with the said compositions and also to 
textiles when treated with a composition according to this invention. 
Textile treating compositions for imparting softness to fabrics during or 
following laundering have been available commercially for many years. Such 
materials are known for example as `softeners`, `fabric softeners` and are 
applied during laundering generally at the rinse cycle stage, when they 
are added to the rinse water, or during the drying cycle, when they are 
used in the dry mode, for example as an impregnant in a woven or nonwoven 
fabric strip. The main active constituents of such softening compositions 
are substantially water-insoluble cationic surface active substances 
having large alkyl groups in the molecule. Typical of such materials are 
di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium chlorides, diamido alkoxylated 
quaternary ammonium compounds and quaternised amido imidazolines. 
It has been disclosed in British Pat. No. 1 549 180 that substantial 
additional benefits, e.g. easier ironing and more pleasant handle, can be 
obtained if the said cationic substances are applied to the textile fabric 
in conjunction with certain silicones. The preferred silicones for use 
according to the said patent are those having a cationic character and 
which show an enhanced tendency to deposit on the fabric. It has been 
found that the amino-functional siloxanes are of particular interest 
inasmuch as they endow the treated fabric with body and with a silky 
touch. It has also been found, however, that the use of the amino siloxane 
increases the time required for the fabric to absorb water after being 
brought into contact therewith (the rewet time). This reduction in 
absorbency represents a significant drawback when the textile article is a 
towel or the like. 
We have now discovered that when the amino siloxanes are replaced by 
certain amido siloxanes in the above-described fabric softening 
compositions the rewet time is reduced and a dry non-greasy touch is 
imparted to the fabric. 
The invention provides a textile-treating composition which comprises (A) a 
cationic surfactant which is substantive to water rinse on textile fabrics 
and (B) a polydiorganosiloxane having in the molecule at least one 
silicon-bonded group --RX wherein R represents an alkylene group having 
from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, which may have oxygen or sulphur atoms present 
in the cabon chain, and X represents an amido-containing organic group 
selected from 
##STR2## 
and --[NZ(CH.sub.2).sub.n ].sub.p NZ(CH.sub.2).sub.n NZQ wherein R' 
represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon 
atoms, an alkenyl group or an aryl group, each R" represents a hydrogen 
atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms or an aryl group, Q 
represents an alkyl group or a hydrogen atom, each Z represents a hydrogen 
atom, a lower alkyl group or an 
##STR3## 
group, wherein R' is as hereinabove defined, at least one Z being a 
##STR4## 
group, n is a integer of from 2 to 6 and p has a value of 0, 1 or 2, at 
least 50 percent of the total silicon-bonded substituents in the 
polydiorganosiloxane being methyl, any remaining silicon-bonded 
substituents being selected from monovalent hydrocarbon groups having from 
2 to 20 carbon atoms, --RNH.sub.2 groups, --RCOOH groups and 
--R[NH(CH.sub.2).sub.n ].sub.p NH(CH.sub.2).sub.n NH.sub.2 groups. 
Also included within the scope of this invention is a process for the 
treatment of textile fabrics which comprises applying thereto a 
composition according to the invention. Also included within the scope of 
this invention are textile fabrics when treated with a composition 
according to the invention. 
As component (A) of the compositions of this invention there may be 
employed any cationic substance which is substantive to water rinse on 
textile fabrics and which is capable of imparting softness and/or 
lubricity to textile fabrics. A large number of such substances are known 
and include quaternary compounds as follows: 
(i) Alkylmethyl quaternary ammonium compounds having either one C.sub.18 
-C.sub.24 alkyl chain or two C.sub.12 -C.sub.30 alkyl chains, the long 
chain alkyl groups being most commonly those derived from hydrogenated 
tallow. Examples of such compounds are ditallowdimethyl ammonium chloride, 
ditallowdimethyl ammonium methyl sulphate, tallowtrimethyl ammonium 
chloride, dieicosyldimethyl ammonium chloride, 
tallowdimethyl(3-tallowalkoxypropyl) ammonium chloride, 
ditetradecyldimethyl ammonium chloride, didodecyldiethyl ammonium acetate 
and tallowtrimethyl ammonium acetate. 
