Transfer printing of cellulosic and proteinic fabrics

Cotton (cellulosic) and silk (proteinic) fabrics were grafted with tetrahydrofurfuryl acrylate (THFA) in the presence of ceric ammonium nitrate and potassium persulphate as initiators, prior to transfer printing. Grafted fabrics with 23 and 26 wt% increase were obtained with a monomer concentration of 10 ml/g fabric and 1 g ceric ammonium nitrate initiator in case of cotton and silk fabrics respectively. Increasing monomer (THFA) and initiator (ceric ammonium nitrate) concentrations have a remarkable effect on the color strength of the prints. Treatment of the THFA-grafted cotton and silk fabrics with Cassurit MLS resin produces prints with higher color strength values as compared to the grafted fabric alone. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.