Fabric Printing Ink Composition for Washing Fastness and Soft Feel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fabric printing methods using ink-jet recording and plastizol inks face issues with pigment adhesion, color fading, and resin layer stiffness, which affect washing fastness and sweat absorbing properties.
Innovation Solution
An ink for fabric printing is developed with a specific weight ratio of pigment to solid resin content and a resin emulsion with a glass transition point of -25°C to 18°C and acid value of 4 to 54, ensuring high adhesion, washing fastness, and ejectability, while avoiding thick resin layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a resin emulsion is used for pigment adhesion in ink-jet printing, then the pigment can be fixed onto fabric, but the adhesion is insufficient and pigment falls off during washing causing color fading
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the resin emulsion, specifically selecting resins with glass transition points between -50°C and 18°C and acid values between 3 and 54. This parameter optimization ensures the resin remains flexible at room temperature for good adhesion while providing sufficient binding strength for washing fastness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite system combining specifically selected resin emulsions with pigments in optimized weight ratios (0.5:1 to 2:1 resin to pigment). This composite approach creates a synergistic effect where the resin provides both adhesion and flexibility, preventing pigment loss during washing.
2Strength
If a plastizol ink containing vinyl chloride resin is applied to fabric, then a resin layer is formed on the surface, but the thick resin layer causes stiff feeling and degradation of sweat absorbing properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the glass transition point parameter of the resin to be between -50°C and 18°C, ensuring the resin layer remains soft and flexible at room temperature. This prevents the stiff feeling and maintains fabric breathability while still providing adequate resin layer formation for pigment fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional plastizol vinyl chloride resin system with alternative resin emulsions that achieve the same pigment fixation function without forming thick, stiff layers. This substitution eliminates the harmful effects on fabric handfeel and sweat absorption while maintaining the core functionality.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If a plastizol ink is used for fabric printing, then a resin layer is formed, but the plasticity of the resin layer decreases over time causing cracks and appearance deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the glass transition point of the resin to be between -50°C and 18°C, which maintains the resin's plasticity and flexibility over time. This parameter control prevents the resin layer from becoming brittle and cracking, ensuring long-term appearance stability and durability of the printed fabric.
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 ink achieves high density and washing fastness, maintains fabric softness, and prevents resin layer cracking, ensuring excellent printing performance and durability.
Implementation Method 1
a resin emulsion containing a resin having a glass transition point of -25°C or higher and 18°C or lower
Implementation Method 2
a fixing step of fixing the ink for fabric printing adhered to the fabric in the printing step on the fabric by heating
Data Source
AI summary
An ink for fabric printing is provided which has high washing fastness and is excellent in feel, sweat absorbing properties, appearance, and the like on fabric, and a method for producing a printed material is also provided. The ink for fabric printing contains a pigment and a resin emulsion. The weight ratio between the pigment and the solid resin content of the resin emulsion is in the range of from 1 : 0.7 to 1 : 3.0. The resin emulsion contains a resin having a glass transition point of -25°C or higher and 18°C or lower and an acid value of 4 or more and 54 or less. The method for producing printed material includes: a printing step of performing printing by adhering the ink for fabric printing to fabric; and a fixing step of fixing the ink for fabric printing adhered to the fabric in the printing step on the fabric by heating.