US2073464A - Detergent - Google Patents

Description

Patented Mar. 9, 1937 UNITED j STATES PATENT OFFICE DETEBGENT, PENETRATING, AND WETTING COM10SITION Wheeler Ylhllavey, State College, Pa.,

Hercules Powder Company, Wilmin assignor to gton, Del.,

'somma This invention relates to Van improved detergent, penetrant, and wetting agent for use in. the wet-scouring processes of the textile and laundry industries.

5 Heretofore it has been known that pine oil has detergent, penetrant, and wetting properties, and it has been used as such in the textile and laundry industries in conjunction with an emulsifying agent such as a soap. However, pineoil has not proved entirely satisfactory for use in scouring in the textile industry due to the fact that when it is used under the high temperature conditions customary in scouring textiles, a penetrating pine odor is given off, which is obnoxious to some persons; and due to the fact that in many instancesmaterial scoured with use of pine oil carries the odor thereof.

Now, in accordance with this invention it has been found that a terpineolm, such as, for example,

2o alpha-terpineol, a constituent of pine oil obtained,

. for example, by the steam distillation of pine wood, or a mixture Aof terpineols, provides an excellent detergent, penetrant and wettingr agent for use in the wet-scouring' of textiles, either alone 5 or Where dissolved or emulsied in water through the medium of an emulsifying agent, and one free from the objections heretofore noted with reference to pine oil.

Alpha-terpineol has a pleasant higher initial boiling point than pine oil. Also, it is more readily dissolved or emulsed in water than is pine oil and does not produce any objectionable odor under high temperature conditions, nor leave any objectionable odor traceable to it in scoured material.

invention may be pure alpha-terpineol, or it may be of the commercial grade comprising a mixture of terpineols, such, for example, as is obtained by fractionation of pine oil. The presence of small amounts of impurities such as beta-terpineol, gamma-terpineol, and traces of anethol and terpene hydrocarbons, will not be objectionable. However, the terpneol will desirably contain not less than about 90% tertiary terpene alcohols.

Generally speaking, compositions in accordance with this invention may contain pure alpha-terpineol or commercial terpineol in amount within about the range 50%-?0% and water, containing an emulsifying agent, as a fatty acid soap, in suitable amount, in amount within about the range 50%10%. The various ingredients should be present in such relative -proportions as to be completely miscible, or as to form a clear solution,

odor and a' gels, and the points y, h,

The terpineol for use in accordance `with this` which when added to water or to a water-soap solution, will immediately emulsify and form an emulsion of such stability that it will not break in the wet-scouring of textiles.

In preparing compositions in acordance with 5 this invention any fatty acid soap or equivalent thereof, as, for example, sodium or potassium oleates, stearates, etc., etc., ethanolamine oleates, stearates, etc., etc., may be used, it being understood that potassium, sodium and ethanolamine soaps will be equivalents. It will also be understood that the soap may be produced in the production of the compositions by utilizing a fatty acid and an alkali as ingredients.

In place of a fatty acid soap, the sulfonic acidsof fatty esters or acids, or their alkali metal salts; the acid sulfuric ester of fatty esters, fatty alcohols, or hydroxy fatty acids, or their alkali metal salts; the sulfonic acids of fatty amides, or

their alkali metal salts, ing agents. Y

The relative proportions of the components, i. e. terpineol, emulsifying agent and water, for the production of compositions in accordance with this invention may be determined for any given emulsifying agent as follows, with reference to the accompanying drawing inwhich'the single iigure is a graph with reference to the use of sodium oleate by way of example:

In the drawing the lines L, L', derived from reference to points a, b, c, d, indicating proportions of ingredients providing clear solutions at ordinary temperatures, the points e, f, providing' providing opaque emula sions, define the ranges of proportions of ingredients with which clear solutions will be formed using sodium oleate.

l When a diierent emulsifying similar though not identical ranges may determined by those skilled in the art.

