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EP-4741478-A1 - DETERGENT GRANULES CONTAINING PRECIPITATED CALCIUM CARBONATE

EP4741478A1EP 4741478 A1EP4741478 A1EP 4741478A1EP-4741478-A1

Abstract

This disclosure is related to detergent granules containing precipitated calcium carbonate, as well as a solid detergent composition comprising such detergent granules.

Inventors

  • TIAN, XIAO
  • Jiang, Qianqian
  • XU, DAN

Assignees

  • The Procter & Gamble Company

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251031

Claims (15)

  1. A solid detergent composition comprising a plurality of detergent granules in a format of agglomerates, extruded particles or flakes, wherein each of said detergent granules comprises a surfactant system and precipitated calcium carbonate, wherein said detergent granules are characterized by a surfactant system content ranging from 5% to 90% and a precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) content ranging from 0.1% to 15%, by total weight of said detergent granules, wherein said surfactant system comprises a C 10 -C 20 linear alkyl benzene sulphonate (LAS), wherein the weight ratio of LAS to PCC is from 2.1 to 15, wherein said detergent granules comprise less than 2%, by total weight of said detergent granules, of an additional flow aid which is selected from the group consisting of aluminosilicates, silicon dioxide, bentonite, clay, ground sodium carbonate, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and any combinations thereof, wherein the surfactant system and the precipitated calcium carbonate are present in a form of mixture within the detergent granules.
  2. The solid detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein said precipitated calcium carbonate is characterized by : • a bulk density ranging from 100 g/L to 1000 g/L, preferably from 150 g/L to 800 g/L, more preferably from 200 g/L to 600 g/L, most preferably from 250 g/L to 400 g/L; and/or • a particle size distribution characterized by : (1) a D50 ranging from 0.1 micron to 50 microns, preferably from 0.5 microns to 20 microns, more preferably from 1 micron to 10 microns, most preferably from 2 microns to 5 microns; and/or (2) a D90 of less than 50 microns, preferably less than 20 microns, more preferably less than 15 microns, most preferably less than 10 microns; and/or • a moisture content of less than 3%, preferably less than 2%, more preferably less than 1%, most preferably less than 0.5%; and/or • a surface area of from 1 m 2 /g to 20 m 2 /g, preferably from 2 m 2 /g to 15 m 2 /g, preferably from 3 m 2 /g to 10 m 2 /g, more preferably from 3.5 m 2 /g to 9 m 2 /g.
  3. The solid detergent composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the precipitated calcium carbonate content ranges from 0.1% to 12%, preferably from 0.5% to 10%, more preferably from 1% to 8%, most preferably from 2% to 7%, by total weight of said detergent granules.
  4. The solid detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the weight ratio of LAS to PCC is from 2.5 to 12, preferably from 3 to 10, more preferably from 3 to 8, most preferably from 3 to 5.5.
  5. The solid detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the LAS ranges from 1% to 60%, preferably from 5% to 50%, more preferably from 10% to 40%, most preferably from 15% to 35%, by total weight of said detergent granules.
  6. The solid detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said detergent granules comprise less than 1.5%, preferably from 0% to 1.5%, more preferably from 0% to 1%, by total weight of said detergent granules, of an additional flow aid which is selected from the group consisting of aluminosilicates, silicon dioxide, bentonite, clay, ground sodium carbonate, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and any combinations thereof.
  7. The solid detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the surfactant system further comprises one or more anionic surfactants selected from the group consisting of: a C 10 -C 20 linear or branched alkylalkoxylated sulfate (AAS) surfactant; a C 6 -C 20 linear or branched unalkoxylated alkyl sulfate (AS) surfactant; and combinations thereof.
  8. The solid detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each of said detergent granules further comprises alkali metal carbonate, preferably, wherein the content of alkali metal carbonate ranges from 1% to 85%, preferably from 5% to 75%, more preferably from 10% to 65%, most preferably from 15% to 60%, by total weight of said detergent granules.
  9. The solid detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each of said detergent granules further comprises one or more filler salts, preferably sodium sulfate and/or sodium chloride, preferably, wherein the content of filler salts ranges from 1% to 85%, preferably from 5% to 75%, more preferably from 10% to 65%, most preferably from 15% to 60%, by total weight of said detergent granules.
  10. The solid detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the solid detergent composition further comprises one or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of polymers, silicones, perfumes, nonionic surfactants, and combinations thereof; and wherein preferably the solid detergent composition further comprises a mixture of perfume(s) and nonionic surfactant(s).
  11. The solid detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the solid detergent composition further comprises one or more enzymes; and wherein preferably each of said detergent granules further comprises a lipase, a protease, an amylase, a cellulase, or any combinations thereof.
  12. The solid detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surfactant system and the precipitated calcium carbonate are mixed substantially homogeneously in the detergent granules.
  13. The solid detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said detergent granules are characterized by : • a bulk density ranging from 200 g/L to 2000 g/L, preferably from 300 g/L to 1500 g/L, more preferably from 400 g/L to 1200 g/L, most preferably from 500 g/L to 1000 g/L; and/or • a particle size distribution characterized by a D50 ranging from 10 micron to 1000 microns, preferably from 50 microns to 800 microns, more preferably from 100 micron to 700 microns, most preferably from 200 microns to 600 microns; and/or • an oversize % ranging from 2% to 20%, preferably from 3% to 19%, more preferably from 4% to 18%, most preferably from 5% to 17%.
