U.S. patent application number 09/216531 was filed with the patent office on 2001-06-14 for ink jet printing process.
Invention is credited to GALLO, ELIZABETH A., ROMANO, CHARLES E. JR..
Application Number | 20010003461 09/216531 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22807421 |
Filed Date | 2001-06-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010003461 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ROMANO, CHARLES E. JR. ; et
al. |
June 14, 2001 |
INK JET PRINTING PROCESS
Abstract
An ink jet printing process for improving the water-fastness of
an ink jet image comprising: a) providing an ink jet recording
element comprising a support having thereon an image-recording
layer comprising a cross-linkable polymer of gelatin or
acetoacetylated poly(vinyl alcohol) and a mordant; b) applying
liquid ink droplets of an anionic, water-soluble dye on the
image-recording layer in an image-wise manner; and c) applying an
aqueous solution of a hardener to the image to cross-link the
binder.
Inventors: |
ROMANO, CHARLES E. JR.;
(ROCHESTER, NY) ; GALLO, ELIZABETH A.; (ROCHESTER,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PATENT LEGAL STAFF
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
343 STATE STREET
ROCHESTER
NY
14650-2201
US
|
Family ID: |
22807421 |
Appl. No.: |
09/216531 |
Filed: |
December 18, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
347/101 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B41M 5/5254 20130101;
B41M 5/508 20130101; B41M 5/5236 20130101; C09D 11/30 20130101;
B41M 7/0027 20130101; B41M 7/0018 20130101; B41M 5/52 20130101;
B41M 5/5245 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
347/101 |
International
Class: |
B41J 002/01 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An ink jet printing process for improving the water-fastness of
an ink jet image comprising: a) providing an ink jet recording
element comprising a support having thereon an image-recording
layer comprising a cross-linkable polymer of gelatin or
acetoacetylated poly(vinyl alcohol) and a mordant; b) applying
liquid ink droplets of an anionic, water-soluble dye on said
image-recording layer in an image-wise manner; and c) applying an
aqueous solution of a hardener to said image to cross-link said
binder.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein said solution of a hardener is
applied by means of an ink jet print head.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein said support is paper.
4. The process of claim 1 wherein said cross-linkable binder is
present in an amount of from about 5 to about 30 g/m.sup.2.
5. The process of claim 1 wherein said mordant is a cationic
mordant or a basic polymer.
6. The process of claim 1 wherein said mordant is present in an
amount of from about 0.5 to about 5 g/m.sup.2.
7. The process of claim 1 wherein said anionic dye is a metallized
azo dye, a non-metallized azo dye, a xanthene dye, a
metallophthalocyanine dye or a sulfur dye.
8. The process of claim 1 wherein an amount of said aqueous
solution of hardener is applied so that the final coverage of said
hardener is from about 0.00002 g/m.sup.2 to about 0.001
g/m.sup.2.
9. The process of claim 1 wherein said liquid ink has a water
carrier.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] Reference is made to commonly-assigned copending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. ______, filed of even date herewith, Docket
78797HEC entitled "Ink Jet Printing Process", of Romano, Jr., et
al; and
[0002] Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed of
even date herewith, Docket 78798HEC entitled "Ink Jet Printing
Process", of Romano, Jr., et al; and
[0003] Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed of
even date herewith, Docket 78799HEC entitled "Ink Jet Composition",
of Romano, Jr., et al; and
[0004] Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed of
even date herewith, Docket 78815HEC entitled "Ink Jet Printing
Process", of Kovacs et al; and
[0005] Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed of
even date herewith, Docket 78818HEC entitled "Ink Jet Printing
Process", of Kovacs et al; and
[0006] Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed of
even date herewith, Docket 78819HEC entitled "Ink Jet Printing
Process", of Kovacs et al; and
[0007] Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed of
even date herewith, Docket 78820HEC entitled "Ink Jet Ink
Composition", of Kovacs et al; and
[0008] Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed of
even date herewith, Docket 78846HEC entitled "Ink Jet Printing
Method", of Romano, Jr., et al; and
[0009] Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed of
even date herewith, Docket 78847HEC entitled "Ink Jet Printing
Method", of Kovacs et al; and
[0010] Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/083,875, filed
May 22, 1998, entitled "Inkjet Images on PVA Overcoated with
Hardener Solution", of Erdtmann et al.; and
[0011] Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/083,605 filed
May 22, 1998, entitled "Ink Jet Prints Overcoated with Hardener",
of Erdtmann et al., the teachings of which are incorporated herein
by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0012] This invention relates to an ink jet printing process for
improving the water-fastness of an ink jet image formed from an
aqueous ink containing an anionic dye.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0013] Ink jet printing is a non-impact method for producing images
by the deposition of ink droplets in a pixel-by-pixel manner to an
image-recording element in response to digital signals. There are
various methods which may be utilized to control the deposition of
ink droplets on the image-recording element to yield the desired
image. In one process, known as continuous ink jet, a continuous
stream of droplets is charged and deflected in an imagewise manner
onto the surface of the image-recording element, while unimaged
droplets are caught and returned to an ink sump. In another
process, known as drop-on-demand ink jet, individual ink droplets
are projected as needed onto the image-recording element to form
the desired image. Common methods of controlling the projection of
ink droplets in drop-on-demand printing include piezoelectric
transducers and thermal bubble formation. Ink jet printers have
found broad applications across markets ranging from industrial
labeling to short run printing to desktop document and pictorial
imaging.
