Inkjet ink comprising IR dye with a plurality of water-solubilizing alcohol substituents

Abstract

There is provided an inkjet ink comprising an IR-absorbing dye of formula (I) or (II) wherein R 10 , R 13 , R 20 , R 23 , R 30 , R 33 , R 40 and R 43 are independently selected from a C 1-12 alkyl group bearing a hydroxyl or protected hydroxyl group; each of R 11 /R 12 , R 21 /R 22 , R 31 /R 32 , and R 41 /R 42 are together joined to form T is selected from a substituent comprising a polymeric chain or a C 1-30 hydrocarbyl group; W is —SO 3 H or a water-soluble salt thereof; m is 0, 1 or 2; n is 0, 1 or 2; M is selected from Si(A 1 )(A 2 ), Ge(A 1 )(A 2 ), Ga(A 1 ), Mg, Al(A 1 ), TiO, Ti(A 1 )(A 2 ), ZrO, Zr(A 1 )(A 2 ), VO, V(A 1 )(A 2 ), Mn, Mn(A 1 ), Fe, Fe(A 1 ), Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sn, Sn(A 1 )(A 2 ), Pb, Pb(A 1 )(A 2 ), Pd and Pt; A 1 and A 2 are axial ligands, which may be the same or different, and are selected from —OH, halogen or —OR 3 ; R 3 is a selected from C 1-12 alkyl, C 5-12 aryl, C 5-12 arylalkyl or Si(R x )(R y )(R z ); and R x , R y and R z may be the same or different and are selected from C 1-2 alkyl, C 5-12 aryl, C 5-12 arylalkyl, C 1-12 alkoxy, C 5-12 aryloxy or C 5-12 arylalkoxy. Such inks are suitable for use in netpage, Hyperlabel and other applications.

1 . An inkjet ink comprising an IR-absorbing dye of formula (I) or (II)  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     wherein 
 R 10 , R 13 , R 20 , R 23 , R 30 , R 33 , R 40  and R 43  are independently selected from a C 1-12  alkyl group bearing a hydroxyl or protected hydroxyl group;  
 each of R 11 /R 12 , R 21 /R 22 , R 31 /R 32 , and R 41 /R 42  are together joined to form  
                     
 T is selected from a substituent comprising a polymeric chain or a C 1-30  hydrocarbyl group;  
 W is —SO 3 H or a water-soluble salt thereof;  
 m is 0, 1 or 2;  
 n is 0, 1 or 2;  
 M is selected from Si(A 1 )(A 2 ), Ge(A 1 )(A 2 ), Ga(A 1 ), Mg, Al(A 1 ), TiO, Ti(A 1 )(A 2 ), ZrO, Zr(A 1 )(A 2 ), VO, V(A 1 )(A 2 ), Mn,  
 Mn(A 1 ), Fe, Fe(A 1 ), Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sn, Sn(A 1 )(A 2 ), Pb, Pb(A 1 )(A 2 ), Pd and Pt;  
 A 1  and A 2  are axial ligands, which may be the same or different, and are selected from —OH, halogen or —OR 3 ;  
 R 3  is a selected from C 1-12  alkyl, C 5-12  aryl, C 5-12  arylalkyl or Si(R x )(R y )(R z ); and  
 R x , R y  and R z  may be the same or different and are selected from C 1-12  alkyl, C 5-12  aryl, C 5-12  arylalkyl, C 1-12  alkoxy, C 5-12  aryloxy or C 5-12  arylalkoxy.  
 
   
   
       2 . The ink of  claim 1 , wherein R 10 , R 13 , R 20 , R 23 , R 30 , R 33 , R 40  and R 43  are selected from —(CH 2 ) 4 OH, —(CH 2 ) 4 OTBDMS, —CH 2 ) 4 OTHP or —(CH 2 ) 4 OBz.  
   
   
       3 . The ink of  claim 1 , wherein R 10 , R 13 , R 20 , R 23 , R 30 , R 33 , R 40  and R 43  are all the same.  
   
   
       4 . The ink of  claim 1 , wherein each of R 11 /R 12 , R 21 /R 22 , R 31 /R 32 , and R 41 /R 42  is the same.  
   
