Modified Sodium Carbonate Carrier Material
A process for preparing a modified sodium carbonate carrier material, the process comprising the steps of: (i) preparing an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate; an effective amount of a crystal growth modifier selected from the group comprising polyacrylates, polyaspartates and polyaspartic acids; and optionally one or more anionic and/or nonionic detergent-active compounds, one or more detergency builders and/or one or more further heat-insensitive detergent components; whereby crystal growth-modified sodium carbonate is formed; (ii) drying the solution to form a dry solid carrier material; (iii) optionally incorporating into the dried solid carrier material one or more detergent components in liquid form and/or mixing the dried solid material with one or more solid detergent components. Also, a modified sodium carbonate carrier material comprising: dry inorganic solids consisting of habit modified sodium carbonate; and polyaspartic acid, or a sodium salt of polyaspartic acid, wherein the weight ratio of polyaspartic acid to the dry inorganic solids is in the ratio from 0.5:100 to 10:100.
1 . A process for preparing a modified sodium carbonate carrier material, the process comprising the steps of:
(i) preparing an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate; an effective amount of a crystal growth modifier selected from the group comprising polyacrylates, polyaspartates and polyaspartic acids; and optionally one or more anionic and/or nonionic detergent-active compounds, one or more detergency builders and/or one or more further heat-insensitive detergent components; whereby crystal growth-modified sodium carbonate is formed;
(ii) drying the solution to form a dry solid carrier material;
(iii) optionally incorporating into the dried solid carrier material one or more detergent components in liquid form and/or mixing the dried solid material with one or more solid detergent components.
2 . A process according to claim 1 wherein the solution is a concentrated solution with less than 35% solids.
3 . A modified sodium carbonate carrier material comprising:
a) dry inorganic solids consisting of habit modified sodium carbonate; and
b) polyaspartic acid, or a sodium salt of polyaspartic acid,
wherein the weight ratio of polyaspartic acid to the dry inorganic solids is in the ratio from 0.5:100 to 10:100.
4 . A carrier material as claimed in claim 3 in which the ratio is from 1:100 to 5:100.
5 . A carrier material as claimed in claim 3 in which the ratio is from 1:100 to 3:100.
6 . A carrier material as claimed in claim 3 in which the molecular weight of the polyaspartic acid is greater than 4,000.
7 . A carrier material as claimed in claim 3 which is substantially free from sodium sulphate.
8 . A loaded carrier comprising a carrier material as claimed in claim 3 in which there is adsorbed from 5 to 40 wt % of a liquid.
9 . A carrier material as claimed in claim 3 made according to the process.
10 . A loaded carrier as claimed in claim 8 in which the liquid is non-ionic surfactant or anionic surfactant paste.
11 . Use of the loaded carrier according to claim 10 in a laundry detergent formulation.
12 . Use according to claim 11 in which the laundry detergent formulation is a powder composition.
13 . Use according to claim 11 in which the laundry detergent formulation is a tablet.