(ii) Amido alkoxylated quaternary ammonium compounds. Quaternary compounds 
of this type can be prepared from fatty acids or triglycerides and an 
amine e.g. diethylene triamine. The product is then alkoxylated with 
ethylene oxide or propylene oxide and quaternised with dimethyl sulphate. 
Compounds of type (ii) can be represented by the formula 
##STR5## 
wherein M represents a fatty alkyl group typically C.sub.12 to C.sub.20, X 
represents for example Cl, Br or the methyl sulphate group, y is 2 or 3 
and c is an integer. 
(iii) Quaternised amido imidazolines. Compounds of this type can be 
obtained by heating the alkoxylated product of reacting an amine and a 
fatty acid or triglyceride as described for type (ii) to effect ring 
closure to the imidazoline. This is then quaternised by reaction with e.g. 
dimethyl sulphate. An example of a type (iii) compound is 
2-heptadecyl-1-methyl-1-(2'-stearoyl-amido-ethyl)-imidazolinium methyl 
sulphate. 
(iv) Polyamine salts and polyalkylene imine salts e.g. [C.sub.12 H.sub.25 
NH(CH.sub.3)--(CH.sub.2).sub.3 --NH.sub.2 C.sub.12 H.sub.25 ].sup.++ 
Cl.sub.2.sup.-, [C.sub.18 H.sub.37 NH(CH.sub.3)--(CH.sub.2).sub.2 
--NH(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 ].sup.++ (CH.sub.3 SO.sub.4).sup.--.sub.2 and 
a polyethylene iminium chloride having about 10 ethylene imine units. 
(v) Alkyl pyridinium salts e.g. cetyl pyridinium chloride. 
The generally preferred cationic softening agents are those having long 
chain, fatty alky groups derived from tallow or hydrogenated tallow and 
the generally preferred class of softening agents are those of type (i), 
that is the alkyldimethyl ammonium compounds. 
Fabric conditioning agents which may be employed as component (A) of the 
compositions of this invention are well-known substances and have been 
widely described in the technical literature, see for example, J. Am. Oil 
Chemists Soc., January 1978 (Vol 55), pages 118-121 and Chemistry and 
Industry, 5th July 1969, pages 893-903. 
Polydiorganosiloxanes employed as component (B) of the compositions of this 
invention may be linear (unbranched) or substantially linear siloxane 
polymers having at least one silicon-bonded --RX group in the molecule. 
The group X may be 
##STR6## 
wherein R' represents e.g. H, methyl, ethyl, propyl, octyl, stearyl, vinyl 
or phenyl, or may be 
##STR7## 
wherein R" represents e.g. hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, butyl, octyl, dodecyl, 
octadecyl or phenyl, or may be the group --[NZ(CH.sub.2).sub.n ].sub.p 
NZ(CH.sub.2).sub.n NZQ, wherein Z represents hydrogen or 
##STR8## 
n is an integer of from 2 to 6 and p is 0, 1 or 2. Examples of X groups 
therefore are 
##STR9## 
At least 50 percent of the silicon-bonded substituents in the 
polydiorganosiloxane (B) should be methyl groups, any substituents present 
in addition to the --RX groups and the methyl groups being monovalent 
hydrocarbon groups having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms or the groups 
--RNH.sub.2, --RCOOH and --R[NH(CH.sub.2).sub.n ].sub.p NH(CH.sub.2).sub.n 
NH.sub.2. Preferably the --RX substituents provide no more than 25%, most 
preferably no more than 7.5% of the total number of substituents in the 
polydiorganosiloxane. The exemplified polydiorganosiloxane comprises 1% RX 
groups of the total number of substituents in the polydiorganosiloxane. 
