Digital Printing Knitted Fabrics made of Polyamide, Cotton and Blends thereof

Petra Forte Tavčer

doi:10.14502/tekstilec.68.2024077

Authors

Petra Forte Tavčer University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana Author https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3621-9014

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14502/tekstilec.68.2024077

Keywords:

digital printing, reactive dyes, polyamide, cotton, preparations

Abstract

Knitted fabrics with different compositions, i.e. 100% cotton (CO), 100% polyamide (PA), and a blend of 50% cotton and 50% polyamide (CO/PA), were digitally printed with reactive dyes. The cotton fabric was pretreated with a conventional alkaline solution of alginate thickener, sodium carbonate and urea (A). The polyamide fabric was pretreated with an acidic solution of galactomannan thickener (GM). The CO/PA blend was pretreated once with the alginate and once with the galactomannan preparation. The aim of the study was to determine whether the proposed preparation is suitable for printing polyamide with reactive dyes and which preparation is more suitable for printing the cotton-polyamide blend. The CIE L*a*b* colour values, the colour depth (K/S) and the dye penetration of the printed samples were compared. It was determined that under the same printing conditions, the highest colour depth was achieved on cotton, while a lower depth was recorded on polyamide. The colour depth on the cotton-polyamide blend was lower than on the two pure fabrics. For some colours, the colour depth was higher with the alginate thickener preparation, for others with the galactomannan thickener, so that no definitive preference for one preparation over the other can be given for printing blends. The colour fastness of the prints to dry rubbing (crock test), light and washing at 40 °C was acceptable for all samples.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. UJIIE, H. Digital Printing of Textiles. Cambridge : Woodhead Publishing, 2006.

2. SOLEIMANI-GORGANI, A., TAYLOR, J.A. Dyeing of nylon with reactive dyes. Part 1. The effect of changes in dye structure on the dyeing of nylon with reactive dyes. Dyes and Pigments, 2006, 68(2–3), 109–117, doi: 10.1016/j.dyepig.2005.01.014.

3. ŠOSTAR, S., SCHNEIDER, R. Guar gum as an environment-friendly alternative thickener in printing with reactive dyes. Dyes and Pigments, 1998, 39(4), 211–221, doi: 10.1016/S0143-7208(97)00111-3.

4. SOLEIMANI-GORGANI, A., TAYLOR, J.A. Dyeing of nylon with reactive dyes. Part 2. The effect of changes in level of dye sulphonation on the dyeing of nylon with reactive dyes. Dyes and Pigments, 2006, 68(2–3), 119–127, doi: 10.1016/j.dyepig.2005.01.012.

5. BURKINSHAW, S.M., CHEVLI, S.N., MARFELL, D.J. Printing of nylon 6,6 with reactive dyes part 1: preliminary studies. Dyes and Pigments, 2000, 45(3), 235–242, doi: 10.1016/S0143-7208(00)00022-X.

6. SHEN-KUNG, L., HUO-YUAN, C. Ink-jet printing of nylon fabric using reactive dystuff. Coloration Technology, 2011, 127(6), 390–395, doi: 10.1111/j.1478-4408.2011.00335.x.

7. YUEN, C.W.M., KU, S.K.A., CHOI, P.S.R., KAN, C.W. Factors affecting the color yield of an ink-jet printed cotton fabric. Textile Research Journal, 2005, 75(4), 319–325, doi: 10.1177/0040517505054733.

8. YANG, Y., NAARANI, V. Effect of steaming conditions on colour and consistency of ink-jet printed cotton using reactive dyes. Coloration Technology, 2004, 120(3), 127–131, doi: 10.1111/j.1478-4408.2004.tb00218.x.

9. LIAO, S.K., CHEN, H.Y. Ink-jet printing of nylon fabric using reactive dyestuff. Coloration Technology, 2011, 127(6), 390–395, doi: 10.1111/j.1478-4408.2011.00335.x.

10. QIAO, X., FANG, K., LIU, X., GONG, J., ZHANG, S., WANG, J., ZHANG, M. Different influences of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose pretreatment on surface properties of cotton and polyamide in inkjet printing. Progress in Organic Coatings, 2022, 165, 1–9, doi: 10.1016/j.porgcoat.2022.106746.

11. ESER, B., ÖZGÜNEY, A.T., ÖZERDEM, A. Investigation of the usage of different thickening agents in ink-jet printing with reactive dyes. Industria Textila, 2012, 63(2), 85–90.

12. LI, C., FANG, L., FANG, K., LIU, X., AN, F., LIANG, Y., LIU, H., ZHANG, S., QIAO, X. Synergistic effects of alpha olefin sulfonate and sodium alginate on inkjet printing of cotton/polyamide fabrics. Langmuir, 2021, 37(2), 683−692, doi: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c02723.

13. HOSSAIN, M.A., CHEN, W., ZHENG, J., ZHANG, Y., WANG, C., JIN, S., WU, H. The effect of O2 plasma treatment and PA 6 coating on digital ink-jet printing of PET nonwoven fabric. The Journal of The Textile Institute, 2020, 111(8), 1184–1190, doi: 10.1080/00405000.2019.1688902

14. SILVA, M.C., PETRACONI, G., CECCI, R.R.R., PASSOS, A.A., DO VALLE, W.F., BRAITE, B., LOURENÇO, S.R., GASI, F. Digital sublimation printing on knitted polyamide 6.6 fabric treated with non-thermal plasma. Polymers, 2021, 13(12), 1–15, doi: 10.3390/polym13121969

15. MARIE, M.M., SALEM, A.A., EL ZAIRY, E.M.R. A novel printing method to enhance the fixation of reactive dyes on wool–polyamide fabrics. The Journal of The Textile Institute, 2011, 102(9), 790–800, doi: 10.1080/00405000.2010.522049.

16. BERGER-SCHUNN, A. Practical Color Measurement : a Primer for the Beginner, A Reminder for the Expert. New York : Wiley-Interscience, 1994, p. 179.