Alkyd-based ink vehicles and ink compositions

A method for making an ink vehicle consisting essentially of reacting 1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, a polyol selected from the group consisting of glycerol trimethylolethane, trimethylolpropane, and dimethylolpropane, and a tall oil fatty acid under conditions sufficient to produce an alkyd resin having a Gardner-Holdt viscosity of from about Z6.0 to about Z7.5 and an acid number less than about 5, and mixing from about 1 to about 30 wt. % of the alkyd resin with a primary resin selected from the group consisting of rosin esters, phenolic modified rosin esters, maleic modified rosin esters, hydrocarbon resins, and modified hydrocarbon resins, an ink solvent having a boiling point of from about 180° C. to about 535° C. and, optionally, a metallic gelling agent.

An ink composition comprising pigment and from about 45 to about 65% by weight of an ink vehicle, the ink vehicle comprising a primary resin selected from the group consisting of gum rosin, tall oil rosin, and wood rosin esters and esters dimerized rosins, an ink solvent having a boiling point of from about 180° C. to about 535° C., and from about 1 to about 30% by weight of an alkyd resin consisting essentially of the reaction product of 1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, a polyol selected from the group consisting of glycerol, triethylolethane, trimethylolpropane, and dimethylolpropane, and a tall oil fatty acid, said alkyd resin having a Gardner-Holdt viscosity of from about Z6.0 to about Z7.5, and an acid number less than about 5.

A flushed pigment comprising pigment and from about 5 to about 15 wt. % alkyd resin consisting essentially of the reaction product of 1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, a polyol selected from glycerol, trimethylolethane, trimethylolpropane, and dimethylolpropane, and a tall oil fatty acid, said alkyd resin having a Gardner-Holdt viscosity of from about Z6.0 to about Z7.5, and an acid number less than about 5.