Detergent additive compositions and preparations and use thereof in detergent compositions

Claim 2

A detergent additive composition in the form of an extrudate comprising by weight thereof: (a) from 75% to 95% of particulate, infusible solids having a particle size distribution such that at least 50% thereof passes a 250 micrometre screen and comprising storage-sensitive detergent additive material, and (b) from 5% to 25% of ethoxylated nonionic surfactant melting in the range from 20°C to 60°C, the composition being prepared by mixing the particulate infusible solids and ethoxylated.nonionic surfactant in liquid form to form a substantially homogeneous friable mass, and mechanically extruding the friable mass by means of a screw with radial discharge through an apertured screen to form extrudate in the form of elongate particles having an average lateral dimension in the range from 0.5 millimetres to 2 millimetres, and an average longitudinal dimension in the range from 1 to 6 millimetres.

Claim 3

A composition according to Claim 1 characterized in that the extrudate comprises from 84% to 90% of particulate infusible solids and from 10% to 16% of the ethoxylated nonionic surfactant.

Claim 4

A composition according to Claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the ethoxylated nonionic surfactant has a melting point in the range from 22°C to 40°C.

Claim 5

A composition according to any of Claims 1 to 3 characterized in that the storage-sensitive detergent additive material is a unifunctional or multifunctional material selected from bleaching auxiliaries, photoactivators, fluorescers, dyes, perfumes, germicides, enzymes, suds controllers and fabric conditioners.

Claim 6

A composition according to any of Claims 1 to 4 characterized in that the storage-sensitive detergent additive material is an organic peroxyacid bleach precursor.

Claim 7

A composition according to any of Claims 1 to 4 characterized in that the storage-sensitive detergent additive material is a porphine having the general formula: wherein each X is (=N-) or (=CY-), and the total number of (=N-) groups is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4; wherein each Y, independently, is hydrogen or meso substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl, aryl, alkaryl or heteroaryl, wherein each R, independently, is hydrogen or pyrrole substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl, aryl, alkaryl or heteroraryl, or wherein adjacent pairs of R's are joined together with ortho-arylene groups to form pyrrole substituted alicyclic or heterocyclic rings; wherein A is 2(H) atoms bonded to diagonally opposite nitrogen atoms, or Zn(II), Cd(II), Mg(II), Ca(II), Al(III), Sc(III), or Sn(IV); wherein B is an anionic, nonionic or cationic solubilizing group substituted into Y or R; wherein M is a counterion to the solubilizing . groups; and wherein s is the number of solubilizing groups; wherein, when B is cationic, M is an anion and s is from 1 to 8; when B is nonionic, B is polyethoxylate, M is zero, s is from 1 to 8, and the number of condensed ethylene oxide molecules per porphine molecule is from 8 to 50; when B is anionic and proximate, M is cationic and s is from 2 to 8; when B is anionic and remote, M iscationic and s is from 2 to 8; and when B is sulphonate the number of sulphonate groups is no greater than the number of aromatic and heterocyclic substituent groups.

Claim 8

A composition according to any of Claims 1 to 6 characterized in that the storage-sensitive detergent additive material is in intimate mixture with a particulate dispersant selected from water-insoluble natural or synthetic silica or silicates, water-soluble inorganic salt materials and water-soluble organic polyacids or salts thereof having a melting point (anhydrous) of at least 100°C.

Claim 9

A composition according to any of Claims 1 to 6 characterized by from 1% to 3% by weight thereof of a coating agent on the surface of the extrudate, the coating agent being selected from water-insoluble natural or synthetic silica or silicates.

Claim 10

A composition according to any of Claims 1 to 8 characterized in that the particles of extrudate have an average lateral dimension in the range from 840 micrometres to 1.4 millimetres and an average longitudinal dimension in the range from 1.5 to 3 millimetres.

Claim 11

A granular detergent composition characterized by the addition thereto of the detergent additive composition of any one of Claims 1 to 9.

Claim 12

A granular detergent composition according to Claim 10 characterized by: (a) from 40% to 99.9% of spray-dried base powder comprising i) from 1% to 20% of organic surfactant selected from anionic, zwitterionic and ampholytic surfactants and mixtures thereof, ii) from 5% to 93.9% of detergency builder, and iii) from 5% to 18% moisture, (b) from 0.1% to 20% of the detergent additive composition, and optionally (c) up to 25% of ethoxylated nonionic surfactant in intimate mixture with the spray-dried base powder and detergent additive composition, and (d) up to 35% by weight of peroxysalt bleaching agent.