Pigments for printing continue to excel in the field ofcolorants due to ease of application on various substrates, meet the demands offastness properties, regulatory impact/compliance etc and make inroads into newapplications like inkjet printing. Colour components in the past were known aspigment emulsions owing to the medium of kerosene emulsion thickening used andlater they became pigment dispersions, which transpire now as pigmented ordigital inks for textiles abroad.

Understanding the basic concepts provide clarity of thesubject and dispel misconceptions thereby forming a sound base for emergingtechnologies effecting value addition to the downstream users. Thus, it isworthwhile to cover pigment printing system in the curriculum of the educationalinstitutions for virtual learning.

Pigment printing constitutes about 50% share and thereforeit is appropriate for an exclusive presentation on this theme to enable usersrecapitulate the various components used, like color pigment dispersions, binders,fixers, thickeners, rheology modifiers, auxiliaries (emulsifiers and softeners)and their functions.

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Theauthor is Technical Consultant at Pidilite Industries Limited