MICROWAVE FIXATION OF INK-JET PRINTED TEXTILES

Inkjet printing is the most innovative technique for the application of dyestuffs onto textile materials. Digitally-printed textile substrates with reactive inks produce brilliant shades with outstanding fastness properties. Usually, the fixing of reactive prints is done with saturated steam or heated air, techniques which are not quite suitable for online fixation in a highly flexible ink-jet printing process. Therefore, a demand has arisen for the adoption or development of new fixation techniques which would be compatible with the digital textile printing technique. One appropriate solution could be the microwave technique, which is known, and frequently used, in textile drying processes. The aim of this study was to determine efficiency in regard to microwave fixation of those reactive prints applied with the help of a DOD digital textile printer. Monochlorotryazine (MCT) reactive ink was printed on pre-treated cotton fabric (alkali, urea, oxidizing agent), fixated with a laboratory prototype microwave device, and then washed to remove unfixed reactive dyes. The characteristics of those reactive prints fixed with saturated steam or hot air were compared with the microwave-fixed prints. The colour properties were evaluated, in regard to penetration and fixation degree, as colour fastness to washing and wet rubbing. The results of the presented research project shows that it is possible to achieve quality characteristics regarding microwave-fixed reactive prints, and which are comparable with the characteristics of prints fixed with saturated steam or hot air.