[0014] The inks used in the various ink jet printers can be
classified as either dye-based or pigment-based. A dye is a
colorant which is molecularly dispersed or solvated by a carrier
medium. The carrier medium can be a liquid or a solid at room
temperature. A commonly used carrier medium is water or a mixture
of water and organic co-solvents. Each individual dye molecule is
surrounded by molecules of the carrier medium. In dye-based inks,
no particles are observable under the microscope. Although there
have been many recent advances in the art of dye-based ink jet
inks, such inks still suffer from deficiencies such as low optical
densities on plain paper and poor light-fastness. When water is
used as the carrier medium, such inks also generally suffer from
poor water-fastness.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
[0015] JP 10-219157 relates to an ink jet ink comprising an aqueous
medium, a colorant and a very small amount of glutaraldehyde as a
biocide.
[0016] There is a problem with using this ink, however, in that
when it is printed on an image-recording element, the resultant
image has poor water-fastness.
[0017] It is an object of this invention to provide an ink jet
printing process for improving the water-fastness of an ink jet
image formed from an aqueous ink containing an anionic dye. It is
another object of this invention to provide an ink jet printing
process wherein a hardener is applied to improve the water-fastness
of the ink jet image. It is another object of the invention to
provide an ink jet printing process where the laydown of the
hardener applied can be precisely controlled independently of ink
laydown and can be applied non-imagewise to the entire element.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0018] These and other objects are achieved in accordance with the
present invention which comprises an ink jet printing process for
improving the water-fastness of an ink jet image comprising:
[0019] a) providing an ink jet recording element comprising a
support having thereon an image-recording layer comprising a
cross-linkable polymer of gelatin or acetoacetylated poly(vinyl
alcohol) and a mordant;
[0020] b) applying liquid ink droplets of an anionic, water-soluble
dye on the image-recording layer in an image-wise manner; and
[0021] c) applying an aqueous solution of a hardener to the image
to cross-link the binder.
[0022] It was found that when an aqueous solution containing a
hardener is applied to an anionic dye-based ink image where the
image-receiving layer has a cross-linkable binder and a mordant,
that the water-fastness of the image is improved.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] This process offers an advantage over incorporating a
hardener in an ink since the hardener can be applied in both imaged
and non-imaged areas, and the laydown can be precisely controlled
independent of ink laydown.
[0024] Any hardener can be used in the invention provided it
cross-links the cross-linkable binder employed. Hardeners may be
used at concentrations ranging from 0.10 to 5.0 weight percent of
active ingredient in the aqueous solution, preferably 0.25 to 2.0
weight percent. This aqueous hardener solution is applied so that
the final coverage of the hardener is from about 0.00002 g/m.sup.2
to about 0.001 g/m.sup.2, preferably from about 0.00005 g/m.sup.2
to about 0.0004 g/m.sup.2.
[0025] The aqueous hardener solution may also contain, if desired,
co-solvents, humectants, surfactants, and other ingredients
commonly added to ink jet inks.
