U.S. patent application number 14/446997 was filed with the patent office on 2014-11-20 for solid or phase change inks with improved properties.
The applicant listed for this patent is Xerox Corporation. Invention is credited to Marcel P. Breton, Stephan V. Drappel, James R. Larson, Paul J. McConville, Peter G. Odell, Mojgan Rabbani, Jennifer J. Rea, Caroline M. Turek.
Application Number | 20140338563 14/446997 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42711825 |
Filed Date | 2014-11-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140338563 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Drappel; Stephan V. ; et
al. |
November 20, 2014 |
Solid Or Phase Change Inks With Improved Properties
Abstract
A solid or phase change inkjet ink incorporating a polar acidic
wax is described. The use of polar waxes as an ink additive
improves the polarity of the ink and adhesion of the ink to paper.
A method for applying the solid or phase change ink incorporating
an acidic polar wax additive to form an image is also
described.
Inventors: |
Drappel; Stephan V.;
(Toronto, CA) ; Odell; Peter G.; (Mississauga,
CA) ; Breton; Marcel P.; (Mississauga, CA) ;
Turek; Caroline M.; (Mississauga, CA) ; McConville;
Paul J.; (Webster, NY) ; Rabbani; Mojgan;
(Pittsford, NY) ; Rea; Jennifer J.; (Rochester
Hills, MI) ; Larson; James R.; (Fairport,
NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Xerox Corporation |
Norwalk |
CT |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
42711825 |
Appl. No.: |
14/446997 |
Filed: |
July 30, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12482096 |
Jun 10, 2009 |
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14446997 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
106/31.31 ;
106/31.13; 106/31.29; 106/31.61 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C09D 11/12 20130101;
C09D 11/34 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
106/31.31 ;
106/31.13; 106/31.61; 106/31.29 |
International
Class: |
C09D 11/12 20060101
C09D011/12; C09D 11/00 20060101 C09D011/00 |
Claims
1. A composition comprising: at least one polar wax having at least
one acidic group, wherein the polar wax has a melting temperature
of from about 60.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C.; stearyl
stearamide; ethylene bis-oleamide; and a Fischer-Tropsch wax;
wherein the composition is a solid ink composition.
2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one polar wax
comprises carnauba wax.
3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the polar wax has an acid
number of greater than 0 to about 95 mgKOH/g.
4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the polar wax has an acid
number of greater than 0 to about 160 mgKOH/g.
5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the melting temperature of
the polar wax is from about 70.degree. C. to about 90.degree.
C.
6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the polar wax is present in
an amount of about 5.0 to about 90 weight % by weight of the
ink.
7. The ink composition of claim 1, where the polar wax is present
in the ink composition in an amount of at least 5% by weight or
more.
8. The composition of claim 1, further comprising a colorant
selected from the group consisting of a pigment, a dye, mixtures of
pigment and dye, mixtures of pigments, mixtures of dyes.
9. The composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one
solvent dye colorant.
10. The composition of claim 1, further comprising a solvent dye
colorant, wherein the polar wax is present in an amount of about 5
to about 90 percent by weight, based upon the total weight of the
ink; wherein the solvent dye colorant is present in an amount of
about 0.1 to about 15 percent by weight, based upon the total
weight of the ink. wherein the ink composition comprises an ink
vehicle comprising the Fischer-Tropsch wax, the stearyl stearamide,
and the ethylene-bis-oleamide, wherein the ink vehicle is present
in an amount of from about 20 to about 99.5 percent weight, based
upon the total weight of the ink.
11. The composition of claim 1, further comprising a solvent dye
colorant, wherein the polar wax comprises carnauba wax and wherein
the polar wax is present in an amount of about 5 to about 90
percent by weight, based upon the total weight of the ink; wherein
the solvent dye colorant is present in an amount of about 0.1 to
about 15 percent by weight, based upon the total weight of the ink.
wherein the ink composition comprises an ink vehicle comprising the
Fischer-Tropsch wax, the stearyl stearamide, and the
ethylene-bis-oleamide, wherein the ink vehicle is present in an
amount of from about 20 to about 99.5 percent weight, based upon
the total weight of the ink.
12. The composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one
antioxidant.
13. The composition of claim 1, wherein an onset of crystallization
temperature of the ink composition is about 88.degree. C. or
more.
14. A composition comprising: at least one polar wax having at
least one acidic group, wherein the polar wax has a melting
temperature of from about 60.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C.; at
least one fatty amide that comprises both stearyl stearamide and
ethylene bis-oleamide; and a Fischer-Tropsch wax; wherein the
composition is a solid ink composition.
15. The composition of claim 14, wherein the at least one polar wax
comprises carnauba wax.
16. The composition of claim 14, wherein the polar wax is present
in an amount of about 5.0 to about 90 weight % by weight of the
ink.
17. The composition of claim 14, further comprising a solvent dye
colorant, wherein the polar wax is present in an amount of about 5
to about 90 percent by weight, based upon the total weight of the
ink; wherein the solvent dye colorant is present in an amount of
about 0.1 to about 15 percent by weight, based upon the total
weight of the ink; wherein the ink composition comprises an ink
vehicle comprising the at least one fatty amide that comprises both
stearyl stearamide and ethylene bis-oleamide and the
Fischer-Tropsch wax, wherein the ink vehicle is present in an
amount of from about 20 to about 99.5 percent weight, based upon
the total weight of the ink.
18. The composition of claim 14, further comprising a solvent dye
colorant, wherein the polar wax comprises carnauba wax and wherein
the polar wax is present in an amount of about 5 to about 90
percent by weight, based upon the total weight of the ink; wherein
the solvent dye colorant is present in an amount of about 0.1 to
about 15 percent by weight, based upon the total weight of the ink;
wherein the ink composition comprises an ink vehicle comprising the
at least one fatty amide that comprises both stearyl stearamide and
ethylene bis-oleamide and the Fischer-Tropsch wax, and wherein the
ink vehicle is present in an amount of from about 20 to about 99.5
percent weight, based upon the total weight of the ink.
19. The composition of claim 14, wherein an onset of
crystallization temperature of the ink composition is about
88.degree. C. or more.
20. A composition comprising: carnauba wax; stearyl stearamide;
ethylene bis-oleamide; and a Fischer-Tropsch wax; wherein the
composition is a solid ink composition.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation application of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 12/482,096, filed Jun. 10, 2009, the
entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure is generally directed to inks, for
example, solid or phase change inks. Moreover, the present
disclosure is directed to the preparation of solid or phase change
inks, especially solid and phase change inkjet inks, and their use
in methods for forming images, particularly their use in ink jet
printing.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Ink jetting devices are known in the art, and thus extensive
description of such devices is not required herein. As described in
U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,380, incorporated herein by reference, ink jet
printing systems generally are of two types: continuous stream and
drop-on-demand. In continuous stream ink jet systems, ink is
emitted in a continuous stream under pressure through at least one
orifice or nozzle. The stream is perturbed, causing it to break up
into droplets at a fixed distance from the orifice. At the break-up
point, the droplets are charged in accordance with digital data
signals and passed through an electrostatic field that adjusts the
trajectory of each droplet in order to direct it to a gutter for
recirculation or a specific location on a recording medium. In
drop-on-demand systems, a droplet is expelled from an orifice
directly to a position on a recording medium in accordance with
digital data signals. A droplet is not formed or expelled unless it
is to be placed on the recording medium.
[0004] There are at least three types of drop-on-demand ink jet
systems. One type of drop-on-demand system is a piezoelectric
device that has as its major components an ink filled channel or
passageway having a nozzle on one end and a piezoelectric
transducer near the other end to produce pressure pulses. Another
type of drop-on-demand system is known as acoustic ink printing. As
is known, an acoustic beam exerts a radiation pressure against
objects upon which it impinges. Thus, when an acoustic beam
impinges on a free surface (i.e., liquid/air interface) of a pool
of liquid from beneath, the radiation pressure which it exerts
against the surface of the pool may reach a sufficiently high level
to release individual droplets of liquid from the pool, despite the
restraining force of surface tension. Focusing the beam on or near
the surface of the pool intensifies the radiation pressure it
exerts for a given amount of input power. Still another type of
drop-on-demand system is known as thermal ink jet, or bubble jet,
and produces high velocity droplets. The major components of this
type of drop-on-demand system are an ink filled channel having a
nozzle on one end and a heat generating resistor near the nozzle.
Printing signals representing digital information originate an
electric current pulse in a resistive layer within each ink
passageway near the orifice or nozzle, causing the ink vehicle
(usually water) in the immediate vicinity to vaporize almost
instantaneously and create a bubble. The ink at the orifice is
forced out as a propelled droplet as the bubble expands.
