(19)
(11) EP 0 636 689 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
01.05.1996 Bulletin 1996/18

(43) Date of publication A2:
01.02.1995 Bulletin 1995/05

(21) Application number: 94305450.2

(22) Date of filing: 22.07.1994
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)6: C11D 3/39, C11D 3/395, C11D 3/37, C11D 1/14
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE

(30) Priority: 30.07.1993 GB 9315761

(71) Applicants:
  • NATIONAL STARCH AND CHEMICAL LIMITED
    Daventry, Northants NN11 JL (GB)

    AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE 
  • UNILEVER PLC
    London EC4P 4BQ (GB)

    GB IE 
  • UNILEVER N.V.
    NL-3013 AL Rotterdam (NL)

    BE CH DE DK ES FR GR IT LI LU MC NL PT SE AT 

(72) Inventors:
  • Salter, David Paul
    Hinckley, Leicestershire LE10 1LL (GB)
  • Martin, Helen
    Birkenhead, Merseyside L43 0SR (GB)
  • Jones, Elaine
    Bebington, Wirral L62 4SA (GB)

(74) Representative: Matthews, Heather Clare et al
Keith W Nash & Co Pearl Assurance House 90-92 Regent Street
Cambridge CB2 1DP
Cambridge CB2 1DP (GB)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Bleach compositions


    (57) A bleach composition comprises an active halogen or a peroxy bleach material, preferably hypochlorite; surfactant constituted by at least 50% w/w primary alkyl sulphate; and polymeric thickener comprising charged, hydrophilic monomer and uncharged hydrophobic monomer. The polymeric thickener preferably comprises a copolymer of methacrylic acid and styrene having proportions (wt%) of methacrylic acid and styrene ranging from 80:20 to 20:80, and preferably comprises 54 wt% methacrylic acid and 46% styrene, with a molecular weight of about 100,00 and substantially no cross-linking. The polymeric thickener acts to enhance thickening and enables use of a wider range of surfactants than hitherto possible.






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