Polyester Printing

with
TERASIL dyes
and
ALCOPRINT DT – CS /
RD-HT
Textile Effects
RTC Printing
Asia / Pacific
By: Wolfgang Heitkamp
 Printing Training

1&2

Textile Effects
RTC Printing
Asia / Pacific
 General

TERASIL
TERASIL P liq.
TERASIL PX liq.

specially selected disperse dyes of high quality for

polyester printing

Textile Effects
RTC Printing
Asia / Pacific
 Profile
TERASIL, TERASIL P liq. and TERASIL PX liq. are:

- designed for fashion fabric

- good sublimation and light fastness
- good washing off behaviour
- TERASIL dyes are available in powder form
- selected dyes are available in low-viscose liq. form
- suitable for natural and synthetic thickener

Textile Effects
RTC Printing
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 Advantages
The principal features and benefits
Properties
- wide colour spectrum
- excellent reproducibility
and high process safety
- good build up
- good general fastness
level
- low-viscose liquid form
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Advantages
- very brilliant shades
- high dependability of
result
- high tinctorial strength
- good in-use properties
- easy to disperse and
redisperse
 Colour Space

Textile Effects
RTC Printing
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Feature of TERASIL P liq./ TERASIL PX liq.

• simple to disperse

• easy to redisperse

• very good storage stability

• constant viscosity over a wide temperature range

• high stability, even under tropical conditions

• no dye specks even at increased temperature

Textile Effects
RTC Printing
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Feature of TERASIL P liq./ TERASIL PX liq.

The very low-viscose liquid dyes are easy to disperse.

A new generation of dispersants counteracts rapid
sedimentation.
If sedimentation nevertheless occurs, the dispersants
ensure that the dyes remain flaky and speck-free and
readily redisperse.
These properties are reflected in the high stability of the
dyes during storage and transport, even temperatures
fluctuate from below freezing to those prevailing in the
tropics.

Textile Effects
RTC Printing
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 Pretreatment

For satisfactory printing result it is essential to scour the

goods thoroughly before printing as they must be free from
troublesome electrolytes, lubricants, antistatic and other
impurities.

Pre-treatment is therefore very important

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RTC Printing
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 Pretreatment
Relaxing / stabilizing

Textured material is relaxed by steaming or wet treatment,

depending on the equipment.
In wet treatment the goods are usually relaxed during scouring.

Textile Effects
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 Pretreatment
Scouring

Although alkali partially degrades polyester fibers, small amounts

can be used for washing, even at high temperatures, without
fiber damage.

To avoid axial tension in knitted goods on winches, the liquor level

must be high.
Continuous open-width washing machines must be of a design that
inserts no tension in the fabric.

Textile Effects
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 Pretreatment
Presetting

Crease resistance, dimensional stability and spring-back depend

largely on the degree of setting of the goods.

Woven goods are usually stentered for about 30 s at 200-210ºC.

Textile Effects
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 Pretreatment
Presetting

For textured goods, the setting times and temperatures

recommended by the individual fiber manufacturers apply.

Setting temperatures are usually 20-30ºC below the texturing

temperature. If setting is carried out at higher than the prescribed
temperature, the material loses texture and hence bulk and loft.
in addition, the yarn becomes flatter and the handle harsher.

Textile Effects
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 Pretreatment
Fluorescent whitening / bleaching

Polyester fiber are usually very white in themselves and

fluorescent whitening is all they require as a rule.

The goods are only bleached if very high whiteness is required,

sodium chlorite being the only suitable bleach.

Bleaching and whitening are best performed in one pass.

Textile Effects
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 Pretreatment
Caustic weight reduction

Caustic reduction of polyester fiber is becoming increasingly

popular to obtain a soft, silky like handle.
The process of caustic reduction is based on the hydrolytic action
of caustic soda, which peels off the outer layer of the polyester
fiber, reducing its diameter.
This treatment is intended to make the fiber as supple as possible
without substantially reducing its tensile strength.

Caustic reduction entails between 10 and 20 % and in some

cases up to 30% weight loss.

