Reflective ink and scraping structure

Abstract

The invention discloses reflective ink and a scraping structure. The reflective ink is prepared from the following raw materials in parts by mass: 30 to 50 parts of base ink; and 0.6 to 1.6 parts of a foaming agent. According to the reflective ink, due to the action of the foaming agent, numerous microbubbles can be generated in the stirring process. When the reflective ink is used for preparing a scraping structure, a plurality of circular micro spaces with smooth inner surfaces are formed in an ink layer after the reflective ink is dried. Incident light is reflected for multiple times on the upper surface and the lower surface of the micro space respectively, so that reflected light reaching human eyes through the image-text layer can be ignored. Therefore, the effect of covering the image-text layer is achieved. In addition, compared with traditional reflective ink, the reflective ink can achieve a good covering effect through one-time printing, and the process cost can be greatly reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ink technology, and more particularly to a reflective ink and a scraping structure. Background Technology

[0002] Existing squeegee technology includes a layered base layer, an image layer, a release layer, and a masking layer. The masking layer contains a large number of pigment particles. Through the absorption and reflection of incident light by these pigment particles, the light reflected from the image layer back to the human eye is reduced to zero, thus achieving the masking effect. However, this process has a problem: the masking effect of a single masking layer is not ideal, often requiring multiple layers to achieve the desired masking effect, resulting in high process costs. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a reflective ink and a squeegee structure to solve the above problems.

[0004] A reflective ink for preparing a squeegee structure, wherein the raw materials for preparing the reflective ink, measured in parts by weight, comprise the following components:

[0005] 30 to 50 parts of base ink; and

[0006] Foaming agent: 0.6 to 1.6 parts.

[0007] In one embodiment, the foaming agent is a nonionic foaming agent or an ionic foaming agent.

[0008] In one embodiment, the nonionic foaming agent is selected from at least one of polyoxyethylene ether foaming agents, polyol foaming agents, fatty acid alcohol amide foaming agents, or alkyl glycoside foaming agents.

[0009] In one embodiment, the ionic foaming agent is selected from at least one of anionic foaming agents, cationic foaming agents, or zwitterionic foaming agents.

[0010] In one embodiment, it also includes 1 to 10 parts of structural material.

[0011] In one embodiment, the structural material is an inorganic whisker.

[0012] In one embodiment, the inorganic whiskers are selected from at least one of oxide whiskers, carbide whiskers, borate whiskers, sulfate whiskers, silicate whiskers, fluoride whiskers, titanate whiskers, and metal whiskers.

[0013] In one embodiment, the oxide whiskers are tetrapter-shaped zinc oxide whiskers.

[0014] In one embodiment, the surface of the inorganic whiskers is hydrophobically treated.

[0015] The aforementioned reflective ink contains a small amount of foaming agent. During stirring, the foaming agent generates numerous microbubbles. When this reflective ink is used to prepare a squeegee structure, after printing and drying, numerous circular microspaces with smooth inner surfaces are formed within the ink layer. These microspaces produce three beneficial effects: First, regardless of the angle from which incident light enters, first and second reflections occur on the upper and lower surfaces of the microspaces, respectively, preventing most of the incident light from reaching the image layer. Second, a small amount of incident light passes through the microspaces and reaches the image layer, only to be reflected again by the image layer and then back into the microspaces. At this point, third and fourth reflections occur again on the upper and lower surfaces of the microspaces… After multiple reflections, the amount of reflected light reaching the human eye through the image layer becomes negligible. Thirdly, the light entering a person through the micro-space is relatively strong, while the light entering the human eye through the image layer is relatively weak. Therefore, the former will seriously interfere with the latter, which will further reduce the visibility of the image layer, thereby achieving the effect of covering the image layer.

[0016] The aforementioned reflective ink significantly reduces the amount of light reflected from the graphic layer onto people through multiple reflections, and the reflected light creates visual interference, further making the graphic layer invisible to the naked eye. Compared to traditional reflective inks, the aforementioned reflective ink can achieve good opacity with a single print, significantly reducing processing costs.

[0017] A scraping structure includes a base layer, an image layer, a release layer, and a reflective layer stacked together, wherein the reflective layer is obtained by printing and drying the reflective ink described in any one of the above. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a scraping structure according to one embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0020] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly attached to the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected" or "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "upper," "lower," "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0021] The following section provides a more detailed description of the reflective ink and the scraping structure, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0022] One embodiment of the reflective ink includes 30 to 50 parts of base ink and 0.6 to 1.6 parts of foaming agent.

