CA2004165C - Fabric conditioning compositions - Google Patents

Abstract

Fabric Conditioning compositions are disclosed which comprise, as a fabric softening ingredient, a fabric softening clay. The fabric softening clay is a hectorite of natural origin, having a layer change distribution such that at least 50% is in the range 0.23-0.31. The clays exhibit high relative deposition values.

Description

~ 3L~5 FABRIC CONDITIONING COMPOSITIONS

Andre' Cesar Baeck Young Sik Oh The present invention relates to granular fabric conditioning compositions. More specifically it relates to compositions containing a fabric-softening amount of a hector;te clay, the clay being in the form of particles having a narrowly-defined layer charge distribution and preferably having a high level of deposition upon fabrics.

British Pztent 1 4()0 898, published July 23, 1975, discloses detergent compositions comprising~ as a fabric-softening ingredient, a smectite-type clay.Any smectite-type clay having a cation exchange capacity of at least 50 meg/
100 g is taught to be suitable. Gelwhite GP and Volclay BC, both of which are soclium montmori~lonite clays, are disclosed to be preferred for reasons of color and cation exchange capacity.
It is now well recognized in the detergent industry that clays of the type disclosed in British Patent 1 400 898 provide significant fabric softening benefits when used in a laundry detergent. Yet, it is equally well recognized that deposition of these clays onto the fabrics during the laundering process is far from complete; in fact, under typical European laundry conditions, less than half of the available clay is deposited onto the fabrics, the remainder being rinsed away with the laundry liquor during the subsequent rinsing steps. Moreover, the softening effect obtained as a result of the clay deposition is affected by factors that are not well understood.

It is an object of the present invention to provide granular fabric conditioning compositions that can be added to the laundry during a rinse stage of the laundry process comprising a fabric softening clay from which the clay particles are more efficiently deposited onto fabrics during the laundry process. It is further object of this invention to select clay materials for use in conditioning compositions that provide a significantly better fabric-softening performance than the clay materials used to date in commercial detergent and other fabric conditioning compositions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIO~

The present inventiorl relates to granular fabric conditioning compositions containing a hectorite clay for addition to laundry loads in the rinse stage, as opposed to the wash stage wherein detergent ingredients are typically pr~sent in substantial amounts. The clay is in the form of agglomerates. The clay has a narrowly defined layer charge distribution, such that at least about 50% of the clay has a layer charge of from about 0.23 to about 0.31. Preferably the compositions of the present invention exhibit Relative Depositions of at least about 2.5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INYENTION

The fabric conditioning compositions of the present invention contain from about 10% to about 99% of the fabric so-ftening clay described below, and from about .5% to about 40% of a binding/dispersing agent. The clay is in the form of an agglomerate. The composition may optionally contain other fabric conditioners, perfumes, dyes or other ingredients useful for fabric conditioning compositions. These agglomerated particles should not contain detersive ingredients, such 3S surfactants, builders, clay soil removers, enzymes, and the like, in sufficiently large quantities to significantly interfere with the rinsing process. The agglomerated clay particles may contain low amounts of ingredients such as surfactants, builders, and the like which can aid in dispersing the clay in the rinse. Generally, less than about 30%, by weight of the agglomerate, of such compounds will be present, preferably less than about 15%, more 3~ preferably less than about 10%. The clay, utilized in the present invention which is of the smectite-type, is selected on basis of its layer charge properties. The hectorite clays of natural origin, suitable for the detergent compositions of the present invention, have the general formula:

, ,~',, [(M93 XLiX) Si4~yMeIIIyolo(oH2-zFz)]-(x+y)(~ + Y)Mn+

wherein y = o; or, if y f o, MeIII is Al, Fe, or B: Mn~ js a monovalent (n = 1) or divalent (n = 2) metal ion, for example sele~ted from Na, K, Mg, Ca, Sr. The value of (x ~ y~ is the layer charge of the hectorite clay. The hectorite clays suitable for the detergent compositions of the present invention have a layer charge distribution such that at least 50% is in the range of from 0.23 to 0.31.
Preferred are hectorite clays of natural origin ha~ing a layer charge distribution such that at least 65% is in the range of from 0.23 to 0~31.

