Technical field
[0001] This invention relates to solid detergent compositions which clean well in cool water
and at the same time provide softening to the laundered fabrics in a home laundering
operation.
[0002] It is common practice for homemakers to provide a softened quality to laundered fabrics
by treating laundered fabrics with a softening composition during the rinse cycle
to deposit the softening agent on the fabric. By providing a detergent composition
which can at the same time provide a softening quality to the fabrics while being
washed makes the home laundering operation more convenient.
Background
[0003] Numerous attempts have been made to formulate laundry detergent compositions which
provide the good cleaning performance expected of them and which also have textile
softening properties. Thus, attempts have been made to incorporate cationic textile
softeners in anionic surfactant-based built detergent compositions employing various
means of overcoming the natural antagonism between the anionic and cationic surfactant
species. For instance, in British patent specification 1,518,529, detergent compositions
are described comprising organic surfactant, builders, and in particulate form, a
quaternary ammonium softener combined with a poorly water-soluble dispersion inhibitor
which inhibits premature dispersion of the cationic in the wash liquor. Even in these
compositions, some compromise between cleaning and softening effectiveness has to
be accepted. Another approach to providing anionic detergent compositions with textile
softening ability has been the use of smectite-type clays, as described in British
patent specification 1,400,898. These compositions, although they clean well, require
rather large contents of clay for effective softening, perhaps because the clay is
not very efficiently deposited on the fabrics in the presence of anionic surfactants.
Yet another approach to providing built detergent compositions with softening ability
has been to employ nonionic surfactants instead of anionic with cationic softeners,
and compositions of this type have been described in, for example, British patent
specification 1,079,388, German Auslegeschrift 1,220,956 and US patent 3,607,763.
However, it is found that if enough nonionic surfactant is employed to provide good
cleaning, it impairs the softening effect of the cationic softener, so that, once
again, a compromise between cleaning and softening effectiveness must be accepted.
[0004] The use of clay together with a water insoluble cationic compound and an electrically
conductive metal salt as a softening composition adapted for use with anionic, nonionic,
zwitterionic and amphoteric surfactants has been described in British patent specification
1,483,627. U.S. Patent No. 4,292,035 which issued on September 29, 1981 to Charles
F. Battrell describes granular textile softening compositions comprising a complex
of a cationic softener and a smectite-type clay subsequently treated with an anionic
surfactant. These compositions are intended primarily as rinse additives, where their
cleaning performance is not of primary interest.
[0005] Recently it has been disclosed in British Patent specification 1,514,276 that certain
tertiary amines with two long chain alkyl or alkenyl groups and one short chain alkyl
group are effective fabric softeners in detergent compositions when chosen to have
an isoelectric point in the pH range such that they are in anionic form in a normal
alkaline wash liquor and are more in cationic form at the lower pH of a rinse liquor,
and so become substantive to fabrics. Use of amines of this class, amongst others,
in detergent compositions for foam control has also been previously disclosed in British
patent specification 1,286,054. Use of amines of the class specified in GB-A-1,286,054
together with a smectite-type clay for laundry detergent compositions providing through-the-wash
softening is claimed in European Application No. 79200656.1 Publication No. 0011340.
[0006] It has now been found that the combination of a di-long chain (C
l67-C
22) tertiary amine with a di-shorter chain (C
S-C
14) tertiary amine in specific ratios provides improved softening compared to either
tertiary amine alone.
Summary of the invention
[0007] According to the present invention there is provided a fabric softening detergent
composition comprising by weight:
(a) from 3% to 40% of an organic surfactant;
(b) from 4% to 12% of a mixture of tertiary amines containing twoCgto C22 alkyl or alkenyl groups and a methyl group, attached to the nitrogen atom; and
(c) from 10% to 80% of one or more water soluble salts, wherein the pH of a 0.5% by
weight aqueous solution of the composition is in the range of from 8.5 to 11;
wherein the tertiary amine fabric softening agent (b) is a mixture of tertiary amines
wherein approximately 67% of the mixture is a di- C16-C22 alkyl or alkenyl methylamine, and approximately 33% of the mixture is a di CS-C14
alkyl methylamine.
