Inkjet Ink Resin Neutralization for Nozzle Clogging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing inkjet inks face challenges in preservation stability and nozzle clogging due to issues with pigment particle dispersion and resin desorption, particularly with carbodiimide crosslinking agents which have low hydrophilicity, leading to instability and clogging in inkjet recording apparatuses.

Innovation Solution

The development of an inkjet ink with pigment particles containing a specific resin that includes an acid group, a first repeating unit derived from a monomer with a morpholine or pyrrolidone structure, and a crosslinking structure from a carbodiimide crosslinking agent, with a neutralization rate of 20-50% and a specific mass percentage content, enhancing hydrophilicity and dispersion stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a carbodiimide crosslinking agent is used to form crosslinking structures in the resin, then preservation stability is improved, but hydrophilicity decreases leading to nozzle clogging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepreservation stabilityVSAvoidnozzle clogging
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the resin by controlling the neutralization rate of carboxyl groups to 20-50% and specifying the content of morpholine or pyrrolidone structures. This parameter optimization allows the resin to maintain sufficient hydrophilicity for nozzle flow while forming stable crosslinked structures for preservation stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite resin structure combining multiple functional components: carboxyl groups for crosslinking, morpholine or pyrrolidone structures for hydrophilicity, and the carbodiimide crosslinking agent for network formation. This composite approach balances the competing requirements of stability and hydrophilicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the neutralization rate of the resin is increased to improve hydrophilicity, then nozzle clogging is reduced, but preservation stability decreases due to resin desorption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenozzle cloggingVSAvoidpreservation stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent identifies the neutralization rate as a critical parameter and optimizes it to the specific range of 20-50%. This controlled neutralization provides enough free carboxyl groups to maintain hydrophilicity and prevent clogging, while sufficient neutralized groups form crosslinks for preservation stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the content of morpholine or pyrrolidone structures is increased to enhance hydrophilicity, then nozzle flow is improved, but resin desorption and agglomeration occur reducing preservation stability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenozzle cloggingVSAvoidpreservation stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent specifies the content of morpholine or pyrrolidone structures as a controllable parameter within the resin composition. This controlled inclusion provides necessary hydrophilicity for nozzle flow while limiting excessive content that would cause desorption and agglomeration, maintaining preservation stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 exhibits excellent preservation stability and inhibits nozzle clogging by maintaining high hydrophilicity of pigment particles, preventing resin desorption and agglomeration, thus ensuring consistent ink flow and image quality.

Implementation Method 1

has a crosslinking structure derived from a carbodiimide crosslinking agent

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCarbodiimide crosslinking: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

The specific resin includes an acid group... The specific resin has a neutralization rate of at least 20% and no greater than 50%

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNeutralization reaction: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentUS20240026178A1Inkjet ink
Publication Date: 2024.01.25 KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

An inkjet ink contains an aqueous medium and pigment particles dispersed in the aqueous medium. The pigment particles contain a pigment and a specific resin. The specific resin includes an acid group and a first repeating unit derived from a specific monomer, and has a crosslinking structure derived from a carbodiimide crosslinking agent. The specific resin has a neutralization rate of at least 20% and no greater than 50%. The first repeating unit has a percentage content in the specific resin of at least 1.0% by mass and no greater than 20.0% by mass. The specific monomer has a morpholine structure or a pyrrolidone structure.