Alicyclic Ink Composition for Fast-Curing Planographic Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink compositions for ink jet recording have low sensitivity to actinic radiation, leading to long exposure times and potential image quality issues, and the resulting images lack flexibility and adhesiveness, especially in forming planographic printing plates.
Innovation Solution
An ink composition containing a polymerization initiator and a (meth)acrylic acid ester or amide with an alicyclic group as a substituent, which enhances sensitivity and flexibility by reducing volume shrinkage during curing, ensuring strong adhesiveness to the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional photopolymerization initiators (benzil, benzoin, Michler's ketone, etc.) are used in ink composition, then the ink composition can be cured by actinic radiation, but the sensitivity is low requiring long exposure times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the ink composition by incorporating specific polymerizable compounds (acrylate compounds with high sensitivity to actinic radiation) and optimizing the photopolymerization initiator system. This parameter change enables high sensitivity curing while reducing exposure time, resolving the contradiction between curing reliability and time loss.
2Reliability
If polyfunctional acrylate compounds are used to improve sensitivity, then curing sensitivity increases, but the cured image lacks flexibility and impact resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material system combining specific polymerizable compounds (acrylate compounds with high sensitivity) and photopolymerization initiators in optimized proportions. This composite formulation achieves both high curing sensitivity and adequate flexibility by balancing the cross-linking density, preventing excessive cross-linking that would cause brittleness while maintaining sufficient sensitivity for rapid curing.
3Strength
If long exposure time is used to ensure sufficient curing, then image strength improves, but heat generation from the exposure light source increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the photopolymerization kinetics parameters by using high-sensitivity polymerizable compounds and optimized initiators, enabling sufficient curing to be achieved in short exposure times. This parameter optimization reduces the required exposure time dramatically, thereby minimizing heat generation from the exposure light source while still achieving adequate image strength through efficient curing.
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 composition achieves high sensitivity to actinic radiation, forming images with improved flexibility, adhesiveness, and durability, suitable for planographic printing plates without cracking or peeling.
Implementation Method 1
the invention relates to an ink composition that it is curable with high sensitivity by irradiation of activation radiation, to thus form a cured material
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides an ink composition including (A) a polymerization initiator and (B) a (meth)acrylic acid ester having an alicyclic group as a substituent or amide having an alicyclic group as a substituent. The ink composition preferably further contains (D) a colorant and (E) a sensitizing dye. The ink composition is used for ink jet recording.