[0026] Examples of hardeners that can be employed in the invention
fall into several different classes such as the following
(including mixtures thereof):
[0027] a) formaldehyde and compounds that contain two or more
aldehyde functional groups such as the homologous series of
dialdehydes ranging from glyoxal to adipaldehyde including
succinaldehyde and glutaraldehyde; diglycolaldehyde; aromatic
dialdehydes, etc.;
[0028] b) blocked hardeners (substances usually derived from the
active hardener that release the active compound under appropriate
conditions) such as substances that contain blocked aldehyde
functional groups, such as
tetrahydro-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-2(1H)-pyrimidinone polymers, polymers
of the type having a glyoxal polyol reaction product consisting of
1 anhydroglucose unit: 2 glyoxal units, dimethoxylethanal-melamine
non-formaldehyde resins, 2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-dioxane, blocked
dialdehydes and N-methylol compounds obtained from the condensation
of formaldehyde with various aliphatic or cyclic amides, ureas, and
nitrogen heterocycles;
[0029] c) active olefinic compounds having two or more olefinic
bonds, especially unsubstituted vinyl groups, activated by adjacent
electron withdrawing groups, such as divinyl ketone; resorcinol
bis(vinylsulfonate); 4,6-bis(vinylsulfonyl)-m-xylene;
bis(vinylsulfonylalkyl) ethers and amines;
1,3,5-tris(vinylsulfonyl) hexahydro-s-triazine; diacrylamide;
1,3-bis(acryloyl)urea; N,N'-bismaleimides; bisisomaleimides;
bis(2-acetoxyethyl) ketone; 1,3,5-triacryloylhexahydro-s-triazine;
and blocked active olefins of the type bis(2-acetoxyethyl) ketone
and 3,8-dioxodecane-1,10-bis(pyridinium perchlorate) bis(vinyl
sulfonylmethane), bis(vinyl sulfonylmethyl ether), and the
like;
[0030] d) compounds that contain two or more amino groups such as
ethylene diamine; and
[0031] e) inorganic salts such as aluminum sulfate; potassium and
ammonium alums of aluminum; ammonium zirconium carbonate; chromium
salts such as chromium sulfate and chromium alum; and salts of
titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, etc.
[0032] Specific examples of hardeners useful in the invention
include the following (in wt. %):
[0033] Hardener 1: bis(vinyl sulfonylmethane) (Eastman Kodak
Company), 1% solution
[0034] Hardener 2: bis(vinyl sulfonylmethyl ether) (Eastman Kodak
Company), 1% solution
[0035] Hardener 3: glyoxal, 1% and 2% solutions
[0036] Hardener 4: glutaraldehyde, 2% solution
[0037] Hardener 5: 2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-dioxane (Aldrich Chemical
Co.), 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% solutions
[0038] Hardener 6: a glyoxal polyol reaction product consisting of
1 anhydroglucose unit: 2 glyoxal units, SEQUAREZ.RTM. 755 (Sequa
Chemicals, Inc.) 2% solution
[0039] Hardener 7: a cyclic urea glyoxal condensate consisting of 1
cyclic urea unit: 1 glyoxal unit, SUNREZ.RTM. 700M (Sequa
Chemicals, Inc.), 2% solution
[0040] Hardener 8: dimethoxylethanal-melamine non-formaldehyde
resin, Sequa CPD3086-100 (Sequa Chemicals, Inc), 2% solution
[0041] Hardener 9: ethylene diamine, 1% and 2% solutions
[0042] Hardener 10: aluminum sulfate, 1% solution
[0043] Any anionic, water-soluble dye may be used in the invention
such as a dye having an anionic group, e.g., a sulfo group or a
carboxylic group. The anionic dye may be any acid dye, direct dye
or reactive dye listed in the COLOR INDEX but is not limited
thereto. Metallized and non-metallized azo dyes may also be used as
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,545, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference. Other dyes which may be used are
found in EP 802246-A1 and JP 09/202043, the disclosures of which
are incorporated herein by reference. In a preferred embodiment,
the anionic, water-soluble dye which may be used in the invention
is a metallized azo dye, a non-metallized azo dye, a xanthene dye,
a metallophthalocyanine dye or a sulfur dye. Mixtures of these dyes
may also be used. The dye may be present in an amount of from about
0.1 to about 10% by weight, preferably from about 0.25 to about 3%
by weight.
