MXPA01009159A

MXPA01009159A - Substrate coatings, methods for treating substrates for ink jet printing, and articles produced therefrom

Info

Publication number: MXPA01009159A
Application number: MXPA/A/2001/009159A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Kelly Dean Branham; Alison Salyer Bagwell; Alice Susan Gordon; Leonard Eugene Zelazoski
Original assignee: Kimberlyclark Worldwide Inc
Priority date: 1999-03-25
Filing date: 2001-09-11
Publication date: 2002-05-09

Abstract

A wide array of textile fabric substrates can be treated to improve the colorfastness and washfastness of ink jet ink formulations. The aqueous treatment formulations include between about 5-95%cationic polymers or copolymers, and between about 5-20%fabric softeners. Additionally, the formulations may also include between about 0-80%of a polymeric latex binder so as to increase washfastness. These percentages are based on a conventional measurement for solids content.

Description

SUBSTRATE COATINGS, METHODS TO TREAT SUBSTRATES FOR PRINTING WITH INK JET, AND ITEMS PRODUCED THEREOF Field of the Invention The present invention relates to substrate coating and ink substrate printable textiles with treated inkjet which are intended to receive images when printed by means of inkjet printing devices. In particular, the present invention relates to methods for the construction or manufacture of an ink-jet printable textile substrate which facilitates the use of such a substrate in commonly available laser jet or ink jet printing devices, such as laser printers. wide or narrow format ink jet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Inkjet printing is a non-contact, non-impact printing method in which an electronic signal controls and directs the droplets of an ink stream that can be deposited onto a wide variety of substrates. Ink jet printing technology involves forcing ink droplets through small nozzles by means of electric stiff pressure, thermal injection or oscillation and even the surface of a medium / material. Inkjet printing is extremely versatile in terms of the variety of substrates that can be treated, as well as the quality of the printing and the speed of the operation that can be achieved. In addition, inkjet printing is digitally controllable. For these reasons, the inkjet methodology has been widely adopted by the labeling and labeling industry. In addition, the ink jet printing methodology has also found wide use in architectural design and engineering applications, in the formation of medical images, in office printing (of both texts and graphics), in the systems of formation of geographical images (for example in the analysis of seismic data and in mapping), in pointing, in exhibition graphics (for example, photographic reproduction, business and court room graphics, graphic arts) and the like. Finally, ink jet printing has now been used to create an image on a variety of textile substrates.

The use of inkjet printing to create an image on textile fabrics has allowed the rapid visualization of an aesthetic design on canvas without the use of costly and frequently wasted screen printing clinics. Such an ink jet printing methodology allows a designer, a design house or a production facility to visualize a finished design in a significantly shorter time than is usually necessary to burn a screen image of the design by a methodology of typical inkjet printing.

Both dyes and pigments have been used as colorants for such inkjet ink formulas. However, such materials do not always bind or bind to the substrates to which the ink is applied. For example, the dyes can be dissolved on contact with the substrate co water. Therefore, applied images employing the inkjet methodology may tend to run with repeated contact or may be removed from the printed surface if they are exposed to substantial amounts of aqueous medium (for example, if the article printed with ink jet is washed). In addition, the images applied using the inkjet methodology may also tend to fade or wash off with prolonged exposure to ultraviolet and / or infrared light. In addition, dyes applied to textile substrates may experience severe tint bleeding with application to the substrate. Finally, the color intensity of the printed image on a textile substrate using the ink jet methodology frequently lacks vigor.

The nature of textile substrates also presents specific problems when printing or forming images through ink jet printing methods, which are not found with common tint jet substrates (eg paper or paper) coated). For example, textile substrates are often composed of woven or non-woven materials. If the textile substrates are composed of nonwoven materials these can be made of polymeric materials bonded with spinning or co-melt blowing, for example. As used herein, the term "co-melt blowing" means fibers formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic material through a plurality of usually circular fine capillary vessels such as melted filaments or filaments into high velocity gas streams (eg, air) which attenuate the filaments of molten thermoplastic material to reduce its diameter, which can be a microfiber diameter. Afterwards, the co-melt blown fibers are carried by the high velocity gas stream and are deposited on a collecting surface to form or weave melted blown fibers and randomly disbursed. Such a process is described, in several patents and publications including the report of Naval Research Laboratory 4364"Production of Superfine Organic Fibers" BA Wendt, E.L. Boone and D.D. Fluharty; Report of the Laboratory of Naval Research 5265, "An Improved Device for the Formation of Superfine Thermoplastic Fibers" by K.D. Lawrence, R.T. Lukas, J.A. Young; and U.S. Patent No. 3,849,241, issued November 19, 1974 to Butin et al.

As used herein the term "spunbonded" refers to fibers of small diameter which are formed by extruding the molten thermoplastic material with filaments from a plurality of usually circular and thin capillaries of a spinner with the diameter of the fibers. extruded filaments being rapidly reduced such as for example indicated in the United States patents of America No. 4,340,563 granted to Appel and others, 3,692,618 granted to Dorshner and others, 3,802,817 granted to Matsuki and others, 3,338,992 and 3,341,394 granted to Kinney, 3,542,615 granted to Dobo and others.

In addition, other non-woven processes such as, for example, hydroentanglement, carded and bonded and air-laid processes can be used to manufacture non-woven materials for use in textile fabrics. Such materials will normally be hydrophobic in nature and therefore pose adhesion challenges to water-based inks. Aqueous inks will tend to wet these materials poorly, thus leading to transmission, bleeding and other problems of printing defects.

If the textile substrates are composed of woven materials, the woven or knitted yarns or ropes are formed of fibers. The textile fibers can vary widely in composition, with each composition presenting a unique set of conditions for acceptable substrate printing. For example, substrates made of cotton fibers can be very absorbent, such as in the case of water-based inks. When the ink is ejected from the ink channel of an inkjet printing device, it is rapidly absorbed into the fibers of the cotton substrate. Since these fibers are much larger than the fibers typically found in paper substrates, the color density or the appearance of the color brilliance is significantly decreased due to the lack of retention of the dye on the surface of the fibers. In addition, bleeding, blotting of the printing pattern and loss of image definition or clarity often result from printing on the woven textile fabric itself.

Conversely, woven synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon may be poorly wetted by aqueous inks and such inks may only be retained in the interstice spaces between the fibers. This limited ink retention also causes problems related to print quality defined above. further, the permanence of the printed image on the textile fabrics is frequently achieved commercially by some post-printing curing process such as heating, steam-subjection or chemical fixation. These processes tend to be inefficient, further requiring the washing and drying steps to remove the non-fixed dye from the fabric. It is therefore desirable to increase the permanence of the printed image on the inkjet printable substrates, and in particular the textile substrates, either in the presence or in the absence of a post-curing process step.

Polymeric materials are typically used commercially to modify the properties of both the substrates and the natural and synthetic textile fibers. These treatments can alter the textile appearance or touch, reduce shrinkage, reduce the possibility of burning or alter other properties of the fiber or substrate. Treatments can still be employed to increase the ease of printing and / or printing operation when commercial printing processes such as rotary screen printing are employed. For example, polyethylene oxide has been used to pretreat a starting fabric material, to create a textile substrate suitable for inkjet printing. As described in U.S. Patent No. 5,781,216 issued to Haruta et al., The use of polyethylene oxide treated textile substrates is described as being highly capable of providing high color depth images with sufficient brilliance and definition. , but free from bleeding of objectionable color. Even though Haruta describes such pretreatment of polyethylene oxide with a cationizing agent, to thereby improve the ability of the dye to form images, Haruta requires t treatment and then be cured by additional washing, drying and heating steps.

The use of the cationic polymers as part of a latex saturant in a hydroentangled fibrous tissue is described in PCT / US98 / 12712 granted to Harris and another which was published as WO99 / 00541, on January 7, 1999. As described in US Pat. WO99 / 00541, the latex saturation is typically followed by the drying step or other curing aids.

