Cellulose gum, also known as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), is a water-soluble polymer derived from cellulose. It has various applications in several industries, including the textile dyeing and printing industry. Here are some ways in which cellulose gum is used in this industry:
Printing paste: Cellulose gum is used as a thickener in printing pastes for screen printing and roller printing. It helps to maintain the viscosity of the paste, thereby ensuring consistent print quality.
Dyeing: Cellulose gum is added to the dye bath to improve the dye uptake of the fabric. It also helps to prevent the dye from migrating to the wrong areas of the fabric during the dyeing process.
Finishing: Cellulose gum is used as a sizing agent in textile finishing to improve the stiffness and hand of the fabric. It also helps to reduce the tendency of the fabric to wrinkle.
Pigment printing: Cellulose gum is used as a binder in pigment printing to help the pigment adhere to the fabric. It also improves the washfastness of the printed design.
Reactive dye printing: Cellulose gum is used as a thickener in reactive dye printing to improve the print quality and prevent color bleeding.
Overall, cellulose gum plays an important role in improving the quality and efficiency of textile dyeing and printing processes.