Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.

Lever Brothers Company

Unilever Home and Personal Care Usa, Division of Conopco, Inc.

Unilever Home & Personal Care USA

Christophe Michel Joyeux

Jelles Vincent Boskamp

Mark P Houghton

Andrew P Chapple

Peter Willem Appel

Peter C Knight

Edwin Leo Lempers

Theo J Osinga

Gilbert Martin Verschelling

Peter William Appel

Marcel Van Der Kraan

Henning Wagner

Carolyn Angela Lanceley

Cornelis E Van Lare

Daniel Pierre Berthod

Vera Johanna Bakker

Pauline Farnworth

Petra Zuidgeest

Carolyn A Rowe

Frans A Van Der Hoeven

Fredericus Cornelis Dobbe

Theodorus Johannes Arts

Timothy Richard Bundy

Marilena Coruzzi

Duncan Howard Wright

Leandre Naddeo

Alistair Richard Sanderson

A particulate laundry detergent composition having a bulk density of 550 to 900 g/l comprises at least two different granular multiingredient components. A first granular component (preferably non-spray-dried) has a bulk density of 550 to 1000 g/l and has a weight ratio of a first ingredient type to a second ingredient type of r; a second granular component (preferably spray-dried) has a bulk density of from 300 to 550 g/l and has a weight ratio of the first ingredient type to the second ingredient type of r&prime;, wherein the ratio of r to r&prime; is within the range of from 1.25:1 to 1:1.25.

Detergent compositions

A detergent tablet of compacted particulate composition which has a pair of opposite faces spaced apart from each other and joined by a peripheral surface of the tablet, wherein the tablet has a first region which provides a first part of a said face and a second region which provides an adjoining part of the face with a discontinuity at the junction of the said parts of the face; and apparatus adapted to make such a tablet.

In order to enhance the stability of sodium percarbonate bleach in particulate detergent compositions, crystalline aluminosilicate and a water-soluble alkali metal silicate in an amount of from 1-20% by weight based on the aluminosilicate are included in the non-spray dried base powder. In order to obtain the stabilizing effect, the crystalline aluminosilicate comprises zeolite MAP or the alkali metal silicate is homogeneously dispersed with respect to the aluminosilicate.

Particulate aluminosilicate-built detergent compositions comprising

Particulate high bulk density non-spray-dried detergent compositions containing organic non-soap surfactant, zeolite builder and fatty acid soap as powder structurant, prepared by non-tower mixing and granulation processes involving in-situ neutralization of fatty acid to soap with aqueous sodium hydroxide, can suffer from localized particle yellowing on storage when perfume and/or fluorescer are present, due to the presence of areas of high alkalinity. Yellowing is reduced without loss of powder structuring if a defined, less than stoichiometric amount of sodium hydroxide is used for the fatty acid neutralization. Surprisingly, in bleaching powders improved bleach stability is also observed. The resulting powder can be defined in terms of a low 'basic sodium' content.

Detergent compositions and process for preparing them

A particulate detergent composition having a bulk density of at least 650 g/l which is not the product of a spray-drying process consists of a substantially homogeneous granular base and optional postdosed ingredients. The composition comprises a surfactant system, alkali metal aluminosilicate builder, and a water-soluble salt of citric acid, preferably sodium citrate, and optionally other ingredients. The delivery and dissolution characteristics of the composition in the wash are improved if citrate of Rosin Rammler particle size less than 800 .mu.m is incorporated within the granular base. The composition may also contain postdosed citrate of unrestricted particle size.

A free-flowing granular detergent composition or component having a bulk density of at least 550 g/liter comprises an anionic surfactant of which the acid form is a liquid at ambient temperature, preferably primary alcohol sulphate and/or alkylbenzene sulphonate; zeolite; and alkali metal, preferably sodium, carbonate. The level of sodium carbonate is 2-12 wt % when the anionic surfactant is wholly primary alcohol sulphate, otherwise 2-25 wt %. The compositions have lower levels of carbonate and higher surfactant loadings than previously disclosed materials, without loss of powder properties. The materials are preferably prepared by a granulation process involving in-situ neutralisation of anionic surfactant acid by carbonate in a high-speed mixer/granulator.

Detergent composition or component containing anionic surfactant and

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Vlaardingen, Netherlands

Christophe Michel Joyeux