Ink compositions

Abstract

A process for the preparation of an ink which comprises mixing an ink vehicle, a colorant and a polyurethane resin emulsion.

1. A process for the preparation of an ink which comprises mixing an ink vehicle, a colorant and a polyurethane resin emulsion. 
     
     
       2. A process in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said polyurethane resin emulsion is generated from the urethanization of
 (a) from about 50 to about 95 weight percent of a polyester polyol;  
 (b) from about 5 to about 45 weight percent of a polyisocyanate; and  
 (c) from about 1 to about 15 weight percent of ionic groups and wherein the total of said components (a) to (c) is about 100 percent.  
 
     
     
       3. A process in accordance with  claim 2  wherein said polyester polyol is generated by the polycondensation of from about 0 to about 80 weight percent of a monocarboxylic acid, from about 5 to about 60 weight percent of a polycarboxylic acid, and from about 10 to about 80 weight percent of a polyol. 
     
     
       4. A process in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said polyurethane resin emulsion particles possesses a particle size of from about 0.05 microns to about 1 microns. 
     
     
       5. A process in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said polyurethane resin possesses a viscosity at 25° C. of from about 10 to about 20,000 centipoise (cPs). 
     
     
       6. A process in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said polyurethane resin possesses a weight average molecular weight Mw of from about 1,500 to about 100,000. 
     
     
       7. A process in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said polyurethane resin possesses a number average molecular weight Mn of from about 1,000 to about 70,000. 
     
     
       8. A process in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said polyurethane resin possesses a hydroxyl number of from about 10 to about 300. 
     
     
       9. A process in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said polyurethane resin possesses a carboxyl group content corresponding to an acid number of from about 5 to about 70. 
     
     
       10. A process in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said polyurethane resin possesses urethane groups calculated as NH—CO—O—, molecular weight, Mw of 59, of from about 2 to about 20. 
     
     
       11. A process in accordance with  claim 2  wherein (a) is prepared by the polycondensation of from about 1 to about 80 weight percent of a monocarboxylic acid, from about 5 to about 60 weight percent of a polycarboxylic acid, and from about 10 to about 80 weight percent of a polyol, wherein said monocarboxylic acid is benzoic acid, tert-butylbenzoic acid, hexahydrobenzoic acid, saturated fatty acids of 2-ethylhexanoic acid, isononanoic acid, decanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, and stearic acid, unsaturated fatty acids such of soybean oil fatty acid, soya oil fatty acid, sorbic acid, and conjugated diene fatty acid, or mixtures thereof; wherein the polycarboxylic acid is di-, tri-, and/or tetracarboxylic acids of phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, tetrahydrophthalic acid, maleic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, adipic acid, sebacic acid, phthalic anhydride, tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, hexahydrophthalic anhydride, maleic anhydride, succinic anhydride, or mixtures thereof, and wherein the polyol is ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, neopentyl glycol, pentaerythriol, trimethylpentanediol, or mixture thereof; the polyisocyanate (b) is 1-methyl-2,4-diisocyanato-cyclohexane, 1-methyl-2,6-diisocyanato-cyclohexane, 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), 1-isocyanato-3,3,5-trimethyl-5-isocyanatomethyl-cyclohexane (IPDI), 2,4- or 2,6-diisocyanato-toluene (TDI), 4,4′-diisocyanatodicyclohexylmethane (H 12 MDI), or 4,4′-diisocyanatodiphenyl-methane (MDI); and wherein (c) is obtained from 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)-alkanecarboxylic acids of dimethylolacetic acid, 2,2-dimethylolpropionic acid, 2,2-dimethylolbutyfic acid, and 2,2-dimethylolpentanoic acid), dihydroxysuccinic acid, hydroxypivalic acid, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       12. A process in accordance with  claim 2  wherein said monocarboxylic acid selected for generation of said polyester polyol (a) are tert-butylbenzoic acid, stearic acid, or soybean oil fatty acid; wherein the polycarboxylic acids selected for the generation of said polyester polyol (a) is isophthalic acid, phthalic anhydride, or hexahydrophthalic anhydride; or wherein the polyol selected for generation of said polyester polyol (a) is 1,6-hexanediol, neopentyl glycol, pentaerythriol, or trimethylpentanediol; wherein the polyisocyanates (b) are 1-methyl-2,4-diisocyanato-cyclohexane, 1-methyl-2,6-diisocyanato-cyclohexane, and 1-isocyanato-3,3,5-trimethyl-5-isocyanatomethyl-cyclohexane (IPDI); wherein the ionic groups (c) were obtained from acids of component (c) of 2,2-dimethylolpropionic acid and hydroxypivalic acid. 
     
