Ink, ink set, recording method, ink cartridge, and recording device

Abstract

The present invention provides an ink comprising at least a pigment, water, a water-soluble organic solvent, a lithium ion and one or more of cation other than the lithium ion, which can be applied particularly favorably for an inkjet method; an ink set at least comprises the ink and/or a processing solution containing at least an aggregating agent; a recording method and a recording device using the ink set in which the ink and the processing solution are applied so as to contact with each other to form an image onto a recording medium.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a preferable embodiment of an inkjet recording device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the basic configuration inside the inkjet recording device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of another preferable embodiment of an inkjet recording device of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the basic configuration inside the inkjet recording device of FIG. 3.

Claims

1. An ink containing at least a pigment, water, a water-soluble organic solvent, a lithium ion and one or more of cation other than the lithium ion.

2. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the cation other than the lithium ion is an alkali metal ion or an organic cation.

3. The ink according to claim 2, wherein the alkali metal ion is a sodium ion or a potassium ion.

4. The ink according to claim 2, wherein the organic cation is a monovalent organic cation.

5. The ink according to claim 2, wherein the organic cation is at least one selected from the group consisting of a tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide and an alkanol amine.

6. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the molar ratio between the content of the lithium ion and the other cation is approximately 1:50 to approximately 15:1.

7. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the content of the lithium ion relative to the content of the pigment is approximately 0.001 to approximately 5% by mass.

8. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the content of the pigment relative to the total amount of the ink is approximately 1 to approximately 25% by mass.

9. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the content of the water relative to the total amount of the ink is approximately 30 to approximately 80% by mass.

10. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the surface tension of the ink is approximately 20 to approximately 40 mN/m.

11. The ink according to claim 1, further containing a polymer having a weight average molecular weight of approximately 3,000 to approximately 50,000, an acidic value of approximately 50 to approximately 400, and a neutralization degree of approximately 20 to approximately 100%.

12. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the SP value of the water-soluble organic solvent when only one water-soluble organic solvent is included, or the SP value of a mixture of water-soluble organic solvents when a plurality of water-soluble organic solvents are included, is approximately 13 to approximately 25.

13. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the pigment is at least one selected from the group consisting of a self-dispersible pigment, a pigment dispersed using a polymer dispersant, and colored fine particles dispersed with a colored resin.

14. An ink set including at least the ink according to claim 1.

15. The ink set according to claim 12, wherein a processing solution containing an aggregating agent is included.

16. The ink set according to claim 13, wherein the aggregating agent is at least one selected from the group consisting of an organic acid, an inorganic electrolyte and an organic amine compound.

17. A recording method wherein the ink according to claim 1 is applied onto a recording medium by an inkjet method.

18. A recording method wherein the ink set according to claim 12 is applied onto a recording medium by an inkjet method.

19. A recording method using the ink set according to claim 13, wherein the ink and the processing solution are applied so as to contact with each other to form a pattern or an image onto a recording medium.

20. The recording method according to claim 16, wherein the mass ratio between the amount of the ink and the processing solution to be applied onto a recording medium to form a pixel is in a range of approximately 1:20 to approximately 20:1.

21. An ink cartridge containing an ink containing at least a pigment, water, a water-soluble organic solvent, a lithium ion and one or more of cation other than the lithium ion, or the ink set according to claim 12.

22. A recording device comprising an ink ejector to eject the ink according to claim 1.

23. A recording device comprising an ink ejector to eject an ink of the ink set according to claim 12.

24. The recording device according to claim 20, wherein the ink ejector is in the form of inkjet method.

25. The recording device according to claim 22, wherein the amount of the ink to be applied onto a recording medium is approximately 0.01 to approximately 25 ng per drop.

26. The recording device according to claim 22, wherein the mass ratio between the amount of the ink and the processing solution to be applied onto a recording medium to form a pixel is in a range of approximately 1:20 to approximately 20:1.