[0005] In inkjet printing processes and other inkjet recording
processes, it is necessary that the ink being used meet various
stringent performance characteristics. These performance
characteristics are generally more stringent than those for liquid
ink applications, such as for writing instruments (a fountain pen,
felt pen, and the like).
[0006] Further, there are many requirements for the compositions
including the above-described inks for inkjet recording, and
specific examples thereof include: (1) no clogging of nozzles of
inkjet recording heads; (2) superior ejection stability and
frequency responsiveness; (3) good recovery of smooth ink ejection
after residing in printhead for a long time, such as greater than
two weeks; (4) no partitioning even after long-term storage; (5) no
corrosion-deterioration of members, such as the recording heads,
which contact therewith; (6) provision of favorable printing
quality; (7) safety and no unpleasant odor; and the like.
[0007] Various inks for inkjet printing processes are known in the
art. For example, various inkjet inks are disclosed in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 4,737,190 and 5,156,675.
[0008] Although numerous inkjet inks are presently available, they
generally do not meet all of the above-described requirements,
while also providing excellent print quality on plain paper. In
particular, the inks generally used in inkjet printing processes,
while producing acceptable print quality, do not produce the high
print quality that is achieved by using dry toner compositions,
such as in electrostatographic imaging processes.
[0009] A need continues to exist in the inkjet industry for
improved inkjet inks, and processes for producing the same, that
satisfy the above-described requirements while providing high
quality prints on a wide variety of recording media, including
plain paper. Although some currently available inkjet inks may
provide waterfast images with better substrate latitude, the inks
are unacceptable in that they generally smear, have poor latency
and maintainability characteristics, and are not easily marked on
after the image is produced. Thus, there remains a need in the
inkjet ink industry for improved black and colored inks that
satisfy the above requirements, and allow for the printed image to
be marked on after it is produced, without beading or smearing of
the subsequently applied marking.
[0010] One type of inkjet ink that is commercially available is a
solid inkjet ink that contains non-polar molecules as its major
components. One of the major problems with current solid inkjet
inks is the non-polar nature of the major ink components, which
hinders the ink adhesion to the paper fibers and does not readily
allow for the printed image to be marked on after it is produced.
As a result, scratch resistance and fold properties as well as
marking characteristics after the image is produced with current
solid ink jet inks are in need of improvement.
[0011] The current solid inkjet ink preparation process uses about
5 polymeric components and requires a jetting viscosity of almost
11.2 cps that is reached at a temperature of 135.degree. C. and a
standby temperature of 110.degree. C. Unfortunately, the current
solid or phase change inkjet ink printing process can consume a lot
of energy to produce an image with inadequate fold and scratch
resistance properties, and undesirable marking characteristics
after the image is produced.
SUMMARY
[0012] In order to solve the above-identified problems, this
disclosure describes the incorporation of a polar acidic wax into a
solid or phase change ink. The use of polar waxes as an ink
additive improves the polarity of the ink and ink adhesion to paper
and also the marking characteristics of the print after the image
is produced. These waxes have lower melting transitions that result
in slower ink crystallization rates. At the same time, the
increased acidity improves the ink adhesion to the mainly alkaline
papers. When added to a solid or phase change inkjet ink, the
acidic polar wax additives of this disclosure are very miscible
with the other ink components. In addition, dramatic improvements
in the scratch resistance and fold properties are observed when the
ink of the present disclosure is printed directly to paper or when
used in offset printing applications. In addition, the
incorporation of the acidic polar wax additives of this disclosure
into solid or phase change inkjet inks significantly improves the
amenability of the printed image to subsequent marking.
[0013] The present disclosure also relates to a method for applying
the solid or phase change ink incorporating an acidic polar wax
additive to form an image. In embodiments, the method comprises
providing the ink at or above a first temperature; applying the ink
to a substrate to form an image, the substrate being at or below a
second temperature.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0014] The solid or phase change ink compositions typically have
melting points no lower than about 20.degree. C. such as about
50.degree. C. to about 160.degree. C. or more. In embodiments, the
ink compositions have a melting point of about 60.degree. C. to
about 140.degree. C., such as about 70.degree. C. to about
100.degree. C.
[0015] The solid or phase change inks described herein are
generally jetted at temperatures of about 60.degree. C. to about
110.degree. C., such as about 60.degree. C. to about 90.degree. C.
The jetting temperature must be within the range of thermal
stability of the composition At jetting, the solid or phase change
inks generally have a viscosity of from about 4 mPa-s to about 50
mPa-s, such as from about 4 mPa-s to about 22 mPa-s, and or 9 mPa-s
to about 12 mPa-s.
[0016] The solid or phase change inks described herein can be
employed in apparatus for direct printing ink jet processes,
wherein when droplets of the melted ink are ejected in an imagewise
pattern onto a recording substrate, the recording substrate is a
final recording substrate. In this embodiment, the solid or phase
change ink is heated to a temperature at or above the first
temperature and printed directly onto an image receiving substrate.
The image receiving substrate is generally kept at or below the
second temperature. For example, the substrate may be maintained at
a temperature of about 20.degree. C. to about 80.degree. C. such as
from about 30.degree. C. to about 60.degree. C. The substrate
temperature must be at least 10.degree. C., but no more than
50.degree. C., below the first temperature. Where the ink is
radiation curable, the ink is exposed to radiation energy on the
substrate to initiate polymerization of the polymerizable
components of the ink.
[0017] The solid or phase change inks described herein can also be
employed in indirect (offset) printing ink jet applications,
wherein when droplets of the melted ink are ejected in an imagewise
pattern onto a recording substrate, the recording substrate is an
intermediate transfer member and the solid or phase change ink in
the imagewise pattern is subsequently transferred from the
intermediate transfer member to a final recording substrate.
[0018] The solid or phase change inks described herein are suited
for jetting onto an intermediate transfer substrate, e.g., an
intermediate transfuse drum or belt. In a suitable design, the
image may be applied by jetting appropriately colored solid or
phase change inks during four to eighteen rotations (in an
arbitrarily designated y-axis direction) of the intermediate
transfer member with the ink jetting head undergoing a small
translation in the x direction with respect to the transfer member
in between each rotation. This approach simplifies the printhead
design, and the small movements ensure good droplet registration.
Transfuse, i.e., a transfer and fusing step, is desirable in
forming the image as transfuse enables a high quality image to be
built up on a rapidly rotating transfer member. This approach
simplifies the printhead design, while the small movements of the
head ensure good droplet registration. Transfuse typically involves
jetting the solid or phase change ink from the ink jet head onto an
intermediate member such as a belt or drum, i.e., the transfuse
member. This procedure allows the image to be rapidly built onto
the transfuse member for subsequent transfer and fusing to an image
receiving substrate.
[0019] The intermediate transfer member may take any suitable form,
although it is generally a drum or belt. The member surface may be
at room temperature, although in embodiments it is preferable to
heat the member such that a surface temperature thereof is
maintained within a narrow temperature range so as to control the
viscosity characteristics of the inks over a wide range of
environmental conditions. This temperature is generally at or below
the second temperature. In this way, the solid or phase change inks
is maintained on the surface of the transfer member until transfer
to the image receiving substrate.
[0020] Once upon the intermediate transfer member surface, the
jetted solid or phase change ink may be exposed to radiation to a
limited extent so as to effect a limited curing of the ink upon the
intermediate member surface. This intermediate curing is not to
cure the ink to its full extent, but merely to assist in setting
the ink up so that it may be transferred to the image receiving
substrate with the appropriate amount of penetration, which
requires the ink droplets to have a certain rheology before
transfer. For controlling the extent of the curing if an
intermediate cure is practiced, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No.
7,270,408, incorporated herein by reference. This intermediate
curing step may not be needed since the phase change is generally
sufficient to impart the desired rheology to the ink droplets.