Detailed description of the invention
Organic surfactant
[0008] The compositions of this invention contain from 3% to 40%, preferably from 5% to
25%, most preferably from 10% to 20%, of an organic surfactant selected from anionic,
nonionic, cationic, amphoteric, and zwitterionic surfactants, and mixtures thereof
as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,929,678. Anionic surfactants are much preferred
for optimum combined cleaning and textile softening performance but the other classes
of organic surfactants and mixtures thereof may be used. When anionic surfactants
are employed it is preferred that nonionic and other classes of surfactant be absent
but, if mixtures containing anionics are used, it is preferred that the anionic surfactant
forms the major part of the mixture.
[0009] Suitable anionic non-soap surfactants are water soluble salts of alkyl benzene sulfonates,
alkyl toluene sulfonates, alkyl sulfates, alkyl polyethoxy ether sulfates, paraffin
sulfonates, alpha-olefin sulfonates, alpha-sulfocarboxylates and their esters, alkyl
glyceryl ether sulfonates, fatty acid monoglyceride sulfates and sulfonates, alkyl
phenol polyethoxy ether sulfates, 2-acyloxy-alkane-1-sulfonates, and beta-alkyloxy
alkane sulfonates. Soaps are also suitable anionic surfactants.
[0010] Especially preferred alkyl benzene sulfonates have 9 to 15 carbon atoms in a linear
or branched alkyl chain, more especially 11 to 13 carbon atoms (especially valuable
are linear straight chain alkyl benzene sulfonates in which the average of the alkyl
groups is 11.8 carbon atoms and commonly abbreviated as C
11.8LAS). Suitable alkyl sulfates have 10 to 22 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, more
especially from 12 to 18 carbon atoms. Suitable alkyl polyethoxy ether sulfates have
9 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain and have an average of 1 to 12-CHZCH20-groups
(abbr. as EO) per molecule, especially 9 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain and
an average of 1 to 8 -CH
2CH
20- groups per molecule.
[0011] Suitable paraffin sulfonates are essentially linear and contain from 8 to 24 carbon
atoms, more especially from 14 to 18 carbon atoms. Suitable alpha-olefin sulfonates
have 10 to 24 carbon atoms, more especially 14 to 16 carbon atoms; alpha-olefin sulfonates
can be made by reaction with sulfur trioxide followed by neutralization under conditions
such that any sultones present are hydrolyzed to the corresponding hydroxy alkane
sulfonates. Suitable alpha-sulfocarboxylates contain from 6 to 20 carbon atoms; included
herein are not only the salts of alpha-sulfonated fatty acids but also their esters
made from alcohols containing 1 to 14 carbon atoms.
[0012] Suitable alkyl glyceryl ether sulfates are ethers of alcohols having 10 to 18 carbon
atoms, more especially those derived from coconut oil and tallow. Suitable alkyl phenol
polyethoxy ether sulfates have 8 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain and an average
of about 1 to about 6-CH
2CH
20- groups per molecule. Suitable 2-acyloxy-alkane-1-sulfonates contain from 2 to 9
carbon atoms in the acyl group and 9 to 23 carbon atoms in the alkane moiety. Suitable
beta-alkyloxy alkane sulfonates contain 1 to 3 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and
8 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkane moiety.
[0013] The alkyl chains of the foregoing non-soap anionic surfactants can be derived from
natural sources such as coconut oil or tallow, or can be made synthetically as for
example using the Ziegler or Oxo processes. Water solubility can be achieved by using
alkali metal, ammonium, or alkanol-ammonium cations; sodium is preferred. Mixtures
of anionic surfactants are contemplated by this invention; a satisfactory mixture
contains alkyl benzene sulfonate having 11 to 13 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and
alkyl sulfate having 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group.
[0014] Suitable soaps contain 8 to 24 carbon atoms, more especially 12 to 18 carbon atoms.
Soaps can be made by direct saponification of natural fats and oils such as coconut
oil, tallow and fish oil, or by the neutralization of free fatty acids obtained from
either natural or synthetic sources. The soap cation can be alkali metal, ammonium
or alkanolammonium; sodium is preferred.
The organic fabric softening agent
[0015] The second essential ingredient of this invention is a mixture of water insoluble
tertiary amines which comprises from 4% to 12% of the mixture.
