Softener composition

The present invention relates to a softener composition.

Heretofore, quaternary ammonium salts having long-chain alkyl group, acid salts of tertiary amines, etc. have been used for softeners. Further, compounding of a softener composition with an antimicrobial agent has been attempted for sanitation and deodorization of fiber products. JP-A 10-512015 discloses a softener composition comprising a water-insoluble quaternary ammonium salt as a softener and a water-soluble quaternary ammonium salt as an antimicrobial agent compounded therein. In addition, JP-A 7-3649 discloses a fiber product-softener composition, having pH 2 to 5, comprising a di-long-chain-alkyl amine (C 6-24 alkyl or alkenyl group which may be interrupted by an ether linkage, ester linkage or acid amide linkage) and a mono-long-chain-alkyl quaternary ammonium salt (C 6-24 alkyl or alkenyl group which may be interrupted by an ether linkage, ester linkage or acid amide linkage), at a weight ratio of from 9:1 to 5:5. WO 98/56886 discloses an antimicrobial fiber softener composition, being suitable for conferring antimicrobial performance on fibers, comprising a conventional fiber softener composition and one or more cationic antimicrobial agents in a larger amount than required for antimicrobial performance. It, however, is a problem that the antimicrobial water-soluble quaternary ammonium salt lowers the softening effect. The softening effect is necessarily sacrificed in order to attain a satisfactory antimicrobial effect. In particular, it is difficult to achieve a composition demonstrating both a high softening effect and antimicrobial performance being capable of suppressing for long nasty smell attributable to microorganisms when clothes are dried in a room and body smell derived from sweat at the time of wearing.

Accordingly, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a softener composition which suppresses for long body smell derived from sweat etc. and is excellent in the softening effect.

The present invention relates to a softener composition comprising:

(a) a quaternary ammonium compound represented by the formula

wherein R 1 and R 2 independently represent a C 12-22 alkyl or alkenyl group, X and Y are independently —COO—, —CONR 7 —, —OCO— or —NR 7 CO—, preferably provided that at least one of X and Y is —COO— or —OCO—. R 7 represents a hydrogen atom or a C 1-3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group. R 3 and R 4 independently represent a C 1-5 alkylene group, R 5 and R 6 represent a C 1-3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group or R 1 —X—R 3 —, and Z − is an anionic group,

(b) a quaternary ammonium compound represented by formula (2):

wherein R 8 represents a C 12-22 alkyl or alkenyl group, W is a group selected from —COO—, —CONR 7 —, —OCO— and —NR 7 CO—, R 7 represents a hydrogen atom or a C 1-3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, preferably a hydrogen atom, R 9 represents a C 1-5 alkylene group, R 10 and R 11 represent a C 1-3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, R 12 represents a C 1-3 alkyl group or —R 26 —OH, R 26 is a C 1-5 alkylene group and Z − is an anionic group, and

a compound selected from the following component (c) or (d):

(c) 0.1 to 15% by weight of a compound represented by formula (3) and/or formula (4):

wherein R 13 and R 18 independently represent a C 5-19 alkyl or alkenyl group, R 14 and R 15 independently represent a C 1-3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, and T is —COO—, —OCO—, —CONH—, —NHCO—,

or a linkage; R 16 represents a C 1-3 alkylene group, R 17 represents a C 1-6 alkylene group or —(O—R 19 ) n , R 19 is ethylene group or propylene group and n is a number of 1 to 10 and W − is an anionic group, and

(d) 0.01 to 15% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 15% by weight of a compound represented by formula (5):

wherein 2 or 3 groups of R 20 , R 21 , R 22 and R 2 3 represent a C 8-12 alkyl group while the remainder(s) represents a C 1-3 alky group, C 1-3 hydroxyalkyl group or C 7-15 arylalkyl group, and Z − is an anionic group.

As used herein, the “linkage” refers to a covalent bond directly linking R 13 with R 17 .

The component (a) of the present invention is a compound having the formula (1):

in which R 1 and R 2 independently represent a C 12-22 , preferably C 14-22 and more preferably C 14-18 alkyl or alkenyl group, X and Y independently represent a group selected from —COO—, —CONR 7 —, —OCO— and —NR 7 CO—, and preferably at least one of X and Y is —COO— or —OCO—; X and Y are preferably —COO— or —OCNR 7 —. R 7 represents a hydrogen atom or a C 1-3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group. R 3 and R 4 independently represent a C 1-5 alkylene group, R 5 and R 6 represent a C 1-3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group or R 2 —X—R 3 —, and Z − is an anionic group. Z − is preferably a halogen ion, sulfate ion, phosphate ion, a C 1-3 alkyl sulfate ion or a C 1-12 fatty acid ion.

The component (a) is particularly preferably the following compound.

