JP2006193655A - Organic pigment fine particle and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a production method in which an organic pigment can simply be obtained in good purity and to provide organic pigment fine particles (monodisperse organic pigment fine particles) having uniform particle diameters and to provide a method for producing organic pigment fine particles in which sizes of fine particles can be controlled. <P>SOLUTION: The method for producing the organic pigment fine particles comprises forming fine particles by bringing an organic pigment solution obtained by dissolving an organic pigment into an aqueous medium containing at least one dispersant into a flow and contact with a solution for adjusting pH of the pigment solution as a laminar flow through a passage (a channel) and changing a hydrogen ion index (pH) of the organic pigment solution in the flow process and controlling the temperature at which the contact flow of the organic pigment solution with the solution for adjusting pH of the pigment solution is carried out. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for producing organic pigment fine particles. More specifically, it is a manufacturing method characterized by changing the temperature during contact flow when changing the hydrogen ion exponent (pH) of an organic pigment solution that flows as a laminar flow in a channel (channel). The present invention relates to an organic pigment obtained and a dispersion containing the same.

  Pigments exhibit vivid color tone and high coloring power, and are widely used in many fields. For example, paints, printing inks, electrophotographic toners, ink-jet inks, color filters, and the like can be cited as applications, and now they are important compounds indispensable in daily life. The general properties of pigments and the classification by use are described in Non-Patent Document 1, for example. Among the above-mentioned uses, high performance is required, and particularly important in practical use include pigments for inkjet inks and pigments for color filters.

  Dyes have been used as coloring materials for ink-jet inks, but there are drawbacks in terms of water resistance and light resistance, and pigments have been used to improve them. The image obtained with the pigment ink has a remarkable advantage in that it is excellent in light resistance and water resistance as compared with the image obtained by the dye-based ink. However, it has been difficult to uniformly refine (ie, monodisperse) a nanometer size that can penetrate into the voids on the paper surface, resulting in poor adhesion to paper.

  With the increase in the number of pixels in a digital camera, it is desired to reduce the thickness of a color filter used for a CCD sensor. An organic pigment is used for the color filter. However, since the thickness of the filter greatly depends on the particle diameter of the organic pigment, production of monodispersed and stable fine particles at a nanometer size level has been desired.

  In general, the method for producing fine particles is roughly divided into a breakdown method for producing from a bulk material by pulverization or the like, as shown in Non-Patent Document 2, etc., and a build-up method for producing by particle growth from the gas phase or liquid phase. ing. Conventionally, the pulverization method that is frequently used is a fine particle production method that is highly practical. However, in order to produce nanometer-sized particles of organic substances, the productivity is extremely low and applicable substances are limited. There are various problems, and in recent years, it has been examined whether nano-sized organic substances can be made into fine particles by the build-up method.

  As one of the methods disclosed recently, there is a method of atomizing an azo pigment, which is one of organic pigments, using a supercritical fluid or a subcritical fluid (for example, Patent Document 1). That is, it is a method for producing fine particles by dissolving a pigment in a supercritical fluid or a subcritical fluid and returning it to room temperature and normal pressure to grow crystals. In order to carry out this method, there is a problem that an apparatus capable of realizing an extremely high temperature and pressure in the vicinity of the supercritical temperature and pressure is necessary, and that organic compounds are generally easily decomposed under such conditions.

As a second method, there is a method of microparticulation using a microjet reactor which is one of microchemical process techniques (described later) (for example, Patent Documents 2, 3, and 4). In this method, the solution in which the pigment is dissolved and the precipitation medium liquid are pumped into two nozzles of different micrometer sizes facing each other at high pressure (for example, 5 MPa). In this method, air is introduced vertically, and the pigment suspension is discharged with the gas flow (about 0.5 m ³ / h). Among these, the methods described in Patent Documents 2 and 4 correspond to a breakdown method in which pigment particles are made fine by colliding pigment suspensions in a chamber. On the other hand, the method described in Patent Document 3 is to produce fine particles by spraying a pigment solution and a precipitation medium into a chamber to cause precipitation, and it is appropriate to consider the method as a build-up method. This method is devised to generate particles in a micrometer-scale small space and immediately take it out of the device to prevent clogging of the device with pigment fine particles, which is preferable for obtaining fine particles with a narrow particle size distribution. However, it is difficult to control the contact time between the two liquids, which makes it difficult to control the reaction delicately.

  A third method is a method in which a solution in which an organic pigment is dissolved is gradually brought into contact with an aqueous medium to precipitate the pigment (so-called coprecipitation method (reprecipitation method)). There is a method for producing fine particles (Patent Document 5). With this method, nanometer-sized particles can be easily produced, but when the scale is scaled up, the particle size varies, and needle-shaped particles are easily generated. However, when the particle shape was observed with a transmission electron microscope, it was a needle-like particle having a considerably long length, and it was unsuitable as a fine particle for an inkjet ink having a spherical shape.

  In addition, a method of producing organic pigment fine particles by injecting an organic pigment solution dissolved in an amide solvent into a poor solvent under stirring conditions is disclosed (Patent Document 6). However, since this method is brought into contact with the solvent by stirring, there are problems in terms of the particle size and monodispersibility obtained, and the solvent is limited to amides, and is not versatile.

  In addition, there is a method called conditioning that heats coarse particles to adjust the particle size as a method that is intermediate between the build-up method and breakdown method. Recently, a micro method using the idea of micro chemical process technology (described later). A method for conditioning an organic pigment in a reactor is disclosed (Patent Document 7). By continuously introducing a suspension of liquid pigment precursor (a pigment with a wide particle size distribution in a solution) into a microreactor and heat-treating, the phase change of the pigment crystal particles in the suspension At the same time, the average particle size is larger than that of the precursor, but particles having a narrow particle size distribution can be produced. Although this method has an advantage that particles having a narrow particle size distribution can be obtained, there is a disadvantage that the particle size of a small particle size in the precursor is increased.

  In recent years, since a chemical reaction can be performed efficiently, a technology for performing a chemical reaction using a reaction channel having a minute channel cross-sectional area, a so-called “micro chemical process technology”, has attracted attention. “Micro chemical process technology” is a material production / chemical analysis technology that uses chemical / physical phenomena expressed in a micro flow channel of several μm to several hundred μm wide created on a solid substrate by micro processing technology. is there.

  A general method for producing a disazo condensation pigment is described in, for example, Non-Patent Document 3 described above. On the other hand, as a method for producing a pigment in a microreactor based on a microchemical process technique, methods for producing a disazo condensation pigment and a diketopyrrolopyrrole pigment are disclosed in, for example, Patent Documents 8 and 9. . These can be considered as a kind of build-up method. In the description of Patent Document 8, the process leading to disazo pigment synthesis is performed in a microreactor, but since the raw material compound itself has low solubility, it is introduced into the microreactor as a suspension. If the condition control is mistaken, there is a high possibility of blocking the route, and it must be said that there is difficulty from the viewpoint of reproducibility and continuous production.

JP 2002-138216 A JP 2002-146222 A JP 2002-155221 A JP 2002-161218 A JP 2003-26972 A JP 2004-91560 A JP 2002-30230 A JP 2002-38043 A JP 2002-12788 A “Pigment Dispersion Stabilization and Surface Treatment Technology / Evaluation” 2001, pages 123-224, Technical Information Association. "Chemical Course of 4th Edition", Volume 12 of the Chemical Society of Japan, Year, 411-488, Maruzen Co., Ltd. W. Herbst, K. Hunger, “Industrial Organic Pigments, Production, Properties, Applications, Second Completely Revised Edition”, VCH A Wiley company, 1997, p. 595-630

  An object of this invention is to provide the organic pigment fine particle which solved the trouble of the conventional buildup method, and its manufacturing method. More specifically, an object is to obtain an organic pigment simply and with high purity, and to provide a specific production method thereof. It is another object of the present invention to provide organic pigment fine particles (monodispersed organic pigment fine particles) having a uniform particle size and to provide a method for producing organic pigment fine particles capable of arbitrarily controlling the size of the fine particles.