The polydiorganosiloxanes are preferably terminated with triorganosiloxy, 
e.g. trimethylsiloxy, groups but may be terminated with groups such as 
hydroxy or alkoxy. Although the polydiorganosiloxanes are preferably those 
consisting of diorganosiloxane units, with or without triorganosiloxane 
units, they may contain small proportions of chain-branching units, that 
is mono-organosiloxy units, and SiO.sub.2 units. The molecular size of the 
polydiorganosiloxanes (B) is not critical and they may vary from 
freely-flowing liquids to gummy solids. The preferred 
polydiorganosiloxanes are, however, those having a viscosity in the range 
of from about 5.10.sup.-5 to about 5.10.sup.-2 m.sup.2 /s at 25.degree. C. 
Such polydiorganosiloxanes are more easily emulsified than the higher 
viscosity materials. 
Polydiorganosiloxanes (B) wherein X represents the group 
##STR10## 
may be prepared for example by reacting the corresponding 
amino-substituted polydiorganosiloxane with an acid or acid anhydride. 
Depending on the reaction conditions the formation of amide groups may be 
accompanied by the formation of salt groups at other amine nitrogen atoms, 
for example as in the X group 
##STR11## 
The presence of such salt groups is not, however, detrimental to the 
desired effect. Polydiorganosiloxanes (B) wherein X represents the group 
##STR12## 
may be obtained by reaction of the corresponding carboxylic-substituted 
polydiorganosiloxane with ammonia or an amine. Suitable preparative 
methods are known in the art and are described for example in U.K. Patent 
Specification Nos. 882 059, 882 061, 788 984 and 1 117 043. 
The compositions of this invention may be prepared by mixing components (A) 
and (B) in the desired proportions. However, the compositions are 
preferably prepared and employed in the form of aqueous dispersions. Such 
dispersions may be obtained by mixing preformed dispersions of (A) and (B) 
or, more conveniently by dispersing (A) in an aqueous emulsion of the 
polydiorganosiloxane (B). The concentration of active ingredients (A) and 
(B) present in the aqueous compositions is not narrowly critical and will 
be determined by considerations of the nature and viscosity of the product 
desired and its ease of dispersion in an aqueous bath during use. 
Generally, the preferred aqueous compositions are those containing (A) and 
(B) in a total weight of from about 5% to about 35% of the compositions. 
Depending on the effect desired the relative proportions of (A) and (B) 
employed to form the mixture or dispersion may be varied within wide 
limits, for example from 0.02 to 100 parts by weight of the cationic 
surfactant (A) per part by weight of the polydiorganosiloxane (B). 
Preferably, however, the compositions of this invention comprise from 
about 1.0 to 40 parts by weight of (A) per part by weight of (B). 
The compositions may contain other, optional, ingredients for example 
emulsifying agents for the polyorganosiloxanes, perfumes, viscosity 
control agents, optical brighteners and colourants. Particularly preferred 
optional ingredients of aqueous fabric softener compositions which may be 
present in the composition of this invention are certain non-ionic 
emulsifying agents such as the fatty acid esters of monohydric and 
polyhydric alcohols, for example glycerol monostearate, sorbitan 
monolaurate and sorbitan mono-oleate. Such esters can be employed in 
conventional proportions for fabric conditioning compositions, preferably 
from about 1% to about 5% by weight based on the weight of the aqueous 
composition. 
The compositions of this invention can be employed as fabric conditioners 
during the rinse or drying cycle of home or commercial laundry operation. 
For example the compositions may be spread or otherwise coated on to woven 
or non-woven fabric pieces and the pieces included with the laundered 
fabrics during the drying cycle in accordance with known techniques. More 
preferably, however, the compositions are formulated as aqueous 
dispersions which are then added during the rinsing stage of the 
laundering process. The concentration of active ingredients (A) and (B) in 
the rinse water should be sufficient to provide the desired effect and 
will normally fall within the range from about 5 to about 500 parts by 
weight of (A) and (B) per million parts of water.

The following examples, in which the parts are expressed by weight and Me 
represents the methyl group illustrate the invention. 
EXAMPLE 1 
A fabric softener composition was prepared according to the formulation 
______________________________________ 
.sup.1 Arquad 2HT-75 58.0 parts 
Glycerol monostearate 16.5 parts 
.sup.2 Empilan NP9 2.0 parts 
NaCl 1.0 part 
Water 922.5 parts 
______________________________________ 
.sup.1 R.sub.2 NMe.sub.2.sup.+ Cl.sup.- wherein the R groups are 
predominantly C.sub.16 (31%) and C.sub.18 (64%) alkyl groups (74% by 
weight dispersion). 
