Rheological properties of thickener for preparing digital printing ink for nylon carpets

Application of polyacrylate-based thickener for digital printing of carpet was investigated. Its rheological properties were studied by testing its thixotropy, filament dragging ability, sagging property, capillary effect and printing viscosity index (PVI). Meanwhile, its thickening ability was also tested through measuring viscosity of printing ink with different thickener concentrations. The results show that printing ink made of polyacrylate-based thickener is sensitive to shear stress, but its viscosity recovers quickly after the stress is removed. Meanwhile, its sagging property and weak capillary action can balance its permeability on hydrophobic carpets and the gravity, and its weak filament dragging ability and excellent thickening ability make it suitable for use on a digital printing machine. Therefore, it is suitable for carpet digital printing.