Water-based Ink-jet Inks Research Articles

1, 3, 6, 8-pyrene sulfonic acid tetrasodium fluorescent pigment synthesis and security ink production

Colorants used in security inks are special pigments that radiate in the UV region or IR region. Obtained pigments can be from valuable rare earth elements or they can be organic based. Organic-based pigments are generally insoluble in water, which limits their use. For this purpose, an organic-based UV-radiating pigment was synthesized and made water-soluble by forming its salt. With the obtained salt-formed pigment, inkjet ink that can be used in counterfeiting was applied and its printability and resistance properties were determined. In this study, 1, 3, 6, 8-pyrene sulfonic acid tetrasodium salt was synthesized and water-based inkjet inks with hydroxy ethyl cellulose binder were produced. The prepared inks were printed on the paper surface. The color and gloss of the prints obtained were measured both in the visible region and in the UV region. Its optical properties were detected by UV spectroscopy. Strength properties such as light fastness, nitro resistance, alkali resistance, acid resistance, rub resistance, drying time, adhesion and dry film weight of the prints were determined. As a result; Inkjet ink with 1, 3, 6, 8-pyrene sulfonic acid tetrasodium salt was produced and it was concluded that it has good resistance properties.

The role of resin in optimizing the performance and printing properties of water-based inkjet inks for food packaging

Purpose This study aims to investigate the influence of commercially available resins in water-based magenta pigment inkjet ink formulations on the properties of ink printability and the characteristics of ink application in food packaging. The impact of the resin on the jettability of the existing printability phase diagrams was also assessed. Design/methodology/approach Inks with different resin loadings were tested for selected properties, such as viscosity, particle size and surface tension. Stability was determined using a Turbiscan AGS turbidimeter and LumiFuge photocentrifuge analyzer. The ink layer fastness against abrasion and foodstuffs was evaluated using an Ugra device and according to PN-EN 646, respectively. JetXpert was used to assess Ricoh printhead jetting performance. Findings Printability diagrams successfully characterized the jettability of polyurethane inkjet inks on a multi-nozzle printhead and the binder improved droplet formation and printing precision. Originality/value Magenta water-based inkjet inks with commercial resins have been developed for printing on paper substrates. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, for the first time, inkjet ink stability was evaluated using the Turbiscan AGS and LumiFuge analyzers, and jettability models were verified using an industrial multi-nozzle printhead.

Real time monitoring of the through thickness moisture profile of thin sheets using NMR

The through-thickness distribution of liquids and liquid migration over time in thin, porous media is highly relevant for the production and product properties of materials such as textiles, membranes, paper, barrier materials, and thin films. We present a 1D NMR profiling method for the analysis of through-thickness liquid distribution during liquid absorption, migration, and drying of thin sheets. The good temporal resolution (1.3 s) and high spatial resolution (10 μm) make it possible to study changes of liquid distribution in sheets of about 100 μm thickness. A key aspect of our method is the simultaneous scanning of a liquid saturated reference sheet. Using a reference, local liquid saturation and absolute amount of liquid present over time can be evaluated. We studied the drying of water-based inkjet ink on paper substrates with differing water absorption behaviors. Differences in z-directional liquid distribution, penetration depth, and drying kinetics over time could be observed.

Water-based ink-jet ink based on nano Ni and Sb doped TiO2 prepared for printing on ceramics

ABSTRACT This study reports a simple approach to prepare a nano-TiO2-Sb-Ni yellow ink-jet ink. Yellow pigments, in terms of their morphology and color appearance, were synthesized by changing Ni/Sb molar ratios and calcination temperatures. Moreover, the particle size of optimal nano-TiO2-Sb-Ni pigment controlled by CTAB and PVP in a co-precipitation process. TGA, spectrophotometry, and XRD were used to characterize the prepared nano-TiO2-Sb-Ni pigments. SEM and TEM were used to investigate the morphology and size of the prepared nano-pigments, respectively. Finally, the synthesized spherical nano-pigment had an average diameter of 65 nm was well dispersed in water. A general ink-jet printer printed the stable, homogenous nano-ceramic ink. Ultimately, the more yellow appearance could be obtained through increasing the number of printing runs.

Formulation of Eco-Friendly Inks for Ink-Jet Printing of Polyester and Cotton Blended Fabric

The aim of this research is to discover such a strategy so that Ink-jet Printing of polyester and cotton blended fabric. This research focuses to develop inks by the combination of Reactive and disperse dyes and by using eco-friendly co-solvents. This paper covers a brief introduction of Ink jet printing technologies and types of inks. A summarized study of the evaluation amid ink jet printing as well as rotary screen printing is also given. In addition to, requirements and composition of water-based ink-jet inks focusing on methodology is given. Furthermore, shelf lives of inks, image sharpness, surface tension, color fastness to rubbing, analysis of head with some personal experiences are also discussed.

