Enhancing the rheological properties of aloe vera polysaccharide gel for use as an eco-friendly thickening agent in textile printing paste
Fedaa Saad, Amina L. Mohamed, Mohamed Mosaad, Hanan Othman, Ahmed Hassabo
Abstract
The aloe vera plant grows primarily in the dry regions of Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The technical feasibility of using Aloe Vera Polysaccharide as a thickener for printing on cotton, wool, and polyester fabrics was examined. Alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose, and DELL thickener P were mixed with aloe vera polysaccharide gel to enhance its rheological performance as a thickener in textile printing. The rheological properties of aloe vera polysaccharide gel-based printing pastes with and without different additives were studied. The effect of pH and a reducing agent on the prepared aloe vera polysaccharide gel-based thickeners was examined. The color strength (absorption and dispersion) and fastness of each printing paste were examined on each fabric. The fabrics printed with modified thickeners demonstrated superior rubbing fastness and handle compared with the standard printed samples and the optimal printing properties were achieved with a printing paste containing a 70/30 ratio of aloe vera polysaccharide gel to additive.