Compositions: coating or plastic – Coating or plastic compositions – Marking
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-20
2002-08-20
Klemanski, Helene (Department: 1755)
Compositions: coating or plastic
Coating or plastic compositions
Marking
C106S031470, C106S031490, C106S031760, C106S031770, C106S031780
Reexamination Certificate
active
06436178
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to ink compositions, including inkjet ink compositions, and further relates to methods to improve certain print properties, such as waterfastness, banding, dry/wet rub, and highlighter smear properties.
Inks and in particular inkjet inks have achieved many of the properties desired for inks when printed into images by printers. However, there is constantly an effort to improve on currently available inkjet inks. For instance, there is always a desire by consumers to see improved resistance to highlighter smear, further minimizing of the degree of banding, dry/wet rub resistivity and/or, improved waterfastness of the image printed by inkjet inks.
Accordingly, any improvement in one or more of these properties is always a goal by manufacturers in order to meet customer demand and satisfaction with inkjet inks.
It is also desirable to produce improved aqueous ink compositions which exhibit improved latency and recoverability in their respective printing systems while providing good print properties. A further need exists for improved colorants and ink compositions which contain the colorants.
While the above-described inks have advanced the quality of inks, there is always a need for more improved properties such as resistivity to highlighter smear, further minimizing of the degree of banding, improved dry rub/wet resistivity, and/or waterfastness improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A feature of the present invention is to provide ink compositions, especially inkjet ink compositions, which have one or more of the above-described improved properties.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide ink compositions which are dispersible in liquid vehicles and yet retain one or more of the above-described properties.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present invention. The objectives and other advantages of the present invention will be realized and obtained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the written description and appended claims.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention relates to an ink containing at least one colorant, at least one liquid vehicle, at least one humectant, and at least one cyclic amide.
The present invention further relates to inkjet inks having the above formulation.
The present invention further relates to methods to improve resistance to highlighter smear, minimize the degree of banding, improve dry/wet rub resistivity, and/or improve waterfastness by incorporating into the ink at least one cyclic amide in a sufficient amount to improve one or more of the above-described properties.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are intended to provide further explanation of the present invention, as claimed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention relates to ink compositions which contain at least one colorant, at least one liquid vehicle, at least one humectant, and at least one cyclic amide. Preferably, the inks of the present invention are inkjet inks.
The colorant can be at least one pigment, at least one dye, or mixtures thereof.
The pigment which can be present in the ink formulation can be, but is not limited to, pigments traditionally used in ink compositions (including inkjet ink compositions), and the like. Examples include, but are not limited to, black pigments (e.g., carbon products like carbon black) and other colored pigments (e.g., polymeric and organic pigments). Preferably, the pigment is a black pigment and more preferably is a carbon black. Similarly, the dye which can be present in the ink formulation can be, but is not limited to, dyes traditionally used in ink compositions.
The pigment, if one is used, can be present as a pigment dispersion. Examples of such dispersions include, but are not limited to dispersions known as Permajet, Hostafine, and Novasil dispersions from Clariant; Disperjet dispersions from BASF; Bayer Script dispersions from Bayer; IDIS dispersions from Degussa; Bonjet dispersions from Orient Chemical; and Acryjet dispersions from Rohm and Haas.
With respect to the cyclic amide, a variety of cyclic amides can be used. More than one type of cyclic amide can be used in the inks of the present invention. Preferably, the cyclic amide has the following formula:
In this formula, n is an integer of from 3 to 7, m is an integer of from 0 to 3 or equals n; X represents an alkyl group; and R represents an alkyl group. Preferably, X is an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbons and is optionally substituted with hydroxy or ether groups. The R group is preferably an alkyl group having at least 5 carbon atoms, such as, a C5-C20 alkyl group. More preferably, R is a C5-C12 alkyl group, and most preferably is a C8-C12 alkyl group. R can be cyclic or non-cyclic, and preferably is a straight chained or branched alkyl group. R can be substituted with one or more groups, such as functional groups like methyl, ethyl, propyl, and the like.
Preferred cyclic amide groups include alkyl pyrrolidone, and more preferably n-alkyl pyrrolidone. Even more preferably, the alkyl pyrrolidone is an alkyl-2-pyrrolidone or n-alkyl-2-pyrrolidone. Specific examples include, but are not limited to, n-octyl-2-pyrrolidone and n-dodecyl-2-pyrrolidone. The cyclic amides are commercially available from such suppliers as International Specialty Products under the trade names Surfadone™. These compounds can be made and are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,644 which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. Some of these compounds are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,197 which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein as well.
When the cyclic amide is present in an ink composition, and preferably in an inkjet ink composition, the ink, when compared to inks not containing the cyclic amide has an improved resistance to highlighter smear when printed into an image. The ink can, when printed into an image, lead to an even print which is also known as minimizing the degree of banding. Further, the ink of the present invention, when printed into an image, can have an improved waterfast resistance and/or a better dry or wet rub property (i.e., the printed image has a better resistance to dry or wet rub).
With respect to the humectant, one or more humectants can be present and the humectant can be chosen from humectants typically used in inks and inkjet inks. In particular, a humectant may be added to reduce the rate of evaporation of water in the ink to minimize clogging. If the ink begins to dry out, the humectant concentration increases and evaporation decreases further. Humectants may also affect other properties of the ink and prints made therefrom, such as viscosity, pH, surface tension, optical density, latency, and print quality. Preferred humectants include ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycols, glycerine, dipropylene glycols, polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, amides, ethers, carboxylic acids, esters, alcohols, organosulfides, organosulfoxides, sulfones, alcohol derivatives, carbitol, butyl carbitol, cellosolve, ether derivatives, amino alcohols, and ketones. The humectant can be present in conventional amounts. Preferably, the humectant is present in amount of from about 10% to about 25% based on the weight of the ink composition.
Common additives such as those discussed below may be added to the dispersion to further improve the properties of the inkjet ink. Suitable additives are also generally incorporated into the ink or inkjet composition to impart a number of desired properties while maintaining the stability of the compositions. For example, a surfactant or suitable polymer may be used t
Cabot Corporation
Klemanski Helene
LandOfFree
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