Ballpoint Pen Paste Using Polyvinyl Butyral and Diacetone Alcohol
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ballpoint pen pastes contain harmful ingredients, such as benzyl alcohol, 2-phenoxyethanol, and Solvent Blue 38, which pose health risks and environmental concerns, while also facing issues with viscosity, smudging, and drying times, necessitating a safer and more effective formulation.
Innovation Solution
A non-aqueous ballpoint pen paste using a harmless alkali salt of Solvent Blue 38 as the dye, combined with polyvinyl butyral as a polymer thickener and diacetone alcohol or hexylene glycol as solvents, which provides a stable, smudge-resistant, and water-resistant ink with high light fastness and color strength, avoiding toxic components and ensuring safe handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional dyes and solvents are used to achieve deep color application and good writing properties, then the paste provides excellent writing performance, but the ingredients become harmful to health when inhaled or swallowed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes harmful ingredients (benzyl alcohol, 2-phenoxyethanol, cyclohexane, and certain dye formulations) from the ballpoint pen paste, replacing them with safer alternatives that maintain writing performance while eliminating health risks associated with inhalation and ingestion
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the paste by using alternative solvents with different volatility profiles and safer dyes with modified molecular structures, thereby reducing toxicity while preserving color strength and writing properties
2Stability of the object's composition
If formaldehyde-based resins are used to create appropriate consistency, then the paste achieves proper viscosity, but free formaldehyde content increases causing health problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes formaldehyde-based resins from the formulation, replacing them with alternative polymers and solvents that provide the necessary viscosity and consistency without releasing harmful formaldehyde, thereby eliminating a significant health hazard while maintaining paste stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses alternative resins and solvents that, while potentially requiring more frequent replacement or having shorter shelf lives, eliminate the need for complex formaldehyde management procedures and safety precautions
3Ease of operation
If high solvent content is used to improve paste flow and writing smoothness, then the paste transfers well and writes smoothly, but the ink penetrates too deeply into the paper or bleeds through
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the solvent composition by selecting solvents with appropriate volatility and polarity characteristics that optimize paste flow and writing smoothness while controlling ink penetration depth and preventing bleed-through, achieving a balance between ease of writing and composition stability
4Stability of the object's composition
If high-boiling solvent content is increased to prevent ink penetration, then the ink bleed-through is reduced, but the ink does not dry quickly enough
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the solvent mixture by combining solvents with different boiling points and evaporation rates, creating a balanced formulation that controls ink penetration while maintaining acceptable drying times through careful selection of solvent ratios and compositions
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 solution results in a ballpoint pen paste that is safe for health, offers a soft writing feel, excellent writing performance, and maintains stability at various temperatures, with high light fastness and color strength, while eliminating the risks associated with traditional harmful ingredients.
Implementation Method 1
polyvinyl butyral in a form that is soluble in the solvent or solvent mixture and has a weight-average molecular weight Mw (g/mol) in the range from 30,000 to 80,000
Implementation Method 2
at least one solvent for dissolving the alkali salt of the Solvent Blue 38, in particular diacetone alcohol and/or hexylene glycol
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a paste for a ballpoint pen, said paste containing: a colouring means, which can be a colouring agent or a mixture of colouring agents and which comprises at least Solvent Blue 38; a solvent or solvent mixture containing at least diacetone alcohol; and a polymer, which is a polyvinyl butyral resin, for adjusting the viscosity.