The above problems have been achieved by the following means.
(1) An organic pigment solution in which an organic pigment is dissolved in an aqueous medium containing at least one dispersant and a pH adjusting solution of the solution are circulated in a flow path (channel) as a laminar flow, and the flow process A method for producing fine organic pigment particles, wherein the hydrogen ion exponent (pH) of the organic pigment solution is changed and the temperature during contact flow is adjusted to make fine particles.
(2) The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to (1), wherein the organic pigment solution is alkaline.
(3) The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to (1) or (2), wherein the organic pigment solution is a homogeneous solution in which an organic pigment is dissolved in a homogeneous mixed solvent of water and an organic solvent.
(4) The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the flow path has an equivalent diameter of 10 mm or less.
(5) The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein at least one of the dispersants is a polymer dispersant.
(6) The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the organic pigment fine particles are obtained as a dispersion thereof.
(7) The method for producing fine organic pigment particles according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the flow path has an equivalent diameter of 1 mm or less.
(8) The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the laminar flow path is a micro reaction field.
(9) The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the temperature during the contact flow is adjusted in any one or a plurality of processes of the reaction. .
(10) At least one of the organic pigment solution and the aqueous medium has a dispersant, and both are brought into contact with each other in a flow path having an equivalent diameter of 1 mm or less, and are changed into fine particles by changing the temperature during contact flow. A method for producing a pigment dispersion.
(11) The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to (10), wherein the organic pigment solution is alkaline.
(12) The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to (10) or (11), wherein the temperature during the contact flow is adjusted in any one or a plurality of processes of the reaction.

According to the present invention, the flow reaction is carried out in a laminar flow channel, and the continuous method is used for the pigment fine particles and the dispersion thereof promptly under a simpler and milder condition than in the conventional method using a flask or the like. Can be manufactured.
That is, the reaction time can be controlled by a flow reaction using a laminar flow channel, and the precision of reaction temperature control in a narrow space can be used to suppress undesirable side reactions. Also, in the preparation of finely divided pigments, in particular in the preparation of pigment dispersions, the time required for commercialization can be drastically reduced due to the numbering up (parallel arrangement of devices) unlike the conventional scale-up.
In addition, the production method of the present invention can realize a more precise monodispersed state of organic pigment fine particles, enables control of particle diameter and particle shape, and can obtain fine particles having a desired size in a wide range. It can also be expected that a new function or a higher function is expressed in the obtained dispersion liquid or the fine particles contained therein.

  As a method for producing organic pigment fine particles, there is a method of stirring and mixing in a flask or tank (batch method), but the particle size can hardly be changed by changing the mixing ratio, and the control range is limited. It will be. The production method of the present invention enables the particle size to be controlled in a wide range by allowing the pigment fine particle solution to flow through the flow path and changing the temperature at the time of contact flow of the flowing liquid, and also the monodispersity of the particles. It can be improved. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

The channel used in the production method of the present invention is preferably a channel having an equivalent diameter capable of forming a laminar flow.
Equivalent diameter, also called equivalent diameter, is a term used in the field of mechanical engineering. When an equivalent circular pipe is assumed for a pipe having an arbitrary cross-sectional shape (a flow path in the present invention), the diameter of the equivalent circular pipe is referred to as an equivalent diameter. The equivalent diameter (d _eq ) is defined as d _eq = 4 A / p, using A: the cross-sectional area of the pipe, and p: the wet wetting length (circumferential length) of the pipe. When applied to a circular tube, this equivalent diameter corresponds to the circular tube diameter. The equivalent diameter is used to estimate the flow or heat transfer characteristics of the pipe based on the data of the equivalent circular pipe, and represents the spatial scale (typical length) of the phenomenon. The equivalent diameter is d _eq = 4a ² / 4a = a for a regular square tube with one side a, and for a regular triangle tube with one side a,

流路高さｈの平行平板間の流れではｄ_ｅｑ＝２ｈとなる（例えば、（社）日本機械学会編「機械工学事典」１９９７年、丸善（株）参照）。
管の中に水を流し、その中心軸状に細い管を挿入し着色した液を注入すると、水の流速が遅い間は、着色液は一本の線となって流れ、水は管壁に平行にまっすぐに流れる。しかし、流速を上げ、ある一定の流速に達すると急に水流の中に乱れが生じ、着色液は水流と混じって全体が着色した流れになる。前者の流れを層流（laminar flow）、後者を乱流（turbulent flow）という。
流れが層流になるか乱流になるかは流れの様子を示す無次元数であるレイノルズ数（Reynolds number）が、ある臨界値以下であるかによって決まる。レイノルズ数が小さいほど層流を形成しやすい。管内の流れのレイノルズ数Reは次式で表される。

In the flow between parallel flat plates having a flow path height h, d _eq = 2h (for example, see “Mechanical Engineering Dictionary” edited by The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, 1997, Maruzen Co., Ltd.).
When water is poured into the tube, a thin tube is inserted into its central axis and colored liquid is injected, the colored liquid flows as a single line while the flow rate of water is low, and the water flows on the tube wall. It flows straight in parallel. However, when the flow velocity is increased and reaches a certain flow velocity, the water flow suddenly becomes turbulent, and the colored liquid is mixed with the water flow to become a colored flow. The former flow is called laminar flow, and the latter flow is called turbulent flow.
Whether the flow becomes laminar or turbulent depends on whether the Reynolds number, which is a dimensionless number indicating the flow, is below a certain critical value. The smaller the Reynolds number, the easier it is to form a laminar flow. The Reynolds number Re of the flow in the pipe is expressed by the following equation.

Re = D <υ _x > ρ / μ
D is the equivalent diameter of the tube, <υ _x > is the average cross-sectional velocity, ρ is the density of the fluid, and μ is the viscosity of the fluid. As can be seen from this equation, the smaller the equivalent diameter, the smaller the Reynolds number. Therefore, in the case of an equivalent diameter of μm, it becomes easy to form a stable laminar flow. It can also be seen that the liquid physical properties of density and viscosity also affect the Reynolds number, and the smaller the density and the larger the viscosity, the smaller the Reynolds number and the easier it is to form a laminar flow.

A Reynolds number indicating a critical value is called a critical Reynolds number. The critical Reynolds number is not always constant, but the next value is the standard.
Re <2300 laminar flow
Re> 3000 Turbulence
3000 ≧ Re ≧ 2300 Transient state As the equivalent diameter of the flow path decreases, the surface area per unit volume (specific surface area) increases, but when the flow path becomes microscale, the specific surface area increases dramatically. The heat transfer efficiency through the wall is very high. Since the heat transfer time (t) in the fluid flowing through the flow path is expressed by t = d _eq ² / α (α: the thermal diffusivity of the liquid), the heat transfer time becomes shorter as the equivalent diameter becomes smaller. That is, when the equivalent diameter is 1/10, the heat transfer time is 1/100. When the equivalent diameter is microscale, the heat transfer speed is extremely fast.

