Pretreating natural fiber fabrics for dye sublimation ink printing

Abstract

Provided are pretreatment compositions, pretreated fabrics, and methods of pretreating fabrics for improved printing quality. Pretreated fabrics include natural fiber fabric having a polymer coating. Methods of pretreating fabrics include spraying natural fiber fabric with a pretreatment composition that comprises one or more latex polymers, a coalescing agent composition, a surfactant composition, an ultraviolet stabilizer composition, an antioxidant composition, and a solvent.

1 . A pretreatment composition for a natural fiber fabric comprising:
 15 to 35 wt. % one or more latex polymers;   15 to 35 wt. % one or more humectants;   0.1 to 1 wt. % surfactant composition;   0.1 to 1 wt. % ultraviolet (UV) stabilizer composition;   0.1 to 1 wt. % one or more pH buffers;   0.05 to 0.5 wt. % biocide; and   40 to 60 wt. % solvent.   
     
     
         2 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more latex polymers comprise one or more of a polyester, an acrylic polymer, an aromatic polyamide, a chlorinated polymer, a polyether, a polyurea, a fluorinated polymer, a polyurethane, a styrene, a polyvinyl, a thio/ether polymer, a polyolefin, a polystyrene, a polyacetate, a polyamide, a polyethylene, a polyimide, a polycarbonate, or a polyvinylalcohol. 
     
     
         3 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more latex polymers comprise a polyester. 
     
     
         4 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 3 , wherein the polyester has a glass transition temperature from −20 to 100° C. 
     
     
         5 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 4 , wherein a latex dispersion of the polyester has a zeta potential from −60 to −20 mV. 
     
     
         6 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more latex polymers comprise an acrylic polymer. 
     
     
         7 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 6 , wherein the acrylic polymer is self-crosslinking. 
     
     
         8 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a coalescing agent, wherein the coalescing agent composition comprises one or more compounds comprising an aliphatic composition, a cycloaliphatic composition, an ether composition, a glycol composition, an alcohol composition, an ester composition, a carbonate composition, a lactam composition, or a ketone composition. 
     
     
         9 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 8 , wherein the coalescing agent composition comprises ethylene glycol butyl ether. 
     
     
         10 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant composition comprises one or more of an anionic or a nonionic surfactant. 
     
     
         11 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 10 , wherein the surfactant composition comprises silicone. 
     
     
         12 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 1 , wherein the UV stabilizer composition comprises one or more of a sulfonated benzophenone, a benzotriazole, a salicylate, a cinnamate, a triazole, or a triazine. 
     
     
         13 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 12 , wherein the UV stabilizer composition comprises hydroxyphenyl triazine. 
     
     
         14 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 1 , further comprising an antioxidant composition, wherein the antioxidant composition comprises one or more of a hydroquinone, an alkoxyphenol, a dialkoxyphenol, a phenol, an aniline, an amine, an indane, a chromane, an alkoxyaniline, or a heterocyclic compound. 
     
     
         15 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 14 , wherein the antioxidant composition comprises a hindered amine light stabilizer. 
     
     
         16 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises one or more of glycol ether, a diol, an ester, ethanol, or water. 
     
     
         17 . The pretreatment composition of  claim 16 , wherein the solvent comprises water. 
     
     
         18 . A pretreated natural fiber fabric product comprising:
 natural fiber fabric; and   a polymer coating on the natural fiber fabric, the polymer coating comprising:
 20 to 90 wt. % one or more latex polymers; 
 0.4 to 7 wt. % surfactant composition; and 
 1 to 8 wt. % ultraviolet (UV) stabilizer composition. 
   
     
     
         19 . The pretreated natural fiber fabric product of  claim 18 , wherein the natural fiber fabric comprises one or more of wool, cotton, silk, linen, leather, hemp, or bamboo. 
     
     
         20 . The pretreated natural fiber fabric product of  claim 19 , wherein the pretreated natural fiber fabric product comprises a T-shirt. 
     
     
         21 . The pretreated natural fiber fabric product of  claim 18 , comprising an image printed using dye sublimation ink. 
     
     
         22 . A pretreated natural fiber fabric product comprising:
 natural fiber fabric; and   a polymer coating on the natural fiber fabric,   wherein the pretreated natural fiber fabric product is produced by spraying the natural fiber fabric with 8 to 15 grams of a pretreatment composition per square inch of natural fiber fabric.   
     
     
         23 . The pretreated natural fiber fabric product of  claim 22 , wherein the pretreatment composition comprises:
 15 to 35 wt. % one or more latex polymers;   15 to 35 wt. % one or more humectants;   0.1 to 1 wt. % surfactant composition;   0.1 to 1 wt. % ultraviolet (UV) stabilizer composition;   0.1 to 1 wt. % one or more pH buffers;   0.05 to 0.5 wt. % biocide; and   40 to 60 wt. % solvent.   
     
     
         24 . The pretreated natural fiber fabric product of  claim 22 , comprising an image printed using dye sublimation ink. 
     
     
         25 . The pretreated natural fiber fabric product of  claim 22 , wherein the natural fiber fabric comprises one or more of wool, cotton, silk, linen, leather, hemp, or bamboo. 
     
     
         26 . The pretreated natural fiber fabric product of  claim 22 , wherein the pretreated natural fiber fabric product is a T-shirt. 
     
     
         27 . A method of pretreating a natural fiber fabric comprising:
 spraying a natural fiber fabric with 8 to 15 grams pretreatment composition per square inch of natural fiber fabric to produce sprayed natural fiber fabric; and   drying the sprayed natural fiber fabric to form a pretreated natural fiber fabric product.   
     
     
         28 . The method of pretreating a natural fiber fabric of  claim 27 , wherein the pretreatment composition comprises:
 15 to 35 wt. % one or more latex polymers;   15 to 35 wt. % one or more humectants;   0.1 to 1 wt. % surfactant composition;   0.1 to 1 wt. % ultraviolet (UV) stabilizer composition;   0.1 to 1 wt. % one or more pH buffers;   0.05 to 0.5 wt. % biocide; and   40 to 60 wt. % solvent.