New thickening agent based on Aloe vera gel for disperse printing of polyester

The technical feasibility of using Aloe vera gel as a new thickener for printing polyester with disperse dyes was examined. The results indicate that the properties of the printed fabric samples (colour strength, K/S, overall fastness properties, handling and sharpness) were dependent on gel concentration, the type and concentration of additive (i.e. urea or citric acid), as well as the fixation conditions using the super-heated steam technique. The optimum conditions for printing polyester fibre with disperse dyes using Aloe vera gel as a thickener were as follows: 30 g/kg disperse dye, 50 g/kg urea, 15 g/kg citric acid, 500 g/kg Aloe vera thickener and 50% drying at 100°C for 3 min followed by steam fixation for 6 min at 180°C.