Patent GB-836108-A (GB)
Title: Bleaching washing agents
IPC: C11D17/00
Filed: 1956-07-12
Abstract: A washing composition comprises (a) an anionic or non-ionic surface-active agent, (b) a neutral or basic alkali-metal salt, (c) a per-compound, and (d) an activator which is either the anhydride of a carboxylic acid having at most 8 carbon atoms or an organic halogen compound which can be converted by hydrolysis into a carboxylic acid, or a salt thereof, having at most 8 carbon atoms, component (d) and, if desired, also (c) being separated from the other components by a thin layer of a film-forming material which is soluble in water or in the solution of the composition.  Component (a), which preferably constitutes 1-75% by weight of the composition, is suitably an alkylbenzene sulphonate, an alkyl sulphate or sulphonate, or a fatty alcohol or alkyl phenol polyglycol ether or a fatty acid polyglycol ester. Component (b) includes sodium sulphate, carbonate, bicarbonate, phosphate, and polyphosphates.  The per-compound (c) may be either organic or inorganic; a list of suitable organic hydroperoxides, peroxides, per-acids, per-acid esters and diacyl peroxides is given, but the preferred compounds are those derived from carboxylic acids whose alkali-metal salts have surface-active properties, or those derived from aromatic mono- or di-carboxylic acids having at most 10 carbon atoms.  Suitable inorganic per-compounds are perphosphates, percarbonates, perborates and solid addition compounds of urea and hydrogen peroxide.  The content of per-compound should be such as to yield an active oxygen content of up to 3.5%, preferably 0.2-3%, by weight of the composition. Component (d) is generally present in such an amount that the ratio of active oxygen to activator is 1 : 6 to 6 : 1, and is suitably benzoic or propionic anhydride; benzoyl, chlorbenzoyl or o-nitrobenzoyl chloride; isophthalic acid dichloride; benzotrichloride; or o-, m-, or p-bis-tribromomethylbenzene.  The sheeting in which component (d), and also, if required, (c), is wrapped is preferably of thickness less than 1 mm., usually 0.5-0.1 mm., and is desirably made of a substance which is itself a washing agent additive; suitable water-soluble films may be made of polyvinyl alcohols, salts of polymeric carboxylic acids or of alginic acid, and cellulose ethers of various types, while water-insoluble films which are soluble, however, in the washing agent solution may be made from free alginic or polymeric carboxylic acids, or from calcium, strontium or aluminium alginate.  In the Examples, the films are made of methyl-cellulose, sodium alginate, and carboxymethyl cellulose. Plasticizers, such as polyols and their etherification products and cyclic ethers, are usually incorporated in the films. Stabilizers for the per-compound (c), such as water-insoluble oxides, hydroxides, carbonates, silicates or soaps of alkaline-earth metals (including magnesium), tin and aluminium, are generally present.  Salts of polymeric carboxylic acids, glue, gelatine, salts of ether-carboxylic or -sulphonic acids of starch or cellulose and cellulose sulphate may also be present, if not already used as the sheeting material. Amides or alkanolamides of carboxylic or sulphonic acids, magnesium sulphate, sodium silicate with a ratio Na2O : SiO2 of 1 : 1 to 1 : 4, magnesium silicate with a ratio MgO : SiO2 of 1.5 : 1 to 1 : 4, dyestuffs and optical brighteners may also be incorporated. Specifications 431,682, 549,015 and 822,901 also are referred to.ALSO:A bleaching composition comprises (a) an anionic or non-ionic surface-active agent; (b) a neutral or basic alkali-metal salt; (c) a per-compound; and (d) an activator which is either the anhydride of a carboxylic acid having at most 8 carbon atoms or an organic halogen compound which can be converted by hydrolysis into a carboxylic acid, or a salt thereof, having at most 8 carbon atoms, component (d) and, if desired, also (c) being separated from the other components by a thin layer of a film-forming material which is soluble in water or in the solution of the composition.  Component (a), which preferably constitutes 1-75% by weight of the composition, is suitably an alkylbenzene sulphonate, an alkyl sulphate or sulphonate, or a fatty alcohol or alkyl phenol polyglycol ether or a fatty acid polyglycol ester. Component (b) includes sodium sulphate, carbonate, bicarbonate, phosphate and polyphosphates.  The per-compound (c) may be either organic or inorganic; a list of suitable organic hydroperoxides, peroxides, per-acids, per-acid esters and diacyl peroxides is given, but the preferred compounds are those derived from carboxylic acids whose alkali-metal salts have surface-active properties, or those derived from aromatic mono- or di-carboxylic acids having at most 10 carbon atoms.  Suitable inorganic per-compounds are perphosphates, percarbonatse, per-borates and solid addition compounds of urea and hydrogen peroxide.  The content of per-compound should be such as to yield an active oxygen content of up to 3.5%, preferably 0.2-3%, by weight of the composition. Component (d) is generally present in such an amount that the ratio of active oxygen to activator is 1 : 6 to 6 : 1, and is suitably benzoic or propionic anhydride; benzoyl, chlorbenzoyl or o-nitrobenzoyl chloride; isophthalic acid dichloride; benzotrichloride; or o-, m- or p-bistribromomethylbenzene.  The sheeting in which ingredient (d), and also, if required, (c), is wrapped is preferably of thickness less than 1 mm., usually 0.5-0.1 mm., and is desirably made of a substance which is itself a washing agent additive; suitable water-soluble films may be made of polyvinyl alcohols, salts of polymeric carboxylic acids or of alginic acid, and cellulose ethers of various types, while water-insoluble films which are soluble, however, in the washing agent solution may be made from free alginic or polymeric carboxylic acids, or from calcium, strontium or aluminium alginate.  In the examples, the films are made of methylcellulose, sodium alginate, and carboxymethyl cellulose. Plasticizers such as polyols and their etherification products and cyclic ethers, are usually incorporated in the films.  Stabilizers for the per-compound (c), such as water-insoluble oxides, hydroxides, carbonates, silicates or soaps of alkaline-earth metals (including magnesium), tin and aluminium, are generally present.  Salts of polymeric carboxylic acids, glue, gelatin, salts of ether-carboxylic or -sulphonic acids of starch or cellulose and cellulose sulphate may also be present, if not already used as the sheeting material. Amides or alkanolamides of carboxylic or sulphonic acids, magnesium sulphate, sodium silicate with a ratio Na2O : SiO2 of 1 : 1 to 1 : 4, magnesium silicate with a ratio MgO : SiO2 of 1.5 : 1 to 1 : 4, dyestuffs and optical brighteners may also be incorporated.  The compositions are stated to be particularly suitable for washing and bleaching materials of natural or artificial cellulose, nettle cloth and linen at temperatures above 45 DEG  C.  Specifications 431,682, 549,015 and 822,901 also are referred to.