[0023] The base ink, which is 30 to 50 parts by weight, serves two purposes: firstly, to enable the reflective ink to dry into a film after printing; and secondly, as a base material to generate microbubbles during the stirring process.

[0024] Optionally, depending on the printing equipment, offset printing inks, screen printing inks, flexographic printing inks, or gravure printing inks purchased from the market can all be used as the base inks of this invention.

[0025] Optionally, based on the drying method, solvent-based inks and UV inks purchased from the market can be used as the base inks of this invention.

[0026] Foaming agents, as surfactants, are used to reduce the surface tension of inks. This allows air to enter the reflective ink during the stirring process, forming stable microbubbles.

[0027] Specifically, the foaming agent exhibits both affinity and repulsion to the solvent in the ink system, enabling it to adsorb onto the gas-liquid interface, reducing the interaction between liquid molecules, thereby lowering the surface tension of the ink and promoting the generation of stable microbubbles in the reflective ink during stirring. After the reflective ink is cured, the microbubbles have a smooth inner surface, which can produce a good light reflection effect.

[0028] To determine the relationship between the mass fraction of foaming agent and microbubbles, the following experiment was conducted: Different mass fractions of foaming agent were added to reflective ink. The stirrer was set to 500 rpm, and the reflective ink was stirred for 5 minutes. Then, the reflective ink was coated onto a glass slide, and the number of microbubbles per square centimeter was observed under a microscope to obtain the initial number. The reflective ink was allowed to stand for 2 hours, and then coated onto a glass slide again. The number of microbubbles per square centimeter was observed under a microscope to obtain the comparison number. See Table 1 for details.

[0029] Table 1. Relationship between the mass fraction of foaming agent and microbubbles

[0030]

[0031] As shown in Table 1, the selectable range of foaming agent mass parts is 0.6 parts to 2.4 parts. Within this range, the number of microbubbles in the reflective ink is at a high level, and the stability of the microbubbles is high.

[0032] Preferably, the foaming agent can be selected in the range of 0.6 parts to 1.6 parts by mass. Within this range, the microbubbles also have the characteristic of small diameter, which meets the printability requirements of gravure or screen printing, thereby preventing the microbubbles from breaking due to external forces during the printing process.

[0033] Optionally, the foaming agent is a nonionic foaming agent or an ionic foaming agent.

[0034] Specifically, the nonionic foaming agent is selected from at least one of polyoxyethylene ether foaming agents, polyol foaming agents, fatty acid alcohol amide foaming agents, or alkyl glycoside foaming agents. The ionic foaming agent is selected from at least one of anionic foaming agents, cationic foaming agents, or zwitterionic foaming agents.

[0035] Polyoxyethylene ether foaming agents include, but are not limited to: polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyoxyethylene (POE), and polyoxyethylene (POE) / polyoxypropylene (POP) copolymers.

[0036] Polyol foaming agents include, but are not limited to: glycerin, sorbitol, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacryl alcohol, and polyurethane.

[0037] Fatty acid alcohol amide foaming agents include, but are not limited to: lauramide, stearamide, palmitamide and myristamide.

[0038] Alkyl glycoside foaming agents include, but are not limited to: lauroyl glycoside, decanoyl glycoside, octanoyl glycoside, isodecanoyl glycoside, and nonionic glycosides.

[0039] Anionic foaming agents include, but are not limited to: alkyl sulfates, alkyl ether sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, and cocamidopropyl sulfonate.

[0040] Cationic foaming agents include, but are not limited to: quaternary ammonium salts and amino acid cationic surfactants.

[0041] Amphoteric foaming agents include, but are not limited to: ammonium phosphates and glycerides.

[0042] In another embodiment, the reflective ink also includes 1 to 10 parts of structural material.

[0043] Specifically, the structural material is uniformly dispersed in the reflective ink system, and the microbubbles can adhere to the structural material by means of surface tension. This will produce the following beneficial effects: the microbubbles are uniformly dispersed in the ink system along with the structural material, which can prevent the microbubbles from rising due to buoyancy and eventually merging or breaking on the surface of the ink layer, so that the microbubbles are always suspended in the ink. On the one hand, this is conducive to improving the stability of the microbubbles, and on the other hand, it is conducive to improving the dispersion uniformity of the microbubbles.

[0044] Optionally, the structural material is an inorganic whisker, with the length of the inorganic whisker ranging from a few micrometers to several hundred micrometers. When dispersed in the reflective ink system, it does not affect the printability of the ink.

