Relation between properties of thermofusible ink and print quality in thermal transfer printing

Abstract

This paper describes the relation between the dynamic properties of thermo-fusible ink and print quality. We have payed attention in particular to tensile strength of ink, which may have relation to separation stage in thermal transfer printing process. When a printer works at low speed, melting ink is expected to have returned to the solid state at the separation stage. When printing is made with high speed, however, the ink does not have enough time to be cooled and solidified. We have found the appearance of image voids on rough-surface paper decreases with increasing elongation of warm and softening ink. In addition, we have found a small dot image can be obtained in a good shape with the ink of relatively low tensile strength at room temperature.