Bis-azo colorants for use as bluing agents

Abstract

This invention relates to bis-azo colorants for use as bluing agents, laundry care compositions comprising bis-azo colorants that may serve as bluing agents, processes for making such bluing agents and laundry care compositions and methods of using the same. The bluing agents are generally comprised of at least two components: at least one chromophore component and at least one polymeric component. These bluing agents are advantageous in providing a whitening effect to fabrics, while not building up over time and causing undesirable blue discoloration to the treated fabrics.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]This invention relates to bis-azo colorants for use as bluing agents, laundry care compositions comprising bis-azo colorants that may serve as bluing agents, processes for making such bluing agents and laundry care compositions and methods of using the same. The bluing agents are generally comprised of at least two components: at least one chromophore component and at least one polymeric component. These bluing agents are advantageous in providing a whitening effect to fabrics, while not building up over time and causing undesirable blue discoloration to the treated fabrics.BACKGROUND[0002]As textile substrates age, their color tends to fade or yellow due to exposure to light, air, soil, and natural degradation of the fibers that comprise the substrates. Thus, the purpose of bluing agents is generally to visually brighten these textile substrates and counteract the fading and yellowing of the substrates. Typically, bluing agents may be found in laundry detergent...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004]This invention relates to laundry care compositions comprising bis-azo colorants that may serve as bluing agents, processes for making such laundry care compositions and methods of using the same. The bluing agents are generally comprised of at least two components: at least one chromophore component and at least one polymeric component. These bluing agents are advantageous in providing a whitening effect to fabrics, while not building up over time and causing undesirable blue discoloration to the treated fabrics.

Problems solved by technology

This yellowness is often difficult to reverse by normal laundering procedures.

Unfortunately, current bluing agents either do not provide a hueing benefit after a single treatment cycle and / or they build up to an undesirable level, thus over hueing the treated situs over multiple treatment cycles.

While it is necessary that bluing agents deposit from wash water, it is undesirable that they stain the fabric by inadvertent contact or by building up over time, i.e. overhueing.

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