     
       13. A process in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the polyurethane resin contained in the polyurethane emulsion is generated from the urethanization of from about 50 to about 95; from about 5 to about 45; and from about 1 to about 15 that will enable incorporation for ionic groups. 
     
     
       14. A process in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the polyurethane resin emulsion is comprised of from about 17 to about 60 percent by weight of polyurethane resin, from about 0.1 to about 3 percent by weight of surfactant, and from about 33 to about 82 percent by weight of water. 
     
     
       15. A process in accordance with  claim 14  wherein said polyurethane resin is present in an amount of from about 20 to about 50 weight percent. 
     
     
       16. A process in accordance with  claim 14  wherein the total of said components is about 100 percent. 
     
     
       17. A process in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the colorant is a dye. 
     
     
       18. A process in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the colorant is a pigment. 
     
     
       19. A process in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the emulsion contains water. 
     
     
       20. A process in accordance with  claim 1  wherein there is added to the ink obtained ink additives. 
     
     
       21. A process in accordance with  claim 20  wherein the vehicle is water, a glycol, or a mixture of glycols. or a mixture of water and a miscible organic component of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycols, glycerine, dipropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, or polypropylene glycols. 
     
     
       22. A process in accordance with  claim 1  further utilizing ink additives of surfactants of poly(ethylene glycol) monolaurate, poly(ethylene glycol) monoricinoleate, poly(ethylene glycol) lanolin alcohol ether, poly(ethylene glycol) monooleate, poly(ethylene glycol) castor oil, poly(ethylene glycol) tetramethyl optionally decynediol, or poly(ethylene glycol) lanolin, and which surfactants are present in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 7 weight percent or parts based on the total ink components. 
     
     
       23. A process in accordance with  claim 1  further containing ink additives of a biocide, a humectant, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       24. A high resolution printing process comprising applying in imagewise fashion to a substrate an ink composition obtained by the process of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       25. A process in accordance with  claim 24  wherein said high is from about 300 to about 1,000 dots per inch. 
     
     
       26. A process in accordance with  claim 24  wherein the substrate is paper, and there is selected a printer having at least one nozzle of a channel width or diameter ranging from about 10 to about 40 microns and intercolor bleed is minimized or eliminated, and wherein said printing process is optionally accomplished with a 600 spi ink jet printer with a radiant heat assisting drying process. 
     
     
       27. A process for reducing or eliminating paper curl and avoiding or minimizing smear in a xerographic ink jet apparatus which comprises generating images in said apparatus and developing said images with the ink composition obtained by the process of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       28. A process in accordance with  claim 2  wherein said ionic groups are anionic groups or moieties. 
     
     
       29. A process in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the urethanization reaction is accomplished by heating a temperature of about 40 to about 140° C. 
     
     
       30. A process in accordance with  claim 2  wherein (a) is present in an amount of from about 65 to about 90 weight percent; (b) is present in an amount of from about 5 to about 30 weight percent; and (c) is present in an amount of from about 3 to about 10 weight percent. 
     
     
       31. An ink obtained by the process of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       32. An ink comprised of a vehicle, a colorant, and a polyurethane resin. 
     
     
       33. An ink in accordance with  claim 32  wherein said resin is generated from a polyurethane emulsion. 
     
     
       34. An ink in accordance with  claim 33  wherein said resin is generated from polymeric emulsions obtained from waxes. 
     
     
       35. An ink comprised of a vehicle, a colorant and a condensation generated polymer of phenoplasts, aminoplasts, alkyds, polyesters, polyamides, epoxy, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       36. A process in accordance with  claim 4  wherein said particle size is from about 0.1 micron to about 0.5 micron. 
     
     
       37. A process in accordance with  claim 5  wherein said viscosity is from about 50 to about 10,000 centipoise. 
     
     
       38. A process in accordance with  claim 6  wherein said polyurethane possesses a weight average molecular weight of from about 2,000 to about 45,000. 
     
     
       39. A process in accordance with  claim 7  wherein said number average molecular weight is from about 1,000 to about 30,000. 
     
     
       40. A process in accordance with  claim 8  wherein said hydroxyl number is from about 2 to about 150 mg KOH/g. 
     
     
       41. A process in accordance with  claim 13  wherein from about 65 to about 90 weight percent of a polyester polyol is selected, from about 5 to about 30 weight percent of a polyisocyanate, and from about 3 to about 10 weight percent of said acid component.