Fabric Softener Compositions

摘要

A fabric conditioning active composition comprising an esterquat mixture of quaternized mono-, di-, and tri-esters of alkanolamine in which the tri-esterquat content of the quaternized esterquat mixture is greater than 25% by weight of the esterquat mixture, and the combined di-esterquat and tri-esterquat content in the esterquat mixture is greater than 78% by weight of the esterquat mixture. Additionally, the free fatty acid content of the composition is greater than 1% by weight based on the weight of the esterquat mixture. The fabric conditioning active composition provides high viscosity when dispersed into water at low concentrations of 0.5% to 12%, without the need for additional polymeric thickeners or other thickening additives.

主权项

1. A method of making an esterquat fabric softening active comprising the steps of:
a. reacting triethanolamine (TEA) with a fatty acid or methyl ester thereof in a molar ratio of fatty acid or methyl ester to TEA of greater than 1.94:1, at a reaction temperature of about 190° C. or less and a reaction time of less than 6 hours and 40 minutes, to obtain an esteramine intermediate; b. adding an alkylating agent to the esteramine intermediate to obtain an esterquat fabric softening active comprising a quaternized mixture of mono-, di-, and tri-ester ethanolamines, in which the tri-esterquat content of the esterquat mixture is greater than 25% by weight of the mixture, the combined di-esterquat and tri-esterquat content is greater than 78% up to 98% by weight of the esterquat mixture, and the fabric softening active comprises at least 1.25% by weight free fatty acid.