Eco-Friendly Technology for Textile Printing Using Innovative Self Printing Paste

Abstract

TARA SEEDS were subjected to mechanical crushing sieving and soaking in water followed by filtration to obtain galactomannan gum. Rheological properties of this gum were investigated before and after the gum was treated with sodium hydroxide (0.5 to 10%).

Experience gained from this study was used to concurrently isolate eco-friendly galactomannan gum and safety natural dye from Tara seeds in one step process. Evaluation was made of the obtained self printing paste for printing cotton, wool and silk fabrics in presence and absence of different mordants. It was found that pastes of Tara gum treated with sodium hydroxide at a range of 0.5 to 2 % exhibit non-Newtonian pseudo plastic behavior, whereas the latter is converted at higher alkali concentrations to non-Newtonian Thixotropic behavior; similar to pastes prepared from the untreated gum. The colored printing paste, which was isolated from Tara seeds, could successfully be used in printing of silk, wool and cotton fabrics without any additives, but the shade was only confined to one color. It was also found that the K/S values of silk and wool are practically equal meanwhile they are higher than that of cotton. Mordants enhance printing and create different colors, depending upon their nature. For example the K/S of printed cotton samples displays the highest value with tannic acid and the lowest with alum and follows the order: tannic acid > copper sulphate > ferrous sulphate > potassium dichromate > alum; an order which is also valid for wool and silk fabrics.

Fabrics printed by the self printing paste acquire color fastness to rubbing, to washing, and to perspiration ranging from very good to excellent, besides, resistance of the prints to alkali treatment.