Ink Recording Method with Aggregating Liquid and Controlled Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ink jet recording methods struggle to achieve durable and high-quality images due to excessive organic solvent residue in the ink layer, which affects durability, blocking resistance, and lamination resistance.
Innovation Solution
A recording method using an ink composition containing a colorant, resin particles, an organic solvent, and water, with an aggregating liquid that adheres to the recording medium, followed by drying to minimize organic solvent residue, ensuring an amount of 2.0 mg/inch² or less, thereby enhancing image quality and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If an ink composition containing polymer particles and aggregating liquid is used to achieve high-definition recording, then image quality is improved, but organic solvent residue increases causing poor durability and blocking resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the ink composition by using polymer particles with core-shell structure where the shell polymer has higher glass transition temperature than the core polymer. This parameter change allows the ink to maintain high definition while reducing organic solvent content to 5 mass% or less, thereby improving durability and blocking resistance simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structure in the form of core-shell polymer particles where the core provides coloring function and the shell provides protective and stabilizing functions. This composite structure enables the ink composition to achieve both high image quality and improved durability by separating the functions of different material components
2Manufacturing precision
If aggregating liquid is used to enhance image quality, then recording precision is improved, but organic solvent content in ink layer increases reducing image durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the parameter of organic solvent content by setting it to 5 mass% or less in the ink composition, while maintaining the aggregating liquid components (cationic polymer and organic acid) to ensure high image quality. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between image quality and solvent content
3Productivity
If conventional drying methods are used, then processing time is reduced, but organic solvent residue remains high affecting lamination resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-treating the recording medium with aggregating liquid before ink ejection. This preliminary treatment creates a surface that facilitates rapid solvent evaporation and aggregation, enabling both efficient drying and high lamination resistance by reducing organic solvent residue in the final image layer
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 recorded materials with excellent image quality, durability, clogging resistance, and improved resistance to blocking and lamination, by effectively reducing organic solvent residue through controlled drying.
Implementation Method 1
an aggregating liquid containing a coagulant for aggregating components of the ink composition
Implementation Method 2
drying the recording region to which the aggregating liquid and the ink composition are adhered such that an amount of the organic solvent in the recording region is 2.0 mg/inch2 or less
Data Source
AI summary
A recording method uses an ink composition containing a colorant, resin particles, an organic solvent and water, and an aggregating liquid containing a coagulant for aggregating components of the ink composition. The method includes adhering the aggregating liquid to a recording region of a recording medium; adhering the ink composition to the recording region by ejecting the ink composition from a recording head; and drying the recording region to which the aggregating liquid and the ink composition are adhered such that an amount of the organic solvent in the recording region is 2.0 mg/inch2 or less to obtain a recorded material.