Granted Patent B2

US 8,851,648 · App. 13/622,287 · Granted Oct 7, 2014

Abstract

Claims (21)

1. A phase change ink comprising:

at least a first semi-crystalline material having a higher amorphous content than a crystalline content therein; and

at least a second semi-crystalline material having a higher crystalline content than an amorphous content therein, such that the phase change ink has a viscosity ranging from about 0.1 cps to about 15 cps at a temperature ranging from about 60° C. to about 145° C., wherein the first semi-crystalline material having the higher amorphous content has a T g value of from about −50° C. to about 100° C.

2. The phase change ink of claim 1 , wherein the phase change ink has a viscosity ranging from about 7 cps to about 15 cps at said temperature.

3. The phase change ink of claim 1 , wherein the phase change ink has a viscosity ranging from about 10 8 cps or greater at room temperature.

4. The phase change ink of claim 1 , wherein the phase change ink has a total crystalline content and a total amorphous content in a weight ratio of from about 65:35 to about 95:5.

5. The phase change ink of claim 1 , wherein the first semi-crystalline material having the higher amorphous content comprises a material selected from the group consisting of gel di-amides, tetra-amides having straight and branched carbon chains, gel tetra-amides, urethanes, and combinations thereof.

6. The phase change ink of claim 1 , wherein the second semi-crystalline material having the higher crystalline content comprises methyl-amides with straight chain acids.

7. The phase change ink of claim 1 , wherein the second semi-crystalline material having the higher crystalline content has a viscosity of from about 0.1 to about 10 cps at said temperature.

8. The phase change ink of claim 1 , wherein the second semi-crystalline material having the higher crystalline content exhibits crystallization (T crys ) and melting (T melt ) peaks according to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the difference between the peaks (T melt −T crys ) is less than about 55° C.

9. The phase change ink of claim 1 , wherein the second semi-crystalline material having the higher crystalline content has a melting point below said temperature.

10. The phase change ink of claim 1 , wherein the first semi-crystalline material having the higher amorphous content has a viscosity of from about 10 to about 1000 cps at said temperature.

11. The phase change ink of claim 1 , wherein the first semi-crystalline material having the higher amorphous content has a viscosity at least 10 8 cps at room temperature.

12. The phase change ink of claim 1 , wherein the first semi-crystalline material having the higher amorphous content has a molecular weight from about 250 g/mol to about 3000 g/mol.

13. A method of printing, comprising:

incorporating a phase change ink into an ink jet printing apparatus, wherein the phase change ink comprises at least a first semi-crystalline material having a high amorphous content, and at least a second semi-crystalline material having a high crystalline content, such that the phase change ink has a viscosity ranging from about 0.1 cps to about 15 cps at a temperature ranging from about 60° C. to about 145° C., wherein the first semi-crystalline material having the higher amorphous content has a T g value of from about −50° C. to about 100° C.;

melting the phase change ink inside the ink jet printing apparatus; and

causing droplets of the melted ink to be ejected onto a substrate to form an image.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the substrate is a final recording sheet and droplets of the melted ink are ejected in an imagewise pattern directly onto the final recording sheet.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the substrate is a coated substrate.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the substrate is an uncoated substrate.

Assignments (9)