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 Core Range
TERASIL Yellow P–6GS liq.
W-6GS
TERASIL Golden Yellow P-4R liq.
P-4R
TERASIL Orange P-GL liq.
P-GL
TERASIL Brown P-3R liq.
3R
TERASIL Red P-4GN liq.
4GN
TERASIL Red P-3G liq.
P-3G
TERASIL Red P-4BS liq.
W-4BS
TERASIL Pink P-2B liq.
P-2B
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 Core Range
TERASIL Rubin P-2GFL liq.
2GFL
TERASIL Violet PX-BL liq.
BL-01
TERASIL Blue P-2BR liq.
P-2BR
TERASIL Blue PX-BGE liq.
BGE-01
TERASIL Blue P-BG liq.
BG-02
TERASIL Navy P-GRL liq.
GRL-C
TERASIL Black P-R liq.
P-R

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 Additional Range

TERASIL Flavine 8GFF

TERASIL Yellow GWL-01

TERASIL Orange 5RL

TERASIL Brown 2RFL

TERASIL Red 3BL-01

TERASIL Black SRLN

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 Printing
Thickener
To obtain the best possible colour yield, good fastness,
levelness and soft handle, it is very important to select the right
thickener or the best thickener combination.

To recommend one universal useable thickener or thickener

combination for all kind of polyester fabric giving the the best
results, is not possible.

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 Printing
Thickener
Suitable thickener ore combinations are:

- guar derivatives or
- tamarind seed meal or
- cassia galactomannans

together with starch ether

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 Printing
Thickener
Suitable thickener or combinations are:

- low – medium viscose alginate

together with starch ether

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 Printing
Thickener
the best suitable thickener are:

The new generation specially made

synthetic thickener

ALCOPRINT DT-CS

ALCOPRINT RD-HT

Textile Effects
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 Printing
Printing with natural thickener
Stock thickener
Component Concentration
(g/kg)
Water X
Guar Gum 8 -12% 300 - 500
Starch ether 10% 100 - 200
Acid / Acid Donor 5
(e.g.citric acid)
Oxidising Agent (e.g. 3
sodium chlorate or
Cibatex AR 10g/kg)
IRGASOL NA 0 – 20
Textile Effects 1000
RTC Printing
Asia / Pacific
 Printing
Printing with natural thickener
Stock thickener
Component Concentration (g/kg)

Water X
Sodium Alginate 5 -10% 300 - 500
Starch ether 10% 100 - 200
Acid / Acid Donor 5
(e.g.citric acid)
Oxidising Agent (e.g. 3
sodium chlorate or
Cibatex AR 10g/kg)
IRGASOL NA 0 – 20

Textile Effects
1000
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Asia / Pacific
 Printing
Printing with Synthetic thickener
Stock thickener

Component Concentration (g/kg)

Water X

CIBATEX AR 0-5

ALCOPRINT DT-CS 40 – 60

1000

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 Printing
Printing with Synthetic thickener
Stock thickener

Component Concentration (g/kg)

Water X

CIBATEX AR 0-5

ALCOPRINT RD-HT 30 – 50

1000

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 Printing

Print paste preparation

Component Concentration (g/kg)

Stock thickener 800

Terasil dyes X

Balance Y
(water or thickener)
1000

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ALCOPRINT DT-CS

Stock Thickener preparation

(ALCOPRINT DT-CS alone)

Dissolve all chemicals in water

Only then add ALCOPRINT DT-CS or

ALCOPRINT RD-HT

stir for 10 – 20 min.

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Fixation of Disperse Dyes on Polyester
High Temperature Steam (HT Steam)

– Steam for 7 - 8 minutes at 175 - 180°C.

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Fixation of Disperse Dyes on Polyester

Dry Heat Fixation

– Dry heat at 200 - 220°C for 40-60 sec

– Sublimation characteristics of dyes used are critical.

– Can impair removal of natural thickeners.

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Fixation of Disperse Dyes on Polyester

High Pressure Steam

– 20 - 30 min at 2.5 - 3.0 bar.

on “Star Steamer”

–Much wider range of dyes possible

compared to saturated steam.

