Ink-jet printing process for lyocell and cotton fibres. Part 2: The relationship of colour strength and dye fixation to ink penetration

The colour appearance on ink-jet printed textiles is influenced by a range of factors, including the chemical and physical nature of the fibre, dye-fibre affinity, pretreatment and fabric structure. Regression analyses were conducted to study the correlation between colour strength, fixation and ink penetration obtained by ink-jet printing lyocell fibres (standard Tencel and Tencel A100) and cotton with an ink based on a monofunctional reactive red dye. The fixation was highest on Tencel A100, followed by standard Tencel and then cotton, while colour strength was highest on standard Tencel followed by cotton and Tencel A100. A linear relationship between colour strength and ink penetration was found with cotton, indicating greater dependence of depth of shade on ink penetration than on standard Tencel and Tencel A100 fabrics, where the interrelationships were more complex, but of low statistical significance. A schematic representation is proposed illustrating the mechanism of ink penetration into pretreated fibres, which provides a reasonable interpretation of the events occurring as dye penetrates into and fixes onto the fibres. © 2010 The Authors. Coloration Technology © 2010 Society of Dyers and Colourists.