Ink-jet recording ink, ink-jet recording ink set, recording method, print, and ink-jet recording apparatus

• US 20030106462A1
• Filed: 06/18/2002
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Miyabayashi, Toshiyuki, Yatake, Masahiro, Hayashi, Hiroko
• Granted Patent: US 7,307,109 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 106/31.59
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14201 Structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/20 Oxides; Hydroxides graphene oxides C08K3/042
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/053 Polyhydroxylic alcohols
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/06 Ethers; Acetals; Ketals; Ortho-esters
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/32 characterised by colouring agents
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/322 Pigment inks
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/40 Ink-sets specially adapted for multi-colour inkjet printing

Abstract

Provided are an ink jet recording ink (IJ ink), an ink jet recording ink set (IJ ink set) and a recording method, having excellent dispersion stability and ejection stability and being capable of providing images which is free from bleeding and which is excellent in color development property and rubbing resistance. An IJ ink and an IJ ink set having long-term storage stability are provided. Also provided are recorded matter having excellent color development property and rubbing resistance, and an ink jet recording apparatus capable of providing the same.

The invention includes: an IJ ink containing a colorant of a pigment and/or dye enveloped in a polymer, and water, and containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of acetylene glycol surfactants, acetylene alcohol surfactants, glycol ethers and 1,2-alkylene glycols; an IJ ink set comprising a plurality of the inks; a recording method of using the ink and/or the ink set; recorded matter printed according to the recording method; and an ink jet recording apparatus having an electrostrictive unit mounted thereon and is designed so as to be capable of ejecting the ink.

Claims

1. An ink jet recording ink containing:

a colorant of a pigment and/or dye enveloped in a polymer; and

water, and containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of acetylene glycol surfactants, acetylene alcohol surfactants, glycol ethers and 1,2-alkylene glycols.

2. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 1, which is so designed that the content of the at least one compound selected from the group consisting of acetylene glycol surfactants, acetylene alcohol surfactants, glycol ethers and 1,2-alkylene glycols in the ink falls between 0.5% by weight and 30% by weight.

4. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, which contains at most 5% by weight of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of acetylene glycol surfactants and acetylene alcohol surfactants.

5. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, which contains at most 5% by weight of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of acetylene glycol surfactants and acetylene alcohol surfactants, and contains at least 1% by weight of at least one compound selected from glycol ethers and 1,2-alkylene glycols.

6. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, which contains at least 0.5% by weight of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of acetylene glycol surfactants and acetylene alcohol surfactants, wherein the ratio by weight of the compound to the 1,2-alkylene glycol falls between 1:

0 and 1;

10.

7. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one compound selected from the group consisting of acetylene glycol surfactants and acetylene alcohol surfactants is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of 2,4-dimethyl-5-hexyn-3-ol, 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyne-4,7-diol, 3,6-dimethyl-4-octyne-3,6-diol, and adducts of those 2,4-dimethyl-5-hexyn-3-ol, 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyne-4,7-diol and 3,6-dimethyl-4-octyne-3,6-diol each with at most 30, on average number, of ethyleneoxy groups and/or propyleneoxy groups added thereto.

8. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the glycol ether is one or a mixture of two or more selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol mono(C_1-8 alkyl) ethers, triethylene glycol mono(C_1-8 alkyl) ethers, propylene glycol mono(C_1-6 alkyl) ethers, and dipropylene glycol mono(C_1-6 alkyl) ethers.

9. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the glycol ether is di(tri)ethylene glycol monobutyl ether and/or (di)propylene glycol monobutyl ether.

10. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 9, which contains at most 10% by weight of (di)propylene glycol monobutyl ether.

11. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 9 or 10, which contains at least 0.5% by weight of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of acetylene glycol surfactants and acetylene alcohol surfactants, wherein the ratio by weight of the compound to (di)propylene glycol monobutyl ether falls between 1:

0 and 1;

10.

12. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11, which contains at most 20% by weight of di(tri)ethylene glycol monobutyl ether.

13. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 9 to 12, which contains at least 0.5% by weight of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of acetylene glycol surfactants and acetylene alcohol surfactants, wherein the ratio by weight of the compound to di(tri)ethylene glycol monobutyl ether falls between 1:

0 and 1;

10.

14. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 13, wherein the 1,2-alkylene glycol is a 1,2-(C_4-10 alkyl)-diol.

15. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 14, wherein the 1,2-alkylene glycol is 1,2-pentanediol and/or 1,2-hexanediol.

16. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 14 or 15, which contains at most 15% by weight of the 1,2-(C_4-10 alkyl)-diol.

17. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 16, which further contains at least one compound selected from the group consisting of polyalcohols and compounds of the following formula (1):

R-EOn-POm-M 

 

(1)

wherein R represents a C_4-12 alkanol, cycloalkanol, phenol and/or naphthol group, which is linear and/or another isomer;

EO represents an ethyleneoxy group;

PO represents a propyleneoxy group;

n and m each indicate the mean value of the repetitive units in the whole system;

the indication of EO and PO merely represent the presence thereof in the molecule, not limiting their order;

M represents a hydrogen atom, a sulfonate group, a phosphate group and/or a borate group, and the counter ion of the sulfonate group, the phosphate group and/or the borate group is a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, an inorganic base and/or an organic amine.

18. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 17, wherein n in formula (1) falls between 0 and 10 and m therein falls between 1 and 5.

19. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein the mean molecular weight of the compound of formula (1) is at most 2000.

20. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 17 to 19, which contains at most 5% by weight of an acetylene glycol surfactant, wherein the ratio of the compound of formula (1) to the acetylene glycol surfactant falls between 1:

0 and 1;

3.

21. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 17 to 20, wherein the glycol ether is (di)propylene glycol butyl ether monobutyl ether and contained in an amount of at most 10% by weight, and wherein the ratio by weight of the compound of formula (1) to the glycol ether falls between 1:

0 and 1;

10.

22. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 17 to 20, wherein the glycol ether is di(tri)ethylene glycol monobutyl ether and contained in an amount of at most 20% by weight, and wherein the ratio by weight of the compound of formula (1) to the glycol ether falls between 1:

0 and 1;

10.

23. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 17 to 22, wherein the ratio of the compound of formula (1) to the 1,2-alkylene glycol falls between 1:

0 and 1;

10.

24. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 17 to 23, wherein the polyalcohol is a C_3-12 alkyldiols and/or C_3-12 alkyltriols.

25. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 24, which further contains glycerin.

26. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 25, which further contains a saccharide.

27. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 24 or 25, which further contains a compound of the following formula (2):

A-(EP)n 

 

(2)

wherein A represents a glycerin skeleton;

EP represents an ethyleneoxy group (terminal OH) and/or a propyleneoxy group (terminal OH), but may be an OH group; and

n indicates the repetitive units.

28. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 27, wherein n in formula (2) falls between 0.5 and 10.

29. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 27 or 28, wherein the mean molecular weight of the compound of formula (2) is at most 1000.

30. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 26 to 29, wherein at least 80% by weight of the saccharide comprises aldose, ketose and/or glycoalcohol with at most 12 carbon atoms.

31. The ink jet recording ink composition as claimed in any of claims 1 to 30, wherein the dye is insoluble or hardly soluble in water.

32. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 31, wherein the amount of the polymer-enveloped colorant of a pigment and/or dye falls between 0.5% by weight and 30% by weight.

33. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 31, wherein the colorant is a colorant of a pigment and/or dye enveloped in a polymer and the polymer content is at least 10% by weight based on the whole amount of the colorant.

34. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 33, wherein the polymer that envelops the pigment and/or dye therein comprises, as a main component, at least one selected from the group consisting of vinyl polymers, polyesters, polyamides, polyimides, silicon-containing polymers and sulfur-containing polymers.

35. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 34, wherein the polymer that envelops the pigment and/or dye therein is a copolymer of a polymerizable group-having dispersant and a copolymerizable monomer.

36. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 35, wherein the colorant of a pigment and/or dye enveloped in a copolymer of a polymerizable group-having dispersant and a copolymerizable monomer is prepared by dispersing the pigment and/or dye in water by a polymerizable group-having dispersant, and adding thereto the copolymerizable monomer and a polymerization initiator to cause polymerization.

37. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 35 or 36, wherein the copolymerizable monomer is a compound having an unsaturated group in its structure.

38. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 37, wherein the unsaturated group is selected from the group consisting of a vinyl group, an allyl group, an acryloyl group, a methacryloyl group and a propenyl group.

39. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 35 to 38, wherein the copolymerizable monomer is an electron-receiving monomer.

40. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 35 to 39, wherein the copolymerizable monomer is selected from the group consisting of fumaric diesters, maleic diesters, maleimides and vinylidene cyanides.

41. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 33, wherein the polymer that envelops the pigment and/or dye therein has a crosslinked structure.

42. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 41, wherein the colorant of a pigment and/or dye enveloped in the crosslinked structure-having polymer is prepared by contacting an organic phase that contains at least a polymer having a crosslinking reactive group and a hydrophilic group and a crosslinking agent with an aqueous phase to cause phase conversion emulsification to thereby make the pigment and/or dye enveloped in the polymer, and then carrying out a crosslinking reaction of the polymer and the crosslinking agent.

43. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 41 or 42, wherein the polymer having a crosslinking reactive group and a hydrophilic group comprises, as a main component, at least one member selected from the group consisting of vinyl polymers, poly(meth)acrylates, styrene-(meth)acrylic acid copolymers, polyesters, polyamides, polyimides, polyurethanes, amino polymers, silicon-containing polymers, sulfur-containing polymers, fluorine-containing polymers and epoxy resins.

44. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 41 to 43, wherein the hydrophilic group of the polymer having a crosslinking reactive group and a hydrophilic group is selected from the group consisting of a sulfone group, a sulfonic acid group, a carboxyl group, a hydroxyl group and their salts, and quaternary ammonium salts.

45. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 41 to 44, wherein the crosslinking reactive group of the polymer having a crosslinking reactive group and a hydrophilic group is selected from a glycidyl group, an isocyanate group, a hydroxyl group and an unsaturated hydrocarbon group.

46. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 45, wherein the unsaturated hydrocarbon group is selected from the group consisting of a vinyl group, an allyl group, an acryloyl group, a methacryloyl group, a propenyl group, a vinylidene group and a vinylene group.

47. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 42 to 46, wherein the crosslinking agent has, in its molecule, at least two functional groups capable of reacting with the crosslinking reactive group of the polymerization having a crosslinking reactive group and a hydrophilic group.

48. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 42 to 47, wherein the functional groups of the crosslinking agent are selected from the group consisting of an amino group, a carboxyl group, a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, a mercapto group, a glycidyl group, an isocyanate group, an N-methylol group, an N-methylolether group and an unsaturated hydrocarbon group.

49. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 48, wherein the unsaturated hydrocarbon group of the crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of a vinyl group, an allyl group, an acryloyl group, a methacryloyl group, a propenyl group, a vinylidene group and a vinylene group.

50. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 42 to 49, wherein the ratio by weight of the crosslinking agent to the polymer having a crosslinking reactive group and a hydrophilic group falls between 0.01 and 0.1.

51. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 42 to 50, wherein the organic phase contains a reactive surfactant.

52. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 41, wherein the crosslinked structure-having polymer is a polymer of a polymerizable group-having dispersant and a crosslinking monomer.

53. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 41 or 52, wherein the colorant of the pigment and/or dye enveloped in the crosslinked structure-having polymer is prepared by dispersing a pigment and/or dye in water by a polymerizable group-having dispersant, adding thereto at least a crosslinking monomer and a polymerization initiator to cause polymerization.

54. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 35 to 40 and 52 to 53, wherein the polymerizable group-having dispersant is a polymerizable surfactant having at least a polymerizable group, a hydrophobic group and a hydrophilic group in its molecular structure.

55. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 54, wherein the polymerizable group of the polymerizable surfactant is an unsaturated hydrocarbon group.

56. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 55, wherein the unsaturated hydrocarbon group is selected from the group consisting of a vinyl group, an allyl group, an acryloyl group, a methacryloyl group, a propenyl group, a vinylidene group and a vinylene group.

57. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 54 to 56, wherein the hydrophilic group of the polymerizable surfactant is selected from the group consisting of a sulfone group, a sulfonic acid group, a carboxyl group, a carbonyl group, a hydroxyl group and their salts, and quaternary ammonium salts.

58. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 54 to 57, wherein the polymerizable surfactant is a compound of the following formula (I):

59. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 54 to 57, wherein the polymerizable surfactant is a compound of the following formula (II):

60. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 59, wherein the solubility parameter of the polymer that envelops the pigment and/or dye therein falls between 11 and 14 cal/cm³, and the difference between the solubility parameter of a liquid component and that of the polymer is at least 1.0 cal/cm³.

61. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 60, wherein the acid value of the polymer that envelops the pigment and/or dye therein falls between 20 and 200 KOH mg/g.

62. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 61, wherein the glass transition temperature of the polymer that envelops the pigment and/or dye therein is not higher than 25°

C.

63. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 62, wherein the film-forming temperature of the polymer that envelops the pigment and/or dye therein is not higher than 25°

C.

64. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 63, wherein the colorant of a pigment and/or dye enveloped in a polymer further contains a hardly water-soluble substance.

65. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 64, wherein the solubility in water of the hardly water-soluble substance is at most 10% by weight.

66. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 65, which contains a preservative, a sequestrant and a rust preventive, wherein the preservative is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of alkylisothiazolones, chloroalkylisothiazolones, benzisothiazolones, bromonitroalcohols, oxazolidines and chloroxylenols, the sequestrant is ethylenediamine acetate, and the rust preventive is dicyclohexylammonium nitrate and/or benzotriazole.

67. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in claim 66, wherein the addition amount (A) of the preservative falls between 0.01% by weight and 0.1% by weight, the addition amount (B) of the sequestrant falls between 0.01% by weight and 0.5% by weight, the addition amount (C) of the rust preventive falls between 0.01% by weight and 0.2% by weight, and A+B+C falls between 0.03% by weight and 0.8% by weight.

68. The ink jet recording ink as claimed in any of claims 1 to 67, which is so designed that has a surface tension falling between 25 mN/m and 45 mN/m.

69. An ink jet recording ink set comprising a plurality of ink jet recording inks of any of claims 1 to 68.

70. A recording method of performing printing by ejecting an ink droplet so as to be attached onto a recording medium, wherein an ink jet recording ink of any of claims 1 to 68 and/or an ink jet recording ink set of claim 69 is used.

71. Recorded matter printed according to a recording method of claim 70.

72. An ink jet recording apparatus which is so designed that mounts an electrostrictive unit capable of vibrating based on an electronic signal and ejects an ink jet recording ink of any of claims 1 to 68 or an ink of an ink set of claim 69 according to the vibration of the electrostrictive unit.

3. An ink jet recording ink containing:

a colorant of a pigment and/or dye enveloped in a polymer; and

water, and containing;

at least one compound selected from the group consisting of acetylene glycol surfactants and acetylene alcohol surfactants; and

at least one compound selected from the group consisting of glycol ethers and 1,2-alkylene glycols.