Ink Formulation for Indirect Aqueous Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for an ink with enhanced wetting properties for indirect aqueous printing applications that utilize a sacrificial layer, as existing inks do not effectively improve wetting and spreading on various substrates.
Innovation Solution
The ink formulation includes a combination of latexes, amines, pigments, solvents, anti-foaming agents, and surfactants, optimized to achieve improved wetting and spreading characteristics, with specific solvent blends and surfactants selected to minimize viscosity and maximize surface tension for enhanced jetting and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional ink formulations are used in indirect aqueous printing, then the printing process can be maintained with existing components, but the wetting and spreading performance on substrates is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the ink formulation by adjusting the concentration and type of surfactants (0.01-5 wt%), selecting specific solvent combinations (water, alcohol, ketone, ester), and controlling polymer latex properties (molecular weight, composition) to optimize wetting and spreading parameters for different substrate types
Solution Approach 2:
The ink uses a composite formulation combining multiple components: surfactants (ionic and non-ionic), polymer latex (polyacrylic acid, polyvinyl alcohol), solvents (water, alcohol, ketone, ester), and pigments, creating a synergistic system that achieves enhanced wetting and spreading across various substrates
2Productivity
If the ink viscosity is reduced to improve jetting, then printing efficiency increases, but ink stability and prevention of aggregation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes viscosity by selecting specific solvent combinations (water, alcohol, ketone, ester) and controlling their proportions, adjusting polymer latex molecular weight and composition, and modifying surfactant concentrations to achieve the desired balance between jetting performance and stability
Solution Approach 2:
Surfactants act as intermediary agents that reduce surface tension and improve wetting while also stabilizing the ink formulation by preventing polymer aggregation and maintaining uniform distribution of components during jetting and printing processes
3Reliability
If surfactant concentration is increased to improve wetting, then spreading performance enhances, but foam formation and printing stability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes surfactant concentration (0.01-5 wt%) and selects specific types (ionic and non-ionic surfactants) to achieve effective wetting while minimizing foam formation, balancing the competing requirements through precise parameter control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses surfactants that can reduce surface tension to improve wetting while simultaneously having anti-foaming properties or being compatible with anti-foaming agents, converting the potential harm of foam formation into a manageable parameter through careful surfactant selection and concentration control
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 exhibits improved wetting and spreading performance, allowing for efficient printing with reduced ink consumption and maintaining stability over time, even after prolonged idle periods, without nozzle blocking or latex aggregation.
Implementation Method 1
one or more surfactants in an amount from about 0.001 wt % to about 3 wt %
Implementation Method 2
The ink may have a surface tension from about 10 dynes/cm to about 40 dynes/cm
Implementation Method 3
The four or more solvents, when combined, may have a viscosity that is less than or equal to about 75 centipoise at 32° C. The ink may have a jetting viscosity from about 3 centipoise to about 8 centipoise at 32° C.
Implementation Method 4
The polymer latex may include an aqueous dispersion of polymer particles
Data Source
AI summary
An ink for a printer may include one or more latexes in an amount from about 0.1 wt % to about 15 wt %, one or more amines in an amount from about 0 wt % to about 2 wt %, and one or more pigments in an amount from about 0.5 wt % to about 8 wt %. The ink may also include four or more solvents that, in the aggregate, are present in an amount from about 10 wt % to about 50 wt %. The ink may further include one or more surfactants in an amount from about 0.001 wt % to about 3 wt %.