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Applications of PIPES
- Biological Buffer Product Name: Piperazine-1,4-bisethanesulfonic acid
- English Name: PIPES
- Synonym(s): Piperazine-N,N’-bis(2-ethanesulfonic) acid
- Molecular Formula: C8H18N2O6S2
- CAS Number: 5625-37-6
- Product Code: DL023010
- Structural Formula:
Introduction to PIPES
PIPES is a type of biological buffer with a pH range of 6.1 to 7.5, and at 25°C, its pKa is 6.8. It is widely used in laboratory research and chemical production processes.
Applications of PIPES
1. Use in Fertilizers
Continuous use of fertilizers can result in the depletion of soil fertility and nutrient balance. To boost crop yields and meet the increasing demands of a growing population, more fertilizers are being applied. However, excessive use of urea or its rapid hydrolysis and nitrification in the soil is causing environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions and groundwater contamination. Besides conventional fertilizers, farmers are also applying micronutrient fertilizers and/or inhibitors to improve soil fertility. Since these are applied separately, it can lead to over-application, under-application, or misuse, which is also labor-intensive.
To address this, an improved type of fertilizer granule with better application characteristics is needed. Patent CN108026118B offers such a solution by providing a fertilizer granule. This granule contains a core made of various fertilizer additives, including pH buffers, inhibitors, binders, and micronutrients.
2. Use in Inks
The inkjet recording method involves ejecting tiny droplets of ink from fine nozzles to record an image on a medium. This method allows for high-speed recording of high-resolution and high-quality images at a relatively low cost. The properties, stability, and image quality of the ink used in this method are crucial. Existing technologies involve inkjet printing inks that use dyes dispersed by resin and organosilicon surfactants. When using dyes that are insoluble or difficult to dissolve in water, naphthalene-based dispersants are often used, which can produce unpleasant odors. Additionally, organosilicon surfactants are mixed into the ink, but while they initially reduce surface tension, their long-term storage can lead to an increase in surface tension, negatively affecting the ink’s filling and ejection stability, and ultimately degrading image quality.
To solve these issues, patent CN109306203B provides an inkjet ink composition for sublimation transfer printing. This composition includes dispersed dyes, dispersed resins, organosilicon surfactants, and solubilizers.
This ink composition may include pH regulators such as adipic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, N,N-Bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (BES), 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES), morpholinoethanesulfonic acid (MES), N-(2-acetamido)-2-iminodiacetic acid (ADA), Piperazine-1,4-bis(2-ethanesulfonic acid) (PIPES), N-(2-Acetamido)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (ACES), N-Tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (TES), acetamido glycine, trimethyl glycine, glycylamine, N-diglycine, along with other Good’s buffers, phosphate buffers, citrate buffers, and tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) buffers.
This sublimation transfer ink composition enables odor-free printing, has good filling properties, and exhibits excellent physical stability during storage without significant changes in its properties.
References:
CN108026118B – Fertilizer composition, its preparation, and usage methods.
CN109306203B – Sublimation transfer ink composition and inkjet printing method for sublimation transfer.
