CZ6693A3 - Liquid composition for treating textile materials - Google Patents

Abstract

A liq. fabric care compsn. comprises: (1) a suitable microemulsified amine functional silicone for improved reduction of fibre-fibre/yarn-yarn friction; (2) an effective amt. of fabric softener; and (3) a suitable carrier for (1) and (2). Pref. the compsn. comprises 0.05-25 (esp. 0.5-10) wt% of the microemulsified amine functional silicone which has an ave. mol. wt. 1,000-100,000 (esp. 1,500-20,000). The fabric softener is present in an amt. of 2-3 to 35 (esp. 4-27) wt% of the compsn. The wt. ratio of the silicone to the fabric softener is 17:1 to 1:350 (esp. 1:5 to 1:10). The microemulsion is made by emulsion polymerisation of lower mol. wt. silicone polymers and or silicone monomers (esp. lower mol. wt. silicone polymers). The fabric softener is selected from: i) quat. ammonium cpds.; (ii) fatty amine fabric softening cpds.; (iii) fatty amide cpds.; (iv) fatty acids; and/or (v) fatty alcohols. (Esp. quat. ammonium cpd. more esp. a mixt. of amide, amine and quaternary ammonium cpds.; most esp. amine cpd.). Suitable carrier is primarily water.

Description

The present invention relates to fabric care compositions and a method of processing fabrics in order to improve the various properties of the fabric, in particular to reduce friction between the fibers and between the yarns.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of silicones to soften fabrics, i.e. to provide a fabric softening action between the fibers and the yarns so that they move more easily, is well known in the art for some time. In addition, the use of organomodified silicones for textile processing has also been well documented over the years (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,878, issued November 11, 1986, U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,704, issued November 10, 1989, U.S. Pat. U.S. Patent No. 4,824,877, issued on April 25, 1989, U.S. Patent No. 4,824,890, issued on April 25, 1989, of which British Patent Application 87-29,439, published December 18, 1987, is also of interest. All of these publications are incorporated herein by reference. Silicones of this type are typically supplied to textiles in the form of an aqueous emulsion. Later, much work has been focused on the aqueous delivery of these systems through microemulsions. In the above known state it is stated that microemulsions have two advantages over conventional macro emulsions, that they are more stable and that they require less mechanical energy to produce.

Although the manual evaluation of softness fabrics is still widely practiced. about 20 years ago Sueo Kawabata et al. evaluate textiles mechanically. They designed tools for measuring the low deformation forces typical of manual analysis on textiles,

Although these tools (commonly known as Kawabata Evaluation System or KES) have been designed as quality control tools for fabric acceptability, these tools have also been used to study the effect of fabric processing. Two such -

studies were published by Union Carbide Co .: Sabia, A.J. and Pagluighi, AM, Textile Chemist and Colorist, Vol. 19, No.3, March 1987, p. 5, and Barndt, HJ, Sabia, AJ- and Pagluighi, AM, Textile Chemist and Colorist, Vol. 12, December 1989, p.16. It is envisaged that the shearing tool, particularly the measurement of shear hysteresis, is indicative of the ease with which the fibers and / or yarns move over each other. The lower the shear hysteresis value, the better the fabric softener (lubricant).

The term reduced fiber friction and reduced fiber friction, or reduced fiber-fiber / yarn-yarn friction (reduced friction between individual fibers within the yarn as well as between the yarn strands) as used herein means that the fabric has a lower value shear hysteresis, measured with a KES shearing tool. While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that reducing the fiber-thread / yarn-yarn friction provides better removal of folds, handles and creases during drum drying and ironing processes as the fibers more easily move over each other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a liquid fabric care composition comprising a suitable microemulsified aminofunctional silicone to improve the reduction of friction between fibers and (or between yarns), an effective amount of fabric softener and a suitable carrier for silicone and plasticizer.

