Detergent containing alpha-sulfofatty acid esters and methods of making and using the same

Abstract

The present invention includes a composition comprising an enriched mixture of α-sulfofatty acid esters. Increasing the concentration of specific chain length α-sulfofatty acid esters, relative to the proportions of the other chain lengths, allows the detergent compositions to exhibit an improved cleaning performance while simultaneously cleaning a wide variety of materials.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A composition, comprising a mixture of α-sulfofatty acid esters and having an enriched α-sulfofatty acid ester concentration.  
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture is enriched for C 16  α-sulfofatty acid esters.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the C 16 -enriched (X-sulfofatty acid ester concentration is at least about 25 weight percent C 16 -enriched α-sulfofatty acid ester of the total α-sulfofatty acid esters.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the C 1   6 -enriched α-sulfofatty acid ester concentration is at least about 35 weight percent C 16 -enriched α-sulfofatty acid ester of the total α-sulfofatty acid esters.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the C 16 -enriched α-sulfofatty acid ester concentration is at least about 50 weight percent C 16 -enriched α-sulfofatty acid ester of the total α-sulfofatty acid esters.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the α-sulfofatty acid esters are derived from natural fats or oils.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the α-sulfofatty acid esters are methyl ester sulfonates.  
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the α-sulfofatty acid esters comprise a first and a second α-sulfofatty acid ester.  
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the first α-sulfofatty acid ester is prepared from palm kernel oil, cohune oil or coconut oil, and the second α-sulfofatty acid ester is prepared from palm stearine oil or tallow.  
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the second α-sulfofatty acid ester comprises predominately C 16  chain lengths.  
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the first α-sulfofatty acid ester comprises C 8 , C 10 , C 12 , C 14 , C 16 , and C 18  chain lengths and the second α-sulfofatty acid esters comprises predominately C 16  chain lengths.  
     
     
         12 . A detergent composition, comprising at least about 15 weight percent of a mixture of α-sulfofatty acid esters and having a C 16 -enriched α-sulfofatty acid ester concentration.  
     
     
         13 . The detergent composition of  claim 12 , wherein the mixture comprises a first α-sulfofatty acid ester comprising C 8 , C 10 , C 12 , C 14 , C 16 , and C 18  chain lengths and a second α-sulfofatty acid ester comprising predominately C 16  chain lengths.  
     
     
         14 . The detergent composition of  claim 13 , wherein the second α-sulfofatty acid ester comprises at least about 35 weight percent C 16  chain lengths.  
     
     
         15 . The detergent composition of  claim 13 , wherein the second α-sulfofatty acid ester consists of C 16  chain lengths.  
     
     
         16 . The detergent composition of  claim 12 , wherein the mixture of sulfofatty acid esters comprises methyl ester sulfonates.  
     
     
         17 . A detergent composition, comprising at least about 35 weight percent of α-sulfofatty acid esters, comprising: 
 a first α-sulfofatty acid ester comprising a mixture of different chain lengths; and  
 a second α-sulfofatty acid ester comprising at least about 35 weight C 16  chain lengths.  
 
     
     
         18 . A composition, comprising: 
 about 60 to about 40 weight percent methyl ester sulfonate comprising a mixture of chain lengths; and    about 40 to about 60 weight percent methyl ester sulfonate consisting essentially of C 16  chain lengths.    
     
     
         19 . A method for making a detergent composition, comprising: providing a mixture of α-sulfofatty acid esters with a C 16  enriched concentration; and combining the mixture of α-sulfofatty acid esters with at least one other detergent component.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the α-sulfofatty acid esters comprise methyl ester sulfonates.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , including providing the mixture of α-sulfofatty acid esters by providing a methyl ester feedstock and then sulfonating the methyl ester feed to make the methyl ester sulfonates.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , including sulfonating the methyl ester feedstock by reacting the methyl ester feedstock with gaseous SO 3 .  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the methyl ester is prepared from a natural fat or oil.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising enriching the C 16  content of the methyl ester feedstock.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising combining a natural fat or oil and a enriched natural fat or oil to form the methyl ester feedstock.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , including combining about 60 to about 40 weight percent of the natural fat or oil with 40 to about 60 weight percent of the enriched natural fat or oil.  
     
     
         27 . A method for making a detergent composition, comprising: providing a methyl ester feedstock containing methyl esters having a C 16  enriched concentration; 
 sulfonating the methyl ester feedstock to obtain methyl ester sulfonate; and    combining the methyl ester sulfonates with at least one other detergent component.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , the methyl ester comprising a first natural fat or oil comprising a mixture of chain lengths and a second natural fat or oil comprising predominately C 16  chain lengths.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising enriching the C 16  content of the second natural fat or oil by removing at least some of the non-C 16  chain lengths.