SOFTENER COMPOSITION

Abstract: The present invention provides a softener composition exhibiting an excellent softening effect and high biodegradability. That is, the present invention provides a softener composition comprising (A) at least one quaternary ammonium salt having at least two C 5 -C 36 alkyl or alkenyl groups which may be interrupted by an ester linkage, amide linkage or ether linkage and (B) a tertiary amino compound (I), a salt thereof or a mixture of the same: wherein R 1 and R 2 represent a C 1 -C 3 alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, aminoalkyl group or the like and R 3 represents a C 5 -C 36 alkyl group which is interrupted by an ester linkage, amide linkage or ether linkage, or the like.

Description: The present invention relates to a softener composition. Most of the commercially available merchandise as a softener composition for fibers are compositions comprising a quaternary ammonium salt containing two long-chain alkyl groups in one molecule and being typified by a di(long-chain alkyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride. However, the quaternary ammonium salt described above suffers from the problem that, when residues thereof after a treatment is discharged into the environment such as a river, most of them are accumulated without biodegradation. As an improved product against the above-mentioned problem, N-methyl-N,N-bis (long-chain alkanoyl oxyethyl) -N- (2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium methyl sulfate or N,N-dimethyl-N,N-bis(alkanoyloxyethyl) ammonium chloride is commercially available. Although the biodegradability of the improved product is improved as compared with that of the quaternary ammonium salt described above, the improved product cannot be said to be a base for sufficiently satisfying a softening effect. Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a softener composition exhibiting an excellent softening effect and a high biodegradability and preventing a creaky feeling. The present inventors have found that a quaternary ammonium salt having at least two long-chain alkyl groups is combined with a specific amino compound or a salt thereof, whereby the problem described above can be solved. That is, the present invention provides a softener composition comprising the following components (A) and (B): (A) at least one quaternary ammonium salt having at least two C 5 -C 36 alkyl or alkenyl groups which are interrupted by an ester linkage, amide linkage or ether linkage, wherein the amount of a quaternary ammonium salt having at least three C 5 -C 36 alkyl or alkenyl groups which are interrupted by an ester linkage, amide linkage or ether linkage is at least 25% by weight in the component (A), and (B) a tertiary amino compound represented by the following formula (I), a salt thereof or a mixture of the same: wherein R 1 and R 2 are the same or different and each of R 1 and R 2 represents a C 1 -C 3 alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or aminoalkyl group or -(AO) n H, in which A represents an ethylene or propylene group and n is a number selected from 1 to 10, and R 3 represents a C 5 -C 36 alkyl or alkenyl group which is interrupted by an ester linkage, amide linkage or ether linkage (or into which an ester-, amide- or ether- bonding group is inserted), wherein the salt of the tertiary amino compound of the formula (I) is a salt with an organic or inorganic acid selected from hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, acetic acid, glycolic acid and citric acid. In the component (A), the amount of the quaternary ammonium salt having at least three C 5 -C 36 alkyl or alkenyl groups which are interrupted by an ester linkage, amide linkage or ether linkage is preferably at least 50 % by weight. Then, it is preferable that the quaternary ammonium salt having at least two alkyl or alkenyl groups in the component (A) is preferably one having three alkyl or alkenyl groups. The ratio of the component (A) to the component (B) by weight is from 1/9 to 9/1. The component (A) is preferably a quaternary ammonium salt having at least one ester linkage. Further, it is preferable that the total content of the components (A) and (B) is 3 to 50 % by weight and a liquid carrier is further contained therein. The component (A) is preferably represented by the following formula (II) or (III) or a mixture thereof: and wherein R 6 represents a C 1 -C 3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, R 7 represents -C m H 2m -X-R 8 , m is an integer of 1 to 6, X is -OCO-, -COO-, -NHCO-, -CONH- or -O-, R 8 represents a C 5 -C 35 alkyl or alkenyl group, Z - represents an anion, provided that the two groups selected from R 6 's and R 7 's may be the same or different. The ratio of (II) / (III) is preferably from 3/1 to 0/1 and more preferably 1/1 to 0/1. Among them, it has more preferably at least one ester group and is further preferably represented by the following formulae (IIa) and (IIIa) or (IIb) and (IIIb): wherein R 9 represents a methyl or hydroxyethyl group, R 10 represents a C 5 -C 21 alkyl or alkenyl group, and Z 1 - represents a chloride ion (Cl - ) or methyl sulfate