The aim of the study was to achieve synergistic effect between inflatable pigment paste and fragrance microcapsules for creating three-dimensional prints that will release the fragrance of essential oils during pressure, with the goal to create formaldehyde-free prints of at least 0.45 mm in height, which will be suitable for production of tactile picture books for blind and partially sighted preschool children. Expansion capabilities of three selected expandable printing inks Minerfoam Bi, SR SPEC, and NFO (Achitex Minerva, Italy) were determined, without and with the presence of the fragrant microcapsules water suspenssion in 5, 10, and 15% concentrations. Printing inks were applied to 100% cotton fabric using screen printing technique with and without subsequent application of repellent finishing Dynasylan F 8815 (Evonic Degussa AG, Germany). Following parameters were determined on the studied samples: thickness of the prints, concentration of free formaldehyde, effectiveness of the fragrance release from the microcapsules, washing fastness, resistance to rubbing after different cycles, resistance to acid and alkaline sweat and light fastness. Morphological properties of the prints, as well as the colorimetric CIE L*a*b* values after the addition of blue, red, and yellow pigments, before and after washing, after treatment in acid and alkaline sweat, rubbing and lighting, were also determined. Combination of the Minerfoam BI inflatable printing ink with 5 to maximum 10% concentration of the fragrant microcapsules water suspension on weight of the printing ink was found to be the most suitable for creating the three-dimensional prints. Such combination reflected appropriate thickness of prints, with minimal concentration of free formaldehyde. On pressure, suspension of the fragranced microcapsules in 5 and 10% ensured the efficient release of the fragrance from the prints, though it affected their structure. In lower concentration, the printed ink layer was more elastic, providing better fastness to washing, while in the case of higher concentration the structure became more consisted, reflecting better fastness to rubbing. Prints prepared with the addition of 10% fragranced microcapsules water suspension and pigments reflected good to excellent colourfastness. Application of finishing was not meaningful, since it was not durable and also impaired colourfastness of the studied prints.
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