High fixation ink composition for digital textile printing

Abstract

The present invention is related to a novel high fixation ink composition for digital textile printing, which comprises: (A) at least one reactive dye compound with two reactive groups in an amount of 1% to 50% by weight; (B) an organic buffer in an amount of 0.05% to 10% by weight; (C) a humectant in an amount of 10% to 50% by weight; and (D) a solvent in remaining amount. When the aforesaid ink composition is applied in digital textile printing, fixation rate of dye on fabrics is high.

Claims

1. A high fixation ink composition for digital textile printing, comprising: (A) at least one reactive dye compound of the following formula (II) in an amount of 1% to 50% by weight; (B) an organic buffer or a polyphosphate buffer in an amount of 0.05% to 10% by weight; (C) a humectant in an amount of 10% to 50% by weight; and (D) a solvent in remaining amount; ##STR00048## wherein A.sub.1 is a dye chromophore; and n.sub.1 and n.sub.2 are each independently 1 or 2; wherein the dye chromophore is selected from the group consisting of dye chromophores of the following formulas (I-1) to (I-34): ##STR00049## ##STR00050## ##STR00051## ##STR00052## ##STR00053## ##STR00054##

2. The ink composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dye chromophore is selected from the group consisting of dye chromophores of the following formulas (I-1) to (I-5): ##STR00055##

3. The ink composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the organic buffer is selected from the group consisting of 3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid (MOPS), N,N-diethylsulphanilic acid (DEAS), N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (BES) or a salt thereof, and a mixture thereof.

4. The ink composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the humectant is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, polypropylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, glycerol, thioglycol, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, dipropylene glycol monoethyl ether, triethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol ether, 1,2-hexanediol, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, caprolactam, N,N-diethyl-formamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, 2-pyridone, 2-pyrrolidone, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone, tetrahydrofuran, 1,4-dioxane, methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, and a mixture thereof.

5. The ink composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solvent is water.

6. The ink composition as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a surfactant in an amount of 0.1% to 2% by weight, wherein the surfactant is an alkynediol based surfactant, an alkoxyl based surfactant, or a non-ionic polymeric fluorochemical surfactant.

7. The ink composition as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a microbicide in an amount of 0.1% to 0.3% by weight.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(1) Although the present invention will be explained in relation to its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as hereinafter claimed. The following examples are only intended to illustrate the present invention. The scope of the present invention should be defined by the claims appended hereto. The following examples should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Unless specified otherwise, units, such as part and percentage, used in the examples are calculated by weight and the temperature is represented by Celsius degrees ( C.).

Example 1

(2) A yellow reactive printing ink of the present example is prepared by stir mixing 9 parts of a reactive dye compound of the following formula (i-1); 23 parts of a humectant (including 8 parts of 2-pyrrolidone and 15 parts of diethylene glycol ether); 1.5 parts of a non-ionic surfactant, Surfynol 465; 1 part of an organic buffer of the following formula (III); 0.2 parts of a microbicide, Proxel XII; and 65.3 parts of water at room temperature.

(3) ##STR00038##

Comparative Example 1

(4) The preparation method of a yellow reactive printing ink of the present comparative example is the same as that of Example 1 in general. The difference is that the reactive dye compound used in the present comparative example is of the following formula (i-2), which is a CI. Reactive Yellow 95.

(5) ##STR00039##

Test Example 1

(6) In the present test example, the viscosity, pH value, UV/absorbance, and surface tension of the yellow reactive printing inks prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 are measured. The results of the measurements are shown in Table 2.

(7) In addition, the fixation rate of the yellow reactive printing inks prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 are also evaluated in the present test example. The method of fixation rate measurement is as follows: Color blocks of the same size are first inkjet printed on two cotton cloths using the same nozzle of a desktop printer, Epson XP-202. After printing, the ink concentration of one of the two cotton cloths not being steamed is measured and designated as the original inkjet printing concentration (a). The other cotton cloth is steamed and washed after inkjet printing, which comprises the following steps: After the ink has been inkjet printed on the cotton cloth, the cotton cloth is dried for 10 mins and steamed for 10 mins. The cotton cloth and 500 g of water are then heated to boiling. After washing for 10 mins, the concentration (b) of the dye in the wash solution is then measured. The fixation rate is calculated by the following equation:
Fixation Rate (%)=coloring concentration of cotton cloth (ab)/original inkjet printing concentration (a)100%.

