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 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of dye sublimation printing on a natural fiber fabric, the method comprising:
 pretreating the natural fiber fabric to form a pretreated natural fiber fabric; and   dye sublimation printing on the pretreated natural fiber fabric.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein pretreating the natural fiber fabric to form a pretreated natural fiber fabric comprises:
 spraying a natural fiber fabric with 0.05-0.2 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.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , 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.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , 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. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more latex polymers comprise a polyester having a glass transition temperature from −20 to 100° C. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein a latex dispersion of the polyester has a zeta potential from −60 to −20 mV. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more latex polymers comprise an acrylic polymer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the acrylic polymer is self-crosslinking. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , 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. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the coalescing agent composition comprises ethylene glycol butyl ether. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the surfactant composition comprises one or more of an anionic or a nonionic surfactant. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the surfactant composition comprises silicone. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the UV stabilizer composition comprises one or more of a sulfonated benzophenone, a benzotriazole, a salicylate, a cinnamate, a triazole, or a triazine. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the UV stabilizer composition comprises hydroxyphenyl triazine. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 2 , 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. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the antioxidant composition comprises a hindered amine light stabilizer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the solvent comprises one or more of glycol ether, a diol, an ester, ethanol, or water. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the solvent comprises water. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the natural fiber fabric comprises one or more of wool, cotton, silk, linen, leather, hemp, or bamboo. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the natural fiber fabric is a T-shirt.