Colored and White Ink Composition for Breakage-Free Image Recording

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image recording methods using a pretreatment liquid and multiple inks result in non-uniform aggregation of pigment dispersants, leading to image breakage when applied on impermeable base materials.

Innovation Solution

An ink set comprising colored and white inks with pigment dispersants containing crosslinked or block polymers, and specific surface tension differences, applied with a pretreatment liquid to ensure uniform aggregation and minimize image breakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a pretreatment liquid is applied onto a base material before recording with colored and white inks, then image quality is improved, but image breakage occurs due to non-uniform aggregation of pigment dispersants

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidimage breakage

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the pigment dispersant by specifying it must contain a polymer with a crosslinked structure or be a block polymer. This structural parameter change ensures uniform aggregation behavior when the pretreatment liquid is applied, preventing image breakage while maintaining image quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite material structure in the pigment dispersant by combining polymer chains with crosslinked structures or block copolymer architectures. This composite structure provides both the necessary dispersibility and uniform aggregation properties, resolving the contradiction between image quality and preventing breakage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If pigment dispersants aggregate non-uniformly on impermeable base materials, then application process is simplified, but image breakage occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication processVSAvoidimage integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the molecular structure parameter of the pigment dispersant to include crosslinked polymers or block polymers. This structural modification enables uniform aggregation on impermeable surfaces without complicating the application process, as the uniform aggregation occurs naturally during the standard application procedure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If conventional pigment dispersants are used in colored and white inks, then ink formulation is simplified, but uniform aggregation cannot be achieved after pretreatment liquid application

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink formulationVSAvoidaggregation uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite material design in the pigment dispersant formulation, using polymers with crosslinked structures or block copolymer compositions. These composite structures provide the dual functionality needed for stable dispersion in ink and uniform aggregation after pretreatment, achieving composition stability without excessive formulation complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent specifies critical structural parameters for the pigment dispersant polymer, requiring crosslinked structures or block configurations. This parameter specification ensures uniform aggregation behavior while keeping the overall ink formulation relatively simple, as only the dispersant structure is specially designed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 effectively suppresses image breakage by promoting uniform aggregation of pigment dispersants, enhancing image quality and stability on impermeable surfaces.

Implementation Method 1

the pigment dispersants respectively contained in the colored ink and the white ink contain a polymer having a crosslinked structure or a block polymer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCrosslinked structure:

Implementation Method 2

suppress breakage of an image to be recorded... promoting uniform aggregation of pigment dispersants

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAggregation: Coagulation

Implementation Method 3

a pretreatment liquid containing an aggregating agent... applied onto the base material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface treatment:

Data Source

PatentUS12516209B2Ink set and image recording method

Publication Date: 2026.01.06 FUJIFILM CORP

AI summary

Provided are an ink set including a colored ink containing a colored pigment which is at least one of a chromatic pigment or a black pigment, a pigment dispersant, and water, and a white ink containing a white pigment, a pigment dispersant, and water, in which the pigment dispersants respectively contained in the colored ink and the white ink contain a polymer having a crosslinked structure or a block polymer, and an image recording method.