  14. The solid detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said detergent granules are substantially free of any coating made of an inorganic material which is selected from sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, silica and any combinations thereof.
  15. A method of making a solid detergent composition comprising a plurality of detergent granules, comprising the steps of: a) mixing a surfactant component and dry material into a high-speed mixer/densifier to obtain detergent agglomerates, wherein said dry material comprises precipitated calcium carbonate; and b) drying said detergent agglomerates in a fluid-bed dryer, wherein said detergent granules are characterized by a surfactant system content ranging from 5% to 90% and a precipitated calcium carbonate content ranging from 0.1% to 15%, by total weight of said detergent granules, wherein said surfactant system comprises a C 10 -C 20 linear alkyl benzene sulphonate (LAS), wherein the weight ratio of LAS to PCC is from 2.1 to 15, wherein said detergent granules comprise less than 2%, by total weight of said detergent granules, of an additional flow aid which is selected from the group consisting of aluminosilicates, silicon dioxide, bentonite, clay, ground sodium carbonate, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and any combinations thereof.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to detergent granules containing precipitated calcium carbonate in a format of agglomerates. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Granular detergent compositions of today are incorporating larger amounts and greater varieties of cleaning actives, which enable a myriad of benefits including superior cleaning, sensorial, environmental sustainability, convenience, and efficiency. However, there are still challenges in manufacturing of products comprising detergent granules with such large amounts and different varieties of cleaning actives. One of key challenges is to improve the flowability because the manufacturing process cannot proceed smoothly if the granules do not have an appropriate flowability. In addition to flowability, during the agglomeration process, another key challenge is to reduce over-sized particles because over-sized particles would result in increased cost and/or increased processing period. In order to improve the flowability of such detergent granules, flow aids such as aluminosilicates (e.g., zeolite), silicon dioxide (e.g., silica), bentonite, and clay have been introduced into detergent granules. However, the over-sized particles are still an issue to be solved. Accordingly, there is a continuing need to identify new materials that provide reduced over-sized particles in agglomeration process. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Surprisingly, the inventors discovered that the addition of precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) in raw materials of agglomeration can provide both a desirable flowability and a reduced over-sized particles compared to common flow aids, e.g. zeolite. As such, in one aspect, the present invention relates to a solid detergent composition comprising a plurality of detergent granules in a format of agglomerates, extruded particles or flakes, wherein said each of said detergent granule comprises a surfactant system and precipitated calcium carbonate, wherein said detergent granules are characterized by a surfactant system content ranging from 5% to 90% and a precipitated calcium carbonate content ranging from 0.1% to 15%, by total weight of said detergent granules, wherein the surfactant system and the precipitated calcium carbonate are present in a form of mixture within the detergent granules, wherein said surfactant system comprises a C10-C20 linear alkyl benzene sulphonate (LAS), wherein the weight ratio of LAS to PCC is from 2.1 to 15, wherein said detergent granules comprise less than 2%, by total weight of said detergent granules, of an additional flow aid which is selected from the group consisting of aluminosilicates, silicon dioxide, bentonite, clay, ground sodium carbonate, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and any combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said precipitated calcium carbonate is characterized by: a bulk density ranging from 100 g/L to 1000 g/L, preferably from 150 g/L to 800 g/L, more preferably from 200 g/L to 600 g/L, most preferably from 250 g/L to 400 g/L; and/ora particle size distribution characterized by: (1) a D50 ranging from 0.1 micron to 50 microns, preferably from 0.5 microns to 20 microns, more preferably from 1 micron to 10 microns, most preferably from 2 microns to 5 microns; and/or (2) a D90 of less than 50 microns, preferably less than 20 microns, more preferably less than 15 microns, most preferably less than 10 microns; and/ora moisture content of less than 3%, preferably less than 2%, more preferably less than 1%, most preferably less than 0.5%; and/ora surface area of from 1 m2/g to 20 m2/g, preferably from 2 m2/g to 15 m2/g, preferably from 3 m2/g to 10 m2/g, more preferably from 3.5 m2/g to 9 m2/g. In some embodiments, the weight ratio of LAS to PCC is from 2.5 to 12, preferably from 3 to 10, more preferably from 3 to 8, most preferably from 3 to 5.5, for example, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or any ranges therebetween. In some embodiments, the precipitated calcium carbonate content ranges from 0.1% to 12%, preferably from 0.5% to 10%, more preferably from 1% to 8%, most preferably from 2% to 7%, for example 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, 3.5%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9% or any ranges therebetween, by total weight of said detergent granules. In some embodiments, the surfactant system content ranges from 8% to 70%, preferably from 12% to 60%, more preferably from 18% to 50%, most preferably from 20% to 40%, for example 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40% or any ranges therebetween, by total weight of said detergent granules. In some embodiments, the surfactant system comprises one or more anionic surfactants selected from the group consisting of: a C10-C20 linear or branched alkylalkoxylated sulfate (AAS) surfactant; a C6-C20 linear or branched unalkoxylated alkyl sulfate (AS) surfactant; a C10-C20 linear alkyl benzene sulphonate (LAS) surfactant; and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, each of said detergent granules further comprises alkali metal carbonate. Preferably, the content of alka