Water Base Ink Formulation Preventing Strike-Through
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water base inks for ink jet recording face issues with 'strike-through' to the back surface, leading to reduced printing density and poor drying properties, particularly when using pigment inks, due to excessive permeability and inadequate thickening agents.
Innovation Solution
The use of self-dispersible pigments with a small amount of methyl cellulose and specific glycol ethers, such as diethylene glycol butyl ether, dipropylene glycol propyl ether, or triethylene glycol butyl ether, to enhance ink affinity with recording paper fibers and prevent strike-through while maintaining permeability and drying efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If glycol ethers are added to enhance ink permeability, then drying performance is improved, but strike-through to the back surface occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by introducing specific glycol ether compounds (diethylene glycol butyl ether, dipropylene glycol propyl ether, triethylene glycol butyl ether) with controlled blending ratios (0.1-5% by weight). This parameter optimization allows sufficient permeability for drying while preventing excessive penetration that causes strike-through.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite ink formulation combining water, self-dispersible pigment, and specific glycol ether penetrants in defined proportions. This composite approach balances the competing requirements of permeability (for drying) and penetration control (to prevent strike-through) by leveraging the synergistic effects of multiple components.
2Strength
If thickener concentration is increased to improve abrasion resistance, then printing density improves, but drying property deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the thickener concentration parameter to a specific range (0.01-0.5% by weight of methyl cellulose). This precise parameter control provides sufficient viscosity for abrasion resistance while maintaining low enough concentration to allow rapid evaporation and good drying properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses self-dispersible pigment particles that provide localized thickening and abrasion resistance at the pigment-paper interface without significantly increasing the bulk viscosity of the ink. This local quality approach maintains drying speed while improving abrasion resistance.
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 effectively suppresses strike-through, maintains high printing density, and ensures satisfactory drying properties on the paper surface, as demonstrated by the examples provided.
Implementation Method 1
methyl cellulose which serves as an anti striking-through agent
Implementation Method 2
at least one glycol ether which serves as a penetrant
Implementation Method 3
pigment particles of the self-dispersible pigment are easily fixed to fibers of the recording paper
Data Source
AI summary
A water base ink for ink jet recording contains a self-dispersible pigment; water; at least one glycol ether selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol butyl ether, dipropylene glycol propyl ether and triethylene glycol butyl ether; and methyl cellulose in an amount of 0.01% by weight to 0.5% by weight. The water base ink is capable of preventing the strike-through to the back surface of a recording paper, and further the water base ink is excellent in the printing density and drying property on the paper surface.