Multi-color ink for 3D printing, 3D printer, and method of controlling the 3D printer

1. A multi-color ink for 3D printing comprising:

a plurality of ink compositions comprising a first ink composition and a second ink composition,

wherein the first ink composition comprises:

at least one photocurable material,

a photoinitiator configured to cure the photocurable material;

a first colorant, and

an anti-intercolor bleed agent configured to prevent intercolor bleeding occurring when the plurality of ink compositions come into contact with each other, and

the second ink composition comprises:

at least one photocurable material,

a photoinitiator configured to cure the photocurable material; and

a second colorant having an acid moiety involved in a reaction with the anti-intercolor bleed agent to cause aggregation.

2. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-intercolor bleed agent is an amide compound represented by Formula 1:

wherein R 1 to R 4 are, each independently, hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 heteroalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 2 -C 20 alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkylsulfoneamide group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 arylsulfoneamide group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 acylamino group, a C 1 -C 20 alkylureido group, a C 6 -C 20 arylureido group, a C 2 -C 20 alkoxycarbonyl group, a C 2 -C 20 alkoxycarbonylamino group, a carbamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group, a sulfo group and a salt thereof, a carboxyl group and a salt thereof, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 hydroxyalkyloxyalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 dialkylaminoalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 pyridylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 5 -C 20 pyridyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 imidazolyl group, a hydrazine group, a hydrazone group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 pyridylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 aryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 arylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 heteroaryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 heteroarylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 heteroarylalkenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted C 3 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl group, and

R 3 and R 4 are connected to each other to form a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkylene group, wherein at least one of the R 1 to R 4 comprises an acrylate group or methacrylate group at one end thereof.

3. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 2 , wherein the anti-intercolor bleed agent is an amide compound represented by Formula 2:

wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 heteroalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 2 -C 20 alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkylsulfoneamide group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 arylsulfoneamide group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 acylamino group, a C 1 -C 20 alkylureido group, a C 6 -C 20 arylureido group, a C 2 -C 20 alkoxycarbonyl group, a C 2 -C 20 alkoxycarbonylamino group, a carbamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group, a sulfo group and a salt thereof, a carboxyl group and a salt thereof, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 hydroxyalkyloxyalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 dialkylaminoalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 pyridylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 5 -C 20 pyridyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 imidazolyl group, a hydrazine group, a hydrazone group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 pyridylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 aryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 arylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 heteroaryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 heteroarylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 heteroarylalkenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted C 3 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl group, wherein at least one of R 1 and R 2 comprises an acrylate group or methacrylate group at one end thereof,

n is an integer of 2 to 6,

m is an integer of 0 to 6,

X is hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 heteroalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 2 -C 20 alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkylsulfoneamide group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 arylsulfoneamide group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 acrylamino group, a C 1 -C 20 alkylureido group, a C 6 -C 20 arylureido group, a C 2 -C 20 alkoxycarbonyl group, a C 2 -C 20 alkoxycarbonylamino group, a carbamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group, a sulfo group and a salt thereof, a carboxyl group and a salt thereof, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 hydroxyalkyloxyalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 dialkylaminoalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 pyridylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 5 -C 20 pyridyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 imidazolyl group, a hydrazine group, a hydrazone group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 pyridylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 aryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 arylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 heteroaryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 heteroarylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 heteroarylalkenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted C 3 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl group.

4. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-intercolor bleed agent is a cycloamine compound.

5. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 4 , wherein the cycloamine compound is a pyrrole derivative, a pyridine derivative, a quinoline derivative, an isoquinoline derivative, a pyrrolidine derivative, or a piperidine derivative.

6. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 1 , wherein the acid moiety of the second colorant is a carboxylate group, a sulfonate group, a phosphate group, or a salt thereof.

7. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 1 , wherein a content of at least one of the first colorant and the second colorant is in the range of about 0.01 to about 1% by weight based on a weight of the first ink composition or the second ink composition.

8. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-intercolor bleed agent is contained in an amount about 0.5 to about 10 times molar ratio of the acid moiety of the second colorant.

9. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 1 , wherein the photocurable material is an acrylate-based or methacrylate-based compound having at least one unsaturated functional group.

10. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 9 , wherein the photocurable material comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group-containing acrylate-based compound, a water-soluble acrylate-based compound, a polyester acrylate-based compound, a polyurethane acrylate-based compound, an epoxy acrylate-based compound, and a caprolactone-modified acrylate-based compound.

11. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first ink composition and the second ink composition further comprises a co-solvent.

12. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first colorant and the second colorant comprises a dye, a pigment, a self-dispersing pigment, or a mixture thereof.

13. A multi-color ink for 3D printing comprising a plurality of ink compositions, wherein

at least a first of the plurality of ink compositions include:

at least one photocurable material having an acrylate or methacrylate functional group,

a photoinitiator configured to cure the photocurable material,

a first colorant, and

an anti-intercolor bleed agent that prevents an intercolor bleeding occurring when at least two of the plurality of ink compositions come into contact with each other in the 3D printing; and

at least a second of the plurality of ink compositions include a second colorant having an acid moiety reactable with the anti-intercolor bleed agent in the 3D printing.

14. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 13 , wherein the anti-intercolor bleed agent is an amide compound represented by Formula 1:

wherein R 1 to R 4 are, each independently, hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 heteroalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkylsulfoneamide group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 arylsulfoneamide group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 acylamino group, a C 1 -C 20 alkylureido group, a C 6 -C 20 arylureido group, a C 2 -C 20 alkoxycarbonyl group, a C 2 -C 20 alkoxycarbonylarnino group, a carbamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group, a sulfo group and a salt thereof, a carboxyl group and a salt thereof, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 hydroxyalkyloxyalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 dialkylaminoalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 pyridylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 5 -C 20 pyridyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 imidazolyl group, a hydrazine group, a hydrazone group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 pyridylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 aryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 arylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 heteroaryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 heteroarylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 heteroarylalkenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted C 6 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl group, and

R 3 and R 4 are connected to each other to form a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 20 alkylene group, wherein at least one of the R 1 to R 4 comprises an acrylate group or methacrylate group at one end thereof.

15. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 13 , wherein the anti-intercolor bleed agent is a cycloamine compound.

16. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 15 , wherein the cycloamine compound is a pyrrole derivative, a pyridine derivative, a quinoline derivative, an isoquinoline derivative, a pyrrolidine derivative, or a piperidine derivative.

17. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 13 , wherein the photocurable material is a copolymer formed via polymerization of at least two types of acrylate or methacrylate monomers.

18. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 13 , wherein the one or more ink compositions further comprise a solvent.

19. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 13 , wherein the first colorant is a dye, a pigment, a self-dispersing pigment, or a mixture thereof.

20. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 13 , wherein the second colorant is reactable with the anti-intercolor bleed agent to generate aggregates.

21. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 20 ,

wherein the acid moiety of the second colorant is a carboxylate group, a sulfonate group, a phosphate group, or a salt thereof.

22. The multi-color ink for 3D printing according to claim 20 , wherein a content of the second colorant is in the range of about 0.01 to about 1% by weight based on the at least the second of the plurality of ink compositions, and a molar ratio of the anti-intercolor bleed agent to the acid moiety of the second colorant is about 0.5:1 to about 10:1.