Ink Composition with Polymer Particles for Head Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink compositions containing water, pigment, and polymer particles used in inkjet recording face challenges with adhesion to and removal from inkjet recording heads, leading to image deformation and gloss unevenness due to high flowability and difficulty in maintaining image quality.
Innovation Solution
An ink composition combining a (meth)acrylamide compound with a polymer particle composed of methacrylic acid and methacrylic acid ester units, having a specific solubility parameter range and a glass transition temperature of 80°C or higher, along with a self-dispersing polymer particle, to enhance adhesion and removal properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If an ink composition containing water, pigment, and polymer particles is used to form images with high abrasion resistance, then the image strength is improved, but the ink composition adheres strongly to the ejection surface and becomes difficult to remove
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the polymer particle component from the ink composition formulation by specifying precise compositional parameters (polymer particle content: 0.01-5 mass%, specific glass transition temperature range). This extraction approach allows optimization of image strength while controlling adhesion to the ejection surface through careful selection of polymer particle properties rather than relying on high concentrations of binding agents.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by defining specific ranges for polymer particle characteristics including glass transition temperature (50-150°C), compositional ratios of structural units, and particle size distribution. These parameter optimizations enable the ink composition to achieve high image strength while maintaining ease of removal from the ejection surface through controlled adhesion properties.
2Ease of operation
If the flowability of ink composition is high to facilitate ejection, then the ink ejects easily from the recording head, but the image deforms or surface becomes rough causing gloss unevenness during drying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the balance between ejection performance and image quality by optimizing viscosity parameters and polymer particle characteristics. The specific compositional ratios and polymer properties enable the ink to maintain appropriate flowability during ejection while preventing excessive spreading and deformation during the drying process, thereby maintaining image precision and gloss uniformity.
3Strength
If polymer particle content is increased to improve image strength, then abrasion resistance improves, but the ink composition adheres more strongly to the ejection surface and becomes harder to remove
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by optimizing the polymer particle content within a specific range (0.01-5 mass%) and controlling the glass transition temperature (50-150°C). This parameter optimization ensures sufficient image strength and abrasion resistance while preventing excessive adhesion to the ejection surface that would make removal difficult.
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 improves removal performance from inkjet recording heads, inhibits image deformation, and maintains image gloss uniformity by stabilizing polymer particles and controlling viscosity, resulting in enhanced abrasion resistance and scratch resistance.
Implementation Method 1
polymerization of the polymerizable compound is performed by irradiation of an active energy ray such as ultraviolet
Implementation Method 2
a self-dispersing polymer particle
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Disclosed is an ink composition for ink jet recording containing water, a pigment, a (meth)acrylamide compound, and a polymer particle made of a polymer composed of a structural unit derived from a methacrylic acid and a structural unit derived from methacrylic acid ester having an SP value of from 19.0 MPa1/2 to 25.0 MPa1/2.