Sublimating Dye Ink Composition for High-Density Transfer Printing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sublimating dye inks for inkjet recording face challenges in achieving high print density on recording media while maintaining stable recording performance and ink storage stability, and they often result in environmental pollution during the dyeing process.
Innovation Solution
A sublimating dye ink composition containing a styrene-(meth)acrylic acid-based anionic polymer dispersant with specific acid value and molecular weight, combined with an acetylene glycol-based penetrant, which prevents excessive ink penetration and maintains dispersion stability, reducing environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional sublimating dye ink is used for inkjet recording, then the ink can be applied to recording media, but the print density on the recording medium surface is insufficient and excessive penetration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the dispersant by specifying a styrene-(meth)acrylic acid-based copolymer with acid value of 70-150 mgKOH/g and weight average molecular weight of 5,000-20,000. This parameter optimization controls the ink's interaction with the recording medium, achieving high print density while preventing excessive penetration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite ink formulation combining sublimating dye, water, humectant, and specifically engineered styrene-(meth)acrylic acid copolymer dispersant. This composite material approach allows simultaneous optimization of multiple properties: dispersion stability, print density, and penetration control.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If conventional sublimating dye ink is used, then the ink can be stored, but the ink storage stability deteriorates over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the dispersant's molecular weight (5,000-20,000) and acid value (70-150 mgKOH/g) parameters to achieve optimal steric and electrostatic stabilization of the dye dispersion. This prevents aggregation and precipitation during storage, maintaining both storage stability and dispersion stability.
3Reliability
If high-boiling organic solvent such as glycerin is used as humectant, then moisture evaporation is suppressed, but smoky steam is generated during heating treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the problematic high-boiling organic solvent (glycerin) from the ink formulation. By removing this component entirely and using only water as the base, the patent prevents smoky steam generation during heating while maintaining nozzle reliability through alternative means.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses water as a simple, clean humectant alternative to complex organic solvents. While water evaporates more readily, this is acceptable in the sublimation transfer process where the ink is quickly heated and transferred, avoiding the persistent smoky steam problem of glycerin.
4Stability of the object's composition
If anionic dispersant and polyoxyethylene alkyl ether are used to improve redispersibility, then the dispersibility is enhanced, but the surface tension decreases causing excessive penetration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the polyoxyethylene alkyl ether component from the formulation. By using only the styrene-(meth)acrylic acid-based copolymer dispersant, the patent maintains redispersibility through the copolymer's amphiphilic structure while avoiding the excessive surface tension reduction caused by the ether.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a specialized composite dispersant system using styrene-(meth)acrylic acid copolymer that provides both redispersibility and controlled surface tension. The copolymer's specific composition (acid value 70-150, molecular weight 5,000-20,000) balances these two requirements.
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-quality, stable recording performance with enhanced print density on the recording medium surface and reduced environmental pollution, ensuring effective ink storage stability and minimal smoky steam generation during the dyeing process.
Implementation Method 1
a sublimating dye ink for ink jets, containing water, a sublimating dye, a humectant, and an anionic polymer dispersant
Implementation Method 2
an acetylene glycol-based penetrant, which prevents excessive ink penetration
Implementation Method 3
the ink including a sublimating dye is inkjet-printed on a sheet recording medium such as transfer paper, and then a printed surface of the recording medium is superposed on an object to be dyed such as a hydrophobic fiber product, and sublimate-transferred by heating
Implementation Method 4
a humectant is added to suppress the evaporation of moisture
Data Source
AI summary
A sublimating dye ink for ink jets of the present invention contains water, a sublimating dye, a humectant and an anionic polymer dispersant. The anionic polymer dispersant is a styrene-(meth)acrylic acid-based copolymer having an acid value of 160 to 250 mgKOH/g and a weight average molecular weight of 8,000 to 20,000. The ink contains further as a penetrant an acetylene glycol-based compound expressed by a chemical formula (I) below. A sublimation transfer dyeing method of the present invention includes: inkjet printing the ink on a sheet recording medium; and superposing a printed surface of the recording medium on an object to be dyed, then heating to sublimate-transfer the sublimating dye to the object to be dyed. Thereby, the present invention provides a sublimating dye ink for ink jets containing a sublimating dye, which has high-quality and stable recording performance, maintains the ink storage stability, and at the same time, the ink has a high print density on a surface of a recording medium, and reduces environmental pollution during a dyeing process.