Pretreatment of silk fabric surface with amino compounds for ink jet printing

This research studied pretreatments of silk fabric with amino compounds for ink jet printing. The pre-treating solutions were serine, glycine, aspartic acid, sericin, chitosan, and a commercial pre-treating chemical called Sanfix 555. Both untreated and treated fabrics were printed with in-house formulated pigmented inks and later steamed to fix the ink on the fabric surface. The pretreatments containing the amino compounds improved hydrophilicity of the silk fabric with the exception of chitosan. The color gamut from sericin, chitosan, and Sanfix 555 pretreatments was wider than that from the amino acid pretreatments. The chroma of the cyan color was most improved. The fabric, after pretreatment with sericin, showed a significant improvement in dry crock fastness while wet crock fastness was improved by serine and glycine. The chitosan slightly improved both dry and wet crock fastness. Wash fastness of all pretreated and printed fabrics including untreated and the printed fabrics was excellent because the pigmented ink was formulated with pigment and binder. Bending stiffness of the silk fabrics after chitosan pretreatment was significantly higher than those with other pretreatments. The ink penetration in sericin and chitosan padded layers was shallower than those for amino acids, enhancing ink deposition on the fabric surface. The amino compound pretreatments held and fixed additional ink on the fabric surfaces resulting in a wider color gamut of the inks.     

Disperse ink‐jet inks: properties and application to polyester fibre

Water‐based ink‐jet inks were prepared using press cake samples of two commercially available azo disperse dyes. The suitability of the inks for printing polyester fabric was evaluated via measurement of surface tension, conductivity, viscosity, pH and particle size distribution. Inks prepared by the proposed method fulfill most requirements for an ink‐jet ink depending on the colorant structure, the dispersing agent and the alcohol used. The inks were applied to polyester fabric by both printing and dyeing and the fastness of the ensuing coloured samples was assessed. The fastness properties of the dyed and printed polyester samples were found to be very good to excellent and generally meet accepted customer requirements. Oil‐in‐water microemulsions containing the same colorants were also prepared. Their properties, which are crucial to the suitability for ink‐jet ink, were compared with those of the conventionally prepared inks and were found to be improved, with the exception of conductivity, while surface tension remained within acceptable values.     

Single‐phase ink‐jet printing onto cotton fabric

The current commercial application of ink‐jet reactive inks to cotton fabrics requires pretreating with pad liquor containing a thickener, urea and alkali prior to printing. In this study, attempts have been made to develop a reactive ink‐jet print in a single‐phase process by adding an organic salt to the ink formulation and hence removing the need to pretreat fabrics. This approach utilises inks containing both a reactive dye, in this case Procion Red H‐E3B, and an organic salt such as sodium formate, sodium acetate, sodium propionate or tri‐sodium citrate. The behaviour of a novel reactive ink formulation for ink‐jet printing on to cotton fabric was evaluated at different pH vlaues. The results at optimum pH indicated that printed non‐pretreated fabrics with ink containing organic salts exhibited a higher level of reactive dye fixation than printed pretreated fabric containing no organic salt ink. The yielded prints demonstrate excellent colour fastness to washing and dry/wet crocking properties. The light fastness of the printed fabrics was improved by adding an organic salt to the ink formulation.     

Inkjet printing effects of pigment inks on silk fabrics surface‐modified with O2 plasma

Without any preprocessing, silk fabric has lower ability to hold on water due to the smooth morphology of silk fibers. Therefore, patterns directly printed with pigment inks have poor color yields and easily bleed. Plasma surface‐treatment of silk fabric was carried out in an oxygen atmosphere under different experimental conditions. The samples were printed with magenta pigment ink after treatment. The results showed that the optimum treatment conditions we obtained were exposure time of 10 min at a working pressure of 50 Pa and a working power around 80 W. At such conditions, surface‐modified silk fabrics could obtain the effects of features with enhanced color yields and excellent pattern sharpness. Atomic force microscope images indicated that low‐temperature oxygen plasma initiated modifications to the surface of silk fiber with more grooves. Dynamic contact angle analysis showed that the hydrophilicity of silk fiber was remarkably improved after pretreatment with plasma. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Preparation of pigmented ink‐jet ink by a combination of surface treatments and synthetic dispersant

Drop‐on‐demand ink‐jet inks prepared from dyes usually show inadequate light and water fastness. Thus, in our previous paper, we studied black pigmented ink‐jet inks with the aim of overcoming the drawbacks of dye‐based ink by employing a variety of synthetic dispersants with gas black. In this study, pigmented ink‐jet inks were prepared by a combination of the synthetic dispersant and the surface treatments of a furnace black that is more common than gas blacks. The results of this study show that the surface treatment of the furnace black and the use of the synthetic dispersant are useful in the preparation of ink‐jet inks and endow them with properties that are comparable with those of commercial ink‐jet inks.     

