Abstract: The present invention relates to a multifunctional pellet aid including one or more binders, wherein at least one binder is an acrylic based polymer having a Tg ranging from −20° C. to +95° C., one or more inorganic solids and one or more organic solids; the particle size of the pellet aid ranging from 100 &mgr;m to 3000 &mgr;m. Adding 0.25 to 10% by weight of the multifunctional pellet aid, based on the total weight of the pellet, to a plurality of ingredients and compacting the pellet aid and ingredients to form a pellet, affords a pellet having improved mechanical strength as a solid and rapidly disintegrating upon contact with an aqueous system.

Abstract: The invention provides a detergent formulations comprising at least one water soluble polymer, or salt thereof, bearing at least one phosphonate group. Suitable polymers comprise: wherein X is H, Na, K or A; and A is a polymer, copolymer, or water soluble salt thereof, comprising, one or more of the following monomers in polymerized form: carboxylic acids of the formula wherein R1 is H, OH, C1-C9 alkyl or alkoxy or acetoxy or acetate R2 is H, C1-C3 alkyl or alkoxy, COOR3 R3 is H, Na, K or C1-C10 alkyl; hydroxypropyl acrylate, propyl methacrylate, 2-acrylamido-2-propane sulphonic acid, sodium styrene sulphonate, sodium allylsulphonate, sodium methyl sulphonate, vinyl sulphonic acid, and salts thereof; acrylamide, methacrylamide, tert-butylacrylamide, (meth)acrylonitrile, styrene, vinyl acetate allyloxy-2-hydroxypropyl sulphonate and dialkylacrylamide.

Abstract: Hydrophobically modified polycarboxylate polymers of Formula 1: are useful for promoting soil release from fabrics, particularly cotton and cotton-containing fabrics, by contacting the fabrics with compositions comprising said polymers.