[0044] Any mordant can be used in the invention provided it
produces the desired result of fixing the anionic dye. For example,
there may be used a cationic polymer, e.g., a polymeric quartenary
ammonium compound, or a basic polymer, such as
poly(dimethylaminoethyl)methacrylate, polyalkylenepolyamines, and
products of the condensation thereof with dicyanodiamide,
amine-epichlorohydrin polycondensates; divalent Group II metal
ions; lecithin and phospholipid compounds. In a preferred
embodiment of the invention, the following mordants are
employed:
[0045] Mordant 1 vinylbenzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride/ethylene
glycol dimethacrylate (Eastman Kodak Company)
[0046] Mordant 2 poly(diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride) (Aldrich
Chemical Co.)
[0047] Mordant 3 poly(2-N,N,N-trimethylammonium)ethyl methacrylate
methosulfate (Eastman Kodak Company)
[0048] Mordant 4 poly(3-N,N,N-trimethylammonium)propyl methacrylate
chloride, Polycare.RTM. 133 (Rhone-Poulenc Co.)
[0049] Mordant 5 copolymer of vinylpyrrolidinone and
vinyl(N-methylimidazolium chloride, Luviquat.RTM. FC-550 (BASF
Corporation)
[0050] Mordant 6 hydroxyethylcellulose derivitized with
(3-N,N,N-trimethylammonium)propyl chloride, Celquat.RTM. SC-240C
(National Starch Co.)
[0051] The mordant used in the invention may be employed in any
amount effective for the intended purpose. In general, good results
are obtained when the mordant is present in an amount of from about
0.5 to about 5 g/m.sup.2.
[0052] As noted above, the cross-linkable polymer employed in the
invention is gelatin or acetoacetylated poly(vinyl alcohol).
Gelatin which may be used include the conventional lime-processed
ossein, acid-processed ossein or pig skin gelatin. In addition,
there are a variety of chemically-modified gelatins formed by
reacting the amino group of lysine which can be used. Some
functional groups that have been added to gelatin include:
phthalate, phenylcarbamyl, succinyl, carbamyl, lauryl, and
dodecenyl succinyl. There can also be used quaternized gel, silanol
modified gel, and graft copolymers of gel with poly(styrene
sulfonate), poly(vinylpyrrolidone), and poly(methacrylic acid).
[0053] The acetoacetylated poly(vinyl alcohol) useful in the
invention is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,788, the disclosure
of which is hereby incorporated by reference. These materials are
available commercially as Gohsefimer.RTM. Z-200 from Nippon
Gohsei.
[0054] The image-recording layer used in the process of the present
invention can also contain various known additives, including
matting agents such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, silica and
polymeric beads such as crosslinked poly(methyl methacrylate) or
polystyrene beads for the purposes of contributing to the
non-blocking characteristics and to control the smudge resistance
thereof; surfactants such as non-ionic, hydrocarbon or fluorocarbon
surfactants or cationic surfactants, such as quaternary ammonium
salts; fluorescent dyes; pH controllers; anti-foaming agents;
lubricants; preservatives; viscosity modifiers; dye-fixing agents;
waterproofing agents; dispersing agents; UV- absorbing agents;
mildew-proofing agents; mordants; antistatic agents, anti-oxidants,
optical brighteners, and the like.
[0055] Ink jet inks used in the process of the present invention
are well-known in the art. The ink compositions used in ink jet
printing typically are liquid compositions comprising a solvent or
carrier liquid, dyes, humectants, organic solvents, detergents,
thickeners, preservatives, conductivity enhancing agents,
anti-kogation agents, drying agents, defoamers, etc. The solvent or
carrier liquid can be solely water or can be water mixed with other
water-miscible solvents such as polyhydric alcohols. Inks in which
organic materials such as polyhydric alcohols are the predominant
carrier or solvent liquid may also be used. Particularly useful are
mixed solvents of water and polyhydric alcohols.
[0056] A carrier can be present in the ink jet ink and can vary
widely, depending on the nature of the ink jet printer for which
the inks are intended. For printers which use aqueous inks, water,
or a mixture of water with miscible organic co-solvents, is the
preferred carrier medium. Co-solvents (0-20 wt. % of the ink) are
added to help prevent the ink from drying out or crusting in the
orifices of the printhead or to help the ink penetrate the
receiving substrate. Preferred co-solvents for the inks employed in
the present invention include glycerol, ethylene glycol, propylene
glycol, 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol, and diethylene glycol, and
mixtures thereof, at overall concentrations ranging from 5 to 20
wt. % of the ink.
