Ink solvent assisted heat sealable media

• US 20060083872A1
• Filed: 02/08/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sen, Radha, Bhatt, Jayprakash C., Salazar, Juan M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,641,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/32.340
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/506 Intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/5218 characterised by inorganic additives, e.g. pigments, clays
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 7/0054 using protective coatings or film forming compositions cured by thermal means, e.g. infrared radiation, heat
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 7/009 using thermal means, e.g. infrared radiation, heat
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/38 characterised by non-macromolecular additives other than solvents, pigments or dyes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]

Abstract

A method of producing a print medium to reduce problems associated with the gradual dye-fade and color-shift of inks over time, and to provide improved resistance to physical handling is provided Specifically, a method can comprise steps of coating a media substrate with a porous coating composition of semi-metal oxide or metal oxide particulates to form a porous ink receiving layer, coating the porous ink-receiving layer with a latex layer configured to allow an ink-jet ink to be received at the porous ink-receiving layer, printing ink-jet ink on at least a portion of the latex layer to form ink-associated latex regions exclusive of non-printed latex regions, and heating the latex layer. The ink-jet ink can include an ink vehicle, a colorant, and a film promoting additive that lowers the film forming temperature of the latex particulates in the ink-associated latex regions. Upon heating, the ink-associated latex regions form a continuous film, and non-printed latex regions do not form a continuous film. Associated systems and ink-jet prints are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of producing a printed image, comprising steps of:

a) coating a media substrate with a porous coating composition to form a porous ink receiving layer, said porous coating composition including semi-metal oxide or metal oxide particulates;

b) coating the porous ink-receiving layer with a latex layer including latex particulates, wherein the latex layer is configured to allow an ink-jet ink to be received at the porous ink-receiving layer, and wherein the latex particulates have a film forming temperature;

c) printing ink-jet ink on at least a portion of the latex layer to form ink-associated latex regions exclusive of non-printed latex regions, wherein the ink is received at least partially by the ink-receiving layer, said ink-jet ink comprising;

i) an ink vehicle;

ii) a colorant; and

iii) a film promoting additive, wherein the film promoting additive lowers the film forming temperature of the latex particulates in the ink-associated latex regions; and

d) heating the latex layer such that the ink-associated latex regions form a continuous film, and non-printed latex regions do not form a continuous film.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the latex layer further includes a binder.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein the binder is present at less than about 20 wt %.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein the binder is present at from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt %.

5. A method as in claim 2, wherein the binder includes a member selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol;

water-soluble copolymers of polyvinyl alcohol;

polyvinyl acetate;

polyvinyl pyrrolidone;

modified starches;

water soluble cellulose derivatives;

polyacrylamides;

casein;

gelatin;

soybean protein;

silyl-modified polyvinyl alcohol;

conjugated diene copolymer latexes;

acrylic polymer latexes;

vinyl polymer latexes;

functional group-modified latexes;

aqueous binders of thermosetting resins;

synthetic resin; and

combinations thereof.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein the binder includes polyvinyl alcohol.

7. A method as in claim 2, wherein the latex particulates function as a binder, said latex particulates comprising:

a) an inner portion with a first glass transition temperature;

b) an outer portion with a second glass transition temperature, wherein the first glass transition temperature and the second glass transition temperature are configured such that when the latex is applied at an application temperature, the inner portion is non-tacky and the outer portion is tacky.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein the latex particulates have a glass transition temperature from about −

25°

C. to about 150°

C.

9. A method as in claim 8, wherein the latex particulates have a glass transition temperature from about 50°

C. to about 120°

C.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein the film promoting additive is a diol.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein the diol is selected from the group consisting of:

1,2-hexanediol;

1,6-hexanediol;

tetramethyl-5-decyne-4,7-diol2,4,7,9;

ethoxylated 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyn-4,7-diol;

tetramethyl-5-decyne-4.7-diol-2,4,7,9;

2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol monoisobutyrate; and

combinations thereof.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein the diol is 1,6-hexanediol.

13. A method as in claim 1, wherein the film promoting additive is a glycol.

14. A method as in claim 13, wherein the glycol is selected from the group consisting of:

ethylene glycol;

ethylene glycol n-butyl ether;

ethylene glycol phenyl ether;

diethylene glycol n-butyl ether;

diethylene glycol methyl ether;

propylene glycol methyl ether;

propylene glycol methyl ether acetate;

propylene glycol n-propyl ether;

propylene glycol n-butyl ether;

propylene glycol phenyl ether;

dipropylene glycol methyl ether;

dipropylene glycol methyl ether acetate;

dipropylene glycol n-propyl ether;

dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether;

dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether;

tripropylene glycol methyl ether;

tripropylene glycol n-propyl ether;

tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether; and

combinations thereof.

15. A method as in claim 14, wherein the glycol is 1,6-hexanediol.

16. A method as in claim 1, wherein the film promoting additive is trimethylol propane.

17. A method as in claim 1, wherein the film promoting additive lowers the film forming temperature from about 3°

C. to about 25°

C.

