Provided are pre-coat formulations, ink formulations, ink systems and printing methods for patterning a surface with a desired pattern.

The present invention relates to an ink-jet printing method of overprinting a first ink and a second ink on a low-liquid absorbing printing medium, in which the first ink and the second ink are respectively in the form of a water-based ink containing a colorant (A), a polymer (B), an organic solvent (C) and water, and satisfy the following formulae (1) and (2), said ink-jet printing method including the steps of forming characters or images using at least one ink as the first ink, and then forming a background image using the second ink such that the background image is superimposed on at least a part of the characters or images formed by the first ink: [T.sub.2−T.sub.1]<0 mN/m (1); and [V.sub.2−V.sub.1]≥1.0 mPa.Math.s (2) wherein T.sub.2 is the static surface tension of the second ink; T.sub.1 is the static surface tension of the first ink; V.sub.2 is the viscosity of the second ink as measured at 32° C.; and V.sub.1 is the viscosity of the first ink as measured at 32° C. According to the method of the present invention, it is possible to obtain good printed characters or images that are excellent in uniformity of solid image printing and suffer from less intercolor bleeding.

The present invention relates to [1] an aqueous composition for ink-jet printing containing a carbodiimide compound, a vinyl polymer and water, in which the vinyl polymer is dispersed in the aqueous composition in the form of polymer particles formed by partially neutralizing carboxy groups of the vinyl polymer with a basic compound having a boiling point of not higher than 130° C.; [2] an ink set for ink-jet printing containing an aqueous composition a containing a carbodiimide compound and water, and an aqueous composition b containing a vinyl polymer; and [3] an ink-jet printing method including the step 1 of ejecting a carbodiimide compound, a pigment, a vinyl polymer and water by an ink-jetting method to print characters or images, and the step 2 of subjecting the resulting printed characters or images to heat treatment at a temperature of 50 to 200° C. According to the aqueous composition of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a printed material that is excellent in rub fatness.

The pretreatment liquid of the present invention is applicable for a fabric to be used for inkjet textile printing, and the pretreatment liquid contains a block copolymer including a hydrophobic block derived from a hydrophobic resin having an SP value of less than 11 and a hydrophilic block derived from a hydrophilic resin having an SP value of 11 or more, with the difference between the SP values of the hydrophobic resin and the hydrophilic resin of 1.0 or more; and water.

The pretreatment liquid of the present invention is applicable for a fabric to be used for inkjet textile printing, and the pretreatment liquid contains a block copolymer including a hydrophobic block derived from a hydrophobic resin having an SP value of less than 11 and a hydrophilic block derived from a hydrophilic resin having an SP value of 11 or more, with the difference between the SP values of the hydrophobic resin and the hydrophilic resin of 1.0 or more; and water.

An example of a multi-fluid kit includes a pretreatment fluid, a fixer fluid, and a white inkjet ink. The pretreatment fluid includes anionically modified cellulose nanocrystals and a first aqueous vehicle. In some examples, the fixer fluid includes an azetidinium-containing polyamine and a second aqueous vehicle. The multi-fluid kit is suitable for use in inkjet textile printing.

An ink set includes a reaction liquid containing coagulant; a first ink containing a color material; and a second ink containing a color material. The ink set is used for recording on a non-absorptive recording medium or a low-absorptive recording medium and for imparting the reaction liquid, the first ink, and the second ink to the recording medium in a superimposed manner in this order.

An ink set includes a reaction liquid containing coagulant; a first ink containing a color material; and a second ink containing a color material. The ink set is used for recording on a non-absorptive recording medium or a low-absorptive recording medium and for imparting the reaction liquid, the first ink, and the second ink to the recording medium in a superimposed manner in this order.

An ink set contains a white ink composition containing a white coloring material and a resin, and a non-white ink composition containing a non-white coloring material and a resin. The white ink composition and the non-white ink composition are used with a treatment liquid containing a coagulant for coagulating a component of the non-white ink composition. When a 5% by mass calcium acetate monohydrate aqueous solution and each of the ink compositions are mixed, a ratio of the viscosity increase after the mixing to the viscosity increase before the mixing is lower in the white ink composition than in the non-white ink composition.

An ink set contains a white ink composition containing a white coloring material and a resin, and a non-white ink composition containing a non-white coloring material and a resin. The white ink composition and the non-white ink composition are used with a treatment liquid containing a coagulant for coagulating a component of the non-white ink composition. When a 5% by mass calcium acetate monohydrate aqueous solution and each of the ink compositions are mixed, a ratio of the viscosity increase after the mixing to the viscosity increase before the mixing is lower in the white ink composition than in the non-white ink composition.