喷墨打印机颜料型油墨的最新进展

喷墨打印技术是一种非接触式的数字印刷技术,它将数码技术与传统的印刷技术合二为一。用于喷墨印刷的染料型墨水通常表现出差的耐光性和耐水性,因此将颜料引进到喷墨油墨中以克服染料型墨水的缺点是必然趋势。为了在低粘度下保持颜料稳定的分散,性能优异的合成分散剂对于获得稳定的颜料分散体是必不可少的。本文介绍了水性喷墨油墨的组分及各组分作用,对喷墨油墨的生产技术、发展前景进行了展望。     

Pretreatment effects on pigment‐based textile inkjet printing – colour gamut and crockfastness properties

The application of two commercial pretreatment agents, formulated to improve the performance of a six‐colour nano‐scale pigment ink set during the textile inkjet printing of cotton and polyester (PET) fabrics, was examined. An industrial scale printer, operating at 55 linear m/h and equipped with Kyocera printheads, was used to print on commercial fabrics (180 cm wide) prepared for digital printing. The work employed an industrial scale rather than a benchtop printer to enhance the utility of the results for a commercial environment. The colorimetric attributes of printed fabrics were recorded for the individual inks as well as for spot colour combinations generated using Dr. Wirth RIPMaster v11 software. Colour table profiles were also generated and the colorimetric values of inks were compared. Colour gamuts of inks on cotton and PET, including three‐dimensional volumes in the CIELab space, were examined to assess the role of pretreatment on the colorimetric properties of the printed substrates. It was found that the pretreatments enhanced the ink receptiveness, colour intensity and colour gamut of fabrics. Pretreatment of cotton resulted in a larger gamut and more vivid colours than on PET. However, wet and dry crockfastness results were found to be low. In this regard, Time‐of‐Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry analysis of fabrics printed in the presence and absence of pretreatment indicated that the low crockfastness arises from higher pigment levels on the surface of the pretreated fabric.     

Synthesising polymeric dispersants to apply to carbon black pigmented mill bases for use in ink‐jet inks

Dyes are an important component of drop‐on‐demand ink‐jet inks and are commonly used in desktop printers. While they offer bright, vivid colour, these dyes exhibit poor light and water fastness. To combat this, researchers have started using pigmented ink‐jet inks instead of dye‐based inks to improve light and water fastness, but the pigments are insoluble in ink vehicles. To use pigments, dispersants must be applied; however, this is a delicate process because the properties of the dispersant substantially affect how the pigmented mill base must be prepared. In this study, polymeric dispersants are synthesised based on the properties and ratios of monomers and the molecular weights of polymers. In total, 14 types of polymeric dispersants are synthesised and examined, with special attention paid to the dispersing properties of particle size reduction and the stability of the pigmented mill base used to prepare drop‐on‐demand ink‐jet inks. This study describes the synthesis of the dispersants in terms of their suitability for commercial application.     

Influence of chitosan posttreatment parameters on the fixation of pigment‐based inks on ink‐jet‐printed cotton fabrics

Cotton fabrics were digitally printed with pigment‐based black ink with an HP Desk‐Jet 880C printer. These ink‐jet‐printed fabrics were posttreated with chitosan samples for the fixation of the pigment‐based ink on the cotton. The influence of various parameters, including the molecular weight (MW), application method (pad–dry–cure vs pad–batch), concentration, and pH, on the degree of fixation (DF) of the pigment‐based inks was examined. The chitosan‐posttreated cotton samples were evaluated for their color strength, DF, color difference, and whiteness index values and their colorfastness properties. Chitosan samples with MWs of 150,000 and greater than 375,000 showed 100% (complete) fixation of the pigment‐based inks on the cotton fabrics. DF drastically decreased in the chitosan with an MW of less than 5000. Both the pad–dry–cure and pad–batch methods were found to be suitable for chitosan application onto ink‐jet‐printed fabrics. Chitosan with an MW of 150,000 showed 100% fixation at concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 1%. A further decrease in the concentration significantly decreased the fixation. High fixation values were achieved at acidic pH, whereas a neutral to alkaline pH resulted in poor fixation. The colorfastness properties for each parameter studied are also discussed. The posttreatment of the digitally printed cotton with chitosan was found to be very effective in fixing the pigment‐based inks. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

喷墨打印和喷墨印花用染料和有机颜料的进展

本篇是关于喷墨打印和喷墨印花用染料和有机颜料的综述文章。主要论述了用于纸张打印水性墨水的颜料和染料、纤维素纤维喷墨印花用活性染料、丝绸喷墨印花用酸性染料以及聚酯纤维喷墨印花用分散染料的进展情况。给出了组成各种墨水的典型配方。并预测了未来可能的发展趋势。     

