Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06P—DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM
  • D06P5/00—Other features in dyeing or printing textiles, or dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form
  • D06P5/003—Transfer printing
  • D06P5/004—Transfer printing using subliming dyes
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06P—DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM
  • D06P5/00—Other features in dyeing or printing textiles, or dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form
  • D06P5/003—Transfer printing
  • D06P5/004—Transfer printing using subliming dyes
  • D06P5/006—Transfer printing using subliming dyes using specified dyes
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
  • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
  • G03G15/65—Apparatus which relate to the handling of copy material
  • G03G15/6588—Apparatus which relate to the handling of copy material characterised by the copy material, e.g. postcards, large copies, multi-layered materials, coloured sheet material
  • G03G15/6591—Apparatus which relate to the handling of copy material characterised by the copy material, e.g. postcards, large copies, multi-layered materials, coloured sheet material characterised by the recording material, e.g. plastic material, OHP, ceramics, tiles, textiles
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
  • G03G7/00—Selection of materials for use in image-receiving members, i.e. for reversal by physical contact; Manufacture thereof
  • G03G7/0093—Image-receiving members, based on materials other than paper or plastic sheets, e.g. textiles, metals
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
  • G03G9/00—Developers
  • G03G9/08—Developers with toner particles
  • G03G9/0819—Developers with toner particles characterised by the dimensions of the particles
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
  • G03G9/00—Developers
  • G03G9/08—Developers with toner particles
  • G03G9/087—Binders for toner particles
  • G03G9/08784—Macromolecular material not specially provided for in a single one of groups G03G9/08702 - G03G9/08775
  • G03G9/08795—Macromolecular material not specially provided for in a single one of groups G03G9/08702 - G03G9/08775 characterised by their chemical properties, e.g. acidity, molecular weight, sensitivity to reactants
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
  • G03G9/00—Developers
  • G03G9/08—Developers with toner particles
  • G03G9/087—Binders for toner particles
  • G03G9/08784—Macromolecular material not specially provided for in a single one of groups G03G9/08702 - G03G9/08775
  • G03G9/08797—Macromolecular material not specially provided for in a single one of groups G03G9/08702 - G03G9/08775 characterised by their physical properties, e.g. viscosity, solubility, melting temperature, softening temperature, glass transition temperature
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
  • G03G9/00—Developers
  • G03G9/08—Developers with toner particles
  • G03G9/09—Colouring agents for toner particles
  • G03G9/0926—Colouring agents for toner particles characterised by physical or chemical properties
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
  • G03G9/00—Developers
  • G03G9/08—Developers with toner particles
  • G03G9/097—Plasticisers; Charge controlling agents
  • G03G9/09708—Inorganic compounds
  • G03G9/09725—Silicon-oxides; Silicates
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
  • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
  • G03G15/14—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for transferring a pattern to a second base
  • G03G15/16—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for transferring a pattern to a second base of a toner pattern, e.g. a powder pattern, e.g. magnetic transfer
  • G03G15/1625—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for transferring a pattern to a second base of a toner pattern, e.g. a powder pattern, e.g. magnetic transfer on a base other than paper
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
  • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
  • G03G2215/00362—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes relating to the copy medium handling
  • G03G2215/00443—Copy medium
  • G03G2215/00523—Other special types, e.g. tabbed
  • G03G2215/00527—Fabrics, e.g. textiles

Definitions

• This invention relates to toner particles comprising a toner resin and a thermosublimable dye or pigment for use in textile printing.
• Toner particles comprising a thermosublimable dye or pigment for use in sublimation transfer textile printing are quite well known in the art.
• the process for textile printing proceeds as follows.
• a toner image is formed on an intermediate substrate (e.g. paper, plastic sheet, etc.), the intermediate substrate carrying the toner image is contacted with textile and is heated for a (short) period of time.
• the sublimable dye or pigment evaporates and enters the textile to be printed where the dye or pigment molecules diffuse into the fibre.
• the intermediate substrate carrying the toner image is removed.
• This system is especially well suited for printing on synthetic fibres, e.g. polyester.
• spherical magnetic toner particles are prepared from a magnetic product, a polymer, and a wax.
• the dye used sublimates at 100-200 °C and the wax is preferably a montana wax.
• a dry electrophotographic developer consisting of a single type of particles containing an electrically conductive substance, a magnetic substance and a binder.
• the developer contains Carbon black (2-20%), dye(s) subliming or vaporising at 130-240 degrees C a wax and a plasticiser.
• the binder is a polymer especially PVC, polystyrene or a copolymer of styrene with butadiene and an acrylic resin.
