Formulation of a graft polymer-containing aqueous yellow ceramic ink for digital ink-jet printing

We herein reported the preparation of an eco-friendly aqueous yellow ceramic ink and subsequent examination of its printability for ink-jet printing applications. For this purpose, a water based ceramic ink was formulated using ceramic pigments to give a clear color during high-temperature heat treatment (>1000 °C), ultimately yielding an ink suitable for application in ceramic tile decoration. To improve the low dispersion stability of the aqueous ceramic ink compared to that of a conventional organic solvent-based ceramic ink, the pigment particles were dispersed using a graft polymer. More specifically, this graft polymer was composed of polyacrylic acid as the main chain to provide electrostatic repulsion and grafted poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate as the side chain to provide steric hindrance. Furthermore, additive-induced foaming issues were significantly reduced through the use of this graft polymer as a surfactant. The effects of the rheological properties of the prepared ceramic ink and the subsequent operation conditions of the piezoelectric print head were then investigated in detail to optimize the ink jettability and printability.