Synthesis,stability and printing properties of a novel 2‐sulphophenoxy‐4‐chloro‐s‐triazine reactive dye for ink‐jet printing of wool

We report here the synthesis and characterisation of a new medium‐reactivity reactive dye containing 2‐sulphophenoxy‐4‐chloro‐s‐triazine, having enhanced the activity of the chlorine atom for further substitution by the functional groups carried by wool fibre. In addition, a dichloro‐s‐triazine dye was also synthesised for the purpose of comparison. The progress of synthesis reactions and purity of the dyes were determined using capillary electrophoresis and thin layer chromatography. The molecular structure and the chemical compositions of the synthesised dyes were confirmed using Fourier Transform–infrared spectral data and elemental analyses. The inks containing the synthesised dyes were formulated and ink‐jet‐printed onto wool fabrics and then the printed fabrics were steamed at 102°C. Compared with the dichloro‐s‐triazine dye, superior performance in terms of ink stability, K/S and dye fixation was observed for the new 2‐sulphophenoxy‐4‐chloro‐s‐triazine dye. In addition, the light fastness of the fabric printed with the inks containing the new dye was 0.5‐grade greater than that of the fabric printed with the inks containing the dichloro‐s‐triazine dye, and no changes in shade and staining were observed following wash fastness tests of the fabrics printed with the inks containing the new dye.     

羊绒织物数码喷墨印花的应用与研究

随着我国经济的持续发展,我国已成为世界上最大的毛纺织生产大国。然而,在国内市场上除了一些印花毛衫外,消费者几乎看不到其他羊绒印花的毛纺织产品。数码喷墨印花顺应市场的要求而出现,是高新技术在印花生产中的典型应用,是近几年来国内外开发的一项新的印花技术。本文通过生产实践介绍了活性墨水数码喷印机在羊绒织物上的应用。     

Properties of ink‐jet printed,ultraviolet‐cured pigment prints in comparison with screen‐printed,thermo‐cured pigment prints

A collection of printed fabrics for men’s shirts was designed and prepared using computer‐aided design/computer‐aided manufacturing technology. The colours for designs were ink‐jet printed on cotton fabrics with pigments and ultraviolet‐cured. These prints represented the target colours for subsequent flat‐screen printing, which was performed using pigment printing pastes and thermal curing. For an exact transfer of colours of the ink‐jet‐printed standard into the screen‐printing process, a computer recipe prediction method was used. A comparison of colorimetric parameters of fabrics printed with both printing techniques shows minimal and acceptable differences in the CIELab colour values. A comparison of colour fastness properties proves that very good colour fastness is achieved on the pigment‐printed fabrics produced with both printing techniques. The flat‐screen‐printed fabrics show better colour fastness to washing, perspiration and rubbing, while ink‐jet‐printed fabrics show better colour fastness to dry‐cleaning and light. The fabrics printed with both printing techniques have high rigidity and non‐elastic properties. The mechanical and physical parameters are strongly dependent upon the amount of the dry substance of the printing media applied on the cotton fabric surface, which is higher on screen‐printed fabrics. The ink‐jet‐printed fabrics show better air permeability than flat‐screen‐printed fabrics.     

Photochromic ink formulation for digital inkjet printing and colour measurement of printed polyester fabrics

The application of a series of commercial photochromic dyes to polyester fabric by a digital inkjet printing method was investigated. Solvent‐based ink systems using the dyes were formulated. The inks were characterised in terms of their physical properties which are related to the jettability of the inks, and finally the prints were fixed onto polyester fabrics by thermal fixation. Colour measurement of the printed fabrics was used to measure their degree of photocoloration, fading rate, fatigue resistance, and storage stabilities. The measured properties of the inkjet‐printed fabrics were compared with the same properties of the same dyes applied to polyester fabrics by dyeing methods. The printed fabrics demonstrated inferior performance in terms of the degree of photocoloration, superior performance in the case of background colours, a higher rate of fading, and a lower fatigue resistance compared with that shown by the same dyes applied to polyester fabric by dyeing methods.     

