Digital Offset Lithography Ink Composition for High Transfer Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital offset printing inks face challenges in achieving high transfer efficiency from the blanket to the substrate and effective cleanability, leading to image degradation and residual ink issues due to their sticky and high viscosity nature at room temperature.
Innovation Solution
The development of a digital offset printing ink composition incorporating a non-radiation curable additive that functions as a detergent or emulsifying agent, specifically designed to improve transferability and cleanability, comprising a curable monomer, oligomer, and optional photoinitiator, with the additive being a solid at temperatures between 20°C to 40°C, enhancing the ink's viscosity and tack properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ink composition uses curable monomers and oligomers with high viscosity at room temperature, then the ink provides good adhesion and chemical resistance, but the transfer efficiency from blanket to substrate decreases and cleanability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by incorporating additives that modify the viscosity-temperature relationship of the ink composition. The ink is designed to have high viscosity at room temperature for good adhesion, but undergoes viscosity reduction when heated during the printing process, enabling efficient transfer and cleanability. This dynamic parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining reliability and improving productivity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the ink composition has high viscosity at room temperature, then the ink maintains stable composition and provides good adhesion, but the cleanability and transferability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by creating a ink composition whose viscosity is not static but dynamically adjustable through temperature changes and additive interactions. The composition remains stable at room temperature for storage and handling, but becomes more fluid during the printing and cleaning operations, thereby achieving both composition stability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions by designing the ink composition to undergo viscosity changes in response to temperature variations. The additive components facilitate this transition, allowing the ink to shift from a high-viscosity state (providing stability and adhesion) to a lower-viscosity state (enabling cleanability and transferability) during the printing process.
3Speed
If the ink is designed for high-speed curing, then the printing speed increases, but the robustness of cured print and adhesion may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating specific additives into the ink composition before printing that pre-condition the curable components. These additives ensure that even when cured at high speeds, the ink maintains proper adhesion and chemical resistance properties. The preliminary formulation preparation compensates for the potential quality loss from rapid 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 ink composition achieves high transfer efficiency and improved cleanability, maintaining key print functions while ensuring reliable adhesion and chemical resistance, even at high speeds, with the additive enhancing the ink's ability to break down and remove residual ink from the blanket.
Implementation Method 1
the non-radiation curable additive is a detergent or an emulsifying agent, or wherein the non-radiation curable additive functions as a detergent or emulsifying agent when in the presence of a cleaning fluid
Implementation Method 2
comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of a curable monomer and a curable oligomer; an optional dispersant; an optional photoinitiator
Data Source
AI summary
An ink composition for use in digital offset printing including at least one component selected from the group consisting of a curable monomer and a curable oligomer; an optional dispersant; an optional photoinitiator; and at least one non-radiation curable additive, wherein the non-radiation curable additive is a detergent or an emulsifying agent, or wherein the non-radiation curable additive functions as a detergent or emulsifying agent when in the presence of a cleaning fluid, and wherein the non-radiation curable additive is a solid at a temperature of from about 20° C. to about 40° C.