ion; wherein each of R 9 , R 10 and Z 1 - has the same meaning as defined above and r is 2 or 3. For example, the compounds represented by the formula (IIa) and (IIIa) or (IIb) and (IIIb) are synthesized by acylation of an amino alcohol such as triethanolamine, N-methyldiethanolamine, N-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)propanediamine and N,N-di(2-hydroxyethyl)propanediamine with a fatty acid or a lower alkyl ester thereof and further quaternarization of the resultant product with a quaternarizing agent such as methyl chloride (or chloromethane) and dimethyl sulfate. The degree of acylation in total is preferably 1.1 to 3.0 and more preferably 1.5 to 3.0. The fatty acid or the lower alkyl ester thereof for use is preferably a fatty acid from a coconut, a tallow fatty acid, a hardened (or hydrogenated) tallow fatty acid, stearic acid from a palm, hardened stearic acid from a palm or a lower alkyl ester thereof is particularly preferable. Further, a fat and/or oil such as a coconut oil, a tallow, a hardened tallow, a palm-stearin and a hardened palm-stearin may be used. Although the obtainable product contains compound having one, two, or three or more members selected from long-chain alkyl and alkenyl groups, depending on the amino alcohol for use, it is more than enough that the obtainable product is used as it is. In the component (B), each of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 in the amino compound represented by the formula (I) has the above-defined meaning, but it is preferable that each of R 1 and R 2 represents a C 1 -C 3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group. R 3 is preferably a C 7 -C 22 alkyl or alkenyl group which is interrupted by an ester linkage, amide linkage or ether linkage and more preferably the group which is interrupted by an ester linkage or amide linkage. It is particularly preferably an alkanoyl or alkenoyloxyethyl group, an alkanoyl or alkenoylaminoethyl group, or an alkanoyl or alkenoyl aminopropyl group. The salt of the amino compound can be synthesized in a usual manner by neutralization with an inorganic or organic acid selected from hydrochloric acid (an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride), sulfuric acid, acetic acid, glycolic acid and citric acid. In the composition, the blending ratio of the component (A) to the component (B) by weight is preferably from 1/9 to 9/1 and, from the standpoint of an excellent softening performance, more preferably 3/7 to 7/3. The components (A) and (B) can be formed into the liquid softener composition by dispersing them in a total amount of 3 to 50 % by weight in a liquid carrier such as water. In this case, the components (A) and (B) may be beforehand mixed and then introduced into water or they may be introduced one after another into water. Alternatively, the respective components may be separately dispersed in water and then mixed. A dispersion with water of the softener composition of the present invention has preferably pH 2 to 5 in view of a dispersibility and storage stability of the amino compound. A higher alcohol or higher fatty acid can be added in order to further improve a softening performance. A lower alcohol such as ethanol and isopropanol, glycol or polyol as well as ethylene oxide or propylene oxide adduct can be added as a storage stabilizer. Furthermore, a usual nonionic surfactant, an inorganic salt, a pH adjuster, a hydrotropic agent, a perfume, a defoaming agent, a pigment and the like can be added if necessary. Examples Examples 1-1 to 1-7 (A-1) a quaternary product by dimethyl sulfate of a reacted product of triethanolamine with a tallow fatty acid at the molar ratio of 1 : 1.9 was used as the component (A), while (B-1) N-(3-hardened tallow alkanoylaminopropyl) -N,N-dimethylamine was used as the component (B). They were dispersed in water in blending amounts shown in Table 1, and then the resultant dispersion was adjusted to pH 2.5 by dropwise adding hydrochloric acid to obtain each of various softener compositions. Each of the compositions was evaluated for a softening effect in the following manner. The results are shown in Table 2. <A method of evaluating a softening effect> 1 ○ A mixture of the components (A) and (B) was molten and added dropwise to water under stirring. Then, an inorganic or organic acid was added dropwise thereto to prepare a dispersion having a predetermined solid content and pH. As a comparative control sample, a 5 % dispersion of N-methyl-N,N-bis(tallow alkanoyl oxyethyl)-N-(2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium methyl sulfate was prepared in the same manner as above. Here, it is not essential that the dispersion is acidic but the pH is preferably 2 to 5 from the viewpoint of a dispersibility and storage stability as described above. 2 ○ A treating method 2 kg of commercially available cotton towels or 2 kg of jersey cloths made of acrylate fibers were laundered repreatedly 5 times with a commercially available detergent "Attack" (a resitered trade mark, manufactured by Kao Corporation) in hard water of 3.5° DH in a laundering machine having its capacity of 30 liter. Then, 25 ml of the above dispersion were introduced therein and the resultant mixture was treated under stirring at 25°C for 1 minute. 