The present disclosure is drawn to non-aqueous ink compositions. The non-aqueous ink compositions can include from 70 wt % to 98 wt % alcohol solvent, from 1 wt % to 6 wt % phenol-formaldehyde resin, from 1 wt % to 5 wt % tackifier, and from 1 wt % to 14 wt % organic solvent-soluble dye. The tackifier can include a shellac having an acid number from 50 KOH/g to 100 mg KOH/g or a tackifier resin having an acid number from 100 mg KOH/g to 300 mg KOH/g.

A dispersant, a dispersion and an ink composition including the dispersant, and a method of preparing the dispersion and the ink composition, in which the dispersant includes: (A) 0.5 to 30% by weight of a compound selected from at least one of acetylene glycol represented by the specific formula (1) and an ethoxylated substance of acetylene glycol represented by the specific formula (2); (B) 5 to 98% by weight of a nonionic aryl phenol compound represented by the specific formula (3); and (C) 1 to 70% by weight of an anionic aryl phenol compound represented by the specific formula (4), and wherein the total amount of components (A) to (C) is 100% by weight.

A dispersant, a dispersion and an ink composition including the dispersant, and a method of preparing the dispersion and the ink composition, in which the dispersant includes: (A) 0.5 to 30% by weight of a compound selected from at least one of acetylene glycol represented by the specific formula (1) and an ethoxylated substance of acetylene glycol represented by the specific formula (2); (B) 5 to 98% by weight of a nonionic aryl phenol compound represented by the specific formula (3); and (C) 1 to 70% by weight of an anionic aryl phenol compound represented by the specific formula (4), and wherein the total amount of components (A) to (C) is 100% by weight.

A thermal inkjet dye sublimation ink consists of a disperse dye colorant dispersion, primary and secondary solvents, a chelating agent, oleth-3-phosphate, additive(s), and water. The colorant dispersion is present in an amount ranging from about 1 wt % actives to about 7 wt % actives. The amount of the primary solvent (glycerol, ethoxylated glycerol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, dipropylene glycol, or combinations thereof) ranges from about 10 wt % to about 22 wt %, and the amount of the secondary solvent ranges from 0 wt % to about 7 wt %. The chelating agent amount ranges from 0 wt % actives to less than 0.1 wt % actives, and the oleth-3-phosphate amount ranges from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.75 wt. The additive is selected from the group consisting of a buffer, a biocide, another surfactant, and combinations thereof.

A thermal inkjet dye sublimation ink consists of a disperse dye colorant dispersion, primary and secondary solvents, a chelating agent, oleth-3-phosphate, additive(s), and water. The colorant dispersion is present in an amount ranging from about 1 wt % actives to about 7 wt % actives. The amount of the primary solvent (glycerol, ethoxylated glycerol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, dipropylene glycol, or combinations thereof) ranges from about 10 wt % to about 22 wt %, and the amount of the secondary solvent ranges from 0 wt % to about 7 wt %. The chelating agent amount ranges from 0 wt % actives to less than 0.1 wt % actives, and the oleth-3-phosphate amount ranges from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.75 wt. The additive is selected from the group consisting of a buffer, a biocide, another surfactant, and combinations thereof.

A printing method includes selecting a dye sublimation ink, having: a disperse dye colorant dispersion; a primary solvent selected from the group consisting of glycerol, ethoxylated glycerol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, dipropylene glycol, and combinations thereof; a surfactant selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, and combinations thereof; an additive selected from the group consisting of a buffer, a biocide, a chelating agent, and combinations thereof; and a balance of water. An operating energy that includes a margin over a turn-on energy (TOE) for a thermal inkjet printhead is applied to a heating resistor of the printhead, wherein the margin ranges from about 10% to about 25% over the TOE. The dye sublimation ink is printed from the thermal inkjet printhead i) directly onto a textile substrate, or ii) onto a transfer medium to form an image thereon; and the image is transferred onto the textile substrate.

The ink contains an aqueous medium and composite particles. The composite particles are particles of a composite of a polyester resin having a sulfonic acid group and a basic dye. The polyester resin has a first, repeating unit, derived from a polycarboxylic acid having a sulfonic acid group, a second repeating unit derived from a polycarboxylic acid having no sulfonic acid group, and a third repeating unit derived from a polyhydric alcohol. The content ratio of the first repeating unit to the total amount of the first repeating unit and the second repeating unit is 1.5 mol % or more and 10.0 mol % or less. The acid value of the polyester resin is 15 mgKOH/g or more and 80 mgKOH/g or less. The mass ratio of the polyester resin to the basic dye is 1.0 or more and 10.0 or less.

The ink contains an aqueous medium and composite particles. The composite particles are particles of a composite of a polyester resin having a sulfonic acid group and a basic dye. The polyester resin has a first, repeating unit, derived from a polycarboxylic acid having a sulfonic acid group, a second repeating unit derived from a polycarboxylic acid having no sulfonic acid group, and a third repeating unit derived from a polyhydric alcohol. The content ratio of the first repeating unit to the total amount of the first repeating unit and the second repeating unit is 1.5 mol % or more and 10.0 mol % or less. The acid value of the polyester resin is 15 mgKOH/g or more and 80 mgKOH/g or less. The mass ratio of the polyester resin to the basic dye is 1.0 or more and 10.0 or less.

An ink jet ink set includes: an aqueous dye ink and an aqueous pigment ink, the ink jet ink set is an ink set to be used for an ink jet recording apparatus which has a first ejection port to eject the aqueous dye ink, a second ejection port to eject the aqueous pigment ink, and a cap to collectively cap the first ejection port and the second ejection port, the cap being composed of the same member as that forming the first ejection port and the second ejection port, the aqueous dye ink contains a dye and a poly(oxyalkylene) alkyl ether, the dye includes a copper phthalocyanine compound having two or less benzene ring structures other than a phthalocyanine skeleton, and the aqueous pigment ink contains a self-dispersible pigment.

An ink jet ink set includes: an aqueous dye ink and an aqueous pigment ink, the ink jet ink set is an ink set to be used for an ink jet recording apparatus which has a first ejection port to eject the aqueous dye ink, a second ejection port to eject the aqueous pigment ink, and a cap to collectively cap the first ejection port and the second ejection port, the cap being composed of the same member as that forming the first ejection port and the second ejection port, the aqueous dye ink contains a dye and a poly(oxyalkylene) alkyl ether, the dye includes a copper phthalocyanine compound having two or less benzene ring structures other than a phthalocyanine skeleton, and the aqueous pigment ink contains a self-dispersible pigment.