JPH03211065A - Image formation and image formation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the economic change of ink physical property by supplying a recording material with an adhesive power which changes in accordance with the polarity of an applied voltage to an area between paired electrodes, then applying a voltage to an area between paired electrodes and giving components which constitute the recording material to this material. CONSTITUTION:Ink 2 is supplied as a recording material to the surface of an ink-bearing roll 1 using a coating roll 9 which rotates in an arrow E direction and then is levelled off to a uniform thickness. The material which constitutes the surface of the roll 1 as an ink-bearing surface allows a specified ink 2 layer to be formed on the bearing surface and more specifically a metal conductor such as stainless steel is preferred. The ink-bearing roll 1 is connected to one end of a DC power supply 103. If a voltage is applied to an area between a printing plate 4 and the ink-bearing roll 1 from the power supply 103, the adhesive property of the ink 2 which comes in contact with the conductive part of the plate 4 changes and thereby the ink 2 is allowed to adhere to the surface of the plate in a patterned form utilizing the difference in adhesive power to form an ink image.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image forming method and an image forming apparatus that form an image by changing the adhesion of ink by applying a voltage.

[Prior Art] Traditionally, recording peripherals for computers, etc.
Printers using various recording methods, such as laser beam printers, inkjet printers, thermal transfer printers, wire tod printers and daisy-foil printers
Blink is known.

The present applicant also previously proposed a recording method in which pattern-shaped adhesiveness is chemically imparted to ink, and recording is performed by utilizing the difference between the adhesiveness and non-adhesiveness of this ink (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1983-1999-1). 302
No. 79).

However, the above recording method is not suitable for large-volume printing due to cost and other considerations.

Conventionally, methods suitable for high-volume printing include lithography,
There are letterpress printing methods and gravure printing methods, but these methods require complicated steps to create plates and require dampening water to pattern the ink, making them very difficult to handle. Furthermore, the adhesion of the ink was easily affected by temperature and humidity, and it lacked environmental stability. For this reason, there are many difficulties in applying conventional printing techniques to recording peripheral devices such as computers.

The present applicant previously proposed a printing method in which printing is performed by changing the tackiness of the ink by applying a voltage to the ink (Japanese Patent Application No. 251465/1983).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, there is still room for improvement in the printing method described above in which printing is performed by applying a voltage to the ink to change its tackiness. In other words, with this printing method, if the printing time is long, the physical properties of the ink will gradually change during printing.
In some cases, the electrical resistivity of the ink gradually increases or the viscosity of the ink increases, making it impossible to stably change the tackiness of the ink.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming method and an image forming apparatus that can prevent changes in ink physical properties over time and stably perform printing for a long period of time.

The image forming method of the present invention includes a step of supplying a recording material whose adhesion force changes depending on the polarity of an applied voltage between a pair of N electrodes, a step of applying a voltage between the pair of electrodes, and a step of applying a voltage between the pair of electrodes; The method is characterized by comprising a step of applying to the recording material a component constituting the recording material.

Furthermore, the image forming method of the present invention uses a recording material whose adhesion changes depending on the polarity of the applied voltage between a pair of electrodes, at least one of which is formed with a pattern consisting of a conductive part and an insulating part. a step of supplying the recording material, a step of applying a voltage between the pair of electrodes and depositing the recording material on the electrode on which the pattern is formed according to the pattern, and forming the recording material on the recording material. The method is characterized by comprising a step of applying a component.

Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a pair of electrodes in which a pattern consisting of a conductive part and an insulating part is formed on at least one electrode, and a recording material supply means for supplying a recording material to the pair of electrodes. (ii) A voltage applying means for applying a voltage to a pair of electrodes, and an ink component applying means for applying a component constituting the recording material to the recording material.

The present inventors have conducted extensive research into the deterioration of transferred images caused by changes in ink physical properties over time in an image forming method using ink whose adhesion changes depending on voltage application.
It has been found that changes in ink physical properties are caused by water and other constituent components of the ink being lost due to volatilization or voltage application during the printing process. In particular, the electrical resistance of the ink that has lost water increases and the viscosity of the ink increases, so that the adhesion transfer characteristics of the ink change, and as a result, the recorded image deteriorates.

Based on the above, the present inventors came up with the present invention under the heading 1.

The image forming method of the present invention has a property that when a voltage is applied to the ink by a pair of electrodes, the adhesive ink stops adhering to the electrodes, or the non-adhesive ink starts adhering to the electrodes. An image is formed by using one electrode as a plate.

The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, the ink supporting roll l is a member that has a cylindrical shape and rotates in the direction of the arrow.

The roll I is preferably made of a conductive material such as aluminum, copper, or stainless steel. Ink 2, which is a recording material, is supplied onto the surface (cylindrical surface) of the ink-bearing roll l by a coating roll 9 rotating in the direction of arrow E.
Formed to a uniform thickness. The material constituting the surface of the roll 1, which is the ink carrying surface, is a material that can form a desired layer of ink 2 on the surface (by conveying the ink 2 by rotating in the direction of the arrow). Specifically, a conductor made of metal such as stainless steel is preferable. The ink carrying roll 1 is connected to one end of a DC power supply 103.

The surface of the ink carrying roll 1 made of such a material is
Although it may be a smooth surface, from the point of view of further improving the conveyance and carrying capacity of the ink 2, it is preferable to have an appropriately rough surface (for example, according to JIS B
It is preferable that the surface roughness is approximately IS according to 0601.

A plate 4 wound around a plate roll 3 is in contact with ink 2 on the surface of the ink carrying roll 1. The plate roll 3 is rotating in the direction of arrow B in the opposite direction to the roll 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the plate 4 has a desired pattern 4b made of an insulating material on a base material 4a made of a conductive material such as metal.

The material of the base material 4a is aluminum or copper.

Stainless steel, platinum 7K, chromium, nickel, phosphorous copper, carbon, etc., conductive polymers, or various polymers in which metal fillers are dispersed are used. As materials for the pattern 4b, thermal transfer recording materials (mainly wax and resin), electrophotographic toners, vinyl polymers, and natural or synthetic polymers are used. Of course, when forming a solid recorded image (a recorded image in which the entire image is filled with ink), it is sufficient to use the plate 4 without the pattern 4b.