That is, since the Reynolds number is small in a micro-size space having an equivalent diameter of microscale, the flow reaction can be performed under stable laminar flow control. Since the interfacial surface area between the laminar flows is very large, it is possible to mix the component molecules at high speed and accurately by molecular diffusion between the interfaces while maintaining the laminar flow. In addition, the use of a channel wall having a large surface area enables precise temperature control and precise control of reaction time by flow rate control of the flow reaction. Therefore, among the channels forming the laminar flow of the present invention, a microscale channel having an equivalent diameter which is a field capable of highly controlling reaction is defined as a micro reaction field.
As shown in the description of the Reynolds number, the formation of a laminar flow is greatly influenced not only by the size of the equivalent diameter but also by the flow conditions including liquid properties such as viscosity and density. Therefore, in the present invention, the equivalent diameter of the flow path is not limited as long as the flow path can be made laminar, but a size capable of easily forming a laminar flow is preferable. Preferably it is 10 mm or less, More preferably, it is 1 mm or less which forms a micro reaction field. More preferably, it is 10 micrometers-1 mm, Most preferably, it is 20-300 micrometers.

A typical reactor having a microscale-sized flow path (channel) preferable for the production method of the present invention is generally referred to as a “microreactor”, and has recently been greatly developed (for example, W. Ehrfeld, V. Hessel, H. Loewe, “Microreactor”, 1Ed (2000) WILEY-VCH).
The general microreactor is provided with a plurality of microchannels having an equivalent diameter of several μm to several hundreds of μm when the cross section is converted into a circle, and a mixing space connected to these microchannels. In such a microreactor, a plurality of solutions are introduced into a mixing space through a plurality of microchannels, thereby mixing the plurality of solutions or causing a chemical reaction with the mixing.

  Next, the main points in which the reaction by the microreactor is different from the batch method using a tank or the like will be described. Liquid-phase chemical reactions and two-phase liquid-phase chemical reactions generally occur when molecules meet at the interface of the reaction solution. The area of the interface increases and the reaction efficiency increases significantly. In addition, the diffusion time of the molecule itself is proportional to the square of the distance. This means that as the scale is reduced, the reaction proceeds more easily due to the diffusion of the molecules without active mixing of the reaction solution, and the reaction tends to occur. In microspaces, the Reynolds number (the dimensionless number that characterizes the flow) is small, so the flow is dominated by laminar flow, and the molecules that exist in each solution at the interface where the solutions are in a laminar flow state. Exchange occurs, and the migrated molecules cause precipitation and reaction.

  When a microreactor having such characteristics is used, the reaction time and temperature between solutions can be precisely controlled as compared with a conventional batch system using a large volume tank or the like as a reaction field. In the case of the batch method, the reaction proceeds at the reaction contact surface at the initial stage of mixing, particularly between solutions with a high reaction rate, and the primary product generated by the reaction between the solutions continues to be reacted in the vessel. Therefore, there is a possibility that the product becomes non-uniform or the crystals of the product grow more than necessary and become coarse in the mixing container. On the other hand, according to the microreactor used in the present invention, the solution circulates continuously with almost no stagnation in the mixing container, so that the primary product generated by the reaction between the solutions is in the mixing container. It is possible to suppress the subsequent reaction during the stay, and it is possible to take out pure primary products that were difficult to remove in the past, and also to agglomerate and coarsen crystals in the mixing vessel It becomes difficult to occur.

  In addition, when a small amount of chemical substances produced by an experimental production facility is manufactured (scaled up) in a large amount by a large-scale production facility, a large-scale batch method is conventionally used. It took a great deal of labor and time to obtain reproducibility at the manufacturing facility, but by parallelizing (numbering up) the production lines using microreactors according to the required production volume, The labor and time required to obtain a good reproducibility can be greatly reduced.

  A preferred method for producing the channel used in the present invention will be described below. If the equivalent diameter of the flow path is 1 mm or more, it can be made relatively easily by using conventional machining techniques. However, if the size is a micro size of 1 mm or less, particularly 500 μm or less, it is extremely difficult to manufacture. Become. A micro-sized channel (micro channel) is often formed on a solid substrate using a microfabrication technique. The substrate material may be anything as long as it is a stable material that does not easily corrode. For example, metal (for example, stainless steel, hastelloy (Ni—Fe alloy), nickel, aluminum, silver, gold, platinum, tantalum, or titanium), glass, plastic, silicone, Teflon (registered trademark), or ceramics.

  Representative examples of microfabrication techniques for producing microchannels include LIGA (Roentgen-Lithographie Galvanik Abforming) technology using X-ray lithography, high aspect ratio photo using EPON SU-8 (trade name). Lithography method, micro electric discharge machining method (μ-EDM (Micro Electro Discharge Machining)), deep RIE (Reactive Ion Etching) silicon high aspect ratio processing method, Hot Emboss processing method, optical modeling method, laser processing method, ion beam Machining methods, and mechanical micro-cutting methods using micro tools made of hard materials such as diamond. These techniques may be used alone or in combination. Preferred microfabrication techniques are LIGA technology using X-ray lithography, high aspect ratio photolithography using EPON SU-8, micro electrical discharge machining (μ-EDM), and mechanical micromachining. In recent years, the application of fine injection molding technology to engineering plastics has been studied.

  Joining techniques are often used when creating microchannels. The usual bonding techniques are roughly divided into solid phase bonding and liquid phase bonding, and the commonly used bonding methods are pressure bonding and diffusion bonding as solid phase bonding, welding, eutectic bonding, soldering as liquid phase bonding, Adhesion or the like is a typical joining method. In addition, during assembly, a highly precise bonding method that maintains dimensional accuracy without deteriorating material due to high temperature heating or destruction of micro structures such as flow paths due to large deformation is desirable. There are bonding, anodic bonding, surface activation bonding, direct bonding using hydrogen bonding, bonding using HF aqueous solution, Au-Si eutectic bonding, void-free bonding, and the like.

  The micro flow path used in the manufacturing method of the present invention is not limited to those prepared on a solid substrate using a microfabrication technique, and for example, various types of fused silica having an inner diameter of several μm to several hundred μm that can be obtained. A capillary tube may be used. Various silicon tubes, fluororesin tubes, stainless steel tubes, PEEK tubes (polyether ether ketone tubes) with an inner diameter of several μm to several hundreds of μm that are commercially available for high-performance liquid chromatographs and gas chromatographs are also used. Is possible.

  So far, microreactors have been reported on devices aimed at improving reaction efficiency. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2003-210960, 2003-210963, and 2003-210959 relate to micromixers, and the present invention can use these microdevices.

  The microchannel used in the present invention may be surface-treated depending on the purpose. In particular, when an aqueous solution is manipulated, surface treatment is important because adsorption of the sample to glass or silicon may be a problem. It would be desirable to achieve fluid control within a micro-sized channel without incorporating moving parts that require complex fabrication processes. For example, it is possible to create a hydrophilic region and a hydrophobic region by surface treatment in the flow path, and manipulate the fluid by utilizing the difference in surface tension acting on the boundary. As a method for surface treatment of glass or silicon, hydrophobic or hydrophilic surface treatment using a silane coupling agent is frequently used.

  In order to introduce and mix reagents and samples into the flow path, a fluid control function is required. In particular, since the behavior of the fluid in the microchannel has a property different from that of the macroscale, a control method suitable for the microscale must be considered. The fluid control method includes a continuous flow method and a liquid droplet (liquid plug) method in terms of form classification, and an electric drive method and a pressure drive method in terms of drive force classification.

  These methods are described in detail below. The most widely used form for handling fluid is the continuous flow system. In continuous flow type fluid control, the entire microchannel is generally filled with fluid, and the entire fluid is generally driven by a pressure source such as a syringe pump prepared outside. This method has a great advantage that a control system can be realized with a relatively simple setup, although it is difficult to have a large dead volume.

