The present invention relates to a spray-dried component comprising a chelant, in particular diethylene triamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid) or its salts. Such components are useful in granular detergent products, and also as intermediate products in the manufacture of bar soap, detergent tablets and other detergent forms such as extrudates, and agglomerates.
US-A-4 259 200, issued on March 31, 1981, discloses phosphonates complexed with calcium, magnesium, zinc or aluminium ions, the molar ratio of metal ion to phosphonate being at least 1:1. It is disclosed that the magnesium and the phosphonate can be premixed In any suitable solvent, including water, optionally mixed with other detergent components and spray-dried. Improved storage stability in bleaching compositions is sought.
EP-A-0 225 309, published on June 10th, 1987, discloses the addition of salts of alkali or alkaline earth metals into particles comprising diethylene triamine penta (methylene phosphonic acid) for the purpose of improving free-flow and storage properties. The amount of sulphate is 60% to 200% of the dry weight of the chelant, corresponding to a weight ratio of metal ion salt to chelant of from 0.6:1 to 2:1. Preferred water content after spray-drying is less than 10% by weight of the particle.
The prior art does not suggest that spray-dned components may be prepared having a high chelant content (at least 50% by weight) and which still maintain good free-flowing properties.
The object of the present invention is to provide a spray-dried component which is in the form of a free-flowing particle with high chelant activity
This object is achieved by a spray-dned component comprising:
The chelant is a phosphonic or succinic acid, or salt of phosphonic or succinic acid, more preferably the chelant Is selected from the group consisting of diethylene tnamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid), ethylene diamine-N,N'-disuccinic acid, or mixtures, or salts thereof.
The alkaline earth metal is preferably magnesium.
The spray-dned component of the present invention comprises a chelant. Chelants are used, for example in detergent compositions, for their ability to complex with metal irons, such as iron and/or manganese forming soluble chelates. Suitable chelants can be selected from amino phosphonates
Useful amino phosphonates include ethylene-diaminetetrakis (methylenephosphonates), sold as DEQUEST®. Preferably these amino phosphonates do not contain alkyl or alkenyl groups with more than about 6 carbon atoms.
Particularly preferred chelants are diethylene triamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid) ("DTPMP") and ethylene diamine tetra(methylene phosphonic acid) (EDTMP).
A preferred biodegradable chelant for use herein is ethylene diamine-N,N'-disuocinate ("EDDS"), especially the [S,S] isomer as described in US-A-4 704 233, issued on November 3,1987, to Hartman and Perkins.
Magnesium sulphates are preferred for use in the present invention. Epsom salts; MgSO4 . 7H2O, i.e. the hydrated, crystalline form of magnesium sulphate with seven moles of water is particularly preferred.
The chelants used in the present Invention may be conveniently provided from commercially available sources in aqueous solution. Typical commercially available solutions have a chelant activity of from about 40% to about 60% by weight. The spray-dried component may be produced by mixing such an aqueous solution with the required amount of the sulphate, with the addition of more water if necessary to reduce total solids content, and then forming granules by spraying the solution into a conventional counter-current or co-current spray-drying tower. In the tower water is evaporated by hot gas, usually hot air, preferably to a level of less than 10% by weight of free moisture in the finished spray-dried component.
Optionally the spray-dried granules may pass through further drying and/or cooling steps in conventional process equipment, such as a fluid bed. Oversize and fines fractions are normally removed, for example, by passing the granules over vibrating screen
Further processing including additional granulation steps, agglomeration or compaction, as well as dry mixing with other components may be to provide finished products such as detergent powders, bar soaps and tablets.
DTPMP is hepta sodium salt of diethylene triamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid)
MgSO4 . 7H2O is Epsom salts All levels are % by weight unless otherwise specified
The spray-dried component produced in these examples have a bulk density of from 500 g/l to 700 g/l. The component absorbs very little moisture after manufacture (e.g. from atmosphenc humidity) and hence flowability and caking problems are minimsed or eliminated even in environments of high temperature and high humidity.