Relationship Between Jetting Performance and Surface Tension in Micro Second Order on Water Based Inkjet Ink

Recently, inkjet systems have been used in the field of commercial printing thanks to print-on-demand. To disseminate the IJ widely in the commercial printing field, high speed printing for high productivity would be required. In high speed printing, high jetting performance is needed. Good jetting performance means that a jetted droplet forms a spherical droplet before it reaches the paper surface. From the hypothesis that jetting performance depends on dynamic surface tension in a time scale of micro second order, the relationship between jetting performance and dynamic surface tension was investigated using the ink including pigment, humectant and surfactant. To check the jetting performance, the ink jetting behavior was investigated using a commercial line type print head at high jetting frequency. Dynamic surface tension in micro second order was measured by the Continuous Ink Jet system. The higher dynamic surface tension in the short time range was found to show better jetting performance with its single droplet formation. It was concluded that good jetting performance could be achieved by adjusting the ink composition to control dynamic surface tension.

Determination of Dryness of Water-based Inkjet Ink Printing

The drying of water-based inkjet ink applied to media by high speed continuous forms inkjet printers, is an evolving post processing product for the printing market. The efficiency of the dryers to remove the water and glycols, semi-volatile, components of the ink can be determined by laboratory analytical techniques. Analytical methods are employed to determine the level of dryness of inkjet printed paper utilizing Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR). Experimental testing methods and the resultant data are presented, showing the ability to discern the level of dryness of a water-based inkjet printed paper sample. The methods provide effective tools for analysis of drying, and point to methods by which real time inline printer feedback may be developed to effectively improve the drying output.

Research on the Surface Tension of Water-Based Ink-Jet Ink

In order to research and control the surface tension of the water-based ink-jet ink, and ensure the printing quality of the ink, water-based ink samples with different surface tension are prepared and the roundness, volume, speed and the tail length of the drop are measured in order to analyze the influence of surface tension to drop state. The influence of the main components to the surface tension is discussed through testing the surface tension of the water-based ink-jet ink which has different components. The result shows that the surface tension of the water-based ink-jet ink has big influence to the drop state, so the suitable surface tension is the key to guarantee the printing quality. And the kind of the resins influence the surface tension, the influence of adding different kinds and levels of surfactants to surface tension is different.

The Effects of Resin on the Performance of Water-Based Inkjet Ink Used in Printing

People pay more and more attention to water-based printing inkjet ink which has no environmental pollution and fits environmental protection requirements. Inkjet printing technology could be applicable small batch and various variety products and satisfy the customer’s personalized requirements. Resin as one of the main compositions of printing inkjet ink has important effects on ink’s performance. To determine the effects of resin on the performance of water-based printing inkjet ink, adopting grinding method prepare the samples by changing resin and its proportion. By testing the samples’ particle size, viscosity, surface tension, pH value, the effects of resin on the water-based printing inkjet ink were analyzed. The results show that the type of resin and composite ratio has some effects on the performance of printing inkjet ink. When the resin was mixed in accordance with Resin B/Resin C=29/21, the performance of printing inkjet ink which was diluted with this resin was better.

Study on the Printing Performance of Coated Paper Inkjet Ink

In order to evaluate the practical application effect of the self-made water-based coated paper inkjet ink and to study the influence factors, their printing performance and the influence of the printed material for printing performance is studied. The drying time of coated paper ink and ordinary water-based inkjet ink are measured and compared. Drying process of ink droplet is recorded by video contact angle tester. It is found that the drying rate of the coated paper ink is higher than the ordinary ink and the diffusion of the ordinary ink is severe. The coated paper ink and ordinary ink are printed, and it is found that the former can get better image detail and color reproduction for the picture of human’s face and inanimate object. The coated paper ink can also obtain a better reproduction of tone levels. Coated paper inkjet ink is printed on different coated papers, and the color densities are measured through red, green and blue color filter. The color strength and hue error are obtained to evaluate the color characteristics on different papers. It is concluded that the coated paper inkjet ink can obtain better color on the Henglian gloss coated paper, Sunbrite gloss coated paper and SPCO matt coated paper.