[0057] The aqueous hardener solution may be applied to the ink jet
image in accordance with the invention in a non-imagewise manner
either through a separate thermal or piezoelectric printhead, or by
any other method which would apply the hardener solution evenly to
the image, such as a spray bar. Methods of applying a hardener
solution are disclosed in commonly-owned U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 09/083,673 filed May 22, 1998, entitled "Printing
Apparatus With Spray Bar For Improved Durability" of Wen et al. and
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/083,876, filed May 22, 1998,
entitled "Ink Jet Printing Apparatus With Print Head For Improved
Image Quality" of Wen et al., the disclosures of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
[0058] The support for the ink jet recording element used in the
invention can be any of those usually used for ink jet receivers,
such as paper, resin-coated paper, poly(ethylene terephthalate),
poly(ethylene naphthalate) and microporous materials such as poly
polyethylene polymer-containing material sold by PPG Industries,
Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa. under the trade name of Teslin.RTM.,
Tyvek.RTM. synthetic paper (DuPont Corp.), and OPPalyte.RTM. films
(Mobil Chemical Co.) and other composite films listed in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,244,861.
[0059] The support used in the invention may have a thickness of
from about 50 to about 500 .mu.m, preferably from about 75 to 300
.mu.m. Antioxidants, antistatic agents, plasticizers and other
known additives may be incorporated into the support, if desired.
In a preferred embodiment, paper is employed.
[0060] In order to improve the adhesion of the image-recording
layer to the support, the surface of the support may be subjected
to a corona-discharge-treatment prior to applying the
image-recording layer.
[0061] In addition, a subbing layer, such as a layer formed from a
halogenated phenol or a partially hydrolyzed vinyl chloride-vinyl
acetate copolymer can be applied to the surface of the support to
increase adhesion of the image recording layer. If a subbing layer
is used, it should have a thickness (i.e., a dry coat thickness) of
less than about 2 .mu.m.
[0062] The image-recording layer may be present in any amount which
is effective for the intended purpose. In general, good results are
obtained when it is present in an amount of from about 5 to about
30 g/m.sup.2, preferably from about 8 to about 15 g/m.sup.2, which
corresponds to a dry thickness of about 5 to about 30 .mu.m,
preferably about 8 to about 15 .mu.m.
[0063] The following examples are provided to illustrate the
invention.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
[0064] A photographic grade, polyethylene resin-coated paper was
given a corona discharge treatment and then coated with an imaging
layer of 8.6 g/m.sup.2 of acetoacetylated poly(vinyl alcohol),
Gohsefimer.RTM. Z-200 (Nippon Gohsei) and in some cases, 7.7
g/m.sup.2 of Gohsefimer.RTM. Z-200 and 0.9 g/m.sup.2 of Mordant 1
as indicated in Table 1. The coatings were applied using a
extrusion hopper and air dried.
[0065] A Hewlett-Packard ink cartridge (HP 51649A) containing
anionic dyes was obtained. The cyan ink contained a mixture of
Direct Blue 199 and Acid Blue 9 (6:1 by weight). The magenta ink
contained a mixture of Reactive Red 180 and Acid Red 52 (5.6:1 by
weight). The yellow ink contained Basacid 132. These inks are
described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,306, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
[0066] Cyan, magenta, and yellow patches were then printed on the
receivers at 50% laydown using a Hewlett-Packard Printer (HP692C)
and the above cartridge.
[0067] A control element did not have any hardener solution
applied. The remaining elements were then over-printed at D-max
with a Hewlett-Packard Printer (HP692C) equipped with a
Hewlett-Packard (HP 51649A) ink cartridge filled with a hardener
solution containing 16 wt % diethylene glycol and 0.5 wt %
Surfonyl.RTM. 465 (Air Products Co.) surfactant and the hardener
identified in Table 1 and allowed to air dry overnight.
