Liquid composition, especially ink composition, for printing with a binary deflected continuous jet, with non-charged drops, use of said composition, marking method and marked substrate

Abstract

Liquid composition, such as an ink composition, liquid at room temperature, the liquid composition being a liquid composition specifically for printing with a binary deflected continuous jet printing technique wherein the liquid composition forms upon printing drops which are not charged by an electric field, which each have a zero electric charge, which each form a dipole under the effect of an electric field, and then are then deflected by the electric field, characterised in that the liquid composition comprises a solvent comprising one or more organic solvent compound(s) and optionally water, the solvent having globally a dielectric constant less than 15; a binder; one or more dyes and/or pigments; and in that the liquid composition has an electrical conductivity at 20 C. less than or equal to 200 S/cm, preferably less than or equal to 150 S/cm, still preferably less than or equal to 100 S/cm.

Claims

1. Liquid composition said liquid composition being a liquid composition specifically for printing with a binary deflected continuous jet printing technique wherein said liquid composition forms upon printing drops which are not charged by an electric field, which each have a zero electric charge, which each form a dipole under the effect of an electric field, and which are then deflected by said electric field, characterised in that said liquid composition comprises: a) a solvent comprising one or more organic solvent compound(s) and optionally water, said solvent having globally a dielectric constant less than 15; b) a binder; c) one or more dyes and/or pigments; and in that: d) said liquid composition has an electrical conductivity at 20 C. from 1 to 200 S/cm.

2. Liquid composition according claim 1, which has an electrical conductivity at 20 C. from 2 to 150 S/cm.

3. Liquid composition according to claim 1, wherein the organic solvent compound(s) of the solvent is (are) selected from alcohols; ketones; ethers of alkylene glycols; esters of alkylene glycols and esters of alkylene glycol ethers; dimethyl formamide; N-methyl pyrrolidone; acetals; esters; linear or cyclic ethers; cyclic or linear aliphatic hydrocarbons; aromatic hydrocarbons; carbonates; and mixtures thereof.

4. Liquid composition according to claim 3, wherein the alcohol is an alcohol of low molecular weight.

5. Liquid composition according to claim 4, wherein the alcohol of low molecular weight is an aliphatic alcohol.

6. Liquid composition according to claim 4, wherein the aliphatic alcohol is ethanol.

7. Liquid composition according to claim 3, wherein ketone is a ketone of low molecular weight.

8. Liquid composition according to claim 3, wherein the ester of alkylene glycol and of alkylene glycol ether is an acetate.

9. Liquid composition according to claim 3, wherein the carbonate is selected from propylene carbonates, ethylene carbonates, dimethyl carbonates and diethyl carbonates.

10. Liquid composition, according to claim 1, wherein the solvent comprises a majority amount by weight compared to the total weight of the solvent of at least one organic solvent compound having a dielectric constant less than 15.

11. Liquid composition according to claim 10, wherein the solvent further comprises a minority amount by weight compared to the total weight of the solvent of at least one organic solvent compound having a dielectric constant greater than or equal to 15 and of water.

12. Liquid composition according to claim 1, wherein the organic solvent compound(s) of which the dielectric constant is less than 15 is (are) selected from volatile organic solvent compounds.

13. Liquid composition according to claim 12, wherein the volatile organic solvent compounds of which the dielectric constant is less than 15 are selected from dioxolane, methylal, diethoxymethane, and esters.

14. Liquid composition according to claim 13, wherein the esters are selected from the group consisting of ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, or butyl acetates; and dimethyl carbonate.

15. Liquid composition according to claim 1, wherein the solvent consists of one or more volatile organic solvent compound(s).

16. Liquid composition according to claim 15, wherein the one or more volatile organic solvent compound(s) has a dielectric constant less than 15.

17. Liquid composition according to claim 16, wherein the volatile organic solvent compounds of which the dielectric constant is less than 15 are selected from dioxolane, methylal, diethoxymethane, and esters.

18. Liquid composition according to claim 17, wherein the esters are selected from ethyl esters, propyl esters, isopropyl esters, or butyl esters.

19. Liquid composition according to claim 17, wherein the esters are selected from the group consisting of ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, or butyl acetates; and dimethyl carbonate.

20. Liquid composition according to claim 1, wherein the solvent represents at least 20% by weight of the total weight of the liquid composition.

21. Liquid composition according to claim 1, wherein said dye(s) is (are) selected from the dyes known under the name of C.I. Solvent Dyes, and said pigment(s) is (are) selected from organic and mineral pigments known under the name of C.I. Pigments, and from solid particles not references in the Colour Index (CI).

