Abstract: Disclosed is a pigment dispersion containing at least a pigment, a liquid medium and a high-molecular dispersant. The high-molecular dispersant is a block polymer represented by A-B or A-B-C, in which A, B and C each represent a polymer block and the A and C blocks may be the same or different. The block polymer and its production process are also disclosed. The high-molecular dispersant is free of problems of a smell, coloration, a heavy metal and cost, and its use can provide a pigment dispersion excellent in the dispersion stability of a pigment.

Abstract: Disclosed are a production process of a dye polymer having a dye content of from 1 to 50 wt %, and the dye polymer and its use. The production process includes subjecting an addition-polymerizable monomer to living radical polymerization by using, as a polymerization initiator, a dye having a polymerization initiating group enabling the living radical polymerization. The dye polymer and a composition of the dye polymer and a pigment are useful as good coloring agents for various products or articles. The colored products or articles are high in transparency, and are provided with high added value. The dye polymer can also be used as a dispersant for pigments, thereby making it possible to afford pigment dispersions excellent in dispersion properties and dispersion stability.

Abstract: This invention relates a copolymer (D) containing (A) methacrylic polymer units each having, at an end thereof, at least one group represented by the below-described formula (1) and (B) units of an aromatic vinyl monomer, wherein a weight ratio (A:B) of the units (A) to the units (B) is A:B=5 to 95:95 to 5; and its use. The present invention can provide inter alia a copolymer useful as a pigment dispersant or the like capable of affording pigment dispersions useful for inkjet inks, colors for color filters, and other applications.

Abstract: A pigment dispersant contains (a) 5 to 30 wt % of aromatic and/or heterocyclic vinyl monomer units, (b) 10 to 30 wt % of monomer units having acid groups, (c) 40 to 80 wt % of (meth)acrylate ester monomer units, and (d) 5 to 30 wt % of monomer units having poly(C2-6-alkylene glycol) chains or mono(C1-22-alkyl)ether chains of said glycol, said poly(C2-6-alkylene glycol) chains or mono (C1-22-alkyl)ether chains having a number average molecular weight of from 150 to 1,500. A sum of the monomer units (a) to (d) amounts to 100 wt %. The pigment dispersant has an acid value of from 30 to 300 mgKOH/g, a number average molecular weight of from 5,000 to 30,000, and a content of organic compounds, boiling points of which are not higher than 250° C., of not higher than 0.2 wt %. Also disclosed are its production process, its aqueous solution and its dispersion.

Abstract: A water-based pigment ink contains a pigment, a hydrophilic dispersant, an aqueous medium, an alkali agent for solubilizing the hydrophilic dispersant in the aqueous medium, and a hydrophilic compound having at least one structural unit of “hydrophobic molecular chain-hydrophilic molecular chain-hydrophobic molecular chain” in a structure thereof. The water-based pigment ink is suited especially as an ink for ink-jet printers.

Abstract: Polymer-bonded functional agents are each obtained by reacting a functional agent containing reactive groups with a polymer containing groups reactive with the reactive groups of the functional agent. The functional agent comprises at least one functional agent selected from the group consisting of antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, light stabilizers, infrared absorbers and antistatic agents. Use of these polymer-bonded functional agents can provide articles with improved functions.

Abstract: Colored fine particulate resins can each be produced by bringing a colored resin, which comprises a thermally fusible resin and a colorant evenly distributed in the thermally fusible resin, into a molten state; forming the colored resin, which is in the molten state, into droplet-shaped fine particles in a non-dissolving medium which does not dissolve the colored resin; and then cooling and solidifying the droplet-shaped fine particles. The colored fine particulate resins are useful in image recording materials, printing materials and paints. Articles can be colored with the image recording materials, printing materials or paints.

Abstract: Image-recording, hydrophilic colorants having an organic pigment linked to a hydrophilic compound through a linking group and which are capable of forming images excellent in print quality such as chroma, gloss, density, light fastness and abrasion fastness, and also as hydrophilic colorants capable of affording inks excellent in physical properties such as long-term storability and press stability are described.

Abstract: Fluorescent colorant compositions contain a pigment and a resin. The pigment is a crystalline, azo-based, fluorescent pigment obtained from a coupling reaction of a specific diazo compound, which was obtained from a particular aromatic amine, with a particular acetoacetylamino-containing aromatic coupler. As crystalline characteristics of the crystalline, azo-based, fluorescent pigment, the ratio (h/w) of a height (h) of a maximum peak to its half-value width (w) in a diffraction angle (20) range of from 5 to 35° in an x-ray diffraction spectrum of the pigment may preferably be 20 or greater. Also disclosed are coloring processes and colored articles, which make use of the fluorescent colorant compositions.