[0045] Preferably, the inorganic whiskers are selected from at least one of oxide whiskers, carbide whiskers, borate whiskers, sulfate whiskers, silicate whiskers, fluoride whiskers, titanate whiskers, and metal whiskers.

[0046] Furthermore, the inorganic whiskers are elongated. When microbubbles come into contact with the elongated whiskers, their length affects the number of attached microbubbles. The longer the whisker, the more contact points it can provide for the microbubbles, thus attaching more microbubbles to the whisker and forming a "microbubble string". After the reflective ink is cured, the "microbubble string" can greatly enhance the light reflection effect.

[0047] Furthermore, inorganic whiskers are tetraneedle zinc oxide whiskers among oxide whiskers. Tetraneedle zinc oxide whiskers have four needle-like structures, and their special crystal structure helps to form three-dimensional "microbubble strings", thereby further enhancing the reflection effect of light.

[0048] Preferably, the surface of the inorganic whiskers is hydrophobically treated. The hydrophobically treated inorganic whiskers can significantly reduce the contact angle between the microbubbles and the whisker surface, thereby improving the stability of the attached microbubbles.

[0049] The aforementioned reflective ink contains a small amount of foaming agent. During stirring, the foaming agent generates numerous microbubbles. When this reflective ink is used to prepare a squeegee structure, after printing and drying, numerous circular microspaces with smooth inner surfaces are formed within the ink layer. These microspaces produce three beneficial effects: First, regardless of the angle from which incident light enters, first and second reflections occur on the upper and lower surfaces of the microspaces, respectively, preventing most of the incident light from reaching the image layer 20. Second, a small amount of incident light passes through the microspaces and reaches the image layer 20, where it is reflected again. At this point, third and fourth reflections occur again on the upper and lower surfaces of the microspaces… After multiple reflections, the amount of reflected light reaching the human eye through the image layer 20 becomes negligible. Thirdly, the light entering the person through the micro-space is relatively strong, while the light entering the person's eye through the image layer 20 is relatively weak. Therefore, the former will seriously interfere with the latter, which will further reduce the visibility of the image layer 20, thereby achieving the effect of covering the image layer 20.

[0050] The aforementioned reflective ink significantly reduces the amount of light reflected from the graphic layer 20 and enters the viewer through multiple reflections. Furthermore, the reflected light creates visual interference, further rendering the graphic layer 20 invisible to the naked eye. Compared to traditional reflective inks, this reflective ink achieves excellent opacity with a single print, significantly reducing processing costs.

[0051] A scraping structure, please refer to Figure 1 The scraping structure includes a base layer 10, a graphic layer 20, a release layer 30 and a reflective layer 40 stacked together, the reflective layer 40 being obtained by printing and drying reflective ink from any of the above.

[0052] The following are specific examples.

[0053] Example 1

[0054] This embodiment provides a reflective ink, comprising 30 parts by weight of base ink and 0.6 parts by weight of foaming agent. In this embodiment, the base ink is TLWY white ink provided by Guangdong Tianlong Ink Group Co., Ltd., and the foaming agent is C8-16 alkyl glycoside provided by Guangzhou Chengyou Daily Chemical Co., Ltd., model APG2000 from BASF.

[0055] The reflective ink was stirred at 500 rpm for 5 minutes and then coated onto a glass slide. Under a microscope, the initial number of microbubbles per square centimeter was 15. After 2 hours, the microscope observation experiment was repeated, and the number of microbubbles was 8, with a diameter of about 0.2 mm.

[0056] After printing and drying, the aforementioned reflective ink will form numerous circular microspaces with smooth inner surfaces within the ink layer. These microspaces will then produce three beneficial effects: First, regardless of the angle from which incident light enters, first and second reflections will occur on the upper and lower surfaces of the microspaces, respectively, preventing most of the incident light from reaching the image layer 20. Second, a small amount of incident light that passes through the microspaces and reaches the image layer 20 will be reflected back into the microspaces by the image layer 20. At this point, third and fourth reflections will occur again on the upper and lower surfaces of the microspaces… After multiple reflections, the reflected light reaching the human eye through the image layer 20 will be negligible. Third, the light reflected into the human eye through the microspaces is relatively strong, while the light reflected into the human eye through the image layer 20 is relatively weak. Therefore, the former will severely interfere with the latter, further reducing the visibility of the image layer 20 and thus achieving the effect of obscuring the image layer 20.