Preferably, the liquid composition of the invention comprises from about 0.05% to about 25%, preferably from about 0.1% to about 15%, and most preferably from about 0.5% to about 10% by weight of said microemulsified aminofunctional silicone. Preferably, said aminofunctional silicone has an average molecular weight of from about 1000 to about 100,000 and said fabric softener is present in an amount of from about 2%, preferably 3%, to about 35% of the total weight of the composition, wherein the weight ratio of micro-emulsified aminofunctional

The softener silicone is from about 17: 1 to about 1: 350. The weight ratio of said aminofunctional silicone to said fabric softener is from about 10: 1 to about 1: 100, preferably from about 1: 1 to about 1:10, and most preferably from about 1: 5 to about 1:10.

According to another feature of the invention, said microemulsified aminofunctional silicone has an average molecular weight of from about 1000 to about 100,000, preferably from about 1000 to about 50,000, and most preferably from about 1500 to about 20,000, and is formed by emulsion polymerization of silicone polymers of lower relative molecular weight. %, silicone monomers or mixtures thereof, preferably lower molecular weight silicone polymers.

The fabric softener used in the composition of the invention is preferably selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium compounds, fatty amine compounds for fabric softening, fatty amide compounds, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and mixtures thereof.

Said fabric softener may, for example, comprise a quaternary ammonium compound, preferably a mixture of an amide, amine and quaternary ammonium compound or compounds. In another embodiment, it may comprise an amine compound.

Preferred compositions are aqueous fabric softeners. Such compositions are added either to the wash or rinse water in the wash. These preferred compositions are water-dispersible water-based compositions containing from about 0.05% to about 25%, more preferably from about 0.1% to about 15%, of microemulsified amino-silicone silicones and are diluted in wash or rinse water.

The invention also relates to a method of reducing friction between fibers and / or yarns in treated fabrics, wherein said fabrics are contacted with an effective amount of the above composition diluted with water.

Surprisingly, the microemulsified aminofunctional silicone (MAFS) incorporated into the liquid fabric softener exhibits synergistic behavior as compared to the corresponding macro emulsified material. In other words, this means that the effectiveness of MAFS to reduce friction between fibers and / or yarns is not as good as a macroemulsified system when used alone, but in a liquid fabric softener composition, the MAFS composition provides greater reduction in shear hysteresis values than corresponding to a macroemulsion in an analogous fabric softening composition.

The most preferred embodiment of the rinse water liquid composition comprises a microemulsified aminofunctional silicone and a fabric softener, preferably a quaternary ammonium fabric softener.

In a preferred embodiment, about 0.1% to 10% by weight of the microemulsified aminofunctional silicone is mixed into any suitable laundry fabric softening composition of the prior art. The result is a fabric care composition that provides reduced friction between the fibers and / or threads in the fabric being processed.

Embodiments of the invention

First, some characteristics and explanations regarding silicone micro-emulsions will be presented.

Many patents in the field of silicone micro-emulsions have been published over the past five years (U.S. Patent Nos. 4,620,878, 4,670,704, 4,824,877, 4,824,890), and British Patent 37-29 489, all of which are incorporated herein by reference). Silicone microemulsions are described in this literature as translucent silicone emulsions with an average particle size of less than 0.14 microns. It is said that microemulsions have advantages over conventional macro emulsions both in that they are more stable and on the other hand they require less mechanical energy to produce. There is no mention that microemulsions can reduce friction between fibers or friction between yarns as compared to macroemulsions when used with a fabric softener. Since microemulsions are worse in performance when compared to macroemulsions when used alone, any investigation that starts logically with individual dispersions would discourage further investigation.

Aminofunctional silicones herein preferably have an average relative molecular weight of from about 1000 to about 100,000, preferably from about 1000 to about 50,000, and most preferably from about 1500 to about 20,000, and emulsion polymerization of polymers and / or monomers of low relative molecular weight may be prepared. molecular weight, more preferably low molecular weight polymers. Emulsion polymerization can provide a high concentration of microemulsified silicone.

