# US 10,767,063 B2 · Aqueous inkjet inks

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- Number: US 10,767,063 B2
- Document ID: US10767063B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/574,550
- Filed: 2016-05-18
- Published: 2018-07-19
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2015-05-19
- Assignees: Agfa-Gevaert
- Applicants: Agfa-Gevaert NV
- Inventors: Johan Loccufier; Fabienne Goethals; Hubertus Van Aert; Dirk Kokkelenberg
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767063B2

## CPC

- C09D 11/328: characterised by dyes
- B41M 3/142: {using chemical colour-formers or chemical reactions, e.g. leuco-dye/acid, photochromes}
- B41M 7/009: {using thermal means, e.g. infrared radiation, heat}
- C09D 11/32: characterised by colouring agents
- C09D 11/38: characterised by non-macromolecular additives other than solvents, pigments or dyes
- C09D 11/40: Ink-sets specially adapted for multi-colour inkjet printing
- C09D 11/50: Sympathetic, colour changing or similar inks
- B41M 3/14: Security printing {(securities B42D25/29)}
- B41M 5/26: Thermography (B41M5/20, B41M5/24 take precedence); {Marking by high energetic means, e.g. laser otherwise than by burning, and characterised by the material used (B23K takes precedence; thermographic or photothermographic systems using noble metal compounds G03C1/494)}
- B41M 5/30: using chemical colour formers (B41M5/34 takes precedence)
- B41M 5/323: Organic colour formers, e.g. leuco dyes
- B41M 5/3333: {Non-macromolecular compounds}
- C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D)
- B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P)

## Abstract

An aqueous inkjet ink for forming a colour upon heat treatment includes a) an immobilized leuco dye; b) a colour developing agent or colour developing agent precursor; and c) optionally an opthothermal converting agent; wherein the leuco dye is immobilized by being covalently bonded to polymeric particles or by being included in the core of capsules composed of a polymeric shell surrounding a core.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aqueous inkjet ink comprising:
an immobilized leuco dye;
a color developing agent or a color developing agent precursor; and
an optothermal converting agent; wherein
the leuco dye is immobilized by being covalently bonded to polymeric particles or by being included in a core of capsules including a polymeric shell surrounding the core;
the immobilized leuco dye is physically separated from the color developing agent or the color developing agent precursor by the polymeric shell of the capsule; and
the aqueous inkjet ink has a viscosity less than 50 mPa·s at 25° C. and a shear rate of 90 s−1.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The aqueous inkjet ink according to claim 1, wherein the optothermal converting agent is selected from the group consisting of an infrared dye and carbon black.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The aqueous inkjet ink according to claim 1, wherein the color developing agent precursor includes a polymer particle that generates an acid upon exposure to heat.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The aqueous inkjet ink according to claim 3, wherein the polymer particle include a vinylidene chloride copolymer particle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The aqueous inkjet ink according to claim 1, wherein the color developing agent precursor is represented by Formula (I) or Formula (II):
wherein
R1 and R3 independently represent an optionally substituted alkyl group, an optionally substituted (hetero)cyclic alkyl group, an optionally substituted (hetero)aryl group, an optionally substituted aralkyl group, an optionally substituted alkoxy group, an optionally substituted (hetero)cyclic alkoxy group, or an optionally substituted (hetero)aryl group;
R2, R4, and R5 independently represent an optionally substituted alkyl, an optionally substituted aliphatic (hetero)cyclic alkyl group, or an optionally substituted aralkyl group; and
R1 and R2, R4 and R5, R3 and R4, and R3 and R5 may represent necessary atoms to form a ring.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

An aqueous inkjet ink set comprising:
two or more of the aqueous inkjet ink according to claim 1; wherein
the aqueous inkjet inks include different leuco dyes or a same leuco dye in different amounts.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A packaging comprising:
an image defined by the aqueous inkjet ink according to claim 1.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The packaging according to claim 7, wherein the packaging is selected from the group consisting of food packaging and pharmaceutical packaging.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

An inkjet printing method comprising the steps of:
a) jetting an image on a first substrate using one or more of the aqueous inkjet ink according to claim 1; and
b) applying a heat treatment to the image by direct heating or by infrared radiation.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The inkjet printing method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:
a1) jetting a second image on the first substrate using the one or more aqueous inkjet ink; and
b1) applying a heat treatment to the image by direct heating or by infrared radiation at a point in time which is at least 1 hour later than in step b).

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The inkjet printing method according to claim 10, wherein the step of jetting the image in step a) and the step of jetting the second image in step al) are performed simultaneously.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The inkjet printing method according to claim 10, wherein the image and the second image are identical after heat treatment.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The inkjet printing method according to claim 10, wherein the image and the second image are identical after heat treatment except for an alphanumerical date contained in the image and an alphanumerical date contained in the second image.