Isosorbide-End-Capped Amide Gellants for Solid Ink Curing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current curable solid ink formulations lack sufficient bio-renewable content and molecular mobility for rapid curing, leading to suboptimal print quality and reliability in inkjet printing processes.
Innovation Solution
The development of curable ester-terminated polyamide compounds end-capped with isosorbide, which serve as phase-change gelling agents, providing enhanced adhesion, pigment dispersion stability, and improved curing performance by incorporating a bio-renewable material that facilitates rapid and extensive curing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional ester end-caps (aromatic alcohols, photoinitiators) are used on gellant molecules, then curable solid ink formulations can be achieved, but bio-renewable content is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameter of the end-cap group from conventional aromatic alcohols or photoinitiators to isosorbide, a bio-renewable material. This substitution maintains the curable functionality while improving the bio-renewable content of the overall formulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite end-cap structure combining isosorbide (bio-renewable component) with curable functional groups (acrylate, methacrylate, or epoxy groups). This composite approach allows the material to simultaneously provide biorenewability and effective curing performance.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional gellant formulations are used, then solid ink structure is maintained, but molecular mobility is insufficient for rapid curing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different functional regions within the gellant molecule: the polyamide backbone provides structural stability and gelation, while the isosorbide end-cap with curable groups provides localized molecular mobility and rapid curing capability at the molecular ends.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic characteristics through the isosorbide end-cap containing curable functional groups. These groups enable the gellant to transition from a static solid structure to an actively curing system, providing molecular mobility when needed for rapid crosslinking while maintaining structural integrity.
3Manufacturing precision
If isosorbide-end-capped amide gellants are used to improve bio-renewable content and curing performance, then printing quality and reliability improve, but formulation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The isosorbide end-cap serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides bio-renewable content, enables curable functionality through embedded reactive groups, maintains gellant structure, and promotes rapid curing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate additives and simplifies the overall formulation despite the enhanced performance.
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 use of isosorbide-end-capped amide gellants in solid ink compositions results in improved curing rates, increased hardness, and reduced shrinkage, enabling high-quality prints with enhanced bio-renewable content and efficient phase-change characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
solid at room temperature and liquid at elevated temperatures
Implementation Method 2
the molten ink solidifies rapidly, allowing the colorant to substantially remain on the surface of the recording medium
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are ester-terminated polyamide gellant compounds end-caped with isosorbide and UV curable ink compositions containing them.