Sublimation Dye Ink Composition for Vivid Printing on Diverse Media
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sublimation dye-containing inks are limited in the variety of recording media they can be used with, resulting in less vivid color development.
Innovation Solution
A printing method involving an ink with binder resin particles dispersed in a solvent, where sublimation dyes are entrained within these particles, applied to a recording medium and heated to diffuse the dye, allowing for a wide range of media usage and enhanced color richness and scuff resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional sublimation dye-containing inks are used, then the printing process is simple, but the variety of recording media is limited and color development is not vivid
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite ink formulation containing sublimation dyes, binder resin, and solvent. The binder resin acts as a carrier that adheres to various recording media surfaces, while the sublimation dye provides color. This composite structure enables the ink to be compatible with diverse media types (paper, plastic, fabric) without requiring separate ink formulations for each medium, thus resolving the contradiction between media versatility and ink complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The binder resin serves as an intermediary substance between the sublimation dye and the recording medium. It provides adhesion to the medium surface and facilitates uniform dye distribution. The binder resin enables the sublimation dye to effectively interact with various media types, expanding media compatibility while maintaining a relatively simple overall ink system.
2Illumination intensity
If sublimation dyes are used without binder resin particles, then the ink formulation is simple, but color richness and vividness are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The ink formulation creates a composite system where sublimation dyes are incorporated within or alongside binder resin particles. This composite structure enhances color vividness because the binder resin provides a matrix that holds the dye in close proximity to the recording medium surface, improving color saturation and richness while maintaining formulation simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The binder resin creates localized zones of high dye concentration at the medium interface. By concentrating the sublimation dye within or near the binder resin particles that adhere to the medium, the formulation achieves enhanced color vividness locally at the print interface without requiring complex overall ink composition.
3Illumination intensity
If heating is applied to diffuse sublimation dye, then color development is enhanced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes temperature parameter changes during the heating process to control sublimation dye diffusion. By applying controlled heating, the dye transitions from a solid or dissolved state to a sublimated state, enabling it to penetrate and diffuse within the binder resin and recording medium. This parameter change approach achieves enhanced color development while allowing for energy optimization through controlled heating cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The sublimation dye undergoes phase transition from solid to gas phase during heating, allowing it to diffuse effectively through the binder resin and into the recording medium. This phase transition mechanism enables efficient color development with relatively low energy input compared to dissolution-based methods, as sublimation occurs at lower temperatures than melting or boiling.
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
Enables the use of various recording media to produce printed materials that are richer and more vivid in color, with improved resistance to scuffing, as the sublimation dye diffuses within the binder resin, promoting better adhesion and color development.
Implementation Method 1
heating the ink applied on the recording medium to diffuse the sublimation dye within the particles of the binder resin for color development
Implementation Method 2
a sublimation dye entrained in the particles of binder resin
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention has an object to provide a print method wherein a wide variety of recording media can be used, and printed materials richer and more vivid in color can be obtained by using sublimation dyes. To achieve the object, provided is a print method including steps of: applying an ink containing a solvent, a binder resin (11) dispersed or emulsified in the solvent, and a sublimation dye (12) entrained in particles of the binder resin (11) on a recording medium (100); and heating the ink to diffuse the sublimation dye (12) among the particles of the binder resin (11) for color development.