[0021] Following jetting to the intermediate transfer member and
optional intermediate curing thereon, the solid or phase change ink
is thereafter transferred to an image receiving substrate. The
substrate may be any suitable material such as paper, boxboard,
cardboard, fabric, a transparency, plastic, glass, metal, wood
etc., although the solid or phase change inks described herein are
most generally used in forming images on paper. Following transfer
to the substrate, the image on the substrate may be exposed to
radiation having an appropriate wavelength, mainly the wavelength
at which the ink initiator, if present, absorbs radiation, to
initiate the curing reaction of the ink. The radiation exposure
need not be long, and may be for, e.g., about 0.05 to about 10
seconds, such as from about 0.2 to about 2 seconds. These exposure
times are more often expressed as substrate speeds of the ink
passing under a UV lamp. For example, the microwave energized,
doped mercury bulbs available from UV Fusion (Gaithersburg, Md.)
are placed in an elliptical mirror assembly that is 10 cm wide;
multiple units may be placed in series. Thus, a belt speed of 0.1
ms.sup.-1 would require 1 second for a point of an image to pass
under a single unit, while a belt speed 4.0 ms.sup.-1 would require
0.2 s to pass under four bulb assemblies. The radiation to cure the
polymerizable components of the ink is generally provided by a
variety of possible techniques, including but not limited to heat,
a xenon lamp, laser light, D or H bulb, LED, a UV light source,
etc. The curing light may be filtered, if desired or necessary. The
curable components of the ink react to form a cured or crosslinked
network of appropriate hardness. Generally, the curing is
substantially complete, i.e., at least 75% of the curable
components are cured (polymerized and/or crosslinked), to allow the
ink to be substantially hardened, and thereby to be much more
scratch resistant, and also to adequately control the amount of
showthrough on the substrate.
[0022] When an indirect printing process is used, the intermediate
transfer member can be of any desired or suitable configuration,
such as a drum or roller, a belt or web, a flat surface or platen,
or the like. The intermediate transfer member can be heated by any
desired or suitable method, such as by situating heaters in or near
the intermediate transfer member, or the like. The intermediate
transfer member may also be cooled by situating fans nearby or heat
exchange with a cooled fluid. Optionally, a layer of a sacrificial
liquid can be applied to the intermediate transfer member prior to
ejecting the droplets of melted ink onto the intermediate transfer
member, whereby the melted ink droplets are ejected onto the
sacrificial liquid layer on the intermediate transfer member, as
disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,958. Transfer from
the intermediate transfer member to the final recording substrate
can be by any desired or suitable method, such as by passing the
final recording substrate through a nip formed by the intermediate
transfer member and a back member, which can be of any desired or
effective configuration, such as a drum or roller, a belt or web, a
flat surface or platen, or the like.
[0023] As used herein, the term "viscosity" refers to a complex
viscosity, which is the typical measurement provided by a
mechanical spectrometer that is capable of subjecting a sample to a
steady shear strain or a small amplitude sinusoidal deformation. In
this type of instruments, the shear strain is applied by the
operator to the motor and the sample deformation (torque) is
measured by the transducer. Examples of such instruments are the
Rheometrics Fluid Spectrometer RFS3 or the ARES mechanical
spectrometer, both made by Rheometrics, a division of TA
Instruments. Alternatively a controlled stress instrument, where
the shear stress is applied and the resultant strain is measured,
may be used. Examples of such instruments are the majority of the
current rheometers, the main manufacturers being Anton Parr GmbH,
Bohlin Instruments, a division of Malvern Instruments, ATS
Rheosystems and TA Instruments. Such a rheometer provides a
periodic measurement of viscosity at various plate rotation
frequencies, w, rather than the transient measurement of, for
instance, a capillary viscometer. The reciprocating plate rheometer
is able to measure both the in phase and out of phase fluid
response to stress or displacement. The complex viscosity, .eta.*,
is defined as .eta.*=.eta.'-i.eta.''; where .eta.'=G''/.omega.,
.eta.''=G'/.omega. and i is -1. Alternatively a viscometer that can
measure only the transient measurement of, for instance, a
capillary or shear viscosity such as the ones made by Brookfield
Engineering Laboratories or Cannon Instrument Company can also be
used.
[0024] The composition of the present disclosure is a solid or
phase change inkjet ink that may contain any combination of
ingredients, as long as it meets physical properties and
characteristics encompassed by this disclosure. Because the
composition is a solid or phase change ink, it includes at least
one component, or a combination of two, three, four, five, six, or
more major components, that provides for the phase change. An agent
that provides for this phase change is referred to hereinafter as a
"phase change agent."
[0025] This phase change agent can be any component that is
miscible with the other components of the composition and promotes
the increase in viscosity of the ink as it cools from the jetting
temperature, such as between 60 and 110.degree. C., to the
substrate temperature, which is generally between 20.degree. C. and
50.degree. C. Examples of classes of phase change agents include
solid alcohols, waxes and gellants.
[0026] In embodiments, a wax acts as a phase change agent, which
can be either a single type of wax or a mixture of two or more
different waxes. As used herein, the term wax includes natural,
modified natural, and synthetic waxes. A single wax can be added to
formulations, for example, to improve particular properties, such
as hardness, gloss, offset properties, and the like. Alternatively,
a combination of waxes can be added to provide multiple properties
to the composition.
[0027] The solid or phase change ink of the present disclosure
includes at least one polar wax, which improves the polarity of the
ink and ink adhesion to paper. In embodiments, the polar wax may be
acidic. Not intending to be bound by theory, it is believed that
the increase in acidity and/or polarity improves the ink adhesion
to the mainly alkaline papers. Examples of the polar acidic wax
include Licowax.RTM. SW and similar polar acidic waxes (available
from Clariant and described in "Waxes by Clariant," by Otto
Malitschek and revised by Wilhelm Herfert (Edition May 2003/W 320
GB, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety) and other
derivatives of montan acid within the series of montan acid, such
as those that contain a long aliphatic chain. As used herein the
term "long aliphatic chain" is a chain with 14 or more carbon
atoms.
[0028] In embodiments the viscosities of the polar acidic waxes are
from about 10 to 50 mPa-s at 120.degree. C. and thermal properties,
such as a melting point of from about 60.degree. C. to about
100.degree. C. or from about 70.degree. C. to about 90.degree. C.,
for example about 80.degree. C. (as measured by differential
scanning calorimetry). Other desired properties are Flow Hardness
as described in "Waxes by Clariant," by Otto Malitschek and revised
by Wilhelm Herfert (Edition May 2003/W 320 GB), as the pressure in
bar that is necessary to press a flat, circular metal stamp
measuring 1 cm in diameter through the wax sample at 23.degree. C.
and using a Clariant GmbH internal testing and inspection
procedure. In embodiments, the Flow Hardness values for wax samples
may be from about 300 bar to about 1000 bar, for example, from 500
bar to about 1000 bar.
[0029] In embodiments, the acid number of the individual polar
acidic waxes included in the ink composition may differ for each
individual polar acidic wax. As used herein the term acid number is
the number of milligrams of KOH required in order to neutralize the
free acid contained in one gram of wax. The acid number may be used
to determine the amount of polarity of the waxes due to the dipolar
character. The number and strength of the polar groups as well as
the length of the non-polar part of the molecule influence the acid
number. In alternative embodiments, the ink compositions may
contain an individual polar acidic wax having a single acid number.
In embodiments, the acid number of the wax(es) may be in the range
of from about 0 to about 160 mgKOH/g, such as about 100 to about
160 mgKOH/g, or from about 127 to about 160 mgKOH/g.
[0030] Suitable examples of polar acidic waxes are linear,
saturated, aliphatic waxes, such as aliphatic waxes having an
end-functionalized carboxylic acid. Other suitable examples of
polar acidic waxes include waxes having a high acid content of, for
example, greater than about 30% acid functionalized, such as
greater than about 50% acid functionalized or greater than about
70% acid functionalized. Other examples of polar acid waxes are
those with acid number of greater than about 15 mgKOH/g, such as
greater than about 85 mgKOH/g, or greater than about 115 mgKOH/g.
In alternative embodiments, the acid number of the polar waxes may
have maximum of about 5 mgKOH/g.
[0031] In embodiments, the polar acidic wax is a montan wax
derivative, having an aliphatic chain length distribution of
C.sub.22-C.sub.34 with a maximum in the C.sub.26-C.sub.28 range,
such as, for example, n-octacosanoic acid,
CH.sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub.26COOH, about 100% acid functionalized.
Examples of such suitable montan waxes include, but are not limited
to, Licowax.RTM. S, manufactured by Clariant GmbH (Germany),
Licowax.RTM. SW, Licowax.RTM. UL and Licowax.RTM. X101. Other
suitable polar acidic waxes include partly esterified montanic acid
waxes, where some of the acid termination have been esterified,
such as Licowax.RTM. U. The derivatives of montanic acids are
generally prepared by oxidative bleaching of crude montan wax,
reaction of the resultant acid wax with an alcohol or amide and/or
hydrolysis with an alkali metal hydroxide or alkaline earth metal
hydroxide.
