Inkjet Textile Ink Composition for Rubbing Fastness on Elastic Fabrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet textile printing faces challenges in achieving satisfactory rubbing fastness, especially on fabrics with high elasticity, as existing inks struggle to conform to fabric stretching without detaching.
Innovation Solution
An ink formulation comprising a pigment, a water-dispersible urethane resin with a film elongation of 600% to 2,000%, and a water-soluble organic solvent, with a weight ratio between the pigment and urethane resin ranging from 1:3 to 1:16, enhancing the ink's ability to adhere and stretch with the fabric.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional inks are used on high-elasticity fabrics, then printing can be performed, but the ink film detaches during fabric stretching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the key parameter of the binder resin by selecting a carboxyl-containing polymer with specific properties: carboxyl value of 50-200 mg KOH/g, glass transition temperature of -50°C to 0°C, and specific molecular weight range. These parameter changes enable the ink film to maintain both adhesion and elasticity, resolving the contradiction between rubbing fastness and conformability to fabric stretching.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite binder system combining a carboxyl-containing polymer with specific elastic properties and adhesion promoters. This composite material approach creates an ink film that simultaneously achieves strong adhesion to the fabric and sufficient elasticity to conform during stretching, thereby improving both rubbing fastness and adaptability.
2Reliability
If ink formulations are optimized for adhesion, then rubbing fastness improves, but the ink cannot accommodate fabric elasticity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the glass transition temperature of the binder resin to be between -50°C and 0°C, which provides the right balance between adhesion strength and film flexibility. This parameter change enables the ink film to maintain image stability while having sufficient elongation capability to accommodate fabric elasticity without detaching.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates different functional zones within the binder resin system: the carboxyl-containing polymer provides adhesion to the fabric substrate, while the elastic components provide film elongation capability. This local differentiation of functions allows the ink film to simultaneously achieve image stability and film flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
An ink for inkjet textile printing is disclosed that contains a pigment, a water-dispersible urethane resin having a film elongation of 600% to 2,000%, a water-soluble organic solvent and water, wherein the weight ratio between the pigment and the water-dispersible urethane resin is from 1:3 to 1:16. An ink set and a method for producing a printed item are also disclosed.