Elastic Inkjet Ink Composition for Stretchable Textile Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current inkjet printing technologies face challenges in producing high-quality, durable, and flexible color images on stretchable and absorptive substrates like textiles, as they often suffer from issues such as absorption, bleeding, and smearing, which affect the longevity and appearance of printed designs.
Innovation Solution
A novel multi-part ink composition is developed, comprising a property-adjusting agent and a proto-elastomeric film-forming agent that congeals upon contact, forming an elastic film on the substrate, which is applied using a combination of inkjet printheads to ensure immobilization and adherence, thereby preventing absorption and enhancing durability and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional inkjet printing is used on stretchable substrates, then the printing process is simple, but the printed images suffer from absorption, bleeding, and smearing resulting in poor durability
Solution Approach 1:
The ink composition is divided into multiple distinct parts (e.g., aqueous phase with colorant and non-aqueous phase with binder) that are jetted separately and then combine on the substrate. This segmentation allows each part to have optimized properties for its specific function while preventing premature mixing that would cause bleeding and smearing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite ink compositions combining multiple phases (aqueous and non-aqueous) with different functional properties. The colorant phase provides color while the binder phase forms a flexible film that prevents bleeding and enhances durability, creating a composite material system that addresses multiple requirements simultaneously.
2Reliability
If the ink composition is designed to prevent absorption and bleeding, then image durability improves, but the flexibility and stretchability of the printed area deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the physical and chemical parameters of the binder phase, specifically using polymers with low glass transition temperatures (Tg < 0°C) to maintain flexibility. By controlling molecular weight, crosslinking density, and polymer composition, the ink forms a film that is both durable and elastomeric, allowing the printed area to stretch and flex without cracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The non-aqueous binder forms a flexible film or shell around the colorant particles and substrate interface. This thin film structure provides protection against bleeding and smearing while inherently possessing elastomeric properties that allow the printed area to deform with the substrate during stretching and flexing.
3Manufacturing precision
If the ink composition uses multiple parts to prevent bleeding, then manufacturing precision improves, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The ink composition parts are pre-formulated with specific rheological properties and stability characteristics that enable them to be jetted separately without clogging printheads. The phases are stabilized during storage and only combine upon contact on the substrate, allowing for precise deposition while simplifying the manufacturing process through standardized formulation procedures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in high-quality, durable, and flexible color images that resist water, chemicals, and stretching, maintaining their integrity and appearance even on challenging substrates like textiles, while adhering to regulatory standards for safety and environmental sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
a property-sensitive proto-elastomeric film-forming agent, a colorant and a second carrier, whereas the second part congeals upon contact with the property-adjusting agent
Implementation Method 2
a stream of a specific liquid ink composition is ejected as droplets from a cluster of minute nozzles (printheads) in response to electrical signals
Data Source
AI summary
Novel inkjet ink compositions for forming an image in a form of an elastic film attached to a surface of a stretchable and/or flexible substrate and processes utilizing same for inkjet printing color images on various substrates such as colored and absorptive or impregnable stretchable materials, which are characterized by heightened efficiency in process time, ink and energy consumption, as well as products having durable, wash-fast and abrasion-fast images printed thereon by the process, are disclosed. The novel ink compositions comprise a first part, which contains a property-adjusting agent and a carrier, and a second part which contains an emulsified property-sensitive proto-elastomeric film-forming agent, a colorant and a carrier, such that the second part congeals upon contact with the property-adjusting agent. The second part is digitally applied to the substrate less than 1 second following the application of the first part to the substrate.