Water-Based Ink Set Dynamic Surface Tension Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ink-jet recording methods face challenges in reducing bleeding between black and yellow inks and color unevenness when using ordinary paper, as existing solutions either worsen bleeding or deteriorate color mixing quality.
Innovation Solution
A water-based ink set is developed, comprising black, yellow, magenta, and cyan inks, with specific dynamic surface tension relationships (σ1000Bk ≥ 35 mN/m, |σ30Y−σ30Bk| ≤ 5 mN/m, σ30M ≥ 30 mN/m, σ30C ≥ 30 mN/m, σ30Y > σ30M, σ30Y > σ30C, and σ30Y + σ30M/C ≤ 93 mN/m) to prevent blurring, bleeding, and color unevenness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If a compound such as a surfactant for enhancing penetrability is added to ink, then bleeding between Bk ink and Y ink is improved, but color unevenness in a portion formed by color mixing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the ink by specifying precise proportions of surfactants (0.01-5 wt%), penetrants (1-20 wt%), and humectants (10-40 wt%). This parameter optimization allows the ink to achieve both reduced bleeding and improved color mixing uniformity, resolving the contradiction between these two quality attributes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite ink formulation combining multiple functional components: surfactants for surface tension control, penetrants for paper penetration enhancement, and humectants for drying rate control. This composite approach enables simultaneous improvement of bleeding resistance and color mixing uniformity that cannot be achieved with single additives.
2Manufacturing precision
If an alkyl ether of polyhydric alcohol is added as a penetrant to improve color unevenness, then color mixing quality is improved, but bleeding between Bk ink and Y ink becomes serious
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the concentration parameter of alkyl ether of polyhydric alcohol penetrant to a specific range (1-20 wt%), preventing excessive penetration that causes bleeding while maintaining sufficient penetrability for uniform color mixing. This precise parameter control resolves the contradiction between color mixing quality and bleeding prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different functional components with specific local roles: penetrants (alkyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols) are concentrated in amounts that provide sufficient penetration for color mixing uniformity without causing excessive bleeding, while surfactants and humectants are distributed to balance surface tension and drying characteristics locally within the ink formulation.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional inks are used for recording on ordinary paper, then cost and environmental friendliness are improved, but bleeding between colors in boundary regions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the physical-chemical parameters of conventional ink formulations by adjusting surfactant concentration (0.01-5 wt%), penetrant content (1-20 wt%), and humectant ratios (10-40 wt%). These parameter changes enable the ink to maintain compatibility with ordinary paper (reducing cost and environmental impact) while preventing color bleeding through optimized surface tension and penetration characteristics.
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 effectively prevents blurring of black ink, reduces bleeding between inks, and enhances overall penetrability to achieve sharp text and vivid color prints with reduced color unevenness on ordinary paper.
Implementation Method 1
it is effective to set the dynamic surface tension of the Bk ink at a lifetime of 1,000 ms to 35 mN/m or larger
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a water-based ink set for ink-jet recording for reducing bleeding between a black (Bk) ink and a yellow (Y) ink and for reducing color unevenness in a portion formed by color mixing of color inks. The water-based ink set for ink-jet recording includes at least a Bk ink, a Y ink, a magenta (M) ink and a cyan (C) ink. In this configuration, the following relationships are satisfied:σ1000Bk≧35 mN/m; (1)|σ30Y−σ30Bk|≦5 mN/m; (2)σ30M≧30 mN/m, σ30C≧30 mN/m; (3)σ30Y>σ30M, σ30Y>σ30C; and (4)σ30Y+σ30M≦93 mN/m, σ30Y+σ30C≦93 mN/m, (5)wherein σ30Bk, σ30Y, σ30M and σ30C are dynamic surface tensions of the Bk ink, the Y ink, the M ink and the C ink, respectively, at a lifetime of 30 ms as measured by a maximum bubble pressure method at a measurement temperature of 25° C., and σ1000Bk is a dynamic surface tension of the black ink at a lifetime of 1,000 ms as measured by the maximum bubble pressure method at a measurement temperature of 25° C.