Water-Based Ink-Jet Inks Using Crosslinked Polymer Particles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Water-based inks for ink-jet printing fail to achieve sufficient gloss and storage stability due to limitations in the content and functionality of water-insoluble resins and phthalic diesters, despite advancements in pigment-containing dispersions and crosslinking processes.
Innovation Solution
The development of water-insoluble crosslinked polymer particles produced by crosslinking water-insoluble polymers with a crosslinking agent, incorporating a water-insoluble organic compound to enhance flexibility and fusibility, resulting in a water dispersion that improves gloss and storage stability when used in ink-jet printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water-insoluble resin is dissolved in the ink to suppress color bleeding, then color fastness is improved, but the content of water-insoluble resin must be kept small which limits the sufficient function
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the water-insoluble resin from dissolved to dispersed form, and applies crosslinking to form gel particles. This allows the resin to remain in the ink at higher concentrations without dissolving, while still providing color fastness through the crosslinked gel structure that prevents color bleeding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure by crosslinking water-insoluble resin with a crosslinking agent to form gel particles. This composite gel particle structure combines the color fastness properties of water-insoluble resin with the stability and dispersibility of crosslinked gel structures, enabling sufficient functional performance at higher concentrations.
2Shape
If phthalic diester is added to the ink to form images with good gloss, then surface quality is improved, but the content of phthalic diester is small which limits the sufficient function
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces phthalic diester with a crosslinking agent that forms crosslinked gel particles. This chemical transformation allows for higher effective concentrations of gloss-enhancing components, as the crosslinked gel structure provides superior surface properties and gloss at higher loadings compared to conventional phthalic diester additives.
3Reliability
If water-based pigment-containing dispersion is produced by crosslinking carboxyl group-containing thermoplastic resin, then light resistance and water resistance are improved, but good gloss and good storage stability are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses water-insoluble polymer particles as a base and crosslinks them with a crosslinking agent to form gel particles. This composite gel particle structure provides both the required light and water resistance from the crosslinked network, and achieves good gloss and storage stability through the controlled gel structure and particle morphology, overcoming the limitations of previous thermoplastic resin 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 solution provides water-based inks with enhanced gloss and storage stability, ensuring smooth ink ejection and uniform printing on coated papers, while maintaining the environmental benefits of water-based inks.
Implementation Method 1
crosslinking water-insoluble polymers with a crosslinking agent
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to (A) a water dispersion for ink-jet printing including particles of a waster-insoluble crosslinked polymer which contain a colorant, and a water-insoluble organic compound, wherein the water-insoluble crosslinked polymer is (1) a polymer produced by crosslinking a water-insoluble polymer with a crosslinking agent; (2) a polymer produced by crosslinking 100 parts by weight of the water-insoluble polymer with 0.5 to 9.5 parts by weight of the crosslinking agent; or (3) a polymer having a weight-average segment molecular weight of from 1,400 to 20,000 as calculated from [(weigh-average molecular weight of the water-insoluble polymer)/(number of molar equivalents of the crosslinking agent to be reacted with 1 mol of the water-insoluble polymer+1)]; (B) an ink for ink-jet printing containing the above water dispersion which is excellent in gloss and storage stability; and (C) particles of the water-insoluble crosslinked polymer.