Abstract: Detergent tablets for use in fabric washing are made by mixing: (i) particles which contain non-soap organic surfactant and other materials, especially detergency builder, with (ii) material which is other than soap or organic surfactant and which has a solubility in water of at least 10 gm/liter at 20° C., followed by compacting the mixture into a tablet or a region of a tablet using an applied pressure in a range from 3.0 to 35 MPa. Such a pressure, used with the specified mixture, leads to tablets with good strength which also disintegrates with satisfactory speed.

Abstract: The invention provides disintegrant granules and a tablet of compacted particulate detergent composition comprising non-soap surfactant and detergency builder, wherein the tablet or a discrete region thereof comprises disintegrant granules comprising a water-swelling clay, a water-insoluble inorganic material and a water-swellable agent. The inorganic material is preferably silica or a crystalline aluminosilicate. The tablets show good disintegration properties, even upon storage. Especially good disintegration is obtained for tablets comprising disintegrant granules which comprise the water-swellable agent, which in its anhydrous state, comprises no more than 20% by weight of the combined weight of the swelling clay, the inorganic material and the water-swellable agent. A method of making the tablets is also provided.

Abstract: Detergent tablet of compacted particulate composition containing; (a) particles which contain organic surfactant together with detergency builder, and (b) water-insoluble but water-swellable particles of plant material which contain both cellulose and lignin, obtainable by fragmentation of plant material without separation of its fibres into a liquid dispersion. Also provided is process of making this tablet which comprises mixing water-insoluble, water-swellable disintegration-promoting material as defined above with other particulate ingredients so as to form a particulate detergent composition and compacting a quantity of the particulate composition in a mold so that it forms a tablet or a region of a tablet. The detergent tablets exhibit good disintegration together with adequate mechanical strength.

Abstract: A tablet of compacted particulate detergent composition comprising non-soap surfactant and detergency builder, and;

Abstract: The invention provides a tablet of compacted particulate cleaning composition comprising at least one cleaning ingredient selected from the group consisting of organic surfactant, detergency builder and bleach, wherein the tablet or a discrete region thereof comprises water-swellable disintegration-promoting particles comprising a) disintegration material selected from the group consisting of (i) cellulosic material from a plant source other than timber and (ii) plant material which contains both cellulose and lignin, obtainable by fragmentation of plant material without separation of its fibers into a liquid dispersion, and b) carrier material having a solubility in deionised water at 20° C. of about 1 gram per liter or less. The tablets have an aesthetically acceptable colour and exhibit good disintegration and strength properties. The disintegration-promoting particles are also provided.

Abstract: A tablet of compacted particulate cleaning composition which contains surfactant and detergency builder, and is suitable for fabric washing, also includes water-insoluble, water-swellable polymeric material, and disintegration-promoting particles containing at least 40% (by weight of the particles) of one or more materials selected from:

Abstract: A tablet of compacted particulate cleaning composition which contains surfactant and detergency builder, and is suitable for fabric washing, also includes water-insoluble, water-swellable polymeric material, and disintegration-promoting particles containing at least 40% (by weight of the particles) of one or more materials selected from: compounds with a water-solubility exceeding 50 grams per 100 grams water phase 1 sodium tripolyphosphate sodium tripolyphosphate which is partially hydrated so as to contain water of hydration in an amount which is at least 0.5% by weight of the sodium tripolyphosphate in the disintegration-promoting particles.

Abstract: A tablet of compacted particulate detergent composition including surfactant and detergency builder, suitable for fabric washing, is sub-divided into a plurality of discrete regions with differing compositions. At least one region of the tablet contains a water-swellable polymer serving to promote disintegration of this region. The polymer is present in this region in a concentration greater than in at least one other region of the tablet so as to cause disintegration of the region at a greater speed than disintegration of another region of the tablet.

Abstract: A detergent tablet of compacted particulate composition which has a pair of opposite faces spaced apart from each other and joined by a peripheral surface of the tablet, wherein the tablet has a first region which provides a first part of a said face and a second region which provides an adjoining part of the face with a discontinuity at the junction of the said parts of the face; and apparatus adapted to make such a tablet.

