Pigmented ink having infrared absorption and low visible color
View Patent ↗An ink having infrared (IR) absorptivity includes an ink vehicle and an IR absorptive pigment having low visible color. According to one exemplary embodiment, the IR absorptive pigment includes an antimony-containing tin oxide.
1. An ink having infrared (IR) absorptivity comprising:
an IR absorptive pigment having low visible color and having an IR absorbance of between approximately 10 and 60% for light having a wavelength of between approximately 700 and 1000 nm, an IR absorbance of between approximately 20 and 88% for light having a wavelength of between approximately 1000 and 1500 nm, and an IR absorbance of between approximately 20 and 95% for light having a wavelength of between approximately 1500 and 2500 nm;
a liquid ink vehicle; and
a pigment configured to match a color of a selected substrate on which said ink is to be used.
2. The ink of claim 1 , wherein said IR absorptive pigment comprises a tin oxide containing a transition metal or a transition metal oxide.
3. The ink of claim 1 , wherein said IR absorptive pigment comprises a light grey or near white pigment.
4. The ink of claim 2 , wherein said IR absorptive pigment comprises an antimony-doped tin dioxide.
5. The ink of claim 1 , wherein said IR absorptive pigment comprises a platelet shape.
6. The ink of claim 1 , wherein said IR absorptive pigment comprises an average particle size between approximately 1 and 100 μm.
7. The ink of claim 1 , wherein said IR absorptive pigment comprises between approximately 0.01 and 70.0% by weight of said ink.
8. The ink of claim 1 , wherein the liquid ink vehicle is a jettable vehicle, and wherein said IR absorptive pigment is dispersed in said jettable vehicle.
9. A method of making an IR absorptive ink comprising:
identifying a substrate;
providing liquid ink vehicle;
dispersing an IR absorptive pigment having a low visible color in said liquid ink vehicle; and
adding a colored dye or pigment to said vehicle, wherein said colored dye or pigment is configured to modify a color of said ink to match a color of a selected the identified substrate on which said ink will be used.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said IR absorptive pigment comprises a tin oxide containing a transition metal or a transition metal oxide.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said IR absorptive pigment comprises a light grey or near white pigment.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said IR absorptive pigment comprises an average particle size between approximately 1 and 100 μm.
13. The ink of claim 1 , further comprising an ultraviolet (UV) curable matrix.
14. The ink of claim 13 , further comprising a UV photo-initiator.