Curable gel inks with reduced syneresis and halo formation

A radiation curable phase change ink composition, the ink composition comprising a curable wax, a gellant, at least one photoinitiator, at least one acrylate or methacrylate selected from the group consisting of octadecyl acrylate, octadecyl methacrylate, lauryl acrylate, lauryl methacrylate, behenyl acrylate, behenyl methacrylate, cyclohexane dimethanol diacrylate, hydroxyoctadecyl acrylate, hydroxyoctadecyl methacrylate, hydroxylauryl acrylate, hydroxylauryl methacrylate, phenethyl acrylate, phenethyl methacrylate, 6-phenylhexyl acrylate, 6-phenylhexyl methacrylate, phenyllauryl acrylate, phenyllauryl methacrylate and 3-nitrophenyl-6-hexyl methacrylate, and optionally a curable liquid monomer, wherein the at least one acrylate or methacrylate comprises from about 30 weight percent to about 70 weight percent of the radiation curable phase change ink composition and wherein the ink composition has a jetting temperature of less than about 80° C.

An ink printing device comprising:

• a radiation curable phase change ink composition for printing onto a substrate, an ink jetting device, and a radiation curing device which cures the jetted radiation curable ink, wherein the radiation curable phase change ink composition comprising an ink vehicle and octadecyl acrylate, wherein the octadecyl acrylate comprises from about 30 weight percent to about 70 weight percent of the ink composition, and wherein the ink vehicle comprises a gellant, a curable wax, at least one photoinitiator, and optionally a curable liquid monomer.