Solid ink compositions comprising amorphous esters of tartaric acid

• US 8,500,896 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2011
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Morimitsu, Kentaro, Belelie, Jennifer L., Chopra, Naveen, Drappel, Stephan V., Tracy, Corey, Odell, Peter G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Qian, Yun
• Application Number:
  US13/095,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20120272865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 106/31.61
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/34 Hot-melt inks

Abstract

A solid ink composition comprising an amorphous component, a crystalline component, 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 tartaric acid.

Claims

1. A phase change ink comprising:

a crystalline component; and

an amorphous component, wherein the amorphous component is selected from the group consisting of di-L-menthyl L-tartrate, di-DL-menthyl L-tartrate, di-L-menthyl DL-tartrate, di-DL-menthyl DL-tartrate, and any stereoisomers and mixtures thereof.

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 crystalline component 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 4, wherein the crystalline component is present in an amount of from 65 percent to 95 percent by weight of the total weight of the phase change ink.

6. The phase change ink of claim 1, wherein the crystalline and amorphous components are blended in a range of weight ratios of from 1.5 to 20.

7. The phase change ink of claim 6, wherein the crystalline and amorphous components are blended in a range of weight ratios of from 2 to 10.

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

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

C.

10. The phase change ink of claim 1, wherein the amorphous component has a viscosity of greater than 10⁶ cps at room temperature.

11. The phase change ink of claim 1 having a viscosity of less than 15 cps at a temperature of 140°

C.

12. The phase change ink of claim 11 having a viscosity of from 2 to 15 cps at a temperature of 140°

C.

13. The phase change ink of claim 1 having a viscosity of greater than 10⁶ cps at room temperature.

14. A phase change ink comprising:

a crystalline component; and

an amorphous component, wherein the amorphous component is an ester of tartaric acid that is synthesized by an esterification reaction with at least one alcohol and is selected from the group consisting of di-L-menthyl L-tartrate, di-DL-menthyl L-tartrate, di-L-menthyl DL-tartrate, di-DL-menthyl DL-tartrate, and any stereoisomers and mixtures thereof.