  As a method different from the continuous flow method, there is a droplet (liquid plug) method. In this system, droplets partitioned by air are moved in the reactor or in a flow path leading to the reactor, and each droplet is driven by air pressure. At that time, a vent structure that allows the air between the droplet and the channel wall or between the droplets to escape to the outside as needed, and a valve structure that keeps the pressure in the branched channel independent of other parts Etc. need to be prepared inside the reactor system. Further, in order to control the pressure difference and operate the droplet, it is necessary to construct a pressure control system including a pressure source and a switching valve outside. In this way, the droplet system makes the device configuration and the reactor structure somewhat complicated, but it can be operated in multiple stages, such as operating several droplets individually and sequentially performing several reactions. The degree of freedom of configuration increases.

As a driving method for fluid control, an electric driving method is used in which an electroosmotic flow is generated by applying a high voltage to both ends of a flow path (channel) and fluid is moved by this, and pressure is applied to the fluid using a pressure source outside. In general, a pressure driving method of moving by applying a pressure is widely used. The difference between the two is that, for example, the behavior of the fluid is a flat distribution when the flow velocity profile is electrically driven in the cross section of the flow path, whereas the center of the flow path is It is known that the wall portion is fast and has a slow distribution, and the electric drive method is more suitable for the purpose of moving the sample plug while maintaining the shape thereof. When the electric drive method is used, the flow path needs to be filled with a fluid, so it must be in the form of a continuous flow method, but the fluid can be manipulated by electrical control. Therefore, for example, a relatively complicated process of creating a temporal concentration gradient by changing the mixing ratio of two kinds of solutions continuously is realized. In the case of the pressure drive system, there is almost no influence on the substrate because control is possible regardless of the electrical properties of the fluid, and secondary effects such as heat generation and electrolysis do not need to be considered. The application range is wide. On the other hand, it is necessary to automate complicated processes such as the necessity of preparing a pressure source outside and the change of the response characteristics of the operation according to the size of the dead volume of the pressure system.
The fluid control method in the production method of the present invention is appropriately selected depending on the purpose, but is preferably a continuous flow type pressure driving method.

The temperature control in the flow path used in the production method of the present invention is controlled by putting the entire apparatus having a flow path or a part thereof (for example, a portion corresponding to a fluid confluence) into a temperature-controlled container. Can do. In addition, a heater such as a metal resistance wire or polysilicon may be built in the apparatus, the heating may be used, and the cooling may be controlled by a natural cycle. Moreover, you may heat and cool from the outside by making a Peltier device contact a flow path. Further, the solution to be circulated may be heated or cooled to a predetermined temperature in advance to adjust the temperature during contact circulation. At this time, the two liquids to be circulated may be set to different temperatures. Which method is used can be selected according to the target temperature, the material of the flow path body, and the like.
For temperature sensing, when using a metal resistance wire, it is preferable to create another resistance wire that is the same as the heater and detect the temperature based on the change in the resistance value. It is preferable to detect using a pair.
The temperature control and / or detection of the flow path is any process of the reaction process (in the present invention, the reaction process refers to the entire process from the delivery of the reaction solution to the flow through the flow process to obtain the dispersion). It may be performed in a plurality of processes.

In the production method of the present invention, the production of the pigment or the preparation of the pigment dispersion is performed while flowing in the flow path, that is, by a continuous flow method. Therefore, the reaction time is controlled by the time spent in the flow path. The residence time is determined by the length of the flow path and the introduction speed of the reaction solution when the equivalent diameter is constant. Although there is no restriction | limiting in particular in the length of a flow path, Preferably they are 1 mm or more and 10 m or less, More preferably, they are 5 mm or more and 10 m or less, Especially preferably, they are 10 mm or more and 5 m or less.
The number of the flow paths used in the present invention may be one as long as it is appropriately provided by the reaction apparatus, but may be one, but if necessary, the number of flow paths is paralleled (numbering up) to increase the processing amount. I can do it.

Examples of preferred reactors used in the present invention are shown in FIGS.
1-1 is explanatory drawing of the reactor 10 which has a Y-shaped flow path, FIG. 1-2 is sectional drawing of the II line | wire. The shape of the cross section perpendicular to the length direction of the flow path varies depending on the microfabrication technique used, but is a trapezoidal shape or a shape close to a rectangle. When the channel width / depth (especially C, H) is made in a micro size, the solution injected from the introduction port 11 and the introduction port 12 by a pump or the like passes through the introduction channel 13a or the introduction channel 13b. Then, they contact at the fluid confluence 13d, form a stable laminar flow, and flow through the reaction channel 13c. During the laminar flow, the solutes contained in the laminar flows are mixed or reacted by molecular diffusion at the interface between the laminar flows. In some cases, a solute that is very slowly diffusing does not cause diffusive mixing between laminar flows and mixes only after reaching the outlet 14. When the two solutions to be injected are easily mixed in the flask, if the flow path length F is long, the flow of liquid can be uniform at the outlet, but when the flow path length F is short, Laminar flow is maintained up to the outlet. When the two solutions to be injected do not mix in the flask and are separated into layers, the two solutions naturally flow as laminar flows and reach the outlet 14.

FIG. 2-1 is an explanatory view of a reaction apparatus (20) having a cylindrical tube-type flow path provided with a flow path inserted on one side, and FIG. 2-2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus taken along line IIa-IIa. FIG. 2-3 is a sectional view taken along line IIb-IIb of the apparatus. The shape of the cross section perpendicular to the length direction of the flow path is a circle or a shape close thereto. When the diameter (D, E) of the cylindrical tube is a micro size, the solution injected by a pump or the like from the introduction port 21 and the introduction port 22 contacts at the fluid confluence 23d through the introduction channel 23a and the introduction channel 23b. Then, a stable cylindrical laminar flow is formed and flows through the reaction channel 23c. In the same way as the apparatus of FIG. 1-1, the solutes contained in each laminar flow are mixed or reacted by molecular diffusion at the interface between the laminar flows while flowing as a cylindrical laminar flow. Compared with the device shown in FIG. 1-1 above, the present device having a cylindrical channel has a larger contact interface between the two liquids, and further, there is no portion where the contact interface contacts the device wall surface. The feature is that there is no crystal growth from the contact portion with the wall surface, such as when it is generated by reaction, and the possibility of blocking the flow path is low.
Furthermore, it can also be set as the apparatus which forms a multiple laminar flow by inserting a cylindrical tube in multiple (for example, a smaller diameter cylindrical tube is inserted inside the introduction flow path 23b to form a triple laminar flow. be able to).

  FIGS. 3-1 and 4 are modifications of the apparatus of FIGS. 1-1 and 2-1 so that when the two liquid flows reach the outlet in a laminar flow, they can be separated. When these devices are used, reaction and separation can be performed simultaneously. Moreover, it can be avoided that the two liquids are finally mixed and the reaction proceeds too much or the crystal becomes coarse. When a product or a crystal is selectively present in one liquid, the product or the crystal can be obtained at a higher concentration than when the two liquids are mixed. In addition, by connecting several of these devices, there is an advantage that the extraction operation is performed efficiently. Also, the apparatus shown in FIG. 4 may be an apparatus having a multi-cylindrical tube that forms a multi-laminar flow as in the apparatus shown in FIG.

  In the production method of the present invention, an organic pigment solution uniformly dissolved in an alkaline or acidic aqueous medium is circulated as a laminar flow in the flow path, and the hydrogen ion index (pH) of the solution is changed in the process. It is preferable to produce organic pigment fine particles or a dispersion containing the same, and this point will be described in detail.

  The organic pigment used in the present invention is not limited in hue, and may be a magenta pigment, a yellow pigment, or a cyan pigment. Specifically, perylene, perinone, quinacridone, quinacridonequinone, anthraquinone, anthanthrone, benzimidazolone, disazo condensation, disazo, azo, indanthrone, phthalocyanine, triarylcarbonium, dioxazine, aminoanthraquinone, diketopyrrolopyrrole, thioindigo, Magenta pigments such as isoindoline, isoindolinone, pyranthrone or isoviolanthrone pigments or mixtures thereof, yellow pigments, or cyan pigments.

