Inks comprising amorphous ureas
View Patent ↗A phase change ink includes a crystalline component and an amorphous component, the amorphous component including a branched alkyl core and a urea functional group.
1. A phase change ink comprising:
a crystalline component; and
an amorphous component, wherein the amorphous component comprises a branched alkyl core and a urea functional group.
2. The phase change ink of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the crystalline component to amorphous components ranges from about 9:1 to about 2:1.
3. The phase change ink of claim 1 , wherein the amorphous component comprises a compound of formula I:
wherein each R is independently selected from a C 1 to C 6 branched or straight chain alkyl.
4. The phase change ink of claim 3 , wherein the compound of formula I is a subgenus of formula II:
wherein m and n are the integers 0 or 1, provided that both m and n are not both 0;
p is an integer from 2 to 8; and
each occurrence of A and B are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, and ethyl, provided that at least one occurrence of A or B is not hydrogen.
5. The phase change ink of claim 4 , wherein the compound of formula II is a subgenus of formula III:
wherein p is an integer from 4 to 6.
6. The phase change ink of claim 5 , wherein each R is isoamyl.
7. The phase change ink of claim 5 , wherein each R is tert-pentyl.
8. The phase change ink of claim 5 , wherein each R is n-butyl.
9. The phase change ink of claim 5 , wherein each R is n-propyl.
10. The phase change in of claim 5 , wherein each R is sec-butyl.
11. A phase change ink comprising:
a crystalline component; and
a urea component, wherein the urea component comprises a branched alkyl core and a urea functional group, wherein a degree of branching of the branched alkyl core is sufficient to provide the urea component that is amorphous.
12. The phase change ink of claim 11 , wherein the urea component comprises two urea functional groups.
13. The phase change ink of claim 11 , wherein the urea component comprises a compound of formula IV/IV′:
wherein each R is independently selected from a C 1 to C 6 branched or straight chain alkyl.
14. The phase change ink of claim 13 , wherein each R is isoamyl.
15. The phase change ink of claim 13 , wherein each R is n-propyl.
16. A phase change ink comprising:
a crystalline component; and
an amorphous component, wherein the amorphous component comprises a branched alkyl core and a urea functional group and wherein the amorphous component has a glass transition temperature in a range from about −15° C. to about 30° C.
17. The phase change ink of claim 16 , wherein the amorphous component comprises a compound of formula IV/IV′:
wherein each R is independently selected from a C 1 to C 6 branched or straight chain alkyl.
18. The phase change ink of claim 17 , wherein each R is isoamyl.
19. The phase change ink of claim 17 , wherein each R is n-propyl.