The invention provides a tablet having a powdered or soft surface on which a dry-ink film of information for improving identifiability of the tablet is printed, and provides an ink for inkjet printers.

A printing method capable of appropriately drying a printing medium is provided. The printing method includes an ink application step and a drying step of drying a printing medium to which ink has been applied at the ink application step. In a case where a printing medium is a first type, at the drying step, the printing medium is dried by using a first drying method so that the water content of the printing medium is included within a predetermined range. In a case where a printing medium is a second type whose tendency to contain water is stronger than that of the first type, at the drying step, the printing medium is dried by using a second drying method whose drying effect is higher than that of the first drying method so that the water content of the printing medium is included within the predetermined range.

A printing method capable of appropriately drying a printing medium is provided. The printing method includes an ink application step and a drying step of drying a printing medium to which ink has been applied at the ink application step. In a case where a printing medium is a first type, at the drying step, the printing medium is dried by using a first drying method so that the water content of the printing medium is included within a predetermined range. In a case where a printing medium is a second type whose tendency to contain water is stronger than that of the first type, at the drying step, the printing medium is dried by using a second drying method whose drying effect is higher than that of the first drying method so that the water content of the printing medium is included within the predetermined range.

This invention pertains to self-dispersing pigment dispersions. The self-dispersing pigments are modified with a multivalent cation and an anionic polymer.

An ink jet recording method includes: performing application of aqueous ink onto a unit area by one relative scanning with a recording head and a recording medium to record an image, wherein the aqueous ink comprises a self-dispersion pigment, a urethane resin, and polyethylene glycol, a kind of the self-dispersion pigment is carbon black, number average molecular weight of the polyethylene glycol is 600 or more, and viscosity of the aqueous ink is 5 mPa.Math.s or more.

A process for printing on a water-soluble material using a self-dispersible pigment which comprises a carboxy-functional dispersant crosslinked around a pigment core by a crosslinking agent having at least two groups selected from oxetane, carbodiimide, hydrazide, oxazoline, aziridine, isocyanate, N-methylol, keteneimine, isocyanurate and epoxy groups. Also inks, ink-sets, printed material and ink-jet printers.

A process for printing on a water-soluble material using a self-dispersible pigment which comprises a carboxy-functional dispersant crosslinked around a pigment core by a crosslinking agent having at least two groups selected from oxetane, carbodiimide, hydrazide, oxazoline, aziridine, isocyanate, N-methylol, keteneimine, isocyanurate and epoxy groups. Also inks, ink-sets, printed material and ink-jet printers.

The present invention relates to a modified colorant comprising a colorant having at least one polymer attached or adsorbed thereto. The polymer comprises at least one functional group, and various embodiments of the functional group are disclosed. For each of these embodiments, preferably the functional group has a defined calcium index value. Also disclosed are various uses for these modified colorants, including inkjet ink compositions. Thus, the present invention further relates to an inkjet ink composition comprising a) a liquid vehicle, b) at least one colorant, and c) at least one polymer comprising at least one functional group as described herein.

The present invention relates to a modified colorant comprising a colorant having at least one polymer attached or adsorbed thereto. The polymer comprises at least one functional group, and various embodiments of the functional group are disclosed. For each of these embodiments, preferably the functional group has a defined calcium index value. Also disclosed are various uses for these modified colorants, including inkjet ink compositions. Thus, the present invention further relates to an inkjet ink composition comprising a) a liquid vehicle, b) at least one colorant, and c) at least one polymer comprising at least one functional group as described herein.

The present disclosure provides non-Newtonian inkjet inks and related methods. In one example, a non-Newtonian inkjet ink can comprise a low molecular weight organic gelator in an amount ranging from 0.1% to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the non-Newtonian inkjet ink; a salt in an amount of 0.05% to 20% by weight based on the total weight of the non-Newtonian inkjet ink; and an organic solvent. Additionally, the low molecular weight organic gelator and the salt can form a structured network and the inkjet ink can have a viscosity ranging from 100 cps to 10,000 cps at a temperature of 25 C. and a viscosity ranging from 1 cps to 10 cps at a temperature of 50 C.