   
       5 . The ink of  claim 1 , wherein M is Si(A 1 )(A 2 ), Ge(A 1 )(A 2 ), Ga(A 1 ), Al(A 1 ), Mn(A 1 ), Fe(A 1 ) or Sn(A 1 )(A 2 ).  
   
   
       6 . An inkjet printer comprising a printhead in fluid communication with at least one ink reservoir, wherein said at least one ink reservoir comprises an inkjet ink according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       7 . The inkjet printer of  claim 6 , wherein said printhead comprises: 
 a plurality of nozzles;    a bubble forming chamber corresponding to each of the nozzles respectively, the bubble forming chambers adapted to contain ejectable liquid; and    a heater element disposed in each of the bubble forming chambers respectively, the heater element configured for thermal contact with the ejectable liquid; such that,    heating the heater element to a temperature above the boiling point of the ejectable liquid forms a gas bubble that causes the ejection of a drop of the ejectable liquid from the nozzle; wherein,    the heater element is suspended in the ink chamber such that during use at least a portion of the heater element is encircled by, and in direct contact with, the ejectable fluid.    
   
   
       8 . An ink cartridge for an inkjet printer, said ink cartridge comprising an inkjet ink according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       9 . A substrate having an ink according to  claim 1  disposed thereon.  
   
   
       10 . The substrate of  claim 9 , wherein said ink is disposed in the form of coded data.  
   
   
       11 . The substrate of  claim 10 , which is a paper sheet, a label, a tag, a packaging material or a product item.  
   
   
       12 . A method of enabling entry of data into a computer system via a printed form, the form containing human-readable information and machine-readable coded data, the coded data being indicative of an identity of the form and of a plurality of reference points of the form, the method including the steps of: 
 receiving, in the computer system and from a sensing device, indicating data regarding the identity of the form and a position of the sensing device relative to the form, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the form, generating the indicating data using at least some of the coded data;    identifying, in the computer system and from the indicating data, at least one field of the form; and    interpreting, in the computer system, at least some of the indicating data as it relates to the at least one field, wherein said coded data comprises an IR-absorbing ink according to  claim 1 .    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  in which the at least one field is associated with at least one zone of the form, the identifying step including identifying that the position of the sensing device is within the at least one zone.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  in which the indicating data includes movement data regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the form, the sensing device generating the movement data using at least some of the coded data, the identifying step including identifying that the movement of the sensing device is at least partially within the at least one zone.  
   
   
       15 . A method of enabling entry of data into a computer system via a printed form, the form containing human-readable information and machine-readable coded data, the coded data being indicative of at least one field of the form, the method including the steps of: 
 receiving, in the computer system and from a sensing device, indicating data regarding the at least one field and including movement data regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the form, the sensing device, when moved relative to the form, generating the data regarding said at least one field using at least some of the coded data and generating the data regarding its own movement relative to the form; and    interpreting, in the computer system, at least some of said indicating data as it relates to said at least one field, wherein said coded data comprises an IR-absorbing ink according to  claim 1 .    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  in which the sensing device generates the movement data using at least some of the coded data.  
   
   
       17 . A method of enabling entry of data into a computer system via a product item, the product item having a printed surface containing human-readable information and machine-readable coded data, the coded data being indicative of an identity of the product item, the method including the steps of: 
 (a) receiving, in the computer system and from a sensing device, indicating data regarding the identity of the product item, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the product item, generating the indicating data using at least some of the coded data; and    (b) recording, in the computer system and using the indicating data, information relating to the product item, wherein said coded data comprises an IR-absorbing ink according to  claim 1 .    
   
   
       18 . A method of enabling retrieval of data from a computer system via a product item, the product item having a printed surface containing human-readable information and machine-readable coded data, the coded data being indicative of an identity of the product item, the method including the steps of: 
 (a) receiving, in the computer system and from a sensing device, indicating data regarding the identity of the product item, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the product item, generating the indicating data using at least some of the coded data;    (b) retrieving, in the computer system and using the indicating data, information relating to the product item; and    (c) outputting, from the computer system and to an output device, the information relating to the product item, the output device selected from the group comprising a display device and a printing device,    wherein said coded data comprises an IR-absorbing ink according to  claim 1.