Ink-jet printing system
View Patent ↗An ink-jet printing system including at least one ink-jet ink and a means for jetting an ink-jet ink onto a surface of a substantially non-absorbing ink-jet ink-receiver, characterized in that the ratio σ S d /σ L d of the dispersive surface energy of said ink-receiver surface σ S d over the dispersive surface energy of said ink-jet ink σ L d is greater than 0.9. A process for ink-jet printing is also claimed. High areal throughput ink-jet printing (e.g. >100 m 2 /hour) with curable inks can be performed on different kinds of ink-receiver surfaces with a good image quality and colour density due to a controlled spreading of the ink-drops which can be directly cured.
1. An ink-jet printing system comprising at least one ink-jet ink having a dispersive surface energy σ L d and a means for jetting said ink-jet ink onto a surface of a substantially non-absorbing ink-jet ink-receiver having a dispersive surface energy σ S d , wherein the ratio σ S d /σ L d is greater than 0.9.
2. An ink-jet printing system according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio σ S d /σ L d is greater than 1.2.
3. An inkjet printing system according to claim 1 , wherein the dispersive surface energy of said ink-receiver surface σ S d is at least 30.0 mJ/m 2 .
4. An ink-jet printing system according to claim 1 , wherein the dispersive surface energy of said ink-jet ink σ L d is at most 30.0 mJ/m 2 .
5. An ink-jet printing system according to claim 1 , wherein the areal throughput of said ink-jet ink-receiver is at least 50 m 2 per hour at a resolution of at least 180 dpi.
6. An ink-jet printing system according to claim 1 , wherein the printing is performed in a single pass.
7. An inkjet printing system according to claim 1 , wherein said ink-jet ink is an UV-curable ink-jet ink.
8. An ink-jet printing system according to claim 1 , wherein said ink-jet ink has a spreading factor greater than 2.0 when printed onto said surface of said substantially non-absorbing ink-jet ink-receiver.
9. A process for ink-jet printing comprising the steps of: (1) jetting at least one ink-jet ink having a dispersive surface energy σ L d onto a surface of a substantially non-absorbing ink-jet ink-receiver receiver having a dispersive surface energy σ S d , and (2) curing said ink-jet ink, wherein the ratio σ S d /σ L d is greater than 0.9.
10. A process for inkjet printing according to claim 9 , wherein said ratio σ S d /σ L d is greater than 1.2.
11. A process for ink-jet printing according to claim 9 , wherein said dispersive surface energy of said substantially non-absorbing ink-jet ink-receiver surface σ S d is at least 30.0 mJ/m 2 .
12. A process for ink-jet printing according to claim 9 , wherein said dispersive surface energy of said ink-jet ink σ L d is at most 30.0 mJ/m 2 .
13. A process for ink-jet printing according to claim 9 , wherein the throughput of said ink-jet ink-receiver is at least 50 m 2 per hour at a resolution of at least 180 dpi.
14. A process for ink-jet printing according to claim 9 , wherein the printing is performed in a single pass.
15. A process for ink-jet printing according to claim 9 , wherein said ink-jet ink is an UV-curable ink-jet ink.
16. A process for ink-jet printing according to claim 9 , wherein said ink-jet ink has a spreading factor greater than 2.0 when printed onto said surface of said substantially non-absorbing ink-jet ink-receiver.
17. An ink-jet printing system according to claim 1 , wherein the dispersive surface energy of said ink-receiver surface σ S d is at least 30.0 mJ/m 2 , wherein the dispersive surface energy of said ink-jet ink σ L d is at most 30.0 mJ/m 2 , and wherein said ink-jet ink has a spreading factor greater than 2.0 when printed onto said surface of said substantially non-absorbing ink-jet ink-receiver.
18. An ink-jet printing system according to claim 17 , wherein the ratio σ S d /σ L d is greater than 1.2, and wherein the areal throughput of said ink-jet ink-receiver is at least 50 m 2 per hour at a resolution of at least 180 dpi.
19. A process for ink-jet printing according to claim 9 , wherein the dispersive surface energy of said ink-receiver surface σ S d is at least 30.0 mJ/m 2 , wherein the dispersive surface energy of said ink-jet ink σ L d is at most 30.0 mJ/m 2 , and wherein said ink-jet ink has a spreading factor greater than 2.0 when printed onto said surface of said substantially non-absorbing ink-jet ink-receiver.
20. A process for ink-jet printing according to claim 19 , wherein the ratio σ S d /σ L d is greater than 1.2, and wherein the areal throughput of said ink-jet ink-receiver is at least 50 m 2 per hour at a resolution of at least 180 dpi.