The construction or manufacture of the inkjet printable substrates, and in particular, the inkjet printable textile substrates which allow a color fastness and a fastness of washing ink inks dye without the need for a step of post-treatment or additional curing, and which can be easily used laser or ink jet printing devices commonly available, has proven to be difficult to find. In addition, the supply or retention mechanisms for such an inkjet printer device require a rigid substrate and which can be advanced from below or through the drum or printhead. Most textile substrates lack the dimensional stability for the supply, advancement or otherwise to function properly through such mechanisms frequently end up making contact or interfering with the drums or the printer heads.

Therefore, there is still a need in the art for ink jet printable substratum and treatment methods to provide high optical density with a minimum amount of bleeding on the substrate during and after image formation by the inkjet printers. There is also a need in the art for such printable inkjet substrate treatment methods which can be applied to the textile fabric substrate. In this regard, there is still a need in the art for methods of treating textile fabrics to receive the ink jet ink formulations, which methods allow improved color fastness and color intensity on a wide variety of textile substrates. In addition, there is still a need in the art for such substrates, which do not depend on the step of curing ink for construction. Finally, there is also a need in the art for such a textile substrate that includes a backing that can be easily directed through an inkjet printer and which is easily released from the backing.

Synthesis of the invention The needs described above are examined by the present invention which provides a method for modifying the adhesion properties and / or the color fastness of ink jet ink formulas when applied to a variety of ink jet printable substrates., by treating the substrates with coating formulas. In particular, a wide array of textile ink substrates can be treated to improve the color fastness and wash fastness of ink jet ink formulas. Aqueous treatment formulas include between about 5-95 percent cationic polymers or copolymers, and between about 5-20 percent fabric softeners. Additionally, the formulas may also include from about 0-80 percent of a polymeric latex binder, to increase the firmness to washing. These percentages are based on a conventional measurement for solids content that is the weight of the dissolved or dispersed solids divided by the total weight of the formula. The total solids content for the formulas typically ranges from about 10-50 percent, but preferably ranges from about 12-25 percent. The present methods provide a path to fix the dyes, regardless of the kind of chemical ink or textile fabric substrate, and without the need for any additional ink curing process, by conventional drying under ambient conditions. In addition, the effectiveness of subsequent printing processes such as steam or curing can be increased by such formulas, reducing ink waste and also improving color strength. Also, the fixation of the dye pigment can be increased by these formulas. Additionally, a backing can be applied to such treated textile substrates which allows the substrates to be easily directed through the inkjet printers and still be easily removed for further use, ex-sampling and / or experimentation.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description of the embodiments described and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 illustrates a schematic view of an example embedding and squeezing process for treating inkjet printed substrates.

Figure 2 illustrates a schematic view of a lamination process for laminating a backing for an ink jet printable substrate, which substrate has been treated in accordance with the process illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates a cross section of a laminate of the present invention produced according to the rolling process illustrated in Figure 2.

Detailed description of the invention Generally speaking, the present invention relates to coating formulations and methods for improving adhesion and / or color fastness / color density and wash fastness of ink-printable substrates in the absence of a step. of post-treatment curing such as heating or radiation or chemical treatment. According to the invention, a textile substrate can be treated with an aqueous formula that includes cationic polymers or fabric softeners and cationics. Desirably, the method comprises treating a textile substrate with a formula that includes between about 5-95 percent of cationic polymers or copolymers, and between about 5-20 percent of fabric softeners. All percentages are a total percentage of solids unless otherwise indicated.

The present invention is further directed to a printable inkjet treated substrate wherein the treatment comprises a formula of cationic polymers or cationic copolymers and fabric softeners. Desirably, the present invention is a printable ink jet treated substrate wherein the treatment comprises between about 5-95 percent of cationic polymers or copolymers and between about 5-20 percent of fabric softeners.

The cationic copolymers function in the formula for extracting and fixing ink molecules having anionic moieties for the substrates, and in particular textile fabric substrates. The polymers or copolymers may contain reactive groups or residues capable of crosslinking with the textile fibers, with themselves, or with other components present in the formula. Such cationic resins may incorporate loading groups in the main polymer chains or in the main polymer columns, or as side groups in the polymer chains. Desirably, such cationic polymers are quaternary ammonium polymers. An example list of structural formulas or such cationic polymers is given below.

Structural formulas of example cationic polymers a) b) c) i e) where A.B = O, NH, N • I I Ru R2 = self-condensing group or hydrophobic, hydrophilic, quaternary ammonium reactant R3 = H, alkyl or alkoxy group X = halogen or other counter ion f) where a = l to 99 percent, b = (100-a)%, c = 0 to 100- (a + b)% for all those indicated above. Rl R2 - as indicated above g) where a = l to 99 percent, b = (100-a) for CP 7091 RV, at ~ 90; b ~ 10 These cationic polymers may include but are not limited to polymers and copolymers of diallylalkylammonium monomers, such as cationic diallyldimethylammonium acrylate and acrylamide monomers such as acryloxyethyldimethylammonium chloride or acrylamidoethyldimethylammonium monomers, quaternized pyridine vines such as methyl vinyl chloride pyridine and polyalkylamine polymers and copolymers. The comonomers in such systems may consist of ones which modify the flexibility, hydrophobicity or mechanical properties of the polymer molecule. further, the reactive and / or self-condensing monomers may be included to increase the adhesion to the textile fiber or other components in the formula. Other examples of the cationic polymers with charged groups in the main chain include epihalohydrin-amin polymers such as polymers Retention "* 0 * 204 LS and Kymene "110 557 LX d Hercules Incorporated, of Wilmington Delaware. A specific example of a desirable cationic polymer resin is EC 7091 RV is available from ECC International of Roswell, of Georgi with CP 7091 RV being a poly (diallyldi ethylammonium-co diacetone acrylamide) chloride.

Suitable fabric softeners include, for example, Varisoft 222 from Witco Corporation of Greenwich, Connecticut, Adopted 432 also from Witco Corporation, Accosof 550-75 from The Sttepan Company of Northfield, Illinois, Alubrasof Super 100 and Alubrasoft 116 from BASF Corporation, Specialt Chemicals Division from Mont Olive, New Jersey, and Ahcovel Bas N-62 from ICI Surfactants or Hodgson Textiles Chemical from Mon Holly, North Carolina. Suitable fabric softeners include those that are cationic or non-ionic and provide the attributes of print quality and image brilliance to the printed textile substrate. One class of such fabric softeners are the alkylated ammonium compounds. The most suitable fabric softener for a particular textile fabric substrate varies by fabric substrate. For example, it has been found that the Varisoft 222 fabric softener works best with cotton fabric samples while Adogen 432 works better with nylon / Lycra samples. As previously indicated, the formula is watery with water serving as a carrier.

In another embodiment of the present invention, treatments or formulas for inkjet printable substrates, and in particular textile substrates, may also include a latex binder in order to further increase adhesion and / or firmness in the water of dyes on textile fabric substrates. It has been found that coated ink jet receptive substrates including a latex binder provide a high color and saturation density relative to untreated textiles, superior print quality relative to untreated textiles, a reduction in transmission or bleeding in relation to untreated textiles, and an increased ink absorption in relation to untreated textiles. In addition, the coating or treatment formulas provide a firmer printed image on the water when printed through an inkjet printing process, without the need for post-printing curing steps such as heating, Subjection to steam, chemical fixation or radiation. The latex reinforcing polymers can be either non-ionic or cationic. By way of example only, the latex materials may include vinyl acetate, ethylene vinyl acetate, acrylate, styrene, and styrene-acrylate resins and other cationic or non-ionic latexes. These resins can include self-cross linking or reactive groups in addition to the inherent cationic functionality. The treatment formula with a binder desirably include between about 5 to 95 percent of cationic polymers or copolymers, between about 5-20 percent of fabric softeners and between about 0-80 percent of latex binder.