[0057] The aforementioned reflective ink significantly reduces the amount of light reflected from the graphic layer 20 and enters the viewer through multiple reflections. Furthermore, the reflected light creates visual interference, further rendering the graphic layer 20 invisible to the naked eye. Compared to traditional reflective inks, this reflective ink achieves excellent opacity with a single print, significantly reducing processing costs.

[0058] In addition, this embodiment also provides a scraping structure, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 The scraping structure includes a base layer 10, a graphic layer 20, a release layer 30 and a reflective layer 40 stacked together, the reflective layer 40 being obtained by printing and drying reflective ink from any of the above.

[0059] Example 2

[0060] This embodiment provides a reflective ink, comprising, by weight, 40 parts base ink, 1.2 parts foaming agent, and 1 part structural material. In this embodiment, the base ink is gravure white ink of model GSN5201 provided by Bauhinia Ink (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd., the foaming agent is lauramide provided by Guangzhou Pengyuan Chemical Co., Ltd., and the structural material is calcium sulfate whiskers provided by Shijiazhuang Yuexiu Technology Co., Ltd.

[0061] The reflective ink was stirred at 500 rpm for 5 minutes and then coated onto a glass slide. Under a microscope, the initial number of microbubbles per square centimeter was 55. After 2 hours, the microscope observation experiment was repeated, and the number of microbubbles was 46, with a diameter of about 0.6 mm.

[0062] In addition, the reflective ink contains whisker material, which will produce the following beneficial effects: microbubbles are uniformly dispersed in the ink system along with the structural material, which can prevent microbubbles from rising due to buoyancy and eventually merging or breaking on the surface of the ink layer, so that the microbubbles are always suspended in the ink. On the one hand, this is beneficial to improve the stability of microbubbles, and on the other hand, it is beneficial to improve the dispersion uniformity of microbubbles.

[0063] Example 3

[0064] This embodiment provides a reflective ink, comprising, by weight, 50 parts base ink, 1.6 parts foaming agent, and 10 parts structural material. In this embodiment, the base ink is WGT gravure white ink provided by Hanghua Ink Co., Ltd., the foaming agent is stearamide, and the structural material is tetraneedle-shaped zinc oxide whiskers provided by Zhongshan Laipeng New Material Co., Ltd.

[0065] The reflective ink was stirred at 500 rpm for 5 minutes and then coated onto a glass slide. Under a microscope, the initial number of microbubbles per square centimeter was 48. After 2 hours, the number of microbubbles was 41, and the diameter of the microbubbles was about 1.0 mm.

[0066] In addition, the reflective ink described above is constructed from tetra-needle whiskers. The tetra-needle zinc oxide whiskers have four needle-like structures, and their special crystal structure helps to form a three-dimensional "microbubble string", thereby further enhancing the reflection effect of light.

[0067] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A reflective ink for preparing a squeegee structure, characterized in that, The raw materials for preparing the reflective ink, measured in parts by weight, include the following components: 30 to 50 parts of base ink; and Foaming agent: 0.6 to 1.6 parts.

2. The reflective ink according to claim 1, characterized in that, The foaming agent is a nonionic foaming agent or an ionic foaming agent.

3. The reflective ink according to claim 2, characterized in that, The nonionic foaming agent is selected from at least one of polyoxyethylene ether foaming agents, polyol foaming agents, fatty acid alcohol amide foaming agents, or alkyl glycoside foaming agents.

4. The reflective ink according to claim 3, characterized in that, The ionic foaming agent is selected from at least one of anionic foaming agents, cationic foaming agents, or zwitterionic foaming agents.

5. The reflective ink according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes 1 to 10 pieces of structural material.

6. The reflective ink according to claim 5, characterized in that, The structural material is inorganic whiskers.

7. The reflective ink according to claim 6, characterized in that, The inorganic whiskers are selected from at least one of oxide whiskers, carbide whiskers, borate whiskers, sulfate whiskers, silicate whiskers, fluoride whiskers, titanate whiskers, and metal whiskers.

8. The reflective ink according to claim 7, characterized in that, The oxide whiskers are tetraneedle-shaped zinc oxide whiskers.

9. The reflective ink according to claim 6, characterized in that, The surface of the inorganic whiskers is hydrophobically treated.

10. A scraping structure, characterized in that, It includes a base layer, a graphic layer, a release layer and a reflective layer stacked together, wherein the reflective layer is obtained by printing and drying the reflective ink as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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