Universal Primer Coatings for Inkjet and Electrophotographic Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current primer coatings for liquid electrophotographic and inkjet printing are incompatible, requiring separate product lines and substrates due to their distinct properties, leading to increased costs and inventory management issues, as well as poor adhesion and water resistance.
Innovation Solution
Development of a primer composition featuring a polyvalent metal salt and an amine-functionalized copolymer with a specific amine number range, which forms a stable emulsion suitable for both printing techniques, ensuring compatibility and universal substrate suitability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If primer coatings with excessive functional groups (carboxylates, amines, alcohols) are used to promote strong chemical interactions and hydrogen bonding with toner, then toner adhesion is improved, but water resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the primer coating by incorporating specific polymers with controlled functional group densities. The primer includes polymers with carboxyl groups, amine groups, and hydroxyl groups in optimized proportions to achieve both strong toner adhesion through chemical interactions and adequate water resistance by avoiding excessive hydrophilicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite primer coating system comprising multiple polymer components with complementary properties. The primer includes a mixture of polymers containing different functional groups (carboxylates, amines, alcohols) in specific ratios, creating a composite material that balances adhesion promotion with water resistance, preventing the drawbacks of using any single polymer type in excess.
2Strength
If primer coatings with excessive amine functional groups are used to promote toner adhesion, then chemical interactions are improved, but coating stability deteriorates due to corrosiveness and discoloration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent严格控制 amine group content in the primer coating, specifying that the primer includes polymers with amine groups but in limited quantities. The amine number is controlled within specific ranges to provide sufficient toner adhesion while preventing excessive corrosiveness and yellowing/discoloration over time, thus maintaining coating stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent distributes functional groups non-uniformly across different polymer components in the primer. Rather than using one polymer with high amine content, the primer uses multiple polymer types where amine groups are localized in specific components at controlled levels, while other components provide structural stability and resistance to degradation.
3Manufacturing precision
If separate primer coatings are used for liquid electrophotographic and inkjet printing, then printing quality is improved, but product complexity and inventory management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops a universal primer coating composition that performs effectively for both liquid electrophotographic printing and inkjet printing. The primer includes polymers with multiple functional groups (carboxylates, amines, alcohols) in balanced proportions, creating a multi-functional coating that provides adequate adhesion and performance for different printing technologies, eliminating the need for separate primer products.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the requirements of two separate primer systems into a single composite primer formulation. By combining polymers with complementary functional groups in specific ratios, the primer simultaneously satisfies the adhesion requirements of electrophotographic toner and inkjet ink, consolidating what were previously two separate product lines into one universal product.
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 primer composition provides excellent adhesion for both inkjet and liquid electrophotographic printing, reducing the need for separate substrates and coatings, enhancing print quality, and maintaining stability and resistance over time.
Implementation Method 1
the functional groups present within a primer coating may be chosen to promote strong chemical interactions such as, for example, hydrogen bonding or salt bridge formation, with complementary functional groups within the toner
Implementation Method 2
Facilitate strong chemical adhesion of the toner to the surface of the substrate
Implementation Method 3
a primer composition featuring a polyvalent metal salt and an amine-functionalized copolymer with a specific amine number range, which forms a stable emulsion suitable for both printing techniques
Data Source
AI summary
Aqueous primer compositions suitable for electrophotographic printing and inkjet printing are frequently incompatible with one another, such that coated substrates for each printing technique need to be stockpiled separately. Aqueous primer compositions containing components to facilitate both electrophotographic printing and inkjet printing and that remain compatible with each other may comprise a polyvalent metal salt dispersed in an aqueous fluid, and an amine-functionalized copolymer dispersed as an emulsion in the aqueous fluid, in which the amine-functionalized copolymer has an amine number of about 10 to about 180 mg KOH/g copolymer and a glass transition temperature of about 0° C. to about 50° C. Suitable amine-functionalized copolymers may be formed by an emulsion polymerization reaction of one or more first ethylenically unsaturated monomers lacking an amine group and one or more second ethylenically unsaturated monomers bearing at least one amine group.