Detergent formulations containing alkaline peroxide salts and organic acids

Abstract

The invention provides particulate detergent compositions containing alkaline peroxide salts and organic peracid precursors, methods of treating stains with these compositions and methods of making the compositions. The compositions have long term storage stability imparted by a coating to the alkaline peroxide salt. The methods of formulating the compositions to include this coating are relatively easy and inexpensive.

1 . A particulate solid detergent composition having increased storage stability, comprising: 
 a. an alkaline peroxide salt coated with a surfactant; and    b. a peracid precursor selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids and salts thereof.    
     
     
         2 . The detergent composition of  claim 1 , wherein the alkaline peroxide salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate.  
     
     
         3 . The detergent composition of  claim 1 , wherein the alkaline peroxide salt is present in an amount from about 20% to about 80% by weight.  
     
     
         4 . The detergent composition of  claim 1 , wherein the peracid precursor is selected from the group consisting of dicarboxylic and tricarboxylic acids.  
     
     
         5 . The detergent composition of  claim 1 , wherein the peracid precursor is selected from the group consisting of oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, pimelic acid, tannic acid, tartaric acid and citric acid and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The detergent composition, as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the peracid precursor is tartaric acid.  
     
     
         7 . The detergent composition of  claim 1 , wherein the peracid precursor is present in an amount from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight.  
     
     
         8 . The detergent composition of  claim 1 , wherein the peracid precursor is present in an amount from about 0.7% to about 2% by weight.  
     
     
         9 . The detergent composition of  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant comprises at least one non-ionic surfactant.  
     
     
         10 . The detergent composition of  claim 9 , wherein the non-ionic surfactant comprises an 11 to 16 carbon alcohol ethoxylate.  
     
     
         11 . The detergent composition of  claim 10 , wherein the alcohol ethoxylate is selected from the group consisting of GENOPOL LA060™, GENOPOL UD-030™ and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The detergent composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a surfactant substrate.  
     
     
         13 . The detergent composition of  claim 12 , wherein the surfactant substrate is selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The detergent composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a metals protectant.  
     
     
         15 . The detergent composition, as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the metals protectant is sodium metasilicate.  
     
     
         16 . The detergent composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a dispersive agent.  
     
     
         17 . The detergent composition, as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the dispersive agent is selected from the group consisting of acrylic derived polymers and rosin soaps.  
     
     
         18 . The detergent composition of  claim 16 , wherein the dispersive agent is a maleic/acrylic acid copolymer.  
     
     
         19 . The detergent composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a water soluble solvent.  
     
     
         20 . The detergent composition, as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the water soluble solvent is selected from the group consisting of dipropylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol butyl ether and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         21 . A process for the treatment of a stain on a fabric, comprising contacting the stained fabric with a detergent composition comprising an alkaline peroxide salt coated with a surfactant and a peracid precursor selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids and salts thereof.  
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the alkaline peroxide salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate.  
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the alkaline peroxide salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate.  
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the alkaline peroxide salt is present in an amount from about 20% to about 80% by weight.  
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the peracid precursor is selected from the group consisting of dicarboxylic and tricarboxylic acids.  
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the peracid precursor is selected from the group consisting of oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, pimelic acid, tannic acid, tartaric acid and citric acid and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 26 , wherein the peracid precursor is tartaric acid.  
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the peracid precursor is present in an amount from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight.  
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the peracid precursor is present in an amount from about 0.7% to about 2% by weight.  
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the surfactant comprises at least one non-ionic surfactant.  
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein the non-ionic surfactant comprises an 11 to 16 carbon alcohol ethoxylate.  
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 31 , wherein the alcohol ethoxylate is selected from the group consisting of GENOPOL LA060™, GENOPOL UD-030™ and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the composition further comprises a surfactant substrate.  
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 33 , wherein the surfactant substrate is selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the composition further comprises a metals protectant.  
     
     
         36 . The process of  claim 35 , wherein the metals protectant is sodium metasilicate.  
     
     
         37 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the composition further comprises a dispersive agent.  
     
     
         38 . The process of  claim 37 , wherein the dispersive agent is selected from the group consisting of acrylic derived polymers and rosin soaps.  
     
     
         39 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein the dispersive agent is a maleic/acrylic acid copolymer.  
     
     
         40 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the composition further comprises a water soluble solvent.  
     
     
         41 . The process of  claim 40 , wherein the water soluble solvent is selected from the group consisting of dipropylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol butyl ether and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         42 . A detergent composition, comprising: 
 a. about 50% to about 60% by weight of an alkaline peroxide salt, wherein said alkaline peroxide salt is coated with a surfactant;    b. about 0.7% to about 2% by weight of a peracid precursor selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids and salts thereof.    
     
     
         43 . The detergent composition, as claimed in  claim 42 , further comprising: 
 a. about 30% to about 40% by weight of sodium carbonate;    b. about 0.7% to about 2% by weight of sodium metasilicate;    c. about 0.2% to about 5% by weight of maleic/acrylic acid copolymer;    d. about 0.3% to about 0.5% by weight of dipropylene glycol methyl ether;    e. about 0.2% to about 5% by weight of linear 10-14 carbon alcohol ethoxylate; and    f. about 0.2% to about 5% by weight of an 11 carbon alcohol ethoxylate.    
     
     
         44 . A method of making a particulate solid detergent comprising: 
 a. contacting an alkaline peroxide salt with a solution comprising a surfactant to form a coated alkaline peroxide salt; and,    b. adding a peracid precursor to the coated alkaline peroxide salt to form a particulate solid composition having enhanced storage stability.    
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the surfactant is a non-ionic surfactant.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the non-ionic surfactant comprises an 11 to 16 carbon alcohol ethoxylate.  
     
     
         47 . The process of  claim 46 , wherein the alcohol ethoxylate is selected from the group consisting of GENOPOL LA060™, GENOPOL UD-030™ and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the solvent is water soluble.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the solvent is dipropylene glycol methyl ether.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the contacting step comprises: 
 a. contacting a surfactant substrate with the solution; and,    b. mixing an alkaline peroxide salt with the surfactant substrate, wherein the alkaline peroxide salt absorbs the solution from a surface of the surfactant substrate.    
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the alkaline peroxide salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the alkaline peroxide salt is present in the particulate solid detergent in an amount from about 20% to about 80% by weight.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the peracid precursor is selected from the group consisting of dicarboxylic and tricarboxylic acids.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the peracid precursor is selected from the group consisting of oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, pimelic acid, tannic acid, tartaric acid and citric acid and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the peracid precursor is tartaric acid.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 44 , comprising the additional step of adding an ingredient selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, surfactant substrates, metal protectants, dispersants, enzymatic stain removers, fluorescent whiteners, optical brighteners, buffers, colorants, fragrances, detergency builders, peroxide stabilizers and bulking agents to the coated alkaline peroxide salt following the addition of the peracid precursor.  
     
     
         57 . A dry particulate detergent composition comprising an alkaline peroxide salt, a solvent and a peracid precursor selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids and salts thereof made by the method comprising: 
 a. combining a surfactant with a solvent to form a solution;    b. contacting an alkaline peroxide salt with the solution to form an alkaline peroxide salt;    c. adding a peracid precursor to the coated alkaline peroxide salt to form a particulate solid composition having enhanced storage stability.