3 ○ A method for evaluating a softening effect and feeling of touch of clothes The cloths treated in the method described above were air-dried at room temperature and then left in a constant temperature and humidity chamber at 25 °C under 65 %RH for 24 hours. These cloths were evaluated for a softening effect. A cloth treated with N-methyl-N,N-bis(tallow alkanoyloxyethyl)-N-(2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium methyl sulfate was used as the control for evaluation by the period comparison test. The evaluations of a softening effect and feeling of touch of clothes are shown using the following criteria. For a feeling of touch of the clothes, "+" was assigned when the jersey cloth made of acrylate fibers was less creaky than the control and "-" was assigned when it was more creaky than the control. +2: Softener than the control or less creaky than the control. +1: Somewhat softener than the control or somewhat less creaky than the control. 0: Equal in a softening effect to the control or equal in creaky feeling to the control. -1: Somewhat harder than the control or somewhat more creaky than the control. -2: Harder than the control or more creaky than the control. Examples 2 to 13 In the same manner as in Example 1, the components (A) and (B) shown in Table 1 were dispersed in water in amounts shown in Table 1, then the resultant mixture was adjusted to pH shown in Table 1 with an acid described in Table 1, and the resultant composition was evaluated for a softening effect and feeling of touch of clothes in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 2. Comparative Examples 1 to 6 As shown in Table 1, either the component (A) or the component (B) was dispersed in water in an amount shown in Table 1 and then adjusted if necessary to pH shown in Table 1 with an acid described in Table 1, and the resultant composition was evaluated for a softening effect and feeling of touch of clothes in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 2. A dialkyl or trialkyl form of the component (A) as mentioned above was analyzed using the following column, eluent and detector in a liquid chromatography. Column: Wakosil-II 5C18HG, 4.0mm × 250mm, Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. Eluent: a 1 % phosphoric acid, ethanol/isopropyl alcohol = 95/5 (vol/vol) solution. Detector: UV 215 nm. The compositions in Examples 1-3 to 1-5 and 10 to 13 are the most preferable in Examples described above. It is recognized that the composition of the present invention has an excellent softening performance when the ratio of the component (A) to the component (B) by weight is in the range of 1/9 to 9/1 and a further excellent softening performance in the range of 3/7 to 7/3.

Claims: A softener composition comprising the following components (A) and (B) in a weight ratio of (A) : (B) from 1/9 to 9/1: (A) at least one quaternary ammonium salt having at least two C 5 -C 36 alkyl or alkenyl groups which are interrupted by an ester linkage, amide linkage or ether linkage, wherein the amount of a quaternary ammonium salt having at least three C 5 -C 36 alkyl or alkenyl groups which are interrupted by an ester linkage, amide linkage or ether linkage is at least 25 % by weight in the component (A), and (B) a tertiary amino compound represented by the following formula (I), a salt thereof or a mixture of the same: wherein R 1 and R 2 are the same or different and each of R 1 and R 2 represents a C 1 -C 3 alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or aminoalkyl group or -(AO) n H, in which A represents an ethylene or propylene group and n is a number selected from 1 to 10, and R 3 represents a C 5 -C 36 alkyl or alkenyl group which is interrupted by an ester linkage, amide linkage or ether linkage, wherein the salt of the tertiary amino compound of the formula (I) is a salt with an organic or inorganic acid selected from hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, acetic acid, glycolic acid and citric acid. The softener composition as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the component (A) is the quaternary ammonium salt having three C 5 -C 36 alkyl or alkenyl groups which may be interrupted by an ester linkage, amide linkage or ether linkage. The softener composition as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of the component (A) to the component (B) by weight is from 3/7 to 7/3. The softener composition as claimed in any one of the Claims 1 to 3, wherein the component (A) is a quaternary ammonium salt having at least one ester linkage. The softener composition as claimed in any of the Claims 1 to 4, which is liquid and wherein the total content of the components (A) and (B) is 3 to 50 % by weight and a liquid carrier is further contained therein.

Inventors: KANEKO YOHEI, KATO TORU, OHTAWA YASUKI, KANEKO, YOHEI, KATO, TORU, OHTAWA, YASUKI, KANEKO, Yohei, Kao Corporation, KATO, Toru, Kao Corporation, OHTAWA, Yasuki, Kao Corporation
Applicants: KAO CORP, KAO CORPORATION
Application year: 1999
Main classification: D06M13
IPC codes: C11D1, C11D3