PIGMENT PRINTING OF COTTON

Prof. R. B. CHAVAN
INSTITUTE OF TEXTILES
BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY, BAHIR DAR
ETHIOPIA
Formerly : Dept. of Textile Technology
Indian institute of technology, New Delhi, India
E-mail. rbchavan@hotmail.com
 PIGMENT PRINTING
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DYE AND PIGMENT
PIGMENT
NO AFFINITY TO FIBRE
INSOLUBLE IN WATER
NEED BINDER FOR FIXATION ONTO FIBRE

DYE
AFFININTY TO FIBRE
WATER SOLUBLE OR CAN BE MADE WATER
SOLUBLE. EXCEPTION DISPERSE DYE
HELD ON FIBRE DYE-FIBRE INTERACTIVE FORCES
 BINDER

IT IS PRE-POLYMER AVAILABLE IN THE

FORM OF AQUESOUS EMULSION (MILK
LIKE SOLUTION)

CHEMICAL NATURE
COPOLYMER OF STYRENE-BUTYL
ACRYLATE-N-METHYLOL ACRYL AMIDE
 MECHANISM OF BINDING
SEQUENCE
PRINT > DRY > CURE (DRY HEAT)

DURING CURING: BINDER POLYMERISES AND

FORMS A STRONG FILM
BINDER FILM EMBEDES PIGMENT COLOUR AND
ALSO STRONGLY ADHARES TO THE FIBRE
 CHOICE OF THICKENER
CONVENTIONAL THICKENER USED FOR DYE
PRINTING ARE NOT SUITABLE
THEY INTERACT WITH BINDER AND REDUCE ITS
INTERATION WITH FIBRE. THUS AFFECTING THE
FASTNESS PROPERTIES

SUITABLE THICKENERS
EMULSION THICKENER – ZERO SOLID CONTENT
THICKENER
SYNTHETIC THICKENER - VERY LOW SOLID
CONTENT THICKENER
 EMULSION THICKENER
OBTAINED BY EMULSIFICATION OF TWO
IMMISCIBLE LIQUIDS WITH THE HELP OF
EMULSIFIER

TWO TYPES
OIL-IN-WATER EMULSION
WATER-IN-OIL EMULSION
COMMONLY USED IS OIL-IN-WATER
PREPARATION OF OIL-IN-WATER
EMULSION
BINDER 100 PARTS
WATER 100-150 PARTS
EMULSIFIER 20 PARTS
UREA 20 PARTS
CMC (4-6% PASTE) 10 PARTS
KEROSENE OIL OR 750-800 PARTS
MINERAL TURPENTINE
OIL
VERY SLOW ADDITION OF OIL
CONTINUOUS HIGH SPEED STIRRING

EMULSIFIER: REDUCE SURFACE ENERGY BETWEEN OIL AND WATER

UREA: HYGROSCOPIC AGENT, MINIMIZE WATER EVAPORATION IN
CONTINUOUS PHASE
CMC: PROTECTIVE COLLOID
 EMULSION THICKENER
MERITS
IDEAL FOR PIGMENT PRINTING

DEMERITS
INFLAMMABLE- FIRE HAZARDS
AIR POLLUTION
HIGH COST
FABRIC SMELL DUE TO RESIDUAL K.OIL OR
MTO. NOT ACCEPTABLE IN EXPORT
MARKET
 SYNTHETIC THICKENER
CHEMICAL NATURE
HIGH MOL.Wt. COPOLYMERS OF ACRYLIC
OR METHACRYLIC ACID
HAVE FREE –COOH GROUPS ON
POLYMERIC CHAINS WHICH PLAY IMP.
ROLE IN VISCOSITY BUILD UP
TRADE PRODUCTS: AQUEOUS EMULSION,
ACID pH
CONCENTRATION FOR PRINTABLE
VISCOSIT 1-2%
 MECHANISM OF THICKENING
SYNTHETIC THICKENER IN ACID FORM
WATER INSOLUBLE, LOW VISCOSITY, NON-IONIZED –COOH
GROUPS

SYNTHETIC THICKENER IN NEUTRIZED FORM

WATER SOLUBLE, SWELLABLE, HIGH VISCOSITY
IONIZED –COOH GROUPS
 SYNTHETIC THICKENER

MERITS
NO AIR POLLUTION
NO RISK OF FIRE AND EXPLOSION
NO SPECIAL STORAGE REQUIREMENTS
NO FABRIC SMELL
DEMERITS
ELECTRLYTE SENSITIVITY
SLIGHTLY DULL PRINTS AND HARSH FABRIC
FEEL
LONGER DRYING TIME
PREPARATION OF THICKENER
PASTE

BINDER 100 PARTS

WATER 80-890 PARTS
SYNTH. THICKENER 10-20 PARTS
LIQUOR AMMONIA TO pH 8
 PRINT PASTE COMPOSITION

PIGMENT COLOUR X PARTS

THICKENER PASTE TO MAKE 1000
PARTS
DIAMM. PHOSPHATE 10 PARTS
MELAMINE FORMALDEHYDE 10 PARTS
SEUENCE
PRINT > DRY > CURE AT 140-1500 C FOR 4-5
MIN.
NO WASH
 MERITS AND DEMERITS
PRACTICALLY ALL TYPES OF FIBRES AND BLENDS
CAN BE PRINTED
PIGMENT COLOURS CAN BE READILY MIXED WITH
EACH OTHER TO GET QUICK SHADE MATCHING
NO AFTER TREATMENT SUCH AS WASHING,
SOAPING REQUIRED

DEMERITS
HARSH FABRIC FEEL DUE TO BINDER FILM
LOW RUBBING FASTNESS