# US 8,784,549 B2 · Ink set for continuous inkjet printing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,784,549 B2 - Document ID: US8784549B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/234,695 - Filed: 2011-09-16 - Published: 2013-03-21 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-16 - Assignees: Eastman Kodak Company - Applicants: Alexandra DiLauro Bermel; Brian L Lindstrom; David John Nelson; Allan Francis Sowinski; David Louis Jeanmaire; Todd Russell Griffin - Inventors: Alexandra DiLauro Bermel; Brian L Lindstrom; David John Nelson; Allan Francis Sowinski; David Louis Jeanmaire; Todd Russell Griffin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784549B2 ## CPC - C09D 11/322: Pigment inks - C09D 11/38: characterised by non-macromolecular additives other than solvents, pigments or dyes - C09D 11/40: Ink-sets specially adapted for multi-colour inkjet printing - C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D) ## Abstract An aqueous inkjet ink set for use in continuous inkjet printing comprising at least one cyan ink, at least one yellow ink, at least one magenta ink, and at least one black ink, wherein each ink of the ink set comprises dispersed pigment particles and at least one surfactant selected to provide a 10-ms dynamic surface tension of less than 54 mN/m for each ink. The invention relates to continuous ink jet printing of aqueous pigmented ink compositions recycled from main ink supply reservoirs, employing a printer with drop ejectors and a drop deflector and non-printing drop catchers capable of returning unprinted ink to the fluid delivery systems following the capture of non-printing drops. The pigmented ink jet ink compositions provide for particularly suitable fluid properties on the drop catcher face that minimize printing defects that can occur during drop deflection during the printing of high dynamic range images at high speed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aqueous ink set for continuous inkjet printing comprising at least one cyan ink, at least one yellow ink, at least one magenta ink, and at least one black ink, wherein each ink of the ink set comprises dispersed pigment particles and the said cyan, yellow, magenta, and black pigment particles are dispersed with a polymeric dispersant, and at least one surfactant selected to provide a 10-ms dynamic surface tension of less than 54 mN/m for each ink, wherein each of the inks are comprised of less than 10 wt % of humectant and co-solvent and have a static surface tension of at least 35 mN/m, wherein the said cyan, yellow, magenta, and black inks each have a dynamic fluid viscosity of less than about 2.0 mPa-s, wherein at least one of the cyan, yellow, magenta, and black inks comprises a water soluble homopolymer or co-polymer additive distinct from any dispersant used to disperse the pigment particles, and wherein the polymer additive is present in an amount of from 0.05% to 5% by weight effective to stabilize the ink composition against particle aggregation caused by pumping the ink composition through a continuous ink jet printing fluid system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inkjet ink set of claim 1 wherein each ink of the ink set comprises at least one surfactant selected to provide a 10-ms dynamic surface tension of less than or equal to 53 mN/m. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The inkjet ink set of claim 1 wherein each ink of the ink set comprises at least one surfactant selected to provide a 10-ms dynamic surface tension of less than or equal to 51 mN/m. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The inkjet ink set of claim 1 wherein each ink of the ink set comprises at least one surfactant selected to provide a 10-ms dynamic surface tension of less than or equal to 50 mN/m. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The inkjet ink set of claim 1 wherein each of the inks comprise at least one surfactant selected to provide a 10-ms dynamic surface tension of less than or equal to 51 mN/m. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The inkjet ink set of claim 1 wherein each of the inks are comprised of less than or equal to 8 wt % of humectant and co-solvent. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The inkjet ink set of claim 6 wherein each of the inks comprise at least one surfactant selected to provide a 10-ms dynamic surface tension of less than or equal to 51 mN/m. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The inkjet ink set of claim 1 wherein the pigment particles in each of said cyan, yellow, magenta, and black inks have a median volume-weighted particle size of less than about 90 nm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The inkjet ink set of claim 1 wherein the pigment particles in each of said cyan, yellow, magenta, and black inks have 95th percentile volume-weighted particle size diameter of less than about 150 nm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The inkjet ink set of claim 1 wherein the said cyan, yellow, magenta, and black inks are each comprised of one or more acetylenic diol surface active compounds to modify fluid dynamic surface tension. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The inkjet ink set of claim 1 wherein each of the cyan, yellow, magenta, and black inks comprises a water soluble homopolymer or co-polymer additive distinct from any dispersant used to disperse the pigment particles, and wherein the polymer additive is present in an amount of from 0.05% to 5% by weight effective to stabilize the ink composition against particle aggregation caused by pumping the ink composition through a continuous ink jet printing fluid system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The inkjet ink set of claim 1, wherein polymeric dispersant comprises at least one hydrophilic monomer that is an acrylic acid or methacrylic acid monomer, and at least one monomer comprised of a hydrophobic methacrylate or acrylate monomer containing an aliphatic chain having greater than or equal to 12 carbons.