Ink Composition Anti-Clearing Agent Hollow Resin Particles
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Solution Overview
Problem
The quality of images formed by combining white ink compositions containing hollow resin particles with color ink compositions degrades over time and under high-humidity conditions due to the clearing phenomenon caused by moisturizing agents, which affect the hiding power and color reproducibility.
Innovation Solution
An ink composition containing hollow resin particles and an anti-clearing agent with an octanol/water partition coefficient of more than −0.1 and a vapor pressure of less than 10 Pa at 25° C., such as hexylene glycol or trimethylolpropane, is used to prevent the clearing phenomenon, maintaining the stability and whiteness of the image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a white ink composition containing hollow resin particles is combined with a color ink composition containing a moisturizing agent, then the image can be formed with color and white layers, but during long-term storage or under high-humidity conditions, the moisturizing agent absorbs water from the air and leaches into the white image region, causing the hollow resin particles to become clear and degrading the image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a water-soluble polymer as an intermediary substance that selectively interacts with water molecules. This polymer has a high affinity for water and competes with the hollow resin particles for water absorption, thereby preventing water from leaching into the white image region and causing clearing. The polymer acts as a mediator that protects the hollow resin particles from water damage while allowing the ink composition to maintain its printing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the white ink composition by adding a water-soluble polymer with specific molecular weight and concentration ranges. This parameter change modifies the water absorption characteristics of the ink system, creating a protective environment that prevents water migration to the hollow resin particles during storage, thus maintaining image quality stability.
2Illumination intensity
If the hollow resin particles are made transparent to improve light scattering and produce white color, then the hiding power is enhanced, but the particles become susceptible to clearing when exposed to moisture from moisturizing agents
Solution Approach 1:
The water-soluble polymer serves as a protective intermediary between the moisture environment and the hollow resin particles. It preferentially binds water molecules through hydrogen bonding, creating a protective barrier that prevents water from penetrating the particle structure and causing clearing. This allows the particles to maintain their transparent, light-scattering properties without being vulnerable to moisture-induced clearing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of moisture into a beneficial protective mechanism. By introducing the water-soluble polymer that has a higher affinity for water than the hollow resin particles, the system uses water absorption as a protective feature rather than a damaging one. The polymer absorbs water first, preventing it from reaching and clearing the hollow resin particles, thus turning the harmful moisture exposure into a beneficial protective water-binding mechanism.
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 ensures that the hollow resin particles do not become clear during long-term storage and high-humidity conditions, maintaining the quality and stability of the image, even when combined with color ink compositions containing moisturizing agents.
Implementation Method 1
the hollow resin particle has a difference in refractive index between the outer shell and the hollow interior. This difference causes light scattering to produce a hiding power (hence, to produce white color)
Implementation Method 2
the moisturizing agent in the color image region or layer of the recorded image, such as glycerin or saccharide, absorbs water from the air, and leaches the water into the white image region or layer or moves into the white image region or layer with water held therein
Data Source
AI summary
An ink composition contains hollow resin particles and an anti-clearing agent preventing the clearing phenomenon of the hollow resin particles.