Fluorescent phase change ink compositions
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsGabriel Iftime, Daryl W. Vanbesien, Stephan V. Drappel, Jennifer L. Belelie, Adela Goredema
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Abstract
A phase change ink composition comprising an amorphous component, a crystalline material, a fluorescent material and optionally, a non-fluorescent colorant, which are suitable for ink jet printing, including printing on coated paper substrates. The novel phase change ink formulation allows the ink to change color when exposed to UV light, reversibly and multiple times, providing an ink suitable for use in security applications.
Claims21
A phase change ink comprising:
- a crystalline component having a viscosity of less than 12 cps at a temperature of about 140° C. and a viscosity of greater than 1×106 cps at room temperature;
- an amorphous component having a viscosity of less than 100 cps at a temperature of about 140° C. and a viscosity of greater than 1×106 cps at room temperature;
- a fluorescent material;
- and
- an optional non-fluorescent colorant, wherein a ratio between the absorbance of the fluorescent compound and the remaining components of the ink at an activation wavelength is higher than 1.
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A method for confirming authenticity of an item, comprising:
- providing a phase change ink for use in an inkjet printing apparatus, comprising:
- a crystalline component having a viscosity of less than 12 cps at a temperature of about 140° C. and a viscosity of greater than 1×106 cps at room temperature,
- an amorphous component having a viscosity of less than 100 cps at a temperature of about 140° C. and a viscosity of greater than 1×106 cps at room temperature,
- a fluorescent material, and
- an optional non-fluorescent colorant, wherein the phase change ink is capable of being printed at speeds of 200 pages per minute or higher with a direct to paper sheet fed or continuous print device without successive papers sticking and requiring no delay prior to cutting and/or stacking the sheets;
- using the phase change ink in an inkjet printing apparatus to form text or image on an item;
- exposing the formed text or image on the item to ultraviolet light;
- and
- confirming a color change to the formed text or image upon exposure to the ultraviolet light, wherein the color change confirms authenticity of the item.
A phase change ink comprising:
- a crystalline component having a viscosity of less than 12 cps at a temperature of about 140° C. and a viscosity of greater than 1×106 cps at room temperature;
- an amorphous component having a viscosity of less than 100 cps at a temperature of about 140° C. and a viscosity of greater than 1×106 cps at room temperature;
- a fluorescent material;
- and
- an optional non-fluorescent colorant, wherein the fluorescent material is selected from the group consisting of a fluorescent dye, fluorescent nano-pigment, and mixtures thereof and further wherein the fluorescent nano-pigment is selected from the group consisting of (a) a fluorescent compound including at least one functional moiety and a stabilizer compound including at least one functional group, wherein the functional moiety associates non-covalently with the at least one functional group and wherein the fluorescent compound is a benzothioxanthene derivative;
- (b) a composite nanoparticle comprising a polymeric matrix comprising one or more crosslinked polymer resins and one or more fluorescent dyes, wherein the fluorescent dyes are incorporated into the polymer matrix;
- and mixtures thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.