The function and performance requirements of printing paste

Printing paste refers to a polymer compound that acts as a thickening agent in the color paste and can be dispersed in water to make a thick colloidal solution with a certain concentration. In the actual textile printing process, the paste is the carrier that transfers the dyes and chemicals in the printing paste to the fabric, and is the main component of the printing paste. Although there are many factors that affect the quality of printing, the nature of the printing paste determines the final printing effect of the fabric to a large extent, and it is a key factor affecting the printing effect.

1. The role of printing paste in printing processing

In textile printing, the performance of the printing paste directly affects the quality of the printed product. Its main functions in the printing process are as follows:

(1) As printing thickener;

(2) As the dispersion medium and diluent in the printing paste;

(3) Act as a delivery agent for dyes and auxiliaries, acting as a carrier;

(4) Play the role of adhesive;

(5) As a moisture absorbent during steaming;

(6) Used as a stabilizer for printing paste and a protective colloid that delays the interaction between the components in the paste;

(7) It can be used as a leveling agent for anti-migration during drying after printing or after padding the ground color.

2. The performance requirements of the printing process for the printing paste

In the actual printing production and processing, in order to obtain a good printing effect, to ensure that the pattern outline is clear, and it is printed through and does not penetrate, the paste must meet the following performance requirements:

(1) It has a certain degree of adhesion, rheology, plasticity, angular degeneration and anti-dilution;

(2) Good wettability;

(3) Certain physical and chemical stability;

(4) Uniformity;

(5) The paste itself should not have pigment or slightly pigment;

(6) Good dye transfer performance;

(7) Certain pressure permeability and film-forming properties;

(8) Certain moisture absorption capacity; 

(9) It is not easy to foam or defoam;

(10) Good washability;

(11) Higher paste rate. Therefore, a printing paste with excellent performance is often evaluated in terms of viscosity, rheology, and chemical stability.