The layer charge distribution of the clay material can be determined using its swelling in the presence of cationic surfactants having specific chain lengths. This method is described in detail by Lagaly and Weiss, Zeitschrift fuer Pflanzenernaehrung und Bodenkunde, 130(1), 1971, pages 9-24, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The hectorite clay is provided in the composition of the present invention as free-flowing agglomerates of clay. The agglomerates can comprise smaller particles of clay such as are commercially available in the industry. Typically, the particles . Wi 11 be from about 1 micron to about 50 microns. The clay agglomerates can also be made in the desired size range (discussed below) directly from an aqueous clay slurry by spray drying or other techniques known in the art. ~he agglomerates should have a median diameter of from about 75 microns to about 2000 microns, preferably a median diameter of from about 100 microns and about 1250 microns, most preferably from about 300 microns to about 1000 microns. The clay asglomerates are preferably screened so as to separate agglomerates less than about 75 microns, preferably less than about 100 microns, and greater then about 2000 microns, preferably greater than about 1250 microns.

2~

It is an essential aspect of this invention that the clay agglomerates contain, in addition to the clay, a binding/dispersing agents as described hereafter. It has been found that the clay, when agglomerated and added to the rinse 5stage of an automatic washing machine without presence of such binding/dispersing agent, does not provide well-distributed deposition of the clay upon the fabrics. Rather, the clay tends to further agglomerate at the surface of the rinse water and deposit upon the fabrics with poor distribution. It is important 10for obtaining even deposition that the clay agglomerates sink or otherwise remain below the surface of the rinse water during the rinse stage and, further, become well-dispersed prior to the end of the rinse stage. Typically, the rinse stage of an automatic washing machine will be between about 2 and about S minutes.
15Agglomeration methods and equipment suitable for use include those methods known in the art. Non-limiting examples of the eq~ipment suitable for agglomeration of clay from smaller particles include a Dravo pan agglomerator, KG/Schugi Blender-Granulator, whirling knife continuous vertical fluidized 20bed agglomerator. Niro Fluidized Bed agglomerator, Obrian Mixer/Agglomerator, and a Littleford mixer (Littleford Brothers, Inc., Florence, Kentucky, USA, eg. Model FMI30D).
Other methods and equipment which use larger amounts of water, including the manufacture of agglomerates (as defined 25herein) directly from a clay slurry, include a spray drying tower, and a prilling tower.
On a laboratory scale, food processors which are widely available to the general public can be used to agglomerate smaller clay particles into agglomerates in the disclosed size ranges.
30In making the clay agglomerates, an aqueous mixture of water and the binding/dispersing agent can be first prepared and slowly added to the clay while the clay is subjected to the mechanical agitation of the agglomeration equipment. Once agglomerated, the clay can be dried, but should not be over-dried. Overdrying can, 35as will be understood by those skilled in the clay art, lead .
.

. .

to reduced ability of the clay to disperse. Drying at ambient temperatures unaided or aided by fsrced air provides acceptable ' drying levels.

Preferred binding/dispersing agents are water-soluble inorganic salts. These can include sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, potassium carbonate, potassium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, lithium sulfate, lithium carbonate, sodium citrate, and sodium sesquicarbonate. Preferred are sodium sulfate and sodium carbonate. Without limiting the invention, it is theorized that salts such as sodium carbonate which are basic in character are particularly advantageous for the present compositions. ~hese water soluble inorganic salts are believed to act as binding agents which impart a temporary bind;ng force that facilitates agglomerate integrity for a sufficiently long period after being added to the rinse stage of an automatic washing machine such that the agglomerates can slnk or rema;n below the surface of the water. ~owever, importantly, since the salts are water soluble, the binding force dissipates during the rinse stage so that the clay agglomerates can hydrate and disperse, to thereby facilitate even distribution of the clay upon the fabrics in the washing machine. Additionally, the salts are of relatively high density and inclusion of the salts into the agglomerates can aid with increasing the agglomerate density. Excessive compression of the clay to achieve the desired density can inhibit dispersion. The agglomerates preferably have a density of greater than about 1.0 g/cc. The agglomerates typ~ically will contain from about 1% to about 40%, preferably from about 5% to about 35~/O~ more preferably from about 10% to about 35% of a water -soluble ;norganic salt, based upon the total weight of the agglomerate.
Another type of binding/dispersing agent that and be used, alone or in combination with a water insoluble inorganic salt, is .~

:
.
.. ..