• a two-component toner composition for developing latent electrostatic images comprising finely divided toner particles comprising a solid polymeric thermoplastic material, with a softening point (ball-ring) between 60 and 140 °C; and a heat-sublimable dyestuff which sublimes at 100-220 °C at atmospheric pressure and carrier particles.
• an electrostatic single component developer in the form of a dry fluid powder comprising spherical particles fixable by heat or pressure, comprising a binder which can be heated at 230 °C without appreciable decomposition, optionally electrically conductive or very fine magnetic particles, and at least 5% of at least one sublimable or vaporisable dye which in 30 seconds at 210 °C passes into the vapour state in an amt. of at least 60% at 100 hPa, whilst at atmospheric pressure under the same temperature, less than 50% passes into the vapour state in 30 seconds.
• the binder having a softening point between 100 and 160 °C is especially cellulose esters, vinyl resins, vinyl copolymers, polyamides or polystyrene, and containing a wax chosen from polyethylene wax, aliphatic waxes or hydroxylated fatty acids.
• EP-A-561 313 a method for textile printing is described wherein a printed pattern on transfer material is formed using pigmented powder.
• the transfer printing proceeds by sublimation of the pigment which is a finely ground powder contained in a pulverised heat sensitive synthetic resin.
• the resin has a melting point around 120 °C.
• the toner particles according to the references cited can be used for indirect textile printing, but there is still room for improvement.
• the object of the present invention is realised by providing toner particles comprising a toner resin and a thermosublimable dye characterised in that said resin has 190 °C a viscosity, ⁇ , between 30 and 100 mPa.s and a tg ⁇ such that 0.015 ⁇ tg ⁇ / ⁇ ⁇ 0.20 .
• said toner resin has a tg ⁇ such that 0.02 ⁇ tg ⁇ / ⁇ ⁇ 0.06.
• Indirect textile printing with toner particles comprising sublimable dyes proceeds basically by printing a pattern on a transfer material by image-wise applying toner particles containing sublimable dyes ( full colour images can be used) to said transfer material then, after fusing, the transfer paper is laid with the colour against the fabric to be printed, which is woven, non-woven or knitted polyester or similar synthetics, or mixtures of such synthetic fibres with up to 33 % of natural or regenerated fibres.
• the fabric and transfer are passed over a heated calender at 180 to 260 °C with low pressure, and for a period of half to one minute.
• a toner image comprising toner particles according to this invention can not only beneficially be used for decorating textile materials, but also for decorating polymeric sheet or web material (e.g. polyvinylchloride sheets or webs, polyester sheets or webs, etc.). Also objects coated with a polymeric layer can be decorated using an indirect printing method with toner particles according to this invention.
• toner particles comprising well known toner resins, as. ATLAC T500, registered trade name of Atlas Chemical Industries Inc. Wilmington, Del. USA for a linear polyester of fumaric acid and propoxylated bisphenol A with softening point around 100 °C and a sublimable dye, were indeed found not to be useful in indirect textile printing.
• ATLAC T500 registered trade name of Atlas Chemical Industries Inc. Wilmington, Del. USA for a linear polyester of fumaric acid and propoxylated bisphenol A with softening point around 100 °C and a sublimable dye
• the viscosity ⁇ at 190 °C had to be between 30 and 100 mPa.s and the tg ⁇ / ⁇ at 190 °C between 0.010 and 0.20, preferably 0.010 ⁇ tg ⁇ / ⁇ ⁇ 0.06 and most preferably the resin used in toner particles according to this invention has viscosity ⁇ at 190 °C had to be between 30 and 100 mPa.s and a TG ⁇ so that, at 190 °C, 0.010 ⁇ tg ⁇ / ⁇ ⁇ 0.03 .
• the rheological parameters of the toner resin are measured in a CLS 2 500 RHEOMETER, trade name of TA Instruments, Newcastle, USA.
• toner resins known in the art could be used for manufacturing toners useful in this invention, as long as it fulfilled the condition set out immediately above.
• the toner resin used can be a polycondensation polymer or a mixture of different polycondensation polymers as well as an addition polymer or a mixture of addition polymers. Also mixtures of polycondensation polymers and addition polymers and their hybrids are suitable as toner resin for toner particles useful in the present invention.
• the sublimable dyes for incorporation in the toner particles can be any dye known in the art, having a sublimation temperature between 100-220 °C at atmospheric pressure.
