Fabric treatment compositions

Abstract

A fabric treatment composition for preparing a fabric substrate for printing is described. The fabric treatment composition comprises at least one fibre-bonding agent, at least one cross-linking agent and a liquid carrier. A method for printing a fabric substrate is also described. The method comprises applying, to at least one area of a fabric substrate, a fabric treatment composition to form a coating, wherein the fabric treatment composition comprises at least one fibre-bonding agent, at least one cross-linking agent and a carrier liquid; and printing at least one ink composition over the coating to form a printed fabric substrate. A printable fabric medium is also described comprising: a fabric substrate; and a coating formed on at least one side of at least one area of the substrate, wherein the coating comprises or is formed of a composition comprising at least one fibre-bonding agent and at least one cross-linking agent.

1 . A fabric treatment composition for preparing a fabric substrate for printing, wherein the fabric treatment composition comprises a fibre-bonding agent present in an amount of from about 0.01 wt. % to about 1.0 wt. %, a cross-linking agent and a liquid carrier. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the cross-linking agent is present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 2.5 wt. % and the liquid carrier is present in an amount up to about 99.5 wt % liquid carrier. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of cross-linking agent to fibre bonding agent is from about 3 to about 12 parts by weight of cross-linking agent to 1 part of fibre bonding agent. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the fibre bonding agent has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 0° C. or lower. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the fibre bonding agent has a zeta potential value of −5 millivolts or higher. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the fibre bonding agent is an agent selected from water soluble polymers, water dispersible polymers; latex-containing particles, polymers and copolymers; including fibre bonding agents selected from:
 a) water dispersible polymers selected from acrylic polymers or copolymers, vinyl acetate latex, polyesters, vinylidene chloride latex, styrene-butadiene or acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymers; 
 b) latex-containing particles of an acrylic polymer, or copolymer of a vinyl acetate-based polymer, a styrene polymer, an SBR-based polymer, a polyester-based polymer, a vinyl chloride-based polymer, or the like; and 
 c) polyurethane polymers or copolymers. 
 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the fibre bonding agent has an average molecular weight (Mw) of about 500 to about 200,000. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the cross-linking agent is a cross-linking agent having functional groups able to form a cross-linking reaction with reactive groups of the fabric substrate and binders of pigmented inks. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the cross-linking agent is selected from the group including:
 a) heterocyclic ammonium salts of Formula 1: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 3  is hydroxyl, carboxy, acetoxy, alkoxy, amino or alkyl, for example, and R 1  and R 2  are end groups; 
         b) a diallylazetidium salt of Formula 2; 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         c) a bis(2-methoxyethyl)azetidinium salt of Formula 3; 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         d) a nonylpropylazetidinium salt of Formula 4; 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         e) a undecylmethylazetidinium salt of Formula 5; 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         f) a nonylpropargylazetidinium salt of Formula 6; 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         or combinations thereof. 
       
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1  further comprising an ink crashing agent. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 10  wherein the crashing agent is selected from water soluble metallic salts and ionene compounds. 
     
     
         12 . A method for printing a fabric substrate, the method comprising
 i) applying, to an area of a fabric substrate, a fabric treatment composition to form a coating, wherein the fabric treatment composition comprises a fibre-bonding agent present in an amount of from about 0.01 wt. % to about 1.0 wt. %, a cross-linking agent and a carrier liquid; and   ii) printing an ink composition over the coating to form a printed fabric substrate.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the ink composition includes a cyan ink, a magenta ink, a yellow ink, a black ink or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising subjecting the printed fabric substrate to a post-printing process to form cross-linking between the fabric substrate, the cross-linking agent of the fabric treatment composition and the ink composition. 
     
     
         15 . A printable fabric medium comprising: a fabric substrate; and a coating formed on an area of the substrate, wherein the coating comprises or is formed of a composition comprising a fibre-bonding agent present in an amount of from about 0.01 wt. % to about 1.0 wt. % and a cross-linking agent.