US20040209017A1
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Weak base modification of porous ink-jet media coating for enhanced image quality
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
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Filing: 2004-02-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2024-02-06
Abstract
Abstract A method for the preparation of a print medium that helps to reduce unwanted print artifacts such as bronzing, gloss non-uniformity, print smudging, and coalescence. Specifically, a method can comprise a step of preparing a coating composition with an acidic pH and a step of coating a media substrate with the coating composition to form an ink-receiving layer thereon. The coating composition can comprise a dispersion of inorganic particulates, a polymeric binder, and a weak base comprising a salt of an alkali metal and a weak acid. The weak base generates gas bubbles in the coating composition as a result of the acidic pH.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter Zahrobsky
- 👤 Matthew Thornberry
- 👤 Palitha Wickramanayake
- 👤 Urs Fuerholz
- 👤 Linda Uhlir-Tsang
- 👤 Eric Burch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:17
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/50; B41M5/52; B41M5/5218; B41M5/5227
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
67 words
1 . A method of producing a print medium, comprising steps of: a) preparing a coating composition having an acidic pH, said coating composition comprising: i) a dispersion of inorganic particulates; ii) a polymeric binder; and iii) a weak base comprising a salt of an alkali metal and a weak acid; and b) coating a media substrate with the coating composition to form an ink-receiving layer thereon.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
67 words
1 . A method of producing a print medium, comprising steps of: a) preparing a coating composition having an acidic pH, said coating composition comprising: i) a dispersion of inorganic particulates; ii) a polymeric binder; and iii) a weak base comprising a salt of an alkali metal and a weak acid; and b) coating a media substrate with the coating composition to form an ink-receiving layer thereon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
2 . A method as in claim 1 , further comprising a step of including an acid in the coating composition that is reactive with the weak base.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
3 . A method as in claim 2 , wherein the acid is provided by an acidic cross linking agent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
4 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein the weak base generates gas bubbles as a result of the acidic pH.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
5 . A method as in claim 4 , wherein the gas bubbles are CO 2 bubbles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
6 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein the weak base is selected from the group consisting of alkali carbonate salt, alkali bicarbonate salt, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
7 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein the alkali metal is selected from the group consisting of sodium, lithium, and potassium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
8 . A method as in claim 7 , wherein the alkali metal is sodium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
9 . A method as in claim 7 , wherein the alkali metal is lithium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
10 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein the pH of the coating composition is from about 2.0 to about 6.0.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
11 . A method as in claim 10 , wherein the pH of the coating composition is from about 3.0 to about 4.5.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
12 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein the salt is added to the coating composition at from about 0.001 wt % to about 10 wt %.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
13 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein the media substrate is a coated media substrate, and the coating composition is a topcoat to be applied to the coated media substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
70 words
14 . A print medium, comprising: a) a media substrate; and b) an ink-receiving layer applied to the media substrate, said ink-receiving layer comprising: i) a dispersion of inorganic particulates; ii) a polymeric binder; and iii) gas generated bubbles located within the ink-receiving layer, wherein the gas generated bubbles are generated by reacting an acid with a weak base comprising a salt of an alkali metal and a weak acid.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
70 words
14 . A print medium, comprising: a) a media substrate; and b) an ink-receiving layer applied to the media substrate, said ink-receiving layer comprising: i) a dispersion of inorganic particulates; ii) a polymeric binder; and iii) gas generated bubbles located within the ink-receiving layer, wherein the gas generated bubbles are generated by reacting an acid with a weak base comprising a salt of an alkali metal and a weak acid.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
15 . A print medium as in claim 14 , wherein the ink-receiving layer contains excess amounts of the acid.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
16 . A print medium as in claim 14 , wherein the acid is provided by an acidic cross linking agent.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
17 . A print medium as in claim 14 , wherein the ink-receiving layer contains an excess of the weak base.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
18 . A print medium as in claim 14 , wherein the weak base is selected from the group consisting of a carbonate, a bicarbonate, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