  More specifically, for example, C.I. I. Pigment red 190 (C.I. No. 71140), C.I. I. Pigment red 224 (C.I. No. 71127), C.I. I. Perylene pigments such as CI Pigment Violet 29 (C.I. No. 71129); I. Pigment orange 43 (C.I. No. 71105), or C.I. I. Perinone pigments such as CI Pigment Red 194 (C.I. No. 71100); I. Pigment violet 19 (C.I. No. 73900), C.I. I. Pigment violet 42, C.I. I. Pigment red 122 (C.I. No. 73915), C.I. I. Pigment red 192, C.I. I. Pigment red 202 (C.I. No. 73907), C.I. I. Pigment Red 207 (C.I. No. 73900, 73906) or C.I. I. Pigment Red 209 (C.I. No. 73905), a quinacridone pigment, C.I. I. Pigment red 206 (C.I. No. 73900/73920), C.I. I. Pigment orange 48 (C.I. No. 73900/73920), or C.I. I. Quinacridone quinone pigments such as CI Pigment Orange 49 (C.I. No. 73900/73920); I. Anthraquinone pigments such as CI Pigment Yellow 147 (C.I. No. 60645); I. Anthanthrone pigments such as CI Pigment Red 168 (C.I. No. 59300); I. Pigment brown 25 (C.I. No. 12510), C.I. I. Pigment violet 32 (C.I. No. 12517), C.I. I. Pigment yellow 180 (C.I. No. 21290), C.I. I. Pigment Yellow 181 (C.I. No. 11777), C.I. I. Pigment orange 62 (C.I. No. 11775), or C.I. I. Benzimidazolone pigments such as CI Pigment Red 185 (C.I. No. 12516); I. Pigment yellow 93 (C.I. No. 20710), C.I. I. Pigment yellow 94 (C.I. No. 20038), C.I. I. Pigment yellow 95 (C.I. No. 20034), C.I. I. Pigment yellow 128 (C.I. No. 20037), C.I. I. Pigment yellow 166 (C.I. No. 20035), C.I. I. Pigment orange 34 (C.I. No. 21115), C.I. I. Pigment orange 13 (C.I. No. 21110), C.I. I. Pigment orange 31 (C.I. No. 20050), C.I. I. Pigment red 144 (C.I. No. 20735), C.I. I. Pigment red 166 (C.I. No. 20730), C.I. I. Pigment red 220 (C.I. No. 20055), C.I. I. Pigment red 221 (C.I. No. 20065), C.I. I. Pigment red 242 (C.I. No. 20067), C.I. I. Pigment red 248, C.I. I. Pigment red 262, or C.I. I. Disazo condensation pigments such as CI Pigment Brown 23 (C.I. No. 20060); I. Pigment yellow 13 (C.I. No. 21100), C.I. I. Pigment yellow 83 (C.I. No. 21108), or C.I. I. Disazo pigments such as CI Pigment Yellow 188 (C.I. No. 21094); I. Pigment red 187 (C.I. No. 12486), C.I. I. Pigment red 170 (C.I. No. 12475), C.I. I. Pigment yellow 74 (C.I. No. 11714), C.I. I. Pigment red 48 (C.I. No. 15865), C.I. I. Pigment red 53 (C.I. No. 15585), C.I. I. Pigment orange 64 (C.I. No. 12760), or C.I. I. Azo pigments such as C.I. Pigment Red 247 (C.I. No. 15915), C.I. I. Indanthrone pigments such as CI Pigment Blue 60 (C.I. No. 69800); I. Pigment green 7 (C.I. No. 74260), C.I. I. Pigment Green 36 (C.I. No. 74265), Pigment Green 37 (C.I. No. 74255), Pigment Blue 16 (C.I. No. 74100), C.I. I. Phthalocyanine pigments such as CI Pigment Blue 75 (C.I. No. 74160: 2) or 15 (C.I. No. 74160); I. Pigment blue 56 (C.I. No. 42800), or C.I. I. Triarylcarbonium pigments such as CI Pigment Blue 61 (C.I. No. 42765: 1); I. Pigment violet 23 (C.I. No. 51319) or C.I. I. Dioxazine pigments such as CI Pigment Violet 37 (C.I. No. 51345); I. Aminoanthraquinone pigments such as CI Pigment Red 177 (C.I. No. 65300); I. Pigment red 254 (C.I. No. 56110), C.I. I. Pigment Red 255 (C.I. No. 561050), C.I. I. Pigment red 264, C.I. I. Pigment red 272 (C.I. No. 561150), C.I. I. Pigment orange 71, or C.I. I. Diketopyrrolopyrrole pigments such as C.I. Pigment Orange 73; I. Thioindigo pigments such as CI Pigment Red 88 (C.I. No. 7313), C.I. Pigment Yellow 139 (C.I. No. 56298), C.I. I. Pigment Orange 66 (C.I. No. 48210) and the like, isoindoline pigments such as C.I. I. Pigment yellow 109 (C.I. No. 56284), or C.I. Pigment Orange 61 (C.I. No. 11295) and the like, isoindolinone pigments such as C.I. I. Pigment Orange 40 (C.I. No. 59700), or C.I. I. Pyranthrone pigments such as CI Pigment Red 216 (C.I. No. 59710), or C.I. I. It is an isoviolanthrone pigment such as CI Pigment Violet 31 (60010).

  Preferred pigments are quinacridone, diketopyrrolopyrrole, disazo condensation, or phthalocyanine pigments, and particularly preferred are quinacridone, disazo condensation, or phthalocyanine pigments. In the production method of the present invention, two or more kinds of organic pigments, solid solutions of organic pigments, or combinations of organic pigments and inorganic pigments can also be used.

  The organic pigment must be uniformly dissolved in an alkaline or acidic aqueous medium, but whether it dissolves in acid or alkaline depends on which conditions the target pigment is easily dissolved. . In general, in the case of a pigment having an alkaline and dissociable group in the molecule, alkali is used, and when there is no alkaline and dissociable group and there are many nitrogen atoms in the molecule that are prone to add protons, acidity is used. For example, quinacridone, diketopyrrolopyrrole, and disazo condensation pigments are alkaline, and phthalocyanine pigments are acidic.

  Bases used for alkaline dissolution are inorganic bases such as lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, or barium hydroxide, or trialkylamine, diazabicycloundecene (DBU), An organic base such as a metal alkoxide is preferable, but an inorganic base is preferable.

  The amount of the base used is an amount capable of uniformly dissolving the pigment, and is not particularly limited, but in the case of an inorganic base, it is preferably 1.0 to 30 molar equivalents relative to the pigment, more preferably 2. It is 0-25 molar equivalent, More preferably, it is 3-20 molar equivalent. In the case of an organic base, it is preferably 1.0 to 100 molar equivalents relative to the pigment, more preferably 5.0 to 100 molar equivalents, and even more preferably 20 to 100 molar equivalents.

The acid used for the acidic dissolution is preferably an inorganic acid such as sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, or phosphoric acid, or an organic acid such as acetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, oxalic acid, methanesulfonic acid, or trifluoromethanesulfonic acid. It is an inorganic acid. Particularly preferred is sulfuric acid.
The amount of the acid used is an amount capable of uniformly dissolving the pigment, and is not particularly limited, but is often used in an excessive amount as compared with the base. Regardless of inorganic acid or organic acid, it is preferably 3 to 500 molar equivalents, more preferably 10 to 500 molar equivalents, and further preferably 30 to 200 molar equivalents with respect to the pigment.