18. A method as in claim 17, wherein the film promoting additive lowers the film forming temperature from about 5°

C. to about 15°

C.

19. A method as in claim 1, wherein the latex layer has an average thickness from about 0.5 g/m² to about 10 g/m².

20. A method as in claim 19, wherein the latex layer has an average thickness from about 1 g/m² to about 5 g/m².

21. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of printing on the non-printed latex regions after the heating step.

22. A printed image on a print medium, comprising:

a) a media substrate;

b) a porous ink-receiving layer coated on the media substrate, said porous ink-receiving layer including semi-metal oxide or metal oxide particulates;

c) a latex layer coated on the porous ink-receiving layer; and

d) an ink-jet ink comprising a film promoting additive printed on at least a portion of the latex layer forming ink-associated regions of the latex layer exclusive of non-printed latex regions, said ink-jet ink being received at least partially by the porous ink-receiving layer, wherein at least a portion of the ink-associated regions of the latex layer include a continuous film and the non-printed latex regions of the latex layer do not include a continuous film.

23. A printed image as in claim 22, wherein the latex layer further includes a binder.

24. A printed image as in claim 23, wherein the binder is present at less than about 20 wt %.

25. A printed image as in claim 24, wherein the binder is present at from about 5 wt % to about 15 wt %.

26. A printed image as in claim 23, wherein the binder includes a member selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol;

water-soluble copolymers of polyvinyl alcohol;

polyvinyl acetate;

polyvinyl pyrrolidone;

modified starches;

water soluble cellulose derivatives;

polyacrylamides;

casein;

gelatin;

soybean protein;

silyl-modified polyvinyl alcohol;

conjugated diene copolymer latexes;

acrylic polymer latexes;

vinyl polymer latexes;

functional group-modified latexes;

aqueous binders of thermosetting resins;

synthetic resin; and

combinations thereof.

27. A printed image as in claim 26, wherein the binder includes polyvinyl alcohol.

28. A printed image as in claim 23, wherein the latex particulates function as a binder, said latex particulates in the non-printed latex regions comprising:

a) an inner portion with a higher glass transition temperature;

b) an outer portion with a lower glass transition temperature, wherein the higher glass transition temperature and the lower glass transition temperature are configured such that when the latex is applied at an application temperature, the inner portion is non-tacky and the outer portion is tacky.

29. A printed image as in claim 22, wherein the latex particulates have a glass transition temperature from about −

25°

C. to about 150°

C.

30. A printed image as in claim 29, wherein the latex particulates have a glass transition temperature from about 50°

C. to about 120°

C.

31. A printed image as in claim 22, wherein the film promoting additive is a diol.

32. A printed image as in claim 31, wherein the diol is selected from the group consisting of:

1,2-hexanediol;

1,6-hexanediol;

tetramethyl-5-decyne-4,7-diol2,4,7,9;

ethoxylated 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyn-4,7-diol;

tetramethyl-5-decyne-4.7-diol-2,4,7,9;

2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol monoisobutyrate; and

combinations thereof.

33. A printed image as in claim 32, wherein the diol is 1,6-hexanediol.

34. A printed image as in claim 22, wherein the film promoting additive is a glycol.

35. A printed image as in claim 34, wherein the glycol is selected from the group consisting of:

ethylene glycol;

ethylene glycol n-butyl ether;

ethylene glycol phenyl ether;

diethylene glycol n-butyl ether;

diethylene glycol methyl ether;

propylene glycol methyl ether;

propylene glycol methyl ether acetate;

propylene glycol n-propyl ether;

propylene glycol n-butyl ether;

propylene glycol phenyl ether;

dipropylene glycol methyl ether;

dipropylene glycol methyl ether acetate;

dipropylene glycol n-propyl ether;

dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether;

dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether;

tripropylene glycol methyl ether;

tripropylene glycol n-propyl ether;

tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether; and

combinations thereof.

36. A printed image as in claim 35, wherein the glycol is 1,6-hexanediol.

37. A printed image as in claim 22, wherein the film promoting additive is trimethylol propane.

38. A printed image as in claim 22, wherein the latex layer has an average thickness from about 0.5 g/m² to about 10 g/m².

39. A printed image as in claim 35, wherein the latex layer has an average thickness from about 1 g/m² to about 5 g/m².

40. A system for producing a printed image, comprising:

a) an ink-jet ink including;

i) an ink vehicle;

ii) a colorant; and

iii) a film promoting additive, wherein the film promoting additive is configured to lower the film forming temperature of latex particulates upon contact therewith;

b) a print medium including;

i) a media substrate,

ii) an ink receiving layer coated on the media substrate, said ink-receiving layer including semi-metal oxide or metal oxide particulates, and

iii) a discontinuous latex layer coated on the ink-receiving layer, wherein the latex layer is configured to allow the ink-jet ink to pass therethrough and be received at the porous ink-receiving layer; and

c) a heating device configured to apply heat to the print medium after the ink-jet ink has been applied to form ink-associated latex regions, wherein the ink-associated latex regions form a continuous film upon application of the heat, and wherein regions that the ink-jet ink has not been applied do not form a continuous film upon application of the heat.