Water-Based Ink Set With Silicone Surfactant For Clogging Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet printing methods using water-based inks struggle to achieve improved image quality and face issues with clogging and rub resistance, particularly when using treatment liquids with flocculants.
Innovation Solution
A water-based ink set comprising an ink composition with a coloring material and surfactant, and a treatment liquid with a flocculant, both containing silicone surfactants with specific surface tension properties, applied via an ink jet method to enhance wettability and prevent clogging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If water-based ink jet inks are used, then environmental friendliness and safety are improved, but image quality and rub resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of water-based inks by incorporating specific organic solvents (nitrogen-containing, sulfur-containing, or cyclic esters) and controlling surfactant concentrations. This modifies the ink's physical properties such as surface tension, volatility, and interaction with the treatment liquid, enabling water-based inks to achieve image quality and durability comparable to solvent-based systems while maintaining environmental benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite ink system combining water-based ink with a treatment liquid containing flocculants and surfactants. This composite approach allows the ink to benefit from both the environmental safety of water-based formulation and the improved image quality and rub resistance achieved through controlled flocculation and surfactant interactions
2Manufacturing precision
If treatment liquid containing flocculant is used, then image quality is improved, but clogging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully controls the concentration ranges of flocculants (0.01-5% by mass) and surfactants (0.1-10% by mass) in the treatment liquid, and adjusts the surface tension to specific ranges (10-35 mN/m). These parameter optimizations prevent excessive flocculation that would cause nozzle clogging while maintaining enough flocculation to improve image quality and reduce ink spreading
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces surfactants as intermediary substances that mediate between the flocculant and ink particles. The surfactants control the flocculation process by adjusting surface tension and preventing premature or excessive aggregation of ink particles, thereby preventing clogging while still allowing image quality improvement through controlled flocculation
3Area of stationary object
If surfactant concentration is increased to improve spreading, then wettability is improved, but clogging increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes surfactant concentration within specific ranges (0.1-10% by mass in treatment liquid, 0.01-5% in ink) and controls surface tension to 10-35 mN/m. This balanced approach provides sufficient wettability and spreading for good image coverage while preventing excessive surfactant accumulation that would cause nozzle clogging and other operational problems
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 solution improves image quality and rub resistance while reducing clogging by ensuring effective spreading and interaction of ink and treatment liquid droplets on the printing medium, leading to high-quality, durable prints.
Implementation Method 1
both include a silicone surfactant whose 0.1 mass % aqueous solution has a surface tension of 32 mN/m or less
Implementation Method 2
a treatment liquid composition used for printing by being applied onto a printing medium by an ink jet method, the treatment liquid composition being a water-based composition containing a flocculant
Data Source
AI summary
An ink set includes an ink composition and a treatment liquid composition. Each of the ink composition and the treatment liquid composition is used for printing by being applied onto a printing medium by an ink jet method. The ink composition is a water-based composition containing a coloring material and a surfactant. The treatment liquid composition is a water-based composition containing a flocculant and a surfactant. Any one of the ink composition and the treatment liquid composition contains a nitrogen-containing solvent. Each of the surfactant contained in the ink composition and the surfactant contained in the treatment liquid composition includes a silicone surfactant whose 0.1 mass % aqueous solution has a surface tension of 32 mN/m or less. Any one of the surfactant contained in the ink composition and the surfactant contained in the treatment liquid composition includes a silicone surfactant whose 0.1 mass % solution in a nitrogen-containing solvent has a surface tension of 32 mN/m or less.