[0032] In embodiments, specific examples of polar waxes may include
beeswax acid, C.sub.10-C.sub.40 hydroxyalkyl acid,
C.sub.10-C.sub.40 isoalkylacid, coconut acid, corn acid,
hydrogenated tallow acid, hydrogenated coconut acid, hydrogenated
palm acid, hydroxystearic acid, isostearic acid, linseed acid, rice
bran acid, palm acid, palm kernel acid, tall oil acid, tallow acid,
undecanoic acid, undecylenic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid,
oleic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, linoleic acid,
C.sub.18-C.sub.36 acid, C.sub.20-C.sub.40 acid, C.sub.29-C.sub.70
acid, C.sub.30-C.sub.50 acid, C.sub.40-C.sub.60 acid, and mixtures
thereof, such as a combination of any of the following acids:
palmitic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, montanic acid,
Licowax.RTM. S, Licowax.RTM. LP, Licowax.RTM. SW and mixtures
thereof. Licowax is a registered trademark of Clariant,
Germany.
[0033] In embodiments, the saponification value of the polar acidic
waxes may be greater than about 0 mgKOH/g, such as greater than
about 97 mgKOH/g, or greater than about 140 mgKOH/g. In alternative
embodiments, the saponification value of the polar waxes may have a
maximum of about 15 mgKOH/g. As used herein the term
"saponification value" is the number of milligrams of KOH required
in order to neutralize the free acids and acids released from
esters in one gram of wax. The saponification value is a measure of
the amount of free acids and divisible esters present. The esters
are broken up with alcoholic KOH; the unconsumed KOH is titrated
with acid. The difference between the saponification value and the
acid value is the ester value. The ester value, like the acid
value, may be used to determine the amount of polarity of the
waxes.
[0034] In embodiments, polar waxes, have an acid number, such as
greater than 0 mgKOH/g, or greater than about 15 mgKOH/g, such as
about 25 mgKOH/g to about 95 mgKOH/g and saponification value
greater than 0 mgKOH/g, such as greater than about 97 mgKOH/g or
greater than about 120 mgKOH/g, for example, about 130 mgKOH/g to
about 182 mgKOH/g or greater than about 140 mgKOH/g, for example,
about 140 mgKOH/g to about 182 mgKOH/g. Some acid waxes are a
derivative of montan wax derived by the saponification and
oxidation with chromic acid solutions. Acids may also be esterified
with mono- and polyvalent alcohols to obtain ester waxes.
Saponification with metal hydroxides can lead to metal soaps.
Partially saponified ester waxes can be then obtained by combining
the esterification and saponification processes. Suitable examples
of the above waxes include Licowax.RTM. E and Licowax.RTM. KPS as
ester wax, Licowax.RTM. OP and Licowax.RTM. O as partial
saponifiable ester wax, and the like, as seen in Table 1 below.
Table 1 lists a few exemplary polar waxes, which are available from
Clariant, and various properties of these waxes, suitable for use
in the solid or phase change inks of the present disclosure.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Exemplary polar waxes available from
Clariant Viscosity Acid Saponi- Drop @ Number fication Licowax
.RTM. Chemical Point 100.degree. C. (mgKOH/ Value Product
Characterization .degree. (C.) (cps) g) (mgKOH/g) U Native Montan
80-86 ~30 72-82 125-150 Wax S Acid Wax 79-85 ~30 127-160 157-182 LP
Acid Wax 82-89 ~30 113-130 140-170 UL Acid Wax 81-87 ~30 100-115
130-160 SW Acid Wax 81-87 ~30 115-135 145-175 NC Acid Wax 81-87 ~30
105-125 145-165 E Ester Wax 79-83 ~30 15-20 140-160 F Ester Wax
75-81 ~30 97-113 KP Montan Wax 81-87 ~30 20-30 130-165 KPS Ester
with 78-82 ~30 25-35 135-150 multifunctional alcohols KSL Ester
with 79-85 ~30 28-33 134-167 multifunctional alcohols KFO Ester
with 86-92 ~30 85-95 120-145 multifunctional alcohols KST Ester
with ~30 max 5 max 15 multifunctional alcohols BJ Ester Wax 72-78
~30 17-25 135-165 Compound
[0035] The polar acidic wax may comprise at least about 5% by
weight of the ink, such as from about 5% to about 90% by weight of
the ink, for example from about 10% to about 40% or from about 20%
to about 30% by weight of the ink.
[0036] Other suitable examples of waxes include waxes selected from
natural vegetable waxes, natural animal waxes, mineral waxes,
synthetic waxes and functionalized waxes. Examples of natural
vegetable waxes include, for example, carnauba wax, candelilla wax,
Japan wax, and bayberry wax. Examples of natural animal waxes
include, for example, beeswax, punic wax, lanolin, lac wax, shellac
wax, and spermaceti wax. Mineral waxes include, for example,
paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, montan wax, ozokerite wax,
ceresin wax, petrolatum wax, and petroleum wax. Synthetic waxes
include, for example, Fischer-Tropsch wax, acrylate wax, fatty acid
amide wax, silicone wax, polytetrafluoroethylene wax, polymethylene
wax, polyethylene wax, and polypropylene wax, and mixtures
thereof.
[0037] In addition, suitable phase change agents described in U.S.
Pat. No. 7,501,015, which is incorporated herein by reference in
its entirety, may also be used.
[0038] The ink composition also may include a vehicle material, or
mixture of two or more vehicle materials, which may or may not be
identical to the phase change agent(s). In the case of a solid or a
phase change ink jet ink composition, the vehicle can include one
or more organic compounds. The vehicle for such solid ink or phase
change compositions is typically solid at room temperature (about
20.degree. C. to about 25.degree. C.), but becomes liquid at the
printer operating temperature for ejecting onto the print
surface.
[0039] The ink composition also may include resins, polymers,
copolymers and the like. Examples include, for example,
ethylene/propylene polymers or copolymers. The polymers or
copolymers may have, for example, a melting point of from about
70.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C., such as from about
80.degree. C. to about 130.degree. C. or from about 90.degree. C.
to about 120.degree. C. and a molecular weight range of from about
500 to about 4,000. Commercial examples of such copolymers include,
for example, Petrolite CP-7 (Mn=650), Petrolite CP-11 (Mn=1,100,
Petrolite CP-12 (Mn=1,200) and the like.
[0040] Other suitable vehicle materials include urethane, urea,
amide and imide derivatives of oxidized synthetic or petroleum
waxes. In embodiments, the urethane, urea, amide and imide
derivatives may be linear, branched, cyclic or any combination
thereof. These materials may have a melting point of from about
60.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C., such as from about
70.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C. or from about 70.degree. C.
to about 90.degree. C. Commercial examples of such materials
include, for example, bis-urethanes such as PETROLITE CA-11.RTM.,
PETROLITE WB-5.RTM. and PETROLITE WB-17.RTM., all available from
Baker Petrolite, and the like. Suitable examples also include
urethane, urea, amide and imide derivatives disclosed in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 6,620,228, 6,380,423, 6,464,766 and 6,309,453, each of which
is incorporated herein by reference.
[0041] Other suitable vehicle materials that can be used in solid
or phase change ink compositions include, for example,
isocyanate-derived resins and waxes, such as urethane
isocyanate-derived materials, urea isocyanate-derived materials,
urethane/urea isocyanate-derived materials, mixtures thereof, and
the like. Further information on isocyanate-derived vehicle
materials is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,750,604,
5,780,528, 5,782,966, 5,783,658, 5,827,918, 5,830,942, 5,919,839,
6,255,432, and 6,309,453, British Patents Nos. GB 2 294 939, GB 2
305 928, GB 2 305 670, and GB 2 290 793, and PCT Publications WO
94/14902, WO 97/12003, WO 97/13816, WO 96/14364, WO 97/33943, and
WO 95/04760, the entire disclosures of each of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
[0042] Another type of ink vehicle may be n-paraffinic, branched
paraffinic, and/or aromatic hydrocarbons, typically with from about
5 to about 100, such as from about 20 to about 180 or from about 30
to about 60 carbon atoms, generally prepared by the refinement of
naturally occurring hydrocarbons, such as BE SQUARE 185 and BE
SQUARE 195, with molecular weights (Mn) of from about 100 to about
5,000, such as from about 250 to about 1,000 or from about 500 to
about 800, for example such as available from Petrolite.
