Ink Set Glycol Ether HLB Value Inkjet Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aqueous pigment inks for ink jet recording face challenges in achieving high color developability, glossiness, and storage stability while preventing bleeding and nozzle clogging, especially when used on non-absorbent recording media like films, due to the trade-offs between pigment content, viscosity, and glycol ether combinations.
Innovation Solution
An ink set comprising a first ink with a glycol ether having a specific HLB value and a second ink without glycol ether, both containing pigments and surfactants, is used to enhance storage stability and prevent ink repulsion from recording media, with the surfactant content in the second ink being higher to ensure uniform solid color areas on film-type media.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the pigment content in an ink is increased to enhance the color developability, then the color developability is improved, but the viscosity of the ink is increased and the anti-clogging properties and ejection stability are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the HLB value of the glycol ether within a specific range (4.2 to 8.0) and limiting its content to 0.01-5% by mass. This optimization allows the ink to achieve good color developability with pigment while maintaining appropriate viscosity and ejection stability, thus resolving the contradiction between pigment content and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite approach by combining multiple components including glycol ether, 1,2-alkanediol, surfactants, and pigments in specific proportions. This composite formulation creates a balanced ink system where each component contributes to different properties, allowing high pigment content while maintaining reliability through the synergistic effects of the composite material
2Productivity
If the penetration of the ink is enhanced in order to prevent bleeding or increase printing speed, then the printing speed and anti-bleeding properties are improved, but the ink undesirably penetrates into the recording medium and is thus unlikely to remain on the surface, causing degradation of uniformity and color developability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the penetration behavior by adjusting the HLB value parameter of the glycol ether to a specific range (4.2 to 8.0) and limiting its content to 0.01-5% by mass. This parameter optimization allows the ink to penetrate sufficiently to prevent bleeding while maintaining enough surface presence for uniform color development
Solution Approach 2:
The glycol ether acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between the ink and the recording medium. It provides controlled penetration to prevent bleeding while its specific HLB value ensures it doesn't cause excessive penetration that would degrade uniformity. The 1,2-alkanediol and surfactants also serve as intermediaries to balance penetration and surface retention
3Stability of the object's composition
If a glycol ether with specific HLB value is added to enhance storage stability, then the storage stability is improved, but the quality of images printed on non-absorbent recording media has not been adequately studied and may be repelled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the HLB value parameter of the glycol ether to a specific range (4.2 to 8.0) that balances storage stability with printing performance on non-absorbent media. This parameter control ensures the ink formulation achieves both goals simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The glycol ether with specific HLB value acts as a mediator that enables the ink to maintain storage stability while also achieving good adhesion to non-absorbent recording media. The surfactants and 1,2-alkanediol also serve as intermediaries to facilitate proper wetting and adhesion on challenging substrates
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 set achieves high-quality printed images with uniform solid color areas on various recording media, including films, without degrading storage stability and ensuring reliable ejection, by optimizing the combination of glycol ether and surfactants based on pigment types.
Implementation Method 1
a glycol ether having a hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) value, measured by Davies method, of 4.2 to 8.0
Implementation Method 2
the quality of images printed on non-absorbent recording media, such as films, has not been studied
Implementation Method 3
a second ink substantially not containing the glycol ether and containing a second pigment and water
Implementation Method 4
aqueous pigment inks for ink jet recording
Data Source
AI summary
An ink set is provided which includes a first ink containing a first pigment, water, and a glycol ether having an HLB value, measured by Davies method, in the range of 4.2 to 8.0, and a second ink substantially not containing the glycol ether. The second ink contains a second pigment and water.