US2006162612A1PendingUtilityA1

Pigments modified with surface counter-ions

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Assignee: KABALNOV ALEXEY SPriority: Jan 25, 2005Filed: Jan 25, 2005Published: Jul 27, 2006
Est. expiryJan 25, 2025(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Alexey S. KabalnovHakan Wennerstrom
C09D 11/326C09D 11/322
45
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Claims

Abstract

The present invention relates to inkjet ink pigments having surface counter-ions replaced with other counter-ions with larger size and/or hydrophobicity. The effect of the replacement is to decrease pigment-ink-vehicle-separation in the inkjet ink printing process.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A surface-modified pigment comprising: 
 an outer surface;    ionic groups chemically grafted to the outer surface; and    replacement counter ions bound to the ionic groups,    wherein the replacement counter ions replace original counter ions bound to the ionic groups, the replacement counter ions being larger in size, more hydrophobic, or both larger in size and more hydrophobic than the original counter ions in aqueous solution.    
   
   
       2 . The surface-modified pigment of  claim 1 , wherein the ionic groups chemically grafted to the outer surface of the pigment are anionic groups and the replacement counter-ions are cationic counter-ions.  
   
   
       3 . The surface-modified pigment of  claim 1 , where the ionic groups chemically grafted to the outer surface of the pigment are cationic groups and the replacement counter-ions are anionic counter-ions.  
   
   
       4 . The surface-modified pigment of  claim 3 , wherein the anionic counter-ions are alkyl sulfates.  
   
   
       5 . The surface-modified pigment of  claim 1 , wherein the replacement counter ions are hydrophobic cations or non-sodium alkali metal cations.  
   
   
       6 . The surface-modified pigment of  claim 1 , wherein the replacement counter ions are combinations of at least two of the group consisting of hydrophobic cationsand alkali metal cations.  
   
   
       7 . The surface-modified pigment of  claim 1 , wherein the replacement counter ions are selected from the group consisting of Li, K, NH 4   + , N(CH 3 ) 4   + , N(C 2 H 5 ) 4   + , N(C 3 H 7 ) 4   + , N(C 4 H 9 ) 4   + .  
   
   
       8 . The surface-modified pigment of  claim 1 , wherein the replacement counter ions are a combination of at least two of the group consisting of Li, Na, K, NH 4   + , N(CH 3 ) 4   + , N(C 2 H 5 ) 4   + , N(C 3 H 7 ) 4   + , and N(C 4 H 9 ) 4   + .  
   
   
       9 . The surface-modified pigment of  claim 1 , wherein the replacement counter ions are quaternary amines, quatemary phosphines, quatemary arsines or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       10 . An ink composition comprising a liquid vehicle and a surface-modified pigment, wherein the surface-modified pigment comprises 
 a pigment with an outer surface,    ionic groups chemically grafted to the outer surface; and    replacement counter ions bound to the ionic groups,    wherein the replacement counter ions replace original counter ions bound to the ionic groups, the replacement counter ions being larger in size, more hydrophobic, or both larger in size and more hydrophobic than the original counter ions in aqueous solution.    
   
   
       11 . The ink composition of  claim 10 , wherein the ionic groups chemically grafted to the outer surface of the pigment are anionic groups and the replacement counter-ions are cationic counter-ions.  
   
   
       12 . The ink composition of  claim 10 , wherein the ionic groups chemically grafted to the outer surface of the pigment are cationic groups and the replacement counter-ions are anionic counter-ions.  
   
   
       13 . The ink composition of  claim 12 , wherein the anionic counter-ions comprise alkyl sulfates.  
   
   
       14 . The ink composition of  claim 10 , wherein the replacement counter ions are hydrophobic cations or non-sodium alkali metal cations.  
   
   
       15 . The ink composition of  claim 10 , wherein the replacement counter ions are combinations of at least two of the group consisting of hydrophobic cations and alkali metal cations.  
   