[0043] Highly branched hydrocarbons, typically prepared by olefin
polymerization, such as the VYBAR materials available from
Petrolite, including VYBAR 253 (Mn=520), VYBAR 5013 (Mn=420), and
the like, may also be used. In addition, the ink vehicle may be an
ethoxylated alcohol, such as available from Petrolite and of the
general formula
##STR00001##
wherein x is an integer of from about 1 to about 50, such as from
about 5 to about 40 or from about 11 to about 24 and y is an
integer of from about 1 to about 70, such as from about 1 to about
50 or from about 1 to about 40. The materials may have a melting
point of from about 60.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C., such as
from about 70.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C. or from about
80.degree. C. to about 110.degree. C. and a molecular weight (Mn)
range of from about 100 to about 5,000, such as from about 500 to
about 3,000 or from about 500 to about 2,500. Commercial examples
include UNITHOX 420 (Mn=560), UNITHOX 450 (Mn=900), UNITHOX 480
(Mn=2,250), UNITHOX 520 (Mn=700), UNITHOX 550 (Mn=1,100), UNITHOX
720 (Mn=875), UNITHOX 750 (Mn=1,400), and the like.
[0044] As an additional example, mention may be made of fatty
amides, such as monoamides, tetra-amides, mixtures thereof, and the
like, for example such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,858,070,
incorporated herein by reference. Suitable monoamides may have a
melting point of at least about 50.degree. C., for example from
about 50.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C., although the melting
point can be below this temperature. Specific examples of suitable
monoamides include, for example, primary monoamides and secondary
monoamides. Stearamide, such as KEMAMIDE S available from Chemtura
Corporation and CRODAMIDE S available from Croda,
behenamide/arachidamide, such as CRODAMIDE BR available from Croda,
oleamide, such as KEMAMIDE U available from Chemtura Corporation
and CRODAMIDE OR available from Croda, technical grade oleamide,
such as KEMAMIDE OR available from Chemtura Corporation, CRODAMIDE
0 available from Croda, and UNISLIP 1753 available from Uniqema,
and erucamide such as KEMAMIDE E Ultra available from Chemtura
Corporation, derived from a vegetable source, and CRODAMIDE ER
available from Croda, are some examples of suitable primary amides.
Stearyl stearamide, such as KEMAMIDE S-180 available from Chemtura
Corporation, stearyl erucamide, such as KEMAMIDE E-180 available
from Chemtura Corporation and CRODAMIDE 212 available from Croda,
oleyl palmitamide, such as KEMAMIDE P-181 available from Chemtura
Corporation and CRODAMIDE 203 available from Croda, and erucyl
stearamide, such as KEMAMIDE S-221 available from Chemtura
Corporation, are some examples of suitable secondary amides.
Additional suitable amide materials include, Crodamide VRX, a
refined vegetable oleamide available from Croda, Crodamide SRV, a
refined vegetable stearamide available from Croda and derived
entirely from GM-free vegetable feedstock, Crodamide EBO, an
ethylene bis-oleamide available from Croda and KEMAMIDE W20
(N,N'-ethylenebisoleamide) Preferred Crodamide products are those
derived from vegetable based materials (High Erucic Rapeseed Oil)
such as: Crodamide E, Crodamide ER, Crodamide VRX, Crodamide SRV,
Crodamide BR, Crodamide 203, Crodamide 212, Crodamide EBO, and
optionally Crodamide EBSV, an ethylene bis-stearamide.
[0045] High molecular weight linear alcohols, such as those
available from Petrolite and of the general formula
##STR00002##
wherein x is an integer of from about 1 to about 50, such as from
about 5 to about 35 or from about 11 to about 23, may also be used
as the ink vehicle. These materials may have a melting point of
from about 50.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C., such as from
about 70.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C. or from about
75.degree. C. to about 110.degree. C., and a molecular weight (Mn)
range of from about 100 to about 5,000, such as from about 200 to
about 2,500 or from about 300 to about 1,500. Commercial examples
include the UNILIN materials such as UNILIN 425 (Mn=460), UNILIN
550 (Mn=550), UNILIN 700 (Mn=700), and the like.
[0046] A still further example includes hydrocarbon-based waxes,
such as the homopolymers of polyethylene available from Petrolite
and of the general formula
##STR00003##
wherein x is an integer of from about 1 to about 200, such as from
about 5 to about 150 or from about 12 to about 105. These materials
may have a melting point of from about 60.degree. C. to about
150.degree. C., such as from about 70.degree. C. to about
140.degree. C. or from about 80.degree. C. to about 130.degree. C.
and a molecular weight (Mn) of from about 100 to about 5,000, such
as from about 200 to about 4,000 or from about 400 to about 3,000.
Example waxes include the line of waxes, such as POLYWAX 500
(Mn=500), POLYWAX 655 (Mn=655), POLYWAX 850 (Mn=850), POLYWAX 1000
(Mn=1,000), and the like.
[0047] Another example includes modified maleic anhydride
hydrocarbon adducts of polyolefins prepared by graft
copolymerization, such as those available from Petrolite and of the
general formulas
##STR00004##
wherein R is an alkyl group with from about 1 to about 50, such as
from about 5 to about 35 or from about 6 to about 28 carbon atoms,
R' is an ethyl group, a propyl group, an isopropyl group, a butyl
group, an isobutyl group, or an alkyl group with from about 5 to
about 500, such as from about 10 to about 300 or from about 20 to
about 200 carbon atoms, x is an integer of from about 9 to about
13, and y is an integer of from about 1 to about 50, such as from
about 5 to about 25 or from about 9 to about 13, and having melting
points of from about 50.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C., such as
from about 60.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C. or from about
70.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C.; those available from
Petrolite and of the general formula
##STR00005##
wherein x is an integer of from about 1 to about 50, such as from
about 5 to about 25 or from about 9 to about 13, y is 1 or 2, and z
is an integer of from about 1 to about 50, such as from about 5 to
about 25 or from about 9 to about 13; and those available from
Petrolite and of the general formula
##STR00006##
wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 are hydrocarbon groups and R.sub.2 is
either of one of the general formulas
##STR00007##
or a mixture thereof, wherein R' is an isopropyl group, which
materials may have melting points of from about 70.degree. C. to
about 150.degree. C., such as from about 80.degree. C. to about
130.degree. C. or from about 90.degree. C. to about 125.degree. C.,
with examples of modified maleic anhydride copolymers including
CERAMER 67 (Mn=655, Mw/Mn=1.1), CERAMER 1608 (Mn=700, Mw/Mn=1.7),
and the like.
[0048] Additional examples of suitable ink vehicles for the solid
inkjet inks include polyamides; dimer acid amides; fatty acid
amides, including ARAMID C; epoxy resins, such as EPOTUF 37001,
available from Riechold Chemical Company; fluid paraffin waxes;
fluid microcrystalline waxes; Fischer-Tropsch waxes; polyvinyl
alcohol resins; polyols; cellulose esters; cellulose ethers;
polyvinyl pyridine resins; fatty acids; fatty acid esters; poly
sulfonamides, including KETJENFLEX MH and KETJENFLEX MS80; benzoate
esters, such as BENZOFLEX 5552, available from Velsicol Chemical
Company; phthalate plasticizers; citrate plasticizers; maleate
plasticizers; polyvinyl pyrrolidinone copolymers; polyvinyl
pyrrolidone/polyvinyl acetate copolymers; novolac resins, such as
DUREZ 12 686, available from Occidental Chemical Company; and
natural product waxes, such as beeswax, montan wax, candelilla wax,
GILSONITE (American Gilsonite Company), and the like; mixtures of
linear primary alcohols with linear long chain amides or fatty acid
amides, such as those with from about 6 to about 24 carbon atoms,
including PARICIN 9 (propylene glycol monohydroxystearate), PARICIN
13 (glycerol monohydroxystearate), PARICIN 15 (ethylene glycol
monohydroxystearate), PARICIN 220
(N(2-hydroxyethyl)-12-hydroxystearamide), PARICIN 285
(N,N'-ethylene-bis-12-hydroxystearamide), FLEXRICIN 185
(N,N'-ethylene-bis-ricinoleamide), and the like. Further, linear
long chain sulfones with from about 4 to about 16 carbon atoms,
such as diphenyl sulfone, n-arnyl sulfone, n-propyl sulfone,
n-pentyl sulfone, n-hexyl sulfone, n-heptyl sulfone, n-octyl
sulfone, n-nonyl sulfone, n-decyl sulfone, n-undecyl sulfone,
n-dodecyl sulfone, n-tridecyl sulfone, n-tetradecyl sulfone,
n-pentadecyl sulfone, n-hexadecyl sulfone, chlorophenyl methyl
sulfone, and the like, are suitable ink vehicle materials.