A preferred composition of the invention is an aqueous dispersion comprising a microemulsified aminofunctional silicone, wherein the weight ratio of the microemulsified aminofunctional silicone to the fabric softener is from about 17: 1 to about 1: 100. Even more preferred weight ratios of the microemulsified aminofunctional silicone to the fabric softener are from about 1: 1 to about 1:10. These compositions are added to the flushing water to reduce friction between the fibers and / or between the yarns and to soften the fabric.

The suitable fabric softener (s) are selected from the group consisting of:

- quaternary ammonium compounds,

- fatty amine compounds,

- fatty amide compounds,

- fatty acids,

fatty alcohols, and

- theirs with me.

In certain rinse liquid compositions of the invention, the amount of fabric softener may range from about 2% to about 35%, preferably from about 4% to about 27% of the total weight of the composition. The lower limits are the amounts required to contribute to the fabric softening effect when added to a laundry soaking bath in the manner customary in normal household washing practice. Higher limits are desirable for more concentrated liquid products that utilize either smaller applications

-6 volume or dilution before use.

Preferred levels of microemulsified aminofunctional silicone in such a composition may range from about 0.05% to about 40%, preferably from about 0.1% to about 20%, and most preferably from about 0.5% to about 10% by weight of the concentrate.

Suitable softening compounds for fabric softening include quaternary ammonium salts as well as non-quaternary amines and amine salts.

Compositions containing cationic nitrogen compounds in the form of quaternary ammonium salts and substituted imidazolinium salts having two long chain acyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon groups provide favorable fabric softening properties when used in rinse wash processes (see, for example, U.S. Patent 3,644,203 issued to US Pat. 22 02 1972 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,299, issued Jan. 17, 1984, as well as an article of Cationic Surfactant as RREgan Textile Softener in the Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society, January 1978, pp. 118-121, and How to select cationic substances for JAAckerman's fabric softeners in the Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society, June 1983, pp.1166-1169).

Other suitable fabric softening compounds are non-quaternary amides and non-quaternary amines. The commonly reported material is the reaction product of higher fatty acids with hydroxyalkyl-alkylene diamines. An example of such materials is the reaction product of higher fatty acids and hydroxyethylethylenediamine (see Condensation Products of beta-hydroxyethylethylenediamine and fatty acids or alkyl esters thereof and their use as textile softeners in laundry detergents, HWEckert et al., Eett.e-Seifen-Anst.richmittel, September 1972, These materials are generally disclosed with other cationic quaternary ammonium salts and imidazole-initiated salts as softening active ingredients in fabric softening compositions. See U.S. Pat. No. 07 1984, U.S. Pat

-712 1983 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,133, issued Apr. 27, 1982).

A particularly preferred fabric softener is in a substantially aqueous dispersion containing from about 3 to about 3% by weight. % by weight of the mixture consisting of:

a) from about 10 wt% to about 92 wt% of a higher fatty acid reaction product with a polyamine selected from the group of hydroxyalkylalkylenediamines and aialkylenetriamines and mixtures thereof, and> 3% to about 90% cationic nitrogen salts having only one acyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon a long chain group C x _S -C ₂₂ , and optionally

c) from 0% to 80% of a cationic salt having two or more C ₁ -C ₂₂ long chain acyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon groups or one of said groups and an arylalkyl group having from about 15 to about 22 carbon atoms in its alkyl chain.

For a detailed description of some preferred fabric softeners, reference may be made to U.S. Patent 4,661,269 for the sake of completeness.

In the terminology used herein, for example, a softening compound generally means such a compound in both the singular and plural unless otherwise indicated.