   
       16 . The ink composition of  claim 10 , wherein the replacement counter ions are selected from the group consisting of Li, K, NH 4   + , N(CH 3 ) 4   + , N(C 2 H 5 ) 4   + , N(C 3 H 7 ) 4   + , N(C 4 H 9 ) 4   +  and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       17 . The ink composition of  claim 10 , wherein the replacement counter ions are a combination of at least two of the group consisting of Li, Na, K, NH 4   + , N(CH 3 ) 4   + , N(C 2 H 5 ) 4   + , N(C 3 H 7 ) 4   + , and N(C 4 H 9 ) 4   + .  
   
   
       18 . The ink composition of  claim 10 , wherein the replacement counter ions are quaternary amines, quaternary phosphines, quaternary arsines or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       19 . A method of making a surface-modified pigment comprising 
 a pigment with an outer surface;    ionic groups chemically grafted to the outer surface; and    replacement counter ions bound to the ionic groups, the replacement counter ions replacing original counter ions, the replacement counter ions being larger in size, more hydrophobic or both larger in size and more hydrophobic than the original counter ions in aqueous solution;    the method comprising the steps of:    converting the pigment outer surface ionic groups into acidic form by ion-exchanging with hydrogen proton as counterion;    mixing the pigment having outer surface ionic groups in acidic form with replacement counter ions in basic form, the replacement counter ions replacing the original counter ions.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the ionic groups chemically grafted to the outer surface of the pigment are anionic groups and the replacement counter-ions are cationic counter-ions.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the ionic groups chemically grafted to the outer surface of the pigment are cationic groups and the replacement counter-ions are anionic counter-ions.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the anionic counter-ions comprise alkyl sulfates.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the replacement counter ions are hydrophobic cationsor non-sodium alkali metal cations.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the replacement counter ions are combinations of at least two of the group consisting of hydrophobic cationsand alkali metal cations.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the replacement counter ions are selected from the group consisting of Li, K, NH 4   + , N(CH 3 ) 4   + , N(C 2 H 5 ) 4   + , N(C 3 H 7 ) 4   + , N(C 4 H 9 ) 4   +  and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the replacement counter ions are a combination of at least two of the group consisting of Li, Na, K, NH 4   + , N(CH 3 ) 4   + , N(C 2 H 5 ) 4   + , N(C 3 H 7 ) 4   + , and N(C 4 H 9 ) 4   + .  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the replacement counter ions are quaternary amines, quaternary phosphines, quaternary arsines or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       28 . A method of using a surface-modified pigment to decrease separation of ink vehicle and pigment particles in an inkjet printhead, the modified pigment comprising: 
 a pigment with an outer surface;    ionic groups chemically grafted to the outer surface; and    replacement counter ions bound to the ionic groups, the replacement counter ions replacing original counter ions, the replacement counter ions being larger in size, more hydrophobic, or both larger in size and more hydrophobic than the original counter ions in aqueous solution;    the method comprising the steps of:    converting the pigment outer surface ionic groups into acidic form by ion-exchanging with hydrogen proton as counterion;    mixing the pigment having outer surface ionic groups in acidic form with replacement counter ions in basic form, the replacement counter ions replacing the original counter ions;    suspending the surface-modified pigment in liquid vehicle to make ink, and    printing the ink onto a medium with an inkjet printhead.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the ionic groups chemically grafted to the outer surface of the pigment are anionic groups and the replacement counter-ions are cationic counter-ions.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the ionic groups chemically grafted to the outer surface of the pigment are cationic groups and the replacement counter-ions are anionic counter-ions.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the anion counter-ions comprise alkyl sulfates.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the replacement counter ions are hydrophobic cations or non-sodium alkali metal cations.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the replacement counter ions are combinations of at least two of the group consisting of hydrophobic cations and alkali metal cations.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the replacement counter ions are selected from the group consisting of Li, K, NH 4   + , N(CH 3 ) 4   + , N(C 2 H 5 ) 4   + , N(C 3 H 7 ) 4   + , N(C 4 H 9 ) 4   +  and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the replacement counter ions are a combination of at least two of the group consisting of Li, Na, K, NH 4   + , N(CH 3 ) 4   + , N(C 2 H 5 ) 4   + , N(C 3 H 7 ) 4   + , and N(C 4 H 9 ) 4   + .  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the replacement counter ions are quaternary amines, quaternary phosphines, quaternary arsines or combinations thereof.

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