Ink Jet Coating Liquid for Uniform Image Formation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ink jet recording on low-ink-absorbing or non-ink-absorbing recording media, such as print paper and plastic films, often results in aggregation unevenness and streak unevenness due to poor ink permeability, leading to suboptimal image quality and increased production costs for special proofing papers.

Innovation Solution

A coating liquid for ink jet recording comprising an oxazoline group-containing resin, an alkanediol with 7 or more carbon atoms, a surfactant, and water, which forms a coating layer that enhances ink receivability and reduces aggregation and streak unevenness by improving the interaction between the ink and the recording medium.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If aqueous pigmented inks are used on print paper, then the recording process is simple and cost-effective, but the ink exhibits low permeability into the recording medium causing aggregation unevenness and streak unevenness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecording process simplicityVSAvoidimage uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A coating layer is applied as an intermediary between the aqueous pigmented ink and the print paper surface. This coating layer contains resins and surfactants that create intermediate regions with appropriate ink-absorbing capabilities, enabling the water-based ink to penetrate uniformly without aggregation or streaking, thus resolving the contradiction between simple recording process and image uniformity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The surface properties of the print paper are modified by applying a coating layer that changes the local ink-absorbing parameters. The coating layer creates regions with optimized surface energy and porosity, allowing aqueous inks to penetrate at controlled rates, thereby achieving uniform image formation on otherwise non-absorbing surfaces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If special proofing paper is used to achieve high color reproductivity and gloss, then image quality is improved, but production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The coating layer acts as a mediator that enables ordinary print paper to achieve image quality comparable to special proofing paper. By creating an intermediate surface with optimized ink-receiving properties, the system eliminates the need for expensive special papers while maintaining high color reproductivity and gloss through proper ink penetration and surface finish

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If coating liquid is applied to non-ink-absorbing recording media, then ink receivability is improved, but aggregation unevenness and streak unevenness may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink receivabilityVSAvoidcoating uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The coating liquid is formulated as a composite material containing multiple resins (styrene-acrylic, acrylic, vinyl resin) and surfactants in specific combinations. This composite formulation creates a coating layer with balanced properties: sufficient ink-receiving capability while maintaining uniform coating formation without aggregation or streaking on non-ink-absorbing surfaces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 coating liquid effectively minimizes aggregation and streak unevenness, ensuring good ink receivability and improved water resistance of the image, allowing for high-quality color images on various recording media without the need for special proofing papers, thus reducing costs and environmental impact.

Implementation Method 1

a coating layer for receiving oil-based inks on its surface and is characterized in that the coating layer has poor ink-absorbing capability for aqueous inks

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action