Ink Jet Recording Method Using Electron Beam Curing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ink jet recording methods face issues with ink leaching, odor transfer, and poor resistance to alcohol and high temperatures, particularly in packaging applications, due to unreacted monomers and polymerization initiator residues in radiation-curable inks.
Innovation Solution
An ink jet recording method using an ink comprising an organic solvent, an oligomer with ethylenically unsaturated groups, and a pigment, without a polymerization initiator, which is jetted onto a base material and cured with an electron beam, ensuring low molecular weight compounds are minimized and odor is reduced.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If radiation-curable ink containing polymerization initiator is used for ink jet recording, then the ink can be cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays or electron beams, but unreacted monomers and polymerization initiator residues remain in the cured ink film causing ink leaching, odor transfer, and poor resistance to alcohol and high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the polymerization initiator component from the ink composition entirely. By using an ink that does not contain a polymerization initiator (or contains it at 0.1% by mass or less), the harmful residues that cause ink leaching and odor transfer are eliminated, while the ink is still cured by irradiation with electron beams or ultraviolet rays to maintain image durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the ink by reducing polymerization initiator content to 0.1% by mass or less and carefully selecting monomer and oligomer components. This parameter change allows the ink to be cured with minimal residues, improving resistance to alcohol and high temperatures while reducing harmful emissions.
2Temperature
If conventional radiation-curable ink is used, then curing by electron beam or ultraviolet irradiation is achieved, but the cured ink film shows poor resistance to alcohol and high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite ink composition consisting of specific monomers (acrylates, methacrylates) and oligomers (urethane acrylates, polyester acrylates, epoxy acrylates) in carefully controlled ratios. This composite formulation creates a cured ink film with enhanced cross-linking density and molecular structure that provides excellent resistance to alcohol and high temperatures while maintaining image durability.
3Strength
If ink containing unreacted monomers and polymerization initiator residues is cured, then the ink can be cross-linked to form a film, but the resulting printed material exhibits ink leaching and odor transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the polymerization initiator component from the ink system, eliminating the source of harmful residues that cause odor transfer. The ink is cured directly by irradiation with electron beams or ultraviolet rays, which initiate polymerization without requiring traditional polymerization initiators, thus producing a cured film with minimal harmful emissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs low molecular weight monomers and oligomers that react completely and efficiently during curing, leaving minimal unreacted components. These short-lived reactive components are fully consumed in the polymerization process, reducing the presence of harmful residues that cause odor transfer and ink leaching.
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 method produces printed materials with minimal ink leaching, strong alcohol resistance, and high temperature stability, reducing odor transfer and improving image durability.
Implementation Method 1
a curing step of curing the dried ink with an electron beam
Implementation Method 2
an ink including an organic solvent, an oligomer having an ethylenically unsaturated group, and a pigment
Implementation Method 3
a drying step of drying the ink by removing at least a part of the organic solvent in the jetted ink
Data Source
AI summary
An ink jet recording method includes, in order, a jetting step of jetting an ink including an organic solvent, an oligomer having an ethylenically unsaturated group, and a pigment, and not including a polymerization initiator or including a polymerization initiator at a content of more than 0% by mass and 0.1% by mass or less onto a base material using an ink jet head, a drying step of drying the ink by removing at least a part of the organic solvent in the jetted ink, and a curing step of curing the dried ink with an electron beam.