Neue Entwicklungen auf dem Gebiet der Wäscheweichspuüler

Abstract

Particularly in Germany and Holland, the most common softening component in commercial fabric softeners, ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride (DTDMAC) has been replaced, by imidazoline derivatives for aquatoxicity reasons, later on by derivatives of 2,3-dihydroxypropyl-1-trimethyl-ammonium chloride and particularly by quaternised ditallow fatty acid esters of triethanolamine, known as esterquats. In spite of the excellent biodegradability and good aquatoxicity of esterquats we attempted to develop a constituent which effects softnening in a synergistic way with esterquats. So the required amount of esterquat could be decreased. Quaternisation of triethanolamine ditallow fatty acid ester by dimethylsulphate in 30% wt. propoxylated palm oil instead of 10% wt. of 2-propanol, as usual, gives an esterquat with a comparable softening effect on textiles using the same overall amount in a relevant concentration range. Propoxylated palm oil thus does not only act as a solvent, but has additionally a synergistic softening effect together with the esterquat. Propoxylated palm oil has good biodegradability and toxicological acceptability, and thus satisfies all requirements on a constituent of fabric softeners