The present invention relates to a waterless fiber dyeing method using a mixed fluid medium, in which supercritical carbon dioxide fluid medium is mixed with steam to form a mixed fluid medium, so that the waterless fiber dyeing effect to natural fibers is improved. The method of the invention can effectively modify the hydrophobic supercritical carbon dioxide fluid medium and improve the polarity thereof, thereby increasing the solubility of polar dye under the dyeing condition and simultaneously expanding the fiber. Thus, the present invention significantly improves the dyeability and dyeing behavior of the hydrophilic fibers in supercritical carbon dioxide fluids. The invention has the advantages of simple process, convenient operation and low energy consumption, and avoids consuming a large amount of water resources and discharging pollutants in the traditional process, and has the characteristics of environmentally friendly and high efficiency.

A black ink composition for inkjet printing that contains a water-soluble organic solvent, a resin emulsion, a dispersing agent, and at least four types of sublimation dyes. At least three of the sublimation dye types are C.I. disperse yellow, C.I. disperse red, and C.I. disperse blue, and at least one of the sublimation dye types has a maximum absorption wavelength in the wavelength band of 640 nm to less than 680 nm as measured from a visible spectral absorption of a solution obtained by dissolving the dye in acetone. An ink set for inkjet printing that includes the black ink composition for inkjet printing, and a method for printing on hydrophobic fibers that uses the composition and the ink set.

A black ink composition for inkjet printing that contains a water-soluble organic solvent, a resin emulsion, a dispersing agent, and at least four types of sublimation dyes. At least three of the sublimation dye types are C.I. disperse yellow, C.I. disperse red, and C.I. disperse blue, and at least one of the sublimation dye types has a maximum absorption wavelength in the wavelength band of 640 nm to less than 680 nm as measured from a visible spectral absorption of a solution obtained by dissolving the dye in acetone. An ink set for inkjet printing that includes the black ink composition for inkjet printing, and a method for printing on hydrophobic fibers that uses the composition and the ink set.

Provided herein is an inkjet dye-sublimation ink composition that is formulated to interact with an immobilizing composition such that the ink composition coagulates on the surface of an absorptive substrate, thereby substantially limiting soaking of the ink composition into the substrate. Also provided are a printing process and a printing machine, wherein the ink composition is directly printed on the substrate concomitantly with the immobilizing composition, and thereafter undergo heat-pressing to afford a dye-sublimation transfer of the dye to the substrate, thereby forming an image which is characterized by sharp and well defined edges of the dyed areas.

Provided herein is an inkjet dye-sublimation ink composition that is formulated to interact with an immobilizing composition such that the ink composition coagulates on the surface of an absorptive substrate, thereby substantially limiting soaking of the ink composition into the substrate. Also provided are a printing process and a printing machine, wherein the ink composition is directly printed on the substrate concomitantly with the immobilizing composition, and thereafter undergo heat-pressing to afford a dye-sublimation transfer of the dye to the substrate, thereby forming an image which is characterized by sharp and well defined edges of the dyed areas.

A thermal inkjet dye sublimation ink consists of a disperse dye colorant dispersion, primary and secondary solvents, a chelating agent, oleth-3-phosphate, additive(s), and water. The colorant dispersion is present in an amount ranging from about 1 wt % actives to about 7 wt % actives. The amount of the primary solvent (glycerol, ethoxylated glycerol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, dipropylene glycol, or combinations thereof) ranges from about 10 wt % to about 22 wt %, and the amount of the secondary solvent ranges from 0 wt % to about 7 wt %. The chelating agent amount ranges from 0 wt % actives to less than 0.1 wt % actives, and the oleth-3-phosphate amount ranges from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.75 wt. The additive is selected from the group consisting of a buffer, a biocide, another surfactant, and combinations thereof.

A thermal inkjet dye sublimation ink consists of a disperse dye colorant dispersion, primary and secondary solvents, a chelating agent, oleth-3-phosphate, additive(s), and water. The colorant dispersion is present in an amount ranging from about 1 wt % actives to about 7 wt % actives. The amount of the primary solvent (glycerol, ethoxylated glycerol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, dipropylene glycol, or combinations thereof) ranges from about 10 wt % to about 22 wt %, and the amount of the secondary solvent ranges from 0 wt % to about 7 wt %. The chelating agent amount ranges from 0 wt % actives to less than 0.1 wt % actives, and the oleth-3-phosphate amount ranges from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.75 wt. The additive is selected from the group consisting of a buffer, a biocide, another surfactant, and combinations thereof.

A printing method includes selecting a dye sublimation ink, having: a disperse dye colorant dispersion; a primary solvent selected from the group consisting of glycerol, ethoxylated glycerol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, dipropylene glycol, and combinations thereof; a surfactant selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, and combinations thereof; an additive selected from the group consisting of a buffer, a biocide, a chelating agent, and combinations thereof; and a balance of water. An operating energy that includes a margin over a turn-on energy (TOE) for a thermal inkjet printhead is applied to a heating resistor of the printhead, wherein the margin ranges from about 10% to about 25% over the TOE. The dye sublimation ink is printed from the thermal inkjet printhead i) directly onto a textile substrate, or ii) onto a transfer medium to form an image thereon; and the image is transferred onto the textile substrate.

A method of pre-treating a polyester textile for inkjet printing with a water-based disperse dye ink composition, which method comprises treating at, least a part of, a surface of the polyester textile to increase its hydrophobicity.

Disclosed is an ink emulsion composition that, when used as an ink composition, retains a high concentration of a colorant and exhibits good re-dispersibility after drying, and that causes no change in the physical properties of the ink when stored for a long period of time. The ink emulsion composition contains: (A) a dye and/or a pigment; (B) a styrene-(meth)acrylic copolymer; and (C) a compound in an amount of more than 0.18 mass %, the compound (C) being represented by formula (1): ##STR00001## where t represents 1 to 5.