Solid ink compositions comprising amorphous esters of citric acid

• US 8,287,632 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2011
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Morimitsu, Kentaro, Belelie, Jennifer L., Drappel, Stephan V., Allen, C. Geoffrey, Odell, Peter G., Tracy, Corey
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayes, Melvin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Qian, Yun
• Application Number:
  US13/095,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20120272861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 106/31.29
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/34 Hot-melt inks

Abstract

A solid ink composition comprising an amorphous component, a crystalline material, and optionally, a colorant, which are suitable for ink jet printing, including printing on coated paper substrates. In embodiments, the amorphous component is synthesized from an esterification reaction of citric acid.

Claims

1. A phase change ink comprising:

an amorphous component; and

a phase change ink carrier, wherein the amorphous component is an ester of citric acid having a formula of

2. The phase change ink of claim 1, wherein the amorphous component is present in an amount of from 5 percent to 40 percent by weight of the total weight of the phase change ink.

3. The phase change ink of claim 2, wherein the amorphous component is present in an amount of from 5 percent to 35 percent by weight of the total weight of the phase change ink.

4. The phase change ink of claim 1, wherein the phase change ink carrier is present in an amount of from 60 percent to 95 percent by weight of the total weight of the phase change ink.

5. The phase change ink of claim 1 further comprising a colorant selected from the group consisting of a pigment, dye or mixtures thereof.

6. The phase change ink of claim 1, wherein the phase change ink carrier is crystalline.

7. The phase change ink of claim 6, wherein the crystalline/amorphous weight ratio is from 60/40 to 95/5.

8. A phase change ink comprising:

an amorphous component; and

a crystalline phase change ink carrier, wherein the amorphous component is an ester of citric acid having a formula of

9. The phase change ink of claim 8, wherein the amorphous component is present in an amount of from 5 percent to 40 percent by weight of the total weight of the phase change ink.

10. The phase change ink of claim 8, wherein the crystalline/amorphous ratio is from 60/40 to 95/5.

11. The phase change ink of claim 8, wherein the phase change ink carrier is present in an amount of from 60 percent to 95 percent by weight of the total weight of the phase change ink.

12. The phase change ink of claim 8 further comprising a colorant selected from the group consisting of a pigment, dye or mixtures thereof.

13. The phase change ink of claim 8, wherein the amorphous component has a viscosity of from 1 to 100 cps at a temperature of 140°

C.

14. The phase change ink of claim 8, wherein the amorphous component has a viscosity of greater than 10⁶ cps at room temperature.

15. The phase change ink of claim 8 having a viscosity of less than 15 cps at a temperature of 140°

C.

16. The phase change ink of claim 8 having a viscosity of greater than 10⁶ cps at room temperature.

17. The phase change ink of claim 8 having a jetting temperature of from 100 to 140°

C.

18. A phase change ink comprising:

an amorphous component; and

a phase change ink carrier, wherein the amorphous component is obtained from reacting citric acid with at least one alcohol in the presence or absence of a solvent and the alcohol is selected from the group consisting of

19. The phase change ink of claim 18, wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of pentane, hexane, cyclohexane, heptane, octane, nonane, decane, undecane, dodecane, tridecane, tetradecane, benzene, toluene, xylene, mesitylene, and mixtures thereof.