~6~0 ~3L6~

a dispersing aid. Dispersing aids that can be used can generally include surfactants. These include surfactants com~only use as detersives in 1aundry detergents (though they will be present in substantially lower concentrations when added to the rinse stage as part of the present compositions). lhe surfactants suitable for use can comprise an anionic, nonionic, ampholytic or zwitterionic surfactant or a mixture thereof. Nonionic surfactants, or other surfactants, that can interfere with clay deposition should be used in low amounts only, preferably less IO than about 10% of the weight of the agglomerate. Anionic surfactants are preferred. Typical anionic surfactants are the alkyl benzene sulfonates, alkly- and alkylether sulfates, paraffin sulfonates, olefin sulfonates, alkoxylated (especially ethoxylated) alcohols and alky phenols, am;ne oxides, alpha-sulfonates of fatty acids and of fatty acid esters, and the like, which are well known from the detergency art. In general, such surfactants contain an alkyl group in the Ca-C26 range, more generally in the C8-CIa range. The anionic surfactants can he used in the form of their sodium, potassium or triethanolammonium salts: Anionic phosphate surfactants are also useful in the present invention. These are surface active materials in which the anionic solubilizing group connecting hydrophobic moieties is an oxy acid of phosphorus. The more common solubilizing groups, of course are -SO~H and -SO3H. Alkyl phosphate esters such as (R--0)2PO2H and ROPO3H2 in which 2 represents an alkyl chain containing from about 8 to about 20 carbon atoms are useful herein. Suitab1e nonionic surfactants useful in the present invention include those obtained by the condensation of one to twelve ethylene oxide moieties with a C10-C~8 aliphatic alcohol.
The alcohol may be completely linear as occurs in materials derived from the natural feedstocks such as vegetable oils and animal fats, or may be slightly branched as occurs in petroleum derived alcohols made by oxo-type synthesis. Other nonionic materials are Cl~-CIs alcohol condensed with an average of seven ethylene oxide groups. Cl2-CI3 alcohol condensed with an average of about four ethylene oxide groups and then subjected to stripping to remove unetnoxylated and low ethoxylated materials, to leave an ethoxylated having a mean of 4.5 ethylene oxide groups. Suitable zwitterionic materials include derivatiYes of quaternary ammonium compounds containing an aliphatic straight chain group of 14-18 carbon atoms and a sulfate or sulfonate anionic solubilizing group. Specific examples include 3-N, N-dimethyl~N-hexadecylammonio-2-hydroxpropane-1-sulfonates;

3-(N,N-dimethyl-N-tallowylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate;
3-(N,N-dimethyl-N-tetradecyl amonio)-propane-lsulfonate; and 6-(N,H-dimethyl-N-hexadecylammonion)-hexanoate.
The preferred composition of the present invention ~ill contain at least about 10%, more preferably at least about 20%, most preferably at least about 40%, of a bind;ng aid as defined above, and optionally contain about 1% to about 10% a dispersing aid.
When the clay agglomerates are made from clay slurry, the binding/dispersing agent can be added and mixed with the slurry prior to formation of the clay into relatively small particles by, for example, prilling or spray drying. These particles can then be agglomerated into the agglomerate range defined above.
Alternately, agglomerates encompassed by said size range can be formed directly from the slurry by the same general processing methods. In the former case, the particles are preferably agglomerated with the use of an aqueous solution which contains more of a binding/dispersing agent.
Recently, a method has developed for objective assessment of fabric softeners. The method consists of a battery of tests, known in the detergent industry as the KES-F system of Kawabata.
The method is described in S. Kawabata, "The Standardization and Analysis of Hand Evaluation", 2nd Ed., Textile Mach. Soc. of Japan, Osaka, 1980 The shear hys~eresis parametër 2HG5 of the K~S-F system is believed to be particularly useful in the characterization of fabric softening clays. Preferred herein are hectorite clays which, when incorporated in fabric conditioning ,~

compositions at 10~, by weight, reduce the shear hysteresis of fabrics laundered therein by at least 32%, more preferable by at least 35%. The shear hysteres;s parameter 2HG~ is discussed in more detail in Finnimore and Koenig, Melliand Textilberichte 67 (1986) pages 514-516.

