ABC Triblock Polymer Ink for Nonpermeable Media Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Water-based inks for nonpermeable recording media face challenges in achieving high storage stability, ejection stability, and scratch resistance, as existing solutions often compromise between these properties due to the trade-off between polymer content and hydrophilicity.
Innovation Solution
The use of a specific ABC triblock polymer with A, B, and C blocks, where the A block has high affinity for the polymer emulsion, the C block is highly hydrophilic, and the B block has intermediate hydrophilicity, stabilizes the polymer emulsion and improves ejection stability while maintaining scratch resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a water-based ink containing a polymer emulsion is used, then adhesion to the recording medium is improved, but storage stability and ejection stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer is divided into three distinct blocks (A, B, and C) with different functions: A block for emulsion affinity, B block for hydrophilicity control, and C block for water solubility. This segmentation allows each block to independently contribute to different performance aspects, resolving the contradiction between adhesion and stability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite triblock polymer structure combining hydrophobic A block, intermediate B block, and hydrophilic C block. This composite structure integrates multiple functionalities within a single polymer molecule, achieving both strong adhesion through the hydrophobic blocks and storage/ejection stability through the hydrophilic blocks
2Strength
If the polymer content in the ink is increased, then scratch resistance is improved, but storage stability and ejection stability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical structure parameters of the polymer by introducing a triblock architecture with specific functional groups in each block. This allows achieving high scratch resistance at lower polymer concentrations because the triblock structure provides superior emulsion stabilization and adhesion efficiency per unit mass
3Reliability
If the ink is made more hydrophilic, then storage stability is improved, but scratch resistance and adhesion deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Different blocks of the polymer have different local properties: A and B blocks provide hydrophobic character for adhesion and scratch resistance, while C block provides hydrophilic character for storage stability. This local differentiation of properties within the single polymer molecule resolves the contradiction between hydrophilicity and adhesion
Data Source
AI summary
An ink jet aqueous ink including an ABC triblock polymer and a polymer emulsion, wherein the above-described ABC triblock polymer is formed from an A block having a unit represented by the following general formula (1), a B block having a unit represented by the following general formula (2), and a C block having a unit represented by the following general formula (3).