Abstract: The present invention provides a thickener which is superior in compounding stability and has high thickening action and a surfactant composition containing the thickener. The present invention relates to a thickener comprising a fatty acid amide ether compound (1) and to a surfactant composition comprising this thickener and at least one surfactant. Namely, the present invention relates to a method of increasing the viscosity of a surfactant by using this thickener.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a surfactant composition containing a composition containing a diol derivative (I) and a surfactant: 1

Abstract: A thickener which is superior in handling characteristics and blending stability and has a high thickening action is provided, comprising a fatty acid alkanolamide represented by the general formula (1) and a surfactant composition comprising the thickener and at least one surfactant: 1

Abstract: The present invention provides a softener exhibiting a excellent softening effect and a satisfactory biodegradability.

Abstract: The present invention provides a softener composition which contains a softening base having an excellent softening effect and satisfactory biodegradability. That is, the present invention provides the softener composition which comprises (A) a nonionic compound which has at least one C5-36 alkyl or alkenyl group and an amide bond but contains no dissociative group of amino or carboxyl group; and (B) at least one member selected among (B-&agr;) cationic or ampholytic surfactants having one C5-36 alkyl or alkenyl group or one optionally substituted aryl group and (B-&agr;) amino compounds having at least one C5-36 alkyl or alkenyl group and salts of the compounds.

Abstract: The present invention provides a softener composition which contains a softening base having an excellent softening effect and satisfactory biodegradability. That is, the present invention provides the softener composition that has (A) a nonionic compound which has at least one C5-C36 alkyl or alkenyl group and an amide bond but contains no dissociative group of amino or carboxyl group; and (B) at least one member selected among (B-&agr;) cationic or ampholytic surfactants having one C5-C36 alkyl or alkenyl group or one optionally substituted aryl group and (B-&bgr;) amino compounds, having at least one C5-C36 alkyl or alkenyl group and salts of the compunds.

Abstract: The present invention provides a softener composition exhibiting an excellent softening effect and high biodegradability. That is, the present invention provides a softener composition having (A) at least one quaternary ammonium salt having at least two C5-C36 alkyl or alkenyl groups which may be interrupted by an ester linkage, amide linkage or ether linkage and (B) a tertiary amino compound (I) a salt thereof or a mixture of the same: wherein R1 and R2 represent a C1-C3 alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, aminoalkyl group or the like and R3 represents a C5-C36 alkyl group which is interrupted by an ester linkage, amide linkage or ether linkage, or the like.

Abstract: A softener composition which comprises a component (A) containing an amine represented by the following formula (I), a salt thereof or a mixture of the same and a component (B) containing a compound represented by the following formula (II-2) as the essential component and optionally containing at least one of the compounds represented by the formulae (II-1) and (II-3), wherein the ratio of the component (A) to the component (B), namely (A)/(B), by weight is from 2/8 to 8/2: wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and each of R1 and R2 represents a hydrogen atom, a C1-3 alkyl group, —(CmH2mO)p—H, —CnH2n—X—R3 or —CqH2q—Y—R3; m, n and q are the same or different and each of m, n and q represents an integer of 1 to 6; p represents a number selected from 1 to 10; R3 represents a linear or branched C5-22 alkyl or alkenyl group; X represents —OCO— or —COO—; and Y represents —NHCO—, —CONH—, —O&