(8) The results are shown in Table 2.

(9) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Yellow Dye Comparative Reactive Printing Ink Example 1 Example 1 Ink Viscosity (25) (cP) 3.42 3.24 Property pH Value 7.53 7.59 UV/Absorbance 324/422 nm 323/422 nm Surface Tension 31.65 32.32 (mN/m) Fixation Rate (%) 81.7 60.5

Example 2-1

(10) A red reactive printing ink of the present example is prepared by stir mixing 12 parts of a reactive dye compound of the following formula (ii-1); 11 parts of a humectant (including 3 parts of 1,2-propanediol, 7 parts of diethylene glycol ether, and 1 part of glycerol); 0.5 parts of a non-ionic surfactant, Surfynol 465; 1 part of an organic buffer of the above formula (III); 0.2 parts of a microbicide, Proxel XII; and 75.3 parts of water at room temperature, respectively.

(11) ##STR00040##

Example 2-2

(12) A red reactive printing ink of the present example is prepared by stir mixing 11.9 parts of a reactive dye compound of the following formula (ii-2); 11 parts of a humectant (including 10 parts of diethylene glycol ether and 1 part of glycerol); 0.5 parts of a non-ionic surfactant, Surfynol 465; 1 part of an organic buffer of the above formula (III); 0.2 parts of a microbicide, Proxel XII; and 75.4 parts of water at room temperature, respectively.

(13) ##STR00041##

Comparative Example 2-1

(14) A red reactive printing ink of the present comparative example is prepared by stir mixing 12 parts of a reactive dye compound, CI. Reactive Red 3:1, of the following formula (ii-3); 21 parts of a humectant (including 12 parts of 2-pyrrolidone, 8 parts of 1,2-propanediol, and 1 part of glycerol); 0.5 parts of a non-ionic surfactant, Surfynol 465; 1 part of an organic buffer of the above formula (III); 0.2 parts of a microbicide, Proxel XII; and 65.3 parts of water at room temperature, respectively.

(15) ##STR00042##

Comparative Example 2-2

(16) A red reactive printing ink of the present comparative example is prepared by stir mixing 10.9 parts of a reactive dye compound, CI. Reactive Red 245, of the following formula (ii-4); 24 parts of a humectant (including 12 parts of diethylene glycol ether, 11 parts of 1,2-propanediol, and 1 part of glycerol); 0.5 parts of a non-ionic surfactant, Surfynol 465; 1 part of an organic buffer of the above formula (III); 0.2 parts of a microbicide, Proxel XII; and 63.4 parts of water at room temperature, respectively.

(17) ##STR00043##

Test Example 2

(18) In the present test example, the viscosity, pH value, UV/absorbance, surface tension, and fixation rate of the red reactive printing inks prepared in Example 2-1, Example 2-2, Comparative Example 2-1, and Comparative Example 2-2 are measured. The results of the measurements are shown in Table 3. The method of fixation rate measurement of Test Example 2 is the same as that of Test Example 1.

(19) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Red Dye Example Example Comparative Comparative Reactive Printing Ink 2-1 2-2 Example 2-1 Example 2-2 Ink Viscosity (25) 3.74 4.03 3.78 3.75 Property (cP) pH Value 7.45 7.71 7.51 7.44 UV/Absorbance 439/546 nm 433/547 nm 437/534 nm 441/543 nm 422/518 nm Surface Tension 31.23 32.23 34.56 (mN/m) Fixation Rate (%) 85.8 86.5 68.5 63.3

Example 3

(20) A blue reactive printing ink of the present example is prepared by stir mixing 6.5 parts of a reactive dye compound of the following formula (iii-1); 32 parts of a humectant (including 15 parts of 1,2-propanediol, 15 parts of 2-pyrrolidone, and 1 part of 1,2 hexanediol); 1 part of a non-ionic surfactant, Surfynol 465; 1 part of an organic buffer of the above formula (III); 0.2 parts of a microbicide, Proxel XII; and 59.3 parts of water at room temperature, respectively.

