Wax and ink composition for thermal ink transfer

Claim 2

An ink composition for thermal ink transfer, comprising a pigment and a wax component, wherein said wax component contains a wax which consists essentially of a reaction product of an α-olefin, having an average carbon number of from 16 to 100, with maleic anhydride, said reaction product consisting of one of the formulae: ##STR3## wherein R is an alkyl group having an average carbon number of from 13 to 97, and m is ≧1, said reaction product having a weight average polymerization degree of from 1 to 100, and a heat of fusion of not higher than 40 cal g -1 .

Claim 3

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said reaction product is a copolymer of an α-olefin having an average carbon number of from 16 to 60 with maleic anhydride.

Claim 4

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said reaction product is a 1:1 adduct of an α-olefin having an average carbon number of from 16 to 60 with maleic anhydride.

Claim 5

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said reaction product is obtained by subjecting an α-olefin having an average carbon member of from 16 to 100, and maleic anhydride to a thermal addition reaction, followed by a radical reaction with addition of a peroxide.

Claim 6

The ink composition of claim 1, comprising 5 to 30% by weight of said pigment and from 70 to 95% by weight of said wax component, wherein at least 5% by weight of said wax component is constituted by said wax.

Claim 7

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said reaction product is a copolymer of an α-olefin having an average carbon number of from 22 to 60, with maleic anhydride.

Claim 8

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said reaction product is a 1:1 adduct of an α-olefin having average carbon number of from 22 to 60 with maleic anhydride.

Claim 9

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said reaction product consists of the formula: ##STR4##

Claim 10

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said wax contains both reaction products having the formulae: ##STR5##

Claim 11

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said α-olefin is a mixture of α-olefins having from 16 to 18 carbons.

Claim 12

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said α-olefin is a mixture of α-olefins having from 20 to 28 carbon atoms.

Claim 13

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said α-olefin is a mixture of α-olefins having from 30 to 60 carbon atoms.

Claim 14

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said reaction product is obtained by receiving said α-olefin and said maleic anhydride in a molar ratio of 1:0.5 to 1:2.

Claim 15

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said reaction product is obtained by reacting said α-olefin and said maleic anhydride in a molar ratio of from 1:1 to 1:2.

Claim 16

The ink composition of claim 4, wherein said peroxide is di-t-butylperoxide or t-butylhydroperoxide.

Claim 17

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said reaction product has a melting point of from 30° to 95° C.

Claim 18

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said reaction product has a viscosity, at 100° C., of from 10 to 1000 cp.

Claim 19

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said weight average polymerization degree is from 1 to 40.

Claim 20

An ink composition for thermal ink transfer, comprising a pigment and a wax component, wherein said wax component contains a wax which consists essentially of a reaction product of an α-olefin, having an average carbon number of from 16 to 100, with maleic anhydride, said reaction product consisting of one of the formulae: ##STR6## wherein R is an alkyl group having an average carbon number of from 13 to 97, and m is ≧1, said reaction product having a weight average polymerization degree of from 1 to 100, and a heat of fusion of not higher than 40 cal g -1 ; wherein said wax component comprises from 5 to 100% by weight of said reaction product and up to 95% by weight of a conventional wax comprising paraffin wax, carnauba wax, montan wax, Japan wax, beeswax, ceresin wax, candelilla wax, spermaceti, petroleum wax, low molecular weight polyethylene, or oxidized wax.

Claim 21

An ink composition for thermal ink transfer, comprising a pigment and a wax component, wherein said wax component contains a wax which consists essentially of a reaction product of an α-olefin, having an average carbon number of from 16 to 100, with maleic anhydride, said reaction product consisting of one of the formulae: ##STR6## wherein R is an alkyl group having an average carbon number of from 13 to 97, and m is ≧1, said reaction product having a weight average polymerization degree of from 1 to 100, and a heat of fusion of not higher than 40 cal g -1 ; wherein said wax component comprises from 5 to 100% by weight of said reaction product and up to 95% by weight of a conventional wax comprising paraffin wax, carnauba wax, montan wax, Japan wax, beeswax, ceresin wax, candelilla wax, spermaceti, petroleum wax, low molecular weight polyethylene, or oxidized wax.

Claim 22

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said pigment comprises carbon black.

Claim 23

The ink composition of claim 1, wherein said wax component comprises from 10 to 100% by weight of said reaction product and up to 90% by weight of paraffin wax, carnauba wax, montan, Japan wax, beeswax, ceresin wax, candelilla wax, spermaceti, petroleum wax, low molecular weight polyethylene, or oxidized wax.