Cationic pretreatment for improving image quality of inkjet printing on polyester fabrics

Abstract

The cationic pretreatment with gemini surface active agent was carried on the polyester fabric in order to improve the image quality of water-based pigment inkjet printing. The influence of pretreatment conditions such as concentration of cationic reagent, pH value of pretreatment bath, temperature and pretreatment time on the printing property of ink-jet printing was discussed in detail. Compared with untreated fabric, the K/S values increase nearly 36% of treated polyester fabric. The K/S values increase evidently with increasing of the pH of cationic pretreatment bath, especially when pH reached at 11. The K/S values appear saturation value when the concentration of cationic reagent is 15g/l. The K/S values increase when the treatment temperature changes from 10°C to 30°C. However, The K/S values start to decrease when the treatment temperature continue to rise till 60°C. This may due to that temperature affect the adsorption property of cationic reagent on the surface of polyester fabric. When pretreatment carry on for 6 min, the K/S values reach balance. The video microscopy images show that the edge acuity and the brilliancy of ink-jet printing on polyester were improved largely after pretreatment with 15 g/l cationic pretreatment reagent at 30°C and pH 11 for 6 min. The Atomic force microscopy (AFM) image shows that the surface morphology of polyester fabrics had changed after cationic pretreatments.