Textile Effects

Technical Data Sheet

LYOPRINT® RT-BC reactive dye printing thickener

PRINTING AUXILIARIES

USES
Printing with reactive dyes on cotton and viscose.

Characteristics Benefits

• High solids liquid dispersion • Improved cost effectiveness. Economical in use.

polymer. Minimum inventory required.

• Low viscosity liquid. • Easy handling. Suitable for dispensing in

automatic make up units. Can be transported
and stored in bulk containers. Ideal for back-
thickening.

• Rapid, controlled thickening. • Reduced stock preparation time. Lump-free

pastes.

• Electrolyte tolerant. • Stock thickenings show good viscosity retention

on addition of dyestuffs.

• Optimized rheological behavior. • Can give better color yield, definition and
levelness than natural thickeners in many cases.

• Not prone to bacterial attack. • Excellent paste storage stability.

Technical Data Sheet LYOPRINT® RT-BC reactive dye printing thickener

PROPERTIES

Chemical constitution Acrylic polymer dispersion

Ionic character Anionic

pH of 1% thickening Approx. 6

Specific gravity at 20°C Approx. 1.25

Physical form Pourable white dispersion

General stability Stable in hard water and neutral to alkaline pH values. May
be precipitated in strongly acid conditions.

Compatibility Compatible with all anionic and nonionic auxiliaries and

pigments normally used in reactive printing.

Storage stability Stable for more than one year at 20°C in closed containers.
Should not be stored at temperatures above 40°C. Not
affected by freezing, but will become viscous as the
temperature drops. Recovers fully on warming to room
temperature.

Ecology/toxicology The usual hygiene and safety rules for handling chemicals
should be observed in storage, handling and use. The
product must not be swallowed.

For further information on LYOPRINT® RT-BC thickener

– especially particulars regarding safety when handling,
toxicological and ecological data – please consult our
product specific safety data sheet.

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Technical Data Sheet LYOPRINT® RT-BC reactive dye printing thickener

APPLICATIONS

1. Preparation of stock thickenings

LYOPRINT® RT-BC thickener is suitable for use in one or two phase printing processes with all
methods of fixation. Typical examples of stock formulations are given below:

All in one Two phase

Printing (kg) printing (kg)
Water X Y
Sodium bicarbonate 25 –
Sodium carbonate 5 –
LYOPRINT® AP antifoam 2 2
LYOPRINT® RG GR oxidizing agent 10–15 10–15
Urea 100–200* –
®
LYOPRINT RT-BC thickener 45–60 35–45

1.000 kg 1.000 kg
* When printing viscose higher levels of 150–200 g/kg urea are required. 100g/kg is usually sufficient for
cotton. These levels can be reduced when pre-moistening units are installed.

The alkalis are firstly added to the water and stirred until fully dissolved. LYOPRINT® AP antifoam
and LYOPRINT® RG GR oxidizing agent are then added, followed by urea. When these are fully
dissolved, LYOPRINT® RT-BC thickener is introduced and the stock stirred, using a high shear
mixer for 10–20 minutes, to allow the full viscosity to develop.

2. Paste preparation

NOVACRON® P or NOVACRON® PH reactive dyes are then added to the stock as required. After
stirring to ensure complete distribution of color the viscosity can be adjusted if required with further
additions of thickener. The paste should be stirred thoroughly before printing.

In order to ensure a more consistent print paste viscosity across a wide range of depth of shades it
may be advantageous to use a constant proportion of stock thickening and make this up to volume
with dyestuff and water for example:

Stock 800 parts

Dye X parts

Water Y parts

Total 1.000 parts

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Technical Data Sheet LYOPRINT® RT-BC reactive dye printing thickener

In such a case it will be necessary to have additional thickener in the stock to compensate for the
reduced quantity of stock used to prepare the final paste. In the example above, the stock
concentration will need increasing by 25% to maintain the same level in the final paste.