22. Liquid composition according to claim 18, wherein said Solvent Dye(s) is (are) selected from C.I. Solvent Black 3, 7, 27, 28, 29, 35, 48, 49, C.I. Solvent Blue 38, 44, 45, 70, 79, 98, 100, 129, C.I. Solvent Red 8, 49, 68, 89, 124, 160, 164, C.I. Solvent Yellow 83:1, 126, 146, 162, C.I. Solvent Green 5, C.I. Solvent Orange 97, C.I. Solvent Brown 20, 52, and C.I. Solvent Violet 9, and said C I. Pigment(s) is (are) selected from among dispersions of Pigment Blue 15:1, 15:3, 60, of Pigment Green 7, of Pigment Black 7, of Pigment Red 48:2, 144, 149, 166, 185, 202, 208, 214, 254, of Pigment Violet 19, 23, of Pigment Yellow 17, 83, 93, 139, 151, 155, 180, 191, of Pigment Brown 23, 25, 41, or of Pigment White 6.

23. Liquid composition according to claim 21, wherein said organic and mineral pigments are selected from pigments known under the name of C.I. Pigments.

24. Liquid composition according to claim 21, wherein said solid particles are selected from the group consisting of particles of metals or alloys or mixtures of metals, particles of metal oxides, particles of ceramics, particles of refractory mineral compounds, and particles of any other mineral compound.

25. Liquid composition according to claim 24, wherein said particles of metals or alloys or mixtures of metals are selected from particles of copper and/or silver.

26. Liquid composition according to claim 1, wherein said pigments are selected from titanium oxide and carbon black.

27. Liquid composition according to claim 1, including in total from 0.05 to 25% by weight of dye(s) and/or pigment(s) compared to the total weight of the liquid composition.

28. Liquid composition according to claim 1, wherein the binder consists of one or more binder polymer(s).

29. Liquid composition according to claim 28, wherein the binder represents from 1% to 45% by weight of the total weight of the liquid composition.

30. Liquid composition according to claim 28, wherein the one or more binder polymer(s) is (are) selected from (meth)acrylic, vinylic, ketonic, hydroxyaromatic, cellulosic, styrenic, epoxy polymers, polyurethanes, styrene-acrylates, alkoxysilanes, and combinations of two or more thereof.

31. Liquid composition according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of the binder/dye(s) and/or pigment(s) is greater than or equal to 0.5.

32. Liquid composition according to claim 1, further comprising, one or more plastifier(s) in an amount of at least 0.05% by weight of the total weight of the liquid composition.

33. Liquid composition according to claim 1, further comprising, at least one conductivity salt in an amount from 0.01% to 10% by weight of the total weight of the liquid composition.

34. Liquid composition according to claim 33, wherein said conductivity salt is selected from salts of alkaline metal, salts of alkaline-earth metals, and ammonium salts; said salts being in the form of halides, perchlorates, nitrates, thiocyanates, formiates, acetates, sulfates, propionates, trifluoroacetates, triflates, hexafluorophosphates, hexafluoroantimonates, tetrafluoroborates, picrates, carboxylates and sulfonates.

35. Liquid composition according to claim 34, wherein said salts of alkaline metal is (are) selected from lithium, sodium, and potassium.

36. Liquid composition according to claim 34, wherein said salts of alkaline-earth metals is (are) selected from magnesium and calcium.

37. Liquid composition according to claim 1, further comprising, one or more additive(s) selected from anti-foaming agents; chemical stabilisers; UV stabilisers; surfactants; agents inhibiting corrosion by salts; bactericides, fungicides and biocides; and pH regulating buffers.

38. Liquid composition according to claim 1, which when it comprises at least one polymer solubilised in the solvent of the liquid composition, is characterised in that said polymer has a weight average molecular mass of more than 70,000 Daltons.

39. Liquid composition according to claim 1, which when it comprises solid particles, is characterised in that the maximum size of the solid particles is from 2 to 10 m.

40. Method of printing, comprising: providing the liquid composition according to claim 1 in a printer or printing head applying a binary deflected continuous jet printing technique, wherein said liquid composition forms upon printing drops which are not charged by an electric field, which each have a zero electric charge, which each form a dipole under the effect of an electric field, and which are then deflected by said electric field.

41. Method of printing, and/or treating, and/or marking and/or encoding substrates, supports or objects by projection on these substrates, supports or objects of the liquid composition according to claim 1, with a binary deflected continuous jet printing technique, wherein said liquid composition forms upon printing drops which are not charged by an electric field, which each have a zero electric charge, which each form a dipole under the effect of an electric field, and which are then deflected by said electric field.

42. Method of printing, and/or treating, and/or marking and/or encoding substrates, supports or objects according to claim 41, wherein the substrate, support or object is a porous substrate, support or object.

43. Method of printing, and/or treating, and/or marking and/or encoding substrates, supports or objects according to claim 41, wherein the substrate, support or object is a non-porous substrate, support or object.