In this way, by applying a voltage between the plate 4 and the ink support roll 1 by the power supply 03, the adhesion of the ink 2 that comes into contact with the conductive part of the plate 4 changes, and the difference in adhesion causes the ink 2 to form on the plate. is deposited in a pattern to form an ink image.

Practically speaking, the voltage of the power supply 103 is preferably a DC voltage of 3 to 100V, more preferably 5 to 80V, and a high frequency (10Hz=
AC bias voltage of >100kHz (10■~10
By heavily applying 0V), the quality of one image can be made even sharper.

In Figure 1, the plate 4 side is the cathode and the ink carrying roll L side is the anode, but depending on the properties of the ink used, the plate 4 side
The side may be used as an anode and the roll 1 side may be used as a cathode.

Specifically, the voltage from the power source 103 is preferably applied between the respective rotation axes of the printing roll 3 and the ink supporting roll (2).

The thickness of the layer of ink 2 formed on the surface of the ink-carrying roll 1 depends on (the size of the gap between the ink-carrying roll 1 and the coating roll 9, the fluidity or viscosity of the ink 2, and the surface of the ink-carrying roll 1). Although it varies depending on the material, surface roughness, rotational speed of the roll 1, etc.), at the ink transfer position where this roll 1 faces the pattern plate 4 of the plate roll 3F, it is approximately 0.001 to 100 m+, and even 0. 001 to 10 mm is preferable.

If the layer thickness of the ink 2 is less than 0.001 mm, it is difficult to form a uniform ink layer on the ink carrying roll l. On the other hand, if the ink layer thickness exceeds 100 mm, the surface layer of the ink layer (the layer in contact with the conductive pattern plate 40) has a uniform circumferential speed.
It becomes difficult to convey the ink carrying roll 1.
It also becomes difficult to conduct electricity between the conductive pattern plate 4 and the conductive pattern plate 4.

Next, move the ink image on the plate 4 to the plate 4 while touching it with the arrow C.
The ink image on the plan copper 5 is transferred to an intermediate transfer body (plan copper) 5 which rotates in the direction shown in FIG. The ink is transferred onto a passing recording medium 7 (paper, cloth, metal sheet, etc.) to form an image 8 corresponding to the ink image on the recording medium 7.

In some cases, the ink image on the plate 4 may be directly transferred onto the recording medium 7 without providing the plan copper 5 as an intermediate transfer body, but if the blank copper 5 is provided, the material of the plan copper 5 This makes it possible to prevent abrasion and deterioration of the plate, and to obtain an image with the same pattern as the plate on the recording medium.

The ink component applying means 14 is provided in the housing 12, and supplies water and other components constituting the ink in order to maintain the sensitivity of the ink to the applied voltage.

Hereinafter, when explaining the ink component applying means 14 shown in FIG. 1, the case where water is applied will be explained as an example.
The ink component applying means 14 may be one that applies components constituting the ink outside the wood.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the ink component applying means 14 includes a humidity sensor 1.4 a near the ink reservoir 10 in order to detect the humidity inside the recording apparatus, especially near the ink 2. For example, the ultrasonic insulator 14b is configured to be driven and controlled by the controller 14c and the driver 14d based on the detection data of this sensor. Note that 14e in the figure is a power source for driving the humidifier 14b. Further, as a humidifier, for example, water may be heated with a heater or the like to generate water vapor, and this water vapor may be supplied to the ink 2 using a blower.

Humidity data near the ink 2 that can be used to suitably form a distributed image is recorded in advance in the control unit 14c, and this data is compared with the data detected by the sensor, and the detected data is recorded. The humidifier 14b is controlled to be driven when the temperature drops below the calculated data. ink 2
The humidity in the vicinity is preferably maintained at 60% or higher, preferably 70% or higher.

The mechanism by which the adhesion of the ink used in the present invention changes due to voltage application is mechanism f, which will be explained in detail later.
ll, +21 and (3) are considered for the king. The moisture content of the ink used in the present invention is determined by these mechanisms.
, +21 and (3), 20-95%, 20-80% and 15-95%, respectively.
However, the moisture content decreases over time during the printing process, and at the time the ink is transferred to one electrode, the moisture content decreases by about 30 to 80%. This affects the adhesion of the ink.

During printing. The correlation between fluctuations in the moisture content of ink and fluctuations in ink adhesion varies depending on the type of ink used, so the allowable range of moisture content fluctuations differs depending on the ink. However, with any ink,
It is necessary to maintain the water content at a level that can suppress electrochemical changes and physical changes such as viscosity that occur when a voltage is applied to the ink within a predetermined range. In other words, if the water content of the ink is too low, adhesion cannot be controlled;
On the other hand, if it increases too much, the viscosity of the ink itself decreases, making it difficult to control the adhesion. For this reason, the fluctuation range of the moisture content of the ink is approximately -35% to +35% for mechanism (1), and approximately -35% to +35% for mechanism (1), based on the moisture content immediately after ink preparation.
It is preferable to add water using the humidifier 14b so that the amount is -40 to +40% in case of 2) and -25 to +25% in case of mechanism (3).

In order to enhance the effect of the ink component applying means 14, it is preferable to configure at least the ink 2 and the ink component applying means 14 to be isolated from the outside air by the housing 12, as shown in FIG. The recording medium 7 is blocked by the blocking means 11
It passes through, enters the inside of the housing 124, and exits the outside of the housing 12 again.

As the blocking means Il, even if the recording medium 7 passes through, the housing 1
It is preferable to use one that can isolate the inside of 2 from the outside air. In FIG. 1, a pair of rollers rotating facing each other is used as the blocking means 11. The recording medium 7 passes through a pair of rollers.

As the housing 12, a box, container, or bag-shaped object made of metal, resin, etc. may be used.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention. In the example shown in FIG. 3, a pudding 1-substrate having a photoresist image on a metal plate is used as the plate 4, and 4c in the figure indicates an insulating photoresist. In this embodiment, the ink adheres to parts of the metal base where there is no photoresist;
An image 8 is formed on the recording paper 7. In the case of ink that inherently has adhesive properties, the ink adheres to the photoresist portion to form an image.