–Seldom done this days

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Washing Off
Exact procedure will depend upon equipment available :-
(batch washing, e.g. winch, or continuous range)
Typical Procedure:
1. Cold rinse (<30°C) with overflow/spray if possible
. 2. Hot rinse (50 °C ) with 0.5-1 g/l ERIOPON OL
3. – 5. Reduction clear at 50 - 70°C with:-
1 - 2 g/l sodium dithionite
1 - 2 g/l sodium hydroxide (36 Bé)
1 - 2 g/l ERIOPON OL
6. Hot rinse ( 60°C)
7. Warm rinse
8. Cold rinse, acidify if necessary

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ALCOPRINT DT-CS
Advantages over natural thickener

• Simple print paste recipe

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Simple print paste recipe

Component Concentration Component Concentration

(g/kg) (g/kg)
Water X Water X
Sodium alginate 3-10% 300 - 500 CIBATEX 0-5
Starch ether 10% 100 - 200 AR
Acid / Acid Donor 5 ALCOPRINT
40 – 60
(e.g.citric acid) DT-CS

Oxidising Agent (e.g. 3 1000

sodium chlorate or
Cibatex AR 10g/kg)
Fixation Accelerator 0 – 20
1000

* Combinations with other thickeners (e.g.

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Tamarind, Modified Guars, CMC etc.) are
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 No need of :

Acid / Acid Donor

- Some disperse dyestuffs are sensitive to alkali during steaming.
Ensuring an acidic pH value throughout fixation eliminates this
possibility.

ALCOPRINT DT-CS
- is slightly acidic in solution, and exhibits buffer capacity, hence
additional acid is not required.

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 No need of :
Oxidizing Agent
- Some dyestuffs are sensitive to chemical reduction. Reducing
groups are produced when many natural thickeners are
subjected to high-temperature steaming conditions. No such
groups are formed when sodium acrylate polymers are exposed
to these conditions.
- Steam itself can have some reductive power and therefore
small amounts of a suitable oxidising agent may be required in
some cases.
- ( Reduction Agent in boiler water to prevent oxidation of the
pipes )

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 No need of :

Fixation Accelerator
- Dye fixation with natural thickeners is enhanced by the use of a
suitable accelerator.(IRGASOL NA) This causes the rate of
diffusion of the dye through the thickener film to be increased.
Dyestuff molecules arrive at the surface more rapidly, thus
increasing the yield.
- With ALCOPRINT DT-CS, diffusion of the dye is much more
rapid, hence better transport of the dye is achieved without the
need for an accelerator.

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ALCOPRINT DT-CS
Advantages over natural thickener

• Simple print paste recipe

• Rapid preparation of stocks and pastes

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Asia / Pacific
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Relative Rates of Viscosity Development

% Viscosity Developed 100

80
60
40
20
0
0 4 8 12
Hours
45g/kg ALCOPRINT DT-CS

Textile Effects Typical values for natural thickeners

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ALCOPRINT DT-CS
Advantages over natural thickener

• Simple print paste recipe

• Rapid preparation of stocks and pastes
• Easy viscosity adjustment / back-thickening

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Simple Viscosity Adjustment

Liquid dispersion polymers are

easy to handle and can be
accurately dosed. This means
that they are ideal for controlled
viscosity adjustments and back-
thickening.

Typical Viscosities For:

Rotary Machines are 6,000 – 15,000cP
Flat Bed Machines are 15,000 – 30,000cP

Textile Effects
RTC Printing
Asia / Pacific
ALCOPRINT DT-CS
Advantages over natural thickener

• Simple print paste recipe

• Rapid preparation of stocks and pastes
• Easy viscosity adjustment / back-thickening
• Robust printing performance over a wide viscosity range

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Printing at Different Viscosities
10,000cP 15,000cP 20,000cP

Back

Front

25g/kg 30g/kg 35g/kg

Textile Effects ALCOPRINT DT-CS
RTC Printing
Asia / Pacific
ALCOPRINT DT-CS
Advantages over natural thickener

• Simple print paste recipe

• Rapid preparation of stocks and pastes
• Easy viscosity adjustment / back-thickening
• Robust printing performance over a wide viscosity range
• Better definition on difficult substrates

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Forces acting during printing
Paste
Elasticity and
Gravity
Surface Tension
Capillarity
Electrolyte
Fabric thinning

Negative (Loss of Definition)

Gravity pulls the paste down and outwards

Capillarity pulls the paste down and sideway into the fabric
Electrolyte in the fabric thins the paste so that it cannot hold its shape

Textile Effects
RTC Printing
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Forces acting during printing
Paste
Elasticity and
Gravity
Surface Tension
Capillarity
Electrolyte
Fabric thinning

Positive (Holding Definition)

Surface tension tries to minimise the surface and stop spreading

Elasticity of the paste tries to hold it in its original shape
Viscosity slows (but does not stop) any movement at all

