Plant-based ink properties and storage stability for inkjet printing

Area of Science:

• Sustainable materials science
• Textile printing technology
• Green chemistry

Background:

• Traditional synthetic inks pose environmental concerns.
• There is a growing demand for sustainable alternatives in the textile industry.
• Plant-based inks offer a potential eco-friendly solution for digital printing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the properties of plant-based inks for inkjet printing.
• To assess the stability of these inks during a one-month storage period.
• To determine the suitability of plant-based inks as sustainable alternatives for textile printing.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of ink properties including viscosity, density, conductivity, surface tension, and pH.
• Analysis of property changes over a one-month storage period using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, viscometer, and tensiometer.
• Evaluation of ink stability and rheological behavior (thixotropic/anti-thixotropic) after storage.

Main Results:

• Optimal ink properties identified: viscosity (8.5-10 cP), density (1.06), conductivity (2.51 mS/cm), surface tension (60 mN/m), and pH (4.9).
• Most inks remained stable during storage, except blue ink which formed sediment.
• Plant-based inks generally showed anti-thixotropic behavior post-storage, with yellow ink exhibiting thixotropy. Initial high conductivity in blue and black inks decreased after storage.

Conclusions:

• Plant-based inks possess viable properties for effective inkjet printing on textiles.
• These inks offer a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to synthetic inks, promoting a healthier ecosystem.
• Further research, including life cycle analysis, is recommended to fully understand their environmental benefits.