19 . A print medium as in claim 14 , wherein the alkali metal is selected from the group consisting of sodium, lithium, and potassium.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
20 . A print medium as in claim 19 , wherein the alkali metal is sodium.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
21 . A print medium as in claim 19 , wherein the alkali metal is lithium.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
22 . A print medium as in claim 14 , wherein the pH of the ink-receiving layer is from about 2.0 to about 6.0.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
23 . A print medium as in claim 22 , wherein the pH of the ink-receiving layer is from about 3.0 to about 4.5.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
24 . A print medium as in claim 14 , wherein the alkali metal is present in the ink-receiving layer at from about 0.4 wt % to about 10 wt %.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
25 . A print medium as in claim 14 , wherein the ink-receiving layer has an average thickness of from about 10 μm to about 60 μm.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
26 . A print medium as in claim 14 , wherein the bubbles have an average diameter of less than about 10 μm.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
27 . A print medium as in claim 26 , wherein the bubbles have an average diameter of from about 0.01 μm to about 0.1 μm
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
28 . A print medium as in claim 14 , wherein the media substrate is a coated media substrate, and the ink-receiving layer is applied as a topcoat to the coated media substrate.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
27 words
29 . A print medium as in claim 28 , wherein the ink-receiving layer has an average thickness of from about 0.1 μm to about 10 μm.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
33 words
30 . A print medium as in claim 29 , wherein the alkali metal concentration in the ink-receiving layer applied as a topcoat is greater than is present in the coated media substrate.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
66 words
31 . A printed image on a print medium, comprising: a) a media substrate; b) an ink-receiving layer applied to the media substrate, said ink-receiving layer comprising; i) a dispersion of inorganic particulates; ii) a polymeric binder; and iii) a salt of an alkali metal and a carbonate or bicarbonate species; and c) an ink-jet ink printed on at least a portion of the ink-receiving layer.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
66 words
31 . A printed image on a print medium, comprising: a) a media substrate; b) an ink-receiving layer applied to the media substrate, said ink-receiving layer comprising; i) a dispersion of inorganic particulates; ii) a polymeric binder; and iii) a salt of an alkali metal and a carbonate or bicarbonate species; and c) an ink-jet ink printed on at least a portion of the ink-receiving layer.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
32 . A printed image as in claim 31 , wherein the ink-receiving layer also includes an acid reactive with the salt.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
33 . A printed image as in claim 32 , wherein the acid is provided by an acidic cross linking agent.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
34 . A printed image as in claim 31 , wherein the ink-receiving layer contains an excess of the carbonate or bicarbonate species.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
33 words
35 . A printed image as in claim 32 , wherein the acid and the salt generate CO 2 bubbles, said CO 2 bubbles providing voids which remain present in the ink-receiving layer.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
25 words
36 . A printed image as in claim 31 , wherein the alkali metal is selected from the group consisting of sodium, lithium, and potassium.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
16 words
37 . A printed image as in claim 36 , wherein the alkali metal is sodium.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
38 . A printed image as in claim 36 , wherein the alkali metal is lithium.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
24 words
39 . A printed image as in claim 31 , wherein the pH of the ink-receiving layer is from about 2.0 to about 6.0.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
24 words
40 . A printed image as in claim 39 , wherein the pH of the ink-receiving layer is from about 3.0 to about 4.5.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
31 words
41 . A printed image as in claim 31 , wherein the alkali metal is present in the ink-receiving layer at from about 0.4 wt % to about 10 wt %.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
27 words
42 . A printed image as in claim 31 , wherein the ink-receiving layer has an average thickness of from about 10 μm to about 60 μm.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
23 words
43 . A printed image as in claim 35 , wherein the bubbles have an average diameter of less than about 10 μm.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
26 words
44 . A printed image as in claim 35 , wherein the bubbles have an average diameter of from about 0.01 μm to about 0.1 μm.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
33 words
45 . A printed image as in claim 31 , wherein the media substrate is a coated media substrate, and the ink-receiving layer is applied as a topcoat to the coated media substrate.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
27 words
46 . A printed image as in claim 45 , wherein the ink-receiving layer has an average thickness of from about 0.1 μm to about 10 μm.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
33 words
47 . A printed image as in claim 46 , wherein the alkali metal concentration in the ink-receiving layer applied as a topcoat is greater than is present in the coated media substrate.
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