[0049] Illustrative examples of polymer resins selected for the
inks and process of the present disclosure include the ink polymer
resins described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
12/131,356, which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
[0050] The crystalline resins, which are available from a number of
sources, can possess various melting points of, for example, from
about 30.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C., such as from about
50.degree. C. to about 90.degree. C. The crystalline resin may
have, for example, a number average molecular weight (Mn), as
measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) of, for example,
from about 1,000 to about 50,000, and such as from about 2,000 to
about 25,000. The weight average molecular weight (Mw) of the resin
may be, for example, from about 2,000 to about 100,000, such as
from about 3,000 to about 80,000, as determined by GPC using
polystyrene standards. The molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of
the crystalline resin is, for example, from about 2 to about 6, and
more such as from about 2 to about 4.
[0051] In addition, the ink vehicles described in U.S. Pat. Nos.
7,501,015 and 6,906,118, which are incorporated herein by reference
in its entirety, may also be used. Also suitable as ink ingredients
are liquid crystalline materials as disclosed in, for example, U.S.
Pat. No. 5,122,187, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated
herein by reference.
[0052] The ink vehicle may comprise one or more of the
aforementioned suitable materials.
[0053] The ink vehicle may comprise from about 20% to about 99.5%
by weight of the ink, for example from about 50% to about 95% or
from about 70% to about 80% by weight of the ink.
[0054] Many ink vehicles of solid inks have an electrical
conductivity of essentially zero. Thus, conductivity enhancing
agents may be added to the ink in order to provide consistent
conductivity to the ink.
[0055] Prior components of an solid ink that may have contributed
to the electrical conductivity if the inks were colorants such as
pigments and dyes, and dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid, as disclosed
in U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,847, and incorporated herein by
reference.
[0056] The solid ink disclosed herein may contain as an ingredient
one organic salt, or a mixture of one or more suitable organic
salts, for example from about 1 to about 10 organic salts, such as
from about 1 to about 4 or from about 1 to about 2 organic salts.
Each organic salt is present in the ink in any effective amount,
for example from about 0.001 weight percent to about 8 weight
percent, such as from about 0.1 weight percent to about 5 weight
percent or from about 0.25 weight percent to about 5 weight percent
of the ink.
[0057] The conductivity of the solid ink having the conductivity
enhancing agent therein may be from about 0.01 .mu.S/cm to about 5
.mu.S/cm, such as from about 0.05 .mu.LS/cm to about 4 .mu.LS/cm or
from about 0.09 .mu.S/cm to about 2.5 .mu.S/cm. Conductivity may be
measured by any known method, and herein is measured under melt
conditions at about 120.degree. C. by placing titanium electrodes
in the molten ink and reading the resistivity output on a Rosemount
Model 1054B LC Conductivity Meter at a frequency of 60 Hz. In
general, the conductivity of a material can be measured in terms of
the reciprocal of resistivity, which is a material specific and
temperature dependent measurement for electrical resistance.
[0058] The ink compositions of the present disclosure can also
optionally contain other materials, which may depend upon the type
of printer in which the ink is used. For example, the vehicle
composition is typically designed for use in either a direct
printing mode or an indirect or offset printing transfer
system.
[0059] The ink compositions of the present disclosure can be
prepared by any desired or suitable method. For example, in the
case of solid or phase change inks, the ink ingredients can be
mixed together, followed by heating, typically to a temperature of
from about 60.degree. to about 140.degree. C., and stifling until a
homogeneous ink composition is obtained.
[0060] The ink compositions generally also contain a colorant. Any
desired or effective colorant can be employed in the inks,
including dyes, pigments, mixtures thereof, and the like, provided
that the colorant can be dissolved or dispersed in the ink vehicle.
The compositions can be used in combination with conventional ink
colorant materials, such as Color Index (C.I.) Solvent Dyes,
Disperse Dyes, modified Acid and Direct Dyes, Basic Dyes, Sulphur
Dyes, Vat Dyes, and the like.
[0061] Examples of suitable dyes include, but are not limited to,
Usharect Blue 86 (Direct Blue 86), available from Ushanti Color;
Intralite Turquoise 8GL (Direct Blue 86), available from Classic
Dyestuffs; Chemictive Brilliant Red 7BH (Reactive Red 4), available
from Chemiequip; Levafix Black EB, available from Bayer; Reactron
Red H.sub.8B (Reactive Red 31), available from Atlas Dye-Chem;
D&C Red #28 (Acid Red 92), available from Warner-Jenkinson;
Direct Brilliant Pink B, available from Global Colors; Acid
Tartrazine, available from Metrochem Industries; Cartasol Yellow
6GF Clariant; Carta Blue 2GL, available from Clariant; and the
like. Particularly preferred are solvent dyes; within the class of
solvent dyes, spirit soluble dyes are preferred because of their
compatibility with the ink vehicles of the present invention.
Examples of suitable spirit solvent dyes include Neozapon Red 492
(BASF); Orasol Red G (Ciba); Direct Brilliant Pink B (Global
Colors); Aizen Spilon Red C-BH (Hodogaya Chemical); Kayanol Red 3BL
(Nippon Kayaku); Spirit Fast Yellow 3G; Aizen Spilon Yellow C-GNH
(Hodogaya Chemical); Cartasol Brilliant Yellow 4GF (Clariant);
Pergasol Yellow CGP (Ciba); Orasol Black RLP (Ciba); Savinyl Black
RLS (Clariant); Morfast Black Conc. A (Rohm and Haas); Orasol Blue
GN (Ciba); Savinyl Blue GLS (Sandoz); Luxol Fast Blue MBSN (Pylam);
Sevron Blue 5GMF (Classic Dyestuffs); Basacid Blue 750 (BASF), and
the like. Neozapon Black X51 [C.I. Solvent Black, C.I. 12195]
(BASF), Sudan Blue 670 [C.I. 61554] (BASF), Sudan Yellow 146 [C.I.
12700] (BASF), and Sudan Red 462 [C.I. 260501] (BASF) are
preferred.
[0062] Pigments are also suitable colorants for the inks. Examples
of suitable pigments include, but are not limited to, Violet
PALIOGEN Violet 5100 (BASF); PALIOGEN Violet 5890 (BASF); HELIOGEN
Green L8730 (BASF); LITHOL Scarlet D3700 (BASF); Sunfast.RTM. Blue
15:4 (Sun Chemical 249-0592); Hostaperm Blue B2G-D (Clariant);
Permanent Red P--F7RK; Hostaperm Violet BL (Clariant); LITHOL
Scarlet 4440 (BASF); Bon Red C (Dominion Color Company); ORACET
Pink RF (Ciba); PALIOGEN Red 3871 K (BASF); Sunfast.RTM. Blue 15:3
(Sun Chemical 249-1284); PALIOGEN Red 3340 (BASF); Sunfast.RTM.
Carbazole Violet 23 (Sun Chemical 246-1670); LITHOL Fast Scarlet
L4300 (BASF); Sunbrite Yellow 17 (Sun Chemical 275-0023); HELIOGEN
Blue L6900, L7020 (BASF); Sunbrite Yellow 74 (Sun Chemical
272-0558); Spectra Pac.RTM. C Orange 16 (Sun Chemical 276-3016);
HELIOGEN Blue K6902, K6910 (BASF); Sunfast.RTM. Magenta 122 (Sun
Chemical 228-0013); HELIOGEN Blue D6840, D7080 (BASF); Sudan Blue
OS (BASF); NEOPEN Blue FF4012 (BASF); PV Fast Blue B2GO1
(Clariant); IRGALITE Blue BCA (Ciba); PALIOGEN Blue 6470 (BASF);
Sudan Orange G (Aldrich), Sudan Orange 220 (BASF); PALIOGEN Orange
3040 (BASF); PALIOGEN Yellow 152, 1560 (BASF); LITHOL Fast Yellow
0991 K (BASF); PALIOTOL Yellow 1840 (BASF); NOVOPERM Yellow FGL
(Clariant); Lumogen Yellow D0790 (BASF); Suco-Yellow L1250 (BASF);
Suco-Yellow D1355 (BASF); Suco Fast Yellow D1355, D1351 (BASF);
HOSTAPERM Pink E 02 (Clariant); Hansa Brilliant Yellow 5GX03
(Clariant); Permanent Yellow GRL 02 (Clariant); Permanent Rubine
L6B 05 (Clariant); FANAL Pink D4830 (BASF); CINQUASIA Magenta (DU
PONT), PALIOGEN Black L0084 (BASF); Pigment Black K801 (BASF); and
carbon blacks such as REGAL 330.TM.. (Cabot), Carbon Black 5250,
Carbon Black 5750 (Columbia Chemical), mixtures thereof and the
like.
[0063] The colorant is generally included in the ink in an amount
of from, for example, about 0.1 to about 15% by weight of the ink,
such as about 0.5 to about 6% by weight of the ink.
