JP2000017208A - Ink jet ink - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an ink which can give a print or an image having a metallic luster by dispersing microcapsules containing a brilliant metallic powder in a medium. SOLUTION: There is provided an ink prepared by dispersing a brilliant metallic powder in the form of irregular-shaped flat flakes of a 0.3 μm or thinner metallized film in e.g. an aqueous medium. The metal used to form the metallized film is exemplified aluminum, silver, gold, nickel, chromium, tin, or zinc. The irregular-shaped flat flakes are obtained by forming a metallized film of a specified metal on a 4-40 μm thick releasable film such as of polytetrafluoroethylene by a dry film formation method such as metallizing, sputtering, or ion plating and releasing the formed film from the releasable film. Next, the flakes are ground to a size of 2-30 μm and then microencapsulated. Each microcapsule is composed of enclosed substances such as a brilliant metal powder and a colorant and a shell material being gelatin, an acrylic resin, or the like.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink-jet ink containing microcapsules containing at least an atypical flat piece of a metal-deposited film, and a print expressed on an object by the ink-jet ink. And an ink-jet ink capable of imparting metallic luster or the like to drawing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Ink jet inks are known in which water-soluble dyes, glycol-based solution stabilizers and the like, and viscosity modifiers such as alcohols and the like are dissolved or dispersed in water. Inkjet printers that use inkjet ink print and draw on the target object by ejecting the inkjet ink from the nozzles.I hate clogging the nozzles when the inkjet ink is ejected from the nozzles. Is hardly adopted.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to impart metallic luster to printing and drawing with an ink-jet ink, which is not found in conventional ink-jet inks.

[0004]

That is, the present invention relates to an ink-jet ink in which microcapsules are dispersed and contained in a medium, wherein the microcapsules contain a glittering metal powder. A glitter metal powder, wherein the inkjet ink is an atypical flat piece of a metal-deposited film having a thickness of 0.3 μm or less, wherein the metal-deposited film is aluminum, silver, gold, nickel, chromium, tin, zinc. And the above-described ink-jet ink, which is a simple metal of indium or one of alloys thereof, and the above-mentioned ink-jet ink, wherein the maximum length of the atypical flat piece is 20 μm or less.

The ink-jet ink of the present invention can impart metallic glitter to the printing or drawing by an ink-jet printer which can easily print and draw under the control of a microcomputer or the like. In an inkjet printer for a microcomputer used for ordinary office use or personal use, the ink jet port of the ink jet printer is extremely small, and clogging of the ink jet port of the ink jet printer is clarified. Used a water-soluble dye. In recent years, pigment-type inkjet inks have also been developed from the viewpoint of light resistance and weather resistance, and the tendency is particularly remarkable in large-size printers and commercial printers.
The inkjet ink of the present invention is not particularly limited in its use, but since a glittering metal powder is used to impart metallic glitter, a large printer,
It is suitable for ink in a commercial printer.
The ink-jet ink of the present invention suitably maintains the balance of storage stability of the ink, prevention of clogging, and imparting metallic glitter.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In the present invention, the metallic glitter powder varies depending on the application in view of the balance between the storage stability of the ink, the prevention of clogging, and the impartation of metallic glitter, and is particularly limited. However, it is preferable that the powder has a size of 2 μm to 30 μm, and conventional metal powders such as aluminum powder and bronze powder, and vapor-deposited metal irregular shaped flat pieces are used. Among them, a flat piece of a metal vapor-deposited film is preferable from the viewpoint of concealing properties, glittering properties, and the like. The atypical flat piece of the metal-deposited film having a thickness of 0.3 μm or less in the present invention is a metal-deposited thin film layer having a thickness of about 0.03 μm to 0.3 μm. Although it is not particularly limited as long as it has a function such as having a metallic luster, aluminum, silver, gold, nickel, chromium, tin, zinc, indium and the like are used, and these single metals or these are used. At least one of the alloys is used. In addition, one or two or more of the above examples may be appropriately selected and used in one or more layers. The thickness of these metal vapor-deposited films is preferably in the range of 0.03 μm to 0.3 μm. When the thickness is less than 0.03 μm, the performance in terms of glitter is poor.
When it exceeds, the reflective property, even if the thickness is further increased,
It has little effect on the increase in brilliancy and the like, and is not economically advantageous.

