Macroscopic aggregates of microcrystalline zeolites

Abstract

This invention relates to zeolitic molecular sieve compositions and hybrid zeolite-silica compositions characterized by novel morphology in which the zeolite is present as macroscopic aggregates of microcrystalline zeolite. The zeolitic compositions of this invention have outstanding capability to complex multivalent cations, especially calcium due to the high exchange kinetics of the microcrystalline zeolite component and yet have the ease of handling due to the macroscopic aggregate assemblage.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A detergent composition comprising: 
 a) a detersive surfactant system;    b) a detergency builder comprising, 
 (i) from about 20% to about 100% by weight of aggregates of submicron crystallites of an aluminosilicate ion exchange material selected from the group consisting of zeolite A, zeolite X, faujasite, chabazite, zeolite B, zeolite P, zeolite MAP and mixtures thereof; and  
 (ii) from about 0 to about 80% by weight of conventional builder other than those comprising said aggregates; and  
   c) detergent adjunct materials.    
     
     
         2 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the submicron cystallites have a particle size of from about 0.05 to less than about 1.0 micron and the aggregates have a particle size of from about 1.0 to about 5.0 microns.  
     
     
         3 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  wherein the detergency builder system is comprised of: 
 (i) from about 20% to about 100% by weight of aggregates of submicron cystallites of an aluminosilicate ion exchange material selected from the group consisiting of zeolite A, zeolite X, zeolite B, faujasite, chabazite, zeoite P, zeolite MAP and mixtures thereof; and  
 (ii) from about 0 to about 80% by weight of conventional aluminosilicate builder other than those comprising said aggregates  
 
     
     
         4 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  wherein the aluminosilicate ion exchange material is zeolite type A.  
     
     
         5 . A detergent composition according to  claim 3  wherein said conventional aluminosilicate builder is selected from the group consisting of sodium aluminosilicates, zeolite type P, zeolite MAP and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         6 . A detergent composition comprising: 
 a) from about 0.5% to about 98% by weight of detersive surfactant system; and    b) from about 2% to about 99.5% by weight of a builder system comprising: 
 (i) from about 20% to about 100% by weight of aggregates of submicron cystallites of an aluminosilicate ion exchange material selected from the group consisiting of zeolite A, zeolite X, faujasite, chabazite, zeolite B, zeolite P, zeolite MAP and mixtures thereof; and  
 (ii) from about 0 to about 80% by weight of conventional builder other than those comprising said aggregates; and  
   c) balance detergent adjunct materials    
     
     
         7 . A detergent composition according to  claim 6  wherein the builder system is comprised of: 
 (i) from about 20% to about 100% by weight of aggregates of submicron cystallites of an aluminosilicate ion exchange material selected from the group consisiting of zeolite A, zeolite X, faujasite, chabazite, zeolite B, zeolite P, zeolite MAP and mixtures thereof; and  
 (ii) from about 0 to about 80% by weight of conventional aluminosilicate builder other than those comprising said aggregates.  
 
     
     
         8 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  wherein the submicron cystallites have a particle size of from about 0.05 to about 0.5 micron and the aggregates have a particle size of from about 1.0 to about 5.0 microns.  
     
     
         9 . A granular detergent composition comprising: 
 a) a detersive surfactant system;    b) a builder system comprising, 
 (i) from about 20% to about 100% by weight of aggregates of submicron cystallites of an aluminosilicate ion exchange material selected from the group consisiting of zeolite A, zeolite X, faujasite, chabazite, zeolite B, zeolite P, zeolite MAP and mixtures thereof; and  
 (ii) from about 0 to about 80% by weight of conventional builder other than those comprising said aggregates; and  
   c) detergent adjunct materials.    
     
     
         10 . A granular detergent composition according to  claim 9  wherein the builder system is comprised of: 
 (i) from about 20% to about 100% by weight of aggregates of submicron cystallites of an aluminosilicate ion exchange material selected from the group consisiting of zeolite A, zeolite X, faujasite, chabazite, zeolite B, zeolite P, zeolite MAP and mixtures thereof; and  
 (ii) from about 0 to about 80% by weight of conventional aluminosilicate builder other than those comprising said aggregates.  
 
     
     
         11 . A granular detergent composition according to  claim 9  wherein the aluminosilicate ion exchange material is zeolite type A.  
     
     
         12 . A granular detergent composition according to  claim 9  wherein the submicron crystallites have a particle size of from about 0.05 to less than about 1.0 micron and the aggregates have a total particle size of from about 1.0 to about 5.0 microns.  
     
     
         13 . A granular detergent composition according to  claim 9  wherein the submicron crystallites have a particle size of from about 0.05 to about 0.5 micron and the aggregates have a particle size of from about 1.0 to about 5.0 microns.  
     
     
         14 . A granular detergent composition according to  claim 9  wherein said aggregates have a surface area (BET) of at least 10 m 2 /g.  
     
     
         15 . A granular detergent composition according to  claim 9  wherein said aggregates have a surface area (BET) of at least 40 m 2 /g.  
     
     
         16 . A solid detergent composition comprising: 
 a) a detersive surfactant system;    b) a builder system comprising, 
 (i) from about 20% to about 100% by weight of aggregates of submicron cystallites of an aluminosilicate ion exchange material selected from the group consisiting of zeolite A, zeolite X, faujasite, chabazite, zeolite B, zeolite P, zeolite MAP and mixtures thereof; and  
 (ii) from about 0 to about 80% by weight of conventional builder other than those comprising said aggregates; and  
   c) detergent adjunct materials.    
     
     
         17 . A solid detergent composition according to  claim 16  wherein the builder system is comprised of: 
 (i) from about 20% to about 100% by weight of aggregates of submicron cystallites of an aluminosilicate ion exchange material selected from the group consisting of zeolite A, zeolite X, zeolite B, faujasite, chabazite, zeoite P, zeolite MAP and mixtures thereof; and  
 (ii) from about 0 to about 80% by weight of conventional aluminosilicate builder other than those comprising said aggregates.  
 
     
     
         18 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  wherein the aggregates are added to the final detergent composition as particles in conjunction with an anionic surfactant.  
     
     
         19 . A detergent composition according to  claim 12  wherein the surfactant system contains an anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of linear and branched alkyl sulfates, alkyl alkoxy sulfates, alkylbenzene sulfonates and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         20 . A method of sequestering hardness ions from wash water in from about 0.25 to about 15.0 minutes comprising the steps of: 
 A) preparing a detergent composition comprising 
 (i) conventional detergent ingredients selected from the group consisting of surfactants, builders, chelants, brighteners, bleaching agents, enzymes, soil release polymers, perfumes and mixtures thereof, and  
 (ii) a zeolite system comprising: 
 a) from 20% to 100% by weight of aggregates of submicron crystallites of an aluminosilicate ion exchange material selected from the group consisting of zeolite A, zeolite X, faujasite, chabazite, zeolite B, zeolite P, zeolite MAP and mixtures thereof; and  
 b) from 0 to about 80% by weight of conventional aluminosilicates other than those comprising said aggregates; and  
 
   B) contacting fabrics with said detergent composition.    
     
     
         21 . A solid detergent comprising a combination of: 
 a) aggregates of submicron crystallites of an aluminosilicate ion exchange material selected from the group consisting of zeolite A, zeolite X, faujasite, chabazite, zeolite B, zeolite P, zeolite MAP and mixtures thereof; and    b) an anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of linear and branched alkyl sulfates, alkyl alkoxy sulfates, alkylbenzene sulfonates and mixtures thereof.