Patent GB-704021-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to detergent compositions
IPC: C11D3/32
Filed: 1951-07-26
Abstract: A higher alkyl (i.e. containing at least 8 carbon atoms) substituted urea is added in minor proportion to an anionic sulphated or sulphonated synthetic detergent composition.  The preferred urea compounds are of general formula RNH-CO-NH2. The higher alkyl group (R) may be straight or branched chain in structure, and may be derived from long-chain fatty materials, cracked paraffin wax olefins and polymers of mono-olefins.  Groups containing 8-18 carbon atoms are preferred.  Specified examples are octyl urea, decyl urea, dodecyl urea, "cocyl" urea (mixed alkyl radicals derived from coconut oil fatty acids) dodecyl (propylene tetramer) urea, tetradecyl urea, myristyl urea, pentadecyl (propylene pentamer) urea and hexadecyl urea.  The substituted urea may also contain lower (i.e. containing not more than 6 carbon atoms) alkyl or alkylol groups, which may be substituted on the same nitrogen atom as the higher alkyl group or on the other nitrogen atom.  The alkylol group may be a mono- or polyhydroxy group.  Specified examples of these polysubstituted ureas include N-dodecyl, N-methyl urea; N-dodecyl, N1 methyl urea; N-dodecyl, N1N1-dimethyl urea; N-tetradecyl, N1-ethyl urea; N-dodecyl, N1-methylol urea; N-dodecyl, N1-ethanol urea; N-dodecyl, N1N1-diethanol urea; N-dodecyl, N1-butanol urea; and N - tetradecyl, N 1 - 2, 3 - dihydroxy propyl urea.  The detergent ingredient may be a sulphated or sulphonated aliphatic acyl-containing compound wherein the acyl group has between 8 and 22 carbon atoms, and particularly a carboxylic ester compound containing at least 10 and preferably 12 to 26 carbon atoms in the molecule.  Examples specified include the sulphuric acid esters of polyhydric alcohols incompletely esterified with higher fatty acids (coconut oil monoglyceride monosulphate, tallow di-glyceride monosulphate), the long-chain alkyl sulphates (lauryl sulphate, cetyl sulphate, higher fatty alkyl sulphates derived from coconut oil), the hydroxy sulphonated higher fatty acid esters (higher fatty acid esters of 2.3 di-hydroxypropane sulphonic acid), the higher fatty acid esters of low molecular weight alkylol sulphonic acids (oleic ester of isethionic acid), higher fatty acids ethanolamide sulphates and the higher fatty acid amides of amino alkyl sulphonic acids (lauric acid tauride).  The alkyl arylsulphonate detergents may also be used, the aromatic nucleus being derived from benzene, toluene, xylene, phenol, cresols, naphthalene or other single or multiple ring compound.  The alkyl substitutent may be straight or branched chain in structure, and may comprise decyl, dodecyl, keryl, and mixed long chain alkyl radicals derived from polymeric lower monoolefins.  Preferably the alkyl substituent has between 8 and 22 carbon atoms.  The detergent compound may be used as a water-soluble salt such as an alkali, alkaline earth, ammonium, amine, or alkylolamine salt, and the concentration of these salts in the composition may be at least 10 per cent, and preferably 10-50 per cent. by weight of total solids. The proportion of detergent to the substituted urea additive may be between 50:1 and 2:1; in particulate compositions the urea additive may be between 0.5 and 15 per cent. by weight of the composition. The compositions may be prepared by incorporating the additives at any stage in the manufacture. Preferred methods are (1) addition of the additives to a hot aqueous slurry of about 40 to 50 per cent. of the concentration of the active ingredient to form a paste; (2) the additives may be dissolved in a solvent and added to a slurry of the active ingredient; (3) a mixture or emulsion of the additives in water may be added to the slurry, or (4) the additive may be incorporated by an after-treatment of the spray-dried detergent particles.  Other adjuvant materials may be present in the compositions.  The alkali metal phosphates (e.g. tripolyphosphate, hexa-metaphosphate, tetrapyrophosphate), silicates, sulphates, and carbonates, and organic materials such as sodium carboxy methylcellulose are specified.  In particular compositions at least 10 per cent. and preferably from 10 to 80 per cent. by weight of the composition may consist of alkali phosphates.  A preferred composition contains about 15 to 50 per cent. of active ingredient with the requisite amount of substituted urea additive and about 20 to about 60 per cent. of phosphate compounds.  In an example a slurry of about 60 per cent. solids is formed comprising about 35 per cent. sodium propylene tetramer benzene sulphonate, 40 per cent. sodium tripolyphosphate, 15 per cent. sodium sulphate, 3 per cent. dodecyl urea and minor amounts of sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide and sodium carboxy-methylcellulose. After mixing at 140 DEG F. the mixture is spray dried at about 350 DEG F.