• the sublimable colorant can be e.g. (a) diarylamino anthraquinones; (b) monoacylamino-arylamino anthraquinones; (c) phenylamides of 1-phenylazo-2-hydroxy naphthalene-3-carboxylic acids (esp. in which the phenyl groups are free from N-containing substituents.); (d) phenyl- or naphthylamides of acetyl or benzoylacetic acids (esp.
• dyes for use in toner particles according to this invention are dyes as have been disclosed in GB-A-2,312,430, GB-A-2,312,431, GB-A-2,312,432, GB-A-2,312,433, GB-A-2,312,434, GB-A-2,312,435, GB-A-2,312,436 and GB-A-2,312,437.
• Toner particles according to the present invention may also comprise a optical brightener.
• the toner particles according to the present invention can be prepared by any of the toner preparing means known in the art.
• Toner particles are preferably prepared by extrusion or by melt-blending toner resin(s), toner ingredients as desired (e.g. pigment, dyes, charge controller, release agent, etc.) in a melt kneader for 30 minutes at an appropriate temperature, depending on the toner resin(s) and the sublimating dye(s) used.
• toner ingredients e.g. pigment, dyes, charge controller, release agent, etc.
• After cooling the solidified mass is pulverised and milled using an ALPINE Fliessbettarnastrahlmühle type 100AFG (trade name) and further classified using an ALPINE multiplex zig-zag classifier type 100MZR (trade name).
• the pulverising and milling an classifying can also proceed by using other commercial apparatus.
• the classifying can proceed by a classifier using the "Coanda"-effect as described in e.g. EP-A 608 902.
• the average particle size of the separated toner was measured by Coulter Counter model MULTISIZER (trade name).
• Toner particles according to this invention can also be prepared by an "emulsion polymerisation” process.
• emulsion polymerisation Such a process limited to the production of addition polymers, is described e.g. in US P 2,932,629, US P 4,148,741, US P 4,314,932 and EP-A 255 716.
• a water-immiscible polymerizable liquid is sheared together with the toner ingredients (e.g. pigment, dyes, charge controller, release agent, etc.) to form small droplets emulsified in an aqueous solution, and the polymerisation of the monomer droplets takes place in the presence of an emulsifying agent.
• the polymerizable monomers are in liquid form and only at the end of the polymerisation a suspension of solid polymer particles in the aqueous phase is obtained.
• Toner particles according to this invention can also be prepared by a "polymer suspension” process.
• a pre-formed polymer is dissolved in an appropriate organic solvent, immiscible with water and with low boiling point, and the toner ingredients (e.g. pigment, dyes, charge controller, release agent, etc.) are dispersed in that solution.
• the resulting solution is dispersed in an aqueous medium that contains a stabiliser, the organic solvent is evaporated and the resulting particles are dried.
• the evaporation of the solvent can proceed by increasing temperature, by vacuum evaporation, by spray-drying as described in, e.g. US-P 3,166,510, US-P 3,338,991 , electrostatic pulverising as described in, e.g. GB-A-2,121,203 , etc.
• Toner particles useful in this invention can have an average volume diameter (d v50 ) between 3 and 20 ⁇ m, preferably between 5 and 15 ⁇ m and more preferably between 5 and 7 ⁇ m.
• the particle size distribution of said toner particles can be of any type. It is however preferred to have an essentially (some negative or positive skewness can be tolerated, although a positive skewness, giving less smaller particles than an unskewed distribution, is preferred) Gaussian or normal particle size distribution, either by number or volume, with a coefficient of variability (standard deviation divided by the average) (v) smaller than 0.5, more preferably of 0.3.
• the toner particles of the present invention can comprise any further toner ingredient known in the art, e.g. charge control agents, fillers, release agent, etc. It can be magnetic or non-magnetic particles, the latter type being the preferred type. When the toner particles are non-magnetic they can be used as non-magnetic mono-component developer as well as in a multi-component developer in combination with magnetic carrier particles.
• the toner particles can be used in any electrostatic printing apparatus, it can be used in electrophotographic apparatus wherein the toner particles are used for developing an electrostatic latent image as well as in printing apparatus of the Direct Electrostatic Printing type, wherein electrostatic printing is performed directly from a toner delivery means on a receiving substrate, the latter not bearing any image-wise latent electrostatic image, by means of an electronically addressable printhead structure.
• Devices for direct electrostatic printing are described in, e.g. EP-A-740 224, EP-A-780 740, EP-A-731,394, EP-A-812 696, etc.
• DEP Direct Electrostatic Printing
• the real density ( ⁇ real ) of the toner particles was measured in accordance with conventional techniques in an apparatus such as the BECKMANN AIR COMPARIMETER (trade name), available from Beckmann Instruments, Chemin des Bourdon nr. 52-54, 93220 Gagny, France, wherein the volume of an accurately weighed quantity of toner particles is measured.
