Ink-jet Recording Ink Set with Polymerizable Compound
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Ink-jet recording on impermeable media faces challenges with image bleeding, interference between ink droplets, and low fixing efficiency, leading to poor image quality and durability.
Innovation Solution
A multi-liquid ink system comprising a recording liquid with a colorant and a polymerizable compound, and an ink spread suppressing liquid with a surfactant, where the surface tension of the ink spread suppressing liquid is lower than the recording liquid, and specific surfactant conditions are met to prevent droplet spread and interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional ink is used on impermeable recording medium, then image formation is achieved, but image bleeding and droplet interference occur due to prolonged drying time
Solution Approach 1:
The ink is divided into multiple independent droplets that are ejected sequentially. Each droplet is designed to maintain its individuality through controlled surface tension and rapid polymerization, preventing fusion with neighboring droplets despite extended drying requirements on impermeable media.
Solution Approach 2:
The ink undergoes preliminary polymerization through radiation exposure during or immediately after ejection. This pre-hardening action occurs before complete drying, establishing structural integrity that prevents subsequent droplet spread and interference even on impermeable surfaces where drying is prolonged.
2Reliability
If ink is ejected on impermeable medium, then image formation is achieved, but fixing efficiency is low and abrasion resistance is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The ink undergoes a phase transition from liquid to solid polymer network through radiation-induced polymerization. This phase change occurs rapidly upon exposure to radiation, creating strong adhesion to the impermeable substrate and providing both high fixing efficiency and abrasion resistance without relying on slow evaporation-based drying.
3Reliability
If radiation hardening is used to accelerate ink fixing, then fixing efficiency is improved, but ejection interference still occurs before hardening
Solution Approach 1:
Radiation exposure is applied immediately during or right after the ejection process, initiating polymerization before the ink droplets can spread or interfere with each other. This timing ensures that the structural changes occur preemptively, locking droplets in their ejected positions and preventing interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The ink formulation includes polymerizable compounds and radiation-sensitive components that change their physical parameters (viscosity, surface tension, molecular weight) upon radiation exposure. These parameter changes occur rapidly and are controlled to begin before droplet interference can occur, maintaining ejection precision while achieving high fixing efficiency.
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
This approach results in improved fixing efficiency and image sharpness on impermeable media by minimizing droplet spread and interference, leading to higher-quality, durable images.
Implementation Method 1
a recording liquid containing a colorant and a polymerizable compound
Implementation Method 2
an ink spread suppressing liquid containing at least one surfactant and substantially no colorant, wherein the surface tension of the ink spread suppressing liquid is smaller than that of the recording liquid
Data Source
AI summary
An ink-jet recording ink set, containing at least one recording liquid containing a colorant and a polymerizable compound and an ink spread suppressing liquid containing at least one surfactant and substantially no colorant, wherein all of the following conditions (A), (B) and (C) are satisfied, and an ink-jet recording method using the same:(A) the surface tension of the ink spread suppressing liquid is smaller than that of at least one recording liquid contained in the ink-jet recording ink set;(B) at least one of the surfactants contained in the ink spread suppressing liquid satisfies the following relationship:γs(0)−γs(saturated)>1 mN/m; and(C) the surface tension of the ink spread suppressing liquid satisfies the following relationship:γs<(γs(0)+γs(saturated)max)/2.