Polymeric black pigment dispersions and ink jet ink compositions

1. An ink composition comprising an aqueous media and a pigment dispersion comprising

(a) a carbon black pigment having a DBP oil absorption of at least 70 ml/100 gram, and a median effective dispersion particle size of between 55 nm and 200 nm; and

(b) a polymeric dispersant wherein said polymeric dispersant is a copolymer comprising:

a) at least a hydrophobic methacrylate or acrylate monomer containing an aliphatic chain having greater than or equal to 12 carbons;

b) a hydrophobic benzyl methacrylate or benzyl acrylate monomer; and

c) a hydrophilic methacrylic or acrylic acid monomer;

wherein said copolymer comprises greater than 20% by weight of the methacrylate or acrylate monomer containing an aliphatic chain having greater than or equal to 12 carbons and at least 15% by weight of the methacrylic or acrylic acid monomer, and the copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of less than 15,000 daltons.

2. The ink composition of claim 1 wherein the percent volatiles of the carbon black pigment is at least 1.0.

3. The ink composition of claim 1 wherein the percent volatiles of the carbon black pigment is in the range of 1.5 to about 10.0.

4. The ink composition of claim 1 wherein the DBP oil absorption value is in the range of 70 to 200 ml/100 gram.

5. The ink composition of claim 1 wherein the DBP oil absorption value is in the range of 70 to 150 ml/100 gram.

6. The ink composition of claim 1 wherein the carbon black pigment dispersion has a median effective dispersion particle size of between 55 nm and 170 nm.

7. The ink composition of claim 1 wherein the carbon black pigment dispersion has a median effective dispersion particle size of between 55 nm and 140 nm.

8. The ink composition of claim 1 wherein the hydrophobic benzyl methacrylate or benzyl acrylate monomer is benzyl methacrylate.

9. The ink composition of claim 1 wherein the copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of less than 10,000 daltons.

10. The ink composition of claim 1 wherein the methacrylate or acrylate monomer containing an aliphatic chain having greater than or equal to 12 carbons is stearyl or lauryl methacrylate or acrylate.

11. The ink composition of claim 1 wherein the copolymer comprises 15% to 30% by weight of the methacrylic or acrylic acid monomer.

12. The ink composition of claim 1 wherein the copolymer is a random copolymer.

13. The ink composition of claim 1 further comprising tri(ethylene glycol) or poly(ethylene glycol).

14. The ink composition of claim 13 wherein the poly(ethylene glycol) has a number average molecular weight of 200 to 1000.

15. The ink composition of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of the copolymer to the pigment is 0.10 to 1.0.

16. An ink jet printing method comprising the steps of:

A) providing an ink jet printer that is responsive to digital data signals;

B) loading the printer with an ink jet recording element comprising an uncoated or coated ink receiving substrate;

C) loading the printer with a black ink jet ink composition comprising an aqueous media and a pigment dispersion comprising:

(a) a carbon black pigment having a DBP oil absorption of at least 70 ml/100 gram, and an average effective dispersion particle size of between 55 nm and 200 nm; and

(b) a polymeric dispersant wherein said polymeric dispersant is a copolymer comprising at least a hydrophobic methacrylate or acrylate monomer containing an aliphatic chain having greater than or equal to 12 carbons; a hydrophobic benzyl methacrylate or benzyl acrylate monomer; and a hydrophilic methacrylic or acrylic acid monomer; wherein said copolymer comprises greater than 20% by weight of the methacrylate or acrylate monomer containing an aliphatic chain having greater than or equal to 12 carbons and at least 15% by weight of the methacrylic or acrylic acid monomer, and the copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of less than 15,000 daltons; and

D) printing on the image receiving element using the ink jet composition in response to the digital data signals.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the ink jet printer is a drop on demand printer.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the ink jet printer is a continuous ink jet printer.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the ink jet printer is a thermal drop on demand printer.

20. An ink jet printing method comprising the steps of:

A) providing an ink jet printer that is responsive to digital data signals;

B) loading the printer with an ink jet recording element comprising an uncoated or coated ink receiving substrate;

C) loading the printer with at least a cyan ink, a magenta ink, a yellow ink, and a black ink jet ink composition comprising an aqueous media and a pigment dispersion comprising

(a) a carbon black pigment having a DBP oil absorption of at least 70 ml/100 gram, and an average effective dispersion particle size of between 55 nm and 200 nm; and

(b) a polymeric dispersant wherein said polymeric dispersant is a copolymer comprising at least a hydrophobic methacrylate or acrylate monomer containing an aliphatic chain having greater than or equal to 12 carbons; a hydrophobic benzyl methacrylate or benzyl acrylate monomer; and a hydrophilic methacrylic or acrylic acid monomer; wherein said copolymer comprises greater than 20% by weight of the methacrylate or acrylate monomer containing an aliphatic chain having greater than or equal to 12 carbons and at least 15% by weight of the methacrylic or acrylic acid monomer and the copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of less than 15,000 daltons; and

D) printing on the image receiving element using the ink jet composition in response to the digital data signals; wherein the printer utilizes the black ink composition as the sole black ink.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the black ink jet ink composition is used for both text printing and photo printing.