Similarly, the present invention is also directed to a printable ink jet treated substrate wherein the treatment includes a formula of cationic polymers or copolymers, fabric softeners, and a latex binder. A desirable embodiment of the present invention is an ink jet printable and treated substrate wherein the treatment formula includes between about 5-95 percent of cationic polymers or copolymers, between about 5-20 percent of fabric softeners and between about 0-80 percent latex binder.

Formulas for aqueous treatment may also include other additives which affect the appearance of the tactile properties of the finished substrate, such as optical brighteners. Other additives include mineral particles such as clays, silicas, calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide for ink absorption, color permanence and image quality. It should be recognized that all declared percentages are based on total solids. These percentages are based on conventional measurements of solids content, this is the weight of the dissolved or dispersed solids divided by the total weight of the formula. Such measurements may be taken through a Sartorius Model MA 30 device from Sartorius Corporation of Edgewood, New York, following the operating procedures provided by the manufacturer. The total solids content for the formulas typically varies between about 5-50 percent, but desirably varies from between about 5-32 percent. More desirably, the total solids content for the formulas varies from between about 25-28 percent.

The treatment formulas for the textile substrates can be made by adding the above-mentioned components of solutions to aqueous supply dispersions, as described in the examples, or as solids when appropriate, and mixing them for homogeneity. In the case where such components are mixed as solids, these would then be added to the water to achieve the desired total percentage of solids.

The application of the treatment formula to the textile substrates can be carried out by any means known to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, cloth substrates can be treated through a standard filling method (soaked and squeezed) and can be dried in a forced air oven, even if any suitable drying means of textiles known to those skilled in the art They can be employees. For example, other drying methods include drying over steam cans, through infrared radiation and the use of microwave drying.

As can be seen in Figure 1 showing a schematic view of a desirable embedding and squeezing process (filled in) 10 for treating the inkjet printable substrates, a textile substrate 20 is unwound from the incoming roll 30 and is then embedded in a bath / tank saturator 40 for a sufficient time so that it saturates (fully impregnated) with the treatment formula. This time varies by the type of substrate. The embedding time desirably varies from between about 1 to 2 seconds. The textile substrate is then run through a set of pressurized clamping tip rollers 44 and 48. The pressure on the rollers should be in the range of between about 10-120 pounds per square inch over atmospheric pressure but desirably from between about 10-65 pounds per square inch over atmospheric pressure, depending on the type of textile fabric substrate used, and the total solids content of the treatment formula used. The pressurized clamping point rollers squeeze the coating evenly on the substrate to penetrate the surface of the substrate. The rollers can be either rubber or steel, however a set of rollers in which at least one roller is of rubber is desirable. After passage through the clamping point pressure rollers, the textile substrate is directed through a drying means 50 such as a forced air oven. The drying means may include a frame frame for supporting the textile substrate, and may themselves encompass multiple consecutive drying means depending on the nature of the substrate to be dried. The drying temperature is preferably in the range of from about 25 ° F to 325 ° F. Desirably, the temperature should be between 240 and 270 ° F. The typical time for drying is between about 30 seconds and 2 minutes, but desirably it is about 1 minute. After drying, the treated and finished textile substrate 70 is taken on a winding roll 52. The textile substrate can be rolled up for storage to move to a rolling process in preparation for ink jet printing.

Using the application method, the dry pickup ratios of the textile substrate can vary from between about 0.5 percent to about 50 percent. Desirably, the dry pickup ratios can range from between about 3 to about 20 percent. More desirably, the dry pickup ratios may vary from between about 6 to about 15 percent. The wet pickup ratios for the textile substrates are typically between about 30-150 percent. Desirably, such wet harvesting ratios are between about 80-120 percent. Desirably for dacron standards, the wet pickup rates are between about 40-120 percent.

The percentage of dry collection was calculated according to the following series of conventional equations. These equations are described in the textbook of Wellington Sears of Textile Industries, of Sabit Adanur, Ph.D. copyright 1995, page 179.

Wet pick-up (%) = Pick-up weight X 100 Weight of dry cloth From this the following equation was used to arrive at the values in the diagrams for the dry picking percentage.

Dry collection% = ((base / wet weight) X100) -100 X% solid (TS) The substrates which can be treated according to the present methods of the invention are varied and include paper, cloth, films and the like, au when the textile fabric substrates are preferred. Such textile fabrics may include but are not limited to cotton, silk, wool, polyester, rayon, nylon and mixtures thereof, as well as non-woven materials. In addition, the described inkjet substrates can provide the benefits described herein with or without additional subsequent treatment curing steps involving the use of for example, dry, steam, radiation or pressure, ideally such treated substrates provide adhesion and / or firmness d color of the dye with only drying or curing at room temperature or quarter of the printed image. It should be noted, however, that even though it is not necessary for the process, a subsequent printing cure step can also increase the color fastness and the firmness in the washing of the printed image on the substrate. The basis weight of the various textile fabric materials which can be treated by these formulas are desirably from about 2 ounces per square yard (osy) to about 9 ounces per square yard.

The dried classes which can be used in ink jet printers can be printed on such treated substrates and include acid dyes, reactive dyes, direct dyes, azo dyes, sulfur dyes, modified dyes, polymer dyes, copolymerized dyes or other dye classes known to those skilled in the art. In addition, pigment dyes can be used in ink jet printers to be printed on such substrates. It has also been found that when such a substrate is printed with inkjet dyes containing additives such as a chelate of a transition metal or a chelate of a mixture of transition metals, such as those described in the US Pat. United States No. 5,897,694 issued to Woolf and the United States of America patent application bearing serial number 09 / 109,681 filed July 2, 1998, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, the effect of such The substrate treatment can be further increased to provide increased color fastness and washing firmness.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the treatment formulas described above can be used in a method for treating substrates of textile standard and sign fabric. Such substrate materials include 10 percent cotton, 100 percent polyester, 100 percent silk, nylon, rayon and blended materials, such as cotton and polyester blends, as well as nonwovens, as further described in the examples that follow. For example, it has been found that pretreatment of the standard textile fabric substrate with an aqueous formula including cationic polymers, fabric softeners, and optional latex polymer binders according to the previously described methods allows the banner substrates to be printable with inkjet ink with improved color fastness / color density and wash fastness, with reduced color bleeding. Similarly, the present invention is also directed to a printable ink jet standard substrate wherein the treatment comprises an aqueous formula of cationic polymers or fabric softener copolymers., and an optional latex binder. Desirably the treatment of the printable banner substrate with treated inkjet includes a treatment of between about 5-95 percent of cationic polymers or copolymers, between about 5-20 percent of fabric softeners and between about 0-80 of binder. of Latex, Still another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for the construction or manufacture, and a construction of a textile substrate laminate printable with an ink jet with a backing material, which facilitates the use of such a substrate. in commonly available laser or inkjet printing devices, such as laser printers and wide or narrow format printers. The supply or retention mechanisms for such printing devices require a liquid substrate which can be advanced from below or through the drum or printhead. Most textile substrates lack dimensional stability to feed, advance or otherwise function adequately through such mechanisms. In addition, the use of Craft paper will be commonly available as a backing material in a textile laminate, it does not allow the absorbency of any inks as they are printed on the textile substrate. Rather, the inks pass through the substrate to the wax paper backing and as a result of this, the transfer to part of the backing of the textile substrate which is in contact with the sheet of backing material.

A method for constructing an inkjet printable textile substrate laminate with improved color fastness and firmness is now provided which utilizes a paper backing / carrier sheet on a treated textile substrate of the previously described type, to ensure its operation in laser or ink jet printing devices.

