Ink Jet Ink Composition for Image Quality and Jetting Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink jet inks face challenges in maintaining excellent image quality, continuous jetting property, and storage stability, particularly when formulations are optimized for improved image quality, leading to deteriorated jetting and storage stability.
Innovation Solution
An ink jet ink composition comprising specific organic solvents A and B with defined ClogP values, crosslinked pigment dispersion resin, resin particles, and a silicone-based surfactant, adhering to specific content ratios and types, to enhance image quality and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the ink formulation is optimized for improving image quality, then image quality is improved, but continuous jetting property and storage stability are deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the ClogP values of organic solvents A and B within specific ranges, and by controlling the content ratios of these solvents relative to the pigment dispersion resin. This systematic parameter optimization allows the ink to achieve excellent image quality while maintaining continuous jetting property and storage stability, resolving the technical contradiction between image quality and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite material system consisting of multiple organic solvents (A and B with different ClogP values), pigment dispersion resin, resin particles, and surfactants. This composite formulation synergistically combines the functions of different components to achieve both high image quality and stable jetting performance, overcoming the limitation of single-component formulations.
2Manufacturing precision
If a water-dispersible resin is used to improve image quality, then image quality is improved, but storage stability is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the molecular weight of the water-dispersible resin within a specific range (10,000 to 100,000) and optimizes its content relative to the pigment dispersion resin. This parameter control prevents excessive resin aggregation during storage while ensuring sufficient film formation for high image quality, thereby resolving the contradiction between image quality and storage stability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the pigment dispersion resin has high ClogP value for good dispersion, then pigment dispersion is improved, but jetting stability is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the ClogP value of the pigment dispersion resin to be within a specific range (3.2 or more) while simultaneously controlling the ClogP values and content ratios of organic solvents A and B. This balanced parameter optimization ensures good pigment dispersion through the resin's hydrophobicity while the organic solvents maintain jetting stability by controlling surface tension and viscosity.
Solution Approach 2:
The organic solvents A and B act as intermediaries that mediate between the hydrophobic pigment dispersion resin and the aqueous environment. These solvents bridge the hydrophobic-hydrophilic interface, allowing the high ClogP resin to effectively disperse pigment while the solvents themselves maintain the ink's jetting stability through their intermediate amphiphilic properties.
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 achieves excellent image quality with suppressed graininess and maintains continuous jetting property and storage stability by stabilizing pigment dispersion through crosslinked resin adsorption.
Implementation Method 1
stabilizing pigment dispersion through crosslinked resin adsorption
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are an ink jet ink containing water, a solvent A having a ClogP value of −0.5 or more, a solvent B having a ClogP value of less than −0.5, resin particles, a pigment, and a crosslinked pigment dispersion resin obtained by crosslinking a pigment dispersion resin having a ClogP value of 3.2 or more, in which, in a case where an absolute value of a difference between the ClogP value of the solvent A and −0.5 is denoted by D(A), an absolute value of a difference between the ClogP value of the solvent B and −0.5 is denoted by D(B), a content of the solvent A is denoted by S(A) (% by mass), and a content of the solvent B is denoted by S(B) (% by mass), “−1.5D(A)+9>S(A)>−2D(A)+8”, “45D(B)+8>S(B)>20D(B)+8”, and “S(A)/S(B)>0.25” are satisfied; and an image recording method.