.sup.2 A nonylphenyl polyethoxylate. 
This composition was prepared by adding the Empilan and NaCl to water, and 
heating to 60.degree. C. thereafter adding with stirring a pre-heated 
(60.degree. C.) mixture of Arquad and glycerol monostearate. 
To a portion (40 parts) of the fabric softener composition prepared as 
above was added, with stirring, 1.7 parts of a non-ionic aqueous emulsion 
containing 35% by weight of a siloxane having the average formula 
##STR13## 
in order to obtain a first example textile treating composition according 
to the invention, in the form of an aqueous dispersion. 50 g of the 
textile treating composition thus obtained was diluted with 2 liters of 
water and the resulting dispersion was acidified with acetic acid to a pH 
of 6.5. Pieces of prewashed cotton and polyester/cotton fabric, of 
approximately 400 cm.sup.2, were placed in this diluted dispersion for 15 
minutes and subjected to intermittent agitation. They were then removed 
from the diluted dispersion, laid flat for 10 minutes on adsorbent paper 
to remove excess water and then allowed to dry overnight at ambient 
temperature (approximately 22.degree. C.) suspended from a line. 
For comparison, control pieces of fabric were similarly treated with the 
fabric softener composition as described hereinabove (i.e. no siloxane 
component was added). 50 g of the fabric softener composition was added to 
2 liters of water. 
All of the treated pieces of fabric were softer to the touch compared with 
untreated fabric. However, fabric pieces according to the invention 
treated with the textile treating composition according to the invention 
were drier and less greasy to the touch than the control pieces. 
The rewet properties of all the treated fabric pieces were tested by 
allowing a drop of water to fall on the fabric from a height of 
approximately 1 cm and measuring the time taken for complete absorption of 
the drop by the fabric. The results were as follows: 
______________________________________ 
Time (seconds) 
Pieces of According to the 
Fabric Control Invention 
______________________________________ 
Cotton &gt;300 9 
Polyester/cotton 
28 7 
______________________________________ 
EXAMPLE 2 
Example 1 was repeated using a second textile treating composition which 
differed from the first example textile treating composition in that the 
proportion of siloxane in the textile treating composition was reduced to 
0.9 part and the Arquad in the fabric softener composition increased to 45 
parts. Fabric pieces were treated as described in Example 1, with a 
dispersion of the second example textile treating composition diluted as 
referred to in Example 1. 
The rewet times for the treated fabric pieces were: 
______________________________________ 
Cotton 11 seconds 
Polyester/cotton 
9 seconds 
______________________________________ 
EXAMPLE 3 
A fabric softener composition was prepared according to the formulation 
______________________________________ 
Arquad 2HT-75 54.0 parts 
Glycerol monostearate 20.5 parts 
Empilan NP 9 2.0 parts 
NaCl 1.0 part 
Water 922.5 parts 
______________________________________ 
The composition was prepared in the same way as that in Example 1. 
To a portion (40 parts) of the fabric softener composition prepared as 
above was added 0.94 part of a nonionic aqueous emulsion containing 35% by 
weight of a siloxane having the average formula 
##STR14## 
in order to obtain a third example textile treating composition according 
to the invention in the form of an aqueous dispersion. The composition 
thus obtained was used in the same way as the first example textile 
treating composition for the treatment of fabric pieces. The rewet times 
were as follows 
______________________________________ 
Cotton 11 seconds 
Polyester/cotton 
6 seconds 
______________________________________ 
EXAMPLE 4 
Example 3 was repeated using a fourth example textile treating composition 
which differed from the third example textile treating composition in that 
the proportion of siloxane was reduced to 0.45 part. Fabric pieces were 
treated as described in Example 1 with a dispersion of the fourth example 
textile treating composition diluted as referred to in Example 1. The 
rewet times for the treated fabric pieces were as follows 
______________________________________ 
Cotton 12 seconds 
Polyester/cotton 
13 seconds 
______________________________________