[0016] The mixture of water insoluble tertiary amines comprises approximately 67% of a tertiary
amine having the formula R,R
2R
3N wherein R
1 and R
2 are independently selected from C
16 to C
22 alkyl or alkenyl groups and R
3 represents a methyl group, and approximately 33% of a tertiary amine having the formula
R
4R,R
6N wherein R
4 and R
5 are independently selected from C
8 to C
14 alkyl groups, and R
6 represents a methyl group.
[0017] Suitable tertiary amines wherein R
1 and R
2 are selected from C,
6 to C
22 groups include dicetyl methylamine, distearyl methylamine, diarachidyl methylamine,
dibehenyl methylamine, di(mixed arachidyl/behenyl) methylamine and di(tallowyl) methylamine.
Especially preferred is di-hydrogenated tallowyl methylamine. This is commercially
available as Kemamine@ T9701 from Humko Sheffield Chemical, a division of Kraft Inc.
[0018] Suitable tertiary amines wherein R
4 and R
5 are selected from C
8 to C
14 groups include dioctyl methylamine, didecyl methylamine, dilauryl methylamine, dimyristyl
methylamine, di(mixed lauryl/ myristyl) methylamine and dicoconut methylamine. Especially
preferred is dicoconut methylamine. This is commercially available as Kemamine@ T6501.
[0019] It was unexpected that the shorter chain length tertiary amines disclosed herein,
which are liquid and have no particular value as fabric softening agents, improve
cool water fabric softening through-the-wash when included with the longer chain length
tertiary amines disclosed herein in a detergent composition.
Water-soluble salts
[0020] The compositions of the invention contain from 10% to 80% of water soluble salts,
preferably from 20% to 70%, and most usually from 30% to 60%, and these may be any
which are such that the detergent composition in a 0.5% by weight aqueous solution
has pH in the specified range, that is from 8.5 to 11, preferably from 9.5 to 10.5.
At this pH the tertiary amines of the invention are in anionic form and are therefore
compatible with anionic surfactants.
[0021] Preferably the water soluble salts are detergency builders and these can be of the
polyvalent inorganic and polyvalent organic types, or mixtures thereof. Non-limiting
examples of suitable water-soluble, inorganic alkaline detergent builder salts include
the alkali metal carbonates, borates, phosphates, polyphosphates, tripolyphosphates,
bicarbonates, and silicates. Specific examples of such salts include the sodium and
potassium tetraborates, bicarbonates, carbonates, tripolyphosphates, pyrophosphates,
orthophosphates, pentapolyphosphates and hexametaphosphates. Sulfates are usually
also present.
[0022] Examples of suitable organic alkaline detergency builders salts are:
(1) water-soluble amino polyacetates, e.g., sodium and potassium ethylenediaminetetraacetates,
nitrilotriacetates, N-(2-hydroxylethyl) nitrilodiacetates and diethylenetriamine pentaacetates;
(2) water-soluble salts of phytic acid, e.g. sodium and potassium phytates;
(3) water-soluble polyphosphates, including sodium, potassium and lithium salts of
methylene- diphosphonic acid and the like and aminopolymethylene phosphonates such
as ethyldiamine- tetramethylenephosphonate and diethylenetriaminepentamethylene phosphonate,
and polyphosphonates as described in the commonly assigned DE-A-2816770.
(4) water-soluble polycarboxylates such as the salts of lactic acid, succinic acid,
malonic acid, maleic acid, citric acid, carboxymethylsuccinic acid, 2-oxa-1,1,-3-propane
tricarboxylic acid, 1,1,2-2-ethane tetracarboxylic acid, cyclopentane-cis, cis, cis-tetracarboxylic
acid, mellitic acid and pyromellitic acid.
[0023] Mixtures of organic and/or inorganic builders can be used herein. One such mixture
of builders is disclosed in Canadian Patent No. 755,038, e.g. a ternary mixture of
sodium tripolyphosphate, trisodium nitrilotriacetate, and trisodium ethane-1-hydroxy-1,1-diphosphonate.