As illustrative, for example, a satisfactory composition in accordance w'th this Vinvention may be made up with terpineol not less than about 50%, sodium oleate not in excess of about 37%, and water not in excess of about 40% the ingredients being relatively proportioned to form a clear solution.

More specifically, satisfactory compositions may be made up on the following formulae:

may be used as emulsifyagent is used, be readily As further illustrative, for example, a satisfactory composition, in accordance with this in vention, may be produced by mixing 14.0 parts of oleic acid with 70. parts of terpineol, and then adding a solution of 1.88 parts of sodium hydroxide in 14.12 parts of water and agitating until the alkali solution is dispersed throughout the terpineol solution and has reacted with the oleic acid. The action will be complete when the emulsion of alkali solution in the alpha-terpineololeic acid solution becomes clear. Heating above ordinary temperatures will be unnecessary. Alternatively, the above composition may be prepared by dissolving 1.88 parts of sodium hydroxide in 14.12 parts of water, adding '70 parts of terpineol, and while agitating, adding 14.0 parts of oleic acid, continuing the agitation until the mix clears. Again, the above composition may be prepared by mixing with 'l0 parts of terpineol, a sodium oleate soap solution consisting of 15 parts of sodium oleate and 15 parts of water, agitating until the mix clears.

As will be appreciated, the composition may be prepared in any suitable form of apparatus, as, for example, a vessel provided with a stirring device.

In the use of a composition in accordance with this invention in wet-scouring processes, the composition will be added to water or to a watersoap mixture or solution in desired quantity and will promptly emulsify therein and form a substantially stable emulsion.

The terpineol of the composition will then act in the process as an effective detergent. penetrant and wetting agent.

It will be understood that it is not contemplated that this invention shall be limited to the details given herein for full disclosure and exemplication of this invention.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A detergent, penetrating and wetting composition including as ingredients terpineol, comprising not less than 90% tertiary alcohols and containing no more than traces of any terpene hydrocarbon, in amount not substantially less than 50% of the composition, a fatty acid soap and water, the ingredients being relatively proportioned so as to give a clear solution.

2. A detergent, penetrating and wetting composition including as ingredients terpineol, comprising not less than 90% tertiary -alcohols and containing no more than traces of any terpene hydrocarbon, in'amount within about the range 50-90%, and an aqueous solution of a fatty acid soap in amount within about the range 50-10%, the ingredients being relatively proportioned so as to give a clear solution.

3. A detergent, penetrating and wetting composition including as ingredients terpineol, comprising not less than 90% tertiary alcohols and containing no more than traces of any terpene.

hydrocarbon, in amount not substantially less than 50%, sodium oleate in amount not substantially in excess of 37% and water in amount not substantially in excess of 40%, the ingredients being relatively proportioned so as to give a clear solution.

4. A detergent, penetrating and wetting composition including as ingredients terpineol, comprising not less than 90% tertiary alcohols and containing no more than traces of any terpene hydrocarbon, about sodium oleate about 25% and water about 15%.

5. A detergent, penetrating andA wetting composition including as ingredients terpineol, comprising not less than 90% tertiary alcohols and containing no more thanA traces ,of any terpene hydocarbon, about sodium oleate about 15% and watenabout 15%.

6. A detergent, penetrating and wetting composition including as ingredients terpineol, comprising not less than tertiary alcohols and containing no more than traces of any terpene hydrocarbon, 'about 80%, sodium oleate about 10% and` water about 10%.

7. A detergent, penetrating and wetting composition including as ingredients substantially pure alpha-terpineol in amount not substantially less than 50% of the composition, a soap and water, the ingredients being relatively proportioned so as to give a clear solution.

8. A detergent, penetrating and wetting composition including as ingredients substantially pure alpha-terpineol in amount not substantially less than 50%, sodium oleate in amount not substantially in excess of 37%. and water in amount not substantially in excess of 40%, the ingredients being relatively proportioned so as to give a clear solution.

WHEELER P. DAVEY.

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