FIG. 4 shows still another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a plate is used in which a photoconductor in which a continuous conductive portion 4d is formed by applying an optical image to the photoconductor is placed on a substrate made of a conductive material.

Such photoconductors include geladine-silver halide,
Zinc oxide film, selenium.

Amorphous silicon, organic photoconductors, etc. are preferably used. Regarding the sustained conductivity of photoconductors, see R, M Shirt Art (R, M 5chaffertl, "Electronic Photography J.
(1965), detailed in Chapter ■.

In addition to the above, a plate having an insulating film on which an image-like conductive pattern is formed by discharge breakdown on a base material made of a conductive material can be used. Furthermore, a plate having a photographic image in which a conductive pattern of a silver image is formed by depositing silver particles on a base material made of a conductive material can also be used.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the plate 4 is used by being wound around the cylindrical plate roll 3, but the plate 4 is used as a flat plate and used as an electrode to apply ink to the plate. An ink image can also be formed on a plate by applying a voltage while applying the ink and sandwiching the ink between the plate and the counter electrode.

Even in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, by using the ink component applying means 14 shown in FIG. 1, it is possible to prevent the ink from deteriorating over time.

Next, the humidifying operation for maintaining the water content of the ink 2 within a predetermined range by the ink component applying means 14 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 5. When the power of the recording apparatus is turned on, the humidity sensor 14a The humidity detection around J4 is started, the detected data is transmitted to the control section 14c, and the control section J4c compares the detected data with the pre-recorded water content of the ink 2 (821-823).

In the above comparison, when the humidity around the ink 2 detected by the humidity sensor 14a is low, the humidifier 14b is driven to humidify the inside of the recording apparatus 5241. If the humidity around the ink 2 is high, the solubility sensor 14a continues to detect humidity without driving the humidifier +4b (S25). This is continued while the power of the recording apparatus is turned on.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 6, the lost ink components are dropped into the ink reservoir 10 from the ejection port 15h to keep the ratio of the components constituting the ink constant. The ink component applying means 15 shown in FIG. 6 includes a tank 15a for storing ink components;
Valve 15b, control section 15c, detection section 15d, electrode 15
f, 15g, and a discharge port 15h.

The ink component applying means 15 shown in FIG. 6 operates as follows. The electrodes 15f and 1.5 g are inserted into the ink in the ink reservoir 0, and the detecting section 15d measures the electrical resistance, electrical conductivity, or current value of the ink. and,
If these values fluctuate compared to the predetermined values, the control unit 15c opens the valve 15b, causes the ink component "2" to flow out from the tank L5a, and forms small droplets 12 from the ejection port 15h.
Discharge a. After falling into the ink reservoir 1o, the droplets 12a are transferred to the ink holding roll l and the coating roll 9.
The ink is uniformly stirred and mixed into the ink 2 by the rotation of the ink. Thereafter, when the 8 value measured by the detection unit 15d returns to a level equivalent to the predetermined value, the control unit 1
5c closes the valve 15b and stops the supply of ink components. By repeating this operation, ink 2
The component ratio is always kept within a constant range, making it possible to form stable images.

Although the valve 15b can be operated automatically, it is also possible to manually operate the valve by reading the numerical value with the detection unit 15d], 5
b may be adjusted. Further, by using a plurality of ejection ports 15h instead of one, it is possible to improve the uniformity of dispersion of the ink components. It is preferable to use an ejection port that can add the ink components in the form of a mist to promote the dispersion of the ink components. Further, the tip of the ejection port 15h may be buried in the ink of the ink reservoir IO.

The timing of adding a predetermined amount of components to ink 2 is after the preparation of the ink and before the step of transferring the ink to one electrode by applying a voltage, so that the component ratio of the ink is uniform when the ink is transferred to one electrode. Preferably, the timing is such that the desired value is reached. Immediately before ink transfer occurs, it is difficult to uniformly disperse the added components.

Specifically, in FIG. 6, it is preferable to add the components of the ink lost to the ink reservoir 10 created when the ink is supplied between the coating roll 9 and the ink carrying roll 1.

The moisture content of the ink may be directly measured using a known method, but since the method of directly measuring the moisture content takes time, if the moisture content changes relatively quickly, it is necessary to continuously measure the moisture content during the printing process. rate management is difficult. Therefore, changes in the water content of ink can be detected by measuring the electrical resistance, electrical conductivity, or changes in current value when voltage is applied to the ink, which are related to the water content of the ink. By measuring and setting the amount of water added, it becomes possible to easily and continuously control the water content during the printing process. In addition, by combining the above three detection items, it becomes possible to more accurately grasp the moisture content.

The electrical resistance and electrical conductivity of the ink can be measured by a conventional method. That is, by inserting a pair of electrodes into the ink to be measured and applying a voltage, it is possible to instantly calculate both of the above. Figure 6 shows the moisture content of ink in the ink reservoir 10 at electrodes 15f and 15g.
An example of checking is shown above, but the best place to check is an ink reservoir where there is enough ink, and in this place, the state of water dispersion due to water addition can be easily known. or,
The ink on the ink-carrying roll I may also be measured.

Furthermore, the current value when a voltage is applied to the ink may be measured in the same way as the electrical resistance value and the electrical conductivity, and the current value of the voltage applied by the power source 103 shown in FIG. 6 may be measured with an ammeter or the like. You may read it.

According to the method of detecting the change in the ratio of the components constituting the ink using the three detection items described above, the ink is improved by adding the components of the ink that were lost to the ink so that the measured value returns to the initial value. It is possible to continuously compensate for the decrease in the constituent components.

The range of the electrical resistance value of the ink to be controlled varies depending on the type of ink used, but in the case of the mechanism (1), it is about -70 to +200%, and in the case of the mechanism (2), it is about -50 to +200%. In the case of (3), the amount is preferably about -70 to +150%, and the ink components are added so as to fall within this range. In the case of control based on electrical conductivity or current value, control may be performed in the same manner as in the case of electrical resistance value.

The devices shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 6 may be provided with means for controlling the voltage of the power source 103 in accordance with changes in the electrical resistance of the ink.

A device having such a voltage control means will be explained using the device shown in FIG. 7, which is based on the device shown in FIG.

