Image recording method, ink, and liquid composition

Abstract

An image recording method including the steps of applying an ink containing a coloring material and anionic resin particles to a recording medium, and applying a liquid composition to the recording medium so as to at least partly overlap with an area where the ink is applied, the liquid composition destabilizing a dispersion state of the coloring material or of the anionic resin particles in the ink. The ink contains a trihydric or higher polyhydric alcohol compound having a group formed by substituting a hydrogen atom of a hydroxyl group by a structure represented by —Rn—H, where R is an alkyleneoxy group including an ethyleneoxy group, and the number of Rs per molecule is 40 or more and 120 or less when the polyhydric alcohol is a trihydric alcohol and is 12 or more and 400 or less when the polyhydric alcohol is a tetrahydric or higher polyhydric alcohol.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A liquid composition destabilizing a dispersion state of a coloring material or of anionic resin particles in an ink,
 wherein the liquid composition comprises a trihydric or higher polyhydric alcohol compound having a group formed by substituting a hydrogen atom of a hydroxyl group by a structure represented by —R n —H, where R is an alkyleneoxy group including an ethyleneoxy group, and the number of “R”s per molecule is (i) 40 or more and 120 or less when the polyhydric alcohol is a trihydric alcohol and (ii) 12 or more and 400 or less when the polyhydric alcohol is a tetrahydric or higher polyhydric alcohol.   
     
     
         14 . The liquid composition according to  claim 13 , wherein the liquid composition is used for an image recording method, the image recording method comprising the steps of:
 applying the ink comprising the coloring material and the anionic resin particles to a recording medium; and   applying the liquid composition to the recording medium so as to at least partly overlap with an area where the ink is applied.   
     
     
         15 . The liquid composition according to  claim 13 , further comprising at least one substance selected form polyvalent metal ions and organic acids. 
     
     
         16 . The liquid composition according to  claim 13 , further comprising a polyvalent metal ion, and a content of the polyvalent metal ion is 3% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less based on the total mass of the liquid composition. 
     
     
         17 . The liquid composition according to  claim 13 , further comprising an organic acid, and a content of the organic acid is 3% by mass or more and 99% by mass or less based on the total mass of the liquid composition. 
     
     
         18 . The liquid composition according to  claim 13 , wherein a content of the polyhydric alcohol compound is 5.0% by mass or more based on the total mass of the liquid composition. 
     
     
         19 . The liquid composition according to  claim 13 , wherein a content of the polyhydric alcohol compound is 20.0% by mass or more and 70.0% by mass or less based on the total mass of the liquid composition. 
     
     
         20 . The liquid composition according to  claim 13 , wherein the trihydric or higher polyhydric alcohol compound is represented by the following general formula A, B, C, or D: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein, in the general formula A, m is 2 to 4; 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein, in the general formula C, m is 1 to 10; 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         21 . The liquid composition according to  claim 13 , wherein the R is the alkyleneoxy group including the ethyleneoxy group and a propyreneoxy group. 
     
     
         22 . The liquid composition according to  claim 13 , wherein, in the structure represented by —R n —H, the n is 2.0 to 66.7. 
     
     
         23 . The liquid composition according to  claim 13 , wherein the trihydric or higher polyhydric alcohol compound is a pentahydric or higher and a dodecahydric or lower polyhydric alcohol compound, and wherein the number of “R”s per molecule is 40 or more and 120 or less. 
     
     
         24 . The liquid composition according to  claim 23 , wherein the pentahydric or higher and the dodecahydric or lower polyhydric alcohol compound is represented by the following general formula A, B, or C: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein, in the general formula A, m is 3 to 4; 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein, in the general formula C, m is 3 to 10. 
       
     
     
         25 . The liquid composition according to  claim 24 , wherein, in general formula C, m is 4 to 10. 
     
     
         26 . The liquid composition according to  claim 13 , further comprising water,
 wherein a content of the water is 50.0% by mass or more and 95.0% by mass or less based on the total mass of the liquid composition.   
     
     
         27 . An image recording method comprising the steps of:
 applying an ink comprising a coloring material and anionic resin particles to a recording medium; and   applying a liquid composition to the recording medium so as to at least partly overlap with an area where the ink is applied, the liquid composition destabilizing a dispersion state of the coloring material or of the anionic resin particles in the ink,   wherein the liquid composition comprises a trihydric or higher polyhydric alcohol compound having a group formed by substituting a hydrogen atom of a hydroxyl group by a structure represented by —R n —H, where R is an alkyleneoxy group including an ethyleneoxy group, and the number of “R”s per molecule is (i) 40 or more and 120 or less when the polyhydric alcohol is a trihydric alcohol and (ii) 12 or more and 400 or less when the polyhydric alcohol is a tetrahydric or higher polyhydric alcohol.   
     
     
         28 . A clear ink comprising:
 (a) anionic resin particles; and   (b) a trihydric or higher polyhydric alcohol compound having a group formed by substituting a hydrogen atom of a hydroxyl group by a structure represented by —R n —H, where R is an alkyleneoxy group including an ethyleneoxy group, and the number of “R”s per molecule is (i) 40 or more and 120 or less when the polyhydric alcohol is a trihydric alcohol and (ii) 12 or more and 400 or less when the polyhydric alcohol is a tetrahydric or higher polyhydric alcohol.   
     
     
         29 . An image recording method comprising the steps of:
 applying a clear ink comprising anionic resin particles to a recording medium; and   applying a liquid composition to the recording medium to at least partly overlap with an area where the clear ink is applied, the liquid composition destabilizing a dispersion state of the anionic resin particles in the clear ink,   wherein the clear ink comprises a trihydric or higher polyhydric alcohol compound having a group formed by substituting a hydrogen atom of a hydroxyl group by a structure represented by —R n —H, where R is an alkyleneoxy group including an ethyleneoxy group, and the number of “R”s per molecule is (i) 40 or more and 120 or less when the polyhydric alcohol is a trihydric alcohol and (ii) 12 or more and 400 or less when the polyhydric alcohol is a tetrahydric or higher polyhydric alcohol.