Colloid Particles in Ink Formulations

Investigation of a hybrid material and photophysical properties of rhodamine B in aqueous suspensions of cellulosic particles

“…The particle size distribution of these materials provides determination of their availability, functionality, processability and quality. The pigment or colour hybrid particles must yield a colloidal dispersion in printing ink applications 42 . This means that the particles suspended in a medium have diameters within 1-1000 nm.…”

Wetting and coalescence: beyond single-phase flows

“…1.2), and ink is absorbed by the porous structure of paper due to capillary action [11,12]. These flows, by their nature, involve multiple phases (ink is composed of multiple complex components), and are typically out of equilibrium [13,14]. A fundamental understanding of surface-tension driven multi-phase flows is therefore expected to aid in the further development of inkjet printing technology.…”

“…These cases, however, have an enormous significance, since numerous liquids used in industrial applications and everyday life, such as paints, pesticides, soaps, and various food products, consist of multiple components. Likewise, the inks used in inkjet printing are complex liquids containing various components such as water, pigments, viscosity modifiers, surfactants, humectants, buffers, and biocides [13]. Each of these components can affect the flow of the ink, be it during the jetting from a nozzle, during the merging of two neighbouring ink drops, or during any other stage of the printing process [7,8,20].…”

“…1.4b [22]. In inkjet printing, surfactants are often used to achieve good jetting and spreading properties of the ink, though they can also disturb the jetting process by causing unwanted Marangoni flow on the nozzle [13,26].…”

“…Particle aggregation rates can be controlled by physico-chemical mechanisms-they can be increased by introducing electrolytes into the ink [34]. This is achieved by printing the ink onto a salt-containing "primer layer", such that pigment particles cluster immediately upon deposition [13]. Unable to follow the flow into the porous structure of the paper, the clustered pigment remains on the paper surface, resulting in vibrant colours.…”