When the electrical resistance of the ink 2 increases due to continuous use of the device shown in FIG. 7 (for example, when the moisture in the ink 2 evaporates, the electrical resistance of the ink increases), the electrical resistance of the ink 2 is detected by the detection unit 15d. Then, based on this value, the voltage control unit 16 increases the voltage of the power supply 103. In addition, the apparatus shown in FIG.
If the ink 2 absorbs moisture and its electrical resistance decreases by printing at a temperature of 0% or more), the electrical resistance of the ink 2 is detected by the detection unit 15d, and the voltage control unit 16 detects the electrical resistance of the ink 2 based on this value. The voltage of the power supply 103 is lowered.

In this way, even if the electrical resistance of the ink changes, if a constant current always flows through the ink using the voltage control means, the adhesion of the ink can be changed stably. In addition, when measuring the electrical resistance of the ink 2, the electrode 1
The electrical resistance of the ink 2 can also be measured from the value of the current flowing between the ink carrying roll 1 and the plate roll 3 via the ink 2 without using 5f and 15g.

In the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7, a cylindrical roll is used as the ink carrying roll 1, but a belt or sheet-like roll is used as the ink carrying roll. A supporting member may also be used. This belt or sheet-like ink carrying member may be fed out from one side and wound up at the other, but it is preferable to use it repeatedly by moving it endlessly.

As explained above, the image forming method of the present invention is carried out by supplying a specific ink between an electrode (plate) having a desired pattern and a counter electrode, and applying a DC voltage between the pair of electrodes. , which takes advantage of the fact that ink adhesion changes depending on the electrode pattern.

Accordingly, the image forming method of the present invention can be divided into the following two types depending on the properties of the ink used. That is, (I) a type in which the ink has adhesive properties when no voltage is applied, and the adhesive properties disappear when a voltage is applied;

In this case, ink adheres to the insulating portion of the plate, forming a desired recorded image.

(II) A type in which the ink has no adhesive property when no voltage is applied, and becomes adhesive when a voltage is applied.

In this case, ink adheres to the conductive portion of the plate, forming a desired recorded image.

Ink used in the image forming method of the present invention will be described below.

As mentioned in Types (T) and (IT) above, whether the ink is made to have adhesive properties from the beginning, or it is made to have no adhesive properties from the beginning, or the It can be easily controlled by adjusting the blending ratio and the types of constituent materials.

On the other hand, the following several cases can be considered as the mechanism by which the ink changes from adhesive to non-adhesive and from non-adhesive to adhesive due to voltage application.

(1) When electricity is applied by applying a voltage, the ink electrolyzes and generates gas, changing its adhesion. In this case, adjust the ink to have adhesion to begin with, and apply a voltage to the ink near one electrode. The ink generates a gas that prevents the ink from adhering to the electrodes. In order for the ink to electrolyze and generate gas, the ink contains a solvent such as water, alcohol, or glycol, or a solvent in which an electrolyte such as sodium chloride or potassium chloride is dissolved. The lower the electrical resistance of the ink, the better, and the volume resistivity is preferably 10 9 Ω·cm or less, more preferably 10′ Ω·am or less, particularly 10 2 Ω·cm or less. If the volume resistance exceeds 10 9 Ω·cm, the amount of current flowing decreases, or a high voltage is required to prevent the amount of current flowing from decreasing.

Examples of gas generation include gas generation caused by electrolysis of an OH group-containing solvent by energization, and gas generation caused by electrolysis of water by energization.

At the cathode, 2 ROH" + 2 e--H2↑+2RO- (generates 1 mole of hydrogen gas) - In the case of water, 2 H" + 2 e--H2↑ (generates 1 mole of hydrogen gas) at the anode, 2ROH-2RCHO+2H" ″ +20・20 H−”Hz O+1/202 + 2 e for water (172 moles of oxygen generated) As mentioned above, the amount of gas generated is proportional to the amount of electrons (e−), that is, the current value, and only the cathode (at the waterside) OH group-containing solvent)
gas is generated at the cathode, or twice as much gas is generated at the cathode as at the anode. That is, if there is a difference in the amount of gas generated by a certain amount or more, the ink becomes non-adhesive at one pole (the cathode in the above case).

(2) When the adhesion changes due to Coulomb force when voltage is applied, the basic composition of the ink is one consisting of inorganic or organic fine particles and a liquid dispersion medium, and the difference in the chargeability of the fine particles is used. It is.

In this case, if the ink is adjusted to have adhesive properties from the beginning and contains fine particles that are likely to be negatively charged,
When a voltage is applied, the adhesion of the ink on the anode side to the anode becomes weaker, and when it is adjusted to have adhesion, it is easily charged positively as fine particles. Adhesion weakens. In addition, if the ink is adjusted so that it does not have adhesive properties at first, and then contains fine particles that are likely to be negatively charged, the ink on the anode side will adhere when a voltage is applied, and the ink will become non-adhesive. If the ink is adjusted to contain fine particles that are easily charged positively, the ink will adhere to the cathode side when a voltage is applied.

(3) When energization by voltage application causes a change in the crosslinked structure of the ink or a change in the dissociation state of the electrolyte due to an electrochemical reaction, resulting in a change in adhesion. In this case, the ink may initially be non-adhesive; It may be adjusted to have adhesive properties. When the ink is adjusted to be non-adhesive, at least a portion of the crosslinked structure of the ink is changed or destroyed by electricity, changing from a gel-like state to a sol-like state, thereby imparting adhesion. Alternatively, the dissociation state of the electrolyte changes to impart adhesion. When an ink is adjusted to be adhesive from the beginning, the adhesive ink becomes non-adherent by a mechanism completely opposite to that described above.

The mechanism of the image forming method of the present invention is as described in (1) above.
It is thought that this is due to either (2) or (3),
It is also conceivable that two or more of the mechanisms (1), (2), and (3) above occur simultaneously. In addition, in the case of ink that changes from adhering to non-adhering by voltage application, almost the entire thickness of the ink layer is transferred to the part where the voltage is applied (hereinafter referred to as bulk transfer). ). Regarding ink that changes from non-adhering to adhering, it may result in bulk movement due to the relationship between adhesive force and cohesive force of the ink at each interface, or partial transfer in which a part of the surface layer of the ink is transferred. I think that the.