The method comprises treating a texti substrate with a formula that includes between about 5-95 percent of cationic polymers or copolymers, and between about 5-2 percent of fabric softeners, and optionally between about 0-80 percent of latex binder and lamination of the textile substrate to a paper carrier which has been coated with an adhesive, the paper carrier being impregnated with latex. Once the treated textile backed paper laminate has been constructed, it can be easily directed through an inkjet printer.

Alternatively, the method comprises treating a textile substrate with a formula that includes about 5-9 percent of cationic polymers or copolymers, and about 5-20 percent of fabric softeners, laminating the textile substrate to a paper carrier which is coated with adhesive, the paper carrier being impregnated with latex and adhesive being able to be released from said treated textile substrate without leaving a residue of adhesive or transferring parts of the paper carrier to the textile substrate.

In yet a further alternative embodiment, the method comprises treating a textile substrate with a formula that includes between about 5-95 percent of cationic copolymer polymers, between about 5-20 percent fabric softeners, and between about 0- 80 percent latex binder, laminate the textile substrate to a paper carrier which has been coated with an adhesive, the paper carrier being impregnated with latex and the adhesive being capable of releasing said treated textile substrate without leaving an adhesive residue. or without transferring parts of the paper carrier to textile substrate.

The nature of the printable substrate has been previously characterized. The nature of the carrier / backing material can be characterized as desirably a cellulose base sheet containing soft wood Kraft pulp which can be saturated with a soft acrylic latex to improve dimensional stability and which subsequently can be coated with an adhesive of choice. Preferably, the backing sheet or carrier paper will be able to absorb some of the excess ink from the inkjet printing process to be printed on the textile substrate, and includes a release coating. Such backing papers / carriers are available through Kimberly-Clark Corporation of Roswell, Georgia under the codes of class 0140PO and 5128PO. Such papers can be characterized by predictable properties including dimensional stability, absorption of absorbent ink, and flexibility of the paper backing before, during and after printing.

The carrier paper is desirably coated with an adhesive which allows uniform and easy application to the substrate, as well as easy release from the substrate after printing. The adhesive can be characterized by its ability to maintain the substrate in the backing material so that the entire laminate feeds or interacts smoothly with the feeding or holding mechanism of the printing device. Furthermore, it is another feature of such adhesives or composites to facilitate ease of removal of the backing material without transferring the adhesive and / or backing material to the printed textile substrate. These adhesive materials may include latex or rubber compositions in a pressure sensitive adhesive system, and after attachment to the paper carrier they have peel strength values of between about 5-25 grams per inch as measured by the method which follows. Adhesive coated papers are available from American Biltrite, Inc., of Moorestown, New Jersey, under the designation ProtecRite® 6798 and Protecrite® 6582. Coated backing papers identified by the designation 6798 include a paper having a nominal thickness of 5.4 milliliters, an initial adhesion value of 27 ounces per inch, a tensile strength of 16 pounds per inch, and an elongation capacity of 10 percent. Adhesive-coated backing papers identified by the designation 6582 include a nominal paper thickness of 5.2 millimeters, an initial adhesion to the steel value of 16 ounces / inch, a tensile strength of 18 pounds / inch and an elongation capacity of 12.5 percent.

Lamination of a variety of fabrics to these adhesive coated papers can be done with a pressure point from rubber to rubber or rubber to rubber roller, with or without heat, and the ability to vary the pressures of the fastening point and the line speed to ensure adequate laminated adhesion of the two substrate layers. The line speeds can be between 3 and 50 yards per minute, desirably between 5 yards per minute and 20 yards per minute. As shown in Figure 2, a lamination process for laminating a backing to an inkjet printable substrate by pulling the treated textile fabric substrate 70 from a supply roll 120 and passing it through a pressure point. 140. The adhesive backing paper 95 is unwound from the supply roll 160 and subsequently fed to the fabric at the pressure point. The two layers are joined together under pressure and optionally with heat at the pressure point 140 (such as steam to heat one of the rollers at the rolling pressure point) where the bond between the textile substrate and the paper takes place. coated with adhesive. The rolling rolls can be heated steel rolls, or in the alternative a rubber roll can be used without heat. Desirably, the pressure between the rolling rolls is between about 15 and 120 pounds per square inch over atmospheric pressure, more desirably between about 20 and 120 pounds per square inch over atmospheric pressure. If the steam is used to heat one of the rollers, it is desirable that the vapor pressure be between about 0 (for room temperature) to 65 pounds per square inch over the atmospheric pressure. The heating temperature of the rolls, if desired, can run between room temperature at 210 ° F. This will change a type of fabric and construction as well as the composition of the coating. After lamination, the paper backed textile substrate 170 is wound onto a storage roll 180, or in the alternative, cut and packed.

The final laminate 100, which is illustrated in cross section in Figure 3, includes the textile substrate 70 with the surface to be printed 71, and with the backing layer coated with adhesive 98 attached thereto. In this way, a laminate has been created which can then be directed through an ink jet printer and which is capable of receiving the ink jet image on one side 71.

According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, consumable articles produced by the methods described above are provided, using the treated textile substrates as described herein. Tale items can include, for example, advertising ads, signature banners, wall coverings, other home accessories products. Therefore, according to the present invention, ink jet printed images applied to a substrate treated as described herein resist removal, even with repeated contact of the printed substrate with water. Such repetitive contact may be the result of normal handling of an item, accidental exposure to the liquid, and routine washing of the item. When the articles according to the present invention comprise a treated substrate containing an inkjet image printed thereon, the resulting image adheres sufficiently to said substrate to resist removal therefrom with the washing of said article.

The present invention is further described by the following examples. Such examples, however, should not be considered as limiting in any way either the spirit or the scope of the present invention.

Examples Example A The textile substrate samples were first prepared according to the previously described methods, printed with a test pattern using a commercial inkjet printer using commercial tint ink inks containing acid., reagent and / or direct dyes Color density, color bleeding, and print quality were evaluated on the samples as they printed. These textiles included textile substrates of cotton poplin. The duplicates of both sample sets were washed using a washing method as described in Example B. Color density, color bleeding, print quality or appearance, and colo permanence were evaluated using the samples of washing. The data of Example A are expressed in Table 1 which follows.

Table 1 For the purposes of Example A given above, CP 7091 RV is a copolymer of diallyldimethylammonium chloride / diacetone acrylamide, from ECC International. Encad G inks use normal monomeric dyes. The sampling tested magenta inks. The samples were washed by hand. Delta E was calculated in the samples using the spectrodensitometer and the equation described below for Example B. Sampling was produced using an embedded and tightened method, as previously described, and was laminated by using a roller pressure point. of pressure. The coating formula in Example A only included the cationic polymer in the aqueous formula. The resulting coated samples proved to be rigid to the touch.

A more rigorous set of tests were then run in Example B on a variety of cloth substrates, with expanded coating formulas. These textile fabric substrates included the materials listed in the following Table 2.

Table 2 U.S. Silk, Inc., is located in New York, N.Y., Guilford Mills is located in New York, N.Y., Scher Fabrics, Inc., is located in New York, N.Y. Cranston Mills is located in Cranston, Rl. Lorber Industries is located in Gardena, California. Fisher Textiles is located on Indian Trail, North Carolina.

Run Conditions for Example B Printing Steps In each of the following tests for Example B, the treated textile samples, prepared according to the previously described method, were printed using an Encad Pro E @ 300 dpi inkjet printer obtained from Encad, Inc., San. Diego, California. Encad GA, GS, or GO inks were used using the 4 Step Increased Print Mode, that is, with the printer passing over the textile substrate four times. In some cases, as it was noted as "double hit" in the data tables that follow, the print head was preheated and the option identified as number 7 was selected on the printer. This option allowed more ink to be ejected from the printer onto the substrates. The dyes in the inks consisted of reactive, acid and / or direct dyes are described in the following Table 3.

