Ink jet ink composition, ink set and ink jet treatment liquid, and ink jet recording method and ink jet recording apparatus using the same

An ink jet recording method comprising forming an image by adhering an ink jet ink composition comprising at least water, a colorant and a water soluble organic solvent, to a recording medium, wherein the ink jet ink composition comprises at least one amine compound represented by the following formula (1) in a range of more than 10% to 30% by mass:

• wherein the amine compound represented by the formula (1) is any one of primary to tertiary amine compounds;
• at least two of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 in the formula (1) comprise a hydrocarbon group having a hydroxyl group;
• none of the three substituents contain an alkyl group having at its terminal either one of —CO2M and —SO3M in which M represents an atom or an atomic group selected from hydrogen, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an ammonium group and an organic amine group;
• and none of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 is linked to the nitrogen atom N of formula (1) through a carbon atom which is linked to fewer than three other atoms in addition to the nitrogen atom N,
• wherein a melting point or decomposition point of the amine compound is 50° C. or more, and
• a surface tension of the ink composition is 40 mN/m or less.

An ink jet recording apparatus comprising at least a recording head including a liquid ejection surface having a nozzle for ejecting a liquid, and a recording medium transfer section for transferring a recording medium in one direction while the recording medium faces the liquid ejection surface and a shortest distance between the recording medium and the liquid ejection surface is constantly maintained, wherein:

• during printing, an image is formed by ejecting the liquid onto a surface of the recording medium from the liquid ejection surface while moving the recording head in a direction substantially perpendicular to the transfer direction of the recording medium;
• an ink jet ink composition comprising at least water, a colorant and a water soluble organic solvent is used as the liquid;
• and
• the ink jet ink composition comprises at least one amine compound represented by the following formula (1) in a range of more than 10% to 30% by mass,
• wherein the amine compound represented by the formula (1) is any one of primary to tertiary amine compounds;
• at least two of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 in the formula (1) comprise a hydrocarbon group having a hydroxyl group;
• none of the three substituents contain an alkyl group having at its terminal either one of —CO2M and —SO3M in which M represents an atom or an atomic group selected from hydrogen, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an ammonium group and an organic amine group;
• and none of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 is linked to the nitrogen atom N of formula (1) through a carbon atom which is linked to fewer than three other atoms in addition to the nitrogen atom N,
• wherein a melting point or decomposition point of the amine compound is 50° C. or more, and
• a surface tension of the ink composition is 40 mN/m or less.

An ink set comprising at least two inks which each comprise water, a colorant and a water soluble organic solvent, wherein at least one ink in the ink set comprises at least one amine compound represented by the following formula (1) in a range of more than 10% to 30% by mass:

• wherein the amine compound represented by the formula (1) is any one of primary to tertiary amine compounds;
• at least two of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 in the formula (1) comprise a hydrocarbon group having a hydroxyl group;
• none of the three substituents contain an alkyl group having at its terminal either one of —CO2M and —SO3M in which M represents an atom or an atomic group selected from hydrogen, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an ammonium group and an organic amine group;
• and none of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 is linked to the nitrogen atom N of formula (1) through a carbon atom which is linked to fewer than three other atoms in addition to the nitrogen atom N,
• wherein a melting point or decomposition point of the amine compound is 50° C. or more, and
• a surface tension of the at least one ink in the ink set comprising the amine compound is 40 mN/m or less.

An ink jet recording method comprising forming an image by using an ink set containing at least two inks comprising at least water, a colorant and a water soluble organic solvent, and by adhering an ink of the ink set to a recording medium, wherein at least one ink of the ink set comprises at least one amine compound represented by the following formula (1) in a range of more than 10% to 30% by mass:

• wherein the amine compound represented by the formula (1) is any one of primary to tertiary amine compounds;
• at least two of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 in the formula (1) comprise a hydrocarbon group having a hydroxyl group;
• none of the three substituents contain an alkyl group having at its terminal either one of —CO2M and —SO3M in which M represents an atom or an atomic group selected from hydrogen, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an ammonium group and an organic amine group;
• and none of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 is linked to the nitrogen atom N of formula (1) through a carbon atom which is linked to fewer than three other atoms in addition to the nitrogen atom N,
• wherein a melting point or decomposition point of the amine compound is 50° C. or more, and
• a surface tension of the at least one ink in the ink set comprising the amine compound is 40 mN/m or less.

