Time resolved optical microscopy (“TROM”) process for measuring the rate of crystallization of solid inks

摘要

A system is disclosed for measuring the crystallization of crystalline-amorphous mixtures. The system includes a sample holder. and a heating apparatus to melt a ink composition and to keep the melted ink composition at a first specified temperature for a first period of time. The system includes a cooling apparatus to receive the melted ink composition, to cool the melted ink composition and to maintain the cooled ink composition at a second specified temperature. The system includes a microscope and a video recording device to capture images of the cooled ink composition for a second period of time A video processing computer includes a memory, a processor and software instructions and the software instructions causes the computer to extract crystallization parameters about the cooled ink composition from the captured images. The crystallization parameters identify fast solidifying crystalline inks that have a short time duration from onset of crystallization until crystallization.

主权项

1. A system for measuring the crystallization of crystalline-amorphous mixtures, comprising:
a sample made of ink composition sandwiched between transparent substrates; a sample holder to hold the sandwiched ink sample; a heating apparatus to melt the sandwiched ink composition and to keep the melted ink composition at a first specified temperature for a first period of time; a cooling apparatus separate from the heating apparatus to receive the melted ink composition, to cool the melted ink composition and to maintain the cooled ink composition at a second specified temperature, wherein the cooling apparatus uses a liquid nitrogen delivery apparatus to maintain constant the cooling temperature; a microscope and a video recording device to capture images of the cooled ink composition for a second period of time, wherein the microscope is a polarized optical microscope to capture high contrast between crystalline and amorphous areas of the ink compositions to allow extraction of the crystallization parameters; and a computer, the computer including a memory, a processor and software instructions, wherein the memory stores the captured images; and the software instructions, when executed by the processor causes the computer to extract crystallization parameters about the cooled ink composition from the captured images, wherein the crystallization parameters identify fast solidifying crystalline inks that have a short time duration from onset of crystallization until crystallization.