Water-Based Ink Composition for Viscosity Stability and Anti-Settling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Water-based inks suffer from settling of water-insoluble materials, such as polysaccharides and pigments, leading to viscosity issues and environmental concerns due to fossil fuel-derived components.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a high renewable carbon content solvent-soluble polyamide resin dispersion in an aqueous dispersion with water-insoluble particulate materials, which stabilizes viscosity and prevents settling through hydrogen bonding interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional oil-based inks are used to achieve fast drying and good print quality, then printing productivity and quality are improved, but environmental pollution and health hazards increase due to volatile organic compounds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental chemical parameter of the ink vehicle from oil-based to water-based, replacing volatile organic compounds with water as the solvent. This substitution maintains the ink's functional properties while eliminating harmful emissions, allowing fast drying and good print quality to be achieved without environmental pollution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the traditionally harmful role of water (which can cause poor adhesion and slow drying in ink applications) into a beneficial solvent by carefully formulating the water-based system with appropriate resins, humectants, and additives. This transforms water from a problematic substance into an effective ink vehicle that provides both environmental benefits and printing performance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If water-based inks are used to reduce environmental pollution, then environmental safety is improved, but print quality and drying speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite water-based ink formulation combining multiple components: water-soluble or dispersible pigments, polymer resins for adhesion and film formation, humectants to prevent drying during storage, and other functional additives. This composite approach maintains print quality and drying speed while using water as the base solvent for environmental safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different functional components to specific aspects of the ink formulation: pigments for color quality, resins for adhesion and film properties, humectants for storage stability, and drying agents for controlled evaporation rates. This localized optimization of each component's function ensures overall print quality is maintained despite using water as the solvent.
3Reliability
If renewable materials are used in ink formulation to improve sustainability, then environmental sustainability is improved, but ink performance and stability may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of renewable materials through processing and formulation to achieve desired stability. For example, natural oils are chemically modified or combined with other agents to prevent oxidation and degradation, while plant-derived polymers are treated to ensure consistent viscosity and film formation. These parameter adjustments maintain ink stability while preserving the renewable nature of the materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines renewable materials with stabilizing agents and complementary components to create a composite formulation that leverages the benefits of renewable resources while mitigating their inherent stability issues. The composite structure allows renewable pigments, binders, and additives to work synergistically, maintaining both sustainability and performance.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are water-based varnishes and inks that include a high renewable carbon content polyamide in an aqueous dispersion and a water-insoluble particulate material. The inks and varnishes exhibit stable viscosity, that is, they are varnishes and inks that exhibit little to no viscosity change over an extended period of time. Further, the inks and varnishes exhibit little to no settling of the insoluble particulate material over an extended period of time. The water-based varnishes include an aqueous polyamide resin dispersion and an additive selected from a water-insoluble particulate material, and the polyamide resin has a renewable carbon content of ≥50wt%.