44. Substrate, support, or object provided with a printing, and/or a treating, and/or a marking and/or an encoding obtained by drying and/or absorption of the liquid composition according to claim 1.

45. Substrate, support, or object of claim 44, wherein the substrate, support, or object is a porous substrate, support, or object.

46. Substrate, support, or object of claim 44, wherein the substrate, support, or object is a non-porous substrate, support, or object.

47. Substrate, support or object according to claim 44, characterised in that the substrate is made of metal; made of glass; made of ceramic; made of a material containing cellulose, made of an organic polymer, made of poly (methyl methacrylate) PMMA, made of a fabric, made of a textile, made of natural or synthetic rubber, made of any other non-porous or porous substance, or made of a composite of several of the aforementioned materials.

48. Substrate, support, or object according to claim 47, wherein the metal is aluminium.

49. Substrate, support, or object according to claim 47, wherein the material containing cellulose is selected from cellophane, paper, optionally coated or glossy paper, cardboard or wood.

50. Substrate, support, or object according to claim 47, wherein the organic polymer is a thermoplastic polymer.

51. Substrate, support, or object according to claim 50, wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from among PVDCs, PVCs, polyesters, PETs, polyolefins.

52. Substrate, support, or object according to claim 51, wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from polyethylenes (PE) and polypropylenes (PP).

53. Substrate, support, or object according to claim 47, wherein the metal is steel.

54. Liquid composition according to claim 1, wherein the liquid composition is an ink composition.

55. Liquid composition according to claim 2, wherein the liquid composition is an ink composition.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

(1) The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of embodiments of the invention, given as illustrative and non-limiting examples.

EXAMPLES 1 to 4

(2) In all these examples, ink compositions according to the invention are prepared.

(3) These ink compositions comprise the ingredients mentioned in Table I, in the proportions mentioned in Table I.

(4) These compositions are generally prepared by simply mixing the ingredients.

(5) In Table I, according to the ink compositions, are also shown the dielectric constants of the constituent solvents, the conductivity of the compositions (in S/cm) and the viscosity (in mPa.Math.s=cPs) and finally it is specified whether the inks were suitable or not for printing with the deflected continuous jet technique (CIJ) or with the so-called SPI technique.

(6) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE I INK COMPOSITIONS Dielectric Constituents constant of (percentages by mass) the solvent Ex. 1 Ex. 2 Ex. 3 Ex. 4 Colour of the ink Black Blue Black White Dioxolane 7.1 91.6 42.5 40 Ethyl acetate 6 87.4 Dimethyl carbonate 3.09 40 Ethylal (diethoxymethane) 2.5 42.5 Vinnol H1436 2.4 Vinnol E1545M 7.6 CAB551.0.1 4.5 Neocryl B813 10.5 Valifast 3808 5 Oil black 860 5 Microlith Blue 6480-K 4 TiO.sub.2 at 75% in an acrylic resin 10 KSCN 0.5 KPF.sub.6 1 TriEthyleneGlycolDiMethylEther 1.5 PolyEthyleneGlycolDiMethylEther 500 3 1-Butyl-3Methyl-Imidazolium-PF.sub.6 2 Dow Corning 57 0.1 Viscosity (mPa .Math. s = cPs) 6.4 3.3 4.9 8 Electrical conductivity (S/cm) 117 78 75 76 Observations CIJ printing no no no no SPI printing yes yes yes yes

(7) The electrical conductivity was measured with a conductivity meter available commercially from the Radiometer Company.

(8) The dynamic viscosities were measured using a coaxial cylinder viscometer of the Couette type from Contraves Company.

(9) The nature of the components of the inks is specified below:

(10) TABLE-US-00002 Vinnol H1436: vinyl resin from the Wacker Company. Vinnol E1545M: vinyl resin from the Wacker Company. CAB551.0.1: cellulose acetobutyrate from the Eastman Company. Neocryl B813: acrylic resin from the DSM Company. Valifast 3808 C.I.: Solvent Black 29 from the Orient Chemicals Company. Oil black 860: C.I.: Solvent Black 3 from the Orient Chemicals Company. Microlith Blue 6480-K: Pigment from the BASF Company. TiO.sub.2 at 75% in an acrylic resin from the Flint Company. 1-Butyl-3-Methyl-Imidazolium-PF.sub.6: ionic liquid. Dow Corning 57: silicone additive from the Dow Corning Company.

(11) The compositions of examples 1 to 4 gave suitable printings on plastic films in a prototype printer applying the so-called SPI technique having a nozzle diameter of 40 m.

(12) It furthermore turned out that it was impossible to use the compositions of examples 1 to 4 in a printer implementing the so-called CIJ technique and a fortiori to obtain a suitable printing.