Self-Dispersing Dye Particles via Covalent Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dye particle systems, including water-soluble dye-based systems and those employing dispersants, face challenges such as settling during storage, increased viscosity, and economic unfavorability, which limit their use in demanding applications like inkjet inks, and require stable self-dispersing particles for improved performance.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the reaction of reactive compounds with secondary compounds to form substituted reactive intermediates, which are then attached to the surface of dye particles or inorganic pigment particles, creating self-dispersing particles with covalently attached stabilizing groups, thereby enhancing stability and reducing the need for additional dispersants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dispersants are used to stabilize dye particles in suspension, then colloidal stability is improved, but viscosity increases making it difficult to jet inks from small orifices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the stabilizing function from external dispersants and transfers it to the particle surface itself through covalently attached stabilizing groups. This eliminates the need for separate dispersant molecules in the formulation, thereby reducing viscosity while maintaining colloidal stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The particles are modified to provide their own stabilization through covalently attached stabilizing groups on their surfaces. This self-service approach eliminates dependency on external dispersants, resolving the contradiction between stability and viscosity by making the particles self-stabilizing.
2Reliability
If dispersants are used to stabilize dye particles, then stability is improved, but cost increases making the preparation economically unfavorable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for expensive external dispersants by integrating stabilizing functionality directly onto the particle surfaces through covalent bonding. This extraction of the dispersant requirement eliminates the associated costs while preserving stability.
Solution Approach 2:
By making particles self-stabilizing through covalently attached groups, the system eliminates the need to purchase and add separate dispersant chemicals, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining stability.
3Reliability
If dispersants are used to stabilize dye particles, then stabilization is achieved, but the dispersants are not covalently bonded to the particle surface causing compromised stabilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the stabilizing function with the particle structure itself by covalently bonding stabilizing groups directly to the particle surfaces. This integration ensures that stabilization and the particle become a unified system, preventing the separation issue that occurs with non-covalent dispersant adsorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The particles are equipped with their own covalently bonded stabilizing groups, creating an intrinsic stabilization mechanism that is permanently attached to the particle surface, eliminating the instability associated with non-covalent dispersant binding.
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 resulting self-dispersing particles exhibit long-term stability, reduced viscosity, and improved performance in applications like inkjet inks, enabling high-quality prints with enhanced stability and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
reacting a reactive compound having an X—[Y]n reactive group with a secondary compound N—S-ZM to form a substituted reactive intermediate
Implementation Method 2
reacting the particle with the substituted reactive intermediate to attach the substituted reactive intermediate to the surface of the particle to form a surface modified particle
Data Source
AI summary
A method of modifying a particle that includes reacting a reactive compound having an X—[Y]n reactive group with a secondary compound N—S-ZM to form a substituted reactive intermediate [Y]a—X—(N—S-ZM)b, and reacting the particle with the substituted reactive intermediate [Y]a—X—(N—S-ZM)b to attach the substituted reactive intermediate to the surface of the particle to form a surface modified particle. The particle may comprise at least one of a dye particle, an inorganic pigment particle, an additive, or a combination thereof. X may be a sulfonyl, phosphoryl, or 1,3,5-triazinyl group. Y may be a halogen leaving group. N may be a nucleophilic group. S may be an organic group. ZM may be an ionizable end group. Also, n is an integer between 1 and 3, b is an integer between 1 and 3, and a=n−b. When n is equal to or greater than b, and wherein if b is 2 or 3, each N—S-ZM can be the same or different.