UV-Curable Ink Jet Composition with Nitrogen Monomer for Oxygen Inhibition
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing ink jet recording methods face issues with curability and image quality due to oxygen inhibition when ejecting small ink droplets for high-resolution printing, particularly with nitrogen-containing monomers, which can lead to streaks and degraded image quality.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using a radiation-curable ink jet composition with a nitrogen-containing monofunctional monomer, acryloyl morpholine, and irradiating it with an ultraviolet ray at an intensity of 3 to 10 W/cm2 using a light emitting diode, optimizing the monofunctional monomer content and irradiation energy to enhance curability and reduce streaks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a small amount of ink is ejected to form small dots for high-resolution printing, then image resolution is improved, but the specific surface area of ink droplets increases making them susceptible to oxygen inhibition, resulting in degraded curability and image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the ink jet composition by incorporating nitrogen-containing monofunctional monomers at 5-40 mass% and controlling the ratio of monofunctional monomers to be 80 mass% or more. This compositional parameter change enables small ink droplets to resist oxygen inhibition and achieve proper curing while maintaining high resolution.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the irradiation intensity is reduced to decrease temperature rise and odor, then odor is suppressed, but curability is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters to include nitrogen-containing monofunctional monomers (5-40 mass%) and controls monofunctional monomer content at 80 mass% or more. This compositional modification enables the ink to cure effectively at lower irradiation intensities (1 W/cm² or less) while suppressing odor and temperature rise.
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
This approach improves the curability and adhesion of the ink droplets, reducing streaks and enhancing the overall image quality by controlling the curing process effectively, especially in serial-type printers.
Implementation Method 1
an irradiating step of irradiating the ejected radiation-curable ink jet composition with an ultraviolet ray at an irradiation intensity of 3 to 10 W/cm2 by using a light emitting diode
Data Source
AI summary
An ink jet method includes an ejecting step of ejecting a radiation-curable ink jet composition from an ink jet head and an irradiating step of irradiating the ejected radiation-curable ink jet composition with an ultraviolet ray at an irradiation intensity of 3 to 10 W/cm2 by using a light emitting diode. The radiation-curable ink jet composition contains monofunctional monomers including a nitrogen-containing monofunctional monomer. The amount of the nitrogen-containing monofunctional monomer relative to the total amount of the radiation-curable ink jet composition is 5 to 40 mass %.