Polymerizable Digital Printing Ink for Wash-Fast Fabrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
The textile industry faces challenges in efficiently dyeing fabrics while ensuring color fastness, as traditional dyeing processes consume excessive resources and require time-consuming pre-treatment steps, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A digital printing ink is formulated through a series of thermal processes involving a dye, crosslinking agent, polyol, aqueous bridging agent, and chain extender, which is directly printed onto a base cloth, forming a polymer network that enhances washing and crocking fastness, eliminating the need for pre-treatment and high-temperature drying processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional dyeing process is used, then fabric can be dyed, but excessive consumption of dyeing solution, water resources, and energy occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the dyeing process into digital printing application followed by in-situ polymerization, separating the dye application step from the fixation step. This allows precise placement of dye only where needed on the fabric, eliminating the need for soaking the entire fabric in dyeing solution, thereby reducing dyeing solution consumption while maintaining dyeing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters by using polymerizable dye compounds that can undergo in-situ polymerization on the fabric. By controlling the polymerization conditions (temperature, catalysts), the dye is fixed directly on the fabric during the printing process, eliminating the need for separate dyeing and washing steps, thus reducing both solution consumption and energy usage
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional dyeing process is used, then fabric can be dyed, but time-consuming pre-treatment steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the dye application, fixation, and finishing steps into a single digital printing and in-situ polymerization process. The polymerizable dye compound is applied directly through digital printing and then polymerized on the fabric surface, combining multiple traditional separate steps into one integrated process, thereby eliminating pre-treatment requirements and reducing total processing time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs self-service by using polymerizable dye compounds that automatically polymerize and fix onto the fabric under controlled conditions without requiring external pre-treatment agents or processes. The dye itself provides the necessary functionality through its polymerization reaction, eliminating the need for separate pre-treatment steps
3Productivity
If digital printing ink is applied, then manufacturing process is simplified, but washing and crocking fastness must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure by forming a polymer network from the polymerizable dye compound directly on the fabric fibers. This polymer matrix embeds the colorant and binds it to the fabric, creating a composite material system that provides both the simplicity of direct digital printing application and excellent washing and crocking fastness through the crosslinked polymer structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical state of the dye from a simple molecular form to a polymerized network form through controlled polymerization. This parameter change from monomer to polymer provides enhanced fastness properties while maintaining the simplicity of the digital printing application process, as the polymerization occurs in-situ after printing
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 method improves washing and crocking fastness of digital printed fabrics, maintains color integrity after multiple washes, and simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating unnecessary steps, making it suitable for various fabric types and materials.
Implementation Method 1
performing a thermal process, so that the at least one polymerizable dye compound undergoes in-situ polymerization on the surface of the fabric
Implementation Method 2
performing a thermal process, in which a reaction temperature of the thermal process is between 100°C and 200°C
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A digital printed fabric includes a base cloth and a digital printing ink disposed on the base cloth, and a manufacturing method for the digital printing ink includes the following steps. A first thermal process including mixing a dye, a crosslinking agent, and a polyol is performed, such that a polymer dye is formed, in which a reaction temperature of the first thermal process is between 70°C and 90°C. A second thermal process including mixing the polymer dye and an aqueous bridging agent is performed, such that a first mixture is formed, in which a reaction temperature of the second thermal process is between 90°C and 120°C. A third thermal process including mixing the first mixture and a chain extender is performed, such that the digital printing ink is formed, in which a reaction temperature of the third thermal process is between 120°C and 150°C.