Ink Formulation for Plain Paper Inkjet Recording
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet recording on plain paper faces issues such as feathering, bleeding, reduced image density, color forming property, water resistance, light resistance, gas resistance, and fixing property due to inferior ink absorbability, which existing inks fail to adequately address without compromising image quality or increasing complexity and energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
An ink formulation with a solid content of 10% to 30% comprising a water-dispersible resin and a pigment, optimized surfactants, and polyhydric alcohols like glycerin to enhance permeability, drying speed, and reliability, ensuring high image quality and stability without nozzle clogging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If aqueous ink is used for inkjet recording on plain paper, then the apparatus is simple and energy-saving, but the image quality deteriorates due to feathering, bleeding, and reduced density
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the ink by introducing a specific water-dispersible resin system with controlled molecular weight (5,000-50,000) and functional groups. This resin modification allows the ink to achieve both good image quality on plain paper and maintain apparatus simplicity without requiring complex heating or drying systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite ink formulation combining water-dispersible resin, pigment, and specific additives. This composite material approach enables the ink to simultaneously provide good dispersion stability, high image density, and fast drying on plain paper, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and image quality
2Reliability
If pigment is used as coloring agent to improve water resistance and light resistance, then durability is enhanced, but density and color forming property are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the particle size parameter of the pigment to 0.01-1.0 μm and controls the resin-to-pigment ratio at 1:9 to 9:1. These parameter changes enable pigment-based ink to achieve both high durability and high image density, overcoming the traditional trade-off between pigment durability and dye density
3Manufacturing precision
If solid content is increased to improve image density and color forming property, then image quality is enhanced, but viscosity increases causing nozzle clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully controls the solid content parameter within 1-20% and optimizes the resin molecular weight to 5,000-50,000. These parameter changes ensure the ink maintains low viscosity for reliable jetting while achieving high image density through optimized solid content composition
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses local quality by creating a water-dispersible resin with specific functional groups distributed throughout the ink formulation. This localized functional distribution improves pigment dispersion and maintains low viscosity even at higher solid contents, preventing nozzle clogging while enhancing image density
4Speed
If permeability is enhanced to reduce bleeding and improve drying speed, then fixation is improved, but feathering and show through increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the surface tension parameter of the ink by selecting specific surfactants and controlling the resin structure. This parameter adjustment enables the ink to achieve fast drying speed through enhanced permeability while simultaneously reducing feathering and show through effects
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 achieves high image density, improved color forming properties, and reliable jetting performance on plain paper with enhanced drying speed and resistance, comparable to electrophotographic systems, while maintaining low viscosity and surface tension for efficient inkjet operation.
Implementation Method 1
hydrophilicity is imparted to the pigment surface by surface modification such as oxidation, sulfonation or graft polymerization
Implementation Method 2
dispersibility has been improved and particle diameters have been minimized
Implementation Method 3
enhance permeability
Implementation Method 4
control the permeability of the ink into the paper
Implementation Method 5
a surface tension of the ink is 35 mN/m or less
Implementation Method 6
wetting agents such as glycerin
Implementation Method 7
a viscosity of the ink is 5 mPa·s to 20 mPa·s at 25°C
Implementation Method 8
enhanced drying speed
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided an ink for recording, which contains: a coloring agent; a water-dispersible resin; a wetting agent; a surfactant; and water, wherein a total solid content of the coloring agent and the water-dispersible resin is 10% by mass to 30% with respect to a total mass of the ink, a ratio B/C is 0.1 to 1.6 where B is a solid content of the coloring agent in the ink, and C is a solid content of the water-dispersible resin in the ink, a viscosity of the ink is 5 mPa·s to 20 mPa·s at 25°C, and a surface tension of the ink is 35 mN/m or less.