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Publication numberUS4266229 A
Publication typeGrant
Application numberUS 06/024,116
Publication dateMay 5, 1981
Filing dateMar 26, 1979
Priority dateMar 26, 1979
Publication number024116, 06024116, US 4266229 A, US 4266229A, US-A-4266229, US4266229 A, US4266229A
InventorsIshwar R. Mansukhani
Original AssigneeWhittaker Corporation
Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
Light sensitive jet inks
US 4266229 A
Ink compositions suitable for ink jet printing on metal, plastic, or paper surfaces, the ink characterized by light fast properties, incorporating in solution, silver nitrate and at least one solvent, said inks are subsequently exposed to ordinary light so as to render them particularly as a means for marking various materials whereby marking is normally visible.
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What is claimed is:
1. A process for information recording comprising producing a fine jet of colorless liquid containing at least one silver salt, modulating the charge density of the jet by applying an electric field in accordance with the information to be recorded, directing the jet of liquid to a recording medium to record said information, and subsequently exposing said recorded information to ordinary light, thereby rendering said recorded information visible.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein said silver salt is in solution and is subsequently chemically reduced by said light.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein the liquid exhibits a viscosity of up to 25 cps. and a resistivity of under 10,000 ohm-cm.
4. The process of claim 3 wherein the liquid includes a solvent selected from the group consisting of aliphatic monovalent alcohols having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof.
5. The process of claim 4 wherein said silver salt is silver nitrate.

This invention relates to inks characterized by light sensitive properties. More specifically, this invention relates to inks light-fast in ordinary light so as to render them particularly suitable as a means for marking various materials. Ink jet printing is a recent development in the art of applying identifying and decorative indicia to a base. In general terms, a fluid ink is forced, under pressure, through a very small orifice in an orifice block which contains a piezoelectric crystal vibrating at high frequency (50-100,000 vibrations per second) causing the ink passing through the orifice to be broken into minute droplets equal in number to the crystal vibrations. The minute droplets are passed through a charging area where individual droplets receive an electrical charge in response to a video signal, the amplitude of the charge being dependent on the amplitude of the video signal. The droplets then pass through an electrical field of fixed intensity, causing a varied deflection of the individual droplets dependent on the intensity of the charge associated therewith, after which the deflected drops are allowed to impinge to the base medium which is to receive the decorative or informative period indicia. Apparatus suitable for carrying out the ink jet printing process is described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,465,350 and 3,465,351, issued Sept. 2, 1969 and it is in connection with an apparatus and process such as are described in the aforementioned patents that the ink of the present invention is designed to function.

In order to operate satisfactorily in an ink jet printing system, an ink must display a consistent drop breakup length, drop velocity and drop charge under set operating conditions.

It has been determined that on ink jet printer, described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,465,350 and 3,465,351, inks with viscosity of 25 cps. will perform satisfactorily depending upon the type of nozzle used. However, inks with lower viscosities perform much better. Resistivity of ink may range as high as 10,000 ohm cm. for satisfactory operations.


This invention is a process for information recording comprising producing a fine jet of aqueous liquid, containing a silver salt, directing said jet of liquid onto a recording medium while modulating the density of the applied jet by an electric field in accordance with the information to be recorded, thereby recording said information, thereafter subjecting said recorded information to light, thereby rendering it visible.

Inks of this invention include two basic components. The first is a silver compound for providing visibility of the printed indicia upon exposure to light. The second major component is the solvent which provides fluidity to the ink and carries the silver compound in solution.

This invention, thus, relates to inks which precipitate silver upon reduction.

Solvents include aliphatic alcohol and other solvents can be ketones, aldehydes, ethers, esters, glycols, glycol ethers, hydrocarbon, lactones. Typical aliphatic monovalent alcohols are methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, n-propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol, sec-butyl alcohol, tert-butyl alcohol, isobutyl alcohol, n-amyl alcohol, amyl alcohol, isoamyl alcohol, hexyl alcohol, heptyl alcohol, octyl alcohol, or a mixture of same. Aliphatic monovalent alcohols with 1 to 8 carbon atoms are particularly preferred.

Other solvents for these inks are ketones, aldehydes, ethers, esters, hydrocarbons, glycol, glycol ethers and lactones.

