Fast drying images and methods for printing on inorganic porous media

Abstract

The present method is drawn to the creation of fast-drying, photo-quality images with an ink-jet inks. The method comprises the steps of providing a inorganic porous media substrate, providing an aqueous ink-jet ink comprising an ink vehicle and an effective amount of a metallized dye having at least one heterocyclic nitrogen ring and an azo bond wherein the heterocyclic nitrogen is chelated or completed to a transition metal, and jetting the aqueous ink-jet ink onto the inorganic porous media substrate.

1 . A method for creating photo-quality image with an ink-jet ink comprising: 
 (a) providing an inorganic porous media substrate;    (b) providing an aqueous ink-jet ink comprising an ink vehicle and an effective amount of a metallized dye having at least one heterocyclic nitrogen ring and an azo bond wherein the heterocyclic nitrogen is chelated or complexed to a transition metal; and    (c) jetting the aqueous ink-jet ink onto the inorganic porous media substrate.    
   
   
       2 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the metallized dye comprises a pyridine group bonded to a quinolinol group through an azo bond.  
   
   
       3 . A method as in  claim 2  wherein the metallized dye is in a dicarboxalate form.  
   
   
       4 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the metallized dye comprises a pyridine group bonded to a naphthalene group through an azo bond.  
   
   
       5 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the porous media is a paper substrate having coated thereon an inorganic coating selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       6 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the inorganic porous media substrate has a pore size ranging from about 5 to 30 nanometers in width.  
   
   
       7 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the transition metal is selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, iron, cobalt, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       8 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the metallized dye is present in the aqueous ink-jet ink at from 0.1% to 10% by weight.  
   
   
       9 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the metallized dye has a ligand to transition metal molar ratio of 1:1.  
   
   
       10 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the metallized dye has a ligand to transition metal molar ratio of 2:1.  
   
   
       11 - 29 . (canceled)