| abstract |
The composition of the present invention is as follows: (A) A mixture of from about 1 to about 99% by weight of a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate and a center-branched surfactant Ab-XB wherein (a) Ab is a center-branched hydrophobic alkyl group having from 9 to 22 carbon atoms. wherein (1) the longest linear carbon chain to which the -XB group is attached has from 8 to 21 carbon atoms; (2) one or more C 1 -C 3 alkyl groups are branched from this longest linear carbon chain; (3) at least one of the branched alkyl groups is bonded directly to carbon 2 of the longest carbon chain, carbon 1 being attached to the carbon -X-B group, i.e. the bond is formed at a carbon atom less than two at position w-2; and (4) the average number of total carbon atoms of the Ab-X group in the surfactant composition is greater than 14.5 to about 18; (b) B is a hydrophilic group selected from sulfate, sulfonate, amine oxide, polyoxyalkylene, alkoxylated sulfate, polyhydroxy, phosphate ester, glycerol sulfonate, polygluconate, polyphosphate, ester, phosphonate, sulfosuccinate, polyalkoxylated carboxylate, glucamide, taurinate, sarcosinate, glycinate, isethionate, dialkanolamide, monoalkanolamide, monoalkanolamide sulfate, diglycolamide, diglycol amide sulfate, glycerol ester, glycerol ester sulfate, glycerol ether, glycerol ether sulfate, polyglycerol ether, polyglycerol ether sulfate, sorbitan ester, polyalkoxylated sorbitan ester, ammonium alkanesulfonate or amidopropyl betaine groups, alkylated quaternary groups, alkylated / polyhydroxyalkylated quaternary groups, alkylated / polyhydroxylated oxypropyl quaternary groups, imidazoline, 2-yl-succinate, - and sulfonated fatty acid groups; (c) X is -CH 2 -; and (B) from about 1% to about 60% by weight of an electrolyte of the formula MaXb wherein M is lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium or ammonium, alkylammonium; X is chloride, bromide, sulfate or carbonate; and a and b are integers appropriate to charge equalization. SHE |