Abstract: A detergent tablet of compacted particulate composition which has a pair of opposite faces spaced apart from each other and joined by a peripheral surface of the tablet, wherein the tablet has a first region which provides a first part of a said face and a second region which provides an adjoining part of the face with a discontinuity at the junction of the said parts of the face; and apparatus adapted to make such a tablet.

Abstract: A detergent tablet having at least two discrete regions each compacted from particulate composition, wherein a first said region consists of a compacted particulate composition containing swelling disintegrant such that the region increases in volume on contact with water, and in at least one direction through said region is flanked on both sides by one or more other regions which swell to a lesser extent on contact with water than said first region.

Abstract: A detergent tablet for fabric washing is compacted from particulate detergent composition(s) with a fabric conditioning agent present in one zone (20,26,36,40) of the tablet at a greater concentration than in another zone (22,24,28,30,42). The conditioning agent may be a softening agent in a zone or region which disintegrates later than another zone or region of the tablet.

Abstract: A detergent tablet of compacted particulate composition which has a pair of opposite faces spaced apart from each other and joined by a peripheral surface of the tablet, wherein the tablet has a first region which provides a first part of a said face and a second region which provides an adjoining part of the face with a discontinuity at the junction of the said parts of the face; and apparatus adapted to make such a tablet.

Abstract: A tablet of compacted particulate cleaning composition containing at least one cleaning ingredient which is an organic surfactant, a water softening agent or a bleach, wherein the tablet or a discrete region of the tablet contains water-insoluble, water-swellable disintegration-promoting particles which are cellulosic material from a plant source other than timber. The invention also provides a tablet of compacted particulate cleaning composition containing at least one cleaning ingredient which is an organic surfactant, a water softening agent or a bleach, wherein the tablet or a discrete region of the tablet contains disintegration-promoting particles of coconut husk material.

Abstract: Cleaning compositions in the form of tablets containing surfactant and detergency builder, especially for use in fabric washing, also contain a water-insoluble, water-swellable polymeric material which has an average particle dimension of at least 400 micrometers. Such material may be cellulosic in nature and promotes disintegration of the tablets in water at the time of use.

Abstract: In order to provide a particulate zero-phosphate laundry detergent composition with reduced tendency to agglomeration, the composition comprises:i) from 30 to 80 wt % of a granular base powder comprising:a) from 5 to 60 wt % (based on the composition) of organic surfactant, andb) from 10 to 80 wt % (based on the composition) of alkali metal aluminosilicate detergency builder,ii) from 1 to 5 wt % of sodium silicate not within the granular base powder,wherein the sodium silicate (ii) is all present in the form of separate cogranules consisting essentially of sodium silicate and sodium carbonate in a ratio within the range of from 3:1 to 1:3, and where the tendency of the composition to form granules having a particle size of 2000 .mu.m or larger on storage is less than if the sodium silicate (ii) were present in the form of separate granules of sodium disilicate.

Abstract: In order to enhance the stability of sodium percarbonate bleach in particulate detergent compositions, crystalline aluminosilicate and a water-soluble alkali metal silicate in an amount of from 1-20% by weight based on the aluminosilicate are included in the non-spray dried base powder. In order to obtain the stabilizing effect, the crystalline aluminosilicate comprises zeolite MAP or the alkali metal silicate is homogeneously dispersed with respect to the aluminosilicate.

Abstract: Particulate high bulk density non-spray-dried detergent compositions containing organic non-soap surfactant, zeolite builder and fatty acid soap as powder structurant, prepared by non-tower mixing and granulation processes involving in-situ neutralization of fatty acid to soap with aqueous sodium hydroxide, can suffer from localized particle yellowing on storage when perfume and/or fluorescer are present, due to the presence of areas of high alkalinity. Yellowing is reduced without loss of powder structuring if a defined, less than stoichiometric amount of sodium hydroxide is used for the fatty acid neutralization. Surprisingly, in bleaching powders improved bleach stability is also observed. The resulting powder can be defined in terms of a low "basic sodium" content.

Abstract: Edible protein fibers with improved characteristics are produced by spinning an aqueous solution of proteins which has been subjected to a heat pre-treatment, into a hot coagulating medium in which the extrudate is completely gelled to obtain fibers of satisfactory texture which can be incorporated in foodstuffs.