Synthesis of polyurethane acrylate oligomers as aqueous UV-curable binder for inks of ink jet in textile printing and pigment dyeing

Polyurethane acrylate oligorners were prepared from isophorone diisocyanate, mixture of polyethylene glycol 1000 and 2000 and hydroxy ethyl acrylate using dibutyl tin dilaurate as a catalyst. The rheological properties and its utilization as a UV-curable binder for inks of inkjet printing and pigment dyeing of cotton, viscose, wool, polyester and nylon 66 fabrics using pigment dyes were thoroughly investigated. It was found that the prepared binder is characterized by low viscosity (0.0042 Pa S = 4.2 cP) at a rate of shear of 10.0007 S-1. Furthermore, the results obtained indicate that the aqueous UV-curable binder of polyurethane acrylate oligomer based on the mixture of PEG(1000) and PEG(2000) can be used safely for inks of ink jet printing and also in pigment dyeing to give coloured goods characterized by soft handling and from good to excellent color fastness properties. Infra-red spectra of the mixture of PEG(1000) and PEG(2000) before and after the preparation of polyurethane acrylate oligomer indicate some physicochemical changes in the structure. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.