Polymers for laundry applications
The present invention relates to use of a compound for promoting antiredeposition during laundering of a textile fabric, in which the compound is a polymer comprising a polysaccharide backbone substituted by one or more groups -L-R 1 , where L represents an ester, amide or ether linkage and R represents an anionic alkyl group or a salt thereof, which has a degree of substitution of from 0.005 to 1 and a degree of biodegradation of at least 60% in 28 days. The use of such polymers in the manufacture of a laundry cleaning composition is also provided as well as laundry cleaning compositions containing such polymers.
1. A method for promoting antiredeposition during laundering of a textile fabric, the method comprising laundering the fabric with a composition comprising a compound which is a polymer having the general formula (I):
wherein:
each SU represents a sugar unit in a polysaccharide backbone;
L represents an ester, amide or ether linkage;
R 1 represents a sulphoethyl or sulphopropyl group or a sodium salt thereof;
a represents the number of unsubstituted sugar units as a percentage of the total number of sugar units and is from 0 to 99.9%;
b represents the number of substituted sugar units as a percentage of the total number or sugar units and is from 0.1 to 100%; and
m represents the degree of substitution per sugar unit and is from 0.005 to 0.5;
wherein said compound has a degree of biodegradation of at least 60% in 28 days.
2. The method according to claim 1 , in which L represents a group —O—CO— or —O—.
3. The method according to claim 1 , in which the polysaccharide backbone is β-1,4-linked.
4. The method according to claim 1 , in which the polysaccharide backbone is selected from the group consisting of xyloglucans, glucomannans, galactomannans, chitosan and chitosan salts.
5. The method according to claim 1 , in which the polysaccharide backbone is a galactomannan.
6. The method according to claim 1 , in which the polysaccharide backbone has a number average molecular weight from 5 000 to 10 000 000.
7. The method according to claim 1 , in which the polymer is water soluble.
8. The method according to claim 1 , in which m is from 0.01 to 0.4.
9. The method according to claim 5 , in which the polysaccharide backbone is Locust Bean Gum.
10. The method according to claim 6 , in which the polysaccharide backbone has a number average molecular weight from 50,000 to 1,000,000.
11. The method according to claim 10 , in which the polysaccharide backbone has a number average molecular weight from 50,000 to 500,000.
12. The method according to claim 1 , in which a is from 65 to 99%.
13. The method according to claim 1 , in which b is from 1 to 35%.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
L represents a group —O—CO— or —O—;
the polysaccharide backbone is Locust Bean Gum;
a is from 65 to 99%;
b is from 1 to 35%; and
m is from 0.01 to 0.4.