  Next, the aqueous medium will be described. The aqueous medium in the present invention is water alone or a mixed solvent of water-soluble organic solvents. The addition of an organic solvent is not sufficient with water alone to dissolve the pigment and dispersant uniformly, and when water alone is insufficient to obtain the viscosity required to flow through the flow path, Although it is carried out when necessary for the formation of a stream and is not always necessary, in many cases a water-soluble organic solvent is added. Examples of the organic solvent to be added include ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, thiodiglycol, dithiodiglycol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, 1,2,6-hexanetriol, and acetylene glycol derivatives. , Polyhydric alcohol solvents such as glycerin or trimethylolpropane, polyvalent alcohols such as ethylene glycol monomethyl (or ethyl) ether, diethylene glycol monomethyl (or ethyl) ether, or triethylene glycol monoethyl (or butyl) ether Lower monoalkyl ether solvent of alcohol, ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (monoglyme), diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (diglyme), or tri Polyether solvents such as tylene glycol dimethyl ether (triglyme), dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, 2-pyrrolidone, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone, urea, tetramethylurea, etc. Amide solvents, sulfur-containing solvents such as sulfolane, dimethyl sulfoxide, or 3-sulfolene, polyfunctional solvents such as diacetone alcohol and diethanolamine, acetic acid, maleic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, trichloroacetic acid, or trifluoroacetic acid. Examples thereof include carboxylic acid solvents, methanesulfonic acid, and sulfonic acid solvents such as trifluorosulfonic acid. Two or more of these solvents may be mixed and used.

  A preferred organic solvent is an amide solvent or a sulfur-containing solvent in the case of alkali, a carboxylic acid solvent, a sulfur solvent or a sulfonic acid solvent in the case of acid, and more preferably a sulfur-containing solvent in the case of alkali. If it is acidic, it is a sulfonic acid solvent. Particularly preferred is dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) when alkaline, and methanesulfonic acid when acidic.

  The mixing ratio of water and organic solvent is a ratio that can be uniformly dissolved and is not particularly limited. Preferably, in the case of alkaline, water / organic solvent = 0.05 to 10 (mass ratio). When an inorganic acid is used in the acidic case, it is preferable to use sulfuric acid alone, for example, without using an organic solvent. When an organic acid is used, the organic acid itself is an organic solvent, and a plurality of acids are mixed or water is added in order to adjust viscosity and solubility. Preferably, water / organic solvent (organic acid) = 0.005 to 0.1 (mass ratio).

  In the production method of the present invention, it is preferable to introduce a uniformly dissolved solution into the flow path. When the suspension is added, the particle size becomes large, or the pigment particles become wide in particle distribution. In some cases, the flow path is easily blocked. The meaning of “uniformly dissolved” is a solution in which almost no turbidity is observed when observed under visible light. In the present invention, the solution is obtained through a microfilter of 1 μm or less, or filtered when passed through a 1 μm filter. A solution containing no substance is defined as a uniformly dissolved solution.

Next, the hydrogen ion index (pH) will be described. The hydrogen ion index (pH) is a common logarithm of the reciprocal of the hydrogen ion concentration (molar concentration), and is sometimes called the hydrogen index. The hydrogen ion concentration is the concentration of hydrogen ions H ⁺ in the solution, and means the number of moles of hydrogen ions present in 1 L of solution. Since the hydrogen ion concentration varies within a very wide range, it is usually expressed using the hydrogen ion index (pH). For example, pure water contains ^10-7 moles of hydrogen ions at 1 atmosphere and 25 ° C, so its pH is 7 and neutral. An aqueous solution with pH <7 is acidic, and an aqueous solution with pH> 7 is alkaline. As a method for measuring the pH value, there are a potentiometric method and a colorimetric method.

  In the production method of the present invention, it is preferable to produce pigment fine particles by changing the hydrogen ion index (pH) in the course of flowing through the flow path, and the method is different from the introduction port of the uniform solution of the organic pigment. For example, a channel having at least two inlets as shown in FIG. 1-1 or FIG. 2-1. Specifically, a uniform solution of the organic pigment is introduced into the introduction port 11 in FIG. 1-1 or the introduction port 21 in FIG. 2-1, and then introduced into the introduction port 12 in FIG. 1-1 or the introduction port 22 in FIG. 2-1. Neutral, acidic or alkaline water or an aqueous solution in which a dispersant is dissolved is introduced, and both solutions are brought into contact with each other in the flow path 13c or 23c, whereby the hydrogen ion concentration of the solution containing the organic pigment, that is, the hydrogen ion index (PH) is changed to neutral (pH 7). When the equivalent diameter of the channel is microscale, the Reynolds number is small, so a stable laminar flow (cylindrical laminar flow in Fig. 2-1) is formed, and water and ions diffuse through the stable interface between the two liquid layers. The hydrogen ion exponent (pH) of the solution containing the organic pigment moves and gradually changes in the neutral direction. A pigment is difficult to dissolve in an aqueous medium when it has low alkalinity or low acidity, and therefore gradually precipitates as fine particles as the hydrogen ion index (pH) of a solution containing an organic pigment changes in a neutral direction.

  The change of the hydrogen ion index (pH) is generally a change within the range of pH 16.0 to 5.0, preferably pH 16.0 when pigment fine particles are produced from a pigment dissolved in an alkaline aqueous medium. It is a change within the range of -0.0. In the case of producing pigment fine particles from a pigment dissolved in an acidic aqueous medium, the change is generally within the range of pH 1.5 to 9.0, and preferably within the range of pH 1.5 to 4.0. It is. The width of the change depends on the value of the hydrogen ion exponent (pH) of the organic pigment solution, but it may be sufficient to encourage the precipitation of the organic pigment.

  Since the pigment fine particles generated in the microscale channel do not diffuse and flow to the outlet while being contained in one laminar flow, the flow having the outlet designed as shown in FIG. 3-1 or FIG. When a road device is used, a laminar flow containing organic pigment fine particles can be separated. When this method is used, a concentrated pigment dispersion can be obtained, and at the same time, the water-soluble organic solvent, alkaline or acidic water used to prepare the uniform solution, and excess dispersant can be removed. . Further, the two liquids are finally mixed, so that it is possible to prevent the crystals from becoming coarse and the pigment crystals from being altered.

In the method for producing organic pigment fine particles of the present invention, it is possible to obtain finer particles having a larger size by raising the temperature during contact circulation, and obtaining finer particles having a smaller size by lowering the temperature during contact circulation. be able to. The temperature adjustment range during contact flow is preferably -20 to 90 ° C, more preferably 0 to 50 ° C, and particularly preferably 5 to 30 ° C. If the temperature is too low, the solvent may solidify, and if the temperature is too high, it may vaporize.
As a preferred embodiment, for example, if the reaction temperature is 3 ° C. under conditions where 300 nm pigment fine particles are obtained at room temperature (28 ° C.), the fine particles are preferably 20 to 200 nm, more preferably 50 to 100 nm. When the temperature is set to 70 ° C., fine particles of preferably 300 nm to 600 nm, more preferably 400 to 500 nm can be obtained. As another preferred embodiment, for example, if the reaction temperature is 3 ° C. under conditions where 100 nm pigment fine particles are obtained at room temperature (28 ° C.), the fine particles are preferably 5 to 50 nm, more preferably 10 to 20 nm. When the temperature is set to 70 ° C., fine particles having a thickness of preferably 150 to 350 nm, more preferably 200 to 250 nm can be obtained.
The temperature at the time of contact circulation is difficult to actually measure in the flowing liquid, and the temperature of the thermostatic bath, the temperature of the channel wall surface, etc. may be substituted, the temperature of the solution to be circulated, the temperature of the obtained dispersion liquid It may be estimated from the above.
The velocity (flow velocity) of the fluid flowing in the flow path when producing pigment fine particles can be appropriately set depending on the restrictions of the fluid control device or the size of the obtained fine particles, but preferably 0.1 mL / hr to 300 L. / Hr, 0.2 mL / hr to 30 L / hr is more preferable, 0.5 mL / hr to 15 L / hr is more preferable, and 1 mL / hr to 6 L / hr is particularly preferable.
In the production method of the present invention, the concentration range of the substrate (organic pigment and its reaction component) flowing through the flow path is usually preferably 0.5 to 20% by mass, and more preferably 1.0 to 10% by mass.

