Statistical Optimization and Bulk Scale Validation of the Effects of Cationic Pre-treatment of Cotton Fabric for Digital Printing with Reactive Dyes

Digital printing has the potential of enabling cleaner or even dyeing cotton fabrics. However, whilst effluent-free digital and synthetic textile fabrics have seen some success, same remain elusive for The study reported in this paper aimed to optimize process parameters cationic pre-treatment with a view creating fabric that could be sustainably implemented at bulk-scale production. Thus, variables were screened using one-factor-at-a-time approach select optimum experimental regions. A Box–Behnken design was used investigate combined effect selected factors namely amount thickener (150–200 g/L), urea (75–125 g/L) alkali (10–20 on color strength, dye fixation ink penetration cationized digital-printed significant models showed excellent fitting data. levels factors, namely, thickener, found 200 g/L, 125 g/L 10 respectively. experiments carried out shown an average ca. 52% reactive ink, 37.5% 50% can saved by along generation nearly colorless effluent.