Abstract: Image-recording, hydrophilic colorants represented by the below-described formula (1) are disclosed. These colorants can be provided as colorants capable of forming images excellent in print quality such as chroma, gloss, density, light fastness and abrasion fastness, and also as hydrophilic colorants capable of affording inks excellent in physical properties such as long-term storability and press stability. [organic pigment]?[linking group]?[hydrophilic compound]??(1) wherein the [organic pigment] is a hydrophobic pigment having no hydrophilic group by itself, the [linking group] is a group linking the [organic pigment] and the [hydrophilic compound] with each other and blocking an effect of the [hydrophilic compound] on the [organic pigment], and the [hydrophilic compound] is an anionic, cationic and/or nonionic, hydrophilic compound.

Abstract: Polymer-bonded functional agents are each obtained by reacting a functional agent containing reactive groups with a polymer containing groups reactive with the reactive groups of the functional agent. The functional agent comprises at least one functional agent selected from the group consisting of antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, light stabilizers, infrared absorbers and antistatic agents. Use of these polymer-bonded functional agents can provide articles with improved functions.

Abstract: Polymer-bonded functional agents are each obtained by reacting a functional agent containing reactive groups with a polymer containing groups reactive with the reactive groups of the functional agent. The functional agent comprises at least one functional agent selected from the group consisting of antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, light stabilizers, infrared absorbers and antistatic agents. Use of these polymer-bonded functional agents can provide articles with improved functions.

Abstract: A graft copolymer is formed by copolymerization of (A) a macromonomer and (B) a monomer. The macromonomer (A) is a polymer of (a) an ester monomer between an addition-polymerizable, unsaturated carboxylic acid and an aliphatic alcohol and (b) an addition-polymerizable monomer having an acidic group. The polymer contains an addition-polymerizable group at an end thereof, and has an acid value of from 100 to 300. The monomer (B) is an addition-polymerizable monomer. Units of the macromonomer (A) amount to from 20 to 50 wt. % of the whole graft copolymer, and units of the monomer (B) amount to from 50 to 80 wt. % of the whole graft copolymer.

Abstract: A water-based pigment ink contains a pigment, a hydrophilic dispersant, an aqueous medium, an alkali agent for solubilizing the hydrophilic dispersant in the aqueous medium, and a hydrophilic compound having at least one structural unit of “hydrophobic molecular chain-hydrophilic molecular chain-hydrophobic molecular chain” in a structure thereof. The water-based pigment ink is suited especially as an ink for ink-jet printers.

Abstract: Polymer-bonded functional agents are each obtained by reacting a functional agent containing reactive groups with a polymer containing groups reactive with the reactive groups of the functional agent. The functional agent comprises at least one functional agent selected from the group consisting of antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, light stabilizers, infrared absorbers and antistatic agents. Use of these polymer-bonded functional agents can provide articles with improved functions.

Abstract: Colored fine particulate resins can each be produced by bringing a colored resin, which comprises a thermally fusible resin and a colorant evenly distributed in the thermally fusible resin, into a molten state; forming the colored resin, which is in the molten state, into droplet-shaped fine particles in a non-dissolving medium which does not dissolve the colored resin; and then cooling and solidifying the droplet-shaped fine particles. The colored fine particulate resins are useful in image recording materials, printing materials and paints. Articles can be colored with the image recording materials, printing materials or paints.

Abstract: A process is provided for producing a colored fine particulate composition by dissolving or dispersing a coloring matter or a coloring matter and charge control agent in a condensation-polymerized resin component and forming the resultant resin composition into fine particles. The coloring matter or the coloring matter and charge control agent are added to a raw material component for the production of the resin component, or to the resin component in a period from initiation to completion of polymerization of the resin component or while the resin component is in a molten state subsequent to the completion of the polymerization, whereby the coloring matter or the coloring matter and charge control agent are dissolved or dispersed in the resulting resin component. A colored composition obtained subsequent to the dissolution or the dispersion is cooled. The colored composition so cooled is then formed into fine particles.

Abstract: A polyfunctional polycarbodiimide compound contains at least four molecular chains bonded independently to a backbone. Each of the molecular chains contains a carbodiimido (—N═C═N—) group. The polyfunctional carbodiimide compound can be produced by reacting (a) an isocyanate compound having at least one carbodiimido group and at least one isocyanate group with (b) a polyol, polyamine and/or aminoalcohol having at least four hydroxyl, primary amino and/or secondary amino groups in a molecule. Also disclosed are a resin composition containing the polyfunctional polycarbodiimide compound as a crosslinking agent; and a treatment method of an article, which makes use of the resin composition.

Abstract: A polyfunctional polycarbodiimide compound contains at least four molecular chains bonded independently to a backbone. Each of the molecular chains contains a carbodiimido (--N.dbd.C.dbd.N--) group. The polyfunctional carbodiimide compound can be produced by reacting (a) an isocyanate compound having at least one carbodiimido group and at least one isocyanate group with (b) a polyol, polyamine and/or aminoalcohol having at least four hydroxyl, primary amino and/or secondary amino groups in a molecule. Also disclosed are a resin composition containing the polyfunctional polycarbodiimide compound as a crosslinking agent; and a treatment method of an article, which makes use of the resin composition.