In the method for producing organic pigment fine particles of the present invention, an organic pigment solution and a solution to be brought into contact with the organic pigment solution (for example, an aqueous solution for changing a hydrogen ion index (pH) and an aqueous medium, etc.) A dispersant can be added. The dispersant (1) has a function of adsorbing rapidly on the surface of the deposited pigment to form fine pigment particles, and (2) preventing these particles from aggregating again.
In the present invention, as such a dispersant, an anionic, cationic, amphoteric, nonionic or pigmentary low molecular or high molecular dispersant can be used. The molecular weight of the polymer dispersant can be used without limitation as long as it can be uniformly dissolved in a solution, but preferably has a molecular weight of 1,000 to 2,000,000, and 5,000 to 1,000,000. 000 is more preferable, 10,000 to 500,000 is more preferable, and 10,000 to 100,000 is particularly preferable. (In the present invention, unless otherwise specified, molecular weight means weight average molecular weight. A polymer compound is a polydisperse system and does not necessarily have the same molecular weight or particle weight. The values obtained are average molecular weights averaged in some form, the main three being: 1) number average molecular weight Mn, 2) weight average molecular weight Mw, 3) Z average molecular weight Mz Yes, the relationship of Mn <Mw <Mz is established. ) These dispersants can be used alone or in combination. The dispersant used for dispersing the pigment is described in detail on pages 29 to 46 of “Pigment dispersion stabilization and surface treatment technology / evaluation” (Chemical Information Association, issued in December 2001).

  Examples of anionic dispersants (anionic surfactants) include N-acyl-N-alkyl taurine salts, fatty acid salts, alkyl sulfate esters, alkyl benzene sulfonates, alkyl naphthalene sulfonates, dialkyl sulfosuccinates, alkyl phosphorus Examples include acid ester salts, naphthalene sulfonic acid formalin condensate, polyoxyethylene alkyl sulfate ester salts, and the like. Of these, N-acyl-N-alkyltaurine salts are preferred. As the N-acyl-N-alkyltaurine salt, those described in JP-A-3-273067 are preferable. These anionic dispersants can be used singly or in combination of two or more.

  Cationic dispersants (cationic surfactants) include quaternary ammonium salts, alkoxylated polyamines, aliphatic amine polyglycol ethers, aliphatic amines, diamines and polyamines derived from aliphatic amines and fatty alcohols, fatty acids And imidazolines derived from these and salts of these cationic substances. These cationic dispersants can be used singly or in combination of two or more.

The amphoteric dispersant is a dispersant having both an anion group part in the molecule of the anionic dispersant and a cationic group part in the molecule of the cationic dispersant.
Nonionic dispersants (nonionic surfactants) include polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, polyoxyethylene alkyl aryl ether, polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene alkylamine, Examples thereof include glycerin fatty acid esters. Of these, polyoxyethylene alkylaryl ether is preferable. These nonionic dispersants can be used singly or in combination of two or more.

  The pigment dispersant is defined as a pigment dispersant which is derived from an organic pigment as a parent substance and is produced by chemically modifying the parent structure. For example, sugar-containing pigment dispersants, piperidyl-containing pigment dispersants, naphthalene or perylene-derived pigment dispersants, pigment dispersants having functional groups linked to the pigment parent structure through methylene groups, and polymer-modified pigment parents. Examples include a structure, a pigment dispersant having a sulfonic acid group, a pigment dispersant having a sulfonamide group, a pigment dispersant having an ether group, or a pigment dispersant having a carboxylic acid group, a carboxylic ester group, or a carboxamide group.

  Specifically, as the polymer dispersant, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl methyl ether, polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyacrylamide, vinyl alcohol-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl alcohol-partial formalized product, Polyvinyl alcohol-partially butyralized product, vinyl pyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyethylene oxide / propylene oxide block copolymer, polyacrylate, polyvinyl sulfate, poly (4-vinylpyridine) salt, polyamide, polyallylamine salt, Condensed naphthalene sulfonate, styrene-acrylate copolymer, styrene-methacrylate copolymer, acrylate ester-acrylate copolymer, acrylate ester Methacrylate copolymer, methacrylate ester-acrylate copolymer, methacrylate ester-methacrylate copolymer, styrene-itaconate copolymer, itaconate-itaconate copolymer, vinyl Examples thereof include naphthalene-acrylate copolymer, vinyl naphthalene-methacrylate copolymer, vinyl naphthalene-itaconate copolymer, cellulose derivative, starch derivative and the like. In addition, natural polymers such as alginate, gelatin, albumin, casein, gum arabic, tonganto gum and lignin sulfonate can also be used. Of these, polyvinylpyrrolidone is preferable. These polymers can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

As a preferred embodiment, a method in which an anionic dispersant is contained in an aqueous medium (a solution in contact with an organic pigment solution), a nonionic dispersant and / or a polymer dispersant is contained in an organic pigment solution, and both are brought into contact with each other. Can be mentioned.
In order to further improve the uniform dispersibility and storage stability of the pigment, the content of the dispersant is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 1000 parts by mass, more preferably 1 in terms of 100 parts by mass of the pigment. It is the range of -500 mass parts, More preferably, it is the range of 10-250 mass parts. If the amount is less than 0.1 parts by mass, the dispersion stability of the organic pigment fine particles may not be improved.

  There is a method for expressing the average size of the population by quantifying in the particle measurement method, but the most commonly used is the mode diameter indicating the maximum value of the distribution and the median diameter corresponding to the median value of the integral distribution curve. , And various average diameters (length average, area average, weight average, etc.) (In the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the particle diameter refers to the median diameter). The particle size of the organic pigment fine particles produced by the method of the present invention is arbitrary as long as it does not block the flow path, but is preferably 1 μm or less, more preferably 3 nm to 800 nm, and particularly preferably 5 nm to 500 nm. Moreover, when it is set as the ink for inkjet, 150 nm or less is preferable, 80 nm or less is more preferable, and 50 nm or less is especially preferable.

Since the particle size of the fine particles is uniform, that is, the monodispersed fine particles not only have the same size of contained particles, but also show that there is no variation between particles in the chemical composition and crystal structure within the particles. It is an important factor that determines the performance of particles. In particular, in the case of ultrafine particles having a particle size of nanometer, importance is attached as a factor governing the characteristics of the particles. The production method of the present invention is not only capable of controlling the size of the particles, but is also excellent in terms of making the sizes uniform. An arithmetic standard deviation value is used as an index indicating that the sizes are uniform, and the arithmetic standard deviation value of the pigment fine particles produced according to the present invention is preferably 130 nm or less, particularly preferably 80 nm or less. The arithmetic standard deviation value is a method of obtaining the standard deviation by regarding the particle size distribution as a normal distribution, and is a value obtained by dividing the value obtained by subtracting the 16% particle size from the 84% particle size of the integrated distribution by 2.
According to the production method of the present invention, pigment fine particles (or dispersions thereof) can be obtained with a desired particle size in spite of a minute particle size of 1 μm or less, and also have monodispersity, so that the optical density The ink has a high image quality, excellent image surface uniformity, high saturation, and a clear ink.

