Inkjet Recording Medium Porous Protective Layer
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ink jet recording media do not achieve high enough levels of ink absorbency, scratch resistance, and color developability as required by recent standards.
Innovation Solution
A recording medium with a base, an ink-receiving layer containing inorganic particles, and a protective layer comprising colloidal silica, gas phase process silica, and roughening particles with an average particle size of 1.5 μm or more, which improves ink absorbency and scratch resistance without compromising color developability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a protective layer is formed using conventional materials (colloidal silica and binder), then scratch resistance is improved, but ink absorbency and color developability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The protective layer incorporates gas phase process silica particles with average primary particle sizes of 0.01 μm to 1 μm to create a porous structure. This porous structure allows ink to penetrate through the protective layer while maintaining scratch resistance, thereby resolving the contradiction between protective function and ink absorbency.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective layer uses a composite formulation combining colloidal silica, gas phase process silica, and binder in specific proportions (colloidal silica: 5-50 wt%, gas phase process silica: 50-45 wt%, binder: 5-45 wt%). This composite approach enables simultaneous achievement of scratch resistance and ink absorbency by leveraging the complementary properties of different materials.
2Strength
If the protective layer is made denser to improve scratch resistance, then surface hardness increases, but ink penetration and color developability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The protective layer exhibits local quality differentiation through the incorporation of gas phase process silica with specific particle size distribution. The fine particles create localized porous regions that facilitate ink penetration while the overall layer maintains sufficient hardness for scratch resistance, resolving the contradiction between surface hardness and color developability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the protective layer by controlling the particle size of gas phase process silica (0.01 μm to 1 μm) and its content proportion (50-45 wt%). This parameter optimization creates a balance between surface hardness for scratch resistance and porosity for ink penetration, thereby improving color developability.
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 enhances ink absorbency, scratch resistance, and color developability of the recording medium, ensuring high performance in ink jet recording systems.
Implementation Method 1
a protective layer, in which the protective layer contains colloidal silica; gas phase process silica; and at least one kind of particles selected from resin particles and wet process silica particles
Data Source
AI summary
A recording medium including, in the following order, a base, an ink-receiving layer containing inorganic particles, and a protective layer. The protective layer contains colloidal silica, gas phase process silica, and at least one kind of particles selected from resin particles and wet process silica particles. The average particle size of the at least one kind of particles is 1.5 μm or more.