# US 12,110,406 B1 · Active energy ray curable water-based inkjet inks and printheads > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,406 B1 - Document ID: US12110406B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/571,002 - Filed: 2022-06-15 - Published: 2024-09-19 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-16 - Assignees: Sicpa Holding SA - Applicants: Sicpa Holding SA - Inventors: Davide Ciampini; Paolo Boggio - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110406B1 ## CPC - C09D 11/38: characterised by non-macromolecular additives other than solvents, pigments or dyes - B41J 2/14016: {Structure of bubble jet print heads} - B41M 7/0081: {using electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams} - C09D 11/101: Inks specially adapted for printing processes involving curing by wave energy or particle radiation, e.g. with UV-curing following the printing - C09D 11/107: from unsaturated acids or derivatives thereof - 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) - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - 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 The present application is related to an active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink comprising water, a radically curable di(meth)acrylate monomer, a radically curable (meth)acrylate compound, a photoinitiator of formula (I): wherein X+ is Na+ or Li+, preferably Na+, and one or more co-initiator. The application also relates to a printed feature consisting of a cured ink layer, a document comprising said printed feature, a thermal inkjet printhead comprising said ink and a process for printing a feature made of said ink on a substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink comprising: i) at least 55 wt. % of water ii) from about 2 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of a radically curable di(meth)acrylate monomer being a polyethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate having 5 or more ethylene oxide groups per molecule; iii) from about 1 wt. % to about 15 wt. % of a radically curable (meth)acrylate compound being a hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate wherein the alkyl group is methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl or isobutyl; iv) from about 1 wt. % to about 5 wt. % of a photoinitiator of formula (I): wherein X+ is Na+ or Li+, v) from about 0.1 wt. % to about 2 wt. % of one or more co-initiator selected from the group consisting of N-[3-(dimethylamine)propyl]metacrylamide and/or poly(methylhydrosiloxane); the weight percentage being based on the total weight of the active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink according to claim 1, wherein the radically curable di(meth)acrylate monomer being a polyethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate having 5 or more ethylene oxide groups per molecule has a molecular weight comprised between about 300 and about 600 g/mol. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink according to claim 1, further comprising from about 1.0 wt. % to about 15 wt. % of a coloring agent, the weight percentage being based on the total weight of the active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink according to claim 1, further comprising from about 0.05 wt. % to about 2 wt. % of a non-ionic fluorinated surfactant, the weight percentage being based on the total weight of the active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink according to claim 1, wherein hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate of iii) is a hydroxyalkyl mono(meth)acrylate monomer wherein the alkyl group is methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl or isobutyl. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink according to claim 1, further comprising from about 0.1 wt. % to about 3 wt. % of a second photoinitiator the weight percentage being based on the total weight of the active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink, said second photoinitiator comprising one or more thioxanthone compounds having a molecular weight less than 400 g/mol. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink according to claim 1, having a viscosity in the range from about 0.5 to about 10 cPoises at 25° C. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A printed feature consisting of a cured ink layer made from the active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink recited in claim 1. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An article or document comprising a substrate and one or more printed features recited in claim 8. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The article or document according to claim 9, wherein the substrate is a paper-containing material, a polymer-based material, a composite material, metal, glass, ceramic or any combinations thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A thermal inkjet printhead comprising a printhead substrate; a nozzle layer, including a plurality of nozzles formed therethrough; a plurality of ink ejection chambers corresponding to the plurality of nozzles; a plurality of heater resistors formed on the printhead substrate and corresponding to the plurality of ink ejection chambers, each of the heater resistors being located in a different one of the ink ejection chambers so that ink drop ejection through each of the nozzles is caused by heating of one of the heater resistors that is located in the corresponding ink ejection chamber; and the active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink to claim 1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A process for printing a feature on a substrate by a thermal inkjet printing process comprising the steps of: a) applying the active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink recited in claim 1 by thermal inkjet printing so as to form an ink layer, and b) exposing the ink layer to an active energy ray at a dose of at least 150 mJ/cm2, to cure said ink layer with an active energy ray source. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The process of claim 12, wherein the step a) is carried out with a thermal inkjet printhead comprising a nozzle layer, including a plurality of nozzles formed therethrough; a plurality of ink ejection chambers corresponding to the plurality of nozzles; a plurality of heater resistors formed on the printhead substrate and corresponding to the plurality of ink ejection chambers, each of the heater resistors being located in a different one of the ink ejection chambers so that ink drop ejection through each of the nozzles is caused by heating of one of the heater resistors that is located in the corresponding ink ejection chamber; and the active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The process according to claim 12, wherein step b) consists of exposing the ink layer to one or more wavelengths between about 380 nm and about 420 nm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The process according to claim 12, wherein the ink layer made of the active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink is transparent and wherein said ink is at least partially applied in the form of one or more indicia on a printed feature. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink according to claim 1, wherein the radically curable (meth)acrylate compound is hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate and the alkyl group is methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl or isobutyl, and wherein X+ is Na+. ### Claim 17 (depends on 4) The active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink according to claim 4, wherein the non-ionic fluorinated surfactant is a non-ionic polymeric ethoxylate fluorinated surfactant and/or a non-ionic polymeric acrylic fluorinated surfactant. ### Claim 18 (depends on 5) The active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink according to claim 5, wherein hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate of iii) is a 4-hydroxyalkyl mono(meth)acrylate monomer wherein the alkyl group is methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl or isobutyl. ### Claim 19 (depends on 5) The active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink according to claim 5, wherein hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate of iii) is a 4-hydroxybuthyl mono(meth)acrylate monomer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 6) The active energy ray radically curable inkjet printing ink according to claim 6, wherein the one or more thioxanthone compounds are selected from the group consisting of 2-isopropylthioxanthone, 4-isopropylthioxanthone, 2,4-dimethylthioxanthone, 2,4-diethylthioxanthone, 2,4-diisopropylthioxanthone, 2-chlorothixanthone, 2-chloro-4-isopropoxythixanthone and mixtures thereof.