Dry Ink Composition Mixing for Stable Ink Jet Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink jet recording methods face challenges in reducing environmental load during transportation and storage, and achieving favorable resolubility/redispersibility, intermittent printing stability, and storage stability of ink compositions.
Innovation Solution
A method involving mixing a dry ink composition containing a color material and a water-soluble solid substance with an aqueous solution to form an ink jet ink composition with specific surface tension and viscosity, which is then used immediately in a printer, minimizing environmental impact and enhancing stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a liquid medium is added to a dry ink composition to create an ink jet ink composition, then the ink becomes usable for printing, but the storage stability and resolubility/redispersibility become difficult to balance
Solution Approach 1:
The ink system is divided into two separate components: a dry ink composition (containing pigment, resin, and other additives in powder form) and a liquid medium (aqueous solution). These segments can be stored separately with excellent stability, then mixed immediately before printing to achieve proper ink properties for ejection.
Solution Approach 2:
The dry ink composition is prepared in advance in a stable, low-moisture state (with moisture content of 0.1% or less) to ensure long-term storage stability. The liquid medium is also prepared separately. Both components are kept ready and stable until the moment of use, when they are mixed to form the final ink jet ink composition.
2Quantity of substance
If a dry ink composition is stored and transported, then storage space and environmental load are reduced, but the resolubility and redispersibility become difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The moisture content of the dry ink composition is precisely controlled to be 0.1% or less, which is a critical parameter change that enables both excellent storage stability and good resolubility. This specific moisture level prevents premature reaction while allowing easy rehydration when mixed with the liquid medium.
Solution Approach 2:
The dry ink composition uses a composite formulation containing pigment, resin, and other additives in a controlled moisture environment. This composite structure maintains stability during storage while ensuring proper dissolution and dispersion when reconstituted with the liquid medium.
3Reliability
If the content of liquid substance in ink composition is reduced to 20% by mass or less, then storage stability is improved, but the ink becomes difficult to use directly for printing
Solution Approach 1:
The ink system is divided into two separate components: a dry ink composition (containing pigment, resin, and other additives in powder form) and a liquid medium (aqueous solution). These segments can be stored separately with excellent stability, then mixed immediately before printing to achieve proper ink properties for ejection.
Solution Approach 2:
The ink composition is designed to be dynamic rather than static. The dry ink composition remains stable during storage with minimal liquid content, then transforms into a printable liquid state when mixed with the aqueous solution. This dynamic transition allows the system to optimize for both storage stability and printability at different times.
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
This approach reduces environmental load and ensures stable ink jet ejection by achieving favorable resolubility/redispersibility, intermittent printing stability, and storage stability of the ink composition.
Implementation Method 1
a water-soluble substance being solid in an environment of 25° C. and 1 atmospheric pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A method of using an ink according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: mixing an ink composition A, which contains a color material and a water-soluble substance being solid in an environment of 25° C. and 1 atmospheric pressure, in which a content of a substance being liquid in an environment of 25° C. and 1 atmospheric pressure is 20% by mass or less with respect to a total amount of the ink composition A, with an aqueous solution B, which contains water in an amount of 50% by mass or more with respect to a total amount of the aqueous solution B, when used in an ink jet printer, to obtain an ink jet ink composition C having a surface tension of 40 mN/m or less and a viscosity of 100 mPa·s or less after the mixing, and using the ink jet ink composition C by ejecting the ink jet ink composition C from the ink jet printer.