R′ and R″ may be the same as or different from each other and represent a C 12-18 alkyl or alkenyl group; R′″ is a C 1-3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group; and R″″ is a C 1-3 alkyl group.

The component (b) of the present invention is a compound represented by formula (2):

wherein R 8 represents a C 12-22 , preferably C 14-22 and more preferably C 14-18 alkyl or alkenyl group, W is —COO—, —CONR 7 —, —OCO— or —NR 7 CO—, preferably —COO— or —OCNR 7 —. R 7 represents a hydrogen atom or a C 1-3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, preferably a hydrogen atom. R 9 is a C 1-5 alkylene group and R 10 and R 11 independently represent a C 1-3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group. R 12 is a C 1-3 alkyl group or —R 26 —OH. R 26 is a C 1-5 alkylene group. Z − is an anionic group, preferably a halogen ion, a fatty acid ion or a C 1-3 alkyl sulfate ion.

The component (c) of the present invention is a compound of the formula (3) or (4) above shown. As the most preferable component (c), the following compounds can be exemplified. In the formulae, Z − has the meanings as defined above.

(R is a C 12-16 alkyl group.)

(R is an optionally branched C 6-10 alkyl group and m is an integer of 1 to 5.)

(R is a C 8-18 alkyl group.)

The component (d) of the present invention is a compound of the formula (5) above shown and the anionic group represented by W of the formula (5) is preferably a sulfate ion, a halogen ion, a C 1-12 fatty acid ion or a C 1-3 alkyl sulfate ion.

(Softener Composition)

The softener composition of the present invention comprises the component (a) in an amount of preferably 3 to 50% by weight, more preferably 3 to 40% by weight and particularly preferably 5 to 35% by weight. Further, the amount of the component (b) is 0.5 to 10% by weight, preferably 0.5 to 5% by weight. In addition, it is preferable to the softening effect and the deodorizing effect that a weight ratio of the component (a)/the component (b) is from 80/20 to 99/1, particularly from 85/15 to 95/1.

When the component (c) is used in the present invention, the component (c) is contained in an amount of 0.1 to 15% by weight, preferably 1 to 15% by weight and particularly preferably 3 to 10% by weight. Further, it is desirable to the feeling in touch of clothes and the deodorizing effect that the ratio of (c)/(a) by weight is from 1/30 to 1/1, preferably from 1/10 to 1/1. Further, when the component (d) is used in the present invention, it is desirable to the feeling in touch of clothes and the deodorizing effect that the amount of the component (d) is preferably 0.1 to 15% by weight, more preferably 0.2 to 10% by weight, and a weight ratio of (a)/(d) is from 50/1 to 2/1, preferably from 30/1 to 2/1, and more preferably from 20/1 to 2/1.

The softener composition of the present invention is

The softener composition of the present invention is preferably in the form of an aqueous solution comprising at least the component (a) and the component (b) and the component (c) or (d), diluted in water. The water used is preferably distilled water or deionized water. It is desirable for storage stability that water is incorporated in an amount of 40 to 90% by weight, more preferably 50 to 80% by weight and particularly preferably 60 to 85% by weight into the composition.

Further, it is preferable to the deodorizing effect and for storage stability that the composition of the present invention is adjusted to a pH value of 1 to 6, further 2 to 5, and particularly 2.5 to 4 at 20° C.

In the present invention, incorporation of a nonionic surfactant (e) in addition to the above components (a), (b), (c) and (d) is preferable for storage stability. The nonionic surfactant is preferably a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether containing one or more C 8-20 alkyl or alkenyl group, particularly preferably a nonionic surfactant of the formula (6):

R 24 —U—[(R 25 O) p —H] q   (6)

wherein R 24 is a C 10-18 , preferably C 12-18 , alkyl or alkenyl group, R 25 is a C 2 or C 3 alkylene group, preferably an ethylene group; p is an integer of 2 to 100, preferably 5 to 80, more preferably 10 to 80 and particularly preferably 20 to 60; and U is —O—, —CON— or —N—, and when U is —O—, q is 1, and when U is —CON— or —N—, q is 2.

The compound of the formula (6) includes for example the following compounds:

R 24 —O—(C 2 H 4 O)r—H

wherein R 24 has the same meanings as defined above; and when the component (c) is contained, r is an integer of 8 to 100, and when the component (d) is contained, r is an integer of 5 to 100, preferably 10 to 80 and more preferably 20 to 80.

R 24 —O—(C 2 H 4 O) s (C 3 H 6 O) t —H

wherein R 24 has the same meanings as defined above; s and t are independently an integer of 2 to 40, preferably 5 to 40, and the sum of s and t is preferably an integer of 10 to 80, and the ethylene oxide and propylene oxide units may be a random- or block-addition product.

wherein R 24 has the same meanings as defined above; and when the component (c) is contained, the sum in total of u and v is an integer of 5 to 100 and when the component (d) is contained, the sum in total thereof is an integer of 10 to 80, preferably 5 to 80.