• BECKMANN AIR COMPARIMETER trade name
• the apparent density ( ⁇ app ) of the toner particles was determined according to the following procedure : 50 g of the mixture of the toner particles and 0.5 % by weight of fumed hydrophobic silica having a specific surface area of 260 m2/g was weighed and introduced in a graduated glass cylinder with diameter of 35 mm. The cylinder was placed on top of a "tapping" device, STAV 2003, STAMPFVOLUMETER (trade name) available from JEL, J. Engelmann A.G., Ludwigshafen, Germany. This apparatus taps at a rate of 250 cycles pro minute. The mixture of toner particles and hydrophobic silica was tapped for 2000 cycles. Afterwards the volume was read in cm 3 (x cm 3 for 50 g of mixture) and ⁇ app calculated as
• the toner particles according to this invention can be applied to any transfer paper known in the art of textile printing.
• transfer material is disclosed in e.g. EP-A-146 504, EP-A-479 882, EP-A-684 337, EP-A-683 057, EP-A-692 742, etc..
• the invention includes also a method for indirect textile printing comprising the steps of:
• the toner particles used are preferably dry toner particles.
• the substrate can be any substrate known in the art of electrostatic printing, but preferably a paper substrate is used.
• the toner resins used are tabulated in Table 1.
• # Trade name and moieties forming the resin Viscosicty ⁇ at 190 °C TG ⁇ at 190 °C TG ⁇ / ⁇ T1 ATLAC T500
• Polyester of bisphenol A and fumaric acid 2.8 0.000 0 T2 DIANAL FB1431 Styrene/acrylic resin 78.9 1.228 0.016 T3 AG
• Hybrid polyester- styrene-acrylate 32.4 1.110 0.034 T4 DIACRON FC043 polyester 46.6 1.433 0.031 T5 DIACRON FC433 saturated crosslinked polyester 41.3 1.810 0.044 T6 ALMACRYL XPE1676 polyester modified with urethane 5.5 1.460 0.266 T7 AG4 crosslinked polyester 4.0 2.580 0.640 T8 EPIKOTE 1009 an epoxy resin 42.3 7.840 0.185 ATLAC T500 : registered trade name of Atlas Chemical Industries Inc.
• DIANAL FB1431, DIACRON FC043 and DIACRON FC433 trade names of Mitsubishi Rayon, Toyohashi-shi, Japan
• EPIKOTE 1009 trade name of Shell Chemicals, Rotterdam,
• NL ALMACRYL XPE1676 trade name of Image Polymers Europe, Stirlinghouse, Scotland AG28 and AG 4 : experimental products provided by KAO corp. Wakayama, Japan.
• a multi-component developer was prepared by mixing each toner with 0.5 % by weight fumed hydrophobic silica (AEROSIL R972, trade name of Degussa, Germany) and coated ferrite carrier with a volume average particle size of 50 mm, at a concentration of 5% toner weight with respect to the carrier and activated for 30 minutes in order to attain a stable charge level.
• fumed hydrophobic silica AEROSIL R972, trade name of Degussa, Germany
• the printing proceeded in X35 copier, trade name of Agfa-Gevaert NV Mortsel Belgium, so as to from even density patches on a transfer paper (Agfa paper 1001, trade name of Agfa- Gevaert NV Mortsel Belgium.
• the paper prints contained 3 superposed toner layers, as is the case in multicolour prints.
• the prints were contacted with a woven polyester and the prints and the polyester were kept under pressure of 4 bars for 20 seconds, then the print was immediately separated from the textile.
• the contact area was 10.5 by 2.4 cm.
• the ratio Dt/D p is taken as a measure for the quality of dye transfer and indicated by Ratio.
• the rigidity after transfer which is a measure for the transfer of resin, is measured using the cantilever method according to ASTM D-1388.
• the percentage increase in bending length, BL, between the unprinted textile and the printed one is determined
• De overall quality of the toner particles is determined by dividing ratio by BL, so that the higher figure the better the result, since when the ratio is high and BL low, the toner particles give high colour transfer for low resin transfer.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
• Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
• Developing Agents For Electrophotography (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=8233780

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (4)

Families Citing this family (12)

Citations (4)

• 1998
  • 1998-06-04 DE DE1998628872 patent/DE69828872T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-06-04 EP EP19980201846 patent/EP0962831B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1999
  • 1999-06-03 JP JP15584099A patent/JP2000029238A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (4)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events