[0064] In embodiments, the solid or phase change ink may be a
curable ink, where composition generally comprises a curable
monomer. In embodiments, curing of the monomer is radically or
cationically initiated. Suitable curable monomers and initiators
are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,501,015, which is incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety.
[0065] In embodiments, the composition may further comprise a low
viscosity additive to reduce the jetting viscosity. Examples of
this additive include, but are not limited to, VEctomers.RTM. 4230,
3080 and 5015 (available from Morflex Inc., Greensboro, N.C.),
which have the following chemical structures:
##STR00008##
[0066] Another suitable low viscosity additive is
bis[4-(vinyloxy)butyl] dodecanedioate:
##STR00009##
[0067] Additional optional additives include, but are not limited
to, surfactants, light stabilizers, UV absorbers, which absorb
incident UV radiation and convert it to heat energy that is
ultimately dissipated, antioxidants, optical brighteners, which can
improve the appearance of the image and mask yellowing, thixotropic
agents, dewetting agents, slip agents, foaming agents, antifoaming
agents, flow agents, waxes, oils, plasticizers, binders, electrical
conductive agents, fungicides, bactericides, organic and/or
inorganic filler particles, leveling agents, e.g., agents that
create or reduce different gloss levels, opacifiers, antistatic
agents, dispersants, and the like. The composition may also include
an inhibitor, such as a hydroquinone, to stabilize the composition
by prohibiting or, at least, delaying, polymerization of the
oligomer and monomer components during storage, thus increasing the
shelf life of the composition. However, additives may negatively
affect cure rate, and thus care must be taken when formulating a
composition using optional additives.
[0068] The ink compositions can also optionally contain an
antioxidant. The optional antioxidants of the ink compositions help
to protect the images from oxidation and also help to protect the
ink components from oxidation during the heating portion of the ink
preparation process. Specific examples of suitable antioxidants
include NAUGUARD.RTM. series of antioxidants, such as NAUGUARD.RTM.
445, NAUGUARD.RTM. 524, NAUGUARD.RTM. 76, and NAUGUARD.RTM. 512
(commercially available from Uniroyal Chemical Company, Oxford,
Conn.), the IRGANOX.RTM. series of antioxidants such as
IRGANOX.RTM. 1010 (commercially available from Ciba Geigy), and the
like. When present, the optional antioxidant can be present in the
ink in any desired or effective amount, such as in an amount of
from at least about 0.01 to about 20 percent by weight of the ink,
such as about 0.1 to about 5 percent by weight of the ink, or from
about 1 to about 3 percent by weight of the ink.
[0069] The ink compositions can also optionally contain a viscosity
modifier. Examples of suitable viscosity modifiers include
aliphatic ketones, such as stearone, and the like. When present,
the optional viscosity modifier can be present in the ink in any
desired or effective amount, such as about 0.1 to about 99 percent
by weight of the ink, such as about 1 to about 30 percent by weight
of the ink, or about 10 to about 15 percent by weight of the
ink.
[0070] The ink compositions can also optionally contain clarifiers,
such as UNION CAMP.RTM. X37-523-235 (commercially available from
Union Camp); tackifiers, such as FORAL.RTM. 85, a glycerol ester of
hydrogenated abietic (rosin) acid (commercially available from
Hercules), FORAL.RTM. 105, a pentaerythritol ester of hydroabietic
(rosin) acid (commercially available from Hercules), CELLOLYN.RTM.
21, a hydroabietic (rosin) alcohol ester of phthalic acid
(commercially available from Hercules), ARAKAWA KE-311 Resin, a
triglyceride of hydrogenated abietic (rosin) acid (commercially
available from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd.), synthetic
polyterpene resins such as NEVTAC.RTM. 2300, NEVTAC.RTM. 100, and
NEVTAC.RTM. 80 (commercially available from Neville Chemical
Company), WINGTACK.RTM. 86, a modified synthetic polyterpene resin
(commercially available from Goodyear), and the like; adhesives,
such as VERSAMID.RTM. 757, 759, or 744 (commercially available from
Henkel), plasticizers, such as UNIPLEX.RTM. 250 (commercially
available from Uniplex), the phthalate ester plasticizers
commercially available from Monsanto under the trade name
SANTICIZER.RTM., such as dioctyl phthalate, diundecyl phthalate,
alkylbenzyl phthalate (SANTICIZER.RTM. 278), triphenyl phosphate
(commercially available from Monsanto), KP-140.RTM., a
tributoxyethyl phosphate (commercially available from FMC
Corporation), MORFLEX.RTM. 150, a dicyclohexyl phthalate
(commercially available from Morflex Chemical Company Inc.),
trioctyl trimellitate (commercially available from Eastman Kodak
Co.), and the like; and the like. Such additives can be included in
conventional amounts for their usual purposes.
[0071] The ink compositions can also optionally contain dispersing
agents or surfactants may be present in the inks, typically in
amounts of from about 0.01 to about 20 percent by weight.
Plasticizers that may be used include pentaerythritol
tetrabenzoate, commercially available as BENZOFLEX 5552 (Velsicol
Chemical Corporation), trimethyl titrate, commercially available as
CITROFLEX 1 (Monflex Chemical Company), N,N-dimethyl oleamide,
commercially available as HALCOMID M-18-OL (C. P. Hall Company), a
benzyl phthalate, commercially available as SANTICIZER 278 (Ferro
Corporation), and the like, may be added to the ink vehicle, and
may constitute from about 1 to 40 percent of the ink vehicle
component of the ink. Plasticizers can either function as the ink
vehicle or can act as an agent to provide compatibility between the
ink components.
[0072] The ink compositions can also optionally contain
antioxidants in the ink to protect the images from oxidation and
also may protect the ink components from oxidation while existing
as a heated melt in the ink reservoir. Examples of suitable
antioxidants include (1) N,N'-hexamethylene
bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy hydrocinnamamide) (IRGANOX 1098,
available from Ciba-Geigy Corporation), (2)
2,2-bis(4-(2-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyhydrocinnamoyloxy))ethoxyphenyl)
propane (TOPANOL-205, available from ICI America Corporation), (3)
tris(4-tert-butyl-3-hydroxy-2,6-dimethyl benzyl) isoCyanurate
(CYANOX 1790, 41,322-4, LTDP, Aldrich D12, 840-6), (4)
2,2'-ethylidene bis(4,6-di-tert-butylphenyl) fluoro phosphonite
(ETHANOX-398, available from Ethyl Corporation), (5)
tetrakis(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)-4,4'-biphenyl diphosphonite
(ALDRICH 46, 852-5; hardness value 90), (6) pentaerythritol
tetrastearate (TCI America #P0739), (7) tributylammonium
hypophosphite (Aldrich 42,009-3), (8)
2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methoxyphenol (Aldrich 25, 106-2), (9)
2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-(4-methoxybenzyl) phenol (Aldrich 23,008-1),
(10) 4-bromo-2,6-dimethylphenol (Aldrich 34, 951-8), (11)
4-bromo-3,5-didimethylphenol (Aldrich B6, 420-2), (12)
4-bromo-2-nitrophenol (Aldrich 30,987-7), (13) 4-(diethyl
aminomethyl)-2,5-dimethylphenol (Aldrich 14,668-4), (14)
3-dimethylaminophenol (Aldrich D14,400-2), (15)
2-amino-4-tert-amylphenol (Aldrich 41,258-9), (16)
2,6-bis(hydroxymethyl)-p-cresol (Aldrich 22,752-8), (17)
2,2'-methylenediphenol (Aldrich B4,680-8), (18)
5-(diethylamino)-2-nitrosophenol (Aldrich 26,951-4), (19)
2,6-dichloro-4-fluorophenol (Aldrich 28,435-1), (20) 2,6-dibromo
fluoro phenol (Aldrich 26,003-7), (21) a-trifluoro-o-creso-1
(Aldrich 21,979-7), (22) 2-bromo-4-fluorophenol (Aldrich 30,246-5),
(23) 4-fluorophenol (Aldrich F1,320-7), (24)
4-chlorophenyl-2-chloro-1,1,2-tri-fluoroethyl sulfone (Aldrich
13,823-1), (25) 3,4-difluoro phenylacetic acid (Aldrich 29,043-2),
(26) 3-fluorophenylacetic acid (Aldrich 24,804-5), (27)
3,5-difluoro phenylacetic acid (Aldrich 29,044-0), (28)
2-fluorophenylacetic acid (Aldrich 20,894-9), (29) 2,5-bis
(trifluoromethyl) benzoic acid (Aldrich 32,527-9), (30)
ethyl-2-(4-(4-(trifluoromethyl) phenoxy) phenoxy) propionate
(Aldrich 25,074-0), (31) tetrakis (2,4-di-tert-butyl
phenyl)-4,4'-biphenyl diphosphonite (Aldrich 46,852-5), (32)
4-tert-amyl phenol (Aldrich 15,384-2), (33)
3-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-hydroxy phenethylalcohol (Aldrich
43,071-4), NAUGARD 76, NAUGARD 445, NAUGARD 512, AND NAUGARD 524
(manufactured by Uniroyal Chemical Company), and the like, as well
as mixtures thereof. The antioxidant, when present, may be present
in the ink in any desired or effective amount, such as from about
0.15 percent to about 10 percent by weight of the ink or from about
0.2 percent to about 3 percent by weight of the ink.
