Paper products softening compositions

Abstract

Provided herein are amphoteric surfactants derived from ethyleneamines, which surfactants are useful in treating paper, fibers, textiles, hair, and human skin, to impart softness-to-the-touch properties thereto.

I claim:  
     
         1 ) A composition of matter useful for treating paper, textiles, and human skin comprising an amphoteric surfactant represented by the formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which x is any integer selected from the group consisting of: 4, 5, and 6; 
 R 1  in each occurrence is independently any alkyl group having between 5 and 25 carbon atoms, whether straight-chain, branched, cyclic, saturated or unsaturated;  
 R 2  in each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of: 1) hydrogen; 2) any saturated or unsaturated aliphatic mono- or di-carboxylic acid moiety having one or more carboxyl functional groups and having one or more straight-chain or branched, saturated or un-saturated aliphatic chains containing from 2 to 20 carbon atoms; 3) a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic mono sulfonic acid moiety comprising an —SO 3 H functional group and having one or more straight-chain or branched, saturated or un-saturated aliphatic chains containing from 2 to 20 carbon atoms; and 4) a radical of the formula:  
                     
  in which R 1  is defined as above.  
 
     
     
         2 ) A composition according to  claim 1  wherein R 1  in each occurrence may be independently derived from a carboxylic having an unsaturated alkyl carbon bond.  
     
     
         3 ) A composition according to  claim 1  wherein R 2  in each occurrence is independently derived from an acid selected from the group consisting of: acrylic acid, maleic anhydride, vinylsulfonic acid, allylsulfonic acid, 2-methyl vinyl sulfonic acid, and maleic acid.  
     
     
         4 ) A composition of matter useful for treating paper, textiles, and human skin comprising a mixture of at least two components each of which comprise different amphoteric surfactants which are represented by the formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which x is any integer selected from the group consisting of: 4, 5, and 6; 
 R 1  in each occurrence is independently any alkyl group having between 5 and 25 carbon atoms, whether straight-chain, branched, cyclic, saturated or unsaturated; R 2  in each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of: 1) hydrogen; 2) any saturated or unsaturated aliphatic mono- or di-carboxylic acid moiety having one or more carboxyl functional groups and having one or more straight-chain or branched, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic chains containing from 2 to 20 carbon atoms; 3) a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic mono sulfonic acid moiety comprising an —SO 3 H functional group and having one or more straight-chain or branched, saturated or un-saturated aliphatic chains containing from 2 to 20 carbon atoms; and 4) a radical of the formula:  
                     
  in which R 1  is defined as above.  
 
     
     
         5 ) A composition according to  claim 4  wherein one of the components of said mixture has the structure:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which R in each occurrence is independently any alkyl group having between 5 and 25 carbon atoms, whether straight-chain, branched, cyclic, saturated or unsaturated.  
     
     
         6 ) A composition according to  claim 5  in which the carboxylic acid appendage on the nitrogen atom is derived from acrylic acid.  
     
     
         7 ) A composition according to  claim 4  wherein one of the components of said mixture has the structure:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which R in each occurrence is independently any alkyl group having between 5 and 25 carbon atoms, whether straight-chain, branched, cyclic, saturated or unsaturated, and in which L is any alkyl group having any number of carbon atoms between about 2 and about 20, whether straight-chain, branched, or cyclic.  
     
     
         8 ) A composition according to  claim 4  wherein said mixture comprises: 
 a) a first amphoteric surfactant, having a value for x of 4;  
 b) a second amphoteric surfactant, having a value for x of 5;  
 c) a third amphoteric surfactant, having a value for x of 6,  
 said first amphoteric surfactant being present in any amount between 8.0% and 20.0%; said second amphoteric surfactant being present in any amount between 25.0% and 45.0%; and said third amphoteric surfactant being present in any amount between 35.0% and 60.0%, wherein said percentages are calculated on a weight basis with respect to all of the amphoteric surfactants present which are defined by said formula.  
 
     
     
         9 ) A process for treating a substrate comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing an aqueous composition that comprises an amphoteric surfactant according to  claim 1;  and    b) contacting said substrate with said aqueous composition.    
     
     
         10 ) A process according to  claim 9  wherein the concentration of said amphoteric surfactant is any concentration between 0.10% and 5.00% by weight based upon the total weight of said aqueous composition.  
     
     
         11 ) A process for treating a substrate comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing an aqueous composition that comprises an amphoteric surfactant according to  claim 4;  and    b) contacting said substrate with said aqueous composition.    
     
     
         12 ) A process according to  claim 11  wherein the concentration of said amphoteric surfactant is any concentration between 0.10% and 5.00% by weight based upon the total weight of said aqueous composition.  
     
     
         13 ) A process for treating a substrate comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing an aqueous composition that comprises an amphoteric surfactant according to  claim 7;  and    b) contacting said substrate with said aqueous composition.    
     
     
         14 ) A process according to  claim 13  wherein the concentration of said amphoteric surfactant is any concentration between 0.10% and 5.00% by weight based upon the total weight of said aqueous composition.