Textile printing
Herein is described a method of printing an image on a textile. The method comprises electrophotographically printing an image onto a textile substrate using an electrophotographic ink composition, applying a coating composition comprising a polymer and a crosslinking agent to the printed electrophotographic ink, and crosslinking the applied coating composition.
1. A method of printing an image on a textile, said method comprising
electrophotographically printing an image onto a textile substrate using an electrophotographic ink composition,
applying a coating composition comprising a polymer and a crosslinking agent to the printed electrophotographic ink, and
crosslinking the applied coating composition.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electrophotographic ink composition is a liquid electrophotographic ink.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the liquid electrophotographic ink comprises:
a colorant,
an acid polymer resin,
a charge adjuvant
a charge director, and
a liquid carrier.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polymer coating is applied as an aqueous polymer solution or dispersion.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polymer coating comprises a polymer having a crosslinkable moiety.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polymer coating comprises a polymer having a —CN and/or carboxyl group.
7. A method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the polymer coating comprises a polymer selected from an acrylic- or polyurethane-based polymer.
8. A method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the polymer is a styrene-acrylic polymer or a polyurethane polymer.
9. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polymer coating is crosslinked by exposure to heat and/or UV.
10. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the textile substrate is treated with a primer polymer coating prior to electrophotographic printing.
11. A method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the primer polymer coating comprises a primer polymer having a heteroatom-containing group.
12. A method as claimed in claimed in claim 11 , wherein the primer polymer is selected from ethylene acrylic acid, polyethylene imine and polyamide resins.
13. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the textile substrate is a synthetic textile substrate.
14. A printed textile comprising
a textile substrate,
a layer of electrophotographically printed ink printed on the substrate, and
a crosslinked polymer coating deposited on the layer of electrophotographically printed ink.
15. A printed textile as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the textile substrate comprises a primer polymer coating deposited thereon, and wherein the layer of electrophotographically printed ink is printed over the primed substrate.
16. A method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the polymer coating comprises a polymer selected from an acrylic- or polyurethane-based polymer.
17. A method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the polymer is a styrene-acrylic polymer or a polyurethane polymer.
18. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the crosslinking agent includes blocked (poly) isocyanate.
19. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polymer coating comprises a polymer having an isocyanurate or isocyanate group.