An ink jet recording apparatus comprising at least a recording head including a liquid ejection surface having at least two nozzles for independently ejecting at least two liquids, and a recording medium transfer section for transferring a recording medium in one direction while the recording medium faces the liquid ejection surface and a shortest distance between the recording medium and the liquid ejection surface is constantly maintained, wherein:

• during printing, an image is formed by ejecting the at least two liquids onto a surface of the recording medium from the liquid ejection surface while moving the recording head in a direction substantially perpendicular to the transfer direction of the recording medium;
• an ink set comprising at least two inks comprising at least water, a colorant and a water soluble organic solvent is used as the at least two liquids;
• and
• at least one ink in the ink set comprises at least one amine compound represented by the following formula (1) in a range of more than 10% to 30% by mass,
• wherein the amine compound represented by the formula (1) is any one of primary to tertiary amine compounds;
• at least two of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 in the formula (1) comprise a hydrocarbon group having a hydroxyl group;
• none of the three substituents contain an alkyl group having at its terminal either one of —CO2M and —SO3M in which M represents an atom or an atomic group selected from hydrogen, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an ammonium group and an organic amine group;
• and none of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 is linked to the nitrogen atom N of formula (1) through a carbon atom which is linked to fewer than three other atoms in addition to the nitrogen atom N,
• wherein a melting point or decomposition point of the amine compound is 50° C. or more, and
• a surface tension of the at least one ink in the ink set comprising the amine compound is 40 mN/m or less.

A colorless ink jet treatment liquid which is used together with an ink jet ink composition comprising at least water, a colorant and a water soluble organic solvent, during printing, and comprises at least water and a water soluble organic solvent, wherein the ink jet treatment liquid comprises at least one amine compound represented by the following formula (1) in a range of more than 10% to 30% by mass:

• wherein the amine compound represented by the formula (1) is any one of primary to tertiary amine compounds;
• at least two of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 in the formula (1) comprise a hydrocarbon group having a hydroxyl group;
• none of the three substituents contain an alkyl group having at its terminal either one of —CO2M and —SO3M in which M represents an atom or an atomic group selected from hydrogen, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an ammonium group and an organic amine group;
• and none of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 is linked to the nitrogen atom N of formula (1) through a carbon atom which is linked to fewer than three other atoms in addition to the nitrogen atom N,
• wherein a melting point or decomposition point of the amine compound is 50° C. or more, and
• a surface tension of the ink composition is 40 mN/m or less.

An ink jet recording method comprising forming an image by adhering an ink jet ink composition comprising at least water, a colorant and a water soluble organic solvent, and a colorless ink jet treatment liquid comprising at least water and a water soluble organic solvent, to approximately the same region on a recording medium, wherein the ink jet treatment liquid comprises at least one amine compound represented by the following formula (1) in a range of more than 10% to 30% by mass:

• wherein the amine compound represented by the formula (1) is any one of primary to tertiary amine compounds;
• at least two of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 in the formula (1) comprise a hydrocarbon group having a hydroxyl group;
• none of the three substituents contain an alkyl group having at its terminal either one of —CO2M and —SO3M in which M represents an atom or an atomic group selected from hydrogen, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an ammonium group and an organic amine group;
• and none of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 is linked to the nitrogen atom N of formula (1) through a carbon atom which is linked to fewer than three other atoms in addition to the nitrogen atom N,
• wherein a melting point or decomposition point of the amine compound is 50° C. or more, and
• a surface tension of the ink composition is 40 mN/m or less.

An ink jet recording apparatus comprising at least a recording head including a liquid ejection surface comprising at least two nozzles for independently ejecting at least two liquids, and a recording medium transfer section for transferring a recording medium in one direction while the recording medium faces the liquid ejection surface and a shortest distance between the recording medium and the liquid ejection surface is constantly maintained, wherein:

• during printing, an image is formed by ejecting the at least two liquids onto a surface of the recording medium from the liquid ejection surface while moving the recording head in a direction substantially perpendicular to the transfer direction of the recording medium;
• an ink jet ink composition comprising at least water, a colorant and a water soluble organic solvent, and a colorless ink jet treatment liquid comprising at least water and a water soluble organic solvent are used as the at least two liquids;
• and
• the ink jet treatment liquid comprises at least one amine compound represented by the following formula (1) in a range of more than 10% to 30% by mass:
• wherein the amine compound represented by the formula (1) is any one of primary to tertiary amine compounds;
• at least two of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 in the formula (1) comprise a hydrocarbon group having a hydroxyl group;
• none of the three substituents contain an alkyl group having at its terminal either one of —CO2M and —SO3M in which M represents an atom or an atomic group selected from hydrogen, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an ammonium group and an organic amine group;
• and none of the three substituents represented by R1, R2 and R3 is linked to the nitrogen atom N of formula (1) through a carbon atom which is linked to fewer than three other atoms in addition to the nitrogen atom N,
• wherein a melting point or decomposition point of the amine compound is 50° C. or more, and
• a surface tension of the ink composition is 40 mN/m or less.