Liquid surfactant compositions and associated methods
A liquid surfactant composition can include a C 9 -C 20 alkylbenzene sulfonate, a nonionic surfactant, and an anionic surfactant. The anionic surfactant can include a first alcohol ether sulfate (AES) surfactant and a second AES surfactant. The first AES surfactant can have a molecular formula of R 1 —O—(CH 2 —CH 2 —O) m —SO 3 M, wherein R 1 represents a C 10 -C 20 alkyl group, m represents a number from 6 to 8, and M represents a monovalent cation. The second AES surfactant can have a molecular formula of R 2 —O—(CH 2 —CH 2 —O) n —SO 3 M′, wherein R 2 represents a C 10 -C 20 alkyl group, n is 2 or 3, and M′ represents a monovalent cation. The first AES surfactant and the second AES surfactant can be present in the liquid surfactant composition at a weight ratio to provide the liquid surfactant composition with a fresh viscosity from about 350 centipoise (cPS) to about 550 cps.
1. A liquid surfactant composition, comprising:
a C 9 -C 20 alkylbenzene sulfonate;
a nonionic surfactant; and
an anionic surfactant, said anionic surfactant comprising:
a first alcohol ether sulfate (AES) surfactant having a molecular formula of R 1 —O—(CH 2 —CH 2 —O) m —SO 3 M, wherein R 1 represents a C 10 -C 20 alkyl group, m represents a number from 6 to 8, and M represents a monovalent cation, and
a second AES surfactant having a molecular formula of R 2 —O—(CH 2 —CH 2 —O) n —SO 3 M′, wherein R 2 is a C 10 -C 20 alkyl group, n is 2 or 3, and M′ is a monovalent cation,
wherein the first AES surfactant and the second AES surfactant are present at a weight ratio of from 0.05:1 to 1:1 to provide the liquid surfactant composition with a fresh viscosity of from about 350 centipoise (cps) to about 550 cps,
wherein the nonionic surfactant and the anionic surfactant are present at a weight ratio of from 1:1.5 to 1:10, and
wherein the liquid surfactant composition is free of a polymeric rheology modifier.
2. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein the alkylbenzene sulfonate is present in an amount from about 1 wt % to about 10 wt % of the composition.
3. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein the alkylbenzene sulfonate is a C 10 -C 15 alkylbenzene sulfonate.
4. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein the alkylbenzene sulfonate has a molecular formula of
wherein R′ and R″ jointly have from 8 to 19 C atoms and X + represents a monovalent cation that is a member selected from the group consisting of: Na + , K + , HO—CH 2 CH 2 NH 3 + , (HO—CH 2 CH 2 ) 3 NH + , and combinations thereof.
5. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein the nonionic surfactant is present in an amount of from about 1 wt % to about 10 wt % of the composition.
6. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein the nonionic surfactant has a molecular formula of R 3 —O-(AO) q —H, wherein R 3 represents a C 10 -C 20 alkyl group, AO represents an ethylene oxide or propylene oxide group, and q represents a number from 1 to 20.
7. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein the anionic surfactant is present in an amount of from about 15 wt % to about 25 wt %.
8. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein the first AES surfactant and the second AES surfactant are present in a weight ratio of from about 0.15:1 to about 0.35:1.
9. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein the first AES is a modified oxo-alcohol-based surfactant.
10. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein m=7.
11. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein M is a monovalent cation that is a member selected from the group consisting of: Na + , K + , HO—CH 2 CH 2 NH 3 + , (HO—CH 2 CH 2 ) 3 NH + , and combinations thereof.
12. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein the second AES surfactant is a modified oxo-alcohol-based surfactant.
13. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein n is 2.
14. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein M′ is a monovalent cation that is a member selected from the group consisting of: Na + , K + , HO—CH 2 CH 2 NH 3 + , (HO—CH 2 CH 2 ) 3 NH + , and combinations thereof.
15. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein the liquid surfactant composition has a 1 week storage viscosity at 25° Celsius from about 340 cps to about 450 cps.
16. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein the anionic surfactant and the nonionic surfactant are present in a weight ratio of from about 2.5:1 to about 5.5:1.
17. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , further comprising water, an organic solvent, a builder, an optical brightener, an opacifier, a colorant, a fatty acid, an anti-foaming agent, an enzyme, a fragrance, a pH adjuster, a polymer, or a combination thereof.
18. The liquid surfactant composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a fresh viscosity of from about 350 cps to about 425 cps.
19. A method of manufacturing a liquid surfactant composition, comprising:
providing an aqueous vehicle;
combining a C 9 -C 20 alkylbenzene sulfonate with the aqueous vehicle;
combining a nonionic surfactant with the aqueous vehicle;
combining an anionic surfactant with the aqueous vehicle, said anionic surfactant comprising:
a first alcohol ether sulfate (AES) surfactant having a molecular formula of R 1 —O—(CH 2 —CH 2 —O) m —SO 3 M, wherein R 1 represents a C 10 -C 20 alkyl group, m represents a number from 6 to 8, and M represents a monovalent cation, and
a second AES surfactant having a molecular formula of R 2 —O—(CH 2 —CH 2 —O) n —SO 3 M′, wherein R 2 is a C 10 -C 20 alkyl group, n is 2 or 3, and M′ is a monovalent cation,
wherein the first AES surfactant and the second AES surfactant are combined in a weight ratio of from 0.05:1 to 1:1 to provide the liquid surfactant composition with a fresh viscosity of from about 350 cps to about 550 cps,
wherein the nonionic surfactant and the anionic surfactant are present at a weight ratio of from 1:1.5 to 1:10, and
wherein the liquid surfactant composition is free of a polymeric rheology modifier.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising combining an organic solvent, a builder, an optical brightener, an opacifier, a colorant, an additional surfactant, an anti-foaming agent, an enzyme, a fragrance, a pH adjuster, a polymer, or a combination thereof with the aqueous vehicle.