Thickener plays a key role in textile reactive dye printing, mainly used to adjust the rheological properties of printing pigments, ensuring pattern clarity, color uniformity, and dye transfer efficiency. The following are its specific applications and technical points:
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1.  The core function of thickeners
-Viscosity control: endowing the color paste with appropriate pseudoplasticity (shear thinning characteristics), making it have good flowability during scraping, restoring high viscosity after stopping, and preventing infiltration.
-Dye transfer: As a carrier of dyes, it helps to transfer dyes from the color paste to the fibers and fix them on the surface of the fabric.
Prevent color bleeding : High viscosity inhibits dye diffusion towards the fiber edges, ensuring sharp pattern contours.
-Stable color paste: prevents dye aggregation or settling, and extends the service life of the color paste.
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2.  Common types of thickeners
(1) Natural Thickener
-Sodium alginate: the most commonly used, has good compatibility with reactive dyes, is easy to wash off, but has poor electrolyte resistance.
-Guar gum/locust bean gum: Chemical modification (such as carboxymethylation) is required to improve salt tolerance and stability.
(2) Synthetic Thickener
-Polyacrylic acid (such as PTF thickener): High thickening efficiency, electrolyte resistance, suitable for high concentration dye pastes, but requires pH control (usually 8-9).
-Emulsified paste (A-grade paste): Mineral oil-based, requiring the use of emulsifiers, with poor environmental friendliness, gradually being phased out.
(3) Composite Thickener
-Natural and synthetic blends, balancing cost and performance (such as mixing sodium alginate with polyacrylic acid).

3.  Key points of application process
-Color paste formula: The amount of thickener is usually 0.5% -3%, which needs to be adjusted according to the printing accuracy (higher viscosity is required for fine patterns) and fabric type.

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