GB679877A - Peroxygen-containing borate products and their stabilization - Google Patents

Abstract

Peroxygenated sodium borate compositions are prepared by adding boric acid or anhydride, or a sodium borate containing an excess of boric acid to a sodium borate, adding hydrogen peroxide (or if the sodium borate contains pentaborate, adding sodium peroxide and/or hydrogen peroxide) and evaporating to dryness if desired under reduced pressure at 50-90 DEG C, the amount of peroxide added being sufficient to result in a mol-atomic ratio of active oxygen (calculated as H2O2) to sodium greater than 0.5, and if desired greater than 1, and the amount of boric acid &c. used being sufficient to give a product in which the Na2O : B2O3 ratio is substantially less than 0.5, e.g. 0.35. In a modification, the boric acid &c. is added in two portions, the first giving a Na2O : B2O3 ratio of less than 0.7, and the second addition reducing the final Na2O : B2O3 ratio as above being made after evaporation to dryness. In a further modification, boric acid is added to a dry peroxygenated sodium borate in which the Na2O : B2O3 molar ratio is less than 0.7, and the mol-atomic ratio of active oxygen (calulated as H2O2) to sodium exceeds 0.5. The compositions are useful in neutralizing alkalinity in textiles due to soap. They may be stabilized by the addition of anionic or non-ionic detergents, e.g. long chain sulphated alcohols, long chain alkyl arylsulphontes, long chain fatty acid amides or polyglycol ethers, which may be added at any stage in the manufacture of the perforate composition.