When the ink of the present invention is used as a liquid such as water or alcohol, the cohesive force is too weak, and suitable adhesion cannot be obtained, which is not preferable. When the ink of the present invention is applied to a 2 mm thick platinum-plated stainless steel plate of 1 cm x 1 cm vertically in an environment with a temperature of 25°C and a humidity of 60%, the ink remains on the platinum-plated stainless steel plate for at least 5 seconds. It is preferable that it be retained. In particular, it is preferable that the thickness of the ink be 50% or more, more preferably 80% or more of the original thickness for at least 5 seconds. Also, two pieces of 1 cm x 1 am
The ink of the present invention was sandwiched between platinum-plated stainless steel plates so that the ink thickness was 2 mm, and the ink was heated for 2 minutes without applying any voltage.
When two platinum-plated stainless steel plates are separated from each other,
It is preferable that the ink adheres to both plates to the same extent.

If the change in ink adhesion is due to the generation of gas due to electrolysis, the liquid dispersion medium should be water, alcohols such as methanol or ethanol, solvents with hydroxyl groups such as glycerin, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, or chloride. A solvent in which an electrolyte such as sodium or potassium chloride is dissolved is preferably used. The content of the liquid dispersion medium is preferably 40 to 95 parts by weight, more preferably 60 to 80 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the ink.

In particular, it is preferable to use water or a liquid containing water as the liquid dispersion medium because hydrogen gas is likely to be generated on the negative electrode side. When mixing water and other liquid dispersion medium, the water content should be 1 part by weight or more, more preferably 5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of ink.
It is preferably at least 99 parts by weight.

The ink of the present invention, which adopts mechanism (2), is basically composed of inorganic or organic fine particles and a liquid dispersion medium.

The fine particles in the ink make it easier to cut the ink and improve the resolution of the image. The ink material of the present invention is an amorphous solid of a colloidal sol, and is a non-Newtonian fluid in terms of fluidity.

When the change in ink adhesion is caused by Coulomb force, charged particles or easily charged particles are used as all or part of the particles, and kneaded in a liquid dispersion medium described below, for example, in a homogenizer, colloid mill, or ultrasonic disperser. As a result, charged particles are generated. Particles to which positive electrodes are provided include metal (Au, Ag, Cu, etc.) particles, sulfides (zinc sulfide ZnS, antimony sulfide 5B2Ss, potassium sulfide 2S, calcium sulfide CaS, germanium sulfide GeS, cobalt sulfide CoS, tin sulfide Sn
S, iron sulfide FeS, copper sulfide 1C, 1I2s, manganese sulfide MnS, molybdenum sulfide MO233, etc.) particles, silicic acid (orthosilicate LSiL)
, metasilicic acid 12sio3, mesotrisilicate H2S120
．． , mesotrisilicate H45i303, mesotetrasilicic acid H5
Si40+ 1, etc.) particles, polyamide resin particles, polyamideimide resin particles, etc. can be used, and particles to which a negative charge is imparted include iron hydroxide particles, aluminum hydroxide particles, fluorinated mica particles, and polyethylene particles. , montmorillonite particles, fluororesin, etc. can be used. Further, polymer particles containing various charge control agents used as toners for electrophotography can also be used.

The above-mentioned fine particles have an average particle diameter of 100 μm or less,
Preferably, particles with a diameter of 0.1 μm to 20 μm, especially 10 μm or less, can be used, and such fine particles may be present in the ink in an amount of 1 part by weight or more, preferably 3 parts by weight to 90 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the ink. Preferably from 5 parts by weight
It can be contained in an amount of 60 parts by weight.

The liquid dispersion medium used together with the fine particles in the ink of the present invention includes ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol (weight average molecular weight, about 100 to 1000), Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, methyl calpitol, ethyl carpitol, butyl carpitol, ethyl carpitol acetate, diethyl carpitol, triethylene glycol monomethyl ether, triethylene glycol monoethyl ether, Propylene glycol monomethyl ether, glycerin, triethanolamine, formamide, dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, 1,3-dimethylimidazolidinone, N-methylacetamide, ethylene carbonate, acetamide, succinonitrile, Dimethyl sulfoxide, sulfolane, furfuryl alcohol, N,N-dimethylformamide, 2-ethoxyethanol, hexamethylphosphoric triamide (hexamethylphosphoric triamide)
, 2-nitropropane, nitroethane, γ-butyrolactone, propylene carbonate, 1.2.6-hexandriol, dipropylene glycol, hexylene glycol, and the like can be used alone or in combination of two or more of them. The liquid dispersion medium is based on 100 parts by weight of ink,
It is preferably contained in an amount of 40 to 95 parts by weight, more preferably 60 to 85 parts by weight.

In the case of ink that generates gas through electrolysis, the fine particles contained in the ink include, in addition to those listed above, silica, carbon fluoride, titanium oxide, carbon black, and the like.

In a preferred embodiment of the ink of the present invention, in view of the viscoelastic properties of the ink, it is preferable to use swellable fine particles capable of retaining the above-mentioned liquid dispersion medium in all or part of the fine particles. Examples of such swellable fine particles include Na-montmorillonite, Ca-montmorillonite, 3-octahedral synthetic smectite, Na-hectrite,
Examples include fluorinated micas such as Li-hectolite, Na-teniolite, Na-tetrasilicic mica, and Li-teniolite, synthetic mica, and silica.

The above-mentioned fluorinated mica can be represented by the following general formula (1).

General formula (1) % formula %) In the formula, W is Na or Li, X and Y are Mg2+, Fe
6-coordinate ions such as "Ni", Mn", AI", Fe", Li+, 2 is AI3'"5i44", G
e”, Fe”, B” or a combination thereof (AI
It represents a cation with a coordination number of 4, such as "/Si").

