Active Energy Ray-Curable Ink Surface Tension Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing active energy ray-curable inks face challenges in reducing graininess and improving glossiness due to surfactant bleeding, which affects the quality of recorded images, especially when used in multi-color image formation.
Innovation Solution
Developing an active energy ray-curable ink with a reduced surfactant content of 0.01% by mass or less, featuring a photopolymerizable monomer with an average surface tension of 31.0 mN/m or less, and a homopolymer with a glass transition temperature of 20° C. or more, which reduces droplet interference and enhances image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a surfactant is added to reduce surface tension and droplet interference, then image graininess and glossiness are improved, but surfactant bleeding occurs which degrades image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the photopolymerizable monomer to achieve a surface tension of 31.0 mN/m or less. By selecting specific monomer types (including at least one monomer with an alkyl group or alicyclic structure), the ink achieves low surface tension without requiring surfactant additives, thereby preventing surfactant bleeding while improving image graininess and glossiness.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If surfactant content is reduced to prevent bleeding, then image quality is improved, but droplet interference increases which degrades graininess and glossiness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the surface tension parameter of the photopolymerizable monomer to 31.0 mN/m or less through careful selection of monomer chemistry. This parameter change allows the ink to maintain low surface tension without surfactants, simultaneously preventing surfactant bleeding and reducing droplet interference to improve image graininess.
3Manufacturing precision
If a photopolymerizable monomer with low surface tension is used, then droplet interference is reduced and image quality is improved, but the glass transition temperature may decrease affecting image stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the glass transition temperature parameter by selecting photopolymerizable monomers whose homopolymers have a glass transition temperature of 20°C or more. This ensures that the low surface tension monomer provides good image glossiness and reduced droplet interference while maintaining sufficient thermal stability through adequate glass transition temperature.
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 achieves improved graininess and glossiness in recorded images by minimizing surfactant bleeding and droplet interference, resulting in higher image quality and adhesiveness, even when used in multi-color applications.
Implementation Method 1
an ink is applied onto a recording medium and the ink deposited on the recording medium is cured by irradiation with an active energy ray, such as ultraviolet radiation, to form an image
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are an active energy ray-curable ink that includes a photopolymerizable monomer, a photopolymerization initiator, and a colorant, wherein the photopolymerizable monomer includes a monomer A1 having a surface tension of 31.0 mN/m or less, the photopolymerizable monomer has an average surface tension of 31.0 mN/m or less, and the content of a surfactant is 0.01% by mass or less of the total amount of the active energy ray-curable ink, an ink set, and an image recording method.