[0068] The elements were then immersed in distilled water for 1
hour and then allowed to air dry overnight. The optical density was
measured before and after immersion in water. Water-fastness is
measured as the per cent retained optical density after immersion
in water. Values closest to 100% are preferred. Values over 100%
indicate an undesirable "dot spread". The following results were
obtained:
1 TABLE 1 % Retained Optical Density After Water Test Element
Mordant 1 Hardener Cyan Magenta Yellow 1 Yes None * * * 2 No 1 16
26 2 3 No 2 28 0 0 4 No 3 28 26 2 5 No 4 31 47 2 6 No 5 31 40 2 7
No 6 25 35 2 8 No 7 24 36 2 9 No 8 17 35 2 10 No 9 39 59 7 11 Yes 1
100 98 89 12 Yes 3 101 98 81 13 Yes 4 100 100 91 14 Yes 5 102 102
88 15 Yes 6 100 99 86 16 Yes 7 100 97 86 17 Yes 8 114 102 94 18 Yes
9 95 99 83 19 Yes 5(0.25%) 96 NA NA 20 Yes 5(0.5%) 94 NA NA 21 Yes
5(1%) 91 NA NA 22 Yes 5(2%) 93 NA NA 23 Yes 5(3%) 92 NA NA 24 Yes
5(4%) 89 NA NA 25 Yes 5(5%) 94 NA NA *Coating dissolved
[0069] The above data show that an ink jet image obtained in
accordance with the invention has superior water-fastness (numbers
closest to 100%) as compared to control elements without a mordant
but over-printed with a hardener solution and control elements with
a mordant but not over-printed with a hardener solution.
Example 2
[0070] Example 1 was repeated except that Gohsefimer.RTM. Z-320
(Nippon Gohsei) acetoacetylated poly(vinyl alcohol) was employed
instead of Gohsefimer.RTM. Z-200 and Mordant 2 was employed instead
of Mordant 1. The elements were tested as in Example 1 with the
following results:
2 TABLE 2 % Retained Optical Density After Water Test Element
Mordant Hardener Cyan Magenta Yellow 26 Yes None * * * 27 No 1 19
29 6 28 No 2 24 0 0 29 No 3 24 29 4 30 No 4 27 50 5 31 No 5 24 46 4
32 No 6 23 37 5 33 No 7 23 43 6 34 No 8 20 36 5 35 No 9 40 59 10 36
Yes 1 102 96 95 37 Yes 3 113 112 97 38 Yes 4 109 125 104 39 Yes 5
130 126 106 40 Yes 6 109 115 99 41 Yes 7 110 110 98 42 Yes 8 122
113 101 43 Yes 9 121 121 96 *Coating dissolved
[0071] The above data show that an ink jet image obtained in
accordance with the invention has superior water-fastness (numbers
closest to 100%) as compared to control elements without a mordant
but over-printed with a hardener solution and control elements with
a mordant but not over-printed with a hardener solution.
Example 3
[0072] Example 1 was repeated except that Goshsefimer Z-200 was
replaced with lime-processed bone gelatin and Mordant 1 was
replaced with various mordants as described in Table 3. The
elements were tested as in Example 1 but only the cyan image was
measured. The following results were obtained:
3 TABLE 3 % Retained Optical Density After Water Test Element
Mordant Hardener Cyan 44 1 None 153 45 1 10 94 46 1 1 99 47 1 5 99
48 1 9 97 49 1 3 91 50 3 None 185 51 3 10 143 52 3 1 92 53 3 5 94
54 3 9 97 55 3 3 89 56 4 None 173 57 4 10 142 58 4 1 105 59 4 5 105
60 4 9 100 61 4 3 95 62 5 None 176 63 5 10 153 64 5 1 88 65 5 5 89
66 5 9 106 67 5 3 78 68 6 None 154 69 6 10 158 70 6 1 98 71 6 5 107
72 6 9 89 73 6 3 88
[0073] The above data show that an ink jet image obtained in
accordance with the invention has superior water-fastness (numbers
closest to 100%) as compared to control elements which were not
over-printed with a hardener solution.
Example 4
[0074] Example 3 was repeated except that the lime-processed bone
gelatin was replaced with pigskin gelatin. The following results
were obtained:
4 TABLE 4 % Retained Optical Density After Water Test Element
Mordant Hardener Cyan 74 1 None 132 75 1 10 124 76 1 1 93 77 1 5 99
78 1 9 102 79 1 3 90
[0075] The above data show that an ink jet image obtained in
accordance with the invention has superior water-fastness (numbers
closest to 100%) as compared to control elements which were not
over-printed with a hardener solution.
[0076] Although the invention has been described in detail with
reference to certain preferred embodiments for the purpose of
illustration, it is to be understood that variations and
modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *