Inks comprising modified pigments and methods for making and using the same

1. A method of making an ink composition comprising

sulfonating a pigment;

subsequently oxidizing the pigment to produce a modified pigment; and

incorporating the modified pigment into an ink.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modified pigment comprises about 0.02 to about 1.0 mMoles of S and about 0.2 to about 2.0 mMoles of active hydrogen per gram of pigment.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein sulfonation is carried out with an acid comprising at least one of sulfuric acid, oleum, and a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein oxidation is carried out with a hypohalite salt.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink has a water resistance value of about 0.00 to about 2.00.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink has an edge acuity value of about 0 microns to about 50 microns.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink is a black ink having a highlighter resistance of about 0 to about 2.00.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink is a color ink having a highlighter resistance of about 0 to about 0.10.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink has a rub resistance of about 0.00 to about 2.00.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink has a bleed value of about 0 microns to about 100 microns.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink has a line width of about 200 microns to about 350 microns.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink has an optical density of about 1.00 to about 3.00.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink is a black ink having a mottle of about 0 to about 3.00.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink is a color ink having a mottle of about 0.00 to about 6.00.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pigment comprises at least one of carbon black, pigment red 122, pigment yellow 74, pigment yellow 97, pigment yellow 138, pigment yellow 155, pigment blue 15:1, pigment blue 15:3, solvent yellow 33, solvent blue 67, and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pigment comprises carbon black.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink comprises a water soluble organic solvent comprising at least one of glycerine, diethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, glycol ether, isopropanol, n-butyl alcohol, diethylene glycol butyl ether, butyl oxitol glycol ether, ethanol, butanol, 2-pyrrolidone, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,2-hexanediol, and a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink comprises about 1% to about 40% of a water-soluble organic solvent.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink comprises a penetrant chosen from at least one of alkyl alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, ethanol, methanol, n-butanol, sec-butyl alcohol, propanol, isopropanol, n-pentanol, diacetone alcohol, diols, 1,2-alkyl diols, diethylene glycol butyl ether, butyl oxitol glycol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,2-hexanediol, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, diethylene glycol mono-n-propyl ether, ethylene glycol mono-iso-propyl ether, diethylene glycol mono-iso-propyl ether, ethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether, ethylene glycol-mono-t-butyl ether, diethylene glycol mono-t-butyl ether, 1-methyl-1-methoxy butanol, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol mono-t-butyl ether, propylene glycol mono-n-propyl ether, propylene glycol mono-iso-propyl ether, dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether, dipropylene glycol monoethyl ether, dipropylene glycol mono-n-propyl ether, dipropylene glycol mono-iso-propyl ether, formamide; acetamide; dimethylsulfoxide; sorbitol; sorbitan; acetin; diacetin; triacetin; and sulfolane.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink comprises a pH modifier chosen from at least one of an alkali hydroxide, an alkali carbonate, an alkali bicarbonate, ammonium hydroxide, potassium hydrogenphthalate, potassium dihydrogenphosphate, sodium dihydrogenphosphate, sodium tetraborate, potassium hydrogentartrate, sodium hydrogencarbonate, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane hydrochloride, triethylamine, dimethylethanolamine, triethanolamine, a mineral acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and a combination thereof.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink comprises a biocide chosen from at least one of sodium benzoate, pentachlorophenol sodium, 2-pyridinethiol-1-oxide sodium, sodium sorbate, sodium dehydroacetate, benz-isothiazolin-one, 1,2-dibenzothiazolin-3-one, methyl-isothiazolin-one, chloro-methyl-isothiazolin-one, and a combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink comprises a nonionic surfactant.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the surfactant comprises an ethoxylated acetylenic glycol surfactant.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink comprises a corrosion inhibitor chosen from at least one of acidic sulfite, sodium thiosulfate, ammonium thioglycolate, diisopropyl ammonium nitrite, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, dicyclohexyl ammonium nitrite, benzotriazole, tolyltriazole, carboxybenzotriazole, sodium tolytriazole, and a combination thereof.

25. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink comprises at least one of an additional colorant, an antioxidant, an ultraviolet absorber, a chelating agent, an electric conductivity adjuster, a viscosity modifier, an oxygen absorber, an anti-kogation agent, an anti-curling agent, an anti-bleed agent, a defoamer, a buffer, and a combination thereof.

26. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pigment comprises at least one of an azo pigment, a phthalocyanine pigment, an anthraquinone pigment, a quinacridone pigment, a thioindigo pigment, a triphenylmethane lake pigment, an oxazine pigment, and combinations thereof.

27. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pigment does not comprise carbon black.