Mixed phase method of manufacturing ink

• US 8,299,141 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Nair, Mridula, Jones, Tamara K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Ling
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mesh, Gennadiy
• Application Number:
  US11/962,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20090162779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 523/160, 430/108.21
• US Class Current: 523/160
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 67/0013 with polymeric coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 67/0097 Dye preparations of special physical nature; Tablets, films, extrusion, microcapsules, sheets, pads, bags with dyes
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/03 characterised by features other than the chemical nature of the binder
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0804 whereby the components are brought together in a liquid dispersing medium
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/09 Colouring agents for toner particles
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/09725 Silicon-oxides; Silicates
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/125 characterised by the liquid

Abstract

The present invention is a method of manufacturing ink. The method includes providing a first organic phase of a solvent containing a dissolved polymer, an oil and a pigment. The organic solvent is dispersed in an aqueous phase containing a stabilizer to form an emulsion containing droplets of the organic phase. The solvent is removed from the droplets to form discrete particles having multiple domains of oil and pigment.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing ink polymer particles comprising:

providing an organic phase comprising a solvent containing a dissolved polymer, an oil, and a pigment;

dispersing the organic phase in an aqueous phase containing a stabilizer to form an emulsion containing droplets of the organic phase; and

removing the solvent from the droplets to form discrete polymer particles comprising a solid phase having multiple domains of a liquid phase comprising oil and pigment contained therein;

wherein the oil does not solubilize the solid phase of the discrete polymer particles.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

isolating the discrete polymer particles.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

drying the discrete polymer particles.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polymers of styrenes, monoolefins, vinyl esters, vinyl chloride, methylene aliphatic monocarboxylic acid esters, vinyl ethers, and vinyl ketones.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the pigment is selected from the group consisting of carbon black, aniline blue, calcoil blue, chrome yellow, ultramarine blue, DuPont oil red, quinoline yellow, methylene blue chloride, phthalocyanine blue, malachite green oxalate, lamp black, rose bengal, C.I. Pigment Red 48:

1, C.I. Pigment Red 122, C.I. Pigment Red 57;

1, C.I. Pigment Yellow 97, C.I. Pigment Yellow 12, C.I. Pigment Yellow 17, C.I. Pigment Blue 15;

1, and C.I. Pigment Blue 15;

3.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the stabilizer comprises poylvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylalchol, colloidal silica, or latex particles.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the solvent comprises ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, chloromethane, dichloromethane, trichloromethane, carbon tetrachloride, ethylene chloride, trichloroethane, toluene, xylene, cyclohexanone, cyclohexane, or 2-nitropropane.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic phase further comprises a microgel.

9. A method of manufacturing ink polymer particles comprising:

dissolving a polymer in an organic solvent and adding an oil and a pigment to produce an organic phase;

dispersing the organic phase in an aqueous phase containing a stabilizer to form an emulsion containing droplets of the organic phase; and

removing the solvent from the droplets to form discrete polymer particles comprising a solid phase having multiple domains of a liquid phase comprising oil and pigment contained therein;

wherein the oil does not solubilize the solid phase of the discrete polymer particles.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said oil is soybean oil or a petroleum hydrocarbon.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said organic solvent comprises ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, chloromethane, dichloromethane, trichloromethane, carbon tetrachloride, ethylene chloride, trichloroethane, toluene, xylene, cyclohexanone, cyclohexane, or 2-nitropropane.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said organic solvent comprises ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, chloromethane, dichloromethane, trichloromethane, carbon tetrachloride, ethylene chloride, trichloroethane, toluene, xylene, cyclohexanone, cyclohexane, or 2-nitropropane.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said oil contains a microgel.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said microgel is an internally crosslinked polymer or macromolecule or crosslinked latex particle.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said stabilizer is colloidal silica.