Copolymer and detergent composition employing it

1. A detergent composition, comprising:

at least one copolymer; and

at least one surfactant;

wherein,

the at least one copolymer comprises as constituting units:

a cationic vinyl monomer (A); and

a vinyl monomer (B);

wherein

the cationic vinyl monomer (A), comprises:

a monomer (A2) of formula (3) wherein c is 0, and

optionally a monomer (A1) of formula (3) wherein c is 1,

CH 2 ═C(R 5 )—CO—(O) c —(NH) 1-c —(CH 2 ) d —N + R 6 R 7 R 8 .X −   (3)

wherein R 5 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, each of R 6 and R 7 which are independent of each other, is a C 1-24 alkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group, R 8 is a hydrogen atom, a C 1-24 alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group or —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —N + R 9 R 10 R 11 .Y—, each of R 9 to R 11 which are independent of one another, is a C 1-24 alkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group, each of X − and Y − which are independent of each other, is an anion, c is 0 or 1, and d is an integer of from 1 to 10,

the vinyl monomer (B), comprises:

a monomer of formula (I)

CH 2 ═C(R 1 )—CO—NR 2 R 3   (1)

wherein R 1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and each of R 2 and R 3 which are independent of each other, is a hydrogen atom or a C 1-3 alkyl group, provided that the sum of carbon numbers of R 2 and R 3 is from 1 to 4, or

2,3-dihydroxypropyl(meth)acrylate, and

wherein

a proportion of the cationic vinyl monomer (A) is from 25 to 45 mol % based on the entire copolymer, and

the copolymer comprises no cross-linking agent as a component.

2. The detergent composition according to claim 1 , which comprises at least a copolymer (C1) and a copolymer (C2), wherein the proportion of cationic vinyl monomer (A) in the copolymer (C2) is larger than the proportion of cationic vinyl monomer (A) in the copolymer (C1).

3. The detergent composition according to claim 1 , which comprises at least a copolymer (C3) and a copolymer (C4),

wherein

the copolymer (C3) comprises: a vinyl monomer of the formula (I) or 2,3-dihydroxypropyl(meth)acrylate, and a monomer (A1), and

the copolymer (C4) comprises a vinyl monomer of the formula (I) or 2,3-dihydroxypropyl(meth)acrylate, and a monomer (A2).

4. The detergent composition according to claim 1 , wherein the surfactant, comprises at least an anionic surfactant.

5. The detergent composition according to claim 4 , wherein

a content of the anionic surfactant is from 5 to 40 wt %,

a content of the copolymer is from 0.01 to 5 wt %, and

the detergent further comprises from 0 to 10 wt %, of at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of an amphoteric surfactant, a nonionic surfactant and a semi-polar surfactant.

6. The detergent composition according to claim 1 , which further comprises a silicone oil, a higher alcohol or a mixture thereof.

7. The detergent composition according to claim 1 ,

wherein a proportion of the vinyl monomer (B) is from 20 to 75 mol % based on the entire copolymer.

8. The detergent composition according to claim 1 , wherein

a proportion of the monomer (A1) is from 1 to 44 mol %,

a proportion of the monomer (A2) is from 1 to 44 mol %, and

the total of the proportions of monomer (A1) and monomer (A2) is from 25 to 45 mol %, based on the entire copolymer.

9. The detergent composition according to claim 1 , wherein a weight average molecular weight of the obtained copolymer is from 10,000 to 2,000,000.

10. The detergent composition according to claim 1 , wherein the copolymer comprises at least the vinyl monomer (B) of the formula (1).