The average particle diameter of the swellable fine particles is 0.1 to 20μ in dry state.
m1 is more preferably 0.8 to 8 μm among 0.8 to 15 μm. The content of the swellable fine particles may be the same as the content of the fine particles described above, but it is preferably 8 parts by weight to 60 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the ink. It is also preferable to use swellable fine particles having charges on their surfaces.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in order to control the viscosity of the ink, 1 to 90 parts by weight, more preferably 1 to 50 parts by weight of the polymer, which can be used as a liquid dispersion medium, is added to the ink material based on 100 parts by weight of the ink material. part, especially 1 to 20 parts by weight. Such polymers include plant-based polymers such as guar gum, locust bean gum, gum arabic, taragant, carrageenan, pectin, mannan, and starch; microbial polymers such as xanthan gum, dextrin, succinoglucan, and curdlan; gelatin, casein, etc. , animal polymers such as albumin and collagen; cellulose polymers such as methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, and hydroxyethyl cellulose; starch polymers such as soluble starch, carboxymethyl starch, and methyl starch; alginate polymers such as propylene glycol alginate and alginate; Other semi-synthetic polymers such as polysaccharide derivatives; vinyl polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl methyl ether, carphoki, 3b divinyl polymer, sodium polyacrylate; other polyethylene glycol, ethylene oxide, propylene oxide block copolymers synthetic polymers such as alkyd resins, phenolic resins, epoxy resins, aminoalkyd resins, polyester resins, polyurethane resins, acrylic resins, polyamide resins, polyamideimide resins, polyesterimide resins, silicone resins, etc., singly or in combination of two or more. Can be used. It is also possible to use greases such as silicone grease and liquid polymers such as bolybdenum.

The ink of the present invention may contain colorants such as carbon black and other dyes and pigments that are generally used in the fields of printing and recording, if necessary. When the ink contains a coloring material, the content of the coloring material is preferably 0.1 to 40 parts by weight, more preferably 1 to 20 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the ink. In addition, instead of a coloring agent or together with a coloring agent,
It may contain a color-forming compound that develops color upon application of voltage. In addition, the ink may contain an electrolyte, thickener, thinner, surfactant, etc. that impart conductivity. Further, it is also possible for the above-mentioned fine particles themselves to also function as a coloring agent.

To obtain the ink of the present invention, for example, a liquid dispersion medium and fine particles may be mixed by a conventional method.

Next, the ink that adopts the above mechanism (3) will be explained.

As the ink used in the present invention, an ink containing a liquid dispersion medium and a crosslinked structure substance or polymer electrolyte that holds the liquid dispersion medium can be used.

The term "crosslinked substance" here refers to a substance that can form a crosslinked structure by itself, or a substance that forms a crosslinked structure by adding other additives (for example, a crosslinking agent made of inorganic ions such as borate ions). A substance that makes it possible to

Furthermore, the term "crosslinked structure" refers to a three-dimensional structure having "crosslinked bonds."

In the ink used in the present invention, this "crosslinking bond" may be an ionic bond, a hydrogen bond, or a van der Waals bond (or a combination of two or more of these).
It may be configured by

In the ink used in the present invention, the above-mentioned "crosslinked structure"
It suffices if the desired liquid dispersion medium characteristics can be obtained. That is, this crosslinked structure may be, for example, a network, honeycomb, or spiral structure, and may not be a regular structure.

In the ink used in the present invention, various inorganic or organic solvents that are liquid at room temperature can be used as the liquid dispersion medium, but they have relatively low volatility (e.g., equivalent to water, or lower) solvents are preferably used.

When a hydrophilic dispersion medium such as water or a water-containing dispersion medium is used as the liquid dispersion medium, a hydrophilic (natural or synthetic) polymer or the like is preferably used as the crosslinked structure substance.

Examples of such hydrophilic polymers include plant-based polymers such as gum, locust bean gum, gum arabic, taragant, carrageenan, pectin, mannan, and starch; xanthan gum, dextrin, succinoglucan, and curdlan. Microbial polymers; animal polymers such as gelatin, casein, albumin, and collagen; cellulose polymers such as methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, and hydroxyethylene cellulose, or starch polymers such as soluble starch, carboxymethyl starch, and methyl starch; Semi-synthetic polymers such as alginic acid-based polymers such as propylene glycol alginate and alginate, and their saccharide derivatives; vinyl-based polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl methyl ether, carboxyvinyl polymer, and sodium polyacrylate. Other synthetic polymers such as polyethylene glycol, ethylene oxide, and propylene oxide block copolymers are preferably used alone or in combination of two or more as necessary.

0 These hydrophilic polymers can be used in an amount of usually 0.2 to 50 parts by weight, particularly 0.5 to 30 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the liquid dispersion medium.

Another type of ink that contains a polymer electrolyte is one that contains a polymer electrolyte that is a polymer having a dissociative group in its polymer chain. Examples of substances that dissociate into polymer ions when dissolved in water include natural polymers such as alginic acid and gelatin; and those synthesized by introducing dissociative groups into synthetic polymers such as polystyrene sulfonic acid and polyacrylic acid. be.

Among polymer electrolytes, amphoteric polymer electrolytes, which can be dissociated as acids or bases like proteins, are preferred in order to obtain a wide range of changes in adhesion upon electrical conduction.

On the other hand, when using a dispersion medium made of oil such as mineral oil or a solvent such as toluene as a liquid dispersion catalyst,
For example, metal salts of stearic acid such as aluminum stearate, magnesium stearate, zinc stearate;
Other metal soaps made of similar metal salts of fatty acids such as valmitic acid, myristic acid, and lauric acid, or organic substances such as hydroxypropyl cellulose derivatives, dibenzylidene D-sorbitol, sucrose fatty acid esters, and dextrin fatty acid esters (as described above) As with the hydrophilic polymers described above), they are preferably used alone or in combination of two or more as necessary.

When using hydrophilic polymers or metal soaps as mentioned above, the film-forming properties of the liquid dispersion medium-retaining ink vary to some extent depending on the amount of these ingredients or the combination of these and the liquid dispersion medium. do. Although it is somewhat difficult to unambiguously determine the amount or combination of these components, it is important to ensure that the ink consisting of a liquid dispersion medium and a crosslinked substance or polymer electrolyte does not have adhesive properties. To achieve this, it is preferable to reduce the amount of solvent in the ink, or increase the degree of crosslinking if a crosslinked structure substance is used. Conversely, in order to have adhesive properties, it is preferable to increase the amount of solvent in the ink, contrary to the above, or to lower the degree of crosslinking if a crosslinked structure substance is used.

