Ceramic Ink Vehicle Composition to Reduce Thermal-Treatment Emissions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ceramic inks for inkjet digital printing emit harmful substances like aldehydes and VOCs during thermal treatment due to the decomposition of organic vehicles, leading to environmental pollution and deterioration of printing quality.
Innovation Solution
A ceramic ink comprising a liquid part with esterified terephthalates, cyclohexane dicarboxylates, or citrates as vehicles, which have high boiling points and chemical stability, allowing degradation into non-toxic combustion products like CO2 and CO at high temperatures, thus minimizing harmful emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional organic vehicles (glycol ethers, esters) are used in ceramic ink, then printing performance is improved, but harmful emissions (VOCs, aldehydes) are generated during thermal treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the liquid vehicle from traditional glycol ethers and fatty acid esters to specific esterified terephthalates (with boiling points above 250°C). This parameter change fundamentally alters the decomposition behavior during thermal treatment, eliminating the formation of harmful aldehydes and VOCs while preserving the ink's printing performance and flow characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of organic vehicle decomposition into a benefit by selecting esterified terephthalates that decompose at higher temperatures into benign combustion products (CO2 and CO) rather than harmful aldehydes and VOCs. The high boiling point of these substances ensures they remain stable during printing and drying, only decomposing cleanly at elevated firing temperatures.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If water is used as liquid vehicle to reduce emissions, then harmful emissions are reduced, but printing performance deteriorates due to nozzle obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces esterified terephthalates as an intermediary substance that bridges the gap between water-based and traditional organic vehicles. Like water, these substances are less volatile and reduce harmful emissions. Like traditional organic vehicles, they maintain appropriate viscosity and flow characteristics that prevent nozzle obstruction, thus serving as a mediating solution that achieves both reduced emissions and maintained printing performance.
3Manufacturing precision
If esters of fatty acids are used as liquid vehicle, then printing performance is improved, but decomposition occurs at low temperatures forming aldehydes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the temperature parameter at which decomposition occurs by selecting esterified terephthalates with boiling points above 250°C. This is in contrast to traditional fatty acid esters that decompose between 100-200°C. The higher decomposition temperature ensures the vehicle remains stable throughout the printing and drying processes, only decomposing into benign products during the high-temperature firing stage.
4Manufacturing precision
If glycol ethers are used as liquid vehicle, then printing performance is improved, but VOCs are easily formed during thermal treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful VOC-forming characteristic of glycol ethers into a benefit by replacing them with esterified terephthalates that, upon decomposition at high temperatures, produce benign combustion products (CO2 and CO) instead of harmful VOCs. The high boiling point of the terephthalates ensures they do not evaporate as VOCs during lower-temperature processing stages.
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 significantly reduces emissions of odoriferous and harmful substances by over 40% while maintaining printing quality, without requiring modifications to the printing equipment or process.
Implementation Method 1
esterified terephthalates, cyclohexane dicarboxylates, or citrates as vehicles, which have high boiling points and chemical stability
Implementation Method 2
allowing degradation into non-toxic combustion products like CO2 and CO at high temperatures
Implementation Method 3
degradation into non-toxic combustion products like CO2 and CO at high temperatures
Data Source
AI summary
Ceramic ink for digital printing comprising a solid part provided with at least one ceramic component and a liquid part provided with at least one first vehicle, wherein said first vehicle is selected from the group comprising: esterified terephthalates, cyclohexane dicarboxylates, citrates, trimethylolpropane esters, fatty acid esters of aromatic alcohols.