Secondary alkyl sulfate-containing liquid laundry detergent compositions

Abstract

The present invention relates to a laundry liquid detergent composition comprising from about 1 percent by weight to about 18 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more secondary alkyl sulfate compounds, from about 6 percent by weight to about 18 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more additional or cosurfactant compounds, from about 0 percent by weight to about 20 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more builders, and from about 35 percent by weight to about 78 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more solvents.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A liquid laundry detergent composition comprising from about 1 percent by weight to about 18 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more secondary alkyl sulfate compounds, from about 6 percent by weight to about 38 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more cosurfactant compounds, from about 0 percent by weight to about 20 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more builders, and from about 35 percent by weight to about 78 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more solvents. 
     
     
       2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said one or more secondary alkyl sulfate compounds has a formula: ##STR2## wherein R 2  represents an alkyl group having from about 3 to about 18 carbon atoms and R 3  represents an alkyl group having from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       3. The composition of claim 2 wherein said one or more secondary alkyl sulfate compounds is selected from the group consisting of a C 12  secondary alkyl sulfate wherein R 2  represents an alkyl group having 10 carbon atoms and R 3  represents an alkyl group having 1 carbon atom, a C 14  secondary alkyl sulfate wherein R 2  represents an alkyl group having 12 carbon atoms and R 3  represents an alkyl group having 1 carbon atom, a C 16  secondary alkyl sulfate wherein R 2  represents an alkyl group having 14 carbon atoms and R 3  represents an alkyl group having 1 carbon atom, a C 18  secondary alkyl sulfate wherein R 2  represents an alkyl group having 16 carbon atoms and R 3  represents an alkyl group having 1 carbon atom, and mixtures of these compounds. 
     
     
       4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the secondary alkyl sulfate compound is added to the composition in the form of a free flowing powder. 
     
     
       5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the secondary alkyl sulfate compound is present in the composition in an amount of from about 6 percent by weight to about 15 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
       6. The composition of claim 1 wherein said one or more builders is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal phosphates, alkali metal polyphosphates, alkali metal silicates, alkali metal bicarbonates, alkali metal polycarboxylates, polyacrylates and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       7. The composition of claim 6 wherein said one or more builders is an alkali metal polycarboxylate. 
     
     
       8. The composition of claim 7 wherein said alkali metal polycarboxylate is selected from the group consisting of sodium citrate, potassium citrate, the sodium salt of tartaric acid monosuccinate, the potassium salt of tartaric acid monosuccinate, the sodium salt of tartaric acid disuccinate, the potassium salt of tartaric acid disuccinate, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       9. The composition of claim 1 wherein said builder is present in an amount of from about 4 percent by weight to about 12 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
       10. The composition of claim 1 wherein said one or more cosurfactant compounds is selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       11. The composition of claim 1 wherein said one or more cosurfactant compounds is selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       12. The composition of claim 11 wherein said one or more cosurfactant compounds is a nonionic surfactant selected from alcohol ethoxylates having an average of from about 3 to about 14 ethylene oxide units per ethoxylate molecule, alkyl-substituted phenol ethoxylates having an average of from about 3 to about 14 ethylene oxide units per ethoxylate molecule, sugar-derived glycols, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       13. The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition comprises from about 6 percent by weight to about 8 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of said one or more cosurfactant compounds. 
     
     
       14. The composition of claim 1 wherein said one or more solvents is selected from the group consisting of water, lower alcohols, polyols, alkali metal aryl sulfonates and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       15. The composition of claim 14 wherein said one or more solvents comprises a mixture of a lower alcohol, water, and a polyol. 
     
     
       16. The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition comprises from about 40 percent by weight to about 60 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more solvents. 
     
     
       17. A liquid laundry detergent composition comprising from about 6 percent by weight to about 15 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more secondary alkyl sulfate compounds, from about 6 percent by weight to about 18 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more cosurfactant compounds, from about 4 percent by weight to about 12 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more builders, and from about 40 percent by weight to about 60 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more solvents.