|
 Selecatsine
binders are well established and highly proven for screen
printing. They are manufactured by Brenntag UK Ltd and
backed by their research and technology.
The printing system is simple, economic and flexible in
use. When combined with the Selectasine pigments, it
produces a soft finish and has outstanding fastness.
Although designed for screen printing, it can also be
brushed, sprayed and blocked.
There is the acylic-based, standard binder for general
printing onto light fabrics and 5 special effect binders,
each fulfilling a specific function. These binders can be
intermixed to create variations on the results.
The binders are combined with concentrated pigment colours to
create the screen printing ink.
The binders and pigments can be found in the Screen
Printing section of this website.
Method for Mixing the Ink
-
Estimate the amount of binder you require. 1kg of
Selectasine binder SF20 will cover approximately 2.8m/30
sq.ft. of print area, but some fabrics are more absorbent
than others.
-
Stir or shake your chosen pigment well before measuring
the desired quantity. The colours are highly concentrated
and should be used at a rate of up to 50g per kg of
binder. In practice, an average of 35g will give full
shade (Luminous colours should be used at a rate of 80-120
gm per kg and Metallic Powders at a rate of 100-150 gm per
kg).
NOTE: When Selectasine Black TT Pigment is combined
with Selectasine binder SF20, the solution is prone to
gelling if the concentration of the pigment is more than
2% (2g per 100g binder). In order to get a good strong
black, a 5% concentration is generally required. To
prevent gelling, add a salt solution (10g salt to
100ml water) a little at a time, depending on the
concentration of black required.
-
Carefully add the colour to give the strength of colour
required. Do not overload the Binder with colour as
surplus will be left on the surface of the material and
come out and discolour the water in the first washing.
-
When the prints are dry, the pattern will need fixing by
the application of heat. Heat speeds up and completes a
chemical “cross-linking” reaction. Generally, fixing can
be completed with an iron at 150°C for 4-5 minutes on the
reverse of the print. In some cases, the temperature can
be increased, thus proportionally reducing the time, but
consideration must be given to the nature of the fabric
and the amount of pigment used. A thorough ironing, on the
reverse of the print, may achieve reasonably fixing.
-
SCREENS SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY CLEANED AFTER USE.
Clean out all the ink debris using a nail brush with a
little washing up liquid and plenty of water. If screens
are stored with Binder still left in the mesh, they will
become permanently blocked.
-
Most fabrics are readily printable, but some may have
received special treatment which makes them unsuitable. It
is recommended that a sample is printed and tested for
fastness before the whole batch is printed. Check whether
the fabric is ‘Prepared for Dyeing’ (PFD) or requires
scouring to remove any grease, oil or starch. Run a few
droplets of cold water onto the fabric. If they soak in
quickly, no scour is necessary. To remove starches, size
and oils, add 5mls of Synthrapol (a non-ionic detergent)
along with 2-3 litres of water for each 100g of material.
Stir gently over a 15 minute period, and then rinse
thoroughly in warm water. It is possible to use household
detergent, but the alkaline residue may affect the final
colour or wash fastness.
Painting
or Spraying the Ink
The binders can be watered down for painting and spraying.
This substantially reduces the fixing properties, and therefore wash fastness. If wash fastness is essential, we recommend you test and
keep records of results.
Find out more about
fixing/curing the inks made using the Selectasine screen
printing system.
Download this page as a PDF
|