In the present invention, in order to obtain an atypical flat piece of the above-mentioned metal deposited film, for example, on a releasable film,
A production method in which at least a metal-deposited film is formed, the release film is peeled off, and a film having at least the metal-deposited film is pulverized is preferably employed. The formation of the metal vapor deposition (thin film) film on the peelable film is not particularly limited in the method, and a dry thin film formation method such as vapor deposition, sputtering, and ion plating is preferable. After the formation of the metal deposition layer thin film, various colored layers, resin layers such as protective layers, and the like may be further formed on the layer as needed. The formation of the metal vapor-deposited film on the peelable film may be performed by providing one layer of the target metal vapor-deposited film (layer) or two or more layers.
When providing two or more layers, a resin layer or the like may be interposed between the layers, or the layers may be directly laminated without any intervention. In the case of this multi-layer formation, peeling from the peelable film is facilitated and often preferred.

The precursor (composite) of the atypical flat piece obtained as a thin film layered product formed on the peelable film and from which the peelable film has been peeled is crushed to obtain the atypical flat piece of the present invention. The pulverizing method is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a jet mill, a ball mill, a ring roll mill, a hammer mill, and a tube mill. The atypical flat piece of the metal-deposited film preferably used in the present invention is 0.3 μm or less in thickness of the metal-deposited film, but has a thickness of 2 μm to 3 μm including other resin layers, Although the size of the deviated plane is atypical, it is difficult to express it with a constant name,
When expressed by the maximum length of the deviated plane, 2 μm to 30 μm
μm is preferred. Among them, those having a size of 20 μm or less are more preferable. When the thickness is less than 2 μm, the brightness is often insufficient. When the thickness is more than 30 μm, microencapsulation becomes difficult or the microcapsules are often excessively large.

The releasable films used in the present invention include films such as polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate, polyamide films such as 66 nylon and 6 nylon, polycarbonate films, and the like.
Examples include a triacetate film and a polyimide film, but are not particularly limited. The thickness of these films is from 4 μm to 40 μm, and those having a thickness of less than 4 μm have many problems in handling in the process and the like.
If it exceeds, flexibility is poor, and problems such as peeling increase.

In the present invention, the main point is to disperse microcapsules containing the glittering metal powder in water or the like to form an ink-jet ink. Other components used in the ink-jet ink, for example, Various conventionally known components may be appropriately selected as the coloring materials such as dyes, viscosity modifiers such as glycerin and diethylene glycol, drying accelerators such as ethanol, surfactants, and defoamers.

[0011] The medium of the ink-jet ink of the present invention comprises:
Although an aqueous medium or an organic solvent medium may be used, an aqueous medium is preferable from the viewpoint of safety and the like. The size of the microcapsule in the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 5 μm to 70 μm. The microcapsule is composed of an outer shell member, a glitter metal powder, a specific gravity adjuster, and an encapsulating agent such as a dye such as a dye or a pigment. The specific gravity adjuster is for improving storage stability by making the specific gravity of the microcapsules and the ink medium substantially equal, does not hinder the glitter of the metal powder, and is excellent in transparency. It is preferable that the specific gravity is as light as possible and inexpensive.

The specific gravity adjusting agent includes, but is not limited to, gases such as air, argon and nitrogen, oils and fats, liquids such as organic solvents, and solids such as paraffin and powdered oils and fats. Oils and fats preferably used include linseed oil, olive oil, coconut oil and soybean oil.

As the encapsulating agent, an antioxidant, an ultraviolet absorber, a fragrance, and the like may be used in addition to the glitter metal powder, the specific gravity adjusting agent, and the dye such as the dye and the pigment. As the outer skin material,
It is preferably an inexpensive one having excellent transparency, light specific gravity as much as possible, and examples thereof include, but are not limited to, gelatin, starch, polyester, polyvinyl alcohol, sodium alginate, nitrocellulose, styrene resin, and acrylic resin. Not something. Microcapsules can be prepared by a known method.
For example, Japanese Patent No. 25626234 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-408
The method described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 95 is cited. ,

[0014]

According to the present invention, an ink jet ink capable of imparting metallic luster to printing and drawing by using microcapsules containing a glittering metal powder such as an extremely thin metal vapor-deposited film due to its excellent glittering properties. Is obtained,
By using microcapsules having a controlled specific gravity, it is possible to provide an ink-jet ink having low storage stability, that is, little sedimentation even when metal powder is used.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An inkjet ink in which microcapsules are dispersed and contained in a medium, wherein the microcapsules contain a glittering metal powder. 2. The ink-jet ink according to claim 1, wherein the glittering metal powder is an atypical flat piece of a metal deposited film having a thickness of 0.3 μm or less. 3. The ink-jet ink according to claim 1, wherein the metal vapor-deposited film is a simple metal of aluminum, silver, gold, nickel, chromium, tin, zinc, or indium or one of alloys thereof. 4. The ink-jet ink according to claim 1, wherein the maximum length of the atypical flat piece is 20 μm or less.