[0024] Another type of detergency builder material useful in the present compositions comprises
a water-soluble material capable of forming a water-insoluble reaction product with
water hardness cations preferably in combination with a crystallization seed which
is capable of providing growth sites for said reaction product. Such "seeded builder"
compositions are fully disclosed in British Patent Specification No. 1,424,406. ――
[0025] Preferred water soluble builders are sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium silicate,
and usually both are present. In particular it is preferred that a substantial proportion,
for instance from 3 to 15% by weight of the composition of sodium silicate (solids)
of ratio (weight ratio Si0
2:Na
2O) from 1:1 to 3.5:1 be employed.
[0026] A further class of detergency builder materials useful in the present invention are
insoluble sodium aluminosilicates, particularly those described in Belgian Patent
814,874, issued November 12, 1974.
[0027] This patent discloses and claims detergent compositions containing sodium aluminosilicates
of the formula

wherein z and y are integers equal to at least 6, the molar ratio of z to is in the
range of from 1.0:1 to about 0.5:1 and x is an integer from about 15 to about 264.
A preferred material is

[0028] Preferably, the compositions contain from 20% to 70% of builders, more usually 30%
to 60% by weight. If present, incorporation of about 5% to about 25% by weight of
aluminosilicate is suitable, partially replacing water soluble builder salts, provided
that sufficient water soluble alkaline salts remain to provide the specified pH of
the composition in aqueous solution.
Optional components
[0029] A valuable optional component of the present compositions consists of particular
smectite clay materials, namely the alkali metal and certain alkaline earth metal
varieties of montmorillonites, saponites, and hectorites. These materials are also
useful in providing softening and antistatic benefits to fabrics. These materials
are described in U.S. Patent 3,936,537.
[0030] The suitable smectite clays can be included at levels of from 1 % to 25%, preferably
from 2% to 20%, and most preferably from 3% to 10%, of the composition.
[0031] The suitable clay materials can be described as impalpable, expandable, three-layer
clays, in which a sheet of aluminum/oxygen atoms or magnesium oxygen atoms lies between
two layers of silicon/
Qxygen atoms, i.e., alumino-silicates and magnesium silicates, having an ion exchange
capacity of at least 50 meq./100 g., preferably at least 60 meq./100 g., of clay.
The term "impalpable" as used herein means that the individual clay particles are
of such a size that they cannot be perceived tactilely. Such particle sizes are within
the range below about 0.1 mm in effective diameter. In general, the clays herein have
an ultimate particle size within the range from 0.001 mm to 0.05 mm.
[0032] The term "expandable" as used to describe clays relates to the ability of the layered
clay structures to be swollen, or expanded on contact with water. A further property
of the suitable clay materials used herein is that they exhibit a true 14×10
-10 m diffraction pattern.
[0033] Specific non-limiting examples of such fabric softening smectite clay minerals are:
sodium montmorillonite sold under the trade names Brock, Volclay BC, Gelwhite GP,
Thixo-Jel No. 1, Ben-A-Gel; sodium hectorite sold under the trade names Veegum F and
Laponite SP; sodium saponite sold under the trade name Barasym NAS100; calcium montmorillonite
sold underthe tradenames Soft Clark and Gelwhite L; and lithium hectorite sold under
the tradename Barasym LIH200.
[0034] Most of the smectite clays useful in the compositions herein are commercially available
under various tradenames, for example, Brock, Gelwhite GP and Thixo-Jel No. 1 from
Georgia Kaolin Co., Elizabeth, New Jersey; Volclay BC and Volclay No. 325, from American
Colloid Co., Skokie, Illinois; and Veegum F from R. T. Vanderbilt. It is to be recognized
that such smectite minerals obtained under the foregoing tradenames can comprise mixtures
of the various discrete mineral entities. Such mixtures are suitable for use herein.
[0035] Additional suitable optional fabric softening/anti-static agents in this invention
are the conventionally water-insoluble quaternary ammonium compounds of the formula
R
1R
2R
3R
4N
+Y
- wherein R
1 and R
2 represent hydrocarbyl groups of from 10 to 22 carbon atoms, R
3 and R
4 represent hydrocarbyl groups containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and Y represents
an anion, (e.g., fluoride, chloride, bromide, or methylsulfate). Examples of these
compounds include dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride, ditallow- dimethylammonium
chloride, ditallowdiethylammonium bromide, cetyldecylmethylethylammonium chloride,
bis-docosyldimethylammonium chloride, and the like. Also suitable are the single long
chained quaternary ammonium compounds of the above formula wherein R
1 is C
10 to C
22 alkyl or alkenyl, preferably C
16 to C
20 alkyl, and R
2, R
3, and R
4 are C
1 to C
4 alkyl groups, or acyl groups such as benzyl, and Y is defined as above.
