Pigment Ink Composition for Freezing Resistance and Cloth Fixability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional ink-jet recording inks with aqueous resin emulsions freeze at low temperatures, leading to destruction of the emulsion and loss of ink properties when transported to cold regions, and existing solutions do not adequately address freezing resistance and fixability while maintaining low production costs.

Innovation Solution

An ink composition for ink-jet recording that includes a pigment, an aqueous resin emulsion, polyethylene glycol, and diethylene glycol, with specific content ratios of these components to achieve excellent freezing resistance and fixability, as defined by the formulas A<15, A+B>10, and 30≦A×α+B≦64, where A is the polyethylene glycol content, B is the diethylene glycol content, and α is the molecular weight ratio, to prevent drying and clogging while maintaining fixability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If polyethylene glycol content is increased to enhance viscosity, then the ink viscosity is increased, but the fixability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveviscosityVSAvoidfixability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent precisely controls the concentration parameter of polyethylene glycol within a specific range (0.1-10% by mass). This parameter optimization achieves the desired viscosity increase for print quality while preventing excessive viscosity that would harm fixability. The balanced composition maintains both composition stability and reliable fixation performance.

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 both excellent freezing resistance and fixability, particularly on cloth, ensuring washing fastness and can be produced at a low cost using general-purpose materials, with the content ratios of polyethylene glycol and diethylene glycol effectively enhancing viscosity and preventing ink deterioration.

Implementation Method 1

Polyethylene glycol exhibits a high viscosity enhancing effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectViscosity enhancing effect:

Implementation Method 2

the ink for ink-jet recording exhibits excellent freezing resistance

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFreezing resistance: Freezing

Data Source

PatentUS8093311B2Ink for ink-jet recording
Publication Date: 2012.01.10 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

A pigment ink for ink-jet recording which is excellent in freezing resistance and fixability includes a pigment, an aqueous resin emulsion, polyethylene glycol and diethylene glycol. This ink satisfies the following formulae (1), (2) and (3):A&lt;15  (1)A+B&gt;10  (2)30≦A×α+B≦64  (3)wherein: A is the content of polyethylene glycol (%); B is the content of diethylene glycol (%); and α is the molecular weight ratio of polyethylene glycol to diethylene glycol.