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 Print Definition

ALCOPRINT DT-CS Natural Thickener System

Fabric – 100% Polyester Taffeta

Time between printing and drying – 1 minute
Textile Effects
RTC Printing
Asia / Pacific
ALCOPRINT DT-CS
Advantages over natural thickener

• Simple print paste recipe

• Rapid preparation of stocks and pastes
• Easy viscosity adjustment / back-thickening
• Robust printing performance over a wide viscosity range
• Better definition on difficult substrates
• Better levelness of blotch areas

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 Levelling of Prints

Screen
Paste comes through the
screen as mountains and
valleys
Paste

Fabric Forces of gravity and surface tension act to level the print

Viscosity and elasticity try to

Gravity hold it in its original shape
Surface
Tension

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RTC Printing
Asia / Pacific
ALCOPRINT DT-CS
Advantages over natural thickener

• Simple print paste recipe

• Rapid preparation of stocks and pastes
• Easy viscosity adjustment / back-thickening
• Robust printing performance over a wide viscosity range
• Better definition on difficult substrates
• Better levelness of blotch areas
• Improved colour yield (10 - 40%)

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Increased Fixation of Dyestuff
NATURAL THICKENER ALCOPRINT DT-CS
(7% SOLIDS) Dyestuff (2% SOLIDS)

Polyester Polyester

Faster rate of diffusion of dyestuff

Textile Effects through a film of reduced thickness
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 Improvements in Colour Yield
2.1 g/kg Brown P-3R 0.4 g/kg Navy P-GRL
22.0 g/kg Yellow P-6GS 6.8 g/kg Yellow P-6GS
0.7 g/kg Black P-GR 9.8 g/kg Blue P-BGE

All Terasil Colours

22.3 g/kg Red P-4BS 6.8 g/kg Violet P-BL
5.0 g/kg Pink P-2B 2.2 g/kg Navy P-GRL
1.1 g/kg Violet P-BL 0.5 g/kg Blue P-2BR

Left of Print
Right of Print
36 g/kg Sodium Alginate
35 g/kg Alcoprint DT-CS
6 g/kg Solvitose C5
5 g/kg Citric Acid 3 g/kg Cibatex AR
10 g/kg Fixation Accelerator
3 g/kg Cibatex AR
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Rotary Bulk Production Print (Turkey)

Allilon Dyestuffs

50 g/kg Diaprint TGW-30

3 g/kg Citric Acid
10 g/kg Emulsifier
100 g/kg White Spirit

35 g/kg Alcoprint DT-CS

4 g/kg Sodium Chlorate
Textile Effects 4 g/kg Lyoprint AP
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ALCOPRINT DT-CS
Advantages over natural thickener

• Simple print paste recipe

• Rapid preparation of stocks and pastes
• Easy viscosity adjustment / back-thickening
• Robust printing performance over a wide viscosity range
• Better definition on difficult substrates
• Better levelness of blotch areas
• Improved colour yield (10 - 40%)
• No viscosity loss on storage

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Storage Stability of Disperse Dye Pastes

12000

10000

8000
Viscosity cP

6000

4000
40g/kg ALCOPRINT DT-CS
2000
60g/kg Natural Thickener
0
0 3 6 9 12
Time (days)

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Application in Disperse Dye Printing

• Influence of dyes on stock viscosity

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Stock Stability to Terasil Dyestuff Addition
40000
Stock: 45g/kg ALCOPRINT DT-CS

30000
Viscosity cP

20000

Black P-GR L 67% Black SRL-01

10000 Yellow P-6GS L 25% Yellow P-6GS
Blue P-2BR L 50% Blue P-2BR
Red P-3G L 50% Red P-3G
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Dye Concentration g/kg
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 Viscosity Control
• The Terasil P dyes tend to have less effect on viscosity than
other ranges.

• In many cases the liquid colours can be added to a stock and

printed without the need for back-thickening.

• Working with thickened mother colours in colour kitchens

virtually eliminates viscosity differences.

• Working from a concentrated stock and adding dyes + water in a

constant proportion results in minimal variation in viscosity.