[0036] Yet other quaternary ammonium compounds are those having a single long chain wherein
R
1 is a C
10 to C
22 alkyl group, R
2 is a C
1 to C
4 alkyl group or hydrogen R
3 is―(C
2H
4O)
xH, and R
4 is―(C
2H
4O)
yH wherein x and y are at least 1 and (x+y) is from 2 to 25. Examples are

and the like. Substances of this sort are sold under the trade name "Ethoquads".
[0037] Compositions of this invention can contain up to 10%, preferably from 0.5% to 5%
of the above quaternary ammonium compounds.
[0038] Preferred compounds are those of the formula above wherein R
1 and preferably R
2 represent an organic radical containing a group selected from a C
16-C
22 aliphatic radical or an alkyl phenyl or alkyl benzyl radical having from 10 to 16
carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, R
3 and R
4 represent hydrocarbyl groups containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and Y- represents
an anion.
[0039] The optional components usual in built laundry detergents may of course be present.
These include bleaching agents such as sodium perborate, sodium percarbonate and other
perhydrates, at levels from 5% to 35% by weight of the composition, and activators
therefor, such as tetra acetyl ethylene diamine, tetra acetyl glycoluril and others
known in the art, and stabilisers therefor, such as magnesium silicate, and ethylene
diamine tetra acetate.
[0040] A usual optional component is a processing aid, especially for the anionic surfactant.
Such components include from 0.1 % to 9%, preferably 0.5% to 3%, of sodium toluene
sulfonate and/or sodium xylene sulfonate.
[0041] Suds controlling agents are often present. These include suds boosting or suds stabilising
agents such as mono- or di-ethanolamides of fatty acids. More often in modern detergent
compositions, suds suppressing agents are required. Soaps especially those having
16-22 carbon atoms, or the corresponding fatty acid, can act as effective suds suppressors
if included in the anionic surfactant component of the present compositions. Usually
1 % to 4% of such soap is effective as suds suppressor. Very suitable soaps when suds
suppression is a primary reason for their use, are those derived from Hyfac (Trade
name for hardened marine oil fatty acids, predominantly C
18 to C
20).
[0042] However, non-soap suds suppressors are preferred in synthetic detergent based compositions
of the invention since soap or fatty acid is less effective in cool water washing
and tends to give rise to a characteristic odour in these compositions.
[0043] Preferred suds suppressors comprise silicones. In particular there may be employed
a particulate suds suppressor comprising silicone and silanated silica releasably
enclosed in water soluble or dispersible substantially non-surface active detergent
impermeable carrier. Suds suppressing agents of this sort are disclosed in British
patent specification 1,407,997. A very suitable granular tprilled) suds suppressing
product comprises 7% silica/silicone (85% by weight silanated silica, 15% silicone,
obtained from Messrs. Dow Corning), 65% sodium tripolyphosphate, 25% tallow alcohol
condensed with 25 molar proportions of ethylene oxide, and 3% moisture. The amount
of silica/silicone suds suppressor employed depends upon the degree of suds suppression
desired but is often in the range from 0.01 % to -0.5% by weight of the detergent
composition. Other suds suppressors which may be used are water insoluble, preferably
microcrystalline, waxes having melting point in the range from 35 to 120°C and saponification
value less than 100, as described in British patent specification 1,492,938.
[0044] Yet other suitable suds suppressing systems are mixtures of hydrocarbon oil, a hydrocarbon
wax and hydrophobic silica as described in European laid open patent application No.
0000216 published January 10, 1979 and, especially, particulate suds suppressing compositions
comprising such mixtures, combined with a nonionic ethoxylate having hydrophilic lipophilic
balance in the range from 14-19 and a compatibilising agent capable of forming inclusion
compounds, such as urea. These particulate suds suppressing compositions are described
in European patent application 79200472.3 Publication No. 0008830.