Softness measurements can also be obtained from expert panelists' subjective assessment of softness relative to a control.
~he preferred hectorite clays used in the fabric conditioning compositions can be further characterized by their high level of deposition onto fabrics. Deposition of hectorite clays of the present invention from fabric conditioning composition onto fabrics is surpr;singly greater than the deposition of other IS naturally occurring clays. Deposition can be measured accordin~
to the Relative Deposition procedure described on pages 13-16.
The Relative Oeposition of the clays of the present invention for 77 ppm treatment levels is preferably at least about 2.5 more preferably at least about 2.7, and most preferably at least about 2.9 as defined therein. As used herein, ~Relative Deposition"
shall refer to the above-referenced procedure using a 77 ppm treatment level, unless otherwise specifically indicated.The deposition of these clays appears to be proportional to the softness of the treated fabric. Examples of suitable hectorite clays include Bentone~ EW and Macaloid~ both mined in or near Amargosa Valley, Nevada (U.S.A.) and available from NL Chemicals, NJ. Naturally occurring hectorite clays within the scope of the present invention also include IMV Hectorite~ available from Industrial Mineral Ventures, Amargosa Valley, Nevada. Also encompassed herein are hectorites mined in ~urkey such as, but not limited to, Turkish calcium hectorite clay.

~'' Additional Conditioning Ingredients The fabric conditioning compositions of the present invention ~ay further contain, in addition to the clay material, other fabric conditioning ingredients. Organic and inorganic materials can be included either as part of the hectorite-conta;ning agglomerates, or as separate particles or agglomerates admixed with the hectorite-containing agglomerates. Suitable examples include amines of the formula R~R2R3N, wherein R1 is C~ to C20 hydrocarbyl, R2 is C1 to C2~ hydrocarbyl, and R3 is C1 to C10 hydrocarbyl or hydrogen. A preferred amine of this type is ditallowmethylamine.
Preferably, the conditioning amine is present as a complex with a fatty acid of the formula RCOOH, wherein R is a Cg to C20 alkyl or alkenyl. It is desirable that the amine/fatty acid complex be present in the form of microfine particles, having a particle size in the range of from e.g., 0.1 to 20 micrometers.
These amine/fatty acid complexes are disclosed more fully in published European Pa~ent Ap~lication No. 0 133 80~.
Preferred are compositions that contain from l% to 10% of the amine Suitable are also complexes of the above described amine and phosphate esters of the formula O O
Ra P OH and HO P ~ OH

wherein R9 and R3 are C1-C20 alkyl, or ethoxylated alkyl groups of the general formula alkyl-~OCH~CH2)y, wherein the alkyl substituent is C1-C20~ preferably C0-C16, and y is an integer to 15, preferably 2-10, most preferably 2-5. Am;ne/phosD~at.e ester complexes of this type are more fully disclosed inpublished European Patent Application No~ 0 168 889.

Further examples of optional conditioning ingredients include the amides of the formllla R1oRIlNCORl2~ wherein R1o and R11 are independently selected from Cl-C22 alkyl, alkenyl, hydroxyl alkyl, aryl, and alkyl-aryl groups; Rl2 is hydrogen, or a Cl-C22 alkyl or alkenyl, an aryl or alkyl-aryl group. Preferred examples of these amides are ditallow acetamide and ditallow benzamide.
Good results are obtained when the amides are present in the composition in the form of a composite with a fatty acid or with a phosphate ester, as described hereinbefore for the softening amines.

The amides are present in the composition at 1%-10% by weight.