3. Mixed thickener systems

LYOPRINT® RT-BC thickener can also be used together with sodium alginate, or with kerosene in
cases where drying capacity is limited and regulations permit. Typical recipes are given in the
following table:

Sodium alginate (kg) Kerosene (kg)

Water X Y
Sodium bicarbonate 25 25
Sodium carbonate 5 5
LYOPRINT® AP antifoam 2 2
LYOPRINT® RG GR oxidizing agent 10–15 10–15
Urea 100–200 100–200
Medium viscosity alginate 20 –
Emulsifier – 5–10
Kerosene – 300
LYOPRINT® RT-BC thickener 25 30

1.000 kg 1.000 kg

The alkalis are firstly added to the water and stirred until fully dissolved. LYOPRINT® AP antifoam
and LYOPRINT® RG GR oxidizing agent are then added, followed by urea. When these are fully
dissolved the remaining components can be added as follows:

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Technical Data Sheet LYOPRINT® RT-BC reactive dye printing thickener

I) Sodium alginate powder should be added whilst stirring under high shear. This should be allowed
to disperse for 10–15 minutes after which time the LYOPRINT® RT-BC thickener is added as the
final component. When powder grade alginate is used sufficient time must be allowed for it to fully
hydrate before preparing print pastes. If preferred, the sodium alginate may be pre-swollen before
adding to the stock thickening. In this case the quantity of water should be adjusted to account for
this.

II) To prepare semi-emulsions the emulsifier must be dispersed in the stock followed by gradual
addition of the kerosene to form the emulsion. This can then be adjusted to the final printing
viscosity by adding the LYOPRINT® RT-BC thickener as the final component.

In all cases, printing, drying and fixation are carried out as normal.

4. Washing off

The printed goods must be adequately washed off to remove residual thickener and unfixed color in
order to ensure maximum fastness. A typical routine is given below:

ƒ 2 x Cold rinse (<30°C)

ƒ 2 x Hot wash (90–100°C) plus 1–2 g/l ERIOPON® R dispersant.

ƒ Rinses (80–40°C)

ƒ Cold rinse

ƒ Neutralize to pH 6.5–7.5 if necessary

ƒ Cold rinse

Fabric printed with LYOPRINT® RT-BC thickener may also be washed at the boil throughout. This
requires an open width washing range capable of maintaining temperatures at or close to the boil in
all baths, and with counterflow.

NOTES

1. The alkalis commonly used in reactive printing are all suitable for use with LYOPRINT® RT-BC
thickener. Subject to the class of dyes being used, sodium bicarbonate will give pastes with the
longest storage stability. When using sodium bicarbonate a minimum concentration of 25 g/kg
should be maintained. An extra 5g/kg of sodium carbonate is necessary to prevent liberation of
carbon dioxide. When using sodium carbonate alone, a total concentration of 20 g/kg is sufficient.

2. The recommended amounts are given for guidance only. In view of the large number of different
fiber and dye combinations possible preliminary trials should be carried out to establish optimum
conditions.

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Technical Data Sheet
www.huntsman.com/textile_effects
4200081e
LYOPRINT® RT-BC reactive dye printing thickener
Region Europe
Huntsman Textile Effects (Germany) GmbH
Rehlinger Str. 1
86462 Langweid a. Lech, Germany
infotexeurope@huntsman.com
Tel: +49 8230 41-0
Fax: +49 8230 41-370
Region Americas
Huntsman International LLC
Textile Effects
4050 Premier Drive
USA-High Point, North Carolina 27265
infotexamericas@huntsman.com
Tel: +1 800 822 1736
Fax: +1 336 801 2808
Region Asia
Huntsman (Guangdong) Ltd.
Textile Effects
Flying Geese Mountain Industrial Park
Shilou Town, Panyu District, Guangzhou
511447, PR China
infotexasia@huntsman.com
Tel: +86 20 8484 5100
Fax: +86 20 8484 5222
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