Pretreating agent to improve the effect of ink-jet printing on polyester fabric and its application
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital ink-jet printing on polyester fabric faces issues with ink diffusion and poor definition due to low viscosity and lack of hydrophilic groups, leading to edge blurriness and poor color consistency on double-sided prints, while existing pretreatment methods either have limited applicability or result in poor printing quality and environmental concerns.
Innovation Solution
A novel pretreating agent comprising nano-porous silicon dioxide dispersoid, antistatic agent, thickening agent, and wetting agent, applied in specific ratios to enhance ink permeation and prevent spreading, improving pattern definition and antistatic properties for both double-sided and single-sided direct-injection ink-jet printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If direct-injection ink-jet printing is used on polyester fabric, then low energy consumption and economy of dye are achieved, but ink diffusion and poor definition occur due to low viscosity and lack of hydrophilic groups
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric undergoes preliminary treatment with a pretreating agent containing nano-porous silicon dioxide dispersoid, antistatic agent, thickening agent, and wetting agent before printing. This preliminary action modifies the fabric surface to provide hydrophilic groups and control ink viscosity, preventing ink diffusion and improving printing definition while maintaining the energy efficiency of direct-injection ink-jet printing
Solution Approach 2:
The pretreating agent acts as an intermediary substance between the ink and the polyester fabric. It introduces hydrophilic groups on the fabric surface and forms a controlled permeation layer that mediates ink interaction, allowing ink to permeate through the fabric without excessive diffusion, thereby improving printing definition without increasing energy consumption
2Manufacturing precision
If alkali-treatment is applied to turn polyester fabric into silk-like fabric, then color depth and printing definition are improved, but limited applicability and increased sewage disposal are resulted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the pretreating agent, replacing traditional alkali-treatment agents with a combination of nano-porous silicon dioxide dispersoid, antistatic agent, thickening agent, and wetting agent. This parameter change maintains the fabric's ability to absorb and retain ink for good printing definition while expanding applicability to various polyester fabric types and reducing environmental impact
Solution Approach 2:
The pretreating agent is a composite material combining nano-porous silicon dioxide dispersoid, antistatic agent, thickening agent, and wetting agent. This composite formulation provides multiple functions simultaneously: improving ink permeation, controlling ink diffusion, enhancing antistatic properties, and maintaining broad applicability across different polyester fabrics without the limitations of single-agent alkali-treatment
3Quantity of substance
If penetrant is added into the traditional printing color thick liquid, then ink permeation is enhanced, but fishy smell and poor printing quality are resulted
Solution Approach 1:
Nano-porous silicon dioxide dispersoid serves as an environmentally friendly intermediary that facilitates ink permeation through the fabric without introducing harmful odors. It provides a porous structure that allows controlled ink transmission while the antistatic agent and wetting agent components work synergistically to enhance permeation quality without the fishy smell associated with traditional penetrants
Solution Approach 2:
The use of nano-porous silicon dioxide dispersoid provides a porous structure that enables enhanced ink permeation through the fabric. The nanoscale porosity allows controlled ink transmission while avoiding the need for traditional penetrants that produce fishy smells, and the porous structure also helps maintain printing quality by preventing excessive ink diffusion
4Reliability
If more thickener and high polymer are used to enhance fixation rate, then ink fixation is improved, but negative influence on hand feeling is resulted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the concentration parameters of thickening agents and high polymers in the pretreating agent formulation, using them in controlled, small amounts rather than large quantities. This parameter optimization maintains sufficient ink fixation rate while minimizing the negative impact on fabric hand feeling, achieving a balance between fixation performance and fabric comfort
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 pretreating agent significantly enhances pattern definition, color depth, and color saturation while maintaining fabric strength, offering an environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution suitable for batch production.
Implementation Method 1
The cloth for double-sided clothing, silk broadcloth, reversible jacket and shirt, kerchief, banners and advertisement flags all need to be double-sided printed by ink-jet printing technology... Ink always diffuse along the polyester fabric's longitude and latitude lines due to the low viscosity of the ink and the lack of hydrophilic groups on polyester fabric surface
Implementation Method 2
the pretreating agent used in single-sided direct-injection ink-jet printing can enhance the polyester fabric's water-retaining property and antistatic ability and improve pattern definition due to ink permeation and electrostatic action
Implementation Method 3
Ink always diffuse along the polyester fabric's longitude and latitude lines due to the low viscosity of the ink... the PEG and PEO could obviously enhance the fixation rate of ink on the fabric's surface
Implementation Method 4
the novel pretreating agent comprising nano-porous silicon dioxide dispersoid, antistatic agent, thickening agent, and wetting agent, applied in specific ratios to enhance ink permeation and prevent spreading
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a novel pretreating agent to improve the effect of ink-jet printing on polyester fabric and its application, and this invention belongs to the field of digital ink-jet printing. Stirring the dispersing agent, which includes many procedures of wetting agent and deionized water in a stirrer, adding nano-porous oxide dispersoid. Furthermore, keep stirring for 30 min and put the mixture in a sand mill to grinded for 2 h, then nano-porous oxide dispersoid is eventually got. The nano-porous oxide dispersoid work as pretreating agent, which used in the polyester fabric, is treated like pretreating agent during the padding process. By applying this technique into double-sided permeation ink-jet printing and direct-injection ink-jet printing, its pattern's definition, color depth and color saturation could be remarkable enhanced. This method has many advantages such as the craft is easy to handle as well as the operation is simplified, it is also suitable for batch production of the polyester fabric.