The ink that adopts the mechanism (3) above has the above-mentioned liquid dispersion medium and a crosslinked structure substance or a polymer electrolyte as essential components, and further contains dyes and pigments or colored fine particles as necessary. a coloring compound that develops color when energized, or an electrolytic substance that imparts desired conductivity to the ink and enables the ink to generate heat when energized. etc., and may contain additives such as antifungal agents and preservatives as necessary.

As the colorant, dyes and pigments generally used in the fields of printing and recording, such as carbon black, can be used without limitation.

Further, fine particles of inorganic compounds such as collodyl silicate, titanium oxide, and tin oxide may be added for the purpose of improving the printing durability of images.

In order to obtain the ink used in the present invention comprising the above-mentioned components, for example, a liquid dispersion medium such as water and a crosslinked structure material comprising a hydrophilic polymer (if necessary, a crosslinking agent, a coloring agent, Electrolytes, etc.) and/or polymer electrolytes may be uniformly mixed while heating to form a viscous solution or dispersion, and then cooled to gel.

In addition, when using colored particles such as toner particles as a coloring agent, it is better to add the colored particles after mixing the crosslinked structure material or/and polymer electrolyte and the liquid dispersion medium while heating to make them uniform. preferable. Alternatively, in this case, it is particularly preferable to mix at around room temperature in order to prevent agglomeration of toner particles and the like.

When the ink thus obtained is applied with electricity, at least a part of the crosslinked structure is changed or destroyed, changing from a gel-like state to a (reversibly) sol-like state, and the ink adheres according to the conductive pattern. gender is given. Alternatively, the dissociation state of the polymer pre-electrolyte is changed by energization, and adhesion is imparted depending on the energization.

When electricity is applied to the ink that adopts the above-mentioned mechanism (3) 4 , the pH value near the electrode changes due to an electrochemical reaction. That is, the exchange of electrons with the electrode causes a change in the crosslinked structure of the ink or a change in the dissociation state of the electrolyte, resulting in a change in adhesion.

If we explain the change in the crosslinked structure due to energization using a crosslinked product of polyvinyl alcohol and borate ions as an example, it can be assumed that the following phenomenon occurs.

The boric acid ion, which is crosslinked by bonding to the OH group of polyvinyl alcohol, changes its pH value to the acidic side by an anodic reaction near the anode of electricity or by adding an electron acceptor such as hydrochloric acid, and electrons are taken away. This is presumed to be because the crosslinked structure (at least a part of it) was destroyed, the molecular weight decreased, the viscosity decreased, and the ink became adhesive.

The reaction in this case is For example, it is estimated as follows Ru.

11C-0)1 H2 As in the present invention, an ink whose adhesion changes when energized,
In particular, in an image forming method using ink that is partially transferred to a plate, the amount of ink transferred can be controlled by the amount of electrical charge, so there is no need to adjust the amount of ink using a large number of rollers as in conventional printing machines.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained according to examples.

Example 1 200g of glycerin and lithium teniolite (LiMg
2Li (Si40+o)F2. average particle size 2.5μm)
After kneading 140 g and 20 g of carbon black in a homogenizer at a rotation speed of 10.000 rpm for 30 minutes,
A black amorphous colloidal sol ink was prepared by adding 200 g of water and mixing with a roll mill.

After applying the above ink to a thickness of about 2 mm on a 1 cm x 1 am platinum plated stainless steel plate, place the platinum plated stainless steel plate of the same size on top of the ink, and then press the two plates together under no voltage. When the two platinum-plated stainless steel plates were separated by gradually widening the interval between the platinum-plated stainless steel plates, ink was found to have adhered to almost the entire area on both platinum-plated plates.

Next, a voltage of +30V was applied to one of the two platinum-plated stainless steel plates with a 2 mm thick ink layer sandwiched between them, with one side serving as the cathode (earth) and the other as the anode. When 27 platinum-plated stainless steel plates were separated by gradually widening the interval between the platinum-plated stainless steel plates, all of the ink adhered to the anode side electrode, and no ink adhered to the cathode side.

Next, image formation was performed using a printing machine shown in FIG.

As the ink carrying roll 1, a platinum-plated stainless steel cylindrical roll (surface roughness IS) with a diameter of 30 mm was used, and as the printing roll 3, a 30 mm diameter iron cylindrical roll with a hard chrome plating on the surface was used. A plate 4 made of an aluminum plate patterned with a vinyl resin was wound around the plate roll 3, and the above-described ink material was placed between the ink carrying roll 1 and the coating roll 9.

The ink carrying roll 1 was rotated at a circumferential speed of 5 mm/sec in the six directions of the arrows, and the gap between the coating roll 9 and the coating roll 9, which was a cylindrical roll made of surface Teflon rubber and rotating in the direction of the arrow E, was controlled. mm/se
The thickness of the ink layer on the ink carrying roll 1 was controlled to 0.2 mm by rotating the roller at a speed of c. The plate roll 3 was rotated in the direction of arrow B at a circumferential speed of 5 mm/sec.

8 Next, the electrodes 15f and 15g are applied to the ink in the ink reservoir 10.
were inserted at intervals of 1 mm, an electric resistance meter was installed as the detection section 15d, and furthermore, the opening and closing of the valve 15b of the water supply device could be manually adjusted via the control section 15c.

When this recording device was printed with no voltage applied from the DC power supply 103, a printed matter with a recorded image was not obtained, but when a DC voltage of 30V was applied from the DC power supply 103, printing was performed. As a result, printed matter with sharp image quality was obtained. The polarity of the DC power supply 103 was such that the plate roll 3 side had a negative pole and the ink carrying roll 1 side had a positive pole.

The electrical resistance value of the ink was 50 Ω immediately after printing started, but it rose to 120 Ω after 7 minutes, so the valve 15b was opened and water was dripped from the nozzle 15h, so that the fluctuation range of the ink electrical resistance value was ±20 Ω. did. As a result, the electrical resistance value of the ink was 57Ω, which almost recovered to the level immediately after printing started. After that, the value on the electrical resistance meter hardly increased, indicating that the water was evenly distributed.

Example 2 A long period of time (20
time) and obtained a large number of printed materials. Printing was carried out so that the fluctuation range of the electrical conductivity of the ink was within ±10%.