(21) ##STR00044##

Comparative Example 3

(22) A blue reactive printing ink of the present comparative example is prepared by stir mixing 4 parts of a reactive dye compound, CI. Reactive Blue 176, of the following formula (iii-2); 36 parts of a humectant (including 16 parts of 1,2-propanediol, 18 parts of 2-pyrrolidone, and 2 parts of 1,2 hexanediol); 1 part of a non-ionic surfactant, Surfynol 465; 1 part of an organic buffer of the above formula (III); 0.2 parts of a microbicide, Proxel XII; and 57.8 parts of water at room temperature, respectively.

(23) ##STR00045##

Test Example 3

(24) In the present test example, the viscosity, pH value, UV/absorbance, surface tension, and fixation rate of the blue reactive printing inks prepared in Example 3 and Comparative Example 3 are measured. The results of the measurements are shown in Table 4. The method of fixation rate measurement of Test Example 3 is the same as that of Test Example 1.

(25) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Blue Dye Comparative Reactive Printing Ink Example 3 Example 3 Ink Property Viscosity (25) (cP) 3.9 3.79 pH Value 7.73 7.46 UV/Absorbance 197/614 nm 185/611 nm Surface Tension (mN/m) 32.65 32.87 Fixation Rate (%) 88.3 71.5

Example 4

(26) A golden yellow reactive printing ink of the present example is prepared by stir mixing 8.9 parts of a reactive dye compound of the following formula (iv-1); 18 parts of a humectant (including 8 parts of 2-pyrrolidone and 10 parts of diethylene glycol ether); 1 part of a non-ionic surfactant, Surfynol 465; 0.1 parts of a non-ionic surfactant, Tergitol 15-S-5; 1 part of an organic buffer of the above formula (III); 0.2 parts of a microbicide, Proxel XII; and 70.8 parts of water at room temperature, respectively.

(27) ##STR00046##

Comparative Example 4

(28) An orange reactive printing ink of the present comparative example is prepared by stir mixing 12.9 parts of a reactive dye compound, C.I. Reactive Orange 12, of the following formula (iv-2); 23 parts of a humectant (including 8 parts of 2-pyrrolidone and 15 parts of diethylene glycol ether); 1 part of a non-ionic surfactant, Surfynol 465; 0.1 parts of a non-ionic surfactant, Tergitol 15-S-5; 1 part of an organic buffer of the above formula (III); 0.2 parts of a microbicide, Proxel XII; and 65.7 parts of water at room temperature, respectively.

(29) ##STR00047##

Test Example 4

(30) In the present test example, the viscosity, pH value, UV/absorbance, surface tension, and fixation rate of the reactive printing inks prepared in Example 4 and Comparative Example 4 are measured. The results of the measurements are shown in Table 5. The method of fixation rate measurement of Test Example 4 is the same as that of Test Example 1.

(31) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Orange Dye Golden Yellow Dye Comparative Reactive Printing Ink Example 4 Example 4 Ink Property Viscosity (25) (cP) 3.9 3.12 pH Value 7.38 7.26 UV/Absorbance 320/435 nm 316/420 nm Surface Tension 29.3 30.26 (mN/m) Fixation Rate (%) 84.8 66.4

(32) Accordingly, as shown by the results of the measurements of the aforesaid examples and comparative examples, it is obvious that the high fixation ink compositions for digital textile printing provided by the present invention (each comprises a reactive dye compound with two reactive groups) can react and bond to fabrics very easily. Thus, the fixation rates of the ink compositions provided by the present invention have been increased to more than 80%. The ink compositions provided by the present invention are significantly better than the reactive dye compounds with only one reactive group of the aforesaid comparative examples. Hence, the ink composition provided by the present invention will produce less colored wastewater after printing and dyeing. The cost of printing and dyeing can then be reduced. The ink composition provided by the present invention is environmental friendly and energy saving.