[0045] Soil suspending agents are usually present at 0.1 to 10%, such as water soluble salts
of carboxymethylcellulose, carboxyhydroxymethyl cellulose, polyethylene glycols of
molecular weight from 300 to 10000, polyacrylic acid, hydroxybutyl methyl cellulose
and derivatives thereof, and copolymers of methylvinylether and maleic anhydride or
acid, available from the General Aniline and Film Corporation under the Trade Name
Gantrez.
[0046] Optical brighteners, which can be anionic, cationic, or nonionic types, are usually
present at 0.01 to 1 %. Especially suitable brighteners include the derivatives of
sulfonated triazinyl diamino stilbene such as 4,4
1 - bis[(6 - anilino - 4 - morpholino - 1.3.5 - triazin - 2 - yl)amino]stilbene - 2,2
1 - disulfonate and the diphenyl type such as disodium 4,4' - bis(2 - sulfostyryl)diphenyl.
These brighteners tend to cause yellowing of granular products, especially on aging,
and it has been found useful to incorporate into the composition from 0.1 % to 7%
of polyethylene glycol of molecular weight of 300 to 1500 to prevent such yellowing.
[0047] Proteolytic, amylolytic or lipolytic enzymes, especially proteolytic may be present.
A further useful additive is a photo activated bleach comprising a mixture of the
tri and tetra sulphonated derivatives of zinc phthalocyanine as described in GB-A-1372035
and 1408144.
[0048] Through the description herein, where sodium salts have been referred to, potassium,
lithium or ammonium or amine salts may be used instead if their extra cost etc. are
justified for special reasons.
Preparation of the compositions
[0049] The detergent compositions may be prepared in any way, as appropriate to their physical
form, as by mixing the components, co-agglomerating them or dispersing them in a liquid
carrier. Preferably the compositions are granular and are prepared by spray drying
an aqueous slurry of the non-heat-sensitive components to form spray dried granules
into which may be admixed the heat sensitive components such as persalts, enzymes,
perfumes, etc. Although the tertiary and quaternary amines are preferably included
in the slurry for spray drying, they can be incorporated by being sprayed in liquid
form on the spray dried granules before or after other heat sensitive solids have
been dry mixed with them. The granules so made are surprisingly crisp and free flowing
even though the amines are a combination of a waxy solid of low melting point and
a liquid. Alternatively the amines in liquid form may be sprayed onto any particulate
component or components of the composition which are able to act as carrier granules.
The clay component may be added to the slurry for spray drying or may be dry mixed,
as preferred for reasons unrelated to its softening effect, such as for optimum colour
of the product.
Example I
[0050] The fabric softening performance of a composition containing tertiary amines of this
invention was determined by washing test terry towels (84% cotton/16% polyester) in
a top-loading semiautomatic machine with the agitation provided by an impeller with
reversing agitation and an extractor adjacent to the wash tub. The washing was done
in 21°C water whose hardness was 51 ppm (as CaC0
3) (3 gr./U.S. gal.) with the Ca/Mg ratio being 3/1. The product concentration was
0.15%, the water capacity of the wash was 30 liters and the water: cloth ratio was
30:1 and the cloth load was 1 kg. and consisted of 8 test terry towels (each 305x457
mm and weighing about 50 g.) with the remainder of the load being soiled T-shirts.
The fabric load was washed for 10 minutes, extracted for 2 minutes and then rinsed,
extracted again and line dried. The test towels were then graded for softness in a
round-robin panel test using 3 experienced judges who were not advised of the test
details. Included in the test were a set of test towels wherein no organic fabric
softener was present in the wash. The scale used by the judges was a 4 point scale
wherein the scale had the following meaning: 0-no difference; 1-guess that there is
a difference; 2-small difference; 3-modest difference; 4-large difference. A statistically
significant difference between treatments at the 95% confidence level is 0.5 panel
score units.
[0051] The composition of the product was as follows:

[0052] The results of the test are summarized in Table I.

[0053] As shown by the data the mixtures of tertiary amines of the invention surprisingly
provided more softening than either amine alone with the best results observed when
the ratio of ditallowmethylamine to dicoconutmethylamine being about 2:1.
Example II
[0054] The following compositions are prepared:

Example III
[0055] The following compositions are prepared.
