The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 09, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 31, 2000
Riccardo Filippo Carina, Les Ulis, FR;
Bernard Lucas Feringa, Groningen, NL;
Ronald Hage, Vlaardingen, NL;
Catherine Hemmert, Toulouse, FR;
Jean Hypolites Koek, Vlaardingen, NL;
Rene Marcel LaCrois, Groningen, NL;
Bernard Meunier, Toulouse, FR;
Michael Renz, Toulouse, FR;
Johannes Gerhardus Roelfes, Groningen, NL;
Ebe Pieter Schudde, Groningen, NL;
Rob Thijssen, Vlaardingen, NL;
Robin Stefan Twisker, Vlaardingen, NL;
Charon Zondervan, Groningen, NL;
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc., Greenwich, CT (US);
Abstract
The invention relates to catalytically bleaching substrates, especially laundry fabrics, with atmospheric oxygen or air. A method of bleaching a substrate is provided that comprises applying to the substrate, in an aqueous medium, a specified ligand from a selected class which forms a complex with a transition metal, the complex catalysing bleaching of the substrate by atmospheric oxygen. Also provided is an aqueous bleaching composition substantially devoid of peroxygen bleach or a peroxy-based or -generating bleach system. Also provided is a method of treating a textile such as a laundry fabric whereby a complex catalyses bleaching of the textile by atmospheric oxygen after the treatment. The catalyst may be used in dry form, or in a liquor that is then dried, such as an aqueous spray-on fabric treatment fluid or a wash liquor for laundry cleaning, or a non-aqueous dry cleaning fluid or spray-on aerosol fluid. The method can confer cleaning benefits to the textile after the treatment. Also provided is a dry textile having a catalyst applied or deposited thereon, whereby bleaching by atmospheric oxygen is catalysed on the textile.