Water-based Blue Inkjet Ink for Postal Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blue postal inks face challenges in achieving high contrast and durability while meeting diverse regulatory requirements across various substrates, as they often compromise between waterfastness, decap time, and purging properties due to the need for high pigment concentrations, which can affect jetting performance.
Innovation Solution
A water-based blue inkjet ink composition using a mixture of C.I. Pigment Blue 60 and C.I. Acid Blue 90, combined with a water-soluble organic solvent like glycerol, a polymeric dispersant, and specific surfactants, which maintains high contrast, waterfastness, and reliable print head operation across a range of substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high concentrations of pigment and/or dyes are used to achieve waterfastness and high contrast, then durability and contrast are improved, but purging and decap properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The ink formulation is segmented into distinct functional components: C.I. Pigment Blue 60 for durability and waterfastness, C.I. Acid Blue 90 for contrast and coloration, and auxiliary agents (surfactants, solvents, dispersants) for jetting performance. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function without compromising overall system performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes specific parameter ranges: pigment concentration at 0.1-5% by weight, dye concentration at 0.1-5% by weight, surfactant at 0.1-5% by weight, and solvent at 5-50% by weight. These parameter changes balance the competing requirements of image durability and print head operability.
2Manufacturing precision
If high loading of colorant is used to achieve high contrast, then contrast is improved, but decap time and purging performance worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Water-soluble organic solvents and surfactants act as intermediaries between the colorant particles and the inkjet system. These intermediaries reduce surface tension and prevent aggregation, allowing high colorant loading without compromising decap time or purging performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The ink is a composite material combining inorganic pigment particles (C.I. Pigment Blue 60) with organic dye molecules (C.I. Acid Blue 90) in an aqueous matrix containing surfactants and solvents. This composite structure provides both high contrast and acceptable decap characteristics.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a single blue postal ink is developed to meet all European and postal requirements, then versatility is improved, but the ability to satisfy contradictory requirements simultaneously worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The ink formulation achieves universality by combining multiple colorants and auxiliaries that collectively satisfy diverse postal requirements: C.I. Pigment Blue 60 provides waterfastness for durable images, C.I. Acid Blue 90 provides contrast for machine readability, and the auxiliary agents ensure compatibility across porous and non-porous substrates while maintaining jetting performance.
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 ink composition achieves durable, high-contrast, machine-readable images with excellent readability of 2D bar codes on porous and coated substrates, while ensuring waterfastness, lightfastness, and fast drying times, maintaining reliable printer performance and image quality over time.
Implementation Method 1
the larger absorbance range of the blue in the visible spectrum as opposed to red inks
Implementation Method 2
Decap is to some extent affected by ink vehicle evaporation which leaves behind a deposit of nonvolatile ingredients
Implementation Method 3
triethylene glycol monobutyl ether as a penetrant
Data Source
AI summary
A water-based ink for inkjet recording exhibits a blue color defined as L*<45, 25<C*<28, 255<h<278, and comprises a mixture of dyes and pigments, specifically including C.I. Pigment Blue 60 and C.I. Acid Blue 90, with water and a water-soluble organic solvent. The blue ink provide an image which has good water resistance and high optical density.