Ink Additive Reducing Dynamic Surface Tension

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Solution Overview

Problem

Aqueous ink systems face challenges in achieving high-speed printing due to slow drying rates and inadequate wetting, penetrating, and dispersing properties, while traditional surfactants like acetylene glycol surfactants have limitations in solubility and environmental compliance.

Innovation Solution

A surface-active combination of acetylene glycol surfactants with sulfur-containing surfactants is used to create an ink additive that reduces dynamic surface tension, enhancing wetting and dispersing properties and meeting environmental standards.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If acetylene glycol surfactants are used to reduce surface tension for improved wetting and dispersing properties, then the ink exhibits good wetting, penetrating and dispersing properties, but the surfactant has low solubility in water and solidity at normal temperature requiring combination with solubilizing agents

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewetting and dispersing propertiesVSAvoidsolubility in water

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines acetylene glycol surfactant (A) with alternative solubilizing agent (B) to create a synergistic mixture that achieves both low dynamic surface tension and adequate solubility. The specific combination ratios and selection of compatible components resolve the contradiction between maintaining surfactant effectiveness and ensuring water solubility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite surfactant system by formulating acetylene glycol surfactant with specific alternative solubilizing agents. This composite approach allows the system to exhibit properties that neither component alone can achieve, specifically maintaining low dynamic surface tension while improving water solubility and eliminating the need for traditional problematic solubilizers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional solubilizing agents like polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether are used to improve solubility, then the acetylene glycol surfactant becomes soluble in water, but the ink gives rise to problems like cissing, bleeding due to deteriorated absorptivity, and varying spreads of ink on paper

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesolubility in waterVSAvoidprint quality consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the solubilizing agent by selecting alternative compounds with different molecular structures and properties compared to traditional polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether. This parameter change maintains solubility while avoiding the harmful effects on print quality such as cissing and bleeding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces traditional solubilizing agents with alternative compounds that are environmentally friendly and compliant with regulations. These alternative agents provide the necessary solubilization function without the long-term environmental harm and quality issues associated with conventional agents.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Productivity

If the ink system is designed for high-speed printing, then productivity increases, but the drying rate becomes insufficient and wetting properties deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting speedVSAvoiddrying rate and wetting properties

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent focuses on reducing dynamic surface tension specifically, which is the surface tension under flow conditions during high-speed printing. This dynamic approach allows the ink to maintain excellent wetting properties during rapid application while the formulation ensures adequate drying rate, resolving the contradiction between printing speed and drying performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 additive enables high-speed printing with improved wetting, penetrating, and dispersing properties, ensuring solubility in water and environmental compliance, resulting in consistent print quality and productivity.

Implementation Method 1

the resultant composition exhibits good wetting, penetrating and dispersing properties due to a reduced dynamic surface tension

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface tension reduction: Surface Tension

Implementation Method 2

a surface active combination comprising an acetylene glycol surfactant and a specific sulfur-containing surfactant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurfactant action: Surfactant

Data Source

PatentUS7758684B2Ink additive and ink using same

Publication Date: 2010.07.20 NISSHIN CHEM IND CO LTD

AI summary

An additive comprising an acetylene glycol or ethylene oxide/propylene oxide adduct of acetylene glycol and a sulfur-containing surfactant is added to a dye and water to form an ink composition which exhibits good wetting, penetrating and dispersing properties due to a reduced dynamic surface tension and complies with the environmental problem.