The present invention provides a thickener which is superior in compounding stability and has high thickening action and a surfactant composition containing the thickener. The present invention relates to a thickener comprising a fatty acid amide ether compound (1) and to a surfactant composition comprising this thickener and at least one surfactant. Namely, the present invention relates to a method of increasing the viscosity of a surfactant by using this thickener. wherein R 1 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl or alkenyl group which has 5 to 21 carbon atoms and may be substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, R 2 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms and R 3 represents an alkylene group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms.
1. A thickener comprising a fatty acid amide ether compound represented by the formula (1):
wherein R 1 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl or alkenyl group which has 5 to 21 carbon atoms and may be substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, R 2 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms and R 3 represents an alkylene group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms.
2. A thickener comprising a fatty acid amide ether compound represented by the formula (1—1):
wherein R 1 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl or alkenyl group which has 5 to 21 carbon atoms and may be substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, R 2 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms.
3. A thickener comprising a fatty acid amide ether compound represented by the formula (1-2):
wherein R 1 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl or alkenyl group which has 5 to 21 carbon atoms and may be substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, R 2 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms.
4. A surfactant composition comprising the thickener as claimed in claim 1 and at least one surfactant.
5. The surfactant composition according to claim 4 , wherein the surfactant is an anionic surfactant.
6. A method of using the fatty acid amide ether compound represented by the formula (1) as a thickener comprising:
mixing the fatty acid amide ether compound with a liquid
wherein R 1 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl or alkenyl group which has 5 to 21 carbon atoms and may be substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, R 2 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms and R 3 represents an alkylene group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms.
7. A method of thickening a surfactant comprising
mixing the fatty acid amide ether compound represented by the formula (1) with the surfactant:
wherein R 1 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl or alkenyl group which has 5 to 21 carbon atoms and may be substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, R 2 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms and R 3 represents an alkylene group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms.
8. A surfactant composition comprising the thickener as claimed in claim 2 and at least one surfactant.
9. A surfactant composition comprising the thickener as claimed in claim 3 and at least one surfactant.
10. The surfactant composition according to claim 8 , wherein the surfactant is an anionic surfactant.
11. The surfactant composition according to claim 9 , wherein the surfactant is an anionic surfactant.
12. A fatty acid amide ether compound represented by the formula (1):
wherein R 1 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl or alkenyl group which has 5 to 21 carbon atoms and may be substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, R 2 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms and R 3 represents an alkylene group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms.
13. A fatty acid amide ether compound represented by the formula (1—1):
wherein R 1 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl or alkenyl group which has 5 to 21 carbon atoms and may be substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, R 2 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms.
14. A fatty acid amide ether compound represented by the formula (1-2):
wherein R 1 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl or alkenyl group which has 5 to 21 carbon atoms and may be substituted with at least one hydroxyl group, R 2 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms.