Water-Based Ink Set for Stable Color Performance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Water-based ink sets for ink-jet recording face challenges in maintaining color stability and durability against light, heat, and ozone, particularly in high humidity environments, where specific dyes used can diffuse easily, affecting the color tone of secondary colors created by mixing different inks.
Innovation Solution
A water-based ink set comprising at least two inks, one containing a dye represented by a specific formula and another with a cationic polymer, which suppresses color change in high humidity environments by interacting with the ink-receiving layer of the recording medium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a specific dye is used to achieve satisfactory hue and durability against light, heat, and ozone, then color fastness is improved, but diffusion control in high humidity environments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specific surfactant as an intermediary substance between the specific dye and the recording medium. This surfactant modifies the interaction interface, allowing the dye to maintain its durability properties while reducing excessive diffusion in high humidity environments. The surfactant acts as a mediator that controls the wetting and diffusion behavior of the dye without compromising its inherent fastness properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the ink by incorporating a specific surfactant with defined molecular structure and concentration ranges. This parameter change affects the surface tension and wetting properties of the ink, thereby controlling the diffusion behavior of the specific dye on the recording medium while preserving its color fastness characteristics.
2Adaptability or versatility
If humidity increases in the environment, then diffusion of specific dye into recording medium increases, but color tone accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The surfactant serves as an intermediary that buffers the effect of environmental humidity on dye diffusion. By modifying the ink's surface properties, the surfactant creates a controlled diffusion pathway that is less sensitive to humidity variations, thereby maintaining color tone accuracy across different environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The surfactant is incorporated into the ink formulation in advance to preemptively counteract the harmful effect of humidity-induced diffusion. This preliminary anti-action prevents the dye from diffusing excessively when exposed to high humidity, thereby preserving color tone accuracy before the diffusion problem can manifest.
3Stability of the object's composition
If cationic polymer is added to suppress color change in high humidity, then color stability is improved, but jetting stability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully controls the concentration parameter of the cationic polymer within a specific range (0.01-5% by weight). This parameter optimization ensures that the polymer provides sufficient color stability in high humidity environments while maintaining jetting stability. The precise concentration control balances the competing requirements of color fixation and ink flow properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite ink formulation by combining the specific dye, surfactant, and cationic polymer in defined proportions. This composite material approach allows the components to work synergistically, where the surfactant and polymer together provide color stability without the polymer alone causing jetting issues. The composite formulation balances multiple functional requirements.
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 ink set provides stable and durable color performance against light, heat, and ozone, with suppressed color change in high humidity conditions, ensuring excellent jetting stability and optical density.
Implementation Method 1
another with a cationic polymer, which suppresses color change in high humidity environments by interacting with the ink-receiving layer of the recording medium
Data Source
AI summary
A water-based ink set for ink-jet recording includes two or more kinds of water-based inks; wherein at least one water-based ink among the two or more kinds of water-based inks contains a dye represented by a general formula (1) and at least one water-based inks contains 0.5% by weight to 4% by weight a cationic polymer; and in the general formula (1): n1 is 1 or 2, each of three Ms is sodium or ammonium and the three Ms may be same or different from one another, and R0 represents a monoalkylamino group substituted by a carboxyl group and having a number of carbon atoms of 1 to 8.