Fatty Acid Ester Ink Composition for Low-Temperature Inkjet Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing non-aqueous inkjet inks using hydrocarbon-based solvents face challenges with high viscosity, poor low-temperature fluidity, and potential health hazards, necessitating a solvent composition that maintains inkjet discharge stability and long-term stability without hydrocarbon-based solvents.

Innovation Solution

An ink composition comprising a saturated fatty acid diester-based solvent and an unsaturated fatty acid monoester-based solvent, with a specific mass ratio, ensuring low-temperature fluidity and discharge stability, while avoiding hydrocarbon-based solvents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If a saturated fatty acid ester-based solvent is used to increase stability and dispersibility, then the ink composition becomes more stable, but the viscosity increases and low-temperature fluidity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink stabilityVSAvoidhigh viscosity and poor low-temperature fluidity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines a saturated fatty acid ester-based solvent (for stability) with a hydrocarbon-based solvent (for low-temperature fluidity) in a specific ratio. This merging of two different solvent types allows the ink composition to simultaneously achieve high stability and good low-temperature fluidity, resolving the contradiction between these two properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite solvent system by mixing saturated fatty acid ester-based solvent and hydrocarbon-based solvent in a controlled proportion. This composite approach leverages the complementary strengths of each solvent type: the saturated fatty acid ester provides stability and dispersibility, while the hydrocarbon component maintains low viscosity and excellent low-temperature fluidity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-generated harmful factors

If a hydrocarbon-based solvent is used to ensure low-temperature fluidity, then the pour point decreases, but the health safety risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelow-temperature fluidityVSAvoidhealth hazards

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The saturated fatty acid ester-based solvent acts as an intermediary that allows the use of hydrocarbon-based solvent in controlled amounts. It provides a stable, safe base that enables the inclusion of a limited quantity of hydrocarbon solvent (which provides low-temperature fluidity) without compromising health safety. The intermediary solvent mediates between the conflicting requirements of fluidity and safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameter of hydrocarbon-based solvent content from high (in conventional inks) to low (5% by mass or less), while adjusting the saturated fatty acid ester-based solvent content to maintain stability. This parameter change reduces health hazards while preserving low-temperature fluidity through the optimized solvent ratio.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the hydrocarbon-based solvent content is reduced or eliminated, then health safety improves, but low-temperature fluidity and inkjet discharge stability may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehealth safetyVSAvoidinkjet discharge stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention optimizes the parameter of saturated fatty acid ester-based solvent content to be 50% by mass or more of the total solvent, which compensates for the reduced hydrocarbon-based solvent content. This parameter change maintains inkjet discharge stability and low-temperature fluidity while improving health safety by minimizing or eliminating hydrocarbon-based solvents.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a new composite solvent system primarily based on saturated fatty acid ester-based solvent combined with small amounts of alternative solvents (such as unsaturated fatty acid esters or alcohols). This composite material achieves both health safety and inkjet discharge stability without relying on large quantities of hydrocarbon-based solvents.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP4686743A1Ink composition for inkjet printing

Publication Date: 2026.02.04 SAKATA INX

AI summary

Provided is an ink composition for solvent-based inkjet printing, including a colorant, a dispersant, and a solvent, in which the colorant includes a pigment and/or a dye, the solvent includes a saturated fatty acid diester-based solvent and an unsaturated fatty acid monoester-based solvent, a total amount of the saturated fatty acid diester-based solvent and the unsaturated fatty acid monoester-based solvent is 50% by mass or greater with respect to a total amount of the ink composition for solvent-based inkjet printing, and a mass ratio of the saturated fatty acid diester-based solvent to the unsaturated fatty acid monoester-based solvent is 2:8 to 8:2.