Radiation Curable Ink Composition for Impulse Printheads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current UV curable inkjet inks face challenges with adhesion to substrates like glass, PET, and metals due to high viscosities, and existing hybrid inks are unsuitable for inkjet applications as they either lack necessary components or have limitations in curing mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A radiation curable ink composition for impulse printheads is developed, incorporating a photoinitiator system with both photocation and free-radical initiators, an acrylate ester of a carboxylic acid ester, and radiation curable materials, which maintains low viscosity and exhibits excellent adhesion and stability, allowing for high-speed printing without compromising resolution or quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If hybrid inks based on high viscosity epoxy-acrylates and oxetanes are used, then adhesion to substrates is improved, but viscosity becomes too high for inkjet applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing high viscosity epoxy-acrylates with low viscosity acrylate esters of carboxylic acid esters, and uses a hybrid photoinitiator system to maintain adhesion while reducing viscosity to suitable inkjet levels
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite ink formulation combining acrylate esters of carboxylic acid esters with specific photoinitiators (photocation and free-radical types) to achieve both low viscosity and excellent adhesion properties that neither component could provide alone
2Strength
If cationic photopolymerization is used, then adhesion is improved, but the system lacks necessary acrylate components for proper curing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges cationic photopolymerization and free-radical photopolymerization mechanisms into a single hybrid curing system, allowing the ink to benefit from both cationic adhesion and acrylate-based complete curing
Solution Approach 2:
The hybrid photoinitiator system provides multi-functionality by enabling both cationic and radical polymerization pathways, making the ink adaptable to different substrates and curing conditions while maintaining complete cure capability
3Productivity
If high-speed printing is implemented, then productivity is improved, but jet performance stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes viscosity parameters to low levels suitable for high-speed inkjet printing while maintaining stability through the specific molecular structure of acrylate esters of carboxylic acid esters and appropriate photoinitiator selection
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 composition achieves stable jet performance and broad operating windows, ensuring excellent adhesion to multiple substrates with reduced shrinkage and improved flexibility, overcoming limitations of cationic photopolymerization and high viscosity issues in existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
a photoinitiator system, which comprises both a photocation polymerization initiator and a free-radical photoinitiator
Implementation Method 2
a photoinitiator system, which comprises both a photocation polymerization initiator and a free-radical photoinitiator
Data Source
AI summary
Radiation curable ink compositions for impulse printheads are described. The compositions include a photoinitiator system, containing both a photocation polymerization initiator and a free-radical photoinitiator, an acrylate ester of a carboxylic acid ester, and at least one radiation curable material.