TABLE 3 Test Inks of Example B The sample sizes were typically 11 by 15 inches. Additionally, a three-color floral printer was used using the green and magenta band for proof, approximately 14 by 25 inches in size. Where it was difficult to distinguish between tones, a neutral part (which is free of ink) of the sample was also evaluated.

Measurements of Color The color values L * a * b * under CIÉ 1976 (International Commission of I'Eclairage), and optical density measurements were made of printed textile substrates using an X-Rite 938 spectrodensitometer (D65 illuminant / 10 ° observer) using the CMY filters. The spectrodensitometer was operated according to the manufacturer's operation manual. The X-Rite spectrodensitometer was obtained from X-Rite Corporation of Grandville, Michigan. Average optical densities were taken as the sum of the average of three measurements using each filter. Delta E was calculated according to the following equation: ? E = S RT [(L * standard-L * sample) + (a * standard-to * sample) 2+ (b * standard-b * sample) 2] The test was in accordance with ASTM DM 2244-93 and ASTM E308-90. The higher the Delta E, the greater the change in color intensity. Unless the color intensity is increased by a curing step, such as steaming, a large increase in Delta E would typically be indicative of discoloration. The L * a * b * test was run 24 hours after printing the samples. Where the values for delta E are less than 3.0, it is generally accepted that such a change in color can not be observed with the human eye. A detailed description of the spectrodensitometer test is available in the work Color Technology in the Textile Industry, 2a. Edition, published in 1997 by AATCC (American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists).

Washing Method for Textile Samples When indicated, the textile samples were washed using the following method. The samples were placed in an appropriately sized container or beaker such as a one liter beaker. The samples were then placed under cold running water (between about 10-20 ° C) for approximately two minutes. The cold water was then drained from the textile samples. The beakers were then filled with hot water (at approximately 40-50 ° C) and one ounce of detergent (Synthrapol® per gallon of water was added to the beakers). The textile samples were then washed for approximately 5 minutes and then rinsed and drained of the remaining water. Finally, the textile samples were rinsed with lukewarm water (at about 25-30 ° C) for two minutes followed by a rinse with cold water (between about 10-20 ° C) for about one more minute.

Typically, even when it was not necessarily required for curing, a second set of samples were printed and subsequently subjected to steam (for approximately 25 minutes) using a laboratory vaporizer for comparison. For the purpose of the tests of Example B, if a level of color fastness is characterized as poor, observable bleeding or transmission has occurred. If a level of firmness to washing has been characterized as poor, the image has washed away. If a level of firmness of color and firmness of washing has been characterized as good, the vigor of color and the retention of image is markedly better than the poor level. If the levels of firmness of color and firmness of washing have been characterized as excellent, the properties of color and vigor are the highest levels with the highest color density.

Example B It should be noted that for each of the following tests in Example B, the textile substrate has been treated with the treatment formula described using the filling method described previously and has been laminated to a paper backing carrying adhesive paper, printed with an ink jet printer and dried under ambient conditions. The properties of the sample were evaluated for the quality of the printed image, the ink retention and the density or color saturation under the following conditions: 1) immediately after printing, 2) after printing and washing, 3 ) after printing and steaming, 4) after printing, steaming and washing. The printed samples exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention, and excellent color density. The samples that were then subjected to steam exhibited an excellent increase in color and appearance. Firmness in the washing of the samples subjected to steam and samples not subsequently treated with steam exhibited a moderate color retention after washing. This essay used the GS ink set.

Test 2. The formula used in test 1 was used to treat a 100 percent polyester georgette fabric. The results for this cloth were similar to those obtained in trial 1. This test used the GS ink set and the GO ink set.

Test 3. 20.3 wet parts (CP7091 RV cationic copolymer (ECC International) (49.3 percent in water) (10 dry parts or approximately 90-91 percent of the total dry parts) were added to 48.9 parts of co-mixed water. 22.5 wet portions of Adogen® 43 fabric softener (4.4 percent in water) (the dry part, or approximately percent of the total dry parts) were added and the entire solution was mixed until homogeneous. This formula was used to treat 100 percent cotton poplin through a conventional filling and drying application. The sample was printed and evaluated using the process described in trial 1. The printed sample exhibited a superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention, and excellent color density. The samples were then subjected to steam and exhibited an excellent increase in color and appearance. The color fastness of the samples subjected to vapor and of the samples not subsequently treated with steam exhibited a moderate color retention when washed. The essay used the GS ink set.

Test 4. The formula used in test 3 was used to treat a charmeuse fabric of 100 percent silk. The results for this cloth were similar to those obtained for test 3. This test used the GS ink set.

Test 5. The formula used in test 3 was used to treat a 100 percent silk crepe fabric.

China. The results for this cloth were similar to those obtained in trial 3. This trial used the tint GS game.

Test 6. 20.3 humid portions of CP 7091 RV cation copolymer (ECC International) (49.3 percent in water were added to 48.9 parts of water with mixing 11.3 Wet part of Adogen® 4332 fabric softener (4.4 percent in water and 11.3 wet parts) of Varisoft® 222 (4.7 percent in water) were added and the complete solution was mixed until it became homogeneous.This formula was used to treat 100 porcient of cotton poplin through a conventional filling and drying application. printed and evaluated using the process described in trial 1. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention and excellent color density.Samples that were subjected to steam exhibited an increase in Excellent color and appearance The firmness in the washing of the samples on steam strips and the samples n treated later with steam exhibited a high retention Derada color when washed. This essay uses the GS ink set.

Test 7. A treatment composition was formulated as in Test 6, substituting 23.1 wet parts of Accosoft® 550 fabric softener (4.3 percent in water) (a dry part or approximately 9 percent of the total dry parts is closed by parts of Fabric Softener Adogen® 43 The cationic polymer constituted 10 dry parts approximately 90-91 percent of the total dry parts.The wet parts of water constituted approximately 48.2 parts This formula was used to treat 100 percent cotton poplin through an application The sample was printed and evaluated using the process described in Test 1. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention and excellent color density. When they were subjected to steam, they exhibited an excellent increase in color and appearance. increase dramatically compared to untreated samples. Some improvement of the color fastness was achieved without the steam. This essay uses the GS ink set.

Test 8. The formula used in the 7 fu test used to treat a 85/15 nylon / lycra mix fabric The results for this cloth were similar to that obtained in trial 7. This trial used the tint game GS.

Test 9. The formula used in the test 7 was used to treat a charmeuse cloth of 100 percent silk. The results for this cloth were similar to that obtained in trial 7. This trial used the tint GS game.

Test 10. A treatment composition was formulated as in Test 3, substituting 22.7 wet portions of Alubrasoft® Super 100 fabric softener (44 percent in water) (one dry part or approximately 9 percent of the total dry parts) for the Fabric softener parts Adogen® 432. The formula included 20.3 wet parts of 7091 RV (10 dry parts, or approximately 90-91 percent of the total dry parts), 48.7 parts of water. This formula was used to treat (cotton poplin) through a conventional filling and drying application. The sample was printed and evaluated using the process described in trial 1. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention, and excellent color density. The samples that were subjected to steam exhibited an excellent increase in color and appearance. The permanence of the color to the washing of the samples subjected to steam was dramatically increased in comparison to the untreated samples. Some increase of the color fastness was achieved without the submission to steam. The essay used the GS ink set.

Test 11. The formula used in Example 10 was used to treat a fabric of a 85/15 nylon / lycra mixture. The results for this fabric were similar to those obtained in test 10. The test used the GS ink set.

Test 12. The formula used in test 10 was used to treat a 100 percent charmeuse silk fabric. The results for this cloth were similar to those obtained in test 10. The test used the GS ink set.