As a result, no deterioration in image quality was observed in the printed matter.

Example 3 Long-time recording (20 hours) using the same recording device and method as in Example 1 except that an ammeter was used as the detection unit 15d.
A large number of printed materials were obtained. Printing was carried out so that the fluctuation range of the current value flowing through the ink was within ±15%.

As a result, no deterioration in image quality was observed in the printed matter. The current value is ±15% based on 0.5A immediately after printing starts.
It was maintained within

Using this recording device, the temperature was 40℃ and the relative humidity was 20%R.
Continuous operation was carried out for about 20 hours in an environment of H, and a large number of printed materials were obtained. As a result, no deterioration in image quality was observed.

Example 4 <Ink material> Weight part ton, average particle size 1 μm or less) Product name Steering R) Water
140 Glycerin 280 Among the above materials, water, glycerin, and carbon black are mixed for 48 hours in an attritor to create a mixed solution, and then this mixed solution and colloidal hydrated silicate are mixed in a Nigu to make the ink used in the present invention. I got it.

Using this ink, continuous operation was carried out for a long time (20 hours) using the same apparatus and method as in Example 1, and a large number of printed materials were obtained. Water addition was carried out at an average rate of 0.4 cc/min.
The fluctuation range of the electrical resistivity of the ink was set to ±14%.

As a result, no deterioration in image quality was observed. Furthermore, the value of the electrical efficiency of the ink was maintained within ±14% with respect to 30Ω immediately after the start of printing.

Example 5 A long period of time (20
A large number of printed materials were obtained. Printing was carried out so that the variation range of the electrical conductivity of the ink was ±20%.

As a result, no deterioration in image quality was observed.

Example 6 Long-time recording (20 hours) using the same recording device and method as in Example 4 except that an ammeter was used as the detection unit 15d.
A large number of printed materials were obtained. Printing was performed so that the fluctuation range of the current value flowing through the ink was ±15%.

As a result, no deterioration in image quality was observed.

Example 7 A mixed solution of 20 g of glycerin and 80 g of water was put into a tank 15a, and in the same manner as in Example 1, the mixed solution was dripped into the ink reservoir 10 using the valve 15a for a long time (20 hours). ) operation was carried out. Printing was carried out so that the fluctuation range of the electrical conductivity of the ink was within ±10%.

As a result, no image deterioration was observed.

A long continuous operation was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the ink component applying means 15 was not used in Comparative Multilayer Example 1, and a large number of printed matter was obtained. As a result, the electrical resistance value of the ink was 60Ω at the start of operation, but after about 3 hours, it became 700Ω, and the image quality began to deteriorate.
After 15 hours, the electrical resistance value increased to more than IOKΩ, and good printed matter could not be obtained. In other words, the electrical resistivity of the ink was 10 times or more higher than that immediately after printing started. Note that the water content of the ink decreased from 43% at the start of operation to 5% after 15 hours.

Comparative Example 2 A long continuous operation was carried out in the same manner as in Example 4, except that the ink component applying means 15 was not used, and a large number of printed matter was obtained. As a result, the electrical resistance value of the ink was 90Ω at the start of operation, but after about 3 hours, it became 950Ω, and the image quality began to deteriorate.
After 15 hours, the electrical resistance value increased to 1.5 Ω, and good printed matter could not be obtained. In other words, the electrical resistivity of the ink was 10 times or more higher than that immediately after printing started. Note that the water content of the ink decreased from 19% at the start of operation to 3% after 15 hours.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the physical properties of ink from changing over time, and it is possible to stably perform printing by voltage application for a long time.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, the physical properties of the ink can always be kept constant, so printing can be performed regardless of environmental conditions.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a plate used in the present invention, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are other views of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a side view showing an example of a flowchart for carrying out the image forming method of the present invention, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are side views showing other examples of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. It is a diagram. 1... Ink carrying roll 2... Ink 3... Plate roll 4... Plate 4a... Base material 4b... Pattern 5... Intermediate transfer body (blank cylinder) 6 Pressurizing means ( Impression cylinder) 7...Recorded object 8...Image 9...Coating roll 1
0... Ink reservoir 11... Blocking means 12... Housing 14.15... Ink component applying means 14a... Humidity sensor 14b... Ultrasonic humidifier 1.4c... Control unit 14d... Driver 14e... Power supply 15a... Tank 15b... Pulp 15c... Control section 15d... Detection section 15f, g... Electrode 15h... Discharge port 103... Power supply

Claims (9)

[Claims] (1) A step of supplying a recording material whose adhesion force changes depending on the polarity of an applied voltage between a pair of electrodes, a step of applying a voltage between the pair of electrodes, and a step of applying a voltage to the recording material. An image forming method comprising the step of applying a component constituting. (2) The image forming method according to claim 1, wherein the component is water, and the amount of water applied to the recording material is controlled depending on the humidity around the recording material. (3) The amount of the component applied to the recording material is controlled based on at least one measured value of the electrical resistance, electrical conductivity, or current flowing through the recording material. The image forming method described. (4) supplying a recording material whose adhesion changes depending on the polarity of the applied voltage between a pair of electrodes, at least one of which has a pattern formed of a conductive part and an insulating part; a step of applying a voltage between the electrodes to make the recording material adhere to the patterned electrode according to the pattern; and a step of applying a component constituting the recording material to the recording material. An image forming method comprising: (5) The image forming method according to claim 4, wherein the component is water, and the amount of water applied to the recording material is controlled depending on the humidity around the recording material. (6) The amount of the component applied to the recording material is controlled based on at least one measured value of the electrical resistance, electrical conductivity, or current flowing through the recording material. The image forming method described. (7) a pair of electrodes in which a pattern consisting of a conductive part and an insulating part is formed on at least one electrode; a recording material supply means for supplying a recording material to the pair of electrodes; and a recording material supply means for supplying a recording material to the pair of electrodes; a voltage applying means to apply a voltage to the recording material;
An image forming apparatus comprising: an ink component applying means for applying components constituting the recording material. (8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the ink component applying means includes a humidity sensor and a humidifier. (9) The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the ink component applying means includes a pair of electrodes and an ejection port for ejecting the component.