The additional conditioning ingredients may be incorporated into the conditioning compositions by those methods known in the art. Thus the adclitional softness can be addecl to the crutcher mix and spray-clried, or may be added as a dry powcler to a clay slurry which is then IEormecl into the agglomerates of the present invention, or may be sprayed onto the clay agglomerates or onto a carrier, either in melted or in dissolved form. An example of a suitable carrier is perborate monohydrate.

Suitable conditioning ingredients are also the amines disclosed in C~n~1iz)n Patent 1286059, pub]ished July 16, 1991, in particular the substitutedcyclic amines disclosed therein. Suitable are imidazolines of the general formula 1-(higher alkyl) amido (lower alkyl)-2-(higher alkyl) ;midazoline wherein higher alkyl is alkyl having *om 12 to 22 carbon atoms, and lower alkyl is alkyl having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms. Softener materials of this type are preferably added to the composition as particles or agglomerates as disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,770,815, issued September 13, 1988 by Baker et al.

.,;

- l2 -A preferred cyclic amine is l-tallowamidoethyl-2-tallow imidazoline. Preferred compositions contain from 1% to lO~O of the substituted cyclic amine.
It may also be desirable to include a conditioning agent which controls static in the dryer. Suitable static control agents include ion-pair complexes of the formula (R~R2R3N+H) ~A-) ~her~in RI and R2 are C,2-C20 alkyl or alkenyl, R3 is H or CH3 and A- is an anion, such as a Cl-C~3 linear alkyl benzene sulfonate.
These and other suitable anti-static agents are disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,959,155, R.E. Montgomery, et al., issued May 25, 1976.

Moreover, the compositions herein can contain, in addition to ingredients already mentioned, various other optional ingredients typically used in commercial products to provide aesthetic or additional product performance benefits. Typ;cal ingredients include pH regulants, perfumes, dyes, bleach, optical brighteners, soil suspending agents, hydrotropes and gel-control agents, freeze-thaw stabilizers, bactericides, preservatives, carriers for such optional ingredients, and the like.

The fabric conditioning compositions are typical1y used at a concentration to provide in the rinse cycle at least about 75 ppm, preferably at least about 100 ppm, and less than about 200 ppm, more preferably between about 100 ppm and about 150 ppm, of clay based upon the clay/water weight ratio. When used at concentration of 150 ppm, the compositions encompassed by the present invention will typically have a Relative Depos;tion, as measured by the test described in the Experimental, of at least about }3.0 in an aqueous laundry bath at pH 7-ll. The fabric conditioning can be carried out oYer the range from about 5'C to the boil.

-~...... . ~ , j EXPER~MENTAL

Relative Deposition Measurement A. ~ashing procedure:
Prewash: Cotton/Polyester (86Yo/14~) terry cloths (Style 4025, Dundee Mills, Griffin, GA) that are 11 X 11 square inches ~27.9 X
27.9 square cm) and weigh about 509 each a~e used for the Relative Deposition test. The cloths are washed two times with conventional non-clay containing detergent formulation (shown below) in 0 grain/gallon water at 125~F (52~C) for 12 minutes each, then washed two times in 0 grain/gallon water at 125~F
(52~C) without detergent and dried in a Whirlpool 3 Cycle Portable Dryer tModel ~LE4905XM, Whirlpool Corp., Benton Harbor, MI).

Prewash Deterqent Composition:

Ingredient %(Wt.) C12 Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonate (Na Salt) 4.1 Tallow Alcohol Sulfate (Na Salt) 5.0 NeodolR 23-6.S (Alkyl Ethoxylate) 2.0 Tallow Soap 1.9 Sodium Tripolyphosphate 32.0 Silicate 6.5 ~ater and Miscellaneous --balance to 100--Test Wash: A miniwasher with five pots (such as those manufactured by Yorktown Tool & Die Corp., Yorktown, IN) is used.
For wash added clay softener tests, 9.129 of detergent product (Testwash Detergent Composition, as shown below) and 0.589 of a clay of the present invention (77ppm in the wash) are added to two gallons of 6 grain/gallon water at 95~F (35~C3 in each mini-washer pot and agitated for two minutes. Alternately, where specifically set forth herein~ higher clay concentrations, eg. 150 ppm, can be * Trademark ',' '''' utilized. This, of course, will affect results and direct comparisons between clay concentrations are not reliable. A load of fabrics weighing about 3419 and including test fabrics of four of the prewashed terry cloths, six polyester/cotton (65~o/35%) 11 x 1 square inch (27.9 x 27.9 square cm) swatches (product #7435, Test Fabrics, ~iddlesex, NJ) weighing a total of about 379, three 11 X 11 inch nylon swatches (product ~322, Test Fabrics) weighing a total of about 189, three 11 X 11 inch polyester swatches ~product ~720-H, Test Fabrics) weighing a total of about 449, and one polyacrylic sock (Burlington Socks, Balfour Inc.t Asheboro~
NC) weighing about 429 are added to the wash water. The fabrics are washed for 12 min. and spin dried for two minutes. The fabrics are then rinsed with two gallons of 6 grain/gallon water at 70~F (2ioC) for two minutes, spin dried for two minutes, and dried in a Whirlpool 3 Cycle Portable Dryer(~od~i ~No.LE~905XM, Whirlpool Corp., Benton Harbor, MI). This test wash procedure ls repeated for a second cycle, and the Relative Deposition is measured as described belo~.

Test ~ash Deterqent Composition Ingredient % (~t.) C13 Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonate 9.0 C14 15 Alkyl Sulfate Y.0 NeodolR 23-6.5T (Alkyl ethoxylate) 1.5 (Mfg. by Shell Chem. Co.) Sodium Tripolyphosphate 38.4 Silicate 14.6 Sodium Carbonate 21.3 Water and Miscellaneous-~balance to 100--B. Relative Deposition Measurement ~,~

The deposition of the clay containing compositions is calculated based on the deposition of silicon (Si) of terry cloth swatches washed with the test wash detergent composition relative to terry cloth swatches that were prewashed but not subjected to the test wash procedure (blank swatches). Silicon deposition is determined by measurement of the X-ray fluorescence of the silicon. Each Silicon fluorescence is measured in the following manner:
An EDAX 9500 X-ray f1uorescence unit with a rhodium anode X-ray ~ source (Philips Electronics, Inc., Cincinnati, OH3 is used. Each terry cloth swatch is analy2ed for lO0 live seconds. Count rate of Si (on a per second basis) for each sample is measured and recorded.

Relative Deposition of clay is calculated by the following equation:
Relative Deposition ~ STf - SBF X 1000 SW
wherein, STF is the Si count rate of clay-treated terry cloth fabric~s~F is the Si count rate of blank terry cloth fabric and SW is the Si count rate of a clay sample wafer (pressed clay particles of same area of terry cloth fabric). Count rates of Si for the clay sample wafer and clay deposition on fabric are measured as follows:
(a) Si count rate for clay sample wafer: The X-ray generator is set at 20 kV/500 microamps. About 29 of clay powder is pressed at about 20,00Q psi into a pellet with a 30 ton hydraul;c press (Angstrom, Inc., Chicago, IL). The sample is rotated during the count rate analysis in a vacuum atmosphere (less than 300 millitorr).

(b) Si count rate for the terry cloth treated with clay: The X-ray generator parameter is set at 15kV/500 microamps. A disk with a 3cm diameter is cut from a terry cloth swatch. The disk is compressed at about 20,Q00 psi to form a flat smooth disk using a . ~

2~ L~~~5 ton hydraulic press, then rotated during the count rate analysis in a vacuum atmosphere.
EXAMPLES
The following product formulations exemplify the present invention.