Test 13. A treatment composition was formulated as test 3, substituting 8.8 wet portions of Acovel® fabric softener (11.3 percent in water) (one dry part, or about 9 percent of the total dry parts) by parts of Adogen® 432 fabric softener. The formula included 20.3 wet parts of 7091 RV (10 dry parts, or approximately 90-91 percent of the total dry parts), and 62.5 parts of water. This formula was used to treat 100 cotton poplin through a filling and drying application. The sample was printed and evaluated using the process described in trial 1. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention, and excellent color density. The samples that were subjected to steam exhibited an excellent increase in color and appearance. The permanence of the color to the washing of the samples subjected to steam was dramatically increased in comparison to the n treated samples. The good increase of the color firmness was achieved without subjection to steam. The trial used the tint GS game.

Test 14. CP 261 LV cationic polymer (ECC International), poly (diallyldimethylammonium), was obtained in a 43.0 percent feed solution in water. 23.3 wet portions of this solution (10 dry parts, or approximately 90-91 percent of the total dry parts) were added to 47.1 parts of water with mixing. We added 21.3 wet parts of Varisoft® fabric softener (4.7 percent in water) (one dry part or approximately 9 percent of the total dry parts) and the entire solution was mixed until it was homogeneous. This formula was used to treat 100 percent cotton poplin through a filling and drying application. The sample was printed and evaluated using the process described in trial 1. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention, and excellent color density. Samples that were not subjected to vapor exhibited a moderate color retention when washed. Some increase in color firmness was achieved. The samples that were subjected to steam exhibited an excellent increase in color and appearance. The color fastness of the samples subjected to vapor and of the samples not subsequently treated with steam exhibited a moderate color retention when washed. The essay used the GS ink set.

Test 15. 28.8 wet portions of a solution containing 80 percent ethoxylated polyethylene imide (34.7 percent in water) (10 dry parts, or about 90-91 percent of the total dry parts) were combined with 41.6 parts of water with mixing. We added 21.3 wet parts of Varisoft® 222 fabric softener (4.7 percent in water) (one dry part or approximately 9 percent of the total dry parts) and the whole solution was mixed until it became homogeneous. This formula was used to treat 100 cotton poplin through a filling and drying application. The sample was printed and evaluated using the process described in trial 1. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention, and excellent color density. Samples that were not subjected to vapor exhibited a moderate color retention when washed. Some increase in the firmness of color was achieved. The samples that were subjected to steam exhibited an excellent increase in color and appearance. The color fastness of the samples subjected to vapor and of the samples not subsequently treated with steam exhibited a moderate color retention when washed. The essay used the GS ink set.

Test 16. 50.7 wet portions of CP 7091 RV (ECC International) cationic copolymer (49.3 percent in water) (25 dry parts, or approximately 18-19 percent of the total dry parts) were added to 656 parts of water with mixing. 90.6 wet portions of Airflex® 540 latex emulsion (ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, 55.2 percent in water) (50 dry parts, or approximately 37 percent of the total dry parts) of AirProducts Chemical Inc. of Allentown, Pennsylvania, were added. 114.9 wet parts of PrintRite® 595 acrylic emulsion (from BF Goodrich, 43.5 percent in water) (50 dry parts, or approximately 37 percent of the total dry parts), and 212.8 wet parts of Varisoft® 222 fabric softener (4.7 percent in water) (10 dry parts, or about 7 percent of the total dry parts) were added and the complete solution was mixed until it became homogeneous. This formula was used to treat a cotton poplin 100 through a filling and drying application. The sample was printed and evaluated using the process described in trial 1. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention, and excellent color density. Samples that were not subjected to steam exhibited good color retention when washed. The samples that were subjected to steam exhibited an excellent increase in color and appearance. The permanence of the color to the wash was increased dramatically in comparison to the untreated mixtures. The essay used GS ink set.

Test 17. The formula used in the test 1 was used to treat a knitted Jersey fabric of 100 porcient cotton. The results for this cloth were similar to those obtained in the test 16. The test used the ink ink GS.

Test 18. The formula used in test 1 was used to treat a 85/15 nylon / lycra mix fabric. The results for this cloth were similar to those obtained in test 16. The test used the GS ink set.

Test 19. The formula used in the test 1 was used to a charmause 100 percent silk fabric. The results for this cloth were similar to those obtained in trial 16. The trial used the GS ink set.

Test 20. The formula used in the test 1 was used for a china creped fabric of 100 porcient silk. The results for this cloth were similar to that obtained in trial 16. The trial used the tint GS game.

Test 21. 50.7 wet parts of CP 7091 RV (ECC International) cationic copolymer (49. percent in water) were added (25 dry parts or about 18 or 1 percent of the total dry parts to 656.0 parts of mixed water). 90.6 wet parts of latex emulsion Airfle® 540 (ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, 55. percent in water) (50 dry parts, or about 3 percent of the total dry parts), and 212.8 wet parts of Varisoft® fabric softener 222 (4.7 percent in water) (1 dry parts or approximately 7 percent of the total dry parts) and the complete solution was mixed until homogenous, this formula was used to treat 100 d cotton poplin through an application of The sample was printed and evaluated using the process described in trial 1. The sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention, and na excellent color density. Samples that were not subjected to steam exhibited good color retention when washed. The samples that were subjected to steam exhibited an excellent increase in color and appearance. The permanence of color in the wash can increase dramatically in comparison to the untreated samples. Very little measurable washout was detected. The essay used the GS ink set.

Test 22. The formula used in the test 21 was used to treat a Jersey 100 cotton knit fabric.

The results for this cloth were similar to those obtained in test 21. The test used GS fire.

The sample result for the Delta values is reflected in the following table 4. It should be recognized that the values for Delta E can vary from 0 to 100 with the lower values being preferred to demonstrate a minimum loss of color strength / fading color. The Delta E values are a comparison of the samples "treated and washed or" treated and dry cleaned "against the" treated "sample In some cases, the Delta E values are a comparison of the treated samples, submitted to steam washed "against the" treated "samples. Textile fabrics which were able to be printed without coating experienced poor printing attributes experienced a total washout (with a Delta value theoretically at about 100. The following data applies to a Cranston cotton sample, which was treated with a coating formula as described in the test 21.

Table 4 Test 23. The formula used in trial 2 was used to treat a charmeuse cloth of 100 percent silk. The results for this cloth were similar to that obtained in test 21. This substrate was cleaned using commercial dry cleaning facilities and the results shown are shown in the following table 5. The test used the GS ink set.

Table 5 Test 24. 10.1 wet parts of CP 7091 RV (ECC International) cationic copolymer (49.3 percent in water) were added (5 dry parts or about 45 percent of the total dry parts (to 48.8 parts of mixed water) 11.5 parts were added wetter acrylic emulsions PrintRite® 591 (BF Goodrich, 43.5 percent in water) (5 dry parts or approximately 47 percent of the total dry parts), and 21.3 wet sections of Varisoft® 222 fabric softener (4.7 percent in water) (a dry part or approximately 9 percent of total dry parts) and the complete solution was mixed until it became homogeneous.This formula was used to treat a 100 cotton poplin through a filling and drying application. evaluated using the process described in trial 1. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention, and excellent color density. The samples that were not subjected to vapor exhibited good color retention when washed. The samples that were subjected to steam exhibited an excellent increase for appearance and color. Firmness in the washing of the samples subjected to steam and samples not subsequently treated with steam exhibited a moderate color retention when washed. The essay used the GS ink set.

Test 25. The formula used in the test 24 was used to treat a 85/15 nylon / lycra mix fabric.

The results for this cloth were similar to those obtained in test 24. The test used the GS ink set.

