Acrylamide Ester Curable Ink Reduces Volatility and Odor

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Curable ink compositions containing tertiary acrylamide compounds with low molecular weight exhibit high volatility and odor, leading to usability limitations in inkjet applications, and pose safety concerns due to acute oral toxicity.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an acrylamide compound with an ester structure at its distal end, which reduces volatility and odor, and maintains low viscosity, thereby enhancing safety and usability, specifically by using a curable composition comprising an acrylamide compound represented by a specific chemical formula that includes an ester structure and a polymerization initiator, along with optional coloring materials and organic solvents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If low molecular weight tertiary acrylamide compounds are used in curable ink compositions, then curability is improved, but volatility and odor increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecurabilityVSAvoidodor and volatility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the molecular structure parameters of the acrylamide compound by introducing an ester group at the distal end, which modifies the physical properties (reducing volatility and odor) while maintaining the chemical reactivity needed for curability. This structural parameter change resolves the contradiction between curability and harmful emissions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite molecular structure combining acrylamide functional groups with ester groups. This composite structure integrates the beneficial properties of both functional groups: the acrylamide provides curability through polymerization, while the ester group reduces volatility and odor, thus resolving the technical contradiction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If low molecular weight tertiary acrylamide compounds are used, then curability is improved, but acute oral toxicity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecurabilityVSAvoidacute oral toxicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the molecular weight and structural parameters of the acrylamide compound by adding an ester group, which reduces acute oral toxicity while preserving the polymerization reactivity. This parameter change resolves the contradiction between curability and safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-generated harmful factors

If molecular weight is increased to reduce volatility, then odor is reduced, but viscosity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveodor and volatilityVSAvoidviscosity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the molecular structure by introducing an ester group, which increases molecular weight sufficiently to reduce volatility and odor, but controls the overall molecular size and shape to prevent excessive viscosity increase. This balanced parameter change resolves the contradiction between reducing odor and maintaining low viscosity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The acrylamide compound with an ester structure reduces odor and volatility, maintains low viscosity, and decreases acute oral toxicity, making the curable composition safer and more suitable for inkjet applications while maintaining excellent curability.

Implementation Method 1

a curable composition comprising an acrylamide compound represented by a specific chemical formula that includes an ester structure and a polymerization initiator

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentEP3321333B1Curable composition, curable ink, accommodating container, image forming device, image forming method, cured matter, and acrylamide compound
Publication Date: 2022.07.06 RICOH CO LTD
  • EP3321333B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3321333B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3321333B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3D

AI summary

A curable composition includes an acrylamide compound represented by the following Chemical formula 1: where R1 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, X represents an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and Y represents the following Chemical formula 2 or the following Chemical formula 3, where R2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and * represents a bond site with X, where R2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and * represents a bond site with X.