Usability of cellulose-based binder in water-based flexographic ink

Packaging must have a good commercial appearance and is generally obtained by ink transferred to its substrate. It is important that the ink used in packaging printing is produced from environmentally friendly and sustainable raw materials as well as being suitable for the printing system. The increasing demand in the field of printed packaging and the scarcity of resources to meet this demand have accelerated the search for new sources for inks. For this purpose, inks produced in the laboratory using a modified cellulose-based binder, a commercial acrylic resin and a commercial soybean protein were compared with a commercial ink. As a result of the study, it was determined that the printability properties of the ink obtained by using the modified cellulose-based binder were better than the ink obtained with commercial soybean protein. It was determined that it showed printability properties close to the ink produced with commercial acrylic binders. By using modified cellulose-based water-based flexographic ink instead of other commonly used binders, more environmentally friendly sustainable inks can be produced.     

Jet printing

Ink jet printers, some capable of producing a full colour gamut, are now widely used as output devices for computer-generated design work. Some advances have been made in the application of these ink jet paper printing technologies to textile printing, mainly for carpets. This review describes the principal jet systems that have been developed commercially for both textile and reprographic uses, and indicates areas in which the ink jet principle appears to have future potential. The physical and chemical requirements of the inks used in the different systems, as well as the possible pretreatment of the substrate to improve ink receptivity and the durability of the print, are also discussed.     

Improved chemical resistance of ink‐jet printed micropatterns on glass by using dual‐functional compositions

UV curable and UV/moisture dual‐functional oligomers were synthesized by grafting trimethoxysilane and methacrylate segments on the polyimide oligomer chains. These oligomers and a dual‐functional monomer were used as ink compositions to enhance the chemical resistance of ink‐jet printed LCD color filter micropatterns, without sacrificing jetting performance. The molecular structure and molecular weight of the oligomers were altered to adjust the solubility of oligomer in monomers, together with jetting trajectory, drop size uniformity, and deposition accuracy of the ink‐jet inks. The chemical resistance, optical property, and mechanical property of the printed patterns depend on the oligomer structure, the arrangement of trimethoxysilane groups, and the molecular chain length. Straight lines and uniform dot arrays with excellent chemical resistance can be achieved. Dot patterns made of polymer‐silica hybrid materials and pigments remain unchanged after being immersed in γ‐butyrolactone for 200 min. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 2049–2055, 2013     

Resistance variation of conductive ink applied by the screen printing technique on different substrates

This research study focuses on the application of conductive ink by the screen printing technique to evaluate the potential of creating printed electrodes and to investigate the effect of washing upon electrical resistance and flexibility. Two conductive inks were applied by a conventional screen printing method on four different textile substrates, 100% cotton, 50%/50% cotton/polyester, 100% polyester and 100% polyamide. The inks were also applied on a multifibre fabric. Atmospheric plasma treatment was applied to improve the adhesion to the samples, and the resistance values were compared with those of non‐treated samples. The values were measured before and after cleaning and washing tests, which were performed to simulate domestic treatment for garments to predict the behaviour of the inks after normal usage of the fabrics. Comfort properties like stiffness of the fabrics were also evaluated after five and 10 washing cycles. It was observed that PE 825 ink forms a thicker film on the fabric surface, contributing to the loss of flexibility of the textile. However, PE 825 ink also produced the best results in terms of durability and lower values of resistance. Polyamide fabrics lost their conductive property after five washing cycles due to weak bonding between the ink and the fibres, whereas cotton fibres provided the best results.     

Syntheses of polymeric dispersants for pigmented ink‐jet inks

Drop‐on‐demand ink‐jet inks made from dyes usually show poor light fastness and poor water fastness. Therefore, many researchers have introduced pigments into ink‐jet inks to overcome the defects of dye‐based ink. Pigmented ink needs sophisticated technology which disperses the pigments stably in low viscosity. Thus, adequate dispersants are essential to achieve stable dispersions of pigments for ink‐jet inks. This study describes syntheses of dispersants, properties of formulations and comparisons of performance with an existing ink to assess their suitability for commercial application.     

Synthesis of waterborne acrylic copolymer resin as a binding agent for the development of water-based inks in the printing application

In this study, a new waterborne acrylic copolymer resin (acrylic-co-resin) was synthesized to develop water-based printing inks on polyester (PET) film. The synthesized acrylic resin showed good water solubility, high acid value (120 mg KOH/g), about 57% solid content. The developed water-based inks (cyan, magenta, and yellow) exhibited small particle size (<1 μm) and optimum surface energy within required values (31.5, 32, and 30 mN/m) for good adhesion of ink upon PET films. The developed inks also showed good storage stability for 30 days. Further, to evaluate the application performance, the inks were printed on corona-treated PET films at room temperature, and the ink drying time was measured. Further, the inks were printed on the corona-treated PET film to evaluate the application performance. The developed inks showed a short drying time (7–9 s), which indicates their fast drying nature. Moreover, the developed inks showed good printability, color strength, high adhesion, and excellent rub-resistant properties. Thus, the overall results demonstrated the potential of water-based inks in printing applications.