Abstract
Digital inkjet printing is a production technology with high potential in resource efficient processes, which features both flexibility and productivity. In this research, waterborne, fluorocarbon-free ink containing polysiloxane in the form of micro-emulsion is formulated for the application of water-repellent sports- and work wear. The physicochemical properties of the ink such as surface tension, rheological properties and particle size are characterized, and thereafter inkjet printed as solid square pattern (10 × 10 cm) on polyester and polyamide 66 fabrics. The water contact angle (WCA) of the functional surfaces is increased from < 90° to ca. 140° after 10 inkjet printing passes. Moreover, the functional surface shows resistance to wash and abrasion. The WCA of functional surfaces is between 130° and 140° after 10 wash cycles, and is ca. 140° after 20000 revolutions of rubbing. The differences in construction of the textile as well as ink–filament interaction attribute to the different transportation behaviors of the ink on the textile, reflected in the durability of the functional layer on the textile. The functionalized textile preserves its key textile feature such as softness and breathability. Inkjet printing shows large potential in high-end applications such as customized functionalization of textiles in the domain of smart textiles.
Highlights
In the past decades, inkjet printing was recognized as an emerging production technology because of its manufacturing capabilities
Reference PET and PA samples with the same construction but finished with fluorocarbon by exhaustion were provided by FOV Fabrics AB and used to compare with the sample functionalized by inkjet printing
The Newtonian behavior of the fluid and weak temperature-dependent viscosity of the ink suggested that it is reasonable to present the viscosity of 9.9 mPa s of functional ink at 10000 s-1 and 35 °C for ink characterization at inkjet printing condition
Summary
Inkjet printing was recognized as an emerging production technology because of its manufacturing capabilities. Inkjet printing is applied in various applications such as micro-manufacturing, photovoltaics, electrochemical sensors and ceramic tile [1,2,3,4]. Inkjet printing was applied to manufacture conductive electrodes [6, 7], solar cell components [9], and to deposit precursor particles [10]. The selective deposition of functional fluids and the digitalized process made inkjet printing a very versatile and flexible fabrication technology driven by the application demands [10]. The efficient material usage, high precision and flexible production with high productivity made inkjet printing a potential method for resource efficient, high-end smart textile manufacturing. Inkjet printing could be beneficial to maintain the original characteristics of the carrying porous material, e.g., the softness in hand feeling and breathability of textile due to deposition of materials in pL range [18]
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