Method for preparing a colorant for use in a hot melt ink

Abstract

A method for preparing a colorant for use in an ink composition including a substantially non-aqueous carrier composition includes providing a chromophore precursor including one or multiple functional groups which may be subjected to a chemical reaction to form a salt with a preselected counter ion; providing a salt including the preselected counter ion; and providing an organic solvent that is not miscible with water and wherein the reaction product of the chromophore precursor and the salt including the preselected counter ion is soluble; preparing a chromophore precursor solution in water by dissolving a quantity of the chromophore precursor in water adding a quantity of the organic solvent while stirring; adding the salt including the preselected counter ion while stirring to form a resalted chromophore; separating the resalted chromophore from the reaction mixture. The addition of the salt including the preselected counter ion is performed until a molar excess of counter ion has been added with respect to the molar amount of functional groups comprised in the chromophore precursor; A colorant is obtainable and an ink composition includes such a colorant.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.