[0073] The ink can also optionally contain a UV absorber.
Illustrative examples of optional UV absorbers selected for the
inks and process of the present disclosure include the UV absorbers
described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
12/131,356, which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
[0074] The inks can be employed in apparatus for direct printing
inkjet processes, wherein when droplets of the melted ink are
ejected in an imagewise pattern onto a recording substrate, the
recording substrate is a final recording substrate. Alternatively,
the inks can be employed in indirect (offset) printing inkjet
applications, wherein when droplets of the melted ink are ejected
in an imagewise pattern onto a recording substrate, the recording
substrate is an intermediate transfer member and the ink in the
imagewise pattern is subsequently transferred from the intermediate
transfer member to a final recording substrate.
[0075] The substrate may be any suitable material such as paper,
boxboard, cardboard, fabric, a transparency, plastic, glass, wood
etc., although the ink is desirably used in forming images on
paper.
[0076] The present disclosure is also directed to a printer
containing the inks described herein. Specifically, the present
disclosure relates to a printer cartridge containing the inks
described herein, as well as to a printer containing the printer
cartridge.
[0077] The present disclosure also relates to a method for applying
the ink to form an image. In embodiments, the method comprises
providing the ink at or above the first temperature; applying the
ink to a substrate to form an image, the substrate being at or
below the second temperature. In a preferred embodiment, the
composition is applied over the image by inkjet printing.
[0078] Examples are set forth below and are illustrative of
different compositions and conditions that can be utilized in
practicing the disclosure. All proportions are by weight unless
otherwise indicated. It will be apparent, however, that the
disclosure can be practiced with many types of compositions and can
have many different uses in accordance with the disclosure above
and as pointed out hereinafter.
EXAMPLES
[0079] Licowax.RTM. SW is an acid wax, available from Clariant,
with a melting temperature as measured by differential scanning
calorimetry (DSC) of approximately 80.degree. C. and an acid value
of 115-135 mgKOH/g. The compositions of the inks prepared are
presented in Table 2. All inks were prepared by pre-melting the ink
components followed by mixing the melt in a heated vessel for 4
hours while adding gradually the dye. All inks were subsequently
filtered through a 0.45 micron Parker filter and evaluated. A
commercially available solid inkjet ink was measured as a
control.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Composition of inks for improved scratch and
fold. Component Control Ink I Ink II Ink III Ink IV Ink V Ink VI
Ink VII A 16.00 16.00 B 12.38 16.00 16.00 15.00 15.00 15.00 15.00
15.00 C 15.60 15.00 15.00 15.00 15.00 15.00 D 14.82 15.00 15.00
15.00 15.00 15.00 E 15.00 15.00 Licowax .RTM. SW 24.45 24.45 24.45
20 15.00 10.00 5.00 F 51.37 25.00 25.00 25.00 29.45 34.45 39.45
44.45 G 2.08 H 3.55 3.35 3.35 3.35 3.35 3.35 3.35 3.35 I 0.20 0.20
0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 TOTAL COMPOSITION (wt %) 100.00
100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 Viscosity @
140.degree. C. (cps) 6.20 9.46 9.5 9.3 8.4 8.2 6.95 6.4 Temperature
for 10.6 cps (?C) 110.00 135 135 132 126 122 120 115 Onset of
Crystallization (?C) 88.00 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 Component A: Unicid
425 methyl amide, salts of long chain fatty carboxylic acids (C28
carboxylic acids). Component B: Branched triamide as described in
U.S. Pat. No. 6,860,930. Component C: KE 100 Pinecrystal, product
prepared by esterifying various rosins and subjecting the obtained
esters to hydrogenation or purification. Component D: S 180,
stearyl stearamide. Component E: Di-urethane resin product as
described in Example 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,620,228. Component F:
Polyethylene wax Component G: Urethane product as described in
Example 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,309,453. Component H: Blue Mustang
Dye. Component I: NAUGARD 445, 4,4'-Bis
(.alpha.,.alpha.-dimethylbenzyl) diphenylamine
[0080] Detailed Description of Ink Compositions.
[0081] In Ink I, half of the polyethylene wax used in the
commercially available solid inkjet ink (control) was replaced with
Licowax.RTM. SW. As described below, Ink I showed dramatically
improved scratch and fold properties. Scratch and fold performance
were quantified using a scanner-based Image Quality evaluation
routine. The images were scanned and the scratched or creased area
was measured. A large scratched or creased area indicates poor
performance.
[0082] Ink II is a duplicate of Ink I. Ink III is also based on a
commercially available solid inkjet ink. As in Ink I, half of the
polyethylene wax in Ink III is replaced with Licowax.RTM. SW. Four
other inks, IV, V, VI and VII, were also made by lowering the
concentration of Licowax.RTM. SW while increasing the polyethylene
wax content (as set forth in Table 2) without affecting the
improved properties. The concentration of the Licowax.RTM. SW was
reduced to 20%, 15%, 10% and 5%, respectively.
[0083] Print Evaluation
[0084] Final filtered inks were evaluated in a commercially
available solid inkjet ink printer. Print process/image quality
parameters were determined using a Phaser 8400 printer modified to
run low energy inks. Parameters are compared to commercially
available low energy solid inkjet inks printed on the same printer,
with the same operating conditions. Operating conditions, such as
dropmass, drum temperature, preheat temperature, and transfix
velocity print resolution were adjusted as necessary. All
measurements were made using 75 gsm/20 lb paper (Xerox).
[0085] The evaluation methods and quantification metrics are
described in Table 3 and they were performed by both scanner based
IQ quantification metrics developed in Xerox, and visual
quantifications.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Test targets and Quantification metrics for
the aforementioned inks. Test Target Quantification Metric envelope
post office mailing insert post office mailing Fuser fixture test
D-Rub/FxBelt Dynamic Rub w/ FX Oring scratch/fold/tape IQAF
scratch/Fold scratch/fold/tape IQAF scratch/Fold double ink layer
squish target IQAF insert Fuser fixture test
[0086] Print Evaluation
[0087] All the above inks were filtered using existing ink
development methods. Final filtered inks were poured into Phaser
8400 cyan ink tubs and evaluated. Print process/image quality
parameters were determined using a Phaser 8400 printer modified to
run Lance low energy inks. Parameters are compared to commercially
available solid inkjet ink printed on the same printer, with the
same operating conditions. Operating conditions, such as Printhead
Firing frequency, preheat temperature, transfix velocity, and print
resolution, were adjusted as necessary. All measurements are made
using 75 gsm/20 lb paper (Xerox).
[0088] Ink I was compared against a commercially available solid
inkjet ink (control). Significant improvement of scratch and fold
properties of Ink I compared to the commercially available solid
inkjet ink are observed.
[0089] Additionally, an example of Oce ColorWave 600 TonerPearls
ink was evaluated. Although the ink coverage of the Oce print is
unknown, it serves as a crude reference. The prints were folded
manually. Although a machine fold is more severe than a manual
fold, the tests where the prints were folded manually are for
purposes of comparison to the Oce prints.
[0090] The prints were also scratched using an apparatus made of
three sharp metal fingers each under a certain amount of weight,
and a fixed platen. In this test, the print is secured over the
platen. Then fingers are lowered to touch the print. The fingers
are then moved via a motor with constant speed. The different
fingers create the three levels of scratch: Heavy, Medium, and
Light.
[0091] A significant improvement was observed in Ink I over the
commercially available solid inkjet ink. In Ink I the medium
scratch was hardly present whereas in the commercially available
solid inkjet ink the medium scratch is a well defined scratch.
[0092] Conclusions of the Ink Evaluations:
[0093] Ink I also had the best scratch performance comparable to
the Oce sample. Inks 22 and 24 were similar to Ink I and display
improved scratch and machine fold properties.
[0094] It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed
and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be
desirably combined into many other different systems or
applications. Also, various presently unforeseen or unanticipated
alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may
be subsequently made by those skilled in the art, and are also
intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
* * * * *