Reaction solution for ink jet recording and ink jet recording method using the same

• US 6,419,352 B1
• Filed: 05/19/1999
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Hori, Reiko, Kubota, Kazuhide
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brooke, Michael S
• Application Number:
  US09/314,385
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 347/96, 347/100, 347/98, 347/101, 106/31.23, 106/31.6, 106/31.13
• US Class Current: 347/96
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/30 Inkjet printing inks
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/54 Inks based on two liquids, one liquid being the ink, the other liquid being a reaction solution, a fixer or a treatment solution for the ink

Abstract

Disclosed is a reaction solution for an ink jet recording method wherein droplets of an ink composition and droplets of a reaction solution, which produces an agglomerate upon contact with the ink composition, are ejected and deposited onto a recording medium to perform printing. The reaction solution can realize good print quality and possesses excellent storage stability and ejection stability. Specifically, it has been found that use of a reaction solution comprising at least a polyvalent metal salt, ammonia, and benzotriazole or a benzotriazole derivative in an ink jet recording method, wherein two liquids are printed, can realized good print quality and that the reaction solution possesses excellent storage stability and ejection stability. Further, it has been found that this reaction solution does not attack a nozzle plate having thereon a eutectoid plating and enables stable printing for a long period of time. Thus, the reaction solution of the present invention comprises at least a polyvalent metal salt, ammonia, and benzotriazole or a benzotriazole derivative.

Claims

1. A reaction solution for an ink jet recording method wherein droplets of an ink composition and droplets of a reaction solution, which produces an agglomerate upon contact with the ink composition, are ejected and deposited onto a recording medium to perform printing,

the reaction solution comprising a polyvalent metal salt, ammonia, and benzotriazole or a benzotriazole derivative.

2. The reaction solution according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of ammonia in the reaction solution is not more than 0.5% by weight.

3. The reaction solution according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of benzotriazole or the benzotriazole derivative in the reaction solution is not less than 0.03% by weight.

4. The reaction solution according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of ammonia in the reaction solution is not more than 0.5% by weight with the concentration of benzotriazole or the benzotriazole derivative in the reaction solution being not less than 0.03% by weight.

5. The reaction solution according to claim 4, wherein the polyvalent metal salt is magnesium acetate.

6. The reaction solution according to claim 1 which has a pH value of not less than 8.

7. An ink jet recording method comprising the steps of:

ejecting droplets of an ink composition and droplets of a reaction solution which produces an agglomerate upon contact with the ink composition; and

depositing the droplets of the ink composition and the droplets of the reaction solution onto a recording medium to perform printing, wherein the reaction solution is one according to claim 1.

8. The ink jet recording method according to claim 7, wherein the reaction solution is ejected through an ink jet recording head provided with a nozzle plate having thereon a eutectoid plating.

9. A recorded medium obtained by the method according to claim 7.

10. The reaction solution according to claim 1, wherein the polyvalent metal salt is present in the reaction solution in an amount of about 0.1 to 40% by weight and the ammonia and benzotriazole or benzotriazole derivative are present in the reaction solution in respective amounts such that the reaction solution has a storage stability, ejection stability or both that is improved as compared with the reaction solution without the ammonia or the benzotriazole or benzotriazole derivative.

11. The reaction solution according to claim 10, wherein the ammonia is present in the reaction solution in an amount of not more than 0.5% by weight.

12. The reaction solution according to claim 11, wherein the benzotriazole or benzotriazole derivative is present in the reaction solution in an amount of not less than 0.03% by weight.

13. The reaction solution according to claim 12, wherein polyvalent metal salt is present in the reaction solution in an amount of about 5 to 25% by weight.

14. The reaction solution according to claim 13, wherein the reaction solution further comprises a polyol in an amount of about 10 to 30% by weight.

15. The reaction solution according to claim 14, wherein the reaction solution comprises a high-boiling organic solvent in an amount of about 0.5% to 40% by weight.

16. An ink jet recording method comprising the steps of:

ejecting droplets of an ink composition and droplets of a reaction solution which produces an agglomerate upon contact with the ink composition; and

depositing the droplets of the ink composition and the droplets of the reaction solution onto a recording medium to perform printing, wherein the reaction solution is one according to claim 10.

17. The ink jet recording method according to claim 16, wherein the reaction solution is ejected through an ink jet recording head provided with a nozzle plate having thereon a eutectoid plating.

18. A recorded medium obtained by the method according to claim 16.

19. A reaction solution consisting essentially of components that allow stable ejection of the reaction solution from an ink jet nozzle and that collectively produce an agglomerate upon contact of the reactant solution with an ink composition comprising a dispersed colorant, said components comprising a polyvalent metal salt, ammonia and benzotriazole or a benzotriazole derivative, said polyvalent metal salt being present in the reaction solution in an amount of about 0.1 to 40% by weight and the ammonia and benzotriazole or benzotriazole derivative being present in the reaction solution in respective amounts such that the reaction solution has a storage stability, ejection stability or both that is improved as compared with the reaction solution without the ammonia or the benzotriazole or benzotriazole derivative.