SUBLIMATION INKS FOR THERMAL INKJET PRINTERS USING THERMALLY STABLE DYE PARTICLES

摘要

Thermal inkjet printer sublimation inks are provided having high melting point suspended particles such that the ink does not clog thermal ink jet print heads. Low-cost thermal ink jet printers are used to create thermal transfer images from the inks which are used in conventional thermal transfer processes. An ink set having at least three ink colors includes an aqueous medium of 30-95 weight percent having particles of 50 nm to 1000 nm suspended therein in an amount of 1-10 weight percent. The suspended particles include a sublimation dye and have a melting point of at least a surface of the particle greater than or equal to 200° C. The particles may have a core-shell structure with a sublimation dye core. The ink includes one or more cosolvents from 4-40 weight percent, a surfactant of 0.01 to 5 weight percent, and a biocide of 0.01-5 weight percent.