A novel process for printing high quality, high resolution, multi-color images on fibrous or porous materials or other ink absorbing materials, or on materials having high surface tension with a liquid ink, and especially over garments, is disclosed. The process is effected by applying a wetting composition, prior to, concomitant with and/or subsequent to applying an ink composition and formation of the images. Pre-printing and printing systems for executing the above process are further disclosed.

Novel inkjet ink formulations having a humectant composition, at least one pigment, and at least one compound selected from a binder, a defoamer, a leveling agent, an antibacterial agent, and a neutralizing agent; and water is disclosed. A method for printing on a flexible substrate is further disclosed.

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 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 liquid discharge apparatus of the present disclosure includes an ink composition and a liquid discharge section including a nozzle for discharging the ink composition. The ink composition is a pigment textile printing ink composition containing resin particles, water, and an organic solvent. The resin particles have a glass transition temperature of 5° C. or less and are contained in an amount of 6.5 mass % or more based on the total amount of the ink composition. The ink composition contains a polyhydric alcohol having a boiling point of 270° C. or more as the organic solvent in an amount of 15.0 mass % or less based on the total amount of the ink composition. The liquid discharge section includes a pressure chamber and a circulation passage for circulating the ink composition in the pressure chamber.

An example of an aqueous inkjet ink includes a wetting package, a co-solvent, a colorant, and a balance of water. The wetting package includes a 1,2-alkanediol having 10 or more carbon atoms, and a free dispersant. Examples of the aqueous inkjet ink may be used in printing methods with a substrate selected from the group consisting of a vinyl substrate, a polyvinylchloride substrate, a stainless steel substrate, a silicon substrate, an acrylic substrate, an acrylate substrate, a polyethylene substrate, and a non-treated polypropylene substrate.

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.

Provided are dye sublimation ink compositions, methods of preparing dye sublimation ink compositions, and methods of printing with dye sublimation ink compositions. Methods of printing with dye sublimation ink compositions includes printing on natural fabrics. Dye sublimation ink compositions comprise one or more latexes; a humectant composition; a surfactant composition; a biocide composition; a buffer composition; and a solvent.

A sprayable and hygroscopic ink for a digital printing process on a fabric includes 3.0 parts by weight to 6.0 parts by weight of a colorant, 0.5 parts by weight to 2.0 parts by weight of a hygroscopic agent, 0.5 parts by weight to 1.0 part by weight of a surfactant, and a balance of a solvent, in which a pH value of the hygroscopic agent is between 6.0 and 8.5 at 25° C., and a particle diameter D90 of the sprayable and hygroscopic ink is between 180 nm and 220 nm.