Effects of Different Structures of Waterborne Polymers on the Microstructure and Properties of Disperse Dye Ink

Disperse dye ink is a composite system, and the microscopic interactions between ink components determine the macroscopic physical properties of the ink. In this work, the relaxation time distribution was measured via low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) to test and analyze the interactions between waterborne polymers and water in disperse dye inks. The relaxation characteristics of aqueous solutions containing different waterborne polymers (PVP, PEG, and PA) and the existence form, microdistribution state, and fluidity properties of water molecules in the solutions were studied, and the effects of different waterborne polymers on the properties of disperse dye ink (viscosity, rheological properties, fluidity, surface tension, weatherability, etc.) were analyzed. The results showed that the addition of a small amount of waterborne polymer to ink had a certain effect on the inkjet performance of the ink, greatly improving the printing effect. For example, the sharpness and color fastness (rubbing fastness and washing fastness) of printed polyester fabrics significantly improved. The reason is that the formation of a waterborne polymer film on the surface of the printed polyester fabric helps improve the rubbing fastness of the fabric and prevents the migration of disperse dye from inside the polyester fibers during water washing.