Surface of ion-exchanging, crystalline alkali aluminosilicates used as builders in washing, cleaning or rinsing compsns. is rendered hydrophilic by mixing the alkali aluminosilicate with up to 30 wt. % of Na5P3O10, Drying and grinding. Na5P3O10 can be introduced in the form of an aq. soln. Suitable alkali aluminosilicates are zeolites of the A, X and Y types; the alkali can be Na, K or Li. Alkali aluminosilicates are capable of exchanging the alkali ions for Ca2+ and Mg2+ thus exerting a water-softening effect. They can be used for this purpose in washing, cleaning or rinsing compsns. instead of the objectionable phosphates, under the conditions that their wettability is improved by a surface treatment such as described above (otherwise their action is too slow, esp. for use in washing machines, and they tend to form encrustations on the walls of the washing vessel at the air-liquid boundary.).
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