Test 26. 10.1 wet portions of CP 7091 RV (ECC International) cationic copolymer (49.3 percent in water) (five dry parts, or approximately 45 percent of the total dry parts) were added to 48.8 parts of water with mixing. We added 11.5 wet parts of PrintRite® 595 acrylic emulsion (by BF Goodrich, 43.5 percent in water) (five dry parts, or approximately 45 percent of the total dry parts) and 21.3 wet parts of Varisoft® 222 fabric softener (4.7 percent) in water) (a dry part, or approximately 9 percent of total dry parts), and the complete solution was mixed until it became homogeneous. This formula was used to treat a poplin of 100 cotton wool through a filling and drying application. The sample was printed and evaluated using the process described in trial 1. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, with excellent ink retention, and excellent color density. Samples that were not subjected to steam exhibited good color retention when washed. The samples that were subjected to steam exhibited an excellent increase in color and appearance. The permanence of color to wash was dramatically increased in comparison to the untreated samples. The essay used the GS ink set.

Test 27. The formula used in test 2 was used to treat a 85/15 nylon / licr mix fabric. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention and excellent density of color. The permanence of color to the wash was not improved in these samples. The essay used the GS ink set.

Test 28. 10.1 wet portions of CP 7091 RV (ECC International) cationic copolymer (49. percent in water) (five dry parts, or approximately 4 percent of total dry parts) were added to 51.2 part of water with mixing. 9.1 damp parts of Airflex® 540 latex emulsion (ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, 55.2 percent in water) were added (five dry parts, approximately 45 percent of the total dry parts), and 21. wet parts of Varisoft® fabric softener 222 (4.7 porcient in water) (a dry part, or approximately 9 percent of the total dry parts) and the complete solution was mixed until it became homogeneous. This formula was used to treat 100 percent cotton poplin through a filler application and dried. The sample was printed and evaluated using the process described in trial 1. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention, and excellent color density. Samples that were not subjected to vapor exhibited good color retention when washed. The samples that were subjected to steam exhibited an excellent increase in color and appearance. The permanence of the color to the wash was increased dramatically in comparison to the untreated samples. The essay used the GS ink set.

Test 29. The formula used in the test 28 was used to treat a 85/15 nylon / lycra mix fabric. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent excellent ink retention, and excellent color density. The color permanence to the wash was not improved in these samples. The essay used the GS ink set.

Test 30. 50.7 wet portions of cationic copolymer (CP 7091 RV (ECC International) (49.3 percent in water) (twenty-five wet parts, or approximately 18-19 percent of total dry parts) were added to 881.9 part of water with mixing. added 181.3 wet portions of Airflex® 540 latex emulsion (ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, 55.2 percent in water) (one hundred dry parts, or approximately 74 percent of the total dry parts), and 11.1 wet parts of Varisoft® 222 fabric softener (90 percent in water) (ten dry parts, or approximately 7 percent of the total dry parts) and the complete solution was mixed until it became homogeneous This formula was used to treat a 250 denier polyester / cotton banner fabric through a filling and drying application The sample was printed as described in trial 1. The printed samples exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, Excellent ink retention, and excellent color density The permanence of the color in the wash was dramatically increased without the steps of steam or other subjection.

Test 31. 50.7 wet parts of cationic copolymer (CP 7091 RV (ECC International) (49. percent in water) (twenty-five dry parts, or approximately 18-19 percent of the total dry parts) were added were added 878.0 parts of water with 18.3 wet part of Airflex® 540 latex emulsion (ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, 55.2 percent in water) (one hundred dry parts, approximately 74 percent of the total dry parts), and 15.0 wet parts of Adogen fabric softener were added. ® 432 (66.7 percent in water) (ten dry parts, or approximately 7 percent of the total dry parts) and the complete solution was mixed until it became homogeneous.This formula was used to treat a polyester / cotton banner fabric. 250 denier using a filling and drying application The sample was printed as described in trial 1. The printed samples exhibited superior image quality with little or no No bleeding, excellent ink retention, and excellent color density. The permanence of the color in the wash was increased dramatically without the steps of other steam subjection.

The textile samples in Examples 30, 3 were printed with the Encad Go ink set obtained from Encad, Inc.

Test 32. The formula used in the test 31 was used to treat a polyester poplin fabric. L printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent excellent tint retention, and excellent color density. The permanence of color to the wash was increased dramatically without the submission to steam or other steps of curing.

Test 33. The formula used in the test 31 was used to treat a polyester satin fabric. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention and excellent color density. The permanence of color to the wash was dramatically increased without the submission to steam or other steps of curing. In addition, the sample possessed an excellent visual color reflectibility. Such quality can be observed visually or measured through the methods of diffuse reflectance.

Test 34. The formula used in the test 31 was used to treat a polyester poplin fabric. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent excellent ink retention, and excellent color density. The permanence of color to the wash was increased dramatically without the submission to steam or other steps.

Test 35. The formula used in the test 31 was used to treat a polyester satin fabric. The printed sample exhibited superior image quality with little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention and excellent color density. The permanence of the color to the wash was increased dramatically without steaming or others. In addition, the sample possessed an excellent color reflectivity.

Test 36. 50.7 wet portions of cationic copolymer (CP 7091 RV (ECC International) (49.3 percent in water) (twenty-five dry parts, or approximately 17 percent of the total dry parts) were added to 993.5 parts of water with mixing. 230.9 wet parts of PrintRite® 591 acrylic emulsion (from BF Goodrich, 43.3 percent in water) (one hundred dry parts, or approximately 68-69 percent of the total dry parts), and 296.3 wet parts of Varisoft® 475 fabric softener (6.8 percent in water) (twenty dry parts, or approximately 13-14 percent of the total dry parts) and the complete solution was mixed until it became homogeneous. This formula was used to treat 100 percent charmeous d silk with a filling application and The wet collection was 140 percent, the sample was printed and evaluated using the process described in trial 1. The print sample exhibited superior image quality with very little or no bleeding, excellent ink retention and excellent color density. The samples that were not subjected to vapor exhibited good color retention when washed. The samples that were subjected to steam exhibited an excellent increase in color and appearance. The color function for washing was dramatically increased compared to other untreated mixtures. The essay used the GS ink set.

Results of the trials 30-36 The printed images of the textile samples of Examples 29-35 were of color fastness and exhibited a firmness to light acceptable for outdoor stability in accordance with the ASTM G26 test method standard when printing with Encad GO inks. . The ASTM G26 test method included the following steps: The standard practice under ASTM G26 to operate with a light exposure (Xenon-arc type) with and without water for the exposure of non-metallic materials consists of the following procedure. Test method 1 was used to continuously expose light and intermittent exposure to water spray. The type of apparatus used consisted of an Atlas Ci 5000 device. The instrument was programmed for continuous light and intermittent water spraying according to the manufacturer's instructions. The conventional cycle of 102 minutes of exposure to light followed by the 18-minute cycle of light and water spray was employed. Such measurements of sample data are reflected in the following table 6. The method of printing mode is double hit, in 102 light, 18 less sprayed after 6 in the morning.

Table 6 In order to measure the bond strength of the laminated materials produced, the peel strength was measured by the laminates produced according to the method of the invention, by using a Chatillon bench top union and compression tester. LTCM-6, made by Chatillon, of Greensboro, North Carolina. In this aspect, the samples of material to be tested are cut into pieces of 2 x 6 inches in both directions of the machine and across the machine.

Some layers are peeled and separated (-0.5 inches) with each layer being placed on the mounting plates placed. The speed on the apparatus is set to 12 inches per minute and the force grams of delamination is recorded. The peel strength test for textiles measures the force grams of delamination of the adhesive paper web. The adhesion / delamination of peeling is traditionally measured in the direction of the machine, this is the direction of the material in which it is produced. All tolerances are under average temperature conditions of 24.0 degrees centigrade and 31 percent-71.2 percent relative humidity.