Preferred carriers are liquids selected from the group consisting of water and mixtures of water and alcohols with short chain C _x -C ₄ and one hydroxy group per molecule. The water to be used may be. distilled, deionized and / or tap water 2. Also suitable as carrier liquid are mixtures of water and up to about 10%, preferably less than about 5%, of a short chain alcohol such as ethanol, propanol, isopropanol or butanol, and mixtures thereof. Carriers that are primarily water are desirable.

Some alcohols with short .; are present in commercially available products with quaternary ammonium compounds. Such articles can be used in the preparation of the preferred aqueous compositions of the present invention. Alcohols with short

The chain is present in such products in an amount of from about 0.5% to about 10% by weight of the aqueous composition.

Compatible ingredients may be added to the disclosed compounds for their known purposes. Such ingredients include, but are not limited to, viscosity control agents, perfumes, emulsifiers, preservatives, stabilizers, antioxidants, bactericides, sedatives, fungicides, dyes, fluorescent dyes, melt and solidifying agents, soil release agents, shrinkage control agents and other ironing aids (e.g. starches, etc.). These additives, when used, are added in their usual proportions, typically up to about 5% by weight of the preferred liquid composition.

The viscosity control agents may be organic or inorganic in nature. Examples of organic viscosity converters are fatty acids and esters, fatty alcohols, and water-miscible solvents such as short-chain alcohols. Examples of inorganic viscosity control agents are water-soluble ionizable salts. A wide variety of ionizable salts can be used. Examples of suitable salts are Group II and IIA metal halides of the Periodic Table of the Elements, for example calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium bromide and lithium chlorides. Most preferred is calcium chloride. Ionizable salts are particularly useful during additive mixing processes to form the liquid compositions discussed herein and later to obtain the desired viscosity. The amount of ionizable salts used depends on the amount of active ingredients used in such compositions and can be adjusted to the desire of where it is formulated. Typical levels of salts used to control the viscosity of the composition are from about 20 to about 6000 parts per million, preferably from about 20 to about 4000 parts by weight of the composition per million.

Soil release agents, usually polymers, are desirable additives at levels from about 0.1% to about 5%.

Suitable reagents for release impurities are described in pa- this file USA No.4 702 85 7 issued 27 10 1987, pa- this file USA č.4 711 730 issued 08 / 12 1897, No. 4,713,194 issued 13 Dec 1987 and mixtures thereof. . On these writings

are incorporated herein by reference. Other soil release additives are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,596, issued June 07, 1988, U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,213, issued December 23, 1975, U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,038, issued January 23, 1979, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,267 issued Apr. 28, 1987, which is also incorporated herein by reference.

Typical levels of compatible bactericides used in the compositions of the invention are from about 1 to about 1500 parts per million by weight of the composition.

Examples of antioxidants that can be added to the compositions of the invention are propyl gallate, available from Eastman Chemical Products Inc. under the tradename Tenox PG and Tenox S-1, and butylated hydroxy toluene, available from UOP Process Division under the tradename Sustane BHT.

The compositions may contain additional silicone fluids to provide additional beneficial effects, such as improved fabric feel. Preferred additional silicones are polydimethylsiloxanes having a viscosity of about 100 centistokes (cs) to about 100,000 cs, preferably from about 200 cs to about 60,000 cs. Supplementary silicones may be used as such or may be suitably added to the softening compositions in a pre-emulsified form obtainable directly from suppliers. Examples of these pre-emulsified silicones are the 60% polydimethylsiioxane (350 en) emulsion sold by Dow Corning Corporation under the trade name Dow Corning 1157 Fluid and the 50% polydimethylsiioxane (10,000 en) emulsion sold by General Electric Compound under the trade name General Electric SN 2140 Silicones. The optional silicone component may be used in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 6% by weight of the composition.

A preferred composition comprises from about 1 to about 10Π0

-10 parts per million bactericide, from about 0.2% to about 2% perfume, from about 0% to about 3% polydimethylsiloxane, from 0% to about 0.4% calcium chloride, from about 10 parts per million to about 100 parts per million dye and from about 0% to about 10% of short chain alcohols, in proportions of the total weight of the composition.

