Textile Inkjet White Ink Layering to Prevent Peeling and Dullness

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Solution Overview

Problem

The use of titanium oxide particles with smaller average particle diameters in inkjet printing on cloth materials results in reduced whiteness and increased risk of precipitation, leading to peeling issues when the printed fabric is pulled.

Innovation Solution

An image forming method that applies an aqueous pretreatment liquid in a specific amount (20 mg/cm² to 150 mg/cm²) to prevent titanium oxide particles from penetrating into the cloth, ensuring they remain on the surface, and includes a clear ink application step to enhance whiteness and prevent peeling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If titanium oxide particles with smaller average particle diameter are used in white ink, then precipitation of particles is prevented, but whiteness of the formed white image deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecipitation preventionVSAvoidwhiteness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the particle diameter parameter of titanium oxide from conventional larger sizes to specifically 200 nm or less, which prevents precipitation while maintaining adequate whiteness when combined with the pretreatment liquid application method

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies a pretreatment liquid to the cloth material before inkjet printing. This preliminary action modifies the surface properties of the cloth, enabling smaller titanium oxide particles (200 nm or less) to maintain good whiteness without precipitating, thus resolving the contradiction between particle size and image quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If titanium oxide particles with smaller average particle diameter are used, then precipitation is prevented, but adhesion to cloth material deteriorates causing peeling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecipitation preventionVSAvoidadhesion
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The pretreatment liquid is applied to the cloth material before printing with white ink containing small titanium oxide particles. This preliminary action prepares the cloth surface to properly adhere the smaller particles, preventing both precipitation and peeling while maintaining particle stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The pretreatment liquid acts as an intermediary substance between the cloth material and the titanium oxide particles. It facilitates proper adhesion of the small particles (200 nm or less) to the cloth surface, preventing peeling while the particles remain stable and do not precipitate

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 achieves better whiteness and prevents peeling of the white image when the fabric is pulled, while effectively preventing precipitation of titanium oxide particles, maintaining their whiteness and adhesion to the fabric.

Implementation Method 1

an amount of the pretreatment liquid maintained on the cloth material is 20 mg/cm² to 150 mg/cm² in the image forming step, the titanium oxide particles are prevented from penetrating into the cloth material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical barrier formation:

Implementation Method 2

it has been found that when a refractive index of a material of the white pigment is made higher, a scattering intensity is made higher, and excellent whiteness is provided to a printed matter

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight scattering: Scattering

Implementation Method 3

forming the image by discharging an aqueous ink onto the cloth material by an inkjet method

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInkjet deposition:

Data Source

PatentEP4411062A1Image forming method and image forming system
Publication Date: 2024.08.07 BROTHER KOGYO KK
  • EP4411062A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4411062A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4411062A1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3C

AI summary

There is provided an image forming method for forming an image on a cloth material which is an absorbent base material, the image forming method including: a pretreatment liquid application step of applying an aqueous pretreatment liquid to the cloth material; and an image forming step of forming the image by discharging an aqueous ink onto the cloth material by an inkjet method after the pretreatment liquid application step, wherein in the image forming step, an amount of the pretreatment liquid maintained on the cloth material is 20 mg/cm2 or more and 150 mg/cm2 or less, and wherein the aqueous ink contains at least a white ink containing a titanium oxide particle having an average particle diameter of 20 nm or more and 200 nm or less.