E.i. Dupont De Nemours and Company

Michael Joseph Otley

Michael Stephen Wolfe

Hee Hyun Lee

Tristan Williams

Waifong Liew Anton

The present disclosure provides an inkjet ink comprising an aqueous vehicle and an encapsulated pigment dispersion. A process for encapsulating pigment dispersions is provided where a pigment is dispersed with a polymeric dispersant in an aqueous solvent system. The free polymer dispersant in the pigment dispersion is limited to less than 0.12 grams per gram of pigment. This dispersed pigment is then encapsulated by adding acrylate monomers and optionally acrylic and vinyl monomers and polymerizing. In the encapsulated pigment dispersion the weight ratio of final free polymer to polymer found to the final encapsulated pigment is less than 0.9. The free polymer dispersant is measured by a centrifugation method and the final free polymer is measured by a density gradient centrifugation method. Such encapsulated pigment dispersions may be used in inkjet inks and are stable to heat, aging test conditions, and solvent challenges. Prints from these inks have better durability.

Ink jet ink comprising encapsulated pigment dispersions with minimal free polymer

A process for encapsulating pigment dispersions is provided where a pigment is dispersed with a polymeric dispersant in an aqueous solvent system. The free polymer dispersant in the pigment dispersion is limited to less than 0.12 grams per gram of pigment. This dispersed pigment is then encapsulated by adding acrylate monomers and optionally acrylic and vinyl monomers and polymerizing. In the encapsulated pigment dispersion the weight ratio of final free polymer to polymer found to the final encapsulated pigment is less than 0.9. The free polymer dispersant is measured by a centrifugation method and the final free polymer is measured by a density gradient centrifugation method. Such encapsulated pigment dispersions may be used in inkjet inks and are stable to heat, aging test conditions, and solvent challenges. Prints from these inks have better durability.

Method of preparing encapsulated pigment dispersions with minimal free polymer

A process for encapsulating pigment dispersions is provided where a pigment is dispersed with a polymeric dispersant in an aqueous solvent system. An acrylate monomer and a polyurethane dispersion are added and the resultant mixture is polymerized. Optionally, the acrylate monomer/polyurethane mixture may be emulsified in water with an added surfactant or polymeric dispersant and up to 20% acrylic or other vinyl monomers based on the acrylate may be added to the acrylate monomer/polyurethane mixture before polymerization. Such encapsulated pigment dispersions may be used in inkjet inks and are stable to heat, aging test conditions, and solvent challenges. Prints from these inks have better durability.

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Hockessin, DE, United States of America

Michael Joseph Otley