The pH of the preferred compositions of the invention is generally adjusted to be in the range of about 2 to about 11, preferably about 2 to about 8. The pH adjustment is normally accomplished by incorporating a small amount of free acid or free base into the formulation. . Any acidic material can be used. Its choice can be made by anyone skilled in the art of plasticizer based on cost, availability, safety, etc. Any suitable acid can be used to adjust the pH. Hydrochloric, sulfuric, phosphoric and formic acid are preferred. Similarly, any suitable base, for example sodium hydroxide, may also be used to adjust the pH. For purposes of the invention, pH is measured with a glass electrode in a full force softening composition as compared to a standard calomel reference electrode.

The compositions of the invention can be prepared in a number of ways. Some suitable and satisfactory methods are described in the following non-limiting examples.

All parts, percentages and ratios herein are by weight unless otherwise indicated.

Example I

Procedure

A liquid fabric softening composition comprising microemulsified amine curable silicone as follows. About 4.22 parts of dihydrogenated higher fatty acid (dimethylammonium chloride (DTDMAC)), about 1.00 parts of methyl-1- (higher fatty compound residue) amidoethyl-2- (higher fatty compound residue) imidazolinium methyl sulfate and about 0.025 of a 1% dye solution is weighed into a container for

-11Pre-mixing.

After heating to about 75 ° C and mixing, the premixed mixture is added to a mixing vessel (44 ° C) containing about 88.14 parts of distilled water and about 0.025 parts of an antioxidant solution while stirring and shaking. Then about 0.45 perfume is added to this master mixture. The main mixture is then cooled to about 21 ° C, to which about 7.15 parts of an aminofunctional silicone microemulsion (about 14¾ silicone) is added under stirring.

Procedure B

It was carried out in the same way as procedure A, except that the aminofunctional microemulsion was introduced into the main mixture before the mixture was cooled to 21 ° C.

TABLE 1

Component

DTDMAC ^{1 *}

Methyl-1- (higher fatty compound) ethyl-2 (higher fatty compound) imidazolinium methylsulfate Alcohol (from active) Perfume

Dye solution ^- *

Microemulsified aminofunctional silicone ³ Antioxidant ³ Distilled water

A and B

Approx.

4.33

1.00

0.80

0.45

0,025

7.15 0.025

88,12 ¹ Di (Hydrogenated Higher Fatty Acid Residue) Dimethyl- and it-ni-umide ³ Special aqueous microemulsion X2-8406 manufactured by Dow Corning Company. It contains about 14-second Dow Corning Q2-8075 amine-functional silicone and its own emulsifier system.

³ Tenox Sl supplied by Eastman Kodak

-12 ”1¾ polar brilliant blue solution.

Example II

A composition of microemulsified aminofunctional silicone and fabric softener is prepared using Procedure A. Approximate component levels are: 2.00 parts of Mazamide 6, 0.80 parts of MTTMAC, 4.03 parts of DTDMAC (as defined above), 1.00 parts of the imidazolinium salt of Example I, 0.42 parts of perfume, 1.28 parts of alcohol (from active), 10.00 parts of 14% aminofunctional silicone, and the rest is distilled water (see Table 2 and Example I for the recapitulation of ingredients and method of preparation).

Example III

A composition of microemulsified aminofunctional silicone and fabric softener is prepared using Method A. Approximate component levels are: 17.50 parts of Mazamide 6, 6.50 parts of DTDMAC, 1.32 parts of perfume, 2.07 parts of alcohol (from active), 12, 00 parts of 14% microemulsified aminofunctional silicone and the remainder is distilled water (see Table 2 and Example I for the recapitulation of ingredients and preparation method).