From the viewpoint of stability, the amount of the nonionic surfactant incorporated is 0.5 to 10% by weight, preferably 1 to 8% by weight.

For the purpose of improving the feeling in touch of fiber products, in the present invention, (f) a C 8-22 fatty acid or a salt thereof is preferably added in an amount of 0.1 to 5% by weight, particularly 0.5 to 3% by weight.

The fatty acid or a salt thereof includes caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid or a mixture thereof. One or more members selected from lauric acid, stearic acid and oleic acid are particularly preferable. Further, fatty acids having an alkyl composition derived from coconut oil, palm oil, palm seed oil or tallow are also preferable.

In the present invention, it is preferable for storage stability that an ester compound of a C 8-22 saturated or unsaturated fatty acid and a polyvalent alcohol is incorporated in an amount of 0.1 to 10% by weight, particularly 0.5 to 5% by weight into the composition. The ester compound is preferably triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglyceride, a mono-, di- or tri-ester of pentaerythritol and sorbitan ester.

In the present invention, it is desirable for storage stability that inorganic salts such as calcium chloride are added in an amount of 0 to 1000 ppm, preferably 1 to 1000 ppm, and more preferably 10 to 500 ppm. Sodium salts and potassium salts are contained in surfactants such as fatty acid salts and the inorganic salts mixed in the composition by using such surfactants are not subject to the above limitation.

In the present invention, a solvent component selected from ethanol, isopropanol, glycerin, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol and polyoxyethylene phenyl ether is further preferably incorporated for storage stability. These solvent components are incorporated in an amount of preferably 0 to 20% by weight, more preferably 0.1 to 20% by weight and particularly preferably 0.5 to 10% by weight into the composition. If ethanol is used, it is desirable to use a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfate-modified ethanol or an 8-acetylated sucrose-modified ethanol.

Ingredients such as silicone being ordinarily incorporated into a fiber-treating agent, a perfume (particularly preferably a combination of aroma components shown as thecomponents (c) and (d) described in JP-A 8-113871) and a coloring matter may be incorporated into the softener composition of the present invention.

<Compounding Ingredients>

The ingredients used in the present invention are shown below.

R: a mixed C 18 and C 16 saturated alkyl group (ratio by weight of C 18 group/C 16 group=60/40)

R: a mixed C 18 and C 16 saturated alkyl group (ratio by weight of C 18 group/C 16 group=60/40)

R: a mixed C 17 and C 15 saturated alkyl group (ratio by weight of C 17 group/C 15 group=60/40)

R: a mixed C 17 and C 15 saturated alkyl group (ratio by weight of C 17 group/C 15 group=60/40)

(a-5) Di(oleoyl oxyethyl)dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate.

R: a mixed C 17 and C 15 saturated alkyl group (ratio by weight of C 17 group/C 15 group=60/40)

(a′-1) Dioleyl dimethyl ammonium chloride.

R: a mixed C 18 and C 16 saturated alkyl group (ratio by weight of C 18 group/C 16 group=60/40)

R: a mixed C 17 and C 15 saturated alkyl group (ratio by weight of C 17 group/C 15 group=60/40)

(d-1) Didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride.

(e-1) An addition product of a saturated alcohol containing 12 carbon atoms to which 21 moles on the average of ethylene oxide have been added.

(e-2) An addition product of lauric acid diethanolamide to which 20 moles on the average of ethylene oxide have been added.

(f-1) Lunack™ S-50 (stearic acid produced by Kao Corporation).

(f-2) Lauric acid.

(f-3) Myristic acid.

(f-4) Palmitic acid.

(g-1) Excel™ 150 [a mixture of stearic mono-, di- and triglycerides (mono:di:tri=60:35:5) produced by Kao Corporation].

(g-2) Calcium chloride.

(g-3) Ethylene glycol.

(h-1) Coloring matter (Acid blue 9).

(h-2) Perfume [a mixture of hexyl cinnamic aldehyde (18), nerolin yarayara (4), tricyclodecenyl acetate (4), benzyl acetate (10), musk ketone (5), anisyl acetone (2), sandal mysolcore (2), aldehyde C14 peach (1), linalool (18), dihydroxy myrcenol (8), borneol (4), cedrol (4), mugoal (5), benzyl alcohol (5) and dipropylene glycol (10), the figures shown in the parentheses meaning a percent by weight in the perfume mixture.].

(h-3) Silicone (TSA730 produced by Toshiba Silicone Co., Ltd.).