Dye compositions

• US 6,231,653 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1998
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zeneca Incorporated (Astrazeneca PLC)
• Inventors: Lavery, Aidan Joseph, Watkinson, Janette
• Primary Examiner(s): Klemanski, Helene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Faison, Veronica F.
• Application Number:
  US09/210,935
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 106/31.36, 106/31.58
• US Class Current: 106/31.36
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/5227 characterised by organic non-macromolecular additives, e.g. UV-absorbers, plasticisers, surfactants
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/5236 characterised by the use of natural gums, of proteins, e.g. gelatins, or of macromolecular carbohydrates, e.g. cellulose
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/30 Inkjet printing inks
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 5/30 Ink jet printing

Abstract

An ink composition comprising:

(a) from 0.1 to 50 parts of a dye;

(b) from 0.1 to 50 parts of a sugar;

(c) from 0.1 to 50 parts of a compound selected from phosphoric acid and a carboxylic acid or a salt thereof;

(d) from 0 to 10 parts of a pH buffer; and

(e) from 10 to 99 parts of a liquid medium;

wherein all parts are by weight and the total number of parts (a)+(b)+(c)+(d)+(e)=100.

Also claimed is a recording sheet comprising a substrate coated or impregnated with a sugar, a compound selected from phosphoric acid and a carboxylic acid or a salt thereof and optionally a binder; a coating composition; a method of ink jet printing; a substrate printed according to the method; and an ink jet printer cartridge which contains the ink and/or the coating composition.

Claims

1. An ink composition comprising:

(a) from 0.1 to 50 parts of a dye;

(b) from 0.1 to 50 parts of a sugar;

(c) from 0.1 to 50 parts of a compound selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid and a carboxylic acid or a salt thereof;

(d) from 0 to 10 parts of a pH buffer; and

(e) from 10 to 99 parts of a liquid medium;

wherein all parts are by weight and the total number of parts (a)+(b)+(c)+(d)+(e)=100 said ink composition exhibiting superior light-fastness compared to such compositions that do not comprise both componenets (b) and (c).

2. An ink composition according to claim 1 wherein component (c) is an aliphatic or aromatic carboxylic acid.

3. An ink composition according to claim 1 wherein component (c) is an aliphatic carboxylic acid with from 2 to 10 carbon atoms and which is optionally substituted by one or more —

OH group.

4. An ink composition according to claim 1 wherein component (c) is selected from ascorbic acid, succinic acid and citric acid.

5. An ink composition according to claim 1 wherein component (b) is a reducing sugar.

6. An ink composition according to claim 1 wherein component (b) is selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, α

-cyclodextrin, β

-cyclodextrin, γ

-cyclodextrin, inusitol, mannitol and sorbitol.

7. An inks according to claim 1 wherein component (b) is selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, α

-cyclodextrin, β

-cyclodextrin, γ

-cyclodextrin, inusitol, mannitol and sorbitol; and

component (c) is an aliphatic carboxylic acid with from 2 to 10 carbon atoms and which is optionally substituted by one or more —

OH group.

8. An ink composition according to claim 1 wherein component (b) is glucose and component (c) is ascorbic acid.

9. An ink composition according to claim 1 wherein the dye is a yellow, cyan, magenta or black dye.

10. An ink composition according to claim 1 wherein the dye is water-soluble.

11. A process for printing an image on a substrate comprising applying thereto an ink, characterised in that the ink is as defined in claim 1.

12. A paper, an overhead projector slide or a textile material printed with an ink as defined in claim 1.

13. An ink jet printer cartridge containing an ink as defined in claim 1.