Development of inkjet printing ink based on component solubility parameters and its properties

ABSTRACT In textile inkjet printing, it is important to understand the design theory of ink jet printing ink. In this study, according to the solubility parameters of printing ink components (humectant, penetrant, pH regulator, viscosity regulator and deionized water), twelve different complex solvents were designed to prepare disperse ink. By observing the particle size, stratification, rheological property and viscosity of the prepared inks, the ink meeting the requirements was subsequently selected. The low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analyses were used to analyze the water distribution and structure information of the ink at the micro level, which provide opportunities to subsequently interpret the macro properties (fluidity) of ink. The ink before and after filtration was tested using an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV), and the content of the disperse dye in the ink was observed to be reduced after filtration. The viscosity of the ink before and after filtration were also analyzed. The viscosity of the ink was noted to significantly decrease after filtration, which indicated that the content of the disperse dye in the ink exhibited a vital influence on the ink viscosity. LF-NMR was applied to study the stability of ink (1a, 1c, 3a, 3c, 4a, 4c, 5a, 5c, 6a and 6c) in cold and hot environments. No new peak was found in T2 relaxation time inversion spectra of disperse ink, which indicates that there is no physical or chemical change among the components in disperse ink. The voltage of the driving waveform was adjusted and ejection performance of different inks was characterized. The results indicated linear driving voltage and ligament length of the inks. Different fixation temperatures (160 ℃-190 ℃) were used to optimize the fixation temperature of the printed fabrics, and 180 ℃ was determined to be the optimal fixation condition. Finally, the color fastness of the printed fabric was tested and analyzed. The findings revealed that the color fastness of the printed fabric met the use requirements.