Suitable solvents are hydrocarbons, such as hexane, heptane, octane, decane, cyclopentane, cyclohexane, benzene, toluol, xylol, and ethylbenzene; hydrocarbon halides, such as carbon tetrachloride, ethylene dichloride, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethane, and dichlorobenzene; ether-type solvents, such as butyl ether, ethylene glycol-diethyl ether, ethylene glycol-monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol-monobutyl ether; ketone-type solvents, such as acetone, methylethyl ketone, methyl propyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, methylamyl ketone, cyclohexanone; ester-type solvents, such as ethyl formate, methyl acetate, propyl acetate, butyl acetate, phenyl acetate, ethylene glycol-monoethyl ether acetate, methylpropionate; other alcohol solvents, such as diacetone alcohol or such.

While there is disclosed below but one embodiment of the invention herein presented, it is possible to produce still other embodiments without departing from the invention concepts herein disclosed. Various other modifications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

______________________________________Example 1     Parts by Weight______________________________________AgNO3    5.00HNO3     1.00Water         40.00Methanol      54.00         100.00______________________________________

Various other examples and modifications of the ink compositions of this invention might be cited or will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only as necessitated by the appended claims.

Patent Citations
Cited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitle
US3982251 *May 6, 1975Sep 21, 1976Ibm CorporationMethod and apparatus for recording information on a recording medium
US4095233 *Jun 30, 1976Jun 13, 1978Xerox CorporationMethod for forming a charge pattern
Referenced by
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US5621448 *May 18, 1995Apr 15, 1997Agfa-Gevaert, N.V.Ink jet recording method
US6197722Sep 28, 1998Mar 6, 2001Eastman Kodak CompanyImaging member with multifunctional coupler
US6312123Sep 3, 1999Nov 6, 2001L&P Property Management CompanyMethod and apparatus for UV ink jet printing on fabric and combination printing and quilting thereby
US6440896Sep 28, 1998Aug 27, 2002Eastman Kodak CompanyFirst developer solution and distinct second developer solution produce different colors; color stability, wear resistance; incorporating within a protective medium
US6467898Mar 30, 2001Oct 22, 2002L&P Property Management CompanyMethod and apparatus for ink jet printing on textiles
US6702438Apr 2, 2001Mar 9, 2004L&P Property Management CompanyMethod and apparatus for ink jet printing on textiles
US6726317Aug 17, 2001Apr 27, 2004L&P Property Management CompanyMethod and apparatus for ink jet printing
US7533361Jan 13, 2006May 12, 2009Cabot CorporationSystem and process for manufacturing custom electronics by combining traditional electronics with printable electronics
US7575621Jan 13, 2006Aug 18, 2009Cabot Corporationcombining a metal compound (AgNO3) with a solution that comprises a polyol (ethylene glycol)and a substance( polyvinypyrrolidone homo or copolymer) that is capable of being adsorbed on the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are precipitated by adding a nanoparticle-precipitating liquid (acetone)
US7621976Dec 21, 2006Nov 24, 2009Cabot Corporationforming a photovoltaic conductive feature; in a flowing aerosol stream, preparing silver-containing particles, then coating with a material other than silver by vapor deposition; disperse silver particles confined in metal or ceramic coatings; uses in electronics and electrochemical cells
US7749299Jan 13, 2006Jul 6, 2010Cabot Corporationrapid mixing a solution of a metal compound ( e.g AgNO3 ) that is capable of being reduced to a Ag by a polyol( ethyelne glycol decomposed to acetaldehyde which acts as reducing agent), with a heated solution containing above polyol and a polypyrrolidone capable of being adsorbed on the nanoparticles
US8167393Jan 13, 2006May 1, 2012Cabot CorporationPrintable electronic features on non-uniform substrate and processes for making same
US8334464Jan 13, 2006Dec 18, 2012Cabot CorporationOptimized multi-layer printing of electronics and displays
US8383014Jun 15, 2010Feb 26, 2013Cabot CorporationMetal nanoparticle compositions
US8597397Jul 2, 2010Dec 3, 2013Cabot CorporationProduction of metal nanoparticles
US8668848Dec 4, 2012Mar 11, 2014Cabot CorporationMetal nanoparticle compositions for reflective features
EP0462720A1 *Jun 3, 1991Dec 27, 1991Ford Motor Company LimitedInk compositions and method for placing indicia on glass
WO2006014861A2Jul 25, 2005Feb 9, 2006Eastman Kodak CoJet printing of patterned metal
U.S. Classification347/101, 347/100
International ClassificationC09D11/00, G01D15/18
Cooperative ClassificationG01D15/18, C09D11/36
European ClassificationC09D11/36, G01D15/18
Legal Events
Aug 26, 1983ASAssignment
Effective date: 19830624
Jul 11, 1983ASAssignment
Effective date: 19830601