TAB.2

Example II Example III

Component Approx. Approx Mazamid 6 ^X 2.00 17.50 MTTMAC ² 0.80 - DTDMAC ³ 4.03 6.53 Perfume 0.42 1.32 Polar brilliant blue Dye solution 0,025 0,072 Alcohol (from active) 1 OQ X f - 2.07 Microemulsified amino- functional silicone ⁴ ίο, oo 12.00 Distilled water Residue Residue

^x Reaction product of 2 mol of hydrogenated higher fatty acid

-13 with 1 mol of N-2-hydroxyethylenediamine.

Monc (Hydrogenated Higher Fatty Acid Residue) trimethylammonium chloride (MTTMAC) ³ Di (Hydrogenated Higher Fatty Acid Residue) Dimethylammonium Chloride Dow Corning X'2-3406 (described above).

Example IV of Q2-7224 (macroX2-8406 (microemulsion of grams Q2-7224 and 23.35)

The intrinsic ability of the emulsion (Q2-8075, 35% silicone) verse is investigated

Q2-8075, 14% silicone). It will use 9.34 grams of X2-8406 as fabric rinseers when added to rinse to process synthetic and cotton fiber fabrics (65% / 35%) at a concentration of about 50 parts per million in rinse water. The fabrics are treated with a single soak (non-detergent wash) / rinse / drying. Shear hysteresis measurements are performed on four fabrics at each treatment. The results below show that Q2-7224 is a better softening system for reducing friction between fibers and yarns.

TAB. AND

Average shear hysteresis (gf / cm) at 2-1 / 2 ° and 400g X2-8406 i, 5:

02-7224

1.35

Values are valid at 95% confidence based on paired t-test.

Example V

Product C

The composition of the microemulsified aminofunctional silicone and the emollient is prepared using Method A. Approximate component levels are: 3.75 parts DTDMAC, 3.40 parts imidazoline, 0.57 parts MTTMAC, 0, (50 parts perfume, 0.025 parts dye, 0.77 parts of alcohol (from active), 0.4 to 0.9 parts of HCl, 7.15 parts of MAFS (14%), and the rest is distilled water.

-14 Comparative Product D

The fabric softener is prepared as in Product 0, except that about 3.03 parts of the aminofunctional silicone (33¾ silicone) microemulsion is added. This composition contains about 1% liquid amino functional silicone. A recapitulation of the components for products C and D is given in Table 3. Both products C and D contain about 1% Q2-8075 liquid aminofunctional silicone.

Products C and D are used as rinse added fabric softeners for processing textiles of synthetic and cotton fibers (65k / 35%). The fabrics are processed by one wash / rinse / drying. The detergents used are TIDE and LIQUID TIDE. Six sample sets (DOWNY, DOWNY plus X2-8406, and DOWNY plus Q2-7224) were in contact only with TIDE, 6 sets (DOWNY plus X2-8406 and DOWNY plus Q2-7224) were in contact only with LIQUID TIDE. While keeping fabrics washed with LIQUID TIDE and TIDE separately, the fabrics were subjected to shear hysteresis measurements. The results below show that the X2-8406 fabric softener composition is better for reducing shear hysteresis than the corresponding Q2-8075 composition.

Average shear hystere DOWNY washing TIDE 0,69 washing LIQUID TIDE 0,88 Average 0,79

(gf / cm) at 2 l / ^e 2 and 400 grams force DOWNY * Q2-7224 DOWNY + X2-8406 0.71 0.65 (a) 0.78 0.76 b 0.74 0.71 (o)

(and) Significantly lower than DOWNY Q 2-7224 in common t-tests. ehlivost -95¾ Significantly lower based on comparison couples than DOWNY at reliability • 95% based for comparison paired t-tests. (b) Significantly lower than DOWNY * Q2-7224 pri spo v i t t; and or = 70¾. Significantly lower than DOWNY when reliability 95%. (C) Significantly lower than DOWNY + Q2-7224 pri reliability