The different types of fabrics are laminated to a variety of adhesive coated papers, resulting in a range of peel strength values. It should be noted that the experience shown, especially on the woven fabrics, that the test strips in the transverse direction expose less frayed threads that can be separated from the woven fabric, stick to the adhesive and cause a false (higher) peel value by increasing the force to be conducted the test to be pulled out the frayed threads of the woven structure.

The peel strength values for the various textile fabric substrates are shown in the following table 7.

Table 7 Peel resistance data of Laminated Textiles The desirable coatings by the type of fabric are as follows: Cotton Poplin and Jersey Fabric use a coating described in the test 21 to 13 percent total solids; the crepe de china de seda and the charmeouse use one described in the essay 36 to 7 percent of solids; Polyester Georgette used a coating described in the test 30 to 32 percent total solids; Poli Satin and Poli Dacron using the previous coating to 3 percent of total solids and the Poly Poplin using the previous coating to between 20-25 percent of total solids.

Although the invention has been described in detail with a particular reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that many modifications, additions, and deletions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in claims that follow.

Claims

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. An aqueous coating formula containing solids comprising: a) a cationic polymer or copolymer, and b) a fabric softener.

2. The aqueous coating formula as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that said cationic polymer or copolymer are present in an amount of between about 5 to 95 percent of the total solids.

3. The accusing coating formula as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that said fabric softener is present in an amount of between about 5 to 20 percent total solids.

4. The accusing coating formula as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that it also comprises a latex binder.

5. The coating formula accuses as claimed in clause 4 characterized in that said latex binder is present in the amount of about 0 to 80 percent total solids.

6. The coating formula containing solids, the coating formula for treating textile substrate for ink jet printing and comprising: a) a cationic polymer copolymer b) a fabric softener; and c) water

7. The formula for coating accuse such and com is claimed in clause 6 characterized in that copolymer or cationic polymer is present in an amount d between about 5 to 95 percent of the total solids.

8. The formula for coating acuso como com is claimed in clause 6 characterized in that dich polymer or cationic copolymer is a polymer of quaternary ammonium.

9. The accusing coating formula as claimed in clause 6 characterized in that said polymer is selected from the group consisting of polymers and copolymers of diallyldialkylammonium monomers, acrylate and acrylamide, acrylamidoethyl dimethyl ammonium chloride monomers, quaternized vinyl pyridine, polyalkylamines, and epihalohydrin-amines.

10. The accusing coating formula as claimed in clause 6 characterized in that said cationic polymer is a poly (diallyldimethylammonium-co-diacetone acrylamide chloride.

11. The accusing coating formula as claimed in clause 6 is characterized in that said fabric softener is present in the formula in an amount of between about 5 to 20 percent of the total solids.

12. The accusing coating formula as claimed in clause 11 characterized in that said fabric softener is either cationic or non-ionic.

13. The accusing coating formula as claimed in clause 12 characterized in that said fabric softener is an alkylated ammonium compound.

14. The accusing coating formula as claimed in clause 6 further characterized in that it comprises a latex binder.

15. The formula for coating acuso tal and co is claimed in clause 14 characterized in that dic latex binder is present in the formula in a quantity of between about 0 to 80 percent of the total solids.

16. The formula for coating acuso so and co is claimed in clause 15 characterized in that dich latex binder is either cationic or non-ionic.

17. The above-mentioned accusative coating formula is claimed in clause 16, characterized in that the latex binder is selected from the group consisting of vinyl acetate, ethylene-vinyl acetate, acrylate, styrene-acrylate resins.

18. The coating formula containing solids, the coating formula for treating textile substrates for inkjet printing and comprising: a) a cationic polymer or copolymer, wherein said cationic polymer or copolymer is present in an amount of between about 5 to 95 percent of the total solids. b) a fabric softener, wherein the softening is present in an amount between about 5 to 2 percent of the total solids; c) a latex binder, wherein latex binder is present in an amount of about 0-80 percent of the total solids. Y d) water, where the total solids content of the formula is between about 5 to 50 percent.

19. The formula for coating acuso como com is claimed in clause 18 characterized in that the total solids content of the formula is between about 5 to 3 percent.

20. The accu coating formula such and com is claimed in clause 19 characterized in that the total solids content of a formula is between about 25 to 2 percent.

21. A method for treating substrate, for improving the adhesion, the color fastness and the firmness in the washing of a printed inkjet ink on the substrate without a subsequent treatment curing pass, the method comprises: a) providing a substrate; b) embedding the substrate in an aqueous coating formula including a cationic polymer and fabric softener so that the coating saturates the substrate; c) pressing the substrate to force the coating formula into the substrate; d) dry the substrate

22. The accusing coating formula as claimed in clause 21 characterized in that the substrate is selected from either woven or non-woven textile materials.

23. The method as claimed in clause 22 characterized in that the substrate is a woven textile material.

24. The method as claimed in clause 23 characterized in that the woven fabric is selected from the group consisting of cotton, silk, polyester wool, rayon, nylon and mixtures thereof.

25. The method as claimed in clause 22 characterized in that the textile material is between about 2 ounces per square yard to about 9 ounces per square yard.

26. The method as claimed in clause 21 characterized in that the aqueous coating formula also includes a latex binder.

27. The method as claimed in clause 26 characterized in that the substrate is selected from either woven or non-woven textile materials.

28. The method as claimed in clause 27 characterized in that the substrate is a woven textile material.

29. The method as claimed in clause 28 characterized in that the woven textile material is selected from the group consisting of cotton, silk, wool, polyester, rayon, nylon and mixtures thereof.

30. The method as claimed in clause 29 characterized in that the textile material is between about 2 ounces per square yard to about 9 ounces per square yard.

31. A substrate treated according to the method as claimed in clause 21.

32. A substrate treated according to the method as claimed in clause 26.

33. A laminate comprising: a) a substrate layer that has been treated with an aqueous coating having solids, including a cationic polymer or copolymer and a fabric softener, b) an adhesive layer; c) an absorbent backing layer

34. The laminate as claimed in clause 33 characterized in that said cationic polymer is present in said coating in an amount of between about 5 and 95 percent of the total solids, and said fabric softener is present in said coating in an amount between about 5 and 20 percent of the total solids.

35. The laminate as claimed in clause 33 characterized in that said adhesive layer allows the removal of the absorbent backing layer without transferring the adhesive or the backing layer to the substrate layer.

36. The laminate as claimed in clause 33 characterized in that it has a peel strength of between about 5 to 25 grams per inch.

37. The laminate as claimed in clause 33 characterized in that said absorbent respald layer is a sheet of cellulose saturated with acrylic latex

38. The laminate as claimed in clause 33 characterized in that said absorbent backing layer is a cellulose sheet, which contains soft wood craft pulp saturated with acrylic latex.

39. The laminate as claimed in clause 33 characterized in that said coating further includes a latex binder.

40. The laminate as claimed in clause 39 characterized in that said latex binder is present in said coating in said amount of about 0 and 80 percent total solids.

41. The laminate as claimed in clause 40 characterized in that said adhesive layer further allows the removal of the absorbent backing layer without transferring the adhesive or backing layer to the substrate layer.

42. The laminate as claimed in clause 41 characterized in that it has a peel strength of between about 5 to 25 grams per inch.

43. The laminate as claimed in clause 42 characterized in that said absorbent backing layer is a sheet of cellulose saturated with acrylic latex.

44. The laminate as claimed in clause 43 characterized in that said absorbent backing layer is a cellulose sheet containing soft wood craft pulp saturated with acrylic latex. SUMMARY A wide array of texti fabric substrates can be treated to improve the color fastness and firmness in the washing of inkjet ink formulas. Aqueous treatment formulas include between about 5 95 percent cationic polymers or copolymers, and about 5-20 percent fabric softeners. Additionally, the formulas may also include about 0-80 percent of a polymeric latex binder to increase the firmness in the wash. These percentage are based on a conventional measurement for the content of solids.