Textile Printing Ink Composition for Precipitation-Resistant Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current ink jet textile printing inks face limitations in dye selection, chromogenic properties, fastness requirements, and environmental compatibility, with existing chelating agents often leading to precipitation issues, clogging, and degradation during long-term storage due to pH sensitivity and low biodegradability.

Innovation Solution

An ink jet textile printing ink composition using a metal chelating agent like methyl glycine diacetic acid, L-glutamate diacetic acid, or hydroxyethylimino diacetic acid, with a pH range of 6 to 10, to improve biodegradability and suppress metal salt precipitation, combined with solvents and surfactants to enhance stability and wettability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional chelating agents (e.g., EDTA, picolinate) are used to suppress metal salt precipitation, then metal ion complexation is achieved, but biodegradability is low and environmental compatibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemetal salt precipitation suppressionVSAvoidenvironmental compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical structure parameters of chelating agents by selecting specific compounds (iminodisuccinic acid and its derivatives) with particular molecular configurations that enable both effective metal ion complexation and high biodegradability, resolving the contradiction between precipitation suppression and environmental compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs biodegradable chelating agents that can be naturally decomposed after performing their function, replacing persistent conventional chelating agents with environmentally friendly alternatives that break down into harmless substances, thus improving environmental compatibility while maintaining metal salt precipitation suppression

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Reliability

If conventional chelating agents are used to complex metal ions, then precipitation is suppressed, but chelating function degrades at extreme pH values causing storage instability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemetal ion complexationVSAvoidstorage stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent selects chelating agents with optimized molecular structures (iminodisuccinic acid derivatives) that maintain stable chelating functions across a broad pH range (pH 2-12), preventing both precipitation and decomposition during storage, thus resolving the contradiction between metal ion complexation and storage stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates chelating agents with inherently broad pH stability ranges that pre-compensate for pH variations during storage, ensuring that the chelating function remains effective even under extreme pH conditions, thereby preventing future precipitation or decomposition issues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Illumination intensity

If dye selection is expanded for better chromogenic properties, then color quality improves, but dye solubility and ejection stability are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechromogenic propertyVSAvoidejection stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces chelating agents as intermediary substances that form stable complexes with metal ions present in the ink composition, preventing metal-induced dye precipitation and maintaining both chromogenic properties and ejection stability simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates composite ink formulations combining dyes with chelating agents and metal ions in controlled ratios, forming stable composite structures that maintain solubility and ejection stability while preserving desired chromogenic properties through synergistic interactions between components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 improved environmental compatibility, long-term storage stability, and reduced clogging, while maintaining high chromogenic properties and washing fastness, ensuring stable textile printing performance.

Implementation Method 1

there has been known a technique of suppressing the precipitation of a metal salt by complexing metal ions using a chelating function (effect) of a metal chelating agent

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChelation:

Data Source

PatentUS10676626B2Ink jet textile printing ink composition and ink receiving container

Publication Date: 2020.06.09 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

An ink jet textile printing ink composition includes water; a color material; and a metal chelating agent. In the ink composition described above, the metal chelating agent includes at least one selected from methyl glycine diacetic acid, L-glutamate diacetic acid, L-aspartic diacetic acid, hydroxyethylimino diacetic acid, 3-hydroxy-2,2′-iminodisuccucinic acid, dicarboxymethyl glutamic acid, (S,S)-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid, and salts thereof, and the pH of the ink composition is 6 to 10.