  In addition to the solvents described above, the production method of the present invention includes, for example, ethers such as tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, dimethoxyethane, and diglyme, esters such as ethyl acetate and butyl acetate, methyl ethyl ketone, 2-methyl-4-pentanone, and cyclohexanone. Ketones such as ethanol, alcohols such as ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol, nitriles such as acetonitrile and propionitrile, N, N-dimethylformamide, N, N-dimethylacetamide, N-methylpyrrolidone, N, N-dimethyl Examples thereof include amide solvents such as imidazolidone and sulfur-containing solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide and sulfolane. Further, for example, a water-soluble organic solvent added to the ink composition and other components may be further added as necessary. As these solvent components, for example, constituents of a pigment dispersant described in JP-A Nos. 2002-194263 and 2003-26972 can be applied.

The solutions to be circulated may be fluids that are mixed with each other or fluids that are not mixed. Mixed fluids are solutions using the same or relatively similar organic solvent, or solutions using a highly polar organic solvent such as methanol and water. Non-mixed fluids are hexane. And a solution using a low polarity solvent such as methanol and a solution using a high polarity solvent such as methanol.
When a gas such as air or oxygen is involved in the reaction as an oxidizing agent, they can be dissolved in the reaction fluid or introduced as a gas into the flow path, and the method of introducing as a gas is preferred.

The obtained pigment dispersion can be separated from the reaction solution by filtration or centrifugation, and can be obtained with high purity by thoroughly washing with an amide solvent such as N, N-dimethylacetamide, for example.
For example, in the case of quinacridone, the purity of the pigment can be determined by the following method after the quinacridone is taken out, washed and sufficiently dried. Quinacridone is precisely weighed (for example, about 2 mg), dissolved in concentrated sulfuric acid (for example, 100 mL of 95% concentrated sulfuric acid at 10 ° C. or lower), UV absorption is measured, and an absorption value is obtained (for example, absorption at 606 nm). Value), the purity compared to the absorption value at the same wavelength of the standard product. Further, since the wavelength of substituted quinacridone is shifted as compared with that of the unsubstituted quinacridone, it can be determined in the same manner by adjusting the optimum wavelength of the standard product of the substituted quinacridone to be measured.
The purity of the disazo condensation pigment is measured by taking the absorption spectrum of the pigment solution obtained by taking out the disazo condensation pigment, washing it, drying it thoroughly and solubilizing it with a mixed solvent of sodium hydroxide-dimethyl sulfoxide and the standard product with a determined purity. It can be determined by comparison.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail based on examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
The pH shown in the examples was measured with a glass electrode type hydrogen ion concentration meter HM-40V (measurement range pH 0 to 14) of Toa Denpa Kogyo Co., Ltd.

(Example 1)
2,9-dimethylquinacridone 0.15 g (Clariant, HOSTAPERM PINK E) dimethyl sulfoxide 13.35 mL, 0.8 mol / L potassium hydroxide aqueous solution 1.65 mL, dispersant polyvinylpyrrolidone (manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) K30, molecular weight 40,000) was dissolved in 0.75 g at room temperature (IA solution). The pH of the IA solution exceeded the measurement limit value (pH 14).
Dispersant N-oleoyl-N-methyltaurine sodium salt 0.75 g and distilled water 90 mL were mixed (IIA solution). The pH of the IIA solution was 6.9.
Impurities such as dust were removed by passing these through a 0.45 μm microfilter (Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.). Next, the reaction was performed by the following procedure using the reaction apparatus of FIG. Two Teflon (registered trademark) tubes with a length of 50 cm and an equivalent diameter of 1 mm are connected to the two inlets of a Teflon (registered trademark) Y-shaped connector having an equivalent diameter of 500 μm by a connector, and IA solution and IIA solution are respectively connected to the ends. The syringe containing was connected and set in the pump. A Teflon (registered trademark) tube having a length of 1 m and an equivalent diameter of 500 μm was connected to the outlet of the connector. When the Y-shaped connector is kept at 20 ° C. in a thermostatic bath, the IA solution at 20 ° C. is sent at a rate of 1 mL / h, and the IIA solution at 20 ° C. is sent at a rate of 6 mL / h. 5.0), and a dispersion of 2,9-dimethylquinacridone was obtained and collected from the tip of the tube. The pH of the collected dispersion was 12.4. The particle diameter of the fine particles in the obtained dispersion was measured with a dynamic light scattering particle size measuring apparatus, and the median diameter (volume display) was 270.5 nm.

(Example 2)
The fine particle dispersion was changed in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the temperature of the connector during Y in Example 1 was changed to 3 ° C, 11 ° C, 32 ° C, 40 ° C, 51 ° C, 60 ° C, 70 ° C, or 83 ° C. Production was carried out, and the median diameter (indicated by volume) of the obtained fine particles was measured. The results are shown in Table 1 together with the results of Example 1. From this result, it became clear that the particle size of the fine particles obtained can be controlled by changing the temperature during contact flow.

  From these results, it was found that according to the method of the present invention, it was possible to control the shape of fine particles, which was impossible in the past, and fine particles having a desired size could be obtained in a wide range.

It is explanatory drawing of the reactor which has a Y-shaped flow path on one side. It is sectional drawing of the II line | wire of FIGS. 1-1. It is explanatory drawing of the reaction apparatus which has the cylindrical tube type flow path which provided the flow path penetrated to one side. It is sectional drawing of the IIa-IIa line | wire of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the IIb-IIb line | wire of FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the reactor which has a Y-shaped channel on both sides It is sectional drawing of the III-III line of FIGS. It is explanatory drawing of the reaction apparatus which has the cylindrical tube type flow path which provided the flow path penetrated on both sides

Explanation of symbols

10, 20, 30, 40 Reactor body 11, 12, 21, 22, 31, 32, 41, 42 Inlet 13, 33 Channel 13a, 13b, 23a, 23b, 33a, 33b, 43a, 43b Inlet channel 13c, 23c, 33c, 43c Reaction flow path 13d, 23d, 33d, 43d Fluid confluence 33e, 43e Fluid diversion point 33f, 33g, 43f, 43g Discharge flow path 14, 24, 34, 35, 44, 45 Discharge port

Claims (12)

  An organic pigment solution in which an organic pigment is dissolved in an aqueous medium containing at least one dispersant and a pH adjustment solution of the solution are contacted and circulated in a flow path (channel) as a laminar flow. A method for producing fine organic pigment particles, characterized by changing the hydrogen ion index (pH) of a solution and adjusting the temperature during contact flow to make fine particles.   The method for producing fine organic pigment particles according to claim 1, wherein the organic pigment solution is alkaline.   3. The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to claim 1, wherein the organic pigment solution is a homogeneous solution in which an organic pigment is dissolved in a homogeneous mixed solvent of water and an organic solvent.   The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an equivalent diameter of the flow path is 10 mm or less.   The method for producing fine organic pigment particles according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one of the dispersants is a polymer dispersant.   The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the organic pigment fine particles are obtained as a dispersion thereof.   The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the flow path has an equivalent diameter of 1 mm or less.   The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the laminar flow path is a micro reaction field.   The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the temperature during the contact flow is adjusted in any one or a plurality of steps of the reaction.   A pigment characterized in that at least one of an organic pigment solution and an aqueous medium has a dispersant, both of which are brought into contact with each other in a flow path having an equivalent diameter of 1 mm or less, and finely divided by changing the temperature during contact flow. A method for producing a dispersion.   The method for producing organic pigment fine particles according to claim 10, wherein the organic pigment solution is alkaline.   The method for producing fine organic pigment particles according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the temperature during the contact flow is adjusted in any one or a plurality of steps of the reaction.

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