Synthesis of salt-resistant hyperbranched waterborne polyurethane associative thickener and its application in textile printing

To improve the thickening effect of polyurethane thickener, hyperbranched waterborne polyurethane associative thickener (HWPUAT) was successfully synthesized and the 3 wt% HWPUAT aqueous solution (HAS) was prepared. The viscosity of HAS at the rotating speed of 6 and 60 rpm was 12,118 and 4207 mPa·s, respectively. After adding 1.3 wt% NaCl, the viscosity retention rates of HAS and anionic polyacrylic acid thickener (APAT) aqueous solution with the same mass fraction were 90.5% and 27.5%, respectively. In addition, HWPUAT was used in textile printing with three different reactive dyes. The penetration ratios (PRs) and the paste removing rates (PRRs) of the cotton fabrics were equal to or greater than 75.91% and 74.23%, respectively. And the color unevenness (CU) of the cotton fabrics was equal to or less than 0.19. The comprehensive performance of the printed fabric was good.