Nanometer Inkjet Printing Ink for Plate Making Accuracy

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Solution Overview

Problem

In direct inkjet printing to plate based on nanometer materials, ink droplets diffuse on the substrate surface during printing, leading to degraded plate making accuracy and quality.

Innovation Solution

An ink formulation comprising 5-30 wt% film-forming resin, 0.01-5 wt% nanometer or micrometer dye, 30-60 wt% organic solvent, and 0.01-5 wt% humectant, with multi-stage filtering to produce a stable ink that inhibits droplet diffusion, improving printing accuracy and quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If light solvents or water-based plate making ink are used for direct inkjet printing, then the printing process can be performed, but the ink droplets diffuse on the substrate surface during printing, resulting in degraded plate making accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprinting process feasibilityVSAvoidplate making accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the ink formulation by incorporating specific ratios of film-forming resin (5-30 wt%), organic solvent (30-60 wt%), and humectant (0.01-5 wt%). This parameter optimization increases ink viscosity and reduces surface tension, preventing droplet diffusion while maintaining printability and achieving high plate making accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite ink system combining multiple components: film-forming resin (phenolic, epoxy, polyurethane, olefinic, or cyanate ester resin), nanometer or micrometer dye (0.01-5 wt%), organic solvent, and humectant. This composite formulation synergistically prevents droplet diffusion while ensuring proper inkjet printing performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Manufacturing precision

If ink formulation is adjusted to inhibit droplet diffusion, then plate making accuracy improves, but the ink formulation becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplate making accuracyVSAvoidink formulation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the concentration parameters of ink components within specific ranges: film-forming resin (5-30 wt%), organic solvent (30-60 wt%), and humectant (0.01-5 wt%). By defining precise parameter ranges, the formulation achieves droplet diffusion inhibition while maintaining reasonable manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different functional properties to specific ink components: film-forming resin provides structural integrity and diffusion resistance, organic solvent ensures流动性 and inkjet dispensability, and humectant prevents evaporation. This localized functional assignment optimizes performance without requiring overly complex overall formulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 high resolution and durability printing plates with up to 100,000 copies, dot reproducibility of 98% or higher, and resolution exceeding 175 lpi, while avoiding post-treatment procedures and chemical pollution.

Implementation Method 1

Direct inkjet printing to plate based on nanometer material utilizes an inkjet printer (plate making machine) to spray plate making ink on the surface of a substrate to form oleophylic image and text areas

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInkjet printing:

Implementation Method 2

the part with images and text is formed by a nanometer composite transfer printing material and is oleophylic, while the part without images and text is hydrophilic

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOleophily: Hydrophobe

Implementation Method 3

film-forming 5-30 wt %resin nanometer or 0.01-5 wt %micrometer dye

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFilm formation:

Data Source

PatentUS9296909B2Ink for direct inkjet printing to plate based on nanometer material and method for preparing the same
Publication Date: 2016.03.29 INST OF CHEM

AI summary

An ink used for direct inkjet printing to plate based on nanometer material and a method for preparing same. Of the baseline total amount of the ink, 5 to 30 wt % is of film-forming resin, 0.01 to 5 wt % is of nanometer or micrometer dye, 30 to 60 wt % is of organic solvent, 0.01 to 5 wt % is of humectant, and water provides the balance; these ingredients are stirred and mixed at room temperature, and after the film-forming resin is completely dissolved, impurities and/or insoluble substances in the present invention are removed by means of multi-level filtering, and the obtained filtrate is the present ink. The ink in the present invention is sprayed on a metal base material surface by an inkjet printer to form a printing pattern which, after curing, can be directly printed on the machine, thus reducing chemical pollution and post-processing processes, while a press run of the printing plate can be up to 100,000 copies at a resolution of up to 175 lpi.