Example #
Ingredient (all wt. percentages) I II III IY Y
Bentone EW (NL Industries) 90% 67% 90~0 76.5% 76.S%
Sodium Carbonate 10% 33% - - 15.0%
Sodium Sulfate - - IO~o 15.0%
Silica/dye composite - - 8.5% 8.5%
In the formulations above the Bentone E~ can be replaced, in whole or part, with ~acoloid (NL Industries), IMV Hectorite (Industrial Mineral Ventures), or Turkish Calcium Hectorite Clay, while still providing excellent results.
The compositions can be prepared by agglomerating the clay in a commercial food processor, or other agglomeration equipment known in the art, with a solution of the salt dissolved in deionized water (eg. 15.0 9 salt per 30.0 ml water). The salt solution should be slowly added during the agglomeration procedure. The resulting product can be air-dried at ambient temperature.
Optionally, a water-soluble dye can be incorporated into the com~osition. This can be done, às in Example IV and Y, by stirring a carrier, such as formed silica gel particles (eg.
Syloid R 234), with the agglomeration equipment and slowly adding a dye solution (eg. 1.0 gram of F.D. & C Blue ~1 per 30 ml of deionized water), at a final dye to silica ~eight ratio of about 1.0%, until the desired dye level (relative to the total weight of the composition) is obtained. The silica/dye particles can then be agglomerated, preferably with an aqueous salt solution ~15.0 9 Na2SO~ in 30.0 ml deionized water~, air dried, and admixed with the clay particles.

The agglomerated clay and silica/dye particles are screened with testing sieves known in the art to, separate agglomerates less than 100 microns and greater than 1250 microns.

Claims (16)

1. A granular fabric conditioning composition comprising agglomerates of from about 0.5% to about 40% of a binding/dispersing agent and from about 10% to about 99% of a hectorite clay of natural origin, said hectorite clay having the general formula:

wherein MeIII is Al, Fe, or B; or y = o; Mn+ is a monovalent (n =
1) or divalent (n=2) metal ion, said clay having a layer charge distribution (x+y) such that at least 50% of the layer charge is in the range of from about 0.23 to about 0.31, and wherein said agglomerates have a median diameter of between about 75 microns and about 2000 microns.

2. A granular fabric conditioning composition according to claim 1, wherein said hectorite clay has a distribution of layer charge (x+y) such that at least about 65% of the layer charge is in the range of from about 0.23 to about 0.31.

3. A granular fabric conditioning composition according to claim 2 natural origin, wherein cotton terry towels laundered with a fabric conditioning containing about 10% (weight) of the hectorite clay show a reduction of the shear hysteresis, 2HG5, of at least about 32%.

4. A granular fabric conditioning composition according to claim 3, wherein the reduction of the shear hysteresis is at least about 35%.

5. A granular fabric conditioning composition according to claim 4 further comprising, as an additional softening ingredient, from about 1% to about 10% of an amine of the formula R1 R2 R3 N, wherein R1 is selected from C6 to C20 hydrocarbyl groups, R2 is selected from C1 to C20 hydrocarbyl groups and R3 is selected from C1 to C20 hydrocarbyl or hydrogen groups.

6. A granular fabric conditioning composition according to claim 5 wherein said composition additionally comprises an anti-static agent.

7. A granular Fabric conditioning composition according to claim 5 wherein said composition additionally comprises an organic softening ingredient.

8. A granular fabric conditioning composition as in claim 1, wherein said binding/dispersing agent is a water soluble inorganic salt and said agglomerates comprise from about 1% to about 40% of said inorganic salt.

9. A granular fabric conditioning composition as in claim 3, wherein said binding/dispersing agent is a water soluble inorganic salt and said agglomerates comprise from about 5% to about 40% of said inorganic salt.

10. A granular fabric conditioning agent as in claim 9, wherein said inorganic salt is a sodium salt of a sulfate or a carbonate.

11. A granular fabric conditioning composition according to claim 8 wherein said binding/dispersing agent further comprises a surfactant, and said surfactant comprises from about .5% to about 30% of said agglomerates.

12. A granular fabric conditioning composition according to claim 1 wherein said binding/dispersing agent is a surfactant which comprises from about .5% to about 30% of said agglomerates.

13. A granular fabric conditioning composition according to claim 1 wherein the Relative Deposition (77 ppm) of the clay is at least about 2.5.

14. A granular fabric conditioning composition according to claim 8, wherein the Relative Deposition of the clay is at least about 2.9.

15. A granular fabric conditioning composition according to claim 14, wherein the Relative Deposition (150 ppm) of the clay is at least about 13Ø

16. A granular fabric conditioning composition according to claim 15, wherein the binding/dispersing aid is a sodium salt of sulfate or carbonate and said agglomerates comprise from about 5%
to about 35% of said sodium salt.