Fixer inks for use with ink jet inks
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorXiaoqing Li
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Abstract
The disclosure provides an ink set containing an ink jettable ink and an ink jettable fixer ink having: an aqueous colorant containing ink jettable ink; and a fixer ink having: (i) a multivalent metal salt, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of divalent metal ions, trivalent metal ions, and mixtures thereof; and (ii) a salt stable, water soluble, predominantly non-ionic, polymeric binder selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane having an ethylene oxide unit, and a methoxylated carboxylated polyallylamine; wherein the polymeric binder is substantially non-reactive with the colorant. The colorant contains a dye, a self dispersed pigment or a pigment dispersion. These inks have enhanced coloristic and durability properties.
Claims20
An ink set for ink jet printing, comprising:
- an ink jettable ink and an ink jettable fixer ink;
- wherein
- said ink jettable ink comprises an aqueous colorant;
- and said ink jettable fixer ink comprises:
- (i) a multivalent metal salt, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of divalent metal ions, trivalent metal ions, and mixtures thereof;
- and
- (ii) a salt stable, water soluble, predominantly non-ionic, polymeric binder, wherein said polymeric binder is a polyurethane comprising an ethylene oxide unit and has an average number molecular weight of about 5000 to about 25,000;
- and wherein the polymeric binder is substantially non-reactive with the colorant.
A method for printing on a substrate comprising:
- (a) providing an ink set, comprising an ink jettable ink and an ink jettable fixer ink;
- wherein said ink jettable ink comprises an aqueous colorant;
- and said ink jettable fixer ink comprises:
- (i) a multivalent metal salt, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of divalent metal ions such as Ca2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Mg2+, Zn2+ and Ba2+, trivalent metal ions, such as Al3+, Fe3+ and Cr3+, and mixtures thereof;
- and
- (ii) a salt stable, water soluble, predominantly non-ionic, polymeric binder, wherein said polymeric binder is a polyurethane comprising an ethylene oxide unit and has an average number molecular weight of about 5000 to about 25,000;
- wherein the polymeric binder is substantially non-reactive with the colorant;
- (b) applying the ink jettable fixer ink to the substrate, and
- (c) applying the aqueous colorant containing ink jettable ink to the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.