Thermal Record Material Composition for Stable Isocyanate-Free Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermally-responsive record materials face challenges in retaining image integrity over time, especially in high heat and exposure to liquids or solvents, and often contain hazardous isocyanate compounds, which limits their environmental and commercial acceptance.
Innovation Solution
A thermally-responsive record material system that uses a fluoran dye precursor combined with 4,4′-diaminodiphenylsulfone and 3,3′-diaminodiphenylsulfone, along with N-[(butylamino)carbonyl]-4-methylbenzenesulfonamide, to form a non-reversible, intense, and stable image without isocyanates, ensuring resistance to environmental challenges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If isocyanate compounds are used in thermally-responsive record materials, then color formation is achieved, but environmental safety and commercial acceptance deteriorate due to hazardous properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes isocyanate compounds from the thermally-responsive record material formulation, extracting the harmful substance while retaining the essential color formation function through alternative chemical components that do not pose environmental hazards
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces hazardous isocyanate chemistry with safer alternative chemical systems that achieve the same thermal color formation effect, effectively converting a harmful formulation approach into a beneficial environmentally-safe solution
2Illumination intensity
If conventional thermally-responsive record materials are exposed to high heat or solvents, then image intensity is achieved, but image stability deteriorates due to fading or erasure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material formulations combining specific dye precursors, developers, and binder materials that work synergistically to produce images with both high intensity and enhanced stability against heat and solvent exposure, overcoming the limitations of conventional single-component systems
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 system achieves high-density, non-reversible bar code images with improved stability and resistance to erasure, maintaining image integrity at high temperatures and in contact with common substances, and avoids the use of hazardous isocyanates, enhancing commercial viability.
Implementation Method 1
basic colorless or lightly colored chromogenic material and acidic color developer material are contained in a coating on a substrate which, when heated to a suitable temperature, melts or softens to permit said materials to react, thereby producing a colored mark
Implementation Method 2
when heated to a suitable temperature, melts or softens to permit said materials to react
Data Source
AI summary
The invention describes a thermally-responsive record material substantially free of aromatic isocyanate. The record material comprises a support having provided thereon a heat-sensitive composition comprising a substantially colorless dye precursor comprising a fluoran; and a developer material selected from the group consisting of 4,4′-diaminodiphenylsulfone and 3,3′-diaminodiphenylsulfone in combination with N-[(butylamino)carbonyl]-4-methylbenzene sulfonamide, which upon being heated react with said dye precursor to develop color, and including a binder material.