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Working with Stock Thickenings

Component Synthetic
Water X
Alcoprint DT-CS 44
Viscosity (cP) 37,000

Component Stock

Stock 800
Preparation of Dye X
Water Y
Print Pastes
Total 1000

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 Preparation of Print Pastes
Terasil Liquid Dye (g/kg) 1 2 3 4 5
Stock 800 800 800 800 800
Brown P-3R L 50% 12.4 - 7.1 16 -
Red P-4BS L 50% 14.6 - - - 7.6
Red P-4GN L 75% 5.2 - - - -
Navy P-GR L 67% - 2.7 - - 14.9
Blue P-2BR L 50% - 0.5 - - -
Blue P-BGE L 67% - 20.3 - - -
Yellow P-6GS L 25% - - 36 24 -
Black P-GR L 67% - - 8.9 0.2 -
Violet P-B L 100% - - - - 22.7
Water 167.8 176.5 148 159.8 154.8
Viscosity (cP) 20,000 23,500 22,000 23,000 21,500

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RTC Printing
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 Application in Disperse Dye Printing

• Influence of dyes on stock viscosity

• “Tagging”

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Illustration of Tagging
A string of paste is formed between the fabric and
the screen which extends as the screen is raised.

Screen

Paste

Fabric

Textile Effects
RTC Printing
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Illustration of Tagging
The strings extend and will ultimately break. The
paste divides between the fabric and the screen.
Some small droplets will be produced.
Screen

Paste

Fabric
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RTC Printing
Asia / Pacific
Illustration of Tagging
Two faults are produced. Spots of dye can be
seen in adjacent areas. Fabric surface will be non-
uniform, resulting in a ‘mealy’ appearance.
Screen

Causes
random
spotting

Textile Effects
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Asia / Pacific Fabric
Illustration of Tagging

Textile Effects
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Application in Disperse Dye Printing

• Influence of dyes on stock viscosity

• “Tagging”

• Frame-marking on flat screen machines

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Frame Marking (Flat Screen)
Not a problem on rotary screens!

Face Side of
Fabric, After
200 meters.

Textile Effects Frame mark due to

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insufficient penetration and
67
surface paste
Application in Disperse Dye Printing

• Influence of dyes on stock viscosity

• “Tagging”

• Frame-marking on flat screen machines

• Insufficient penetration

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Penetration Differences
Reverse Side of Fabric

Natural ALCOPRINT
Thickener DT-CS
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 Distribution of Print Paste

ALCOPRINT DT-CS Natural Thickener

Wet Surface
Paste

Fabric Cross Section

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RTC Printing
Asia / Pacific
 Application in Disperse Dye Printing

• Good fabric preparation is required.

Absorbency should be excellent.

Addition of a suitable penetrating agent

(e.g. 1 – 5 g/kg LYOPRINT AP / AIR).

Excess can cause flushing.

Textile Effects
RTC Printing
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 Application in Disperse Dye Printing

– Optimisation of printing parameters.

Viscosity,
squeegee pressures,
rod sizes etc.

should be carefully controlled.

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Application in Disperse Dye Printing

Use of blends with natural thickeners.

for difficult to print fabrics like

lightweight
high-twist
georgettes

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 Application in Disperse Dye Printing

• Polar Fleece

For polar fleece, where very high penetration is required,

ALCOPRINT RTA plus LYOPRINT AP / AIR is recommended.

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 ALCOPRINT DT-CS

In rotary screen applications,

ALCOPRINT DT-CS

is the ideal print paste thickener.

However……

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 ALCOPRINT DT-CS

in some difficult applications,

e.g. flat screen with low

absorbency fabrics,

mixtures of the synthetic thickeners

with natural thickeners

may be beneficial.

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ALCOPRINT DT-CS
Combination Thickener

• Technical Improvements seen even at 1 - 2% addition

• Viscosity sensitivity is further reduced

• Reduction of “ tagging” compared to synthetic alone

Viscoelastic nature of print is minimised

Spotting of adjacent areas is minimised

Frame marking is eliminated

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 Blends of ALCOPRINT DT-CS
with Natural Thickeners

Component Synthetic Synthetic / Natural

Water X X
Sodium Alginate 3-10% - 300 – 500
Sodium chlorate or
Cibatex AR 3 – 10 3 – 10
ALCOPRINT DT-CS 44 20 - 30

Viscosity cP 37,000 32,000

Stock 800
Preparation of Dye X
Print pastes Water Y

Textile Effects 1000

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 Conclusions
• ALCOPRINT DT-CS
• is very different to traditional natural printing
thickeners
• It is the largest selling synthetic for disperse
printing in the world
• Results on both rotary and flat machines are
outstanding in terms of:

– Colour yield
– Definition
– Levelness
– Fabric handle
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Asia / Pacific