-15> 951. Significantly lower than DOWNY at a confidence level of> 951

TAB. 3

Example V

Product C Product D

Component Approx. Wt% Approx

MTTMAC ³ - 0.57 0.57 DTDMAC ² 3.75 3.75 Imidazoline ³ 3.40 3.40 Perfume 0.40 0.40 Polar brilliant blue dye solution 0,025 0,025 Alcohol (from active) 0.77 0.77 Microemulsified aminofunctional silicone ^ (14%) 7.15 - Microemulsified aminofunctional silicone ³ (31.5%) - 3.03 HCl (31.5%) 0,4-0,9 0,4-0,9 Distilled water residue residue ¹ Mono (residue hydrogenated higher fatty acid

methyl ammonium chloride ² Difunction of hydrogenated higher fatty acid) dimethyl ammonium chloride ►

³ l- (hydrogenated residue of higher fatty acid) -2-i amidoethvl fzbytek hydrogenated higher fatty acid) imidazoline ^J Dow Corning X2-3406 (described above) ³ Dow Corning Q2-7224, a macroemulsion analogue mikroenul govanénu Χ2-84Ω6 also comprising · ! Dow Corning Q2-3075 get 1 icon fluid.

silicone through to the depressions in the middle of the hernia and bavinanýe supplied medium and textiles.

The inclusion of a microemulsified aminofunctional palm softener fabric exhibits improved talc; hyst cut on a synthetic fiber fabric due to traditional macroemulsion through a liquid matrix plasticizer

JUDr.

-16o J in n> π

O <O 00: X H -> m <rY

- <

NJ · fsj · it

Oils for fabric care * aminofunctional silicone for

Claims (10)

PATENTOVÉ A liquid composition comprising a suitable microemulsified improved friction reduction between fibers and / or between yarns, an effective amount of fabric softener and a suitable carrier for silicone and plasticizer. The liquid fabric treatment composition of claim 1, comprising from about 0.05 wt% to about 25 wt%, preferably from about 0.1 wt% to about 15 wt%, and most preferably from about 0.5 wt% to about 10 wt% of said microemulsified aminofunctional silicone. The liquid fabric care composition of claim 1 or 2, wherein said aminofunctional silicone has an average molecular weight of from about 1000 to about 100,000 and said fabric softener is present in an amount of from about 2%, preferably 3%, to about 35% of the total weight of the composition, wherein the weight ratio of the microemulsified aminofunctional silicone to the fabric softener is from about 17: 1 to about 1: 350. The liquid fabric treatment composition of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the weight ratio of said microemulsified aminofunctional silicone to said fabric softener is from about 10: 1 to about 1: 100, preferably from about 1: 1 to about 1 : 10 and most preferably from about 1: 5 to about 1:10. The liquid fabric treatment composition of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said microemulsified aminofunctional silicone has an average molecular weight of from about 1000 to about 100,000, preferably from about 1000 to about 50,000, and most preferably from about 1500 to about 500 dc. about 20,000 and is formed by emulsion polymerization of lower molecular weight silicone polymers, silicone monomers or mixtures thereof, preferably lower molecular weight silicone polymers. 6. A liquid fabric treatment composition according to 17. Any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the fabric softener is selected from the group consisting of: - quaternary ammonium compounds, - fatty amine compounds for fabric softening, - fatty amide compounds, - fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and - mixtures thereof. Liquid fabric treatment composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said fabric softener comprises a quaternary ammonium compound, preferably a mixture of an amide, an amine and a quaternary ammonium compound or compounds. The liquid fabric treatment composition of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fabric softener comprises an amine compound. The liquid fabric treatment composition of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said suitable carrier is primarily water and the level of said fabric softener is from about 4% to about 27%. Method for reducing the friction between fibers and / or yarns in processed fabrics, characterized in that said fabrics are contacted with an effective amount of a composition according to any one of claims 1 to 9, diluted with water.