High-shear-rate capillary viscometer for inkjet inks

A capillary viscometer developed to measure the apparent shear viscosity of inkjet inks at high apparent shear rates encountered during inkjet printing is described. By using the Weissenberg-Rabinowitsch equation, true shear viscosity versus true shear rate is obtained. The device is comprised of a constant-flow generator, a static pressure monitoring device, a high precision submillimeter capillary die, and a high stiffness flow path. The system, which is calibrated using standard Newtonian low-viscosity silicone oil, can be easily operated and maintained. Results for measurement of the shear-rate-dependent viscosity of carbon-black pigmented water-based inkjet inks at shear rates up to 2 x 10(5) s(-1) are discussed. The Cross model was found to closely fit the experimental data. Inkjet ink samples with similar low-shear-rate viscosities exhibited significantly different shear viscosities at high shear rates depending on particle loading.

Micro-sizing degree as a property of ink-jet media printability

As well as supreme image quality realized by specialized paper, industrial and office printing markets demand uncoated general papers compatible with both offset printing and non-impact printing. The present work aims at clarifying the behavior of a micro-liquid droplet of water-based ink-jet inks or simply water absorbed into uncoated paper. In the experiment, laboratory handsheets were prepared by adding alkyl ketene dimmer (AKD) as a sizing agent at different levels of water repellency; none, 0.05, 0.10 and 0.20 % on dry pulp mass. The landing action and the absorption into paper of micro-droplets of water ejected from an ink-jet head were recorded by the microscopic high-speed video camera system every millisecond. The period of time between the landing and the completion of absorption was defined as “micro-sizing degree”. The micro-sizing degree was approximately 2 to 3 ms up to 0.10 % AKD addition. It is lower than that of commercial silica-coated ink-jet papers which was approximately 8 ms although silica-coated papers are known to absorb water very quickly. However, the micro-sizing degree was approximately 45 ms for the handsheets of 0.20 % AKD addition. This result implies that the water-repellency by AKD is distributed over fiber surfaces so homogeneously that micro-water droplets of diameters of as small as a few micrometers are absorbed stably at similar rates.

A New Water-based Inkjet Ink for Plain Paper Printing

Offices have recently seen an increase of inkjet printing on plain paper. Two types of ink have been used for this printing: water-based ink and oil-based ink. However, there is a trade-off between the two. Although water-based ink offers sharp images, it also results in significant curling of plain paper after printing. Conversely, although oil-based ink allows curl to be suppressed, it results in poor image quality with low density. By carefully controlling the ink's absorption into and penetration of plain paper, we developed a new ink that achieves both image quality and curl suppression.

Silver Nanoparticles as Pigments for Water-Based Ink-Jet Inks

Stabilized concentrated citrate-reduced silver nanocolloids for use as pigments in ink-jet inks were prepared. Carboxymethyl cellulose was used as a polymeric stabilizer providing both electrostatic and steric stabilization. X-ray diffraction pattern, optical properties (UV−visible spectroscopy), size (TEM and dynamic light scattering), and zeta potentials of the nanoparticles were studied. It was shown that the product is silver with cubic symmetry. Absorption spectra are characterized, as a rule, by asymmetric absorption bands with maxima at 417−440 nm and shoulders at 350−352 and 380−382 nm. TEM images of unstabilized and stabilized colloids indicate the formation of nanoparticles of different shapes (spheres, hexagons, cubes, and rods) with rather wide size distribution in the range from several nanometers (spheres) up to several hundreds of nanometers (rods). CMC was found to be an effective stabilizer of silver nanoparticles, and the average particle size at CMC concentrations from 0.025 to 0.2 wt %...

Lightfastness Studies of Water-based Inkjet Inks on Coated and Uncoated Papers

Instrumental color (i.e. L*A*B*) and optical density measurements were performed on coated and uncoated papers printed with water based inkjet inks using continuous binary array inkjet equipment. Lightfastness tests were performed in a QUV test chamber with Cool White Fluorescent lamps, Q-Sun Xenon Arc Test Chamber with a Window Glass Filter, and under glass at a Florida outdoor benchmark location (Q-Lab Weathering Research Service). These results were compared with two indoor exposure locations. Rank order was used to show good correlation between the various exposure methods. The results of this study generated data indicating that the lightfastness of water-based inkjet inks can be complex and dictated by the type of coated or uncoated paper used. This study also shows that inks printed on coated substrates are more susceptible to UV degradation than those printed on a bond or uncoated substrate. The development of a light stability test protocol is intended to simulate the conditions of the actual service environment. Meaningful data can be produced to better evaluate the “archivability” or predict durability of inkjet inks and substrates.