Structuring systems for fabric treatment compositions

Abstract

The invention is directed to structuring systems suitable for incorporation into liquid fabric treatment compositions. Such structuring systems comprise, as added components, (A) a non-polymeric, crystalline, hydroxyl-containing structuring agent, which can crystallize to form a thread-like structuring network throughout liquid matrices; (B) a nonionic emulsifier; (C) an anionic emulsifier; and (D) a liquid carrier. The anionic emulsifier is present in such structuring systems, at concentrations from 0.1% to 8.0% by weight of the structuring system. The present invention also relates to processes for preparing such structuring systems and to the use of the structuring system of the present invention to control the particle size of a thread-like structuring material by mixing an anionic emulsifier with a structuring agent. Liquid fabric treatment compositions containing such structuring systems are also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A structuring system suitable for incorporation into liquid fabric treatment compositions, which structuring system comprises as added components 
 (A) a non-polymeric, crystalline, hydroxyl-containing structuring agent, which can crystallize to form a thread-like structuring network throughout liquid matrices;    (B) a nonionic emulsifier;    (C) an anionic emulsifier; and    (D) a liquid carrier    wherein the anionic emulsifier is present at a concentration from 0.1% to 8.0% by weight of the structuring system.    
     
     
         2 . A structuring system according to  claim 1  wherein the total amount of emulsifier present is at least 5% and does not exceed 50% by weight of the structuring system.  
     
     
         3 . A structuring system according to  claim 1  wherein the structuring agent is present at a concentration from 0.1% to 80% by weight of the structuring system.  
     
     
         4 . A structuring system according to  claim 1  wherein the structuring agent is selected from the group consisting of fatty acids, fatty esters, fatty soap water-insoluble wax-like substances and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . A structuring system according to  claim 4 , wherein the structuring agent is castor wax.  
     
     
         6 . A structuring system according to  claim 1  wherein the nonionic emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of alkoxylated nonionic emulsifiers, amidofunctional nonionic emulsifiers, condensation products of primary aliphatic alcohols with from 1 to 75 moles of C 2  to C 3  alkylene oxide, and from semi-polar emulsifiers having the formula:  
       R(EO) x (PO) y (BO) z N(O)(CH 2 R′) 2   
       wherein R is a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched C 8  to C 20  hydrocarbyl moiety; R′ is a C 1  to C 4  hydrocarbyl moiety; and x, y, z are each from 0 to 100; and wherein the anionic emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of sulfonate or sulfonic acid emulsifiers including their acid form and their salt forms of C 5  to C 20  alkylbenzene sulfonates, C 5  to C 20  alkyl ester sulfonates, C 6  to C 22  primary or secondary alkane sulfonates, C 5  to C 20  sulfonated polycarboxylates acids, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         7 . A structuring system according to  claim 1  wherein in the structuring system, the weight ratio of the nonionic emulsifier to the anionic emulsifier is between 100:1 to 1:1.  
     
     
         8 . A structuring system according to  claim 1  further comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of pH-adjusting agents, suds suppressors, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         9 . A structuring system according to  claim 1  wherein the structuring system is free of any antiperspirant actives, such as aluminum zirconium complexes, aluminum chlorohydrates, aluminum chlorohydroxides, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         10 . A structuring system suitable for incorporation into liquid fabric treatment compositions, which structuring system comprises as added components 
 (A) from 2.0% to 6.0% wt. of a hydrogenated castor oil derivative;    (B) from 10% to 40% wt. of a nonionic emulsifier;    (C) from 0.5% to 6.0% wt. of an anionic emulsifier; and    (D) from 48% to 87.5% wt. of a liquid carrier.    
     
     
         11 . Process for preparing a structuring system suitable for incorporation into liquid fabric treatment compositions, said process comprises the steps of: 
 (A) premixing the anionic emulsifier with the liquid carrier;    (B) mixing the nonionic emulsifier with the premix from step (A); and    (C) mixing the structuring agent with the premix from step (B) to form said structuring system, wherein the anionic emulsifier is present at a concentration from 0.1% to 8.0% by weight of the structuring system.    
     
     
         12 . A process according to  claim 11  wherein the premix from step (B) or the mixture resulting from step (C) is heated to a temperature above room temperature.  
     
     
         13 . A process according to  claim 11  wherein the premix from step (B) or the mixture resulting from step (C) is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the structuring agent.  
     
     
         14 . A process according to  claim 12  wherein the resulting structuring system after completion of step (C) is cooled down to a temperature of or below the crystallization temperature of the structuring agent.  
     
     
         15 . A process according to  claim 13  wherein the resulting structuring system after completion of step (C) is cooled down to a temperature of or below the crystallization temperature of the structuring agent.  
     
     
         16 . A liquid fabric treatment composition comprising a structuring system suitable for incorporation into liquid fabric treatment compositions, which structuring system comprises as added components 
 (A) a non-polymeric, crystalline, hydroxyl-containing structuring agent, which can crystallize to form a thread-like structuring network throughout liquid matrices;    (B) a nonionic emulsifier;    (C) an anionic emulsifier;    (D) a liquid carrier;    wherein the anionic emulsifier is present at a concentration from 0.1% to 8.0% by weight of the structuring system, and    wherein said liquid fabric treatment composition further comprises one or more fabric care agents of limited solubility    
     
     
         17 . A liquid fabric treatment composition according to  claim 16  wherein said limited solubility fabric care agent is selected from the group consisting of fabric softening agents, anti-abrasion polymers, dye fixative agents, optical brighteners, fabric substantive perfumes, soil release polymers, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         18 . A liquid fabric treatment composition according to  claim 17  wherein said limited solubility agent comprises a cationic, quaternary nitrogen containing silicone.  
     
     
         19 . A liquid fabric treatment composition according to  claim 16  which additionally contains a cationic scavenging agent for the anionic emulsifier of the structuring system.  
     
     
         20 . A liquid fabric treatment composition according to  claim 16  wherein the structuring system is present at a concentration from 0.1% to 50% by weight of the composition.