Eutectic Wax Inkjet Ink Prevents Blooming at Low Temperatures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional actinic ray-curable inkjet inks experience high wax crystallization rates at low temperatures, leading to irregularities and blooming issues during low-temperature printing, making it difficult to achieve high-quality images.
Innovation Solution
The use of two waxes that form a eutectic, with each wax having an alkyl chain containing 15 or more carbon atoms, to lower the gelation temperature and prevent blooming, allowing for high-quality printing at substrate temperatures between 15°C to 40°C.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional actinic ray-curable inkjet ink containing a single wax is used for low-temperature printing, then the ink can be ejected at low temperature, but the wax crystallizes at too high a rate causing irregularities and blooming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite gelling agent system comprising two different waxes (first wax and second wax) with distinct melting points. This composite material approach creates a eutectic mixture that lowers the overall gelation temperature while maintaining controlled crystallization behavior, thereby achieving both low-temperature printability and high image quality without blooming
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the gelling agent by selecting waxes with specific melting point differences (10-30°C apart) and controlling their combined concentration (0.1-5% by mass). This parameter optimization allows the ink to gel at lower temperatures with controlled crystal formation rates, preventing blooming while enabling low-temperature printing
2Temperature
If the gelation temperature is lowered to enable low-temperature printing, then printing at low substrate temperature becomes possible, but wax crystallization rate increases causing blooming
Solution Approach 1:
By combining two waxes with different melting points in a eutectic mixture, the patent achieves a lower gelation temperature than either wax alone would provide. The composite system controls the crystallization kinetics through the interaction between the two wax types, preventing excessive crystal growth that causes blooming while maintaining low gelation temperature
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic gelation process where the phase transition occurs progressively as the ink cools from the ejection temperature. The two-wax system provides a staged crystallization process that controls the timing and rate of gel formation, allowing the ink to remain fluid during ejection then gel controllably upon contact with the substrate
3Manufacturing precision
If heating means is used to prevent wax crystallization irregularities, then image quality improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of gelation temperature through the two-wax eutectic system, allowing gelation to occur at lower temperatures without external heating. This parameter modification eliminates the need for energy-consuming heating means while maintaining controlled crystallization and high image quality
Solution Approach 2:
The ink formulation itself provides the temperature control mechanism through the two-wax system's inherent phase transition behavior. The ink autonomously gels at the appropriate temperature without requiring external heating assistance, making the system self-regulating and energy-efficient
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 solution enables high-image quality and low-blooming prints even at low substrate temperatures, reducing energy consumption and expanding the range of suitable substrates.
Implementation Method 1
the wax B forms a eutectic with the wax A
Implementation Method 2
the wax crystallized in the landed ink can precipitate
Implementation Method 3
the components of the ink can be cured by applying actinic rays such as ultraviolet rays to polymerize the photopolymerizable compound
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
AI summary
The purpose of the present invention is to provide an active ray-curable inkjet ink for which occurrence of blooming on a printed object is limited even when printed at a low substrate temperature. This active ray-curable inkjet ink comprising an active ray-curable compound, a photopolymerization initiator, a wax A and a wax B, is characterized in that: wax A and wax B both have at least one alkyl chain that comprises a straight chain portion and the number of carbon atoms in the straight chain portion in all of the alkyl chains is at least 15; for wax A, the